Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
"Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!"
C atholics who like to know "either/or" have a hard time dealing with Nicodemus. He was clearly a Pharisee and an honored member of the Sanhedrin which condemned the Lord. But he also met quietly with the Lord, spoke on his behalf when the Sanhedrin assembled, and assisted with an extraordinary donation of funeral oils when the Lord was buried.
He is honored in some Eastern Catholic rites as a saint; but I seem to remember he is vilified by some Patristic writing. (I could not find that text online.) An article sponsored by the Latter Day Saints (Nicodemus: Coward or Convert) presents both sides of the discussion, but is based only on what is found in Saint John's Gospel and ignores the traditions of the following millennia.
If we let go of the need to classify anyone as coward or convert, Nicodemus comes out as a decent human being and honorable citizen who deserves our respect. As the scriptures insist and we are assured, Judgement belongs to the Lord.
Like Nicodemus, we live in a world where we must make hard choices in daylight and in darkness, and not all of our nighttime decisions measure up to the daylight standards of defiant martyrs. We might suppose this is not the time for martyrs. If some people wisely choose their battles, we hope the Spirit of God, which blows where it will, will show us the battles worth fighting, reveal the stand we should take and the words we should use.
But today's reading from the Acts of the Apostles reminds us there are moments when we must make choices, and expect opposition, harassment, and violence. Such a moment has come for millions in the United States who see the present Republican president, Republican-dominant congressional houses, and a sympathetic Supreme Court enacting merciless measures against minorities, foreign students, and immigrants.
In the name of Justice, revolutions show no mercy. We should not forget the Terror of the French Revolution, Hitler's Germany, or Stalinist Russia. There are reports of attorneys who defend the rights of immigrants being notified of their own imminent arrest and deportation. "Mistakes" can be made and are never unmade, especially by those who have a motive for making them in the first place. Anyone with an American drivers licence or passport should carry them at all times and be prepared to show them to masked government assailants who are Making America u-Gly Again.
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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.