Wednesday of the 7th Week in Ordinary Time
February 26, 2014 6:30am
“Whoever is not against us is for us.”
This is a quite a statement.
Jesus wants us to recognize good
wherever and by whomever it is done.
One Catholic scholar, Charles
Taylor, puts it this way.
He says that we are to lift up
and applaud human flourishing – whatever we see as being for the positive
development and care or for the common good of humanity.
Jesus found it necessary to speak
these words to the apostles.
“Whoever is not against us is for us.”
They were being negative about
others who were doing good things, just because these others were not part of
Jesus’ group.
So maybe good things are being
done by scientists or social workers or whomever that will help humanity.
That may not be Catholic and they
may be non-believers.
We need to applaud that as the
work of Jesus, the work of God.
Good things may be done by some
who, according to our belief, do other things that are wrong.
Once again, we still applaud the
good because even here, our lifting up the good may lead those persons to do
more good and even over time lead them away from doing things that are wrong.
Jesus’ words are needed today and
in every era.
They are needed if we Catholics
or any Christian group become so self-enclosed that we do not lift up the good
that others do.
In the long run, that stance or
posture does little or nothing to promote the way of Jesus.
So, important words from Jesus
today: “Whoever is not against us is for
us.”
