|
One
day in the 1950s, a young girl, Jeanne O’Laughlin, was riding on a
streetcar in Detroit. Jeanne—who happens to be Caucasian—noticed a
Black woman with two squirming children a few seats away. Jeanne
offered to hold and soothe one of the children; for her part, the
mother was extremely pleased with Jeanne’s act of kindness.
However, during the course of the trip, a Caucasian woman boarded
the streetcar, looked at the unlikely grouping, and spit on Jeanne.
Later that evening, Jeanne asked her parents why anyone would spit
on another person for doing a good deed. Jeanne’s parents explained
that the woman who spit on Jeanne didn’t really understand because
the woman was uneducated.
This experience profoundly shaped the life of Jeanne O’Laughlin,
leading her to the Dominican sisters, and, ultimately, to the
Presidency of Barry University in Florida. Sr. Jeanne understood
one function of her leadership position to be that of encouraging
the admission and education of minorities as well as providing
social programs which heighten and sensitize faculty, staff, and the
entire university community to the concerns and needs of minorities.
All
of us understand what racism is. It’s nothing other than looking at
a human being and not seeing a human being but seeing a category of
human beings. In addition, all of us understand that racism
involves judging a human being not by the content and quality of
that individual’s character, but prejudging that individual based
solely upon generalizations that may have little or absolutely
nothing to do with that individual. Furthermore, all of us
understand that racism is a sin, something we must eradicate from
our hearts and minds, that is, if we are live as citizens of God’s
kingdom, people who respect and value one another not only as fellow
human beings but also, and more importantly, as God’s children.
Racism has to do with judgments made by human beings about
appearance, not with God’s judgments, Who looks into the heart.
While none of us likely are racists, the problem scripture raises
for our consideration today is something less offensive, far more
acceptable and, quite likely, something many of us routinely do and
never question, just like that Caucasian lady on the streetcar who
would never have guessed that what she had done was sinful.
“What’s that sin?” you may ask.
How
very hard it is for us to see people for who they are…to look
into their hearts, as God does. It’s so much easier for us to see
people for what they are…to look at external appearances, as
too many of us routinely do and never question. Moreover, because
the judgments we make are based upon what we see, they reveal
our moral blindness, that is, our inability to know who
we see. This oftentimes leads us to believe and to act in ways that
are just as sinful as those of racists, like the lady who spit on
Jeanne O’Laughlin.
The
sin scripture points out?
For
those of us old enough to remember, the sin used to be called “rash
judgment,” that is, “even tacitly, assuming as true, without
sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor” (Catechism
of the Catholic Church, #2477). Rash judgment is a sin against
truth and, in particular, against the eighth commandment which
states, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
That not only includes not saying false things about others, but it
also includes not making false judgments. And, there’s the rub!
When we commit the sin of rash judgment, we’re no different than
Samuel who believed he knew and could spot in young men exactly
what God’s choice for king looked like. Earlier, Samuel
believed Saul met those criteria. But, Samuel was not quite as
smart as he thought (in fact, Samuel was blind to this fact)
because, in the end God, rejected Saul and had to send Samuel to
find and anoint a new king. Samuel saw what he wanted to
see; but, Samuel was blind to who God had chosen. Samuel had
committed the sin of rash judgment. Big mistake.
Strike one.
Then, surveying Jesse’s seven sons, Samuel strove to improve his
performance, by noting what he believed were crucial
differences—each son’s unique appearance—to assess better which son
was God’s choice. Again, looking for what rather than for
who, Samuel’s blindness evidenced itself in rash judgment
because, in the end, God again rejected each of the seven sons.
This time, however, God told Samuel: “Do not judge from his
appearance or his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. For
not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance, but
the Lord looks into the heart” (Samuel 16:7). Samuel had committed
the sin of rash judgment not one but seven more times. Big mistake.
Strike two.
The
good news is that Samuel learned his lesson and selected David.
There was no strike three and “You’re out!” for Samuel.
Likewise, when we commit the sin of rash judgment, we’re no
different than those Jewish people who refused to understand that
the man born blind had been healed. Yes, those Jewish people saw
what they knew. But, they could not accept those facts due to
their hardness of heart. Even though they could see, these Jewish
people were blind. Why? Because they stubbornly refused to see
who the man was!
