For Goodness Sake

In a crime novel I was once reading, a thief was proposing a high risk robbery to another villain. The second guy said, when I hear a proposal like this I need to consult the motto on my family crest. It reads: “Quid lucrum istic mihi est”. The first thief says, oh yea, so what does that mean? The villain says it means: “What’s in it for me?” I could well say that motto might speak for me and perhaps many of us. 

In most things, even doing good works or making donations, we tend to look for a immediate positive outcome for ourselves. In the case of a donation to some cause, it could be a feeling of satisfaction or a desire to see some result from our contribution. Unlike God, we are rarely totally gratuitous in our generosity.

In Romano Guardini’s book, a theological tome called The Lord that I just waded through (looking for some answers), he makes a good point with regard to our actions and about karma. Whereas we might like to believe that everyone eventually gets their comeuppance for bad behaviors, it’s unfortunately not true, at least in this life. The rich and powerful who may have abused the poor or their workers, could well die happy deaths, respected by society and surrounded by family. Meanwhile a missionary who gave up everything to serve God and bring His message to the poor may die in some random act of violence. So what are we to make of this?

If we look at what St. Paul has to say in 1 Corinthians, while we are all individuals, we are all at our core part of the body of Christ. And just like in the human body, those trying to live good lives, living the gospel message by caring for the needy and so on, are like healthy blood cells that fight disease; in other words, that help create the kingdom of God here on earth, making it more difficult for evil to thrive. On the other side there are those who do the opposite. When we sin in ways big and small, we weaken the mystical body and impede God’s plan for us. Not only do our poor choices hinder our relationship with God, they also enable, in whatever small way, the bad things that happen in our world. It’s probably safe to say, there is no victim-less sin.

Guardini goes on to say that the effects of our sin, may not even show up in our lifetime. That is, maybe future generations must deal with it. So when we ask the question of why bad things happen to good people, or why does God allow evil in our world, the short answer is we really don’t know for sure. However, recognizing God gave us free will and loves each of us unequivocally, we might want to ask ourselves whether we (and our poor choices) have a role to play and what we might do about it.

When we look at all of the strife in the world, whether it’s wars, oppression or just bad behavior on our roads, we often feel powerless. Perhaps we have desire to look for something to distract us on TV or social media. I hear people say I don’t watch the news it’s too depressing. And while yes, the news can be depressing, and the challenges we see can feel overpowering, we should consider looking at them as a way to grow in humility and in hope. 

Jim Wallis, a modern day prophet, like to say that Hope doesn’t look at the facts to form it’s vision (of the world), but instead, looks to the gospels and waits for the facts to change. Wallis doesn’t expect us to be naive or oblivious, but to put our trust in Jesus’ promise, and that while we await the fulfillment of that promise we must just do our best. So that when we do finally depart this world, people will not only say that you are in a better place, but that you left the earth a better place.