IC I: 24, 30^th Sunday, Year A

Religion may be said to be the application of a set of rules to one=s life, in view of God=s manifest will. No matter how much one may harbor a desire to be a libertine, to be free from any imposition of law, he can=t escape being bound by rules and regulations. Thus has God always prescribed a certain code of conduct (enshrined in the ten commandments and the whole Jewish lawBof which we heard a portion in our first reading of today), thus did our Lord demand the exercise of charity as the characteristically Christian way of life (this, given in the Gospel), thus has the Church regulated the life of her children through Canon Law, likewise too the State through civil precepts. Over and above these rules, there are various regulations that limit our conduct, as, for example, the rules of membership in an organization, in a social club, and the many forms of free contractual agreements among men. Having rules makes it possible for many people to live in harmonious relationship with one another and to be unified. Humanity without regulation would be chaos. In recognition of that, we do seek to conform, to accede to laws, to obey themBeven if somewhat begrudgingly. Each man then has to make the sacrifice of a small portion of his freedom (by accepting to obey laws) so that all men can live freely. There is then both the pleasant and the unpleasant in obedience: the curbing of our desires allows for a greater social benefit.

It would be a fine thing, and a witness to the nobility of human nature, if everyone kept the law of God freely and out of the pure motive of love. Doing the right thing simply because it is right and good, and doing it for love of God would score very well in the scale of emotional maturity. ButBalas!Bit can never become the universal motivator...this side of heaven. Humanity has been too enfeebled for these lofty incentives to become universal. We need also to have penalties for transgressions of the law and the fear of punishment to make us oppose our sinful inclinations. And thus it is that we often say >no= to sin not because we want to please God but because we fear the consequences of disobedience.

In inducing his fellow monks to a stricter adherence to the Christian life, Thomas a Kempis admonished them to keep always in mind how they are to stand before God. He writes, AIt is good that, if the love of God does not restrain you from sin, the fear of hell at least should restrain you. For he who sets aside the fear of God cannot long continue in a good life, but will rapidly fall into the snares of the devil.@

Now, of course, this is not an inducement so to dread God that we run from Him, or live in terror of Him. By fulfilling the duties prescribed for us, and by making amends for our past sins, we trust in the goodness of the forgiving God, who adds on to our years for the explicit reason that we might yet serve Him well. But we recognize that, since the Fall, we have to labor and toil; we have to fight against the Prince of this world; we have to bear weakness without ever yielding to it.

On the day of judgementBwhich is going to comeBa surer thing than the rising of tomorrow=s sunBon the day of judgment here is how we will look back on our earth-days: the righteous will be standing firm and their oppressors will be humbled before them; the one who was scorned as a foolish Christian will be vindicated as the most wise; then the devout man will be glad and the ungodly will grieve; then will those who have disciplined themselves have unlimited joy and the self-indulgent will be tormented; then will the poor but upright man be rich while those wicked in their wealth will be destitute.

Religion serves to inform us, to pre-warn us, that we have to choose: we can=t have both sinful delight here and eternal delight there. It instructs us moreover that the fun of sin can=t compare with the fun of heaven (pardon the expression >fun= here). Religion tries to teach us that this life=s experiences are temporary but those to come are unending. This is indeed the wisdom of saints; it is the doctrine of Christ. So, you must chose which you will have; you cannot have all. But, as it is, even here, God shows His love for you because He has not made either option equally attractive: He put in you a conscience, an instinct for the good; and he made it appealing to your reason to live in an upright way. Hell is the choice that must be made deliberately; one doesn=t fall there...by chance.

I presume that everyone who has come to this Mass is here because he wants God and eternal life. (Your presence would make no sense otherwise.) And yet you have to exercise your will daily to affirm this direction. ADo not grow weary of doing what is right@ was an encouraging phrase that Saint Paul used to keep us going.

With the help of the ever Blessed Virgin Mary let us continue to serve God and put in another week of fighting the good fight.