Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 'C'

Saturday September 18, 2010

The Gospel of Integrity

Someone asked me if I thought changes are occurring at a more rapid pace than twenty or thirty years ago. He is of the same ‘vintage’ at I—in his seventies. I paused and then embarked on a rather complex analysis of the theory of relatively coming to the conclusion that yes, the pace of change over the last twenty years has increased exponentially and gives every indication of occurring more rapidly in the future. I read an article in the science section of the New York Times several years ago suggesting that indeed it is not just the passing of time that makes it appear that changes are occurring more rapidly. In fact they are.

The gentleman then observed that we do not appear to be more civilized than we were twenty or thirty years ago. In truth, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

He was addressing the old problem of evil in the world and the never-ending threat of annihilation either by sword or by the exponential deterioration of ecological systems that support life on this planet—and in recent times, the ongoing contamination of political and social rhetoric from both sides of the aisle that borders on the barbaric and is quickly spreading among maverick movements.

Although there can be no concession to predators of any kind or species, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to the ideals on which our nation was founded and even more so to the tenets of the great world religions that good must triumph over evil. Indeed, our faith seems to be calling to us from the depth of our soul as individuals and as a church to a new level of discipleship with Jesus; one that not only consoles us but also challenges us to a new high in our moral combat against the aggression of evil and against anything and everything that contributes to injustice.

As I reflected on the Scriptures for this weekend, it occurred to me that the evil that lurks in the heart of humanity or as Carl Jung phrased it, in the “shadow” of our personality, can erupt in many forms and with many faces. Dr Jeckle and Mr Hyde are parodies of our own lives — at one time receptive to divine grace at other times the very antithesis of divine love. Our dated theological explanation maintains that the inner struggle between good and evil is deeply rooted in the moral collapse of humanity through Original Sin. However we explain it, no one can deny the reality of this tension within the human soul. But as Pope Benedict pointed out recently, the greatest evil is that which is characterized as a good by way of a moral relativism that minimizes the impact of religious belief on public morality and the dignity of the human person. Terrorism wears no mask. It is what it is. But evil in the guise of good impairs the ability of the human spirit to discern right from wrong until the harm has been accomplished. Faith and reason need not be enemies but must be engaged in an ongoing dialogue in search of a new truth to which all people of good will can adhere.

That the prophet Amos was aware of this tension seems to be reflected in his anger toward those of his own countrymen whose selfish interests blinded them to the needs of the poor. Justice is at the core of God’s relationship with humanity in both the Old and New Testaments. The oppression of the poor was an evil deeply rooted in the human spirit deceived by the attraction of good, but an evil that was confronted by all the prophets and ultimately by Jesus himself.

This humble shepherd of Tekoa who pinched and pricked the fruit of Sycamore trees to rid them of bugs so that they could ripen fully was called by God to pinch and prick the consciences of his kindred. He was empowered by God to speak forcefully to the powerful in behalf of the exploited and powerless unable speak for themselves. The rulers and the ruling class were not evil but they had succumbed to evil in their relentless pursuit of wealth and power resorting to exploitation, cheating and even the sale of the poor who were unable to carry their own weight or pay their own way.

I recall childhood trips to the butcher with my grandmother who kept her eyes peeled on the scale lest the butcher press the scale with his finger to increase the weight of the meat. The butcher was an honest man but my grandmother took no chances. Some sellers still readjust odometers in one form or another and, for whatever reason, deceive their customers. Buyers still look for bargains and special deals that breed sweat shops around the globe. Several years ago, I purchased a used car from a relative. A friend advised me that I really didn’t have to report the full amount I paid on the tax form because the state would not know what I actually spent. This is the kind of thinking that underlies white-collar crime that has become all too prevalent. “Whoever is faithful in small things is faithful also in greater; and who ever is dishonest in small things is dishonest in the greater.”

If we were as enterprising in promoting global justice as we are in promoting consumer hunger for more, I suspect our efforts would yield a different kind of fruit. Politicians speak of the prosperity and the American dream as if it can take place with one vote or one strike of the pen. I think it’s time our leaders called us to a greater sacrifice and that includes all of us. Prosperity is costly and in many respects the American dream is a utopian goal. Our personal and national budgets are theological documents, testimonies of faith or lack thereof. There is no price on integrity and it is indeed costly to pursue the path of righteousness in the face of contemporary mercenaries and predatory practices in the marketplace.

A preferential option for the poor does not mean welfare should rule. It means partnering with the poor in the development of programs and services that work for the benefit of all.

So as we struggle in the face terrorist threats of unspeakable destruction, in shadow of a world economic crisis, we more forward to a new high in our discipleship with Jesus in solidarity with people of good will everywhere. Not only will we proclaim justice, we will do justice in a manner befitting our heritage and our faith tradition. May I suggest that as we continue our war on terrorism, we also gear up for our war on poverty? I suspect that the latter will ultimately affect the former is a significant and substantive way — much more than weapons of mass destruction.

We must not shrink from our stewardship of the earth and its resources and our responsibility to work for the fair distribution of bread within and beyond our borders. At this table, we become the bread that we eat so that we might become bread blessed and broken for humanity.

Globalization has become the occasion of increase exploitation of the poor but it can also become the opportunity for eliminating global poverty and path to justice for all humanity.

Above all, “Keep hope alive!”

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