Look into the mirror! Read the indictment!

The following is from a priest friend’s Good Friday homily (he wishes to remain anonymous). I thought it was so good that I received his permission to publish an extended excerpt:

“The Passion narratives in our four gospels, including the glorious one we’ve heard proclaimed today, hold up a mirror before our eyes in which we see ourselves as members of the sinful human race desperately in need of salvation, a salvation which only God could bring. Although our Savior suffered and died nearly two thousand years ago, we did this to him. We may say that we did this evil to him although he lived two thousand years ago because he chose to identify himself with all who suffer, in particular with those who are innocent and nevertheless are tortured and killed. These injustices and wanton cruelties happen everywhere today.

Our Lord made this identification clear when, after his Resurrection and return to glory, he manifested himself to the man known as Saul of Tarsus as Saul was en route to Damascusto persecute Christians and even have some killed. The risen Lord did not ask Saul why he was persecuting Christians; instead he asked, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4c) Jesus had made himself one with the victims of Saul’s persecution. He continues in our day to make himself one with all who suffer from our sinfulness, and then even with you and me as sinners in our misery that sin brings. By this identification Jesus asks the “Sauls” of this world – i.e., any one of us – to become another St. Paul.

Hence, we all are implicated in the evils that reached their apogee in the crucifixion of Jesus, the Innocent One. Some among us may even have been active in such evils. We see these evils all around us. Our world is filled with lies, often called spin. I for one feel guilty in this regard.

I recently overheard a conversation between a friend who accompanied me to a cancer treatment center and a woman. Although not engaged in the conversation, I heard everything. The poor woman’s insurance was running out. For a while she could mortgage her assets and make a stab at paying, but the stopgap would not last long. She’d run out of money soon, and treatments would end. Then she would simply be allowed to die prematurely. The injustice cut me to the quick. My insurance won’t run out. Why? How guilty am I for the manifest injustices of our health care system? How guilty are you? The narratives of the Passion hold a mirror up so that we can see what we’re implicated in. That woman should not die prematurely; she should not die without proper treatment.

What about war as we “celebrate” the fifth anniversary of the preemptive strike on Iraq? How many have been maimed? How many have died? And to what end? Is anyone guilty of anything? Who contributed politically to the preemptive war? Look in the mirror. Read the indictment. Hear the narrative of the Passion. Where is Christ in all this?

Are we stewards of God’s creation or destroyers of the environment? God did not give us this good creation to pollute and destroy. Are we implicated in the destruction? Does environmental degradation kill innocent people? Look in the mirror! Read the indictment!

Are we implicated in people losing their homes and savings? A person who gulled an unsophisticated person into purchasing a mortgage s/he could not possibly afford and who now is without a home should look into the mirror and read the indictment. Did any of us make money on these scams? Did investments that benefitted any one of us come from this mortgage chicanery? Do we believe ideologies that excuse this greedy and destructive behavior? Look into the mirror! Read the indictment!

The Sacrament of Matrimony is under siege in our culture. Look at the divorce rate. Have we contributed to this disaster by our sexual behavior making a mockery of the fidelity that authentic marriage requires perhaps especially in sexual matters? Do young people look at us and decide the way to go is sexual activity outside a sacramental union and without reference to such a union? Do we contribute to a sex saturated culture and endless advertisements about erectile dysfunction that have the subliminal message that successful sexual intercourse is essential to living successfully from the cradle to the grave? Does anyone think civilization can stand when holy matrimony is thoroughly undermined? Does anyone care about the consequent abortions? Talk about the slaughter of innocent human life that belongs to God. Then, does anyone help care for such life so that mothers may choose not to abort? Is anyone paying attention? Look into the mirror! Read the indictment!

How many among us were seduced by the sexual revolution and its psychological supporters? Certainly, the psychology that endorsed and justified this revolution influenced a substantial number of clergy and religious to exempt themselves from their commitments. God alone knows how many abandoned their commitments improperly (some left quite properly) because of this revolution and the ideologies that justified it. The number of priests who left priestly ministry during this revolution was greater than the number who left upon the rise of Protestantism. How many who stayed remember with sorrow and repentance their confusion induced by this revolution? God alone knows. God’s mercy is great. The mercy of others toward the confusion of clergy and religious (priests, nuns and brothers) has been paltry. Both those who have good reason to beg mercy and those who deny mercy need to hear God’s indictment. How else can any of us enter into God’s judgment at Easter?

How many consider themselves guilty of murder for having purchased illicit drugs, the profits from which are supporting armed forces that kill our fellow Americans here and abroad? Afghanistan now has bumper poppy crops. There’s been a long, slow civil war in Colombia, largely over drugs. Who’s buying those drugs? Who’s using them in this community? How have drugs purchased in the U.S. corrupted Mexican law enforcement and the wider Mexican government? On and on it goes. Read the indictment! Gaze on what happened to Jesus, the Innocent One!

I believe I could continue for some time, but I think the point has been made. When we venerate the bare Cross and kiss it, we are kissing all with whom Jesus has identified himself. If we understand this, the “Saul” in each one of us may become a “St. Paul.” Without accepting the indictment, we do not come under the judgment. Accepting the indictment is called repentance leading to “the obedience of faith.” God’s judgment is mercy leading to peace and joy in this life and unimaginable joy in the Resurrected life a share in which is offered each of us. We celebrate the Resurrected life on Easter. Reject the indictment and one misses the judgment of mercy that is embodied in the Resurrection. God’s mercy is greater than all our sins put together. In sum, the Passion narratives in the gospels are not simply about Jesus; they’re about you and me. If we believe this and make it our own through repentance, we will be able to receive the mercy that is God’s Easter judgment!”