Have you ever gone out of your way to do a good deed from someone, only to have it blow up in your face? Has there been a time when you did something that was good, right, difficult --- yet found that you were being criticized for your kindness or your intentions were called into question? My hunch is that most of you probably have had this happen to you at some point in your life. And when it does take place, we find ourselves asking a very basic question: Why are some people so mean? Why are some people so cruel? Sadly, these are questions that even little children ask. Some of you know, all too well that one of the most difficult experiences of raising a child is helping the youngster cope with classmates or teammates who are mean and cruel. This type of behavior exists in Middle School, High School and College as well as in the workplace and in our neighborhoods. The basic plot of many novels and movies revolves around people who are downright mean and cruel. Now we would like to think that it is those “other people” who are the ones being mean and cruel. But if we are honest, we realize that it doesn’t take much for us to cross the line and begin to treat people badly.
Today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom presents mean, cruel people. They plot against the just man. They want to destroy him. The reasons for their hatred are petty and immature. They are jealous of his goodness. They find his witness to God offensive. Worst, he has earned what they themselves so desperately want but do not deserve: the respect of others. Instead of humbly imitating the Just One and reforming their own lives, they put their energy and resources into destroying the one who challenges them and makes them uncomfortable.
The reading from Wisdom is true and speaks to the worst aspects of human nature that it is actually prophetic. Even though these verses were written hundreds of years before Christ, they describe perfectly the attitude of those people who wanted Jesus put to death. The Temple priests, the Sadducees and Pharisees attacked Jesus because He questioned their arrogance, their hypocrisy and his just lifestyle was offensive to him. They hated it when Jesus told them that they were not true to the law. Instead of challenging themselves, they decided: Jesus had to go. He had to die. Comfort took precedence over conversion.
This cruel situation often exists in our families, our nation, and sadly, even in our Church. A member of the family who is intent on living the faith might be mocked or hated by someone who secretly wishes that his or her faith was at the same level. In the our culture, the media often mocks those who are seeking to live properly. Just think of the degrading comments made about Tim Tebow and LoLo Jones when they stated their commitment to protecting their virginity. Our culture glories in pointing out the mistakes of just people. Instead of joining them in virtue, it would rather tear them down and show that good people are no different than immoral people or, if they are, it is only that they are judgmental, mean and absolutely no fun! Sadly, something similar happens in the Church. This shouldn’t surprise us because the Church is made of human beings. There are people within parishes, including priests and religious, and even bishops, who are ready to attack those whose virtue is perceived by others as greater than theirs, or whose lives make them uncomfortable. Comfort often takes precedence over conversion.
People indeed are often cruel, mean and petty. These people can be our friends, co-workers, classmates, family, teammates and even fellow parishioners. Since the first sin of Adam and Eve, human nature has looked for shortcuts to doing the right thing. Sin makes us want the benefits of an upright life without submitting ourselves to the sacrifices that justice requires.
Thus far, we have talking about those other mean, cruel, and petty people who attack the just ones around them rather than challenge themselves to be something greater. Now it is time to point the finger at ourselves and examine the ways that we might fall into that role as well. The truth is, all of us feel threatened by the presence of the Just One in our midst. Sometimes that presence is the voice of a close friend or family member, challenging us to a more excellent way of acting or thinking. Other times it is the teaching of the Church which challenges us to stop thinking as the world does and start looking at things as Christ would. It can even be the correction of legitimate authority that offends our pride and causes us to attack whatever threatens our way of doing things.
One thing is certain; for each of us, there are areas of our lives that we like to keep just the way they are. There are parts of our hearts and souls we prefer that God just leave alone. We guard some aspects of our relationships and living, we do our best to convince ourselves that the Catholic Church has no right to challenge or correct us in these areas of our life. We want the ultimate authority to reside within ourselves. We want to be our own masters. And if anyone comes along to challenge that, even if it be the Just One of God, well, we will take that person out. Perhaps by attacking their reputation. Maybe by pointing out their faults. Or questioning their motives. Or mocking their old-fashioned values and rigid morals. You get my point?!
The truth is: not a single one of us has all of the answers! No one here in church has it all figured out or all together. And if our first reaction to criticism and correction is to go on the attack and try to lash out at the one who dares question us, well then we are the ones who have a problem. When we respond this way we close ourselves off and risk silencing the Just Ones that God sends us in the form of friends, family, clergy, co-workers, classmates, and the list could keep going on and on.
Jesus was crucified because a whole lot of people heard the gospel but didn’t want to change or be challenged. They chose to fight to be comfortable in their sinfulness and this caused them to be cruel, to the point of killing the innocent Son of God. Will you... will I make the same mistake? Will we accept Jesus’ challenge to be excellent, to suffer with him, to be corrected and converted and separated from our selfishness so that we can be his Just Ones to a world immersed in darkness? If we humbly say yes to being challenged, if we humbly say yes to being corrected and occasionally uncomfortable for the sake of the gospel, then we will forever sing the confident words of the psalmist: “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord sustains my life.”
