A Reflection for the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Bizarre Time
But you, man of God, pursue righteousness,
devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the religion.
Lay hold of everlasting life,
to which you were called
whenever you made the noble confession
within the presence of many witnesses. (1 Tm 6:11-12)
As Ukraine entered its seventh month of heading off an unjust, imperialist war from Russia, Pope Francis was asked on a return flight from Kazakhstan whether or not it was possible for a rustic to buy weapons as a way to defend itself.
In response, the pope stated, “to defend oneself just isn’t only licit, additionally it is an expression of affection toward one’s homeland; whoever doesn’t defend something, doesn’t find it irresistible.”
After going over today’s readings, it is difficult to not see the pope’s comments as an evocation of this Pauline letter to Timothy. Timothy’s faith doesn’t command a passive acceptance of God on a part of his confession; as an alternative, he is known as to compete for said faith, for values that include love. It’s a devotion to an influence unimaginably superior to human interests; such a devotion requires a serious amount of labor on our part.
This deviation stands in competition with what we now have today. The horrors we face—unjust war, authoritarianism, the clamping down of non secular liberty—are in direct competition with that aforementioned Catholic value of affection. They’re borne of misguided devotions to backwards leaders and ideologies on the expense of human life.
Now, it is straightforward to assume, as faithful Catholics, the readings today talking in regards to the obvious evil we see in dictators and plutocrats—pointing fingers at those that, just like the wealthy man who ignored Lazarus, will find yourself on the unsuitable side of the chasm. Nonetheless, it is a reductionist interpretation.
The horrors we face—unjust war, authoritarianism, the clamping down of non secular liberty—are in direct competition with that aforementioned Catholic value of affection.
Do not forget that in the primary reading today, those in Zion who’re ripping lambs and calves away for the slaughter are described not as malicious nor villainous, but complacent. Their opulence on the expense of the disadvantaged is straightforward to take without any consideration if one just doesn’t give it some thought.
For us, having the ability to ignore the news of the war against Ukraine—or oppression in our own hemisphere—is a complacency. Turning away those searching for refuge from that oppression is a complacency. Even weak performances like pity are a complacency; nobody has ever won a contest by putting within the smallest amount of effort and failing to point out up.
We’re equally as complacent in these injustices if we prioritize an isolationist false peace over a righteous, loving defense, even when that features the acquisition of weapons. Fighting for the causes that God has given us requires extraordinary effort.
Should we fail to combat the crimes of the world head on with such a defense, then we now have effectively let justice forfeit the competition and allowed injustice to reign.
