Appearance Over Substance (Jn 8:21-30)

           What does it mean to be taken in by appearances over substance and how can we avoid such a blunder?  In a dialogue with the Pharisees, Jesus points out how they are taken in by appearances over substance when he says to them, “You belong to what is below; I belong to what is above.”  With this, Jesus exposes their deliberate and stubborn spiritual blindness that prevents them from seeing the truth about their conduct.  If not cured, their spiritual blindness will lead to death of soul.  Jesus warns that, at some point, even he will not be able to save them from the inevitable consequences of their blindness.  They will die in their sins and remain beyond his reach (Jn 8:21-30). 

            To his believers, however, Jesus gives hope and encouragement:  "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (Jn 8:31-32).  All of this suggests that being taken in by appearances means choosing an apparent good over a genuine good, and knowing the truth is the only remedy.  Easy enough to say, but not quite clear as to how we make the distinction in practice.  Aquinas held the view that the good as we perceive it appeals to all of us.  In fact, the perceived good is always and only the object of rational desire.  He makes this claim based on the idea that reason is our guide as to what is truly good as opposed to what only appears to be good.  For Aquinas, the truly good is anything we desire that does not bring harm in any sense either to ourselves or to anyone else.  Still, how much harm might be tolerated and when is a question worthy of consideration.  Of course, the ultimate good in itself is God, and thus our ultimate good is union with God.    

            In any case, being taken in by appearances over substance was a weakness for the Pharisees as much as it is for us today.  We see a physically attractive person, for example, and all of a sudden, we see nothing else.  Their appearance blinds us to the substance of their character.  We go so far as to judge a person’s character in light of their appearance alone.  Something similar happens to our good judgment when we are taken in by the status and appearance of a certain neighborhood, a kind of job or salary, a particular vacation, a fancy car, and all sorts of similar things.  Nor has our vulnerability in this regard lessened despite the warning that Jesus gave so long ago.  Being taken in by appearances is what Madison Avenue thrives on, and the way in which Hollywood has built and sustains a lavish empire.  The challenge remains.

            A clue as to how we might meet such a challenge is found in the Book of Numbers.  This reading is a story about how the people realize that their complaining against God is a petty view of the world.  Their strategy has brought them no good, and a plague of snakes to boot.  This plague motivates them to turn back to the way of God.  But, notice that even though God accepts their repentance, he does not remove the plague as they had asked, nor does he prevent them from being bitten by the snakes.  Rather, God tells the people to look on the pole that Moses crafts when they are bitten and they will live.  In other words, look to God for the true way of life, and that truth will set you free, will heal you (Nm 21:4-9).

            The lesson for us is clear.  The Lord does not abandon his people in their struggles and challenges.  When we mess up, God will help us clean up our act, and Jesus shows us the way and the truth.  Throughout his life and mission, Jesus shows us the way to the father with two basic commands—love God with your whole heart and soul, and love your neighbor as yourself.  The details of how we do that is left up to each of us.  Each of us decides how to love our neighbor, how to feed the hungry, how to clothe the naked, how to visit the sick and the imprisoned.

            Justice is at the heart of these two commands.  We give our heart and soul to God with praise and thanksgiving, and we give our love to others with care and respect.  This is what God wants and what justice demands.  This is how we express faithfulness to God.  This is how we can avoid being taken in by appearances so as to live in true peace and in harmony with one another, with our environment, and with ourselves.  Jesus says to those who will listen, come follow me and you will find rest.  Follow my way and you will find eternal life.  You will find substance over appearance.

Trinity Sunday Year C 2016

            Today is a great feast in our Christian tradition, Holy Trinity Sunday.  This is a great feast because the Trinity is the foundation and central mystery of our Christian faith.  Mystery in this context does not mean a riddle.  Rather, the Trinity is a reality that we know only through symbol, faith, and worship.  God revealed this mystery in revealing himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons in one God. 

            This revelation is made most clearly perhaps at the baptism of Jesus.  At the baptism of Jesus, we first encounter the reality of the Trinity when the Father testifies about the Son: “This is my Son whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Mt. 3:17).  At this time, the Holy Spirit also descends like a dove on Jesus.  The testimony of the Father about Jesus and the descent of the Holy Spirit convinced John the Baptist that Jesus is in fact the Christ, the Messiah.  These events reveal God as a Trinity of coequal persons who work together for our salvation. Through the baptism of Jesus, we come to understand God as the eternal Father, who creates all things.  God is the faithful Son, who brings eternal life.  God is the loving Spirit, who lives among us and empowers us to follow Jesus and to complete his mission of bringing about the Kingdom.  Yet, for all this, the Trinity remains a mystery beyond our complete comprehension. 

            The first reading from Proverbs provides some insight into the nature of this mystery.  In this reading, a visionary sings about wonders of divine wisdom expressed in the universe. Indeed, the universe itself declares that the wisdom of God is the architect of creation. This hymn from Proverbs offers a beautiful and poetic description of the wisdom of God—his delight in playing and having fun through the creation and his joy in being with humanity.

            The three readings for today remind us that God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—is intimately and eagerly involved in human affairs.  God is the ground of truth and love among us.  Jesus reveals this truth in his life and teaching. What the Father reveals through the Son continues now through the Holy Spirit.  Through the Spirit we come to know the Son and the Father.  Through the Spirit we have the truth that God wished to reveal in and through his Son.  And, through the Spirit we find the salvation that we seek.

            Through his life and mission, Jesus also reveals the truth that God is love.  And love is the principle by which God shapes our own character and actions.  The love of God has been poured into our hearts, as St. Paul tells us.  As a result, we can love because God has loved us first.  In fact, a loving heart is a natural heart.  God’s love for us inspires and empowers us to love God and to love others as well as ourselves.  But, we cannot love God, nor can we love others without also loving and caring for creation.

            This was the motivation of Pope Francis in issuing his encyclical on the environment, “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home.”  One commentator characterizes this encyclical as an addition to the Church's social teaching (15).  Francis’ emphasis on care for creation stems from the fact that the earth is our home—indeed, our only home this side of eternity—and, like any home, must be adequately and properly cared for.  Because creation is our common home, Pope Francis calls attention to the inevitable social purpose of private property in all its forms that cannot be ignored (93) (Franco).

            This feast of the Holy Trinity calls us to commit ourselves to communion with others, with God, and with his creation.  This is why Paul is quick to point out that we should mend our ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, and live in peace.  The Trinity is the perfect example of peace and unity in diversity.  For this reason, we most resemble God and imitate his actions when we live in loving harmony with one another.

            When we fall short in our relationship with God or with others, we truly need to mend our ways.  In that respect, we call upon Jesus as redeemer.  Jesus renews and restores the covenant with God for us as Moses did for Israel.  When we sign ourselves in the name of the trinity, we commit to offering mercy as we receive mercy from God.  And through the abiding spirit of Jesus alive in this community, we may be as merciful as God is merciful.

            Today our purpose is to call upon God—Creator, Redeemer, and Spirit-Among-Us, a God who labors within us and brings us to birth.  This God beyond all names and beyond all human understanding we call upon in the language of our hearts, the image of our desire.  We love God more than we know or can say about God.  We pray that our love will be like God’s love—creating, redeeming, and renewing.  From beginning to end, we call on God in the universal language of our faith to renew us in his Spirit—in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.