Word to the Wise
Friday, July 13, 2007 - Fourteenth Friday in Ordinary Time
[Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30 and Matthew 10:16-23]"Behold I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves."
Talk about mixed metaphors! But the images are vivid, aren't they? What follows is a recognition of persecution that the church has experienced already as well as what will come for anyone who is serious about their commitment to Christ. Jesus warns that the world can be a tough place! How is a disciple going to survive such a rough and tumble, and occasionally brutal, world? Does our imagination allow us to first see ourselves as sheep, then as shrewd serpents (remember Genesis!) and then as a sort of morally simple dove? I suppose we should take pause if we ever begin to find ourselves no longer surprised by the presence of evil. Some would say that we shouldn't be "naive" or else the world will take advantage of us time after time. The popular recommendation leans toward a cautious skepticism or cynicism about the possibility of goodness and toward a presumption of "crookedness." It's like responding to news about generosity by saying, "He/she is only doing it because........" A bit of worldly wisdom about human limitations does not mean we must abandon the search for what is good and give ourselves over to "defensive evangelism." Integrity in faith and conduct will enable us to be confident about the serpent side of us and the dove side of us! AMEN
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