Optional Memorial of Saint Josephine Bakhita, Virgin

Lectionary: 332

Since this is what you want,
and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes
which I enjoined on you,
I will deprive you of the kingdom and give it to your servant.
I will not do this during your lifetime, however,
for the sake of your father David;
it is your son whom I will deprive.
Nor will I take away the whole kingdom.
I will leave your son one tribe for the sake of my servant David
and of Jerusalem, which I have chosen."

Recently I read an article in a Catholic magazine complaining about the fire and brimstone sermons which the author suffered in church and at home. I was surprised to read this since the consumer church of the last half-century has found that honey attracts more flies than vinegar. More often we hear about the unconditional love of God which is always affirming, reassuring, and comforting; and never scolding. 

As I read the scriptures, I find God's unconditional love rewards fidelity and punishes infidelity. As a semi-retired priest, with neither children, grandchildren, nor school children, I don't know how tough love should be represented to children. But the Bible is not addressed to children. 

God's promises and warnings are addressed to responsible adults who know there are consequences to every decision; and who should have learned impulse control before attaining their adulthood. The authors of Scripture knew nothing about addictions, obsessive compulsions, autism spectrum disorders, and PTSD; but they urge the faithful to practice good habits and avoid bad habits. 

The Bible for adults urges nations and their citizens to know the Lord and respect his sovereignty. Much of the Old Testament is addressed to the divided kingdom of David. In times of crisis, when confronted by expanding empires like Assyria, Babylon, or Egypt, they should trust the Lord to protect them. And they would trust the Lord if they faithfully cared for "orphans, widows, and aliens." The people of God should represent his unconditional love to the poor, even as they enjoy the privilege of his love. There will always be enough to go around, and security for everyone. 

When that condition was not met, God's unwavering, unconditional love did not go away; there was no divorce from his people. Rather, it became punitive. What else could the Lord do? Clearly, his promises and warning had failed to persuade them to live upright lives, and so the wrath came down. It came in the form of diseases, infestations, earthquakes, and foreign invasion -- all the usual plagues that afflict human life. God permitted Israel to suffer the same prosperity and failure, the rise and fall of all other nations. Jerusalem was stormed and taken by Assyria and Babylon, while the people were taken into captivity. 

The United States once thought of itself as a city on the hill, a beacon of Christian light for the world. But consumerism prevailed over the practices of prayer and sacrifice; and divorce, abortion, and racial inequity became our way of life. And certain consequences followed. 

But when we failed to notice the locked churches, the drop in church attendance, and the scarcity of vocations to all the helping professions (not just the Catholic priesthood) the punishment worsened. The streets became infested with drug-addled thieves, and then armed madmen. Today we face the reelection of a narcissist who inspired an insurrection among his fanatical followers. And we hear whispers of another civil war. 

But the preachers still speak of God's sweetness and light, his unconditional love that is reassuring, affirming, and comfortable; and never disapproving, much less scolding.

Would I preach fire and brimstone to children? 

I would call Catholics, Christian, Jews, and Muslims to resume the practice of penance. Let us pray, let us make sacrifice, let us acknowledge our sins and the sins of our ancestors, and let us beg God to spare his people. 

Spare your people, Lord. Spare your people. Lest you be angry with us forever. 
Parce Domine, parce populo tuo, ne in aeternum, irascaris nobis.