By Deacon John De Gano
I’ve heard it said, “Christians are not perfect, just saved.”
And while I agree that we are not perfect, extoling such an attitude may be perceived as an affront to many who might otherwise be drawn to investigate the Good News we proclaim at Christmas, that ‘God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son (to us in the incarnation) so that whosoever might believe in him may have eternal life’ (John 3:16).
This passage is all about God’s mercy and forgiveness. If we turn away from our ‘old self’ and place our trust in Jesus, he will send us his Holy Spirit to help guide us so that we may have the assurance of eternal life through Him.
However, in order for that to happen we need to conform ourselves to the mind of Jesus so we may be able to discern what is good and pleasing to God (Romans 12:2). Renewing our minds so that we are in the world but not of the world -- becoming a living sacrifice.
Yet many seem to pay lip service to Christ while seeking out what is good and pleasing for themselves, not for God or others. “I got mine! I got mine!” They seem to be saying…
Such a self-serving attitude reminds me of the Jewish merchants in Jesus’ day who, because of the law, did not cheat their customers on holy days, but complained loudly when asked to refrain from cheating their customers on any other day!
Are we like that? Do we pay lip service to the poor on Christmas and Easter while ‘doing our own thing’ the rest of the year? Do we resent giving God even an hour a week (on Sunday)? Do we conform ourselves to the world (and some Christians) by celebrating Christmas for a single day rather than for twelve days as our Liturgical Season does?
We should ask ourselves, ‘If we can accommodate Christ for a dozen days… why not the whole year?’
After all, Jesus never said to come back later, “Healings are on Saturdays.” If there was a need, He saw to it. Jesus believed so strongly in this that he offered up that helping someone in distress was reason enough to break the Sabbath rest.
“The Sabbath was made for man, not the man for the Sabbath.”
Jesus’ message in the Parable of the Good Samaritan is to choose life. Because our God is a God of life and we ought to value life ahead of temple (or Mass) attendance. Doing justice is living out the gospel message. As Catholics, we have ample opportunities to make up our obligation at another time or church service… we do not, however, always have the opportunity to help a person in grave circumstances.
And so, we must ask ourselves, ‘Who or what did Jesus prioritize while he walked among us? And then what did he tell his disciples?’
“Go and do likewise.”
Pope Leo XIV recently released an apostolic exhortation, Dilexi te (begun by Pope Francis and expanded by Pope Leo), ‘to All Christian’s on Love for the Poor’.
It is a timely read for the holidays. In it we are drawn closer to the compassionate heart of God. The true spirit of Christmas.
When Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you.” He was not telling his disciples to forget the poor but was rather pointing out our own blindness in not caring for those in our very midst?
He was also quick to correct his disciples (regarding the man born blind), saying that he was not born blind because of sin, rather he was blind so that “the glory of God might be revealed.” And having said this, Jesus healed the man in front of them.
So how will God’s glory be revealed in/through us this Christmas Season?
By conforming our minds and hearts to Christ we become his ambassadors of hope and healing, bringing the good news to the poor, the lost and the forgotten year-round. And together, announce a year of favor from God so that all might proclaim Jesus as Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Deacon John De Gano is assigned to St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Riverside.