Take the man’s neighbors. To these people, the man was a sinner
whose blindness was proof positive of his sin. The guy was wicked,
bad, and evil—“keep away from him, he’s a sinner” they’d say—simply
because he was born blind. End of story. Furthermore, even though
Jesus healed the man’s blindness—and, hence, his sin—the man’s
neighbors refused to acknowledge his healing. So, what did they
do? Upon seeing that the man born blind could see, they denied that
he was the man was born blind. They committed rash judgment by
allowing what they knew to keep them from admitting the truth
they could see clear as day, namely, who the man was—beloved
by God.
Strike one.
The
same with the Jewish religious leaders. Blinded by what they
knew the law taught about sin and sinners, they could not admit the
fact that the blind man had been healed, going so far in their
denial as to ridicule others. To the man born blind, they scoffed
before throwing him out of the Temple, saying: “You were born
totally in sin and you are trying to teach us?” Their sin? Rash
judgment. Big mistake.
But, all of this only paved the way for the Jewish religious leaders
to ridicule the blind man’s parents and Jesus as well. Big mistake.
Strike two.
Things didn’t end too well for the Jewish religious leaders,
however. They eventually had Jesus condemned and crucified. A
mortal mistake.
Strike three. “You’re out!”
It’s so easy for us to judge other people by their outward
appearance. Take the current Presidential campaign in which
appearance figures very prominently, that is, if you listen to the
pundits. Some opine that John McCain is too old. Perhaps he is.
But, what does age have to do with character and judgment? Others
bloviate that Barak Obama isn’t “Black enough.” Just what is that
supposed to mean? That Barak Obama would be a better candidate if
he had more Black genes in his genetic makeup? Or, those who
complain that Hillary Clinton is “too shrill.” Does a candidate’s
tone of voice constitute what makes for a better or worse
president? Then, there’s one former candidate, John Edwards, who
was criticized for spending $400 on haircuts. Now, I pay $15 for a
haircut at Larry’s in Eagleville. But, John Edwards is a
multi-millionaire. What business is it of mine or any one else how
much money John Edwards (or, anyone for that matter) spends on a
haircut? Would a cheaper haircut have made John Edwards a better
presidential candidate?
The
sin? Once again, rash judgment. Big mistake! None of those
outward appearances—the what—have much, if anything to do
with a candidate’s ability to govern “one nation under God”—the
who. And, when we examine all of that “what” from a
spiritual perspective, all of those judgments based upon outward
appearances sound nothing short of silly. Maybe it is true, as
Barak Obama noted recently in a stump speech on the campaign trail,
that we live in a “silly season.”
Worse yet, we may live in a season of sin!
Perhaps those examples strike you as silly because they exist
somewhere “way out there” and don’t touch your personal experience.
Okay, so let’s consider some the following examples.
Who
are the most popular guys and girls in school? Are they the
good-looking ones who possess lots of athletic or intellectual
ability? If so, there’s a lot of ugly people who possess little
athletic or intellectual ability and would prove themselves to be
amazing and good, true friends. But, you will never know them
because of the sin of rash judgment. Big mistake!
Strike one.
Who
do we not associate with at work? Is it those who have no
ability to advance our career and professional interests? Do we
only associate with the powerful elite whom we can use, in turn, to
further our self-interests? No wonder the workplace many times
feels like a slaughter house, where we commit the sin of rash
judgment by associating with co-workers based solely upon
appearances that have nothing to do with how God judges people and
everything to do with self-interest. Big mistake.
Strike two.
How
about those in-laws? How many disparaging remarks have been made
about in-laws such that there is a cottage industry of in-law
jokes? Jokes are funny because they are rooted in fact and
experience. No wonder so many families never experience the true
community of the family. Broken apart by years-old and decades-old
judgments based upon human categories, the sin of rash judgment
divides the basic community of family into warring factions and
tribes where everyone has a reason not to associate with one
another. Big mistake.
Strike three. “You’re out! You judge by appearances and not
as God judges...by looking into the heart.”
There is little doubt about this fact: all of us tend, in one way or
another and at one time or another, to judge others by outward
appearances—the what—rather than the content and quality of
their character—the who. The sin? Rash judgment.
