Discernment of Spirits: Challenge of Choosing between Good and Evil

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Readings - Wisdom 12:13, 16-19; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43

Photo by the author

I

We have passed already half a year of the 2020. We are in the midst of a pandemic which is taking a lot of energy and strength to live with it. Until other day, both central (Indian-Union) and state (Karnataka) governments were patting their back saying, "we know how to deal with Covid crises. We are better than others." As I write these few reflections in a country of over a billion people already one million are covid infected. This is just an official figure. 

Our country's policy makers have ignored the warnings from the global community and learnt little from their experiences. Pride goes before the fall. Having praised ourselves to the skies now we might perish quite fast as well. In this context, we are reading the Word of God from our scriptures. These days' Mass readings have been speaking a lot about righteousness, justice and reign of God.  Naturally, we may ask questions: Why does God permit the evil to grow alongside the good? Why does He permit some to reject the Word of His kingdom?

II

Our God is a God of righteousness and justice. There is no duplicity or deceit in our God.  So too, God expects from us such measure of principled life. "For your (God's) might is the source of justice" writes  the book of Wisdom (12:16). The power, glory, honour, riches, strength, popularity, etc., should be the pillars of justice and righteousness beginning with oneself and then others. The Word of God further adds, "Those who are just must be kind" (Wis. 12:19). God's blessings are not to empower you with arrogance, tepidity, envy, and dubiousness but mature you into a soul just like our heavenly Father - right, just and true. 

We live in a world completely immersed with its traits and characteristics. In spite, of our whole life with its ups and downs, its sunshine and shadows, its blessings and its failures that only righteousness of our life can bring a new heaven and new earth. In a world where might is right, the words from the Book of Wisdom give us the assurance and hope that it is possible and in fact a "good ground for hope" (Wis. 12:19). 

III

Carelessness towards light and good

We live in the midst of darkness and light, weeds and wheat. I see when the whole world is sick and health of people is at crossroads and the management of the health infrastructure is at the verge of collapse the policy makers of our country are busy with telling lies, toppling the governments, and pulling the trigger at the borders.  There is too much noise around us especially with the prejudiced judgements of the social media and mediums of mass communications. It's becoming alarmingly difficult to discern the good from the bad, the real from the fake.

This is where the parable of the weeds comes to us with a solace and solution. While choosing the right one, the wheat from the weeds we cannot be untangled by any human hand without the risk of uprooting what is good. We face the world where both good and evil must grow together, where the poor suffer injustice while the indifferent prosper. When Cain kills his younger brother Abel, the killer is not 'weeded-out' of the world but allowed to wander as a wayfarer and mourn his crime. Everything must grow together both immunity and infection and finally immunity will win the game. But it has its time as well. 

The world in which we are living is changing rapidly at this time of our lives. Perhaps our ancestors might not have experienced this kind of rapid changes. In fact, there is an unforeseeable future, a crisis of clarity. We stumble and knocked down in the dark. This Sunday’s readings refuse us  to fall to the prey of the Satan or the laxity of our laziness instead monitor us to strike the right chord.  St Paul pulls us up with an assurance that we should implore trust in the Spirit who “intercedes for us in unutterable sighs” (Rom 8:27). Our whole life is directed towards God and no longer towards all sorts of other fake things. 

The Word of God strengthens us and asks us to withstand against the powers of evil. God is always with us and in our need. Prophet Isaiah says, "I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground (44:3). Again prophet says "I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people" (43:20). These powerful assurances should help us to lift up our spirits indeed. We need to learn to live like the flowers and the birds opening ourselves up to the spirit. The same spirit which is at work in creation seeks to unite us with a whole choir of creatures praising God. 

IV

Not choosing is not an option

We live in a world of choices. However, our choices are limited and our ability to pick up the right one's is poor. If we need to breathe fresh air then we have to go where it's available. We can no more ignore the values of the reign of God. We must one way or the other decide where we stand in relation to Christ and His Kingdom while negotiating with the things of the world. Not choosing is not an option.

First, there is a judgment on what we choose. The judgement on our efforts will decide our futurity: Whether it is - Kingdom of God or kingdom of Satan. This judgment will take place at the end of our lives. Therefore, we are given time to prepare and prepare well to be faithful to the gospel. God gives us time to choose the best for ourselves. 

Second, we are given the grace to succeed in our choice. God has created us not only in his own image and likeness but also given rational faculties and artistic abilities. This means we have an innate ability to determine right from wrong and act accordingly. All the more, God is constantly walking with us, being at our side by bestowing with plentiful and sufficient graces to act in a manner pleasing to God. 

Third, the promise that the Word of God gives us is that the judgement will be merciful one. This will be an open judgement because of our very attempt to live a fruitful life itself is a pleasing argument for God to be kind to us. Hence, we have to decide where we stand and then do due recourse to succeed in that choice which has been made available to us. We can still act on principle and in faith, putting hope, love and justice at the centre of our lives. 

We pray to that loving, merciful and just God and through the benevolence of His Spirit that He may show us how to choose the path of light and right direction.  We ask the Holy Spirit to help us in our challenge to see hidden things of the world, and murky places where we find difficult to see the light  of Christ and might be made clearer to us to see the revealed things from His Son. Amen.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

18 July 2020