Will you answer this week?
The Book of Numbers, The Letter of James; and the passage from the Gospel of St. Mark all address indifference, double standards, and hypocrisy. Trying to privatize God, being harshly judgmental of others that may be different than us can be the highest form of sacrilege -not seeing all people as worthy and not sharing what God has given us to help others. Jesus addresses self-centered blindness and greed; not reaching out to help one in need he declares: “If your hand causes you to sin cut it off!” The foot not lifted to stand up for the rights of others-the oppressed-cut it off, and the eye not seeing others as the Lord calls us to-gouge it out.
We know that if we truly want to live our faith in Jesus it is more than lip service and is often contrary to the empty at times hedonistic message of the world. We are in the world to make it better, and not of the world to soak it up and horde material gains-exhaust resources and destroy the planet. St. James certainly warns the same in his Letter for today:
“Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire.”
Does God have something against being rich or wealthy? Of course not, our Christian religion and faith teaches us that if we use our blessings to help persons less fortunate, God wants us to have the means to assist them. But not on making us rich to satisfy wants—and greed. I know we may come up empty in life and hollow in soul; and what sort of decisions will I make about the needs of others—even in my own family.
I know about that all too well from my own earlier life tremendous personal success. It was all about me. Abortion, death penalty, euthanasia, assisted suicide—those were all issues out there somewhere for someone else to resolve—they didn’t enter my mind. My idea of charity was giving a check to a particular cause of an employee, rarely personal contact, extremely rare public witness of support, and above all never getting associated with those sign-carrying people. Then God got me back at the height of my success I felt empty– questioned the meaning of my life and where it was heading—through conversion I began to be alive again—going outward for the good of others not just me-with purpose and meaning-isn’t that what we all search for.
We can easily be disconnected from the gospel call of Jesus — out of touch about moral rights of others, issues around injustice, and care the less fortunate. “I’ll get to them later, when I have time, when I retire…” What we really mean is– when convenient. How we live with our gifts-material and otherwise– reflects how we address all aspects of our moral life in Christ.
Seeing all life as sacred and worthy of our help is one of the greatest teachings of Christ and perhaps most challenging. October has a particular focus on such actions for all of the Church with “Respect Life Month” —not that we should do so for one month only. On our bulletin board are a number of options for witnessing Christ. In Napa the Life Chain takes place next Sunday 10/4 from 1:30P-3P on Jefferson (meet at Trancas). The 40 Days for Life prayer vigil in front of Planned Parenthood begins following the Life Chain. There are many opportunities to witness our faith to uphold the sanctity of life. The actions and words of Jesus cannot be left to church leaders, Respect Life volunteers and advocates, and catechists, etc. -it is all of our responsibility to open our hearts to the Lord and witness our faith.
There is a wonderful painting that is a popular image many of you have seen. Jesus is standing outside at night with a lantern knocking on a door overgrown with ivy and weeds-obviously not opened in a long time. There is no handle on the outside where he is standing. Jesus stands there with his lantern of light and hope and knocks, but there is no way for him to enter unless someone on the other side decides to open it and let him in. The painting is called; “The Light of the World.” by William Holden Hunt (1827-1910). The original was sent on tour and became so popular that Hunt was asked to paint a larger version for St. Paul’s Cathedral, in London. After many years, and a great deal of city dirt the painting was taken out of its frame to be cleaned and the restorers discovered what the artist hid by the frame –more than likely did not intend anyone to see. He had written the words, “Forgive me, Lord Jesus that I kept you waiting so long!”
Within many of us is the desire to answer the knock of Jesus on our hearts, and then decide to help with our hands, feet, and our voices-all that we are. One person opening their heart to the Lord and saying I will help eliminate suffering and protect those with little or no voice is a powerful witness of hope to many. We gain richness that matters and a treasure that never disappears- life in Christ! Will you answer this week?