Readings: Ez 24:15-23 • Dt 32:18-21 • Mt 19:16-22
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St. Bernard had a
tremendous impact on the Church of his day and defended its teachings against
the rationalism of Abelard and others like him, who tended to lift human reason
to an almost divine level. Much of what he wrote applies as well to today’s
confused world. Indeed, in some ways he mirrored Ezekiel’s message in today’s
reading.
Reading Ezekiel’s
words, it’s hard to believe they were written several thousand years ago. One
would think they were written today and aimed directly at those who seem to
think they actually control human life on earth. How did Ezekiel put it?
Because you are haughty of heart, you say,
“A god am I”…And yet you are a man, and not a god, however you may think
yourself like a god.
Just a few days ago, I
read the words of a technology guru and he dropped a few interesting comments,
all related to the emergence of artificial intelligence:
“If you have a problem
in life, you don’t ask God, you ask Google or Facebook.”
And if that weren’t
enough, he went on to say:
“…religions have been
organized around fake news. Just think of the Bible. Fake news lasts forever in
some cases….eternal fake news.
And he concluded with:
“Human history began
when men created gods. It will end when men become gods.”
These are the words of more than
just one man. They reflect the beliefs of many who claim to be smarter than the
rest of us, smarter even than the God they don’t believe in, the God who
created them. Yes, they believe they can create their own form of divinity,
even if it all must take place in shadows. They are indeed gods, little gods,
not unlike the false gods that the Chosen People had to deal with in Ezekiel’s
time. They are men and women who look at creation and see only themselves.
Yesterday
I came across one of these, a St. Ephraim one-liner, a tiny prayer that sums up
the spiritual needs of so many of us today:
“Inside I am not
what I appear to be. Heal me.”
Of course, it’s a plea, asking the
Holy Spirit to heal us of our spiritual hypocrisy, that human tendency to
project an image to others that bears little resemblance to the true state of our
soul. We want others to see a better version of ourselves, while we keep our true
self hidden, even from ourselves. And when we do experience those rare moments
of self-awareness, we find ourselves asking the same question asked by the
disciples:
"Who then can be saved?"
In a sense they’re really saying, “Well,
if I can’t be saved, how can anyone be saved?”
Jesus simply tells them and us that
salvation is not something we can earn or achieve on our own, an impossible
task for us sinners.
“For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”
…and with this, He gives us hope.
But, as usual, Peter so often assumes our role, demonstrating how clueless we
all are in the presence of God. Ignoring what Jesus has just said, Peter
responds with a self-absorbed statement and question:
"We have given up everything and
followed you. What will there be for us?"
Peter, no
doubt speaking for all of them, is looking for a kind of super-reward. After
all, Jesus, this discipleship hasn’t been easy.
Jesus
lets him know that there will be wonderful things for “you who have followed me.” But
then, with His final words, Our Lord tells them they’re not yet there, that
they’re still far from being fully formed disciples. How did Jesus put it?
“But many who are first will be last, and
the last will be first.”
At this
point, those words were probably a bit too subtle for them, but I’m sure, with
the help of the Holy Spirit, they understood them later.
Like those first disciples, brothers
and sisters, we all have a way to go…to lower ourselves, to be healed of the
pride of the world, and accept the reality of humility.
As St.
Ephraim prayed: Yes, Lord, “Inside I am not what I appear to be.
Heal me.”
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