Word to the Wise
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr
[Romans 2:1-11 and Luke 11:42-66]You, O man, are without excuse, everyone one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge anlother you cndemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things.
St. Paul's Letter to the Romans is one of the most profound statements of his understanding of God's plan and ways of interacting with creation. In the passage just before this one, Paul has thundered against pagan practices of idolatry and immorality, accusing them of ignoring the plan of God written in creation itself. Now he turns to his audience, a Jewish Christian community in Rome and warns them that the same standard of judgment will apply to them and they should not stand in judgment - especially if they have been guilty of similar practices. God will show no partiality. It is behavior, not privilege (that of being the Chosen People) that will ultimately matter. A glance back at the previous scripture shows some of Paul's eloquence and is a warning to us all: "God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever." Life could be pretty raunchy in Rome at the time (and in subsequent times!). It could be difficult for anyone not to be tarnished by the general atmosphere of immorality. What, then, becomes of the necessary process of discernment as to right and wrong and how to recognize right and wrong behavior? What sort of "judgment" is involved? It is one thing to recognize destructive behavior, call it to account and urge that it stop. It is entirely another to take on ourselves the position of God and judge another as worthy or unworthy of God's love. My father would always say, "You have to love the sinner and hate the sin." The next week or so we will see much of the Letter to the Romans and reflect on what "righteousness" means. In the meantime, we can at least be aware of how our culture pulls us into complicity with destruction, violence and judgment. Getting our own house in order is the first step. AMEN
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