Labors of Love

Appreciating the labors of love of those who raised us

09/04/2017

Luke 4:16-30 Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He said to them, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, "Is this not the son of Joseph?" And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon." When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

             One of the most effective forms of police interrogation is called the “good cop-bad cop routine.” Have you heard of that? When a suspect is brought into custody, and the police are trying to solicit a confession for a crime, one officer will try to be nice and sympathize with the suspect and offer some reward for cooperation. He’s the good cop. When that doesn’t work, a second officer enters the room and interrogates the suspect with threats and severe punishments. “Cooperate or else,” he demands. He’s the bad cop. The idea is that between the good cop and the bad cop the suspect will slowly break down and eventually confess to the crime. It’s fascinating to watch this in action, and especially when the same cop tries to play both roles of good cop and bad cop.

                 But this method of good cop-bad cop has a much broader application than merely police interrogations. It can be very effective in schools and education. I remember how my high school principal, Fr. George Tribou was both good cop and bad cop towards us high school boys. While we were in 9th and 10th grades, he was gruff, unfriendly, demanding. He put the fear of God in us, or at least the fear of Fr. Tribou. But in 11th and 12th graders, he mellowed somewhat and became almost like a gentle grandfather figure. The original fear and obedience we once felt was replaced by admiration and love. Whether you’re a criminal in custody or a high school student – both of which feel very similar – the best way to obtain your obedience is the good cop-bad cop routine.

                In the gospel today, Jesus uses the same technique of the good cop-bad cop to get his hometown people to accept him as the Messiah, to get them to make a confession not of guilt to a crime, but a confession of faith in him. He preaches at the synagogue and at first he plays the role of the good cop. We read: “All spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.” But Jesus knows like Fr. Tribou that often “the carrot” is not enough in education, and you also have to use “the stick.” So, a little later he criticizes them for their lack of faith, and how do the people react? Luke records: “They were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, to hurl him headlong.” In other words, Jesus knows that to solicit a confession and to education in faith requires both tenderness and toughness, sympathy but also strictness, the carrot and the stick, the good cop and the bad cop. That’s the best way – nay, the only way – to deal with recalcitrant criminals, selfish teenagers, and backsliding disciples.

                  Today is Labor Day in the United States and we honor all those who work for a living, putting in an honest day’s work for an honest day’s wage. But I’d also like to tip my hat to all those who labor in love at home, as moms and dads, and whose only paycheck is the hugs and kisses of their children. I’m always disappointed, by the way, by people – usually men who work outside the home – who think they really work while the stay-at-home mom sits around watching soap operas and eating bon-bons. Raising children is a tremendous and thankless labor of love, which starts in the womb and culminates in “going into labor” when the baby is born. Sadly, sometimes moms have to be both good cop and bad cop in raising and educating their children as citizens and saints, especially when there is a divorce or a death of a spouse. And as usual, we grossly undervalue what all our parents did in raising us, until the tables are turned and we are wearing their shoes and have to teach the next generation. We usually don’t grow up until we have children whom we have to help grow up.

                  Today I’d like to pray for all those who labor, but in a special way for those who labor in love and raise the next generation in the human and divine virtues, moms and dads, teachers and principals, deacons and priests, whose only reward is the hugs and kisses of their kids. Oh, and also the knowledge of pleasing the heavenly Father.

Praised be Jesus Christ!