Friday of the
Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
(II John 4-9; Luke 17:26-37)
Like the terms “liberal” and “conservative” “progressive”
and “traditional” are buzz words that give more heat than light. One hundred
years ago the progressive movement banned gambling and quick divorces in the
Old West. Today such legislation would
be a victory for traditionalists. In today’s
first reading the term “progressive” has a definite negative ring.
The Second Letter of John does not elaborate on the odious
“progressive” teaching. It does say its
adherents do not accept Christ coming in the flesh. Although this reference may be a denial of
Jesus’ return at the end of time, it more likely negates that Jesus actually
offered himself as a bloody sacrifice for the salvation of the world. If connected to the first part of the
reading, then the adherents of the progressive teaching are also not likely to
follow Jesus’ commandment to love.
Many today are “progressive” to the extent that they
think a woman has a right to snuff the life a baby growing in her body. Others are so “traditional” that they believe
that capital punishment should be preserved as a way of dealing with
criminals. We must take seriously that
Christ’s coming in the flesh has profoundly altered our perspective regarding
the taking of every human life, whether innocent or guilty.
