“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Jesus was not saying that some are unworthy to receive the Gospel. We know that even some who may appear for the moment to be dogs may hope to receive scraps from the table of the master. Rather, he called his followers to avoid exposing the Gospel to ridicule. We ought not enable the secular world to easily caricature that which we believe. In some measure this requires good judgment about whether or not those with whom we converse about the Good News are sincere. If there was a comedy news program with a long history of ridiculing religious positions this might not be the best place to get our message across. Of course there is always nuance. But the nuance is usually about whether there is someone out there likely to hear and benefit. Without such a disposition hearing about the Gospel could actually bring about a hardening of heart and insulation against learning more or going deeper.
But perhaps even more so than the disposition of others we ought to be cautious about how we ourselves present the Gospel. Throwing it to dogs or pigs is more a warning about Christians treating the Gospel cheaply than it is about classifying potential recipients. This means that when we do present the Gospel we are called, not necessarily to be experts, but to be careful, attentive to the Spirit's guidance. Others will perceive whether or not the Gospel seems to mean something to us and, if so, will resonate with genuine interest and respond. If, however, they perceive only a duty, or a lack of genuine devotion or interest, if they sense that we ourselves are bored with the Gospel, well, we cannot expect them to be any more interested than ourselves.
We should avoid an overly simplistic fundamentalist presentation of the Gospel that doesn't sufficiently care about the questions and objections others may have. For example, in our world we can't just treat the bible as, from beginning to end, a scientific chronology of world history (since whether or not a part of the Bible is history depends on the genre of that part) without subjecting ourselves to the ridicule of the scientific community. The message of Christianity is worthy of respect even by modern scientists. But if we are careless about what we say they may dismiss it out of hand. Which is, again, not to say we need to be experts. Rather, we should be cautious enough that we do not overstate things we don't understand, deferring to orthodox experts when we run up against apparent conflicts.
Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.
There are many ways to get lost and go astray, and one path only that leads to the destination we desire. There are infinite potential idols to which we can dedicate ourselves, wealth, pride, and pleasure being just a few. But none can ultimately satisfy us. We should not be surprised that the one way that leads to life is a path that has been made by the one who is himself the source and origin of life, who alone has life in fullness, and who desires to share that life with us. He is himself path, gate, and the reward of life in fullness that awaits us.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (see John 14:6).
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (see John 10:9-10).
There is only one name given under heaven by which we may be saved, the name of Jesus Christ our Lord (see Acts 4:12). This means that, while there is much creative freedom granted to us in how we live, we can't insist that religion correspond to our subjective whims. Jesus means here that we must adapt to the path he has offered rather than insist that he sanctify the paths we have already chosen in advance.
Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.
What Jesus wants to see from us along the path to life is not complicated. But to actually do it requires the grace that is only available in abundance on the path he has given to us, his Sacramental presence in the Church, where, even daily, we begin to receive already the life we hope to have one day in fullness.
No comments:
Post a Comment