22nd Sunday Following the Messiah

My first car was a 1977 chevy nova, v-6, two doors; under the hood there was so much space. I got it the summer before my sophomore year in college, so I was 18-19. I wanted to change the oil so my dad told me how to do it. He said when I change the filter, hand tighten first, then give a small turn with the wrench, do not overtighten it. Me, being a college man, and knowing everything, gave it a good strong turn and thought well done. Several months later, it was time to change the filter again. I could not get it off. I tried and tried. My dad noticed and came to help. He told me that I had cranked it hard the last time didn’t I. Yup, with a degree of shame. He worked to get that thing off. My Uncle who lived nearby saw the commotion, He came and helped. It took them a long time, and what they did was eventually pound through the tire jack, and twisted it off that way. I learned my lesson; I felt a lot of shame on that one.

Being able to hold in tension or conflicting ideals signifies maturity and humility. We can be given ideals that conflict with one another and we have to have them in our hearts and minds, stay with them to figure them out and what they mean for us. We think we know best, but then we are shown another way that contrasts with what we think we know; and we need to hold on to both to figure out what is the truth.

This is not easy.

Many of us want and insist on clarity. We insist and want simplicity. We often insist on having it our way. We think we know better. We can think that this makes life easier; and maybe it does for a short time, and maybe only for us. However, we do not live as isolated beings, nor are we dictators to the rest of humanity. We live in communion with others and we have no control over others. We will all be challenged in our lives, even as children, and especially as adults with what we think is right and a greater good. We will struggle with our own desires and with something beyond and greater than ourselves. We may think we know it all and we will have to realize that we do not.

Disciples of Jesus Christ learn how to navigate and hold these tensions; to discern and make better choices.

Recently in an article of the “New Republic” an evangelical pastor was describing how some of his peers were turning away from Jesus and his words because they deemed Jesus’ words “too liberal.” The Gospel values did not match their political values. Just this past week Pope Francis also issued a critique of some American Bishops saying that they have seemed to have abandoned doctrine for their own ideology.

We have to be honest, there are church teachings and there are Gospel values that will challenge us. This is a good thing. When it occurs we need to decide on how we will act. We need to hold onto both, wrestle with both and decide where the whole truth resides.

Now I have met people who have disagreed with something said in church, by the pope, or a bishop, or pastor, or church secretary, and they walk away. Sad.  I also have met people who have accepted those conflicts and wrestle within. They seek to be more informed about the what and why. They were willing to let themselves risk what they thought was correct. They were willing to be open to the reality that maybe they were not right, or actually did not know it all. They showed humility and maturity.

Peter confronts a truth of Jesus. Jesus has laid out the path he will have to follow as the Messiah. Peter’s ideal of the Messiah does not meet that of THE Messiah. Peter has become an obstacle. Jesus challenges him, calls him out. Jesus makes this a teaching moment for his disciples, and for us. Ultimately will we become slaves to our egos, to our own small little ideas; or will we be willing to let those go for something grander, something, someone more great?

We are invited to participate in a plan, in a reality that is far greater than any one person here, or on this planet. This invitation comes of God, by the Holy Spirit, in Jesus Christ. We call it our Eucharist. This sacrament of God’s love for us, God’s wisdom given to us; God’s invitation to belong. Accepting this invitation means that we may have to give up our own plans for this world; for our lives; for our families. 

Accepting means we trust in God’s love. 

We wait patiently sometimes. We discern and pray. 

We take an action that maybe the world says is fine; but God says take another. 

We forgive when the rest of the world says “hate” and “punish” and “take vengeance”. 

We share when the rest of the world says “keep it for yourself, there may not be enough.” 

We say no to a desire, as others say “DO IT! You deserve it.”

We humbly recognize that we do not know it all. And we can’t have it all.

And in that we truly become free.