I have been away for a few days and when I looked at the readings for this weekend, one line sticks out for me. “Do not conform yourself to the present age.” When I first saw it, I took a step back and asked myself: How much do I do that? I keep thinking about what it means today. St Paul seems to be calling the Church in every age to be in the world, embrace it, season it with the message of the Gospel, but do not allow the present age to tell us who we are.
When I was away, I was thinking about who I am at this part of my life. I am 65 years old, a priest for 36 years, a social worker for almost 20, the director of a center for 10, and a pastor. But who am I? Part of me would like to say that I am not conformed to the present age, but if I am honest, I guess I am. It is easy to accept relevatism and not deal with the discomfort of the message of Jesus that is eternal. Our beliefs are based in the life, words, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Like Jesus says in the gospel: take up your cross and follow me. I wonder if He is telling me to stop looking for the easy way out and just live the message.
In our nation, no one wants the Cross. If we throw money at it, countless ways to avoid the Cross and suffering, rejecting Christ, making idols of people and leaders, then we will be ok. Yet, we all know that is illusion. Struggle has many forms and shapes. Many people suffer silently and bear heavy Crosses that none of us know about. They walk with Jesus every day and rely only on him. I think of the many people who deal with depression every day. They put on their “normal” face and go through the day, and no one knows how empty they feel, how unhappy and in pain, how they feel like a spectator in their own life, but they live as best they can.
Many of the contemporary things we have are useful to spread the Good News that Jesus saves. But they are only tools and not the source of our lives. We are pilgrims in this life and heading to something more and better.
Leave a Reply