6^th Sunday of Easter 2002, Imitation of Christ 1,7

“A little while now and the world will see me no more.”

Next Sunday is Ascension Sunday and the Lord Jesus will be ‘no more in the world’ for beholding by his followers: present surely in Blessed Sacrament, in His Word, in his Church, in the souls of the baptized; but out of the sight of men. The world could not rightly forever contain the glorified body of Christ: it had been transformed on Easter for a heavenly manner of existence. Jesus remained in the world forty days afterward, but he certainly was not “worldly”. His lingering about after the resurrection was only in order to instruct his apostles further, to confirm the faith of the first Christians in His divinity, and to guide the Church through the first days of its infancy. But there was also a hidden lesson in his celestial body being detained on earth: and it was that we in the world must ever be heavenly-minded, living here but not with a secular mentality. Trying to keep ourselves uncontaminated by secularity while having to work, and shop, be schooled and recreate in this always potentially-defiling world is a considerable accomplishment. The bible often warns us of the danger; the Pope has constantly admonished us to remain set apart and to steer clear of the world’s iniquity, the seductions of the flesh, and the wiles of the devil. Saint Peter writes today in his first epistle to “keep your conscience clear.” Being innocent, that is to say, ignorant of the ways of the world while not be unmindful of what things are evil is the counsel of our Lord Himself who gave the formula: be cunning as serpents but innocent as doves.

I suppose that with the erosion of the Catholic culture that was once so much more in evidence, at least in our parishes and often enough in our neighborhoods–the Grotto neighborhood among them since this was once a very heavily Catholic populated area–with the passing of our good Catholic schools, teaching sisters, the multiform practices of Catholic piety, and solidarity in a distinctively Catholic identity, we find ourselves often alone, having to fend for ourselves against the onslaught of the world’s evils. As you well know, we do not have any longer a unified Catholic voice. While this certainly does not signal the end of the Church, it does mean that if one is to embrace a truly Catholic way of life, have a mind that is formed and informed by the doctrines of Christ, preserve his children from ubiquitous impurity, then one must take strong initiatives and be determined to preserve and foster Catholic identity and the Catholic way of life for himself and his family. At first glance this program of life may seem to be an example of that rugged American individualism that is said once to have characterized our national ethos. But being a Catholic and a Christian ought never to be a matter of individualism, no matter how forcefully one may have to stand tall, if not also alone, in defense of the truth. No, Catholicism involves a societal way of thinking and living, one that shares among its members a common faith and those religious practices and moral beliefs that are integral to itself. The added problem nowadays, as I indicated earlier, is that we’re often unsure of whether all our Catholic brethren are one with us in what should be our shared vision of life. This makes it all the harder for us when we must fight the good fight.

The Imitation of Christ (I,7) directs us to place our allegiance in what alone matters. It advises us not to put our trust in men nor in any creatures. It finds that misguided confidence “very foolish”. Nor does it counsel one to rely on oneself either. Here is what it exhorts: “Put your whole confidence in God. Do not trust in your own knowledge, nor in the cleverness of any man living, but rather in the grace of God who aids the humble and humbles the proud.”

All this has to do with securities and dependencies. If we are well schooled from our youth and make some strides learning our faith and in acquiring virtue, we ought to become progressively steady enough so to face the many allurements that might otherwise so easily divert us from our Christian destination: outside this world. Thus we are warned not be boastful of our possessions, or to boast about those who are our friends. We are likewise admonished to avoid the vanity of admiring bodily beauty or strength; to take no pleasure in our own abilities and cleverness, lest God be offended. Whatever goodness is ours is from God, and he has given that excellence in greater measure to someone else. “It does you no harm when you esteem all others better than yourself, but it does you great harm when you esteem yourself above others.”

The Imitation would have us avoid becoming too comfortable with this passing world. The world promises us everything but delivers so little; God gives us all that we have and promises us greater things besides these, if we remain faithful. Being a Catholic Christian who has to deal with and live in the world is difficult balance. We are always making the necessary adjustments to keep that balance.

Our Lord gave his disciples plenty of notice when he was about to leave the earth. He wanted to prepare them for the experience of having to depend on Him alone when He would be out of their view. They were being put “on their honor”, as we say, made to act responsibly in the time of our Lord’s visible absence. We too must never forget that He sees and hears all and that He is giving us life in this world as a test and as an opportunity to acquire grace.