26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Eze 18:25-28
Phi 2:1-11
Mt 21:28-32
Jesus said to them, “I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.”
These words in the gospel from Jesus are some harsh words. Indeed, Jesus never shied away from the unfiltered truth. There have been many highly charged arguments within the church itself about Pharisees versus tax collectors, and the arguments are still on-going. It seems, to me at least, that there is certainly a divide between those of a true faith and those of a dead faith. A true faith is one that is living, and someone with true faith truly practices it in their daily life where their faith, hope, and charity are evident. A dead faith is basically empty faith and empty words — it is largely external and for show, with little to no conversion on the inside.
‘Tis the Law
Laws, rules, and guidelines exist for good reason within the church. They help guide us towards a life of truth. At the same time, it does seem that the church is extremely fussy about following these rules right down to what is appropriate music in church, and if clapping should ever be allowed at mass. Let’s not even talk about mass attire. We all have encountered someone laying down the law on us. Perhaps we have been the ones reading the riot act to another. Occasionally, we get scolded by the priest, either during the homily or after mass.
Proper decorum at mass helps us to worship well. And because we are worshipping God, we must do it properly. Every element at mass, including the readings and the hymns, are intended to help us worship. Every action the priests or deacons perform reflects Christ. Every move we make with our bodies — every bow, every kneel — signifies respect, reverence, and worship. As such, nothing should be left out, nothing should be done out of turn, and everything must be dignified and reverent.
While it is good to ensure proper decorum, if we only stop at policing everyone, where even is our faith? One can know every last word in the Catechism, but if it is used to condemn and control, there is no living faith. Truth and charity have to exist together. Simply insisting the laws be followed comes across as harsh and judgemental, especially when no one bothers to explain why the laws exist. It is not unlike foreigners taking a potshot at Singapore by calling it draconian — where you need to watch your step or be punished severely. But we know the reason for ‘draconian’ laws, and we most certainly enjoy the freedom and safety they accord. It is the same with church laws — they exist for better faith formation, better worship, and better lives that are pleasing to God.
Jesus never compromised on the truth and he always laid down the law, but he did so with a great love for everyone, no exception. If we are unable to love another truly as Jesus did, our faith is a dead faith.
WWJD?
During my teenage years, the phrase I had heard ad nauseum thrown around church and youth ministries was, ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ Bracelets and keychains carrying the letters ‘WWJD’ were a must-have fashion accessory. And yes, we do emphasise that we need to follow Christ, and love like he does. ‘What would Jesus do?’ is a very valid question that has the power to truly transform our lives.
However, without clear knowledge of what the church actually teaches and why it is important to obey the rules, it is easy to become heretical. We look at how Jesus spent time with the outcasts of society and how he said not to judge them, but we ignore the part where he calls them to conversion, and they turn their lives around. Jesus did not jettison the laws in favour of hanging out with prostitutes and tax collectors. He brought the law to them, and he brought love into those laws. That is what Jesus did.
Too often, we hear well-meaning people exhorting us to be nicer and kinder. I suppose we can all hold back on the shouting at and kicking out the misbehaving ones; nonetheless, we cannot suppress the truth just because it is hard to hear. That is not love, because love does not allow another eternal soul to perish. Jesus meets us where we are, it is true, but he loves us too much to leave us there. If we say we are bringing Christ’s love to others, we also must lead them back onto his path of righteousness.
Withholding, suppressing, or misinterpreting the truth is not love, and is not what Jesus would do. He always brought the truth, and he knew just how to get the message across. Our faith cannot exist without the truth if it is to be a living faith. All the good feelings and good vibes with no truth is but a dead faith.
True Faith
In the readings today, we see how we need to turn away from wickedness — to be virtuous and humble, to do what God is asking of us instead of stubbornly and proudly pursuing our own ends — be it to be a stickler for rules, or to be very permissive and well-liked.
Perhaps it is the way we were taught the faith, or the way we were raised, that makes us practice a faith that isn’t quite alive. The way I see it, if we are either judgemental or are feel-good Catholics, we are probably misunderstanding a few things. Some of us need to understand that we do not need to merit God’s love by being able to follow all the rules. We do not need to sneer at sinners to raise our own standing in God’s eyes. We do not need to suppress our truth to please everyone. We do not need to shy away from challenging conversations so as to maintain harmony.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, let our faith be a living faith. Let us put more conviction into loving another person, into seeing them as a fellow child of God, before we correct them. Let us delve deep into church teaching, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, so that we may see the truth in it, the truth that only wants us to be loved as children of God.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Felicia Zou)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you showed us how to love and you showed us the truth. We pray that we will learn to love one another truly and completely the way you have loved us.
Thanksgiving: Lord Jesus, we thank you for making all things new, for giving us a living faith, so that we may have eternal life.
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