On the passing of a Kennedy
I know this seems an odd way to pop up, but...
We have just seen the passing of a great man. Because of the work of Senator Edward Kennedy, the lives of millions of people were made better. However, because of the work of Senator Edward Kennedy, the lives of millions of people were ended before they could really begin.
Jesus calls us to be saints, not great men or women. And this is the consequence of striving for greatness, of compromising good in order to accomplish good. In the end you might accomplish great things, might do tremendous good, but even then the good may not outweigh the ill of your compromises. Much better to live a life of uncompromising fidelity to goodness, to live a life of light undimmed by compromises with the dark. A small light on a lampstand does far more to light the world than a blazing light in a soot-encrusted lantern.
Despite all the very good things that Senator Kennedy accomplished in life, despite all of his shows of faith, we on the outside are still left in doubt as to the state of his soul. Because of all of his very public and very grave sins, we are left with doubt as to whether his outward displays of faith had any real inward complement, are left in doubt as to his very salvation.
So, while the nation attempts to canonize this great man, Christian compassion responds instead with prayer. And while detractors focus instead on his sins, Christian compassion responds instead with prayer. In prayer we can thank God for the good He worked even through so flawed a man, in prayer we can pray for the mercy that He has promised to all of us flawed men and women.
And we should also pray for ourselves, that the sum total of all the good done in our lives will not leave others in doubt as to our salvation and the state of our souls. For if it does, we have been little Christ-like indeed.
We have just seen the passing of a great man. Because of the work of Senator Edward Kennedy, the lives of millions of people were made better. However, because of the work of Senator Edward Kennedy, the lives of millions of people were ended before they could really begin.
Jesus calls us to be saints, not great men or women. And this is the consequence of striving for greatness, of compromising good in order to accomplish good. In the end you might accomplish great things, might do tremendous good, but even then the good may not outweigh the ill of your compromises. Much better to live a life of uncompromising fidelity to goodness, to live a life of light undimmed by compromises with the dark. A small light on a lampstand does far more to light the world than a blazing light in a soot-encrusted lantern.
Despite all the very good things that Senator Kennedy accomplished in life, despite all of his shows of faith, we on the outside are still left in doubt as to the state of his soul. Because of all of his very public and very grave sins, we are left with doubt as to whether his outward displays of faith had any real inward complement, are left in doubt as to his very salvation.
So, while the nation attempts to canonize this great man, Christian compassion responds instead with prayer. And while detractors focus instead on his sins, Christian compassion responds instead with prayer. In prayer we can thank God for the good He worked even through so flawed a man, in prayer we can pray for the mercy that He has promised to all of us flawed men and women.
And we should also pray for ourselves, that the sum total of all the good done in our lives will not leave others in doubt as to our salvation and the state of our souls. For if it does, we have been little Christ-like indeed.