October 24, 2004: To Be Guided by the Justice of God

The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time




This past week, I’ve been thinking a lot about the mystery of God . . . of how unfathomable He is.

St. Paul writes to St. Timothy in our second reading today and says, “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” In other words, he has no doubt that God is pleased with him and he’s going to heaven.

Maybe Paul had a special kind of grace for Apostles. I can scarcely imagine that kind of certainty! Instead, I am struck by how so many of us—all of us God’s precious children!—honestly (but perhaps a trifle arrogantly) believe in our heart of hearts that we know with certainty the mind of God. Nowhere is this truer than in religion and politics.

I’ve been entertained (if that’s the right word) by the political endorsement letters appearing in the local newspaper. One writer endorses Bush; another Kerry; still another tells us why it’s not worth voting at all. Then another letter writer talks about which issues are non-negotiable, while still another sets out an altogether different list of issues that can’t be compromised on. Even the bishops of our Church aren’t of one mind on the issues of our day.

So who’s got the handle on God’s mind? Where lies the truth?

I love the opening lines from the passage in Sirach—our first reading: “The Lord is a God of justice, who knows no favorites. Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.” That key word—justice—“the Lord is a God of justice”—refers to the relationships we form with one another . . . including our relationship with God, and His with us. And yet, God’s ways are not our ways.

There’s a wonderful story about a Chicago bank that asked for a letter of recommendation for a fellow from Boston being considered for employment. The Boston investment house couldn’t say enough about the young man. His father, they wrote, was a Cabot. His mother was a Kennedy. Further back was a happy blend of Saltonstalls, Peabodys, and several of Boston’s other first families. His recommendation was given without hesitation. Several days later, the Chicago bank sent a note saying the information supplied was completely inadequate. It said, “We are not contemplating using the young man for breeding purposes. Just for work.”

And neither is God a respecter of our pedigree, but He accepts those from every family, nation and race who fears Him and works for His kingdom as best they know how.

Think about how we may resent it when someone has the inside track because of nepotism or favoritism. We may just presume that those people don’t have the ability or talents necessary for the job, but strings were pulled.

Yet when it comes to God and us, this kind of favoritism is not only acceptable, it is presumed! As Sirach continues, “The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens.” You see? A mutual relationship guarantees God’s favor.

In St. Luke’s wonderful Gospel, Jesus reveals what’s at the heart of that kind of relationship. God doesn’t respond to us because we can produce a list of accomplishments. On the contrary, the folks who can produce a list of all the good stuff they’ve done or believe probably do not have the “righteousness” that God expects! Remember, the parable of the two praying Jews is addressed “to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.”

The Pharisee is convinced that his list is worthy of God’s attention. “O God,” he prays, “I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.” Surely he has a right to the Lord’s ear!

Meanwhile, the sin-conscious tax collector—an employee of the hated Roman occupation army—“stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’”

Jesus announces that the tax collector went home justified, but not the Pharisee . . . or as the Lord puts it, “for those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Now: back to politics and religion. Some Catholics—maybe some of us—have been asking how worthy some people really are: to receive Holy Communion, to show their face at Mass, perhaps even to call themselves Catholic! Maybe this has to do with pro-choice politicians, legislators who favor same-sex marriage, or cloning, or stem cell research, or capital punishment, or the war in Iraq, or . . . the list seems to grow longer every day. It has also been suggested that Catholics who vote for politicians who hold certain views on these issues shouldn’t even dare to present themselves for Communion.

And then, of course, there are all those groups who seem to oppose the Church on matters of faith and morals. Sometimes we priests are urged to deny communion to people “living in sin,” or divorced and remarried, or in some other lifestyle outside the norm.

What is Christ’s mind? I read a wonderful pastoral letter written by Bishop John Kinney of the Diocese of St. Cloud, Minnesota. It’s called, “Holy Communion Must Not Be Used as a Weapon.” Bishop Kinney teaches that the Eucharist should not be used as a club in a political or ideological debate. He reminds us that it is the teaching of the Church that it is up to the individual to examine his own conscience and determine whether he is in a state of grave sin needing to go to confession before receiving Holy Communion. It is not the place—nor is it even possible—for one human being to judge someone else’s relationship with God. That’s a sin; it’s called rash judgment.

As we pray, and listen to God’s word, and prepare to receive Our Lord, we would do well to reflect on today’s lesson and listen to ourselves as we recite our prayer before communion: “O Lord, I am not worthy to receive you . . .” The prayer does not say, “O Lord, my neighbor is not worthy . . .”



Today’s Readings:
Sirach 35, 12–18
Psalm 34
2 Timothy 4, 6–8 and 16–18
Luke 18, 9–14