[1]There’s often a gap between what we want to be and what we
think the world things we should be. Psychologist William James said, “A man has as many social selves
as there are distinct groups of persons about whose opinion he cares. He
generally shows a different side of himself to each of these different groups.”
Many spend
their lives trying to fit in. Always wanting to please people, to make our
parents proud, and to receive the approval form everyone and anyone—family, friends,
teachers, partners, pastors, and bosses. All to gain the emotional benefits of
fitting in.
So, without
even realizing it, we change ourselves, our desires, sometimes even our
opinions to fit into whatever mold is required at the given moment. But if we’re
constantly trying to prove our worth to people, it may be true we’ve already
forgotten our value.[2]
Eleazer know
who he was, the man’s very name identifies the source of his strength: Eli (my god) azar (helper): “My God is my helper.” His unwillingness to agree to the plan offered by some of
his acquaintances (pretending to eat some of the unlawful ritual meal to save
his life) demonstrates both his faithfulness to God and his religious concern
for the youth of his community. For 90 years, Eleazar lived an honorable life
of integrity and was highly respected by the youth of his day—until he refused
to compromise to save his life. Then many young people reviled him as he fell
from revered elder to a foolish old man.[3]
We have a
similar situation when Jesus calls “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay ar your house.” (Lk
19:5) And the people begin to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house
of a sinner.” (Lk 19:7) Jesus wasn’t trying to fit in, he was fulfilling the mission
of his Heavenly Father. “For
the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” (Lk
19:10)
This is the
mission we were baptized into. To seek out the lost, the forsaken, those left out
on the fringe of society and the Church. We are to live our Christian values in
our everyday lives, that frankly, will often not make us the most popular
people and even thought to be foolish.
The demand to fit in, the willingness to bend morality and faith is an ever-present temptation in our society. The pork society uses to tempt us is the pork of worrying what others will think of us if we done simply go along with the crowd, separating faith form daily life, surrendering the very core of who we know ourselves to be. But as Eleazar knew and Jesus models, some values are more important than life itself.
[1] Scripture (NABRE), Wisdom 13:1-19; Luke 19:26-37.
[2] Tinybudda.com, “Stop Trying to Fit In and Start
Embracing Your True Self” by Jess Stuart.
[3] Weekday HomilyHelps, Exegessi by Sr. Diane
Bergant, CSA PhD, Homily Suggestion by Timothy J. Cronin.
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