Weekly HOMILY for June 15, 2008: Absolutes in a Relativistic Age

11th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle A
Our Lady of Grace
June 15, 2008

Absolutes in a Relativistic Age
(Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato


Relativism

Since he became Pope three years ago, Pope Benedict has frequently talked about Relativism.

He sees a strong tendency in our world – especially in the Western world – to hold nothing as absolute certainty. He would say that people have come to believe that one set of beliefs, opinions or mores are as good as another.

On one occasion, Pope Benedict said this. “We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as for certain and which has as its highest goal one’s own ego and one’s own desires.”

I think that the Holy Father is really onto something here.

The dictionary defines relativism as “the viewpoint that what is true or false or good or bad (wave arm above head) depends only on the person or the circumstances.”

Now, it is true that all religions and all persons of good will share aspects of the Truth. But, not everything depends on what I think or what I feel, with little or no reference to any basis or norm beyond myself (Wave arm.)

Our Catholic Tradition holds that there are some absolutes, some things that are certain and definite apart from what I think or feel.

This evening/morning, I want to highlight some of these absolutes for they appear right in our scripture readings.

Absolutes

To begin with, we believe that GOD IS LOVE and that God loves humanity. In our second reading, Saint Paul says, “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The idea is here that God has this unconditional and irrevocable love for us and for all human beings.

And this is an absolute – no matter what I think, do, or say.


Another absolute: we Catholics and all baptized Christians for that matter believe that JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD.

In our second reading, Saint Paul says, “We were reconciled to God through the death of his Son.”

The divine presence, the Almighty God, has emerged in our world in the person of Jesus of Nazareth and forged a oneness, a bond, a union at the level of common humanity between God and us.

This is also an absolute – no matter what I think, do, or say.


Next, we believe that we need to actively live out of this new bonding with Christ at the level of our humanity in relationship with God. We call this relationship GOD’S COVENANT with us.

In the first reading, the Lord God says, “If you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession.” This means that we need to carefully form our conscience – our inner compass for knowing right from wrong, good from evil – and then walk with this compass as our guide.

We form this inner compass, our conscience, using two primary sources: (1) Sacred Scripture, the inspired Word of God, and (2) The Church which tries to apply this Word down 2,000 years of history.

Forming our conscience in this way and living this covenant relationship with God is also an absolute – no matter what I think, do, or say.


And the last absolute that I see here today is that we are to LIVE WITH A SENSE OF MISSION.

Notice that in the Gospel Jesus chooses the Apostles and then sends them out on mission to “cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers and drive out demons.”

Scripture scholars tell us that we are to interpret this mission on both a physical and spiritual level. So, “curing the sick” means caring for those who are physically ill and also providing inner strength to those feeling weak by the burdens of life.

“Driving our demons” means helping others who are caught in a physical addiction and also raising awareness of the spiritual demons that can possess us, like materialism and sexual permissiveness.

Living with this sense of mission is also an absolute. By now you know the routine, “No matter what I think, do, or say.”

Conclusion

There are other absolutes, but the ones I’ve mentioned are the ones I see expressed in today’s readings.

And it’s important to remember that they are opposed to a mindset of radical relativism where what I think, do or say becomes the only thing that counts.

I like to think of (demonstrate 1- 4 with fingers) (1) God’s Love, (2) Jesus as God’s Son, (3) God’s Covenant with us, and (4) Our Mission, not as not restraints holding me back or hurdles to jump through, but instead as certainties that free me to live a life of direction, to live with purpose and to espouse realities that help me achieve a deeper life in Christ Jesus.