[1]I woke up this
morning with a melody in my head. I was
familiar with the tune and knew it had something to do with front porches. I struggled to find the words while the
melody remained loudly in my mind. This
was a fun search while I was doing my morning routine and brewing the
coffee. However, when I attempted to
settle down to practice my homily, the music would not leave my mind and
started finding it troublesome. As the
music continued in my head, I asked God, “What are you doing to me?” I finally got up to search the words hoping
they would reveal God’s message. The
song was “If the world had a front porch” by Tracy Lawrence. When I read the chorus I found God’s message.
The song goes:
If the world had a front porch like we did back then
We’d still have our problems but we’d all be friends
Treating your neighbor like he’s your next of kin
Wouldn’t be gone with the wind
If the world had a front porch, like we did back then.
I remember those days of the front porch. I learned a lot about family, neighbors,
friends, the world and myself. My identity
was being formed on that front porch. into the man I became.
Identity is largely concerned with the question: “Who am I?”
What does it mean to be who I am? Identity
relates to our basic values that dictate the choices we make (i.e.
relationships, career). These choices
reflect who we are and what we value. For
example, we might assume an investment banker values money, while a college
professor values education and helping students. However, few people choose their identities. Instead, we simply internalize the values of our
parents or the dominant cultures (i.e. the pursuit of materialism, power, and
appearance). Sadly, these values may not be aligned with one’s authentic self
and create an unfulfilling life.
In contrast, fulfilled people are able to live a life true
to their values and pursue meaningful goals. Lack of a coherent sense of identity will lead
to uncertainty about who one is or what one does in life.[2]
In my own life experience, I joined the military two weeks
after graduating from high school as a shy yet disciplined young man. In Boot Camp I learned to be an American
fighting man and live the Navy lifestyle. In “A” school I learned a construction trade
and what it means to live like a Navy Construction man. Then I was turned loose on the world, as a Fighting
Seabee. For 11 years I “put on” and was encouraged
in the identity of JoeSeabee. Then it happened. I
rediscovered God with the help of my bride and children and some intense human
relations training. The combination of renewing
my relationship with God and gaining a deeper understanding of the dignity of
the human person opened my eyes to a Godly identity, my true identity. For a long time, I was led to believe I was
doing all the right things, in the eyes of the world around me, but I didn’t
understand who I was, in the eyes of God.
Today’s first reading Isiah is reminding the Nation of Israel
of their identity. This reading is one
of the great appeals for social justice in the Old Testament. Israel has complained that much fasting on her
part has met with no response from God. In
reply God explains the kind of ‘fast’ Israel needs to undertake: not one
involving penitential ritual but a ‘fast’ from injustice.
Refraining from indifference and violence towards the weak
and a positive program of hospitality will cause Israel’s “light to shine like
the dawn and her wound to be quickly healed over”. (Is 58:8) In a way, this retains
remarkable relevance for all human societies of today. This prophetic text insists that if a
community gets social justice right, then all else will fall into place.
Jesus came, not to tell us what we could become — we can
become this and become that — he was telling his disciples who they really are,
their true identity. “You are the salt
of the earth”. (Mt 5:13) “You are the light for the world.” (Mt 5:14) The “you”
is plural. It might be more accurately
translated with a southern accent as “y’all” are the salt and light of the world. Meaning where ever y’all go and whatever y’all
do, y’all are to be “salt” and “light” in your little corners of the world.
Living this identity of “salt” and “light”
begins in the domestic church. The
home in the place of forming identities.
How do we respond to each other? How do we respond to our neighbors, especially
the challenging ones? Something as
simple as coming to church each Sunday reveals something of our identity, is it
a chore, just an obligation to be met, or is it a joyful experience of worship
and thanksgiving? The people closest to
us can sense, see and feel, the truth of our behaviors. Some, may be pretty good actors in church,
but when their pious acts are disconnected from deeds of compassion, their salt
“is no longer good for anything,” (Mt 5:13) and their light, that was lit so
brightly in worship, seems as if it was “then put it under a bushel basket.” (Mt
5:15)
Pope Benedict XVI on social justice says in Deus Caritas Est
(God is Love). “The unbreakable bond
between love of God and love of neighbor is emphasized. One is so closely
connected to the other that to say that we love God becomes a lie if we are
closed to our neighbor or hate him altogether. Saint John’s words should rather be interpreted
to mean that love of neighbor is a path that leads to the encounter with God,
and that closing our eyes to our neighbor also blinds us to God.” (#16)
Our parish communities offer many opportunities to be
engaged in acts of feeding, sheltering, clothing and visiting those in need. God’s command to us is to be engaged in both
religious and social practices. Together
these make up our Catholic Christian identity, individually and collectively. As we rapidly approach the Lenten season, can
we find some space in our lives to let our light, that burns so brightly in our
worship, become the visible sign of our identity of Christ’s love, by our
compassionate service to others.
Treating your neighbor like he’s your next of kin can change
the world.
