A Penitent Blogger
Giving it to the dogs
Some Christians are optimists: wanting to share openly with everybody about everything in our Christian faith, trusting that this openhearted sharing will always be well received.
Some Christians are zealous: wanting to promote the faith everywhere and to defend the faith against anyone who would question it or attack it, trusting always in the protective and confirming power of the Holy Spirit.
To optimists and zealots alike, our Lord gives the following warning in today's Gospel (Matthew 7:6, 12-14):
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs,
neither cast ye your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them under their feet,
and turn again and rend you.
It is a wonderful thing to be optimistic and it is an even more wonderful thing to be zealous, but the ranks of Christian martyrs are full of optimists and zealots.
Not that there's anything wrong with that - indeed, martyrdom is a blessed destiny (not that self-centered and homicidal martyrdom of gullible terrorist lackeys, but rather that ultimate self-giving which focuses purely on the spread of Gospel and on the good of those to whom it is preached - even the good of those who kill the martyr).
Furthermore, there may seem to be a certain tension between Matthew 7:6 (Give not that which is holy unto the dogs) and Mark 16:15:
Go ye into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature.
As is often the case, the proper living out of these Scriptures is accomplished with the help of prudence.
The example of the Apostles and martyrs should remind us always that the protective and confirming power of the Holy Spirit will not save us from failure or even death.
As the love of Christ impels us to proclaim his gospel to every creature, we need to draw always upon the discerning power of the Holy Spirit in determining the times and places as well as the means and the methods of fully and faithfully proclaiming the truth of God.
It is good to be optimistic, it is blessed to be zealous, it is imperative that we proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and it is important that we do all this with prudence and discernment.
Some Christians are zealous: wanting to promote the faith everywhere and to defend the faith against anyone who would question it or attack it, trusting always in the protective and confirming power of the Holy Spirit.
To optimists and zealots alike, our Lord gives the following warning in today's Gospel (Matthew 7:6, 12-14):
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs,
neither cast ye your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them under their feet,
and turn again and rend you.
It is a wonderful thing to be optimistic and it is an even more wonderful thing to be zealous, but the ranks of Christian martyrs are full of optimists and zealots.
Not that there's anything wrong with that - indeed, martyrdom is a blessed destiny (not that self-centered and homicidal martyrdom of gullible terrorist lackeys, but rather that ultimate self-giving which focuses purely on the spread of Gospel and on the good of those to whom it is preached - even the good of those who kill the martyr).
Furthermore, there may seem to be a certain tension between Matthew 7:6 (Give not that which is holy unto the dogs) and Mark 16:15:
Go ye into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature.
As is often the case, the proper living out of these Scriptures is accomplished with the help of prudence.
The example of the Apostles and martyrs should remind us always that the protective and confirming power of the Holy Spirit will not save us from failure or even death.
As the love of Christ impels us to proclaim his gospel to every creature, we need to draw always upon the discerning power of the Holy Spirit in determining the times and places as well as the means and the methods of fully and faithfully proclaiming the truth of God.
It is good to be optimistic, it is blessed to be zealous, it is imperative that we proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and it is important that we do all this with prudence and discernment.
posted by Penitens | 6:13 AM
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