Saturday, June 29, 2013

No excuses please!



Well if I am to follow the signs of the times in light of our faith I could become very angry this week for a variety of reasons. I could be angry that the supreme court has decided to change some key point in the voting rights act that has been upheld for years as a remedy for over a century of legalized slavery in this country and the effects of segregation;  or I could be angry that it has seemingly broadened the age-old definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. This due to its decision that federal benefits cannot be withheld from one group of people who have legally married in certain states; something the courts said is equal protection under the law as interpreted in our constitution; or that immigration reform may be held up by one group of people who seem to fear the demographic change coming, or angry that we cannot change or stop the carnage in Syria….all of this can make one’s heads spin and heart- ache.  We can make all sorts of excuses for these outcomes or we can engage them and  strive to live  the kingdom as a witness to our faith. As in the times of Christ he calls us to keep following him without excuses.  The kingdom won’t wait.

None of these challenges are really that new as we have always been called to be witnesses of Christ in the times we live.  Let’s take a trip into history.  From the beginning of human history there have been wars and conflicts.  Yes salvation history has taught us a better way.  Peace is always the best option.  The more we sweat in peace, the less we bleed in war…However prior, during and after the time of Christ wars have not ended. But we have a mandate to promote peace!  And when it takes root, people and societies have opportunities to thrive, people can prosper as the more we are at peace, the more commerce and quality of life we can experience. . So we have a lot of work to do. From the beginning marriage as we have understood it has always been under attack.  Just read about King David; and for multiple spouses remember, Abraham, Jacob, Esau, Gideon, Saul, David, Solomon,….  This just helped us to define what a best case scenario and theological purpose of marriage would be.  Stability, unitive and procreative, and the ideal environment, when lived correctly, to rear and nourish children.  And we don’t beat up on people who miss the mark. Today, perhaps this week’s recent ruling will only help us to work on marriage a little harder. The same temptations are there, perhaps a better understanding of what Catholic Marriage entails is in order. And if we really have the interest of children in mind, lets adopt more so there is a rare need or excuse for abortion.  This too will take some work. No more excuses. 




From the earliest times, racial and cultural discriminations have existed…. Slavery existed in Old and New Testament times.  The dominate culture always enslaved the minority.  The conqueror ruled.  It did in the manifest destiny vision of those who forcibly removed and killed thousands of native peoples in this land, and slavery and civil rights still not to distant a memory.   But again in following Jesus reminder through St. Paul that there is not longer Jew nor Greek, slave or free, woman or man to divide us, we have made some progress.  But again, only when we decide to follow Jesus and stop making excuses we may still recognize that there is still racial inequality.

There is no point in crushing others for the choices they make. That is sometimes the biggest excuse, blame others.  Conflicts can help us to clarify our goals. We will always be a part of the counter-culture as we always have been.  And we will always have conflicts; just as we will always have the poor with us.  But it calls us to keep peddling and not coast for too long. More importantly, we cannot even begin to change our world if we will not change ourselves.  But ignoring Christ’s way of charity, love, sacrifice and perseverance in our own vocations is to make excuses.  Following Him is the only way. How will the Eucharist change us today?  Remember, no excuses.

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