Golden Bear

Learning to rely solely on the goodness of God

02/17/2019

Jeremiah 17:5-8 Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth. Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.

Several years ago the pope met with his cardinals to discuss a proposal from Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel. One cardinal said, “Your Holiness, Mr. Netanyahu wants to challenge you to a game of golf to show the friendship and ecumenical spirit shared by the Jewish and Catholic faiths.” The pope thought this was a good idea, but he had never held a golf club in his hand. He asked, “Don’t we have a cardinal to represent me?” Another cardinal replied, “None that plays very well. But, there is a man named Jack Nicklaus, an American golfer who is a devout Catholic. We can offer to make him a cardinal. Then ask him to play Mr. Netanyahu as your personal representative. In addition to showing our spirit of cooperation, we’ll also win the match.” Everyone agreed, and Nicklaus himself was honored and eagerly agreed to play the match.

The day after the match, Nicklaus reported to the Vatican to inform the pope of the results. He said, “I have some good news and some bad news, Your Holiness.” The pope said, “Tell me the good news first, Cardinal Nicklaus.” The new cardinal said, “Well, Your Holiness, I played the best golf of my life, by far. I must have been inspired from above. My drives were long, my irons were accurate and purposeful, and my putting was perfect. With all due respect, my play was truly miraculous.” The pope asked, “There’s bad news?” Nicklaus replied, “Yes, I lost by three strokes to Rabbi Tiger Woods.” I share that joke because it perfectly tees up today’s homily on trusting in the Lord alone. That is, it is always precarious to put your trust in other human beings, even in a perennial champion like the Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus, even he will disappoint you.

The prophet Jeremiah warns the people in the Old Testament: “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” On the flip side, Jeremiah urges the people to trust completely in God instead, insisting: “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord.” Then Jeremiah goes on to explain why this is wise, adding, “He is like a tree planted besides the water that stretches out its roots to the stream; it fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.” You might remember Jeremiah prophesied during the 600’s B.C. when the Babylonians were at the gates, bearing down on the Israel to conquer them, and King Zedekiah was tempted to trust in help from Egypt. But at the same time also he accepted their idolatrous religious practices. Do you recall what happened the last time Israel turn to Egypt for help? They ended up worshipping the golden calf. In other words, don’t put your trust in the golden calf or in the Golden Bear, but only in God.

My friends, we naturally have to trust in other people to a certain degree; trusting human beings is unavoidable. We have to trust in police officers and fire fighters to protect us, we need doctors and bankers and financial advisors to guide us, and we depend on priests and parents to impart their wisdom to us; we hope and pray our spouses will love us.  Nevertheless, do not be shocked when they let you down, and sooner or later all human beings will show how human they are.  As the old adage teaches: “to err is human, to forgive is divine.” I asked someone in RCIA recently if the priest sexual abuse scandal was making it hard for him to want to become a Catholic. His answer amazed me. He said: “Fr. John this is not just a Catholic problem, but affects all religions. It is really a human problem, because we are all human, and we all sin.” He went on: “But my faith is in Jesus Christ who started the Catholic Church.” That man was “a tree planted beside the waters…it fears not the heat when it comes…but still bears fruit.”

But let me urge you also not to trust too much in the human being that stares back at you in the mirror every morning, that is, in yourself. St. Philip Neri prayed every morning: “Lord, watch out for Philip today; he will betray you.” What a humble and honest prayer, that we could all say far more sincerely than a saint could! We all let our Lord down every day, and we let others down daily and we will let ourselves down undoubtedly. Don’t trust in your good looks because they will fade one day. Don’t trust in your intelligence because you may get Alzheimer’s or dementia some day. Do not trust in your big, bulging muscles because, as Johnny Depp once said, “Gravity is going to get us all.” Jeremiah (like Johnny Depp) had cautioned, “Cursed is the one who trust in human beings,” and those human beings inescapably includes ourselves.

On the back of the twenty dollar bill we read the solemn statement: “In God We Trust.” But I sometimes wonder if we do not trust more in that paper money than in God himself; just like others have trusted more in the golden calf, and in the Golden Bear.

Praised be Jesus Christ!