Living our faith means that when we see injustice, we are convicted enough to act on it
Most of us believe that those who are hungry should have food to eat and those who are naked should have clothes to wear. Our Scripture readings for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time remind us that living faith is more than just conviction; it means that we are convicted in a way that leads to action. If we believe the hungry should have food and the naked should have clothes, is that just an idea or have we been convinced to the degree that we act on that belief?
The Gospel reading paints a picture that we don’t like to associate ourselves with, but all of us could. Even though we don’t have someone with weeping sores lying outside our door, we all have regular reminders that there are people in the world, our neighborhood and our churches who are in need.
If helping the needy is an idea that we believe in, what keeps us from acting on that belief? The Scripture readings tell us that is probably complacency, which is being so comfortable with the current situation that we don’t want anything to change it or threaten it. It also means that we have the ability to know that we should be doing something, but we make up enough excuses that allow us to absent ourselves from that responsibility. A complacent person must act against the desire to remain restful, peaceful and secure in order to act in a different way.
In the Gospel passage, the person who died and is condemned to the underworld, believes that if he could come back and talk to his own family, they would change their complacent ways. We are told clearly that even if a person who has risen from the dead appears to someone who is complacent, chances are that person will not change at all. How many of us know that Jesus lived, died and rose from the dead and that belief still doesn’t crack our complacency? He has risen from the dead, has come to be with us, and we are still not convinced to act.
What are some simple ways to change our behavior? The Scriptures tell us that we are to pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience and gentleness. That teaching is not meant for us to exert those virtues only toward people we love, know and agree with. We are to take those devotions and use them as a catalyst to act toward those who are called to be our brothers and sisters.
There seems to be a deep chasm between the rich and the poor in our culture. Have we noticed how easily we judge those who are different from us and blame them for their current condition? Can we notice our temptation to blame the insecurity that we feel on those who are different from us, such as immigrants or strangers? Have we noticed how easy it is to be complacent, to not rock the boat, especially for the sake of somebody we don’t know?
We are all connected with one another, and the coming of the kingdom of God depends on us seeking reconciliation, joining hands together for the work of God and the forgiveness and understanding that we are called to. Will we be a part of those who act on the Gospel, or will we continue to sit back and be complacent? The kingdom of God is at hand.
