Where Loyalties Lie

Choosing between earthly and heavenly rulers

02/21/2023

1 Cor 2:6-10 Brothers and sisters: We speak a wisdom to those who are mature, not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. Rather, we speak God's wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for, if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him, this God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.

Most Americans cannot image living permanently anywhere except in the United States. With no little pride – and with due respect to other nation – we consider this land the greatest country on earth. We can understand, therefore, why people would want to immigrate here, but we would really never emigrate and leave this country.

Now, that is probably the same way most Catholics feels about our faith and Church; at least that is how I feel. We love being Catholic and cannot image leaving the Church and joining another denomination or another religion. And we warmly welcome religious immigrants who come to our spiritual shores. Like the Statue of Liberty raises the torch of freedom to welcome the world on Staten Island, so Mother Mary raises the true light of the world, Jesus Christ, “besides the golden door” which is heaven.

I would like to compare our beloved country to our beloved Church. No only by way of comparison and similarities, but also by way of contrast and dissimilarities. What does that mean? I have already pointed out one similarity: we love our country and we have love our Church. And we would never leaven either of them. We will die Americans, and we will die as Roman Catholics.

But here is a contrast between our country and our Christianity. One day this country will cease to exist, but the Church will endure forever. Jesus promised that in Mt 16:18, where he said the gates of hell will not prevail against his Church. Bishop Robert Barron illustrated this contrast in a startling way in his book, Catholicism. He wrote: “In April of 2005, the newly elected Pope Benedict XVI came on to the front loggio (front porch) of St. Peter’s Basilica to bless the crowds.”

“The news cameras caught the remarkably pensive expression on the face of Cardinal Francis George of Chicago (standing near the pope). When the Cardinal returned home, reporters asked him what he was thinking about at that moment. Here is what he said, ‘I was gazing over toward the Circus Maximus, toward the Palatine Hill where the Roman Emperors once resided and reigned and looked down on the persecutions of Christians.”

“And I thought: ‘Where are their successors? Where is the successor of Caesar Augustus? Where is the successor of Marcus Aurelius? And finally, who cares? But if you want to see the successor of St. Peter, he is right next to me, smiling and waving at the crowds.’” (Catholicism, 35). My friends, I make the following observation with all due respect and also as a red-blooded American who loves this country, and realizing I am sawing off the branch I am sitting on.

But one day, many years from now, people will ask the same questions of America. Where is the successor of George Washington? Where is the successor of Abraham Lincoln? And finally, who cares? But if you want to see the successor of St. Peter, he is still here smiling and waving at the crowds. That is what Jesus’ promise in Mt 16:18 ultimately means, a promise he made to no nation, but only to his Church.

In the second reading today, St. Paul seems to suggest this contrast of our country and our Christianity as well. And he encourages us to see and embrace the wisdom of the Church rather than the wisdom of the world. In 1 Corinthians 2, the Apostle to the Gentiles (St. Paul), writes: “We speak a wisdom to those who are mature, not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away” (1 Cor 2:6).

Did you catch that last part? St. Paul said: “the rulers of this age who are passing away.” That was the same sentiment that struck Cardinal George in 2005. And Heb. 13:14 hits the exact same note saying: “For here we do not have a lasting city (nation), but we see the city (kingdom) that is to come.” In other words, don’t put your citizenship eggs all in the American basket, (or any other earthly empire’s basket). Rather, put your citizenship eggs in the basket of the Catholic Church. And then on that last and glorious Easter Sunday of the Resurrection, you can collect those Easter eggs with eternal prizes inside!

My friends, every Sunday at Mass, we should ask ourselves where our deepest loyalties lie. Do your loyalties lie with the rulers of this age who are passing away? Or rather, do our loyalties lie with the successor of St. Peter, who most of the time we see smiling and waving at the crowds? And it doesn’t matter where you go to Mass: in Spain or France, Costa Rica or South Sudan. Every Catholic parish, like this one, is a little embassy of the Kingdom of God on earth.

We come to renew our visas, to stamp our passports, and to declare again our citizenship in heaven, when we recite the Creed, which is nothing other than a Pledge of Allegiance. We say, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, who created heaven and earth,” and so forth. To see that, to believe that, and to profess that takes “a wisdom of those who are mature, not a wisdom of this age.”

Praised be Jesus Christ!