GIVEN AT
Saint Leonard Church, Saturday 4:00 pm
Saint Francis of Rome Church, Sunday 11:30 am
On the way they entered a Samaritan village, but the people there would not welcome Jesus
because his destination was Jerusalem. When James and John saw this they asked, “Lord,
do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” Jesus turned and
rebuked them.
Luke 9:51-62
Basically, what we have here is a message about pettiness and jealousy in church ministry that has been around since the beginning and can still cripple the church's ministry, making it less effective. I call that pettiness and jealousy "turf wars."
Competitiveness and jealousy have been the dark side of church culture for a very long time and it is certainly alive and well today. When the competitive apostles, James and John, were caught making a power grab for the best seats in Jesus’ new kingdom, they had to face the jealous indignation of the other ten apostles, not to mention a stern reprimand from Jesus.
Today, we have the story about James and John who suggested a response to being snubbed by some Samaritans who hated Jews and vice versa. For their snub, James and John suggested to Jesus that they "call down fire from heaven" and roast them on the spot! In the passage right before this, John had suggested to Jesus that they put a stop to a man who was casting out demons in Jesus’ name because he was not "part of their group." In both cases, Jesus had to correct them for their mean responses.
As a 78 year old man, raised in a pre-Vatican II Church and as a priest ministering for 52 years in a post-Vatican II Church, I have seen my share of this kind of religious competitiveness and jealousy throughout my life-time. I can say proudly that I have never been inclined to join in that meanness. In fact, I have tried my best to put a stop to it when I have experienced it!
I have worked for the United Church of Christ as a campground minister in a national park. I have a Doctor of Ministry degree in "Parish Revitalization" from a Presbyterian Seminary. I received an award from the National Conference of Christian and Jews. I have helped start two Interfaith organizations - IF and CHF. I have preached in several Protestant churches. I have attended services with Jews, Quakers and Moslems. I have tried to see beauty in other religions and I have even tried to understand the perspectives of agnostics and atheists, all while remaining a committed Catholic who can see weaknesses in my own religion.
In my own defense, I would like to begin my homily today with a quote from the famous English writer, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, who said that, “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.” Let me repeat that. “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.”
I would not dare claim to be “a first-rate intelligence,” but I have always tried to “hold opposed ideas in my mind at the same time and still function." Let me give you an example. When it comes to religion, I would describe myself as “consciously Christian, deliberately Catholic and unapologetically ecumenical and inter-faith.” Let me repeat that as well. When it comes to religion, I would describe myself as “consciously Christian, deliberately Catholic and unapologetically ecumenical and inter-faith.” In other words, I am able to remain a committed Catholic while at the same time see much of the good in those who have a different religious commitment or none at all.
I can “hold two opposed religious ideas in my mind at the same time and still function,” not because I am a “first rate intelligence” or uniquely “open minded,” but because my church has taught me to do that! Let me summarize what my church teaches about relations with other religions. To make sure I am orthodox, I will quote from official documents not just give you my own opinion. One thing will not surprise you, but some things will surprise you.
Our church is able to ‘hold opposed religious ideas in its mind at the same time and still be true to itself.’ What will not surprise you is that our church claims to have “been endowed with all divinely revealed truth and with all means of grace,” but what will surprise many of you is that she also admits that, “her members fail to live by them with all the fervor they should. As a result, the radiance of the Church’s face shines less brightly in the eyes of our separated brothers and sisters and of the world at large, and the growth of God’s kingdom is retarded.” On other words, we have high standards but we don't always live up to them and the world knows it!
What will surprise many of you is that our church considers Protestants to be part of our church. We refer to Protestants as “our separated brothers and sisters.” Because we consider them part of the church, we are forbidden to re-baptize any one coming into full communion with us – in other words converting to Catholicism from a Protestant church - because we consider them already members of the church because of their baptisms. We accept not only their valid baptisms, but also their valid marriages.
What will surprise some of you is that our church teaches that “Catholics must joyfully acknowledge and esteem the truly Christian endowments from our common heritage which are to be found among our separated brother and sisters.” “Nor should we forget that whatever is wrought by the grace of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of our separated brothers and sisters can contribute to our own edification.” Yes, we are told that we can actually learn something from our "separated brothers and sisters!"
What will surprise some of you is what our church said about our past divisions, our sins against unity and our lack of respect for each other’s churches. “We must come to understand the outlook of our separated brothers and sisters. Study is absolutely required for this.” One of the most mind-blowing statements from the Vatican II documents is the one that asks forgiveness for the times we have wanted to "call down fire from heaven and burn up" each other. “In humble prayer, we beg pardon of God and of our separated brothers and sisters, just as we forgive those who trespass against us. Let all Christ’s faithful remember that the more purely they strive to live according to the gospel, the more they are fostering and even practicing Christian unity.”
What will surprise some of you is our church’s attitude toward non-Christian religions. Here is some of what our Church officially says about them. “Other religions, to be found everywhere, strive to answer the restless searchings of the human heart by proposing “ways” which consist of teachings, rules of life and sacred ceremonies. The Catholic Church rejects nothing which is true and holy in these religions. She looks with sincere respect on those ways of conduct and of life, those rules and teachings which, though differing in many particulars from what she holds, nevertheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all people.”
How have I personally lived out my ability to “hold two opposed religious ideas in my mind at the same time and still function?” I can say, before starting, that my associations with “opposed religious ideas” has not weakened my own faith, but has made me more consciously Christian, more deliberately Catholic and more unapologetically ecumenical and interfaith. I can not only “keep functioning,” but my association with them has certainly “contributed to my own edification.”
Religious competitiveness and jealousy, something that Jesus rebuked in today's gospel, simply must end. The world is just too dangerous today for religious groups to be fighting each other. We need to work together to lift the world to a higher standard. We can find a way to be true to our own sincere beliefs while respecting the sincere beliefs of others and without "calling down fire from heaven to burn them up!" We can do that by "holding two opposed ideas in our minds at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.” I know from personal experience that one can be “consciously Christian, deliberately Catholic and (at the same time) unapologetically ecumenical and inter-faith!" Even agnostics and atheists have a better chance at conversion if we love and respect them rather than piling on arrogance and harsh rejection.
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