"You Athenians, I see that in every respect
you are very religious.
For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines,
I even discovered an altar inscribed, 'To an Unknown God.'
What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you.
The God who made the world and all that is in it,
the Lord of heaven and earth...."
Saint Paul's initial words to the Athenian intelligentsia might have been salted with a bit of sarcasm; Athenian elites were not "very religious." They might have observed the rites and paid their dues in public, when it was necessary; but "the gods" hardly entered their personal concerns or private matters. As we study their mythology today we wonder how anyone could take it seriously.
The masses of the people, whom the elite sneeringly called hoi polloi, might have been eager to defer to the mysterious powers which made much of life unpredictable; they might have appealed for help to their gods sincerely and with affection.
But, like any religion, pagan worship was laced with wickedness. Saint Luke describes in some detail the riot of the Ephesian silversmiths when the disciples' healed in the Name of the Lord. They were doing a land office business selling graven images of Astarte. The shrine in Ephesus welcomed pilgrims from the entire Roman empire!
Elite Athenians, of course, knew better than to worship Astarte but neither would they challenge her devotees. As far as they were concerned, there was no God to worship, love, adore, or obey; so why bother?
Saint Paul did not need to upturn tables like Jesus in the temple when he announced the Son of Mary to the Athenians. He had only to suggest that a crucified man had been raised up, and that he would "judge the world with justice." With that, they snickered, sneered, and left.
He would get the same response were he to announce to Americans, "I see by your Christian nationalism and your mega-churches that you are very religious." They might give him the same amused attention until he offers them the Truth which upends false idols and pretentious images. Americans don't invest energy, time, or money in disappointment, failure, or futility. They don't speak of death unless it's about enemies, criminals, foreigners, and aliens. Sacrifice is never necessary for them; it attracts neither consumers nor investors.
Catholicism, as Mother Theresa reminded us, does not expect success. We are called to worship God; and to practice our faith with prayerful rituals and charitable works. It is "right and just" that we should stop everything we're doing to pay attention to the Lord who has paid so much for us. It is good when others join us; it is wonderful when they want to join us. But we will love God in either case, for He is worthy of everything we can give Him.
