Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

 Lectionary: 318

Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come,
and not the very image of them, it can never make perfect
those who come to worship by the same sacrifices
that they offer continually each year.

 M om used to say of certain people, "They're more Catholic than the pope!" They acted too pious; and tried too hard to demonstrate their right attitudes, correct behavior, and pure, unsullied minds. Ordinary sinners stay out of their way, avoiding their hard words and cutting attitudes. Miss Goody Two Shoes, despite her self-image, offers "only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of them." 

With better insight and a bit more compassion we realize they are frightened, perhaps traumatized, people who desperately hope their guarded behavior will prove their worth in the presence of a demanding, unhappy, insatiable deity. A nation, born by revolution whose history is marked by constant warfare and yet claims to be peace-loving, generates hurting, angry, self-righteous citizens who habitually violate one another. Their peace, founded upon successful wars and military strength, is a shadow vaguely suggesting the promise and hope of salvation. 

I have sometimes counseled people to "Quit trying. Quit trying not to try. Quit quitting." I have sometimes known what the enigmatic expression means and felt closer to actually practicing it. I felt like I had quit trying and actually relied on God's mercy. But then, who knows? The older I get the better I used to be. 

It's important to hear the Father's response when the Son was baptized with ordinary sinners in the muddy Jordan River, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” As Saint Mark tells the story, no one recognized him -- not even John the Baptist -- and no one else heard the Voice. 

We cannot say that Jesus needed to hear that reassuring word. Perhaps his human anxiety never threatened his peace of mind, but it's certainly a good word for those who cling to him. He surely knew how important that word is for poor sinners like you and me. We need to know that our Heavenly Father is more than satisfied with us; he is pleased. 

The Father's pleasure comes with his seeing us through the eyes of Jesus. Mary's son looks at us with the eyes of a child who loves his parents, uncles and aunts, brothers, sisters, cousins, and neighbors. The boy recognizes our effort and admires what little success we achieve. If he sees the hard side of our trying, he recognizes the blind and mute anxiety which drives it. Because he loves, us his Father loves us. 

His pleasure is not born of something we have done. We can let that baggage go; all those silly accomplishments that, in the light of God's promised kingdom, are so pathetic. Forget them. That's easy to do when we study the Gospels and see the Lord in his goodness, courage, and generosity. He is the Kingdom of God incarnate, the presence of the future who lives now. When I see him I remember that my salvation is not about me. 

Fixing our eyes on what is to come, we let go of our comical, mockable self-image and shabby accomplishments. Neither matters very much. The former is a poor seed bearing no fruit, and the latter is "only a shadow of the good things to come."