Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
In contemporary culture, we have made individual happiness the end-all-be-all. Even well-formed Christians have had the live-and-let-live mentality of, “if it doesn’t bother me, I can’t intervene.” But happiness is fleeting and subjective. I remember being in a college classroom and a classmate saying that, logically speaking, God could not punish you for a sin if you were not choosing evil but simply what you saw to be good. Yet that would leave the door open to me doing all manner of use of another if it would make me happy.
Again, even people of faith are shaped by our culture. When we see Jesus spending all day curing the sick and then being harassed until late hours, we think this is terrible. Even a priest would say one is only flesh and blood; you can’t go on forever without rest. Yet, Jesus still goes off to pray alone and is ready to move to the next town immediately. His highest good is not His own happiness, but the purpose and being supported in complete love by His Father.
Somewhere between allowing the lie that my sinful habits are not meant to be evil and not wanting to bother those who could help me in my sin, we remain where we are. The Letter to the Hebrews talks about those who remain subject of the slavery of sin and fear of death. We make excuses that we don’t want to bother our poor pastor for confession because he’s overworked, and then we keep about a pattern of sin. We tell ourselves that maybe I need this one sinful thing even to do many holy things! And yet, Jesus is tirelessly there for us to free us, not lying when He says He can completely fulfill us with abundant life. This is the joy and peace that will sustain us. Let us not tarry seeking Him.
Reflection by Fr. Pachomius Meade, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections