Much has been made of the divided nature of our country and our world. Politicians and people with influence have all offered sanctimonious calls to be united; and then they propose their philosophy or ideology as a remedy to the brokenness of the world. However, inevitably, these ideologies only serve to deepen the divisions and rancor that is so prevalent today.
We cannot unite around an opinion or an ideology. None of the “-isms” of our culture can bring about harmony – at least no lasting harmony. And this is what our hearts long for, isn’t it? Lasting harmony. The tranquility of order. Peace.
That goal of a peaceful, unified society will be echoed, probably, over the next few months here in the United States as we journey through election season. Ironically, the deep divisions that separate us will be on full display as well. Each side will offer their version of what will bring about unity; but it can only be an opinion at best. We will hear that this ideology or that program will bring about resolution to the rather dark situation in which we now find ourselves.
Sadly, the Church will also be drawn into a partisan battle – with Catholic leaders being touted on both sides, only as an effort to gain our votes. However, the moment we enter into that battle we will have already lost. Archbishop Oscar Romero was once asked “If you or the church were offered the leadership of a revolution, would you accept it?” [He] replied, “That would be an absurdity. The church is not on earth for that reason. The church doesn’t exist to lead an army or carry forward a revolution. The church brings about unity; she remains autonomous between two parties in conflict so that she can tell both of them what is just and what is unjust, and so that she can declare, when there are sins of war, what must not be done even in situations of conflict.” The church [Romero said] always seeks to be the voice of Christ, ‘the bread that comes from heaven to bring life, light, and salvation to the world’.”
That might be hard for us to hear, since as flawed human beings we all have our opinions and political leanings. We might criticize the Church for being weak or silent on issues we are about. This is not true in the pure sense, since the Gospel that we preach touches on those things that make us most human and point us only toward Christ and His Heart.
In today’s Gospel we hear that “They went away,” because they could not entrust themselves fully to Christ, especially when what He says is “hard.” Often this is the attitude of a secularized world, where the allure of the fine things that the world can give make following Jesus more and more difficult – a stark contrast to what everyone else is doing. The desire to belong to this or that tribe is a powerful motivator.
Peter’s words proclaim the true transcendence of Jesus – He is not simply a wise teacher or a great philosopher. This is Peter’s declaration of Christ’s divinity (slightly different than the other three Gospels), where he acknowledges that only Jesus has “the words of everlasting life.” Here is the echo of Joshua’s declaration that “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
There are plenty of “idols” in our world – many of which are paraded across screens and stages, on television and our cellphones. It feels good to identify with them because belonging seems to give us a sense of purpose. However, that purpose cannot endure – not in the way that God wants for you.
Only through being centered wholly in Christ can the true unity that we desire – indeed, that God desires – be realized. The fractures in the people of Israel arose because of the infidelity of their leaders and people. Joshua seeks to nip that in the bud today. The covenant that they form at Shechem is a sign of that powerful unity that God wants for all people. Similarly, the faithful unity of the marriage covenant is also the sign of God’s union with His people and Christ’s with the Church. When they are centered on Christ, following Him unreservedly and completely, fidelity (as advised for wives) and sacrificial love (as called for from husbands) is possible and becomes the sign of the union of the divine and human that we see in Jesus.
Committing ourselves wholeheartedly to Christ, as Peter declares, is the mark of the true disciple. Without that devotion, the ways of the world begin to drag us away and down into brokenness and division. We see this too much. Following Jesus is often hard, it often calls us to speak against popular projects and ideologies. However, as Peter affirms, it is the only way to eternal life. This is why Jesus gives us Himself; it is why He spent so much time driving home this point that we must eat His Body and drink His Blood in order to have that true life in us. Without it, we will wander off, like those sad disciples, and fall into the fractures that continue to break our society.
Don't look to some messianic candidate or a platform that promises progress. These things really have nothing to offer you. Only Jesus can bring what we need. Only He has the words of everlasting life.
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