20th Week, Monday, August 16
Judges
2:11-19 / Matthew 19:16-22
Israel sins against God; They worshiped false gods.
A Hollywood
columnist asked Cecil B. DeMille, director of the film The Ten Commandments,
"What commandment do you think people break the most today?" DeMille
responded, "The first commandment, 'Do not bow down to any idol or worship
it.' [Exodus 20:51 It's the commandment Israel broke first and it's the one we
still break the most." DeMille added, "Oh, we don't bow down before
graven images, but we do worship gods of comfort, gods of money, and gods of
power."
***
What false
gods do we, personally, tend to worship in our modern world? "No servant
can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be
devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
Luke 16:13
***
With today’s
first reading, we take up for some days the book of Judges. Its author presents
today a sort of theology of history of the Israelites, in four stages: 1. The
people desert the God of the covenant and serve Canaanite idols. 2. God is
angered by their infidelity and for their punishment hands them over to
Canaanite domination and exploitation. 3. Now the people come to their senses
and cry out to God for mercy. 4. God hears their cries and gives them a leader,
a “judge,” to liberate them and for some time they serve the Lord, until the
cycle starts all over. Also, the Church knows times of greater fervor and
renewal, alternating with stagnation and backsliding.
***
What we heard in the 1st reading is also what we will read about in almost every page of the Old Testament. And just what is that? It is this recurring problem of the Israelites. They turn to idols and worshipped the idols and they did what displeased the Lord.
Two idols were mentioned in the 1st reading: Baal who was chief of the Canaanite pantheon and worshipped as the source of life and fertility, the mightiest hero, and the lord of war. The other idol was Astarte who was worshipped as the beautiful goddess of fertility and sexual love. That brief description would already give us an indication of why the Israelites fell into idolatry.
Because the worshipping of these idols was an expression of the cravings and desires of a human heart that longs for power, might, wealth, sex and the freedom from moral obligations. And the problem was that the worshipping of these idols did fulfill these yearnings and cravings and desires. Just like how the obsession with money and wealth can fulfill the yearnings and cravings and desires of the modern world.
Worshipping the one true God has its moral obligations and it also disciplines the wild and straying heart. Yet, in worshipping the one true God, we will have the peace and joy that no amount of money can buy. For all that we give up on earth, God will reward us. That can also be found in every page of the Bible.
***
There can be
two ways, but only one goal. The goal is eternal life: the vision of God. The
two ways are: The way of the commandments and the way of the counsels. The
first is obligatory, the second is the way of man's generosity towards God. The
ten commandments are the fundamental law, which God has written into the heart
of every man. Eternal life depends on the observance of these laws. The way of perfection
leads to the same goal: Eternal life. It does not necessarily mean to join a
religious order. Even living in the world, one could observe the Counsels. It
means to leave all and follow Christ. Christ poor, Christ pure and Christ
obedient to his Father's will. By accepting poverty, we say: God, you are my
only riches. 1 need nothing else but you for my security. Chastity says: God,
you are my only love. In this way I can serve you better. I can be at your full
disposition. You are my only care. Obedience accepts God's will in everything.
***
We probably
pity the young man in today’s gospel for not having the courage to give up his
wealth for a higher good. He was a just man, full of good will, eager for more
than an average, contented life. Yet when Jesus’ call is directed to him, he
cannot decide to give up his possessions to become fully happy. But are we
better than he? Are we willing to share, also when it hurts, also at a cost of
ourselves?
***
Prayer
Lord our
God, we are eager to follow your Son wherever he leads us, but not if we have
to give up our little or big attachments to things or persons. God, give us the
mentality of your Son and his Spirit of courage, that with Jesus we may not
count the cost of giving ourselves to people and to you. Be you our only God
and our all now and for ever. Amen
