The courage of Jesus inspires me. He didn’t pander to the crowds. He didn’t apologize when His teachings offended someone. He didn’t acquiesce to power or money in order to save His own skin. He simply spoke the Truth, even when it got Him into trouble.
We live in an individualistic society that idolizes personal autonomy. In this kind of world, it’s all about me. We find a perfect summary of this (false) modern notion of the self in the final lines of William Henley’s poem Invictus: “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”
That is the kind of mindset that leads to the other plague of our contemporary society – relativism. If I am truly the master of my fate, then I get to decide what is true for me. Not you. Not some All-Powerful God. Not the laws of Nature. Me, me, me! Thus, truth ends up being whatever I want it to be, and I end up being god.
It is no wonder then that the worst crime in the world today is to tell someone he or she is wrong. Who are you to judge me?
If our modern culture were to encounter Jesus today they might ask Him that very question. Would they call Him a King? Would they consider Him to be intolerant, insensitive, politically incorrect and judgmental? Jesus was not afraid to tell people when they were wrong and correct them.
Because that is precisely what True Love does.
Believe it or not, to “admonish the sinner” is one of the Spiritual Acts of Mercy – yes, mercy. It is not actually merciful to let someone do something harmful to him or herself. Consider this: if you have a friend who is a drug addict, but you do not tell him to stop doing drugs, are you really loving him?
That doesn’t mean it is easy to speak the truth. It probably won’t win us many friends, but we are not called to be liked; we are called to love, just as our King Jesus has loved us.
King of Love, forgive us our trespasses and grant us an increase in courage, so that we may always seek and speak your merciful Truth to the world. Amen.
