[Pearls Ep 127: Answering atheism Tuesday]
As we wrap up our consideration of the tale of the Good Samaritan, we note that the fallen world hates Good Samaritans and Inn Keepers. It even hates the Samaritan’s pack animal. And to be sure the world hates the wounded Traveler.
Which is a curious thing since the fallen world is the wounded Traveler (we all are at one point or another). But self-loathing is the lot in life for a world that can’t accept healing from Christ.
Let’s dig in a little deeper.
Jesus makes it clear that we travel to heaven along a path of serving our neighbor. That’s the whole point of the tale of the Good Samaritan, which is just an embodiment of the second great commandment – love thy neighbor.
But there’s more. As we reminded ourselves yesterday, we can’t live up to the example of the Samaritan without Jesus. We literally don’t have it in us. Why? Because of original sin. Jesus heals us of original sin, and keeps healing us, so that through Him we can go out and help others.
There’s so much in those statements for the fallen world to hate. The world hates the idea of original sin. To the world we’re all born perfect (at least until you join the NRA). And the world despises the notion that good is only accomplished through Christ, which is a clear violation of separation of Church and state.
The world would retort – “look at all the good that is done by secular organizations.” To which we reply, to the limited extent that good is done by secular organizations, it is solely by the grace that is in the world because of Christ and His Church. How it works is that people of good will tap into the grace that is available because of Christ and His Church. If we did away with the Church tomorrow, stopped all worship, all Sacraments, and all private prayer, the world would immediately descend into hell on earth (which, by the way, is the current trajectory – we’re just slouching there, rather than arriving all at once).
Deep down, the fallen world knows it isn’t capable of true love of neighbor. All those Susan Komen pink ribbons? Cheap grace. All that covid #inittogether garbage? Don’t make us laugh (please see postscript on that before you cancel us…). That is why the world despises authentic love of neighbor and lashes out at it. Some examples:
Class Warfare: this is the Marxist modus operandi – if we’re at each other’s throats, the godless elites can continue to amass power. They will never stop pitting us against ourselves even as the claim they are the ones to bring tolerance, inclusivity and “healing.”
Christian Charity: we’ve noted before that self-proclaimed socialist Bernie Sanders is on the record that he doesn’t like charity and thinks the government should be solely in charge of social programs. And the late Christopher Hitchens (God have mercy on his soul) is on record for maligning no less than Mother Teresa – calling her a fraud and that she loved poverty and human misery because it gave her life meaning.
Pregnancy Centers: for years the pro “choice” crowd would criticize that pro-lifers don’t actually care about babies. And now that pregnancy centers are popping up everywhere – to care for babies and mothers and fathers – the pro aborts are attacking them.
The only answer to all of this is … more charity. Genuine acts of kindness and self-sacrifice remind both the giver and receiver that we are children of God, made in His image and likeness.
You know, there are only two things that can’t be counterfeited in this world: each unique human being; and, a genuine act of selfless love.
And both are thanks to our loving God.
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith – Interior Life
Postscript: About society’s covid response
If the covid issue is sensitive for you, you are welcome to email us and we’ll send you additional information about our positions on it. In terms of the fearmongering and virtue signaling of the world, a few quick points:
- Most all the people orchestrating the covid fiasco are part of the culture of death. Why would we expect that they are dead wrong on every other life issue, but suddenly benighted on covid?
- All the “caring for your neighbor” stuff is cheap grace. No one is running into harm’s way like the great Saints did during the black plague. For most people, #inittogether just means minor inconveniences, ordering more take out, working from home, and for many, getting quite a bit of government cash. Not exactly heroic virtue.
- Meaningful questions about the harms of the lockdowns and “vaccinations” are instantly cancelled. Censorship is never a good sign, starting with the fall of man, “the man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” Modern translation: “there’s nothing to see here God, just move along, no need for ‘dialogue’, you’re cancelled.” Except that Adam and Eve found out the hard way, you can’t cancel God. Our culture is learning the same hard lesson.