Homily: Saturday, 3rd Week of Lent

Readings: Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51; Lk 18:9-14

When we look over the broad scope of these 40 days of Lenten readings, perhaps the most common theme is repentance. Today's Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 51) is certainly an example of this. 

But the next most common theme is the call to humility. I suppose that makes good sense because I’ve always considered humility as the pre-requisite virtue, without which no other virtue can stand. After all, if we don’t possess a humble heart there’s only one other possibility: pride. And we all know where pride leads us. Just as humility is the foundation stone of the virtuous life, pride is the foundation stone of the sinful life.

Humility, you see, is nothing less than an acceptance of reality. Humility is the awareness that we are the creatures and God is the Creator. But more than that, humility is the joyful realization that God created you and me, each one of us, in individual acts of love. Humility is the shock of recognition, our breathtaking grasp that this love is supremely manifested in God’s humbling of Himself to become one of us, and give up His life for us. Indeed, can anything be more humbling than an awareness of our poverty before God? True humility also helps us avoid the ephemeral piety condemned in our first reading from Hosea:

"...like morning mist, like the dew that disappears early" [Hos 6:4].

Pride, of course, takes God out of the picture. It must. Pride, you see, is the inordinate love of self, the love of self above all else. How can one be filled with pride, then, and accept the greatness of God, a greatness far beyond our comprehension? In a very real sense, the prideful person substitutes himself for God, placing himself and his needs and wants above God and everyone else. If you are prideful, how can you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself? [Mt 22:36-40] You can't.

Just consider today’s Gospel passage from Luke. It’s one of those clear, straightforward passages, a parable that exposes pride for what it really is, while at the same time allowing us to grasp the path to true humility.

First of all, Luke tells us to whom Jesus addressed this parable:  

“…to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else” [Lk 18:9].

In other words, to an audience of the prideful.

It’s also interesting that Jesus’ cast of characters includes only two men: a Pharisee and a tax collector. Jesus often castigated the one and the people despised the other. The Pharisee, while seemingly at prayer, took up a position of prominence. But note that he prays not to God but, as Jesus tells us, “…spoke this prayer to himself” [Lk 18:11]. And how does he begin this prayer offered to himself? “Oh, God…” Yes, indeed, as only the prideful can, he substitutes himself for God, even in prayer. He goes on to thank himself for being so much better than the rest of humanity, revealing a heart devoid of humility. And he especially scorns that sinful tax collector who stands far behind him praying humbly with head bowed.

Both the Pharisee and the tax collector are spiritually impoverished, but only one of them realizes it. The Pharisee’s pride prevents him from recognizing the truth about himself, while the tax collector’s humility leads him to a recognition of this truth. Listen again to His prayer:

“O God, be merciful to me a sinner” [Lk 18:13].

With these few words he acknowledges his total dependence on God and willingly exposes his true condition to the only one who can heal him.

Jesus also reminds us that only God knows our hearts, that we should resist making judgments based on our personal biases. Because of his humble prayer, the widely despised tax collector “goes home justified” while the esteemed and self-exalted Pharisee must still be humbled.

The Eastern Church has long encouraged praying a version of the tax collector’s prayer, revealed in a wonderful little book, The Way of the Pilgrim.

Called the “Jesus Prayer,” and prayed throughout the day to the very rhythm of the body’s breathing, it too is simple:

“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Although prayed by the humble, I can think of fewer prayers more exalting.

Maybe we should all try that throughout the day for the remainder of Lent.

 

Generals, Admirals, Secretaries, and other Political Hacks

Note: I wrote the following post back in September 2021, but for some reason never posted it. This occasionally happens, usually because more pressing demands cause me to move on to something else and forget about other less important things, like blog posts. Anyway, while doing some PC housekeeping this morning, I stumbled on this forgotten unposted post. After reading it, though, I decided to post it. I  think it’s important to recall the Biden administration’s incompetent approach to national security typified by its hapless withdrawal from Afghanistan. The tragic event addressed below is simply one among many in which political considerations led to lies, attempted cover-ups, and finally to scapegoating and a refusal to accept responsibility. Given the administration’s current confusing and contradictory messaging regarding our support for a beleaguered and courageous Ukraine, it would seem those in charge have learned nothing from their past mistakes.

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Today America had the opportunity to witness a beautiful example of the politicization of our military. I actually feel a little bit sorry — certainly not a lot — for General McKenzie, USMC, the Commander of Central Command. It would seem the General drew the short straw to be the media flak-catcher for a tragic error that led to the death of seven children and three adults, all innocents, in Kabul by an “errant” drone strike on August 29. Of course, the press conference should have included the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the joint Chiefs, the ones who, along with the White House, waxed eloquently about how “righteous” the attack actually was. These comments were made even after there was some serious concern that perhaps a tragic mistake had been made. The whole truth would probably have remained forever trapped in that special classified file of blunders if someone hadn’t tipped off the New York Times. The paper ran with the story and forced the brass to admit the truth. But the top dogs had been subject to enough bad press lately, so let’s toss CENTCOM to the ravenous puppy dogs of the mainstream media.

In my not-so-humble opinion, were General McKenzie a man of honor he would have resigned long ago rather than go along with President Biden’s idiotic plan-less withdrawal from Afghanistan. It’s not like the results couldn’t have been predicted. They were indeed eminently predictable. Once the president set a definite departure date as his primary goal, those of us who haven’t yet eased into senility knew it would lead to disaster. But like most others at the highest levels in our modern military, McKenzie likely thinks he’s indispensable and his absence would really be missed. This, of course, is patently absurd. If I learned one thing during my years as a naval officer, it’s that I could always be replaced. Many equally or more competent people were always waiting in the wings ready to take over and correct my mistakes. Command, when rightly understood, is always a humbling experience.

The primary target of the drone attack was a man who worked for an aid organization and was trying to help others by taking water to their homes. This was apparently misinterpreted as a delivery of explosives. The error was made by our illustrious over-the-horizon warriors who sit in their comfortable chairs, staring at their computer screens, making life and death decisions with a joystick — okay, it’s life and death for others; in this instance a collection of nameless, faceless Afghanis. The ramifications of these fatal decisions? Other than the death of innocents, nothing else will happen. No one will even know who actually screwed up. As General McKenzie said today, the report of the investigation will be highly classified so don’t expect anything useful. And, of course, there will be no disciplinary action because, well, too many people signed off on the attack, too many people up the entire chain of command. And, anyway, we just had to do something big in Kabul, since so many people were complaining that we could no nothing. As it turned out, we could do something, something horribly evil. And, yes, it was evil because it was likely done under political pressure to create a success in Afghanistan’s capital city. Oh, yes, It will also demonstrate the effectiveness of our over-the-horizon capabilities that will obviate the need for all those pesky troops on the ground.

The release of the admission was well-orchestrated and offered during a Friday afternoon press conference. That’s about the only clever thing the administration did. Personally, I am sickened by the senior officers in our military. How many have resigned in protest during the past twenty years? I can’t think of a single one. Every one of these political hacks, promoted during the past decade, are not the kind of warriors we want in these critical positions. Sadly, I don’t see any change in the offing.