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Letters Twenty-Sixth
Sunday in Ordinary Time |
The Catholic Telegraph
September 28, 2001In this last Sunday reading from First Timothy, the author is offering words of challenge to his disciple.
The passage begins with a list of virtues that the church leader should pursue, all of which serve to strengthen and invigorate the life of the ecclesial community. The next verse shifts into a military metaphor: fight for the faith, attack and seize eternal life. You were called to this eternal life when you made public profession of your faith. (This seems to refer to baptism.)
Now comes the central directive of this passage, cast in the language of a solemn charge: "Keep the commandment without stain or reproach." "Keep the commandment" means remaining faithful to what Christ asks of us in the context of our faith. (One translation, in view of the military metaphor, renders these words, "Obey your orders.") This faithfulness is called for as a condition of the eternal life promised by God and in imitation of Jesus’ public faithfulness as He stood before Pilate. Eventually Christ will return (by implication, to reward the faithful). In the context of Christ’s second coming, our text launches into a lyrical passage about the majesty of God. The time of this second coming will be determined by God, the universal king and Lord, who lives far beyond the limits of human life, human access, human vision, the all powerful who has the right to expect our reverence and respect. (These last lines of the reading may be a quotation from a liturgical hymn on the author’s part.)
"Be faithful!" That’s the directive that the author gives to this leader of a local church. It is offered in the context of struggle: fight, attack, seize. Since the basis on which this faithfulness is called for seems to be the baptismal commitment, it is not inappropriate to see the directive addressed also to us.
Faithfulness involves dedication and consistency, the dedication of our life to sharing and extending the life of Jesus, the consistency that expresses the life of Jesus loyally and persistently and coherently in every aspect of our individual human existence. This faithfulness isn’t always easy.
For one thing, it isn’t always clear in full detail what consistency and dedication to Christ call for in the concrete circumstances of our life. Yes, we are called by Christ to love our neighbor, but what does that mean when we don’t know what is really good for this person I’m dealing with or how the love I offer is going to be received?
Sometimes faithfulness is demanding just because of what God asks of us in our extension of the life of Christ. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Be patient with those who mistreat you. Learn to restrain your inclinations to lust, avarice, self-pity. None of that is easy, yet it’s what God requires of His faithful people.
Sometimes faithfulness to Christ is not welcomed in the world in which we find ourselves. Lifetime dedication to the marriage partner, sexual self- restraint, absolute respect for human life, justice for even the most despised members of society: these are all called for by our faithfulness to Christ, but they are not things that necessarily win respect from the men and women around us. For that matter, even the idea of being faithful to the directives of a God we cannot see, a God who demands obedience from us human beings, is not something that finds acceptance from everybody whose lives touch ours. Religion is not guaranteed to win popularity. Faithfulness can be difficult.
This is why our passage also offers us sources of courage. Courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of difficulty. The author recalls for us the determination and resolution of Christ standing before Pilate. It reminds us that Christ will come again at the end of time to unite us once and for all with His Father, "the King of kings and Lord of lords," who is the source of unending life and inextinguishable light. In view of what Christ suffered, in view of the glory that lies ahead of us, the demands of faith are not insupportable.
Sometimes people seem to think that God asks too much of them. God’s law and God’s expectations seem unrealistic. Does God really want us to live that way? Does God really demand sacrifices like that from us? Why isn’t it easier? Everything worth while demands struggle. Nothing valuable comes without effort. If this is true of, say, graduate education or raising a family or being successful in business, we shouldn’t be surprised if it’s also true in the pursuit of unending happiness with God in heaven. Our consistent dedication to God is an important element in our lives, indeed, the most important element there is. If anything is worth struggling for, it is maintaining our contact with the Lord, our consistent dedication to responding to His call.
But God wants us to succeed. The Lord who gives the challenge also gives the courage. "To Him be honor and eternal power. Amen."
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Conversation Questions
Does my life of faith require courage?
To whom/what do I look for strength?
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