August 19, 2001

A retired priest was invited to preach a mission at a Parish in California. He thought it was time for the Parish to begin looking at it's calling to be a witness for peace and justice in the world. So for seven consecutive days, he spoke about how they were not doing enough for the homeless, the poverty stricken, and the victims of racial and gender injustice.

The mission proved to be deeply disturbing to many parishioners. They did not like to be reminded of their deficiencies. So they informed the Pastor that if that priest ever came to speak again, they would leave the Parish. When truths are spoken, they often ruffle many feathers.

When Archbishop Oscar Romero was elevated to the episcopacy, he did what everyone expected an Archbishop to do. He baptized babies, gave blessings, celebrated the Eucharist, and on occasions he visited a home or two. But, as he began to learn about people in the Diocese being killed, including one of his priests, he began asking questions. He realized that they had been killed because they spoke the truth about the atrocities and injustices perpetrated by those who held power in his country. He realized that he needed to speak to those truths as well. By doing so, he met death at the hands of those who did not like the sound of those truths.

Armando Valladares, a political prisoner in Cuba for over twenty-two years, wrote in his memoirs about the process of execution for some of Fidel Castro's enemies. When those enemies were being hauled off to a public execution they would shout: LONG LIVE CHRIST THE KING! DOWN WITH COMMUNISM! DOWN WITH CASTRO! They worried about how that might affect the jailer, the firing squad, or the people in attendance, and also worried about how that might make the people think that the "enemies" be gagged before taking them to their execution. They did not want anyone hearing the truth that what was going on was wrong and cruel and despicable. When truths are spoken, they often ruffle feathers.

Today's Gospel has Jesus looking a bit out of character. Instead of talking about peace, he is talking about lighting a fire. Instead of making harmony, he is talking about division. He was referring to the kind of effect truth can have when spoken. Truth often brings to light injustice, greed, pettiness, apathy, cruelty and selfishness that can rile its victims and disturb them of the sinner.

SO THE QUESTION: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TRUTHS PEOPLE GENERALLY DO NOT WISH TO HEAR? THAT YOU DO NOT WISH TO HEAR?

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