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| Wild geese and wild crab apples a late August afternoon |
He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.
Among the many challenges the Church faces today is the ethic of tolerance which insinuates that our beliefs and values are negotiable. The individual Catholic or Christian can pick and choose her doctrines and values from the smorgasbord the church offers; and then, if she likes, choose other beliefs and value sets from other venues.
In an open market of religions the consumer can “take what you like and leave the rest.” While tolerance of others, with its sister virtues of reverence for the human individual and patience as we watch for God's kingdom to appear, is certainly an important value, it cannot be the only criterion of one's life.
Characters like Elijah and John the Baptist would be dumb-founded by an ethic whose only value is toleration. They were far too opinionated, far too sure of their mission and far too disruptive of the fragile social order of their day.
Today's theorists, desperately trying to keep things the way they are, insist that we can all just get along so long as no one is terribly opinionated. That kind of liberalism politely looks the other way when severe injustices appear. It piously disregards ominous signs: the disintegration of families, an epidemic of substance abuse and the rising rate of suicide.
Jesus recognized John the Baptist as Elijah returned, and he saw with utter clarity how the people who liked things the way they are disposed of that prophet. Once John was murdered, Jesus had no doubt where his own road would end.
As we approach the celebration of Christmas the Christian, from within her own parish or faith community, must ask whether her anticipation of the holiday differs from the world around her. Is she only buying gifts and baking cookies for the family gathering? Is she only decorating the house and the church hall? Or is she also discovering an aching disappointment about the systems and customs of our culture? Does she notice that the world around her only exploits the holiday for its commercial value; and does she feel isolated, alienated or threatened by that violence? Has she noticed, “They have no wine?”
Christians love the world as Jesus loves it, and are ready to make sacrifices with him for the salvation of the world. But our love is not welcome, and the world would much prefer we surrender our faith and go along with its aimless schemes. That we cannot do.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.