The Long Defeat

17th Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                                              July 26, 2020
Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette

Video of 10am Mass: https://youtu.be/pFAzbcNA178

What to do? Pandemic, economic difficulty, racial tension, fake news, political turmoil – what can we do about any of that? It’s easy to feel trapped and powerless, like we just have to watch things fall apart and accept our lack of influence.

Frankly, there is a part of me that wishes I could simply point you to a solution, a path of influence, a technique for getting this world off the track it’s on and on its way to a better world. But I can’t. The raw truth is that the vast majority of us really don’t have much geopolitical influence or economic power; we really can’t do much about the state of the whole world. The world is going to fall apart, and we’ve always known that. As my favorite author, JRR Tolkien put it, “I do not expect ‘history’ to be anything but a ‘long defeat’— though it contains… some samples or glimpses of final victory.”

This lines up with what Jesus taught his apostles about persecution and it lines up with the book of Revelation and other prophecies about the end times and the faithful remnant. Don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying the world is going to end soon. In a certain sense, we’ve been in the end times since Jesus’ death and resurrection. But the fact is that Christianity expects itself to “lose” according to the worldly, fleshly standards of wealth, power, and pleasure. Even King Solomon in the old Testament realized that these worldly ideals would not satisfy. God tells Solomon he can ask for anything and God will give it to him. What does he ask for? And understanding heart and the ability to know right from wrong. In a word: wisdom.

What do we do? Hear Paul’s words: “We know that all things work for good for those who love God.” We know… the virtue of faith is not just some feeling or opinion, but a supernatural knowledge of things we could now know on our own. By any human standard or knowledge, there are plenty of things that do not work for our good. How does a child with cancer work for his good or the good of his parents? How does the current crisis work for our good? If you try to pin down the greater good in each case, you will often fail. This is an act of faith, a trust that God, who is infinitely good, would not allow evil unless he could somehow turn it to an even greater good.

This is the most crucial step – this belief in God’s providence, his grace to pull good from any and everything we experience… if we love him. So, what do we do? We love God and believe it will work for our good no matter what happens to us. I’m not pretending this is easy, but there are many thousands of martyrs who can testify that it is possible.

Okay, so we believe and love… but what does that mean on a practical level? It’s means poverty. You see, when we are successful in this life, it’s easier for us to forget about the long defeat. Little by little, we slip into thinking “maybe I can be faithful to God and successful in this world.” It’s not a sin to be wealthy. Success and wealth can be the byproduct of virtue and hard work, but if they are your primary goal, they inevitably lead to compromise, mediocrity in the faith… or worse.

That’s why Jesus gives these parables. The buried treasure and the pearl are a little strange if you think about it. Why not just take the treasure? Why buy the field? A pearl is nice and all, but do you really want to sell everything, even your house to buy it? That’s the twist of the parables. The kingdom of heaven cannot be stolen, you have to buy the land – the whole Christian way of life – if you want it. The kingdom of heaven is not just pretty to look at but will cost us everything. Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus emphasizes poverty. Poverty of spirit, yes, but he does also praise the value of literal poverty. Why? Because when we experience the “failure” or “defeat” of not having everything we want, it’s easier for us to remember our faith is in a world beyond this one, to hold onto the truth that all things, even seemingly meaningless suffering and death, will work for the good of those who love the Lord.

For this reason, some people are called to literally own nothing: monks, friars, sisters, and nuns along with the long tradition of holy beggars and hermits. At the same time, it is right and just to provide a decent living for your family and loved ones: food, shelter, and even appropriate entertainment. Still, the spirit of poverty – the awareness of the “long defeat” – must not be lost so that faith in the world beyond is not lost. How do you cultivate that spirit? Here are four suggestions:

Gratitude. I mean profuse, constant, and deliberate gratitude. If we make a habit of choosing to thank God for all we have, it is easier to remain detached because we remain aware of the fact that it’s not really ours in the end. Be Grateful.

Charity. The more we give away – time, money, and effort – the more we recognize that the stuff of this world exists to serve human beings and not the other way around. Be Generous.

Moderation and Fasting. Set limits and keep them. You should also voluntarily sacrifice something you like every week – even every day. Food, drink, entertainment – cutting back when you don’t have to so you remind yourself it’s not the most important thing. Fast regularly.

Patience in suffering. We all suffer setbacks: robbery, job loss, disaster. Some suffer it more than others, but all of us are called, when faced with this suffering, to endure it with the faith that knows “all things work for the good of those who love God.” We should continue to work hard, but we should also strive and pray not to be resentful when we fail or when what we have is taken from us. Be patient.

The world is falling apart – as it always is – so what do we do? Believe, persevere, love. Believe that all things work for the good of those who love God. Persevere in the spirit of poverty. Then use that freedom, that poverty and faith to love God and neighbor to the end.