Word to the Wise
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 - Wednesday in the 28th Week in Ordinary Time
[Rom 2:1-11 and Luke 11:42-46]Yes, affliction and distress will come upon everyone who does evil, Jew first and then Greek. But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, Jew first and then Greek. There is no partiality with God. [Romans]
OCTOBER 15 ST. TERESA OF JESUS [AVILA], virgin and doctor of the church.
Jewish and Gentile converts to Christianity were a small and endangered people in the Rome of Jesus' and St. Paul's time. The vast majority were polytheists with certain deities - Jupiter, for example - holding a privileged place because of his symbolic identification with the emperor, who was, himself, considered a deity. The refusal of Christians to participate in rituals connected with emperor-worship made them enemies of the state! At the same time, Christians were subject to the various temptations that were on offer in Rome at the time, and Paul must have heard reports about this. In the opening chapters of the Letter to the Romans, he thunders at lifestyle practices, some of which were supposedly religious! [1:18-31] And some of the practices of the Mosaic Law were considered odd by Roman society.
Keeping the faith when socio-cultural customs are contrary to the faith has been a challenge from day one in Christian life. The common expression, "Everybody is doing it..." is poisonous to faithful living, especially when Catholic standards are considered "odd" by others. St. Paul gives examples elsewhere with regard to eating food at a banquet that had been sacrificed in pagan rituals! [1 Corinthians 8]. In Catholic practice in my own time, the rule about "fish on Friday" year round could prove difficult in social situations.
Learning how to bear witness without passing judgment on others takes discernment and wisdom. The Christians of St. Paul's time faced the challenge. So do we! AMEN