But, that’s only the beginning because this particular sin is
symptomatic of something more deadly, namely, a spiritual disease.
Why? Because those who judge others by outward appearances
frequently spend a considerable amount of time putting up good
outward appearances themselves. So, let’s consider the following
example.
What appearance does a religious person project? Is it coming to
church week after week, Sunday after Sunday, and while worshipping,
looking so pious and devout, holy and pure as well as completely
sincere? Is it singing hymns as loud as one can? Is it praying on
ones knees and with tears running down one’s cheeks? Is it putting
a big check into the collection basket and a $20 dollar bill in the
poor box? Then, during the week, is it taking God’s name in vain,
treating other people in demeaning and insulting ways, gossiping,
lying, and beating one another’s brains out to get a “one up” on
them at work? “Dress for success” is an aphorism I’m sure we’ve
all heard. Those who judge by outward appearances also make sure to
put up good outward appearances.
How
much do we judge others by their outward appearance and emphasize
putting up good outward appearances for ourselves? Do we put on a
good show on Sunday, but during the week live each and every day as
if our religion doesn’t matter one whit?
Hopefully, we don’t. Are we then like David, seeking God with our
whole heart? Are we like the man born blind who, upon being
healed of his blindness, realizes God’s mercy and love and begins to
worship the Lord?
It’s easy to say, “I want to.” But, almost as quickly as those
three words emerge from our lips, then follow all of those “buts”:
“I’m too busy with work or work. I’ve got to pay the bills or play
with my friends. I’ve got to cart the kids to baseball, soccer,
music, basketball, and play practice.”
So,
is the answer to become different persons by changing our life
situation? Would we love God more if we had a different job, a
different home, a different schedule, fewer kids, less homework?
Chances are that we wouldn’t. The simple fact is, if our heart
does not hunger for God right now and where we are, our heart likely
will not hunger for God somewhere else either. If we are drifting
from a relationship with God in the place where we find ourselves
here and now, we don’t need a change of scene. What we need is a
change of heart so that we will do what God has called us to do here
and now, right where God has placed us.
The
challenge confronting each and every one of us today is to make the
most of every opportunity right now and right where God has placed
us to love and serve God and neighbor. Instead, so many of us are
preoccupied and busy with cares and responsibilities and activities
that we assign God the highest rung on our ladder of priorities. As
we climb those rungs and tire ourselves out, we never quite make it
to that top rung and drift further and further away from a
relationship with God each day and, then, we start judging others
and their imperfections—the sin of rash judgment—to deflect from
having to judge ourselves and our imperfections.
Samuel did it with Saul and Jesse’s seven sons. The Jewish people
and their religious leaders did the same thing with the man born
blind.
Have we learned from these experiences?
The
simple fact is that where we see the ugly and weak, God sees
something beautiful and strong; where we see something beautiful and
strong, God sees the ugly and weak. The problem is not other
people. No, it’s us! We oftentimes judge those around us by the
world's standards and fail to realize the importance of judging
those around us using God’s standards.
God
saw how much David loved Him with all his heart, soul, mind, and
strength. God saw how David related everything in his
life—everything he saw and heard, everything he felt, everything he
did—to his relationship with God. That is why God chose David over
his seven brothers to be King of Israel.
God
also saw into the heart of the man born blind—the man who the Jewish
people and their religious leaders judged as contemptible—and healed
the blind man of his sin.
Could it be that all of those people we have judged unworthy—as we
commit the sin of rash judgment—are beloved by God? Could it be
true that we, who have judged ourselves worthy, are contemptible in
God’s eyes?
“Take not part in vain deeds done in darkness,” St. Paul warned the
Ephesians. One of those deeds is rash judgment. We need to see—to
begin to understand and to rethink—why it is and how it is that we
so easily judge others by using appearances as the standard. We
probably are not racists, but that doesn’t mean we judge people by
God’s standards. And, in this way, we are blind and we also sin,
like Samuel and the Jewish people. “Try to learn what is
pleasing to the Lord,” St. Paul writes. In so far as this concerns
rash judgment, this requires being healed of our spiritual blindness
and opening our eyes to other people as God sees them—who
they are—and judging these people not as humans judge but as God
judges—by looking into the heart. |
HOMILY
