Today’s readings: Exodus 32,7-11.13-14; 1 Tim.1,12-17; Lk 15,1-32.
One of the Church’s major flaws has always been its reluctance to let go of old ways of thinking, to open up, to venture beyond its confines. The universality of Jesus’ behaviour has never been welcome in our churches. As at the time of the Pharisees, Jesus continues to be considered a transgressor even in his Church.
Geoffrey Robinson, a bishop emeritus and notable scholar, recently wrote a book For Christ’s Sake, meant to figure out what in the Church could have caused the calamity of the sexual abuse stories. He seeks to go beyond merely managing the issue. He affirms that “in any religion, everything without exception depends on the kind of god that is being worshipped”.
Mgr Robinson writes: “Practice in the Church has been based too much on fear rather than love, and authorities have always had the support of the angry God for their words and actions”. Spiritually this is a very unhealthy culture. It blocks people from seeking God authentically and from growing up. It perpetuates a Church of infantile adults. Unfortunately, we still treat people this way.
Today’s readings call for an overhaul in our perception of God. In Exodus we read of Moses pleading with God in favour of a lapsed Israel. St Paul writes to Timothy about his experience of changing from a blasphemer to a faithful disciple. And Jesus speaks about “more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over 99 virtuous men who have no need of repentance”.
All this surpasses the institutional and legalistic boundaries we are so keen on setting and making people respect. It discards the ‘we’ and ‘the rest’ mentality represented so powerfully in today’s classic parable of the so-called prodigal yet fortunate son. The elder son in the parable represents the ‘holier than thou’ people still around, the insiders who tend to arrogate for themselves the right to judge because they are so clear-minded as to the borderline between right and wrong.
Many times we do not realise that our perception of God is that of a large human being rather than the true God. “Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders.” The elder son’s own words condemn him and confirm how distant he was from the father despite his physical nearness.
The principle that pervades the gospel contrasts with our mediocrity. The gospel is not surprising, but scandalous. It is not sin or weakness or unfaithfulness that blocks God’s infinite love but the presumption of those who consider themselves righteous and look down on others.
In his encyclical letter on faith, Pope Francis recalls how “one who believes may not be presumptuous; on the contrary, truth leads to humility. Far from making us inflexible, the security of faith sets us on a journey; it enables witness and dialogue with all”. Jesus himself continues to shake the foundations which may only provide for us a false security.
Can the Church remain untouched by all this, watching people leave to seek and find solace elsewhere? We marginalise people in the name of a bond once celebrated but which is no more. Can the Church remain deaf and blind to the genuine thirst for God in so many whom we arrogantly exclude from sitting at table?
As Exodus reminds us, we all suffer from insecurity in our journeys. This same insecurity made Israel replace God with the golden calf and thus create its idolatrous religion. We can all see for ourselves, particularly in a country like ours and in this season coming to its close, how an idolatrous religion can be superficial and leaves much to be desired.
Faith’s security is in God’s infinite mercy. God can be very close to those whom we consider distant. He realises His dreams with those whom we consider lost. This is what the younger son in the parable stands for. His wanderings and the mess he made of life made him experience what true homecoming is about. But in his brother he encountered only judgment and anger.