Let us condemn him to a shameful death for according to his own words, God will take care of him.” These were (the thoughts of the wicked). but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them, and they knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls’ reward.
The Bible speaks freely of the Lord's friends and enemies; they are the friends and enemies of God's people. If there are others in the world, foreigners of distant nations who have encountered neither the Lord nor his people, the Bible welcomes them to come to know and worship the Lord in Jerusalem.
But most of the Bible's concern is about the friends and enemies of God, and neither party is very far removed from the Holy City. Jerusalem, like every other city, comprised people of many nations, ethnicities, languages, and religions. It was David's royal city, the capital of his kingdom, but it was ancient when he captured it; and its native residents stayed on. As his kingdom prospered, merchants came from every direction to do business in the city, while emissaries from many nations settled there, bringing strange gods with them.
The pious might have resented the presence of foreigners with their gods but they could not be rid of them, nor could they suppress their alien ways and their peculiar ideas. Like every major city, its wealth was unevenly divided; there were beggars, criminals, and lunatics; and it wasn't safe to go out at night. As we read the psalms we realize enemies were never far away. Tensions sometimes erupted in acts of aggression and bloodshed, with recriminations in every direction.
In our time the "city" is everywhere. While politicians and the press accentuate the differences of city and country, rural isolation from the city has disappeared. With instant communication, paved roads, electrical grids, water mains, sewer systems, no one is far removed from urban life. Friends are both distant and far removed, as are enemies with foreign accents, religions, and values.
Whether they find isolation and its refreshment in a city park or a hidden valley in Montana, they're never far removed from people with strange ideas and alien agendas. Some nineteenth century Americans attempted to create utopian villages around religious values, but their most successful experiments have been washed away by the sweep of urbanization.
And yet Catholics must find their identity and mission amid the noise, congestion, and crowding of the city. Even as our neighbors suspect us of being too pious, too earnest, and too holy, we must continually renew our separate identity. We will love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We will model fidelity, generosity, and confidence in the Holy Spirit to our children even as we teach them our sacred doctrines. We will support one another with advice, encouragement, and financial assistance even as we risk betrayal.
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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.