Mt 23:1-12 Let’s Set Some Things Straight

Mt 23:1-12 Let’s Set Some Things Straight

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“Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach, but do not practice…Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

There is a local abortionist that drives a very nice car. On the back of it there is a bumper sticker that reads, “Did you hug your pet today?”

In the January 2012 issue of Columbia, a publication of the Knights of Columbus, there is a heartwarming article regarding Dr. Anthony Levantino’s conversion to the Pro-Life cause. The good doctor was not a very good doctor back in the 1980s. In just five years as an obstetrician-gynecologist, he performed well over 1,200 abortions. “Charges ranged from $600 to $700 for a second-trimester abortion,” he said. “In 15 minutes, I was making 50 percent of what I was making delivering a baby, which took 10 months, hours awake in the middle of the night and almost unlimited liability afterwards.”

His life radically changed when his 5-year-old daughter, Heather, ran into the street to protect her younger brother and was struck and killed by a car.

Levantino dealt with the death of his daughter the best he could, taking a few weeks off from work. But when he returned to work and saw the aborted remains of an unborn child, something finally came together. “All of a sudden, I didn’t see the patient’s wonderful right to choose,” he said, “All I saw was somebody’s son or daughter.”

“Hear the word of the Lord!” demands the prophet Isaiah to an overly confident Israel: “Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. Come now, let us set things right…” (Is 1:16-20)

What would Isaiah say today; to an overly confident America? Maybe something like this:

“I am glad that you are so environmentally conscious and taking better care of God’s creation. I am so proud that you pick up your trash and throw it away in a recycling bin. I am so proud of how you weep when your pet dies and strive to give them a loving home. I am very much impressed how women have become more like men and men have become more like women. Wow! That’s awesome. I am even glad when the President of the United States publically apologizes on behalf of the entire nation for a few soldiers that burned a holy book and offended another people’s religion. That’s great. But come now, let us set some things straight…

Let’s not forget to hug and love all God’s human children, born or unborn. Cease to throw in the trash the crippled fetus or the Down syndrome child, or the girl that you had wished was a boy. Moms, while advancing your career, do not forget your children. Dads, while staying home do not forget to be a father, for you take your name from God the Father! Do not make a mockery of the Lord’s name!

I’m so impressed at how you quickly you can communicate from one end of the earth to the other. But let us not forget to talk to our mom and dad, wife or husband, sons and daughters! Let us not smother to death grandma or grandpa because the hospital bills are piling higher and higher each day. Let us not treat human life as if it were an expense but rather as a resource.

May the President of the United States apologize on behalf of his Administration for a few of his employees that shoved a mandate down Catholic throats, offending the religious beliefs of millions of citizens.”

Ah, one could only hope and pray for such humility!

Isaiah gently pleads God’s cause to his people. But at the very end of his discourse, he makes it very clear that there are consequences to every action:

“If you are willing, and obey, you shall eat the good things of the land; But if you refuse and resist, the sword shall consume you: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!”

The word of the Lord.