25 November 2012, Feast of Jesus Christ the King, 34th Sunday of the Year
[__01]
In the
Gospel of Matthew, we read these words about prayer and meditation.
“Ask and it will be
given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one
who knocks, the door will be
opened.” (Matthew
7:7-8)
Ask and it
will be given, seek and you will find.
These are
words which apply not only to a buying / selling transaction, or only to a
Google search … but also to a search for the truth.
Seek and
you will find.
In the
Gospel, we have just read, Pilate is the judge who is finding out things about
the defendant Jesus.
This Sunday
is the feast of Jesus Christ the King, a Sunday and feast we observe just
before the 4 weeks of Advent – starting next week.
Jesus is on
trial before Pilate as civil courtroom judge who must rely on the evidence and
testimony which others bring to him.
But, is not
also Pilate’s duty – as officer of the court – as “minister of justice” – to do
more than rely on the “show and tell” presentation by the Pharisees or the
crowd.
Jesus –
defendant – objects – but the objection is not sustained – by asking about Pilate’s
method in the courtroom.
Jesus
suggests that Pilate will only reach the truth if he himself asks the
questions.
“Pilate said to
Jesus, "Are you the King of the
Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you
say this on your own or have others told you about me?"” (cf. John 18:33b-34 à )
[__02]
By what ways and means and
committees do we arrive honestly at the truth? Is it because of what we say on
our own or only because of what others have told us?
Are you /
am I swayed and influenced by what others are saying now …or might say in the
future?
[__03] Pontius
Pilate certainly is one such person, influenced by the crowd.
A short
time after this “police booking” of Jesus the suspect, Pilate ultimately gives
into the will, the desires of the crowd.
Pilate does
not demonstrate that he has prepared for this trial, brought his own questions,
his own investigation.
[__04] Don’t we fall into the same trap, the
same danger ourselves?
This could
be true in an academic endeavor or professional endeavor. Our teacher (or our
boss) assigns a written term paper or project requiring research and
reflection.
Let’s say
the history of the British Empire in India from 1900 until 1947. Of course,
what a history professor/teacher also asks is that we consider the lessons
learned. And, we are called to bring our own questions about, say,
- Colonialism
- Imperialism
- Economics
- Justice
Doing so,
are we only relying on the questions others have asked? Are we thinking about both 1912 and 2012 and beyond?
Pilate is
stuck in the past. He has not done any real research. He asks questions based
only on Wikipedia or, worse, the Teleprompter screen as a cue.
[__05]
In
questions of morality or justice, the same may be true. Are we asking the same
questions or the ones which others tell us to ask?
[apply
experience of living and simply being alive to the sanctity of life…]
Are we
reluctant / do we hesitate to put the questions in our own words?
For
example, our Catholic Church teaches about the sanctity, the precious gift of
human life from conception until natural death.
This is a
general definition which may leave us content, satisfied …meanwhile, we also
may be tempted to say this does not apply to me or we have no experience to
contribute. I am not a scientist, right?
But, our own
human growth / experience counts. Of
course, birth and early childhood development are not events we can recall. Our
consciousness - our awareness that we
even existed – came about gradually. We relied on others to sustain us, nourish
us.
Yet, at the
same time, a child – from the first moment – is not only alive and capable of
growth.
Meanwhile,
other “judges” and “juries” may present other arguments, or raise questions.
This
arguments, often based on choice and freedom, may be attractive, enticing.
Would I,
however, on my own – as a person who wants to live – who wants my life
protected – want the right to terminate a life protected?
[__06] The responsibility to safeguard human life
does not rest only with judges, politicians, or physicians, but with everyone.
Our
Catholic principles – and Catholic faith – also invites us to apply this sanctity
of life definition again and again.
In other
words, to ask about new technology, new medications, new stem-cell research. Is
life being protected? At all stages.
It’s
important that we do not let others tell us what the questions – or the answers
– are.
It is truly
our Catholic health care ethic to care for the whole person at any age. And,
when we have questions, it is important to ask – one of our priests, a
professional we can trust …and not simply to follow orders or prescriptions.
[__07]
We can evaluate – in faith, hope, and love,
the evidence ourselves, body and soul.
“Ask and it will be
given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one
who knocks, the door will be
opened.” (Matthew
7:7-8) [__fin__]
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