Mt 17:9-13 They Did Whatever They Pleased
As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, “why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”
When we start doing whatever we please, eventually someone is going to get hurt. But when we start doing what must be done, eventually no one will ever get hurt.
The Pharisees and the scribes toyed with John the Baptist. They neither gave him the recognition he deserved or condemned him outright. They took the “wait and see” approach. And while they waited to see what would happen, Herod did not.
Now, it’s not always bad to take the “wait and see” approach to some people and some things. I personally do it all the time, mostly with technology and fans. Yes, I find it creepy how some people can hate me one moment and then love me the very next. I also find it just as creepy that some people can love me one moment and hate me the next.
When it comes to technology, I waited until this year to buy my first iphone. I got an iPhone 3GS. I paid 99 cents. If you remember, the original iPhone was released back in June of 2007, it sold for $599.00. Apple closed its stores at 2:00 pm local time to prepare for the 6:00 pm iPhone launch, while hundreds of customers lined up at stores nationwide.
Now, I don’t know about you, but $600.00 back in 2007 are still pretty much $600.00 today. If I had bought the iPhone for that amount back then, I would like to have my money back right now! I could buy an iPhone 5 today for that amount!
Apple has learned a great lesson. Consumers have not.
Today, I read that the President of the United States will not lift a finger to challenge the legalization of marijuana in two of our nation’s states. Jay Carney, the President’s spokesman said, “The President has bigger fish to fry”.
Yes. He does. And the reason why he does is because either he or someone else let those little fish get bigger!!!
What an answer! What a ridiculous answer! In fact, it’s not an answer at all but a distraction and a relief. I guess this is one way of thanking the people of Colorado and Washington for voting for him.
But the Justice Department (under the President’s wing) wished to remind the people of the great states of Washington and Colorado that “it remains against federal law to bring any amount of marijuana onto federal property, including all federal buildings, national parks and forests, military installations, and courthouses.”
THANK GOD! Now I feel a lot better, and we can all rest assured that our judges won’t be on dope!
Taking the right side on any serious issue is always something hard to do. You might stand tall in the presence of God but stand alone among men. You might be wrong in the immediate eyes of modernity but found to be right long after those modern eyes have grown old and blind.
John the Baptist stood tall and alone. He stood tall in the eyes of God and alone in the presence of men. He was put to death by the government because the government noticed that his people remained silent.
Catholics are divided on the serious issues of the day: abortion, marriage, family, life and death. The government knows it and has taken advantage of it. And they will continue to chip away at all our values as long as Catholics remain silent.
Well, the problems related to drinking hasn’t gotten better since Prohibition. It has only gotten worse since an increase in cars and broken families. Life hasn’t become more precious since the legalization of abortion. It has only gotten cheaper. Smaller families haven’t reduced the pain associated with bigger families. It has only increased our loneliness, grieving and mourning.
We all have a tendency to do whatever we please, not what is good.
Is it any wonder why we need God and holy men and women that stand tall and often alone?
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