"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
‘That is a fine chain of office you are wearing Richard, may I see it?’
‘Master Rich has, been made Attorney General for Wales’
‘Ahh but Richard it profits a man nothing to gain the whole world if he should lose his soul… but for Wales?’
In 1966, when the movie was made, few Americans knew what Wales might be worth to English royalty in the sixteenth century, but we knew it wasn't worth the loss of a good friend, of one’s dignity and self-respect, not to mention one's immortal soul.
In those days Americans still believed in Kennedy’s dominos as the reason to fight communists in Vietnam. The Watergate, Iran-contra, Abscam, and Enron scandals would not erupt for several more years. We trusted that no one would sell his immortal soul for a seat in Congress, or even an office in Washington. In those days movies about corrupt English kings like Henry II, Henry VIII, and their toadies made for good conversation in cafes, diners, and taverns. But we supposed that our a democratic nation could recognize corrupt politicians and keep them out of power.
That was a long time ago, in the wake of World War II, when most Americans attended church. But as a priest chaplain in the VA hospital, I met many young men who had never attended a church in their life; they had no idea what a priest, minister, or chaplain might represent. Only a few had known chaplains in the military. Unless they had hit a true spiritual crisis like alcoholism or drug abuse, we had nothing to talk about.
The Catholic Church in the United States today finds itself set apart from a bewildered, distressed society. We represent a set of doctrines which we cannot adapt to the expectations and spiritual fads of a consumer society. We are not Cafeteria Catholics who pick and choose what they like and don’t like about the truth. We accept the Word of God with gratitude and try to understand what it means, and what it demands of us. We know we do not measure up to the standards of saints or martyrs, but we celebrate them nonetheless, and hope they accept us as companions on the road.
The psalm response today expresses our desire, and the longing of every human being to know and believe the truth:
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
We would not be here in this church today if we did not, in some way, feel that thirst. It’s more than an idea; it’s an anchor for our identity and our mission. Our desires are not satisfied with consumer goods and cheap entertainment. Even traveling to exotic places, dining on fine foods, and high society culture leave our flesh pining and our souls thirsting like the earth, parched, lifeless, and without water.
Caring for neighbors, friends, and family, praying for our enemies, and making peace with them, go a long way. Intimate conversations with loved ones take us further. But these wonderful activities, as necessary and beautiful as they are, inevitably lead us to gaze…
toward God in the sanctuary
to see his power and his glory,
for his kindness is a greater good than life;
And our lips must glorify him.
Our faith insists that we never surrender our hunger and thirst for God himself. His kindness is a greater good than life. We cannot be duped by the promises of celebrities who sell us cheap stuff, or by politicians who speak vaguely of freedom and rights, and sell their souls for the support of a jaded electorate.
If we complain, we complain like Jeremiah who hoped that God might give him what the world could not give,
You duped me, O LORD, and I let myself be duped;
you were too strong for me, and you triumphed.
And so we come to Church and we hear: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” It might be the best news we’ve heard all day. It makes sense; it’s good; and for that reason, it’s satisfying. Our souls crave to hear something good and true, and that’s what we hear.
The crucifix which rises above every altar in every Catholic Church, the fourteen stations on our walls, the sorrowful mysteries, the season of Lent, and memories of martyrs remind us that life is not easy. It’s not supposed to be easy. The cross reminds us that only a fool wants a life without sacrifice. The cross reminds that the Lord insists that we dig deeper and make more sacrifices. The cross assures us that He has gone ahead of us; he has paid the price of our salvation not with silver or gold but with his own blood. If we accomplish something, we don't say “I did it!” but “Thank you, Lord! The credit is yours!”
The “Richard Rich” who betrays Saint Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons, was a true historical figure. In service to the King he destroyed monasteries and churches, and confiscated their land for the government. However, when the Catholic Queen Mary of Scotland, assumed the throne, Rich swiveled back to Catholicism and served her faithfully. restoring the Catholic Church in some small ways. But he flipped again under the Protestant Queen Elizabeth.
A skilled survivor of politics when the most faithful toadies of Henry VIII, Queen Mary, or Queen Elizabeth were decapitated, he died a wealthy man with many estates, manors, and castles. Since the mid-16th century Rich is remembered for immorality, financial dishonesty, double-dealing, perjury and treachery. One prominent historian (Hugh Trevor-Roper) called him a man "of whom nobody has ever spoken a good word."
St. Thomas More warned him but he did not listen:
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can a man give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory,
and he will repay everyone according to their conduct."
