This is a reflection on the Mass readings of the day.
The Christian life makes us behave strangely.
Ordinary people, who perceive no transcendence in their lives and who live for the glories and gratifications of this world, order their lives around what they perceive to be most beneficial to their earthly existence.
This does not automatically convert people into animals. Many of those with secular ideals consider altruism, especially toward those for whom they feel affection or compassion, as part of the scope of what makes their world a better place. Such persons can be kind, understanding, and empathetic.
But to such persons, the Christian way of life is strange. Kindness may not be strange to them, but self-sacrifice for the welfare of another is. Idealism may not be strange to them, but the notion of obedience to God is. It is very strange.
Now, it may not appear to be a difference destined to cause conflict. But when we consider how obedience to God involves things like norms of basic sexual morality and the ordering of society around them, we see how obedience can clash drastically with the earth-bound ideals of our age. And because secular culture is not tethered to any constant norm, the clash can take on different forms in different ages.
From the world’s perspective, the Christian life makes us behave strangely, and at times, the world determines that we must be thwarted from this “strange” behavior.
Today’s first reading shows the Hebrews plotting against the life of the prophet Jeremiah, and in today’s gospel, we see the Pharisees plotting against the life of Jesus. We see in Jeremiah and Jesus how the world cannot tolerate the messenger of obedience to God.
But it is also interesting to note how the temple guards are not successful in arresting Jesus. Because they find His preaching so mesmerizing and authoritative, they cannot bring themselves to carry out their original intention of seizing Him.
In this sense Christians are strange as well: Obedience to God and adoption as children of God ultimately brings about an ennobling transformation in us that even non-believers can perceive–such that their reaction may be as striking as the guards’ reaction to Jesus.
Ideas for conversation with the Lord: Imagine Jesus asking you, “Can you drink of the cup that I shall drink?” (cf. Mt. 10:38) He asks each of us if we are willing to suffer misunderstandings, envy, and scorn from the world. Answer Him that you know that His way leads to Calvary, and that you will not abandon Him because of it.
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