Sheep among wolves

 

Saint Paul confronted those who said that our mission from the Lord to go into the world like sheep among wolves is “folly” (1 Corinthians 1:23).

Who are the wolves?

They’re men and women driven by the forces of evil.  Forces like greed, self-centered ambition, and arrogant pride.

These forces are strong in our world.  We’ve all succumbed to one or more of them at one time or another.   When we do, and recognize in the process that we demean, compromise, or injure others, we confess that we’ve sinned.  We’re all very vulnerable to these forces.  They wear attractive masks, and they can become addictive.  When the forces are victorious, their victims often become their agents, and they are the wolves – like the terrorists who called the shots for 9/11.  Or the pornographers and child abusers, the hucksters who become sensationalists in news and entertainment, the petty thieves and the men and women unfaithful to their spouses.  All these agents are the greedy, selfishly ambitious, and arrogant ones.

That’s why I look for and enjoy stories of courage, especially moral courage, in today’s world.  I find such tales moving and fascinating because they speak to the essence of human potential – especially stories of ordinary people who perform extraordinary deeds.

Where did ordinary European Christians find the guts to shelter Jews in Nazi Germany?  How did black farmers in Mississippi find the strength to try to register to vote in the early 1960’s?  What gave these people the fortitude to do what so many others failed to do?

Matthew’s gospel suggests the source of such moral courage: “Behold I am sending you like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves . . . When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say.   You will be given at that moment what you are to say.  For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:16-23).

These ordinary, unsung heroes were people of faith.  They believed that if they took risks to do the right thing, they would receive the guidance and strength they needed.  Their actions might have a terrible price, but they weren’t alone because they believed that God would help them when they needed it most.

This is also true for those of us fortunate enough to plod through relatively safe lives in safe places.  Even though, mercifully, heroism probably isn’t demanded, with faith in God’s help we can all demonstrate moral courage.

We can speak out against war and violence.  Even attending a peace rally or vigil says something important.  If that offends someone, fine.

We can voice our disapproval when people use derogatory terms disparaging other people or shun a co-worker.  If that annoys someone, too bad.  God isn’t asking us to be popular.

We can leave our comfort zones to help other people.  If this scares us, we need to face down our fears.  Jesus asks us to be brave in living the Gospel.  The rewards of even such mundane moral courage are immense.  The gospel promises that “whoever endures to the end will be saved.”