Understanding God's Vision

Dear Friends,

Here’s the emperor’s coin, Jesus. Are you for God or for Caesar? Here’s a woman caught in adultery, Jesus. Do you support the law i.e. stone her, or do you favor mercy for the accused?

If we were to quiz Jesus today, we’d have a lot of questions. Jesus, are you pro-choice or pro-life? Are you liberal or conservative? Jesus, tell me where you stand on the environment, racism, sexism, gun control, capital punishment, the size and shape of the federal government. And Jesus, would you have us stay in the World Health Organization? What would you do with terrorists? The questions are endless.

The difference between the Pharisees in today’s Gospel and ourselves is this: The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus. The Gospel says, “They plotted how they might trap him, and Jesus knew their malice.”

Our questions, on the other hand, arise out of an honest searching for truth in a complex society. They are not meant to trap or embarrass Jesus, but only to better understand God’s vision for our world.

Society, in the midst of this election season laced with a stubborn pandemic, has ready answers to our questions – social media, podcasts, supermarket tabloids, talk show hosts, the tough kids in school bathrooms. They all speak with great authority and conviction.

But if we are a believing people, how do we form our consciences? How do we arrive at out decisions about voting, living, changing?

As we approach contemporary questions, here’s a possible framework for our thought and decisions.

First of all, in any decision-making process, we dwell in God and God dwells in us. In Isaiah today, God says to us: “It is I who arm you, though you know me not.” God’s wisdom, God’s presence in each of us is a given in every situation.

Secondly, Jesus’ design for each of us is contained in the Gospel. The gospels are about daily life in this world, not about life within a sacred precinct. Jesus, after all, tells more stories about workers and housewives, farmers and merchants than he talked about appropriate behavior in the synagogue. Our challenge is to apply a gospel vision to all the tough questions we face today.

Finally, attempting to deal with today’s thorny issues by ourselves makes no more sense than trying to be our own physician. This is one of the key reasons we come together for worship weekend: to hear God’s word, to taste God’s life in Eucharist, to look to one another for support.

He might reply to our questions today by saying something like this: I can’t prepare you for every choice you’ll need to make, or every situation you’ll encounter along the way, but remember God’s words spoken in Isaiah: “I am the Lord. There is no other. There is no God besides me.” Without me, there is no peace, no happiness, no satisfaction possible for you. But with me, you’ll have everything you need to discern how to live, though you might want something else or more. God also says to us in Isaiah, “I have called you by your name.” I know you. You belong to me. You are important to me. I will never forget you. You are never alone. I love you.

Despite our COVID-19 fatigue, how different our lives would be, how much more full and happy if we really took God in Jesus at his word. You, Lord, have the words of everlasting life.

~Sister Joan Sobala