[1]Benjamin
Franklin told the story of a man, who in buying an ax from a local blacksmith, desired
to have the whole of its surface polished as bright as the edge. The smithy
consented to grind the ax bright for him if he would turn the wheel of the
sharpening stone. The buyer, agreeing, turned the stone while the smith pressed
the broad face of the ax hard and heavily upon the stone. This made turning the
stone very fatiguing and the buyer stopped, every now and then, to check on how
the work progressed. Finally, exhausted, the buyer said, “I’ll take the ax without further
grinding.”
"No," exclaimed the blacksmith, "turn more, turn more; we’ll have
it bright by-and-by; as it is only speckled."
"Yes," replied
the worn buyer, "But,
I think I like the speckled ax best."
All the buyer needs to do is keep turning,
a little longer, to achieve his initial desire. Jesus reminds the frightened
and confused apostles with every visit how it “is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead, [so]
that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to
all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem.” (Lk
24-48)
In the first reading, Peter is not
shy about speaking this truth. He doesn’t
water it down with careful words, telling the people explicitly, “The author of life you put to
death” by denying Jesus and choosing a murderer to be released. Yet, “I know … you acted out of ignorance.” So, here’s
the way back to God. “Repent, and
be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.” (Acts
3:19) However, only those who own their part in the killing will dare to turn
their faces to God in repentance.
Rev. Gerry O’Mahoney, SJ used to illustrate
the idea of repentance in this way. Imagine you are walking down a road with
the sun on your face. The sun symbolizes God and our desire to be close to
God. Sooner or later, we get distracted
and turn a little. This happens again, and again, until we reach a point where
we discover we are looking at our shadow on the ground in front of us. Which
means we are now headed in the opposite direction of the sun. The point, all we
need to do to reorient ourselves, to repent (return
to the right path), is to turn around and once again face the sun.
It’s embarrassingly simple. All we
need to do is turn around. Not accepting a speckled ax, but owning our part,
and turning around to face the Son. This is the good
news infusing all the readings today. The sun is always shining. God is always
present.[2]
In our lives, we have choices each
day. John says, “My
children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin.” (1
Jn 2:1) Not to sin would be the best path, but sooner or later, in our human
weaknesses we will be distracted and turn away.
Benjamin Franklin reflecting
further on the buyers’ willingness to accept a speckled ax says, this may be
the case with many people; who having found the difficulty of obtaining the
good or the challenge of breaking habits in other points of vice and virtue, have
given up the struggle, refusing to continue turning, and concluding a speckled
ax is best.
Perhaps the greatest challenge in
our journey of faith is to own our part of our own brokenness. Instead, we often point to other people or
situations as the cause. It is profoundly difficult to own our part,
because we find ourselves so hard to love when we face into the deep complexity
of ourselves.
Whenever we struggle with sin—
that so often are the same old speckles—we can turn back, we must turn back and
live the commandments![3]
Otherwise, those claiming to know Jesus and not keeping His commandments, John bluntly
calls, “a liar, and the truth
is not in them”. (1 Jn 2:4)
[1] New American Bible Revised. Acts 4:8-12; 1 John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18
[2] A Stranger and You Welcomed Me Edited by Deacon
Jim Knipper. Story by Deacon Greg Kendra © by contributors.
[3] The Word on the Street, by John W. Martins ©
2017.
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