Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
(Hebrews 3:7-14; Mark 1:40-45)
The term “banality of evil” was coined by the philosopher
Hannah Arendt after World War II. She
used it to describe how war criminals like Adolph Eichmann could have taken part
in atrocities like the Holocaust. Her
thesis is that many who do evil are not bad people with evil intentions. Rather, they just do what is necessary to
live comfortable lives like most people.
Arendt wrote that to combat evil people must ask themselves how their
actions affect others and desist when they cause suffering or distress.
The reading from Hebrews today warns people to likewise be
wary of the “banality of evil.” The message implies that going along with the
crowd can create injustice and bring forth the wrath of God. Saying that the people have become partners
of Christ, it urges them not to abandon the one who has set them free from
evil.
The reading’s lesson applies equally to us. We too may follow the majority into a swamp. Lying to receive added compensation is just
one way people today participate in the “banality of evil.” As the author of Hebrews recommends, we
should remain faithful to Christ who forbids it.
