Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves

29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The bible cautions us to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. The sense of it is to say that we are to make ourselves street wise. We all like to consider ourselves as street wise people. I know when I am being played. I can recognize a con from a thousand yards away. When we have been “played” it is a humiliation. It is sad to say that this experience destroys our willingness to open up to people. That means our wall goes up. In the gospel today we have an example of this. The Pharisees and the Herodians are out to get Jesus. They decide to do this, first, by flattering Him and then by asking their pretend question to show interest. They want Jesus to take His guard down so that they can stab him in the neck metaphorically speaking. Jesus is having none of it. They begin with, “Teacher, we know you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God.” Please…, heard that one before! We might say they are buttering Him up and not doing a very good job of it. Jesus sees through it very quickly. “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?” Jesus takes back control. He does engage with them but in a way that ends it all quickly. It seems to me that the best course of action is not to engage at all. Hold onto you power. Don’t give it away. The nice Evangelicals call to your door to try to convert you to their faith. They are well trained in the art of knocking on doors and dealing with all the different kinds of responses. They can turn the conversation their way, no problem. I remember I had a visit from a couple of those a few years ago. It was late on a Sunday afternoon. I was busy at the desk preparing for a funeral in the morning. The doorbell rang and standing there were two very nice Christians making their speech. I really was not ready to accommodate them but I let them speak for a couple of minutes. Then I spoke. Very politely I told them who I was. I pointed to the Church and said that is my Church community. I told them right now that I was working on preparing a funeral for tomorrow. I also told them that we were first cousins and that we were on the same side. With that I thanked them for their visit and I closed the door. They were not trained to deal with that. Don’t give up your power! Am I a terrible person?

With love, Fr. Pat