In Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novel Small Gods, the ‘great God Om’ tries to manifest himself in the world, only to find himself in the body of a tortoise. The central character, Brutha (Pratchett may have modelled him on St Thomas Aquinas), is the monk who understands the tortoise is God, and listens to the speaking tortoise in the desert, to hear what God has to say. Brutha finds himself as a preacher, leading a reform movement to have a Church that is more open-minded and humanist. His wicked superior, Deacon Vorbis (head of the Quisition), is constantly plotting to increase his own power and influence, a sort of pharisee figure in the novel. A figure that is always telling his faithful - don’t do this, don’t do that... if you do this you will go to hell. And if you dare question me and my religious enforcers of the Church of Om, the Quisition will track you down and imprison you! As it turns out, Vorbis is a nasty piece of work although committed to the cause in his own way.Once readers of the student blog have explored our lenten reading list in depth, Small Gods is a satirical book that is quite fun to read. In a light-hearted way it touches on some of the worries that secular society often has about organised religion. But, best enjoyed after the end of Lent. Moving on to more important matters, today’s Gospel has a simple message for Christians who want to inherit the Kingdom of God. Feed the hungry, visit prisoners, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for those who are ill. If we combine this passage with the beatitudes, we can see a simple message of Jesus, and how to be his followers and inherit eternal life. Jesus proclaims what is positive and truly good in life, achieving things like justice, satisfying basic human needs amongst those in need, and achieving peace. Jesus says blessed are those who mourn, those poor in spirit and those who are persecuted. Compare this style of writing with the first reading, which is a strict set of enforcement notices for a disobedient people. Don’t do this, don’t do that. You shall do this instead, or otherwise it is considered sinful.
Attending a talk last week by my Dominican brother, fr. Peter Hunter OP, on the topic of “Sex, Marriage and that sort of thing”, it was mentioned as part of the talk and discussion that the Church has not always explained her message as effectively as it could, on matters relating to human sexuality. Either through misinterpretation, or proclamations being literally lost in translation, the goodness and richness of Catholic teaching on human sexuality and marriage has not always been conveyed correctly. More often, it is not conveyed in a compassionate manner and at worst we end up with what is sinful, a failure to live up to Jesus’s teachings that we love one another as He has loved us. There are of course problems with what our society tells us is desirable and supposedly equitable, versus the Church’s positive vision of authentic human development and human freedom in relation to sexuality, love and sexual orientation. Aside from the goodness and truth that is often not proclaimed, many unfortunately just hear a negative, legalistic message of “don’t do this, don’t do that...go to Mass when you are obliged, and then you might get to heaven”. Sometimes, lapsed Catholics that I know have encountered Catholic religious authorities or individuals that have focused on very specific areas of the human condition, in anything but a Christian and loving manner. Unfortunately it is not uncommon to hear of people who abandon the faith over some minor failing, or minor issue that for some reason a figure of authority has decided to have an obsession over.
fr. Peter Hunter’s talk is available to watch online (www.godmatters.tumblr.com), and there will be a Q&A Discussion session on March 18th 2014, here in Blackfriars Oxford.
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