The first gospel is attributed to Saint Matthew. He's characterized, or one imagines, a slightly fraudulent money-grubbyish tax collector who jacked up the bill because he got a cut of the tax collections- turned repentant to follow Jesus and giving his whole full life to serve God. The Cathedral in the nation's capital is named after him- and he is considered the patron saint of good public servants. The spirit of the Lord is powerfully present there during lenten season and the lenten retreat this morning full of insights on what discipleship means. The gray haired nun put up a powerpoint study that ended with a slide quoting Saint John of the Cross - "In the Evening of Life, we will be judged by LOVE."
and the commandment to "Love one another as I have loved you" followed- so Jesus is the blueprint for how we do this. Matthew 25, the only account of the Judgment in the Bible, is something that breaks down the ways he did this- he fed the hungry (4-5,000), he visited the sick -(cured numerous people in scripture), he released the captives (sprung Paul and Peter from prisons even after his resurrection), he gave living water to the thirsty, etc. What he did in the three years of his ministry is a blueprint for how we are to live. And greater things even than this, you will be given power to do, he says.
In the evening of Life, we will be Judged by Love.
Saint John of the Cross.
So would Jesus think it loving to wage war against gays in homophobic rants against them being monogamously united in civil marriage with the same tax breaks? Would Jesus think some of the religous liberty justified insistence on not giving women what they think they need for their own health loving? I see Jesus healing lots of people in scripture. I see him nowhere on homophobic rants- in fact all his closest best working buddies were 12 guys, and one is constantly referred to as the 'one Jesus loved.' (John) The same people who want to claim that the 'one Jesus loved' was not Mary Magdalene but John the Apostle want to say Jesus authorizes this homophobic rant against gays part of the church is on? Really. Really?
Why does the "Catholic Standard" have to have more reporting on the political conservative hot button culture war issues like 'marriage matters' lobbying and legislative efforts to stop gay marriage (Maryland legislature approved same sex marriage and the catholic governor is expected to sign it into law immediately-the Catholic Standard is sending out 'breaking news' email panic alerts) and attempts to not cover any of the women working for the Archdiocese from reproductive health care and less (not at all) on things like Father Evelio's ministry to feed 50-100 homeless people every Monday and free bible study discussion class? Or anything that the Tepeyac Pregnancy Center is doing to give poor Latino young women homes and health care while pregnant and destitute, or Holy Trinity's homeless advocacy program and rotating shelter, or anything that Matthew 25 speaks to? I would like to see the Catholic Standard cover more about what the sister parishes are doing- like the Haiti mission parish twin to Holy Trinity, or the outreach mission sister parish Holy Trinity has in El Salvador and efforts to promote women's micro-enterprise. Why is the Catholic Standard and the Cardinal's letters consummed with Republican conservative culture war issues? Ask yourself- can you be more LOVING and less Judgmental and Doctrinaire? Is it loving to demonize political opponents and make martyrs out of your own faithful?
Everyone will be Judged. And it will be on one thing: LOVE, as manifest through the enumerated list of compassionate acts in Matthew 25. Love, with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.
The other looks petty and misses the mark.
In the evening of Life, we will be judged by LOVE.
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