Policy or Discipleship?
Are we more divided than at any other time in history? I’m not enough of a historian to answer that question. But certainly, we are more divided than at any time in my memory.
At such a time, it is natural that we should look to our faith to light the way. How does the Scripture point us beyond division to something better?
Sunday we will read of Jesus promising fire and division. (Click here to read the passage.) Do we really need more of that? Does Jesus really want to just bring more division, to set us even farther apart?
What we so often want is the right policy answer. For “our side” to “win” the electoral, legislative and legal battles, then everyone will see that “we” were right all along and now all will be well. Yet, I think we all know that is not going to happen, indeed, it is not possible. No governmental policies are that good. Correct policies, to matter how wise, compassionate, well-crafted or perfectly administered, will not heal our divisions.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t work for wise, compassionate and well-crafted policies. We should. But that is not the job of the church. In fact, when the church becomes tied up with any particular vision of our political life, the results have been poor both for the church and for society.
The job of the church is discipleship. That is really what Jesus is so passionate about in Sunday’s Gospel. Jesus wants to see real change, not just in individual hearts but in the whole of society. But that happens not through politics and policies, but through discipleship.
The challenge for us is that real discipleship, truly and profoundly changed lives lived differently and for Christ alone, can bring division because they make us different. There’s no nice, easy way to get to discipleship other than through the fire. It is not for the timid. Nor will it come if our goal is just rainbows and unicorns in the short term.
Are you putting too much hope in winning policy? Where might you be timid and missing the call to a radical discipleship?
This column appeared in the August 14, 2022 edition of St. John’s eNews. Click here for the complete issue.
If you are reading this at a different time, you may click here for the current eNews.
