Thoughts on warnings

 

Mark 9: 30-37 25th Sunday of OT (B)

Almost every day it seems that we encounter new warnings: dangerous products, foods, behavior. Warnings for terrorist alerts; warnings to boil our water. Warnings on almost every product we buy.    We hear so many warnings that most of us have probably learned to ignore most of them. So often they seem overly fastidious, unnecessary, absurd.   Today’s Mass Readings are warnings, but they are different. These warnings really do matter because they pertain to our immortal soul.  It would be foolhardy to ignore them; in fact, we probably do not hear them enough these days. Epistle of St. James:  The Second Reading, from the Epistle of St. James, reminds us of the transitory nature of life in this world.  The apostle denounces the unjust rich, whose victims cry to the Lord. We are warned that wealth, luxury, and abundance can be dangers. We are warned to be just, and to be generous. Gospel of St. Mark:  Again, in today's Gospel we have very clear and very stern warnings.  If we lead others astray, we will be condemned. In frightfully vivid language, Our Lord says that it would be better for one who leads another astray if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were cast into the sea!              Causes of our sins are to be completely eliminated:  Cut off your hand! Lop off your foot! Pluck out your eye! Or risk hell. Sometimes it seems we’ve become such thoroughgoing modernists that we fear fat, cholesterol, salt, and secondary smoke more than we fear hell. Of course, we’re not meant literally to mutilate ourselves, but we are meant to cut out sin.  Any obstacle between us and God, between us and Heaven, must be removed.  To be judged fit for eternal life with God is worth any sacrifice.  To avoid being cast into hell is worth any sacrifice. Many warnings today are unnecessary, impractical, and absurd. They are rightfully ignored.  But the warnings of the Gospel are essential and necessary, for us who seek eternal life with God in Paradise.  May we never take Our Lord’s warnings lightly; rather, may we take them to heart.   Donald Saunders, S.J.