One of Aesop’s Fables is about a lion and a man arguing about humans being stronger than lions. The man insists that humans are stronger; to prove it, he takes the lion to a park and points out a statue of a man ripping apart the jaws of a lion. The lion looks at the statue and says, “That’s nothing! It was made by a man.”
Aesop’s point is this: Sometimes, we portray things not as they are but as we would like them to be.
Some theologians are concerned...
One of Aesop’s Fables is about a lion and a man arguing about humans being stronger than lions. The man insists that humans are stronger; to prove it, he takes the lion to a park and points out a statue of a man ripping apart the jaws of a lion. The lion looks at the statue and says, “That’s nothing! It was made by a man.”
Aesop’s point is this: Sometimes, we portray things not as they are but as we would like them to be.
Some theologians are concerned that contemporary Christians are doing that today regarding God, stressing the attributes of God we like while playing down the ones that don’t fit in with how we want to live our lives. They cite a tendency to stress God’s love and mercy while playing down the fact that God is a just judge to whom we will, one day, have to give an account of our lives.
The parable in our Gospel gives us a summary of the biblical view of God. It shows God as both a patient parent and a just judge.
Like the vineyard owner, God showed incredible patience with the leaders of Israel. He gave them every opportunity to change their ways. When it became clear, however, that more patience would be fruitless, God held them accountable for their actions.
We see this same pattern in Jesus. The same gentle Jesus who said to the people, “Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart,” also “made a whip out of cords” and drove the money changers from the Temple. The same Jesus who said, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father,” also said, “Whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”
We need to know that God is patient and a just judge. God does love us, and God is always ready to forgive. However, if we ask for forgiveness without a genuine change of heart or a true transformation of spirit, God will hold us accountable for our actions and attitudes.
I’d like to close with a time-honored prayer by Pope Clement XI. It takes into account both aspects of God.
Lord, I believe in you. Give me a firmer faith.
I hope in you; give me surer hope.
I love you; make me love you more and more.
I adore you as my first Beginning,
and long for you as my last End.
I praise you as my constant Benefactor,
and call upon you as my gracious Protector.
Guide me in your wisdom,
restrain me by your justice,
comfort me by your mercy,
defend me by your power.
I offer you
my thoughts, to be fixed on you;
my words, to have you as their theme;
my actions, to be done according to your will.
