The baptised have a prophetic responsibility to speak against evil or evil will come to rule us: especially to protect young people
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time – September 29, 2024
The readings today have a strong focus on the terrible consequences of sin, and how we might avoid sin. At first glance it might seem to be about personal actions only, however a deeper understanding reveals an urgency about our responsibilities as a community, and how our whole community can suffer when good people stand by and say nothing about evil.
Why is God so strong today? Is God angry with us? No, God is trying to help us avoid an unhappy future. No matter how hard we work, no matter how well we behave, our happiness depends on a good and active community that has children, youth, elders and those in between.
When “extra” people preached the Good News, there was some “jealousy” by the chosen men with Moses and some of Jesus’s Disciples. This is our invitation to also speak.
The 2nd part of the Gospel encourages us to appreciate/ care for those who are doing good: it specifically mentions those who belong to Christ. Now, who belongs to Christ? Surely, anyone who speaks the truth, acts righteously, shows respect to elders and protects the innocent. This is a small point, but has far-reaching consequences: when we fail to care for those doing good, they may lose energy and be overtaken by selfish and corrupt leaders.
The 3rd part of the Gospel reveals the special concern God has for children: because children are very vulnerable, they must be protected: “anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones”, will suffer terrible consequences. A question: do we know that keeping quiet when a child is suffering, also defines us as “an obstacle”? Surely for a happy community, we are all responsible to protect children, to be one of the “unchosen” prophets, even if we face criticism.
When Jesus talks about the child abuser being thrown into the sea, He is also refer to us as a collective community: the terrible suffering our whole community will have tomorrow.
We destroy our own future happiness, and that of our children, if we only look after and have concern for our own family. When other children are abused (physically, emotionally, sexually or through neglect), not only are their lives affected, but the whole community will suffer.
The 4th part of the Gospel then encourages us to understand the very serious (bad) consequences of sin in our lives. One of the youth asked about whether Jesus is talking literally or metaphorically, when he says “if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off”. I think it is both.
In general, it is a threat to wake us up and change our behaviour: much like a mother who threatens her child: “if you steal sugar again, I’m going to cut your hand off!” Of course she won’t, but it scares us, and hopefully we change our behaviour.
The usual understanding of SIN is that it separates us from God. It’s true. But it’s better to think about how our SIN’s are actions which separate us from community. Much unhappiness in life comes when our friends and family members abandon us due to our behaviour. Jesus now wants us to realise, seriously, that we can also sin by doing nothing.
In a literal sense, we can imagine the seriousness of losing a hand or an eye, and Jesus wants us to see the serious consequences of sin, and to change so we will not suffer.
I remember the situation of a mother with a 25 year old drug addicted daughter. Her behaviour was difficult, erratic and sometimes violent. The daughter started stealing things at home to buy drugs. The mother warned her and the daughter promised it would not happen again. Then it happened a second time. The mother was stressed and worried about her daughter.
Finally, when the stealing happened a third time, mum called the Police and they found drugs in her room. As the daughter was being taken away the daughter screamed out: “I hate you, I will never speak to you again,” This brought the mother to tears.
After several years in prison, the daughter came home, happy to be free and said: “thank you mum for calling the Police.” This reveals a special kind of courage that each of us in the community must have for the welfare of all children.
Perhaps in a subtle way we sin against the vulnerable: by not ensuring they take responsibilities at home, because they will not develop a sense of initiative and responsibility in later life.
However, don’t lose hope! Although family life is under attack, and breaking down in many places, when we speak the truth about God’s love for all of us, and we act in ways that protect the vulnerable, we encourage others keep hope alive: one person at a time.
Today, we are at an urgent and critical moment in the life of our community: we must become prophets of the Truth by our words and actions, to promote and encourage those doing good, and to do what we can to protect the vulnerable in our community.
By Gerard Conlan, OMI
