What does Duck Dynasty and the first reading have in common? It may not be immediately obvious, but I hope by the end of the homily you will see the connection. In the first reading, we have what seems to be a pious man named Ahaz, who was a King. His was the Kingdom of Judah, the southern of the two Hebrew Kingdoms. Basically, in the middle of the eighth century before Jesus, the whole region was at war. Ahaz considered joining his kingdom to an alliance of pagan nations, in the hope that he could protect his people and possibly expand his territory by the time it was all over.
This is when the prophet Isaiah came to him and told him to stay at peace, trust in God and behold His Wonders. Ahaz protested at this. He had his own plan. So Isaiah told him, “If you want proof that my message is from God, ask for a sign, and God will provide it.” Ahaz might have appeared to be holy and pious when he said, “I will not tempt God,” but actually what he was saying is that he didn’t want anyone telling him what choices to make. He certainly was not going to allow some prophet to determine his policies. He did not want to behold the work of God. He would rather decide his own fate and that of his Kingdom, than trust in God.
Ahaz probably believed in God to some extent, at least as far as was politically necessary. But he wanted to do what he thought best. He was not going to take this religion stuff too seriously. Besides, if Isaiah was able to perform some miracle, Ahaz’s hands would be tied to doing what the prophet said. So like a spoiled child, Ahaz held his ears and screamed. He did not want to behold whatever God had in store for him because he had already made a plan and he didn’t want God to get in the way. His plan may have seemed humanely wise and perfect but in the end his nation will be defeated and marched into slavery and will suffer greatly because it followed the wisdom of man rather than the wisdom of God.
Their temptation is not one only kings and rulers face. No, we all have a tendency to react as Ahaz did when confronted with the action of God in our lives. We have a temptation that we rather trust in our own ability to find happiness than be exposed to God and be forced to reject the pseudo joy of the world.
Now enter Duck Dynasty ! This past week, the patriarch of the popular show on TV was interviewed by GQ magazine. During the interview, Phil Robertson was asked about immorality and his faith and he mentioned as one example of immorality, homosexual behavior, in addition to adultery, greed, slander, drunkenness, and swindling people. In case you are wondering, Phil’s list is based on 1 Corinthians 6:9, not just a list of pet peeves that he decided to fixate on. Interestingly enough, two paragraphs later, the interviewer quotes Phil as saying that they do not ever judge if a person is going to heaven or hell, rather he says that their job is to give them the Good News of Jesus Christ and let God sort the rest out.
Now predictably, these comments stirred up a hornet’s nest of anger and outrage. They also summoned agreement and support. What these words and the reaction of A&E and people on both sides of the debate show is much more than political correctness, progressive vs. traditional, Christian vs. atheist, urban vs. rural. No, at the heart of this whole story is the problem of Ahaz and how we humans like to run things ourselves.
What sin is and how it is defined is not ours to decide or change. Sin is anything that draws us away from God and he shows us what these things are in scripture and in the magisterium or teaching of the Church. Not all sin is laid out in the bible. Some of it has been taught to us through the teaching and tradition of the Church. These teachings, wherever they come from, are timeless and binding. They span all cultures and ages, they do not fade or become irrelevant. Sin is sin and it is not up to us to decide what will be sin and what we can make ok.
Ahaz had a vision and he wanted that vision to be followed at all costs, even if it contradicted what God had in mind. To his limited understanding, it was the best plan, the most relevant and likely to work. But his mind was limited and he didn’t see what God sees. His people and kingdom paid the ultimate price. In our culture today, we like to redefine what is right and wrong, based on our own limited understanding. Whether it be redefining marriage or the family, or that a person can be taken from the womb, once we start trying to redefine sin, we doom ourselves and our culture. God has given us right and wrong to protect us and make us truly happy (Or should I say, “happy, happy, happy!”). Sometimes this happiness is difficult and involves tremendous sacrifice. But in the end, if we follow Him, we receive the benefits of his almighty power and infinite wisdom; His plan will always work out.
In these final days of Advent, let us learn from Ahaz’s mistake and open our hearts and minds to God’s plan for us and our world. Christmas can remind us that no matter how unlikely His plan seems, nothing is impossible for God. So let us submit our ideas and plans to the almighty and let us trust that whatever he asks of us will be for our benefit.
