(Genesis 9)
Defenders of the death penalty often cite the reading from Genesis today. They believe that God validates capital punishment for murderers since He tells Noah, “If anyone sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.” According to these apologists, abolishing the death penalty would be tantamount to replacing the will of God with the opinion of an elite minority.
The Church actually straddles the issue. It recognizes a society’s right to take the life of a murderer. But it also teaches that in the modern world it is not necessary to exercise that right. Where ways exist to eliminate the threat of a murderer to society, the Church thinks that he (or she) should not be executed. We can find a parallel for not exercising an established right in a religious sister’s vow not to marry.
It is critical for us to understand the basis of the Church’s reasoning. In contemporary times human life has been debased by such practices as abortion and mass execution. Society needs to affirm the preeminent value of human life by withholding the right to execute even those who have taken life. The Church hopes that this position will restore human dignity to its proper place. That is, human beings are of infinite more worth than animals although still of infinite less stature than God.
Homilette for Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007
(Genesis 9)
Defenders of the death penalty often cite the reading from Genesis today. They believe that God validates capital punishment for murderers since He tells Noah, “If anyone sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.” According to these apologists, abolishing the death penalty would be tantamount to replacing the will of God with the opinion of an elite minority.
The Church actually straddles the issue. It recognizes a society’s right to take the life of a murderer. But it also teaches that in the modern world it is not necessary to exercise that right. Where ways exist to eliminate the threat of a murderer to society, the Church thinks that her (or she) should not be executed. We can find a parallel for not exercising an established right in a religious sister’s vow not to marry.
It is critical for us to understand the basis of the Church’s reasoning. In contemporary times human life has been debased by such practices as abortion and mass execution. Society needs to affirm the preeminent value of human life by withholding the right to execute even those who have taken life. The Church hopes that this position will restore human dignity to its proper place. That is, human beings are of infinite more worth than animals although still of infinite less stature than God.
Defenders of the death penalty often cite the reading from Genesis today. They believe that God validates capital punishment for murderers since He tells Noah, “If anyone sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.” According to these apologists, abolishing the death penalty would be tantamount to replacing the will of God with the opinion of an elite minority.
The Church actually straddles the issue. It recognizes a society’s right to take the life of a murderer. But it also teaches that in the modern world it is not necessary to exercise that right. Where ways exist to eliminate the threat of a murderer to society, the Church thinks that her (or she) should not be executed. We can find a parallel for not exercising an established right in a religious sister’s vow not to marry.
It is critical for us to understand the basis of the Church’s reasoning. In contemporary times human life has been debased by such practices as abortion and mass execution. Society needs to affirm the preeminent value of human life by withholding the right to execute even those who have taken life. The Church hopes that this position will restore human dignity to its proper place. That is, human beings are of infinite more worth than animals although still of infinite less stature than God.
Homilette for Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007
(Mark 8)
More chocolate is sold for Valentine’s Day than for any other day of the year. “Sweets for the sweet,” they say. In the United States Valentine’s Day has a definite romantic flavor, but this is not true all over. In Latin America, February 14 is Día de Amistad, Friendship Day. People celebrate the gift of friendship, which as the rose taught the Little Prince, makes a person special.
Could the gospel today be telling us that faith is a way of seeing people as special? We remember that faith is a new way of seeing. When Jesus puts spittle on the blind man’s eyes, the man begins to see people but only as walking trees. That’s a very imperfect faith as it misses most of the wonder of what it means to be human. When Jesus lays his hands on the man again, he sees perfectly. People, we may surmise, are no longer quiet and rigid like trees. No, they become communicative and lively. They are at least potential friends.
Faith, of course, is primarily a relationship with God. It sees God as one who cares for all His creatures, especially humankind. Our relationship with God then implies a positive regard of others, again especially of humans. As God’s concern, we want to know many and different kinds of people, to help them, and to love them. We want to treat them as special. We want them to be our friends.
More chocolate is sold for Valentine’s Day than for any other day of the year. “Sweets for the sweet,” they say. In the United States Valentine’s Day has a definite romantic flavor, but this is not true all over. In Latin America, February 14 is Día de Amistad, Friendship Day. People celebrate the gift of friendship, which as the rose taught the Little Prince, makes a person special.
Could the gospel today be telling us that faith is a way of seeing people as special? We remember that faith is a new way of seeing. When Jesus puts spittle on the blind man’s eyes, the man begins to see people but only as walking trees. That’s a very imperfect faith as it misses most of the wonder of what it means to be human. When Jesus lays his hands on the man again, he sees perfectly. People, we may surmise, are no longer quiet and rigid like trees. No, they become communicative and lively. They are at least potential friends.
Faith, of course, is primarily a relationship with God. It sees God as one who cares for all His creatures, especially humankind. Our relationship with God then implies a positive regard of others, again especially of humans. As God’s concern, we want to know many and different kinds of people, to help them, and to love them. We want to treat them as special. We want them to be our friends.
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