Word to the Wise
Friday, July 10, 2015 - Friday in the 14th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gen 46:1-7, 28-30 and Matt 10:16-23]"Behold I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves." [Matthew]
Jesus speaks these words as part of the Gospel of Matthew that scripture scholars call the "missionary discourse." It is part encouragement and part admonition and warning, and reflects what was already going on in the experience of the early church at the time the gospel was put into writing. Families were being divided and some were actually turning their own kin into the authorities to be persecuted. We might remember the story of St. Paul before his conversion! He was a kind of bounty hunter! So, Jesus reminds the disciples that their witness will take place in a hostile environment and they should expect rejection and persecution at times.
Although this persecution can still take a drastic form, as we currently see in the Middle East or in Latin America (Archbishop Romero), the negative reaction in our own country takes the form of laws or even lawsuits against religious freedom. Our responses must be intelligent and compassionate. Pope Francis has stirred up a hornets' nest at times and some of the reactions have been very strong. The Supreme Court has issued decisions that undermine some fundamental beliefs of our Catholic tradition. To live in the midst of such opposition we do have to be "shrewd as serpents and simple as doves." Consistent and steady Christian living according to our traditions is the best response. As Jesus points out elsewhere in today's gospel, the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say. AMEN
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