Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.
The Protestant Reformation has reminded Roman Catholicism that every Christian must stand alone in judgment before the throne of God. Our plea for mercy should not be, "I was only doing like the priests and ministers." In today's gospel Jesus urges us to "do and observe" the sacred word of "scribes and Pharisees", but don't expect to hide from God's wrath behind a lame excuse.
The Word of God and the Spirit of God remain with us in every age. They are recognized by their vitality and purity; and by their continual challenge of the world and its ever-changing cultures.
Some people might point to the ubiquitous presence of recreational drugs as their culture. "Because this is our culture," they say, "it is not immoral to do this." Not long ago, every gathering of family, church or neighborhood included alcohol and cigarettes. If leaders participated in these activities they were pardoned for it, regardless of the consequences.
Others will defend racist and sexist attitudes as cultural. Catholics might want to canonize some influential leaders despite their antisemitic remarks. "It was the culture of that time, and we cannot judge them for it!" they say. True, we should not judge. But neither do we admire such attitudes.
We hear the Lord say to us, "Do not follow their example."
The Holy Spirit invites us to pay attention to what we're doing. We cannot know all the information we should have for every decision; nor can we know all the consequences for every action; but we are nonetheless responsible for what we say and do. I know of one woman who has never forgiven me for an expression on my face; but, I might plead, I was only reflecting my upbringing and cultural heritage.
And so we practice awareness, first of God's Spirit in our lives, and then of where we are and what we're doing. If I am tearing up the highway at 70 mph during the morning commute I'd better pay attention. A split second of inattention can be fatal. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone!" didn't wash when I was a kid; it still doesn't.
"I always do it this way." may explain most of my behavior but it won't excuse a single, stupid act. Culture may describe my narrow mindedness but it can't explain the reason I treated a fellow human being with contempt.
When the culture is changing continually, when behavior that was once "taken for granted" is now unacceptable we must ask the Spirit of Jesus to guide us in all our affairs. We should be ready and willing always to listen to wise persons around us, reconsider our attitudes, apologize and learn new ways of thinking and acting.
No comments:
Post a Comment
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.