Today’s readings offer criteria about what a faithful life looks like. Hint: it isn’t easy. One is from the final book of Deuteronomy, while the other is from the Gospel of Luke. Both offer thoughts on the temptation of short-term gains and encourage us to live for long-term goals.
In Deuteronomy, Moses offers the people a stark choice between life and death. Life and prosperity are found in the covenant with God. This covenant had two parts. (1) The people will obey the commandments, walk in the ways of God and love Him. (2) God will protect the people; make sure they multiply, flourish and survive.
Deuteronomy covers the time when the Chosen People emerged from the desert and entered Canaan to make it their home. The problem was their nomadic way of life in the Sinai desert required a drastic change to life in a settled agricultural society. The Israelites had wandered in the desert for over 40 years, and now they had to learn to farm and survive in the Promised Land.
The people who lived in Canaan had fertility Gods who helped them grow their agricultural and animal resources. The Israelites were constantly tempted to worship these Gods (make sacrifice to them) to ensure their own security and success for the basics of life. In their context, it was not possible to produce crops without recourse to those “other” gods. Moses is warning them not to stray from their faith in the God with whom they have a covenant, even though the immediate goal of agricultural success was very enticing.
Most of the idols I am attracted to give me something I desperately want—usually some form of security, status, stability, or the things I think I need in life. Moses exhorts the people to not give in to making anything or anyone other than God their absolute—even for what they considered important.
The Gospel of Luke offers a similar choice. Again, two parts make up the message of this text. First, (1) love often requires suffering, and Jesus was persecuted for proclaiming a Kingdom where God loves everyone (and so should we), not just those who are “pure” and “righteous.”
As we know, he was persecuted because he threatened the religious leaders of his day by stating that all were loved by God—without conditions. The people he revealed this to no longer allowed the religious leaders to determine their status before God. Thus, Jesus threatened the power and authority of the religious leaders of his day and there were severe consequences.
In like manner, (2) those who follow Jesus must give themselves for the good of others (“Love one another as I have loved you.”)
This may be our children, our neighbor, our stranger, our “other” and when we love them, we must bear the consequences (the cross) of that action. If my first concern is me, I will truly die as I am finite and limited. If my first concern is loving others, and I commit my life to that—I cannot die because this love, like God, is eternal.
So, yes, I can live for me, and it may offer me a very comfortable and pleasing short-term existence. But the choices I make now, and the person I am becoming, will either be drawn toward God (Absolute Love) or repelled from God (Absolute Love) after I die.
When are you required to choose between short-term gain or long-term fulfillment
Tom Kelly
Thomas Kelly, Ph.D. is Professor of Theology and Director of the Christian Spirituality Program at Creighton University. He has been an Ignatian Associate for 21 years and parents four children with his wife Lisa.
