Lamentations 2
Many Christians worry about the course of the Western civilization. Since the new millennium began, we have been witnessing much of social and regional unrest. Christians cannot also ignore the crisis of morality in Western societies. And when we read the biblical passages like today’s first reading, we fear if any impending God’s wrath is approaching us.
This week we have been reading historical passages from the Old Testaments, which describe and lament over the destruction and deportation of the people of Israel. These books were written and edited as the reflections on the Babylonian Exile. The authors and editors of these books were the religious leaders of the Jewish people. Thus, it is understandable they saw their tragedy in light of religion and interpreted their international struggles as God’s punishment of Israel’s unfaithfulness to him. Historians, economists, or anthropologists would look at this tragedy from different angles.
Nevertheless, I think we cannot ignore the truth that the corruption of faith and religion is reflected in the crisis of morality. This crisis of morality is not merely limited to sexuality as most often understood. Social, economic, and environmental justice are threatened as greed is not harnessed by sound moral practices. The lives of the unborn, the elderly, and the vulnerable and handicapped are discounted when we forget who gives us life. All these examples of moral digression are very closely related to religious teachings. So often we have to painfully see many Christians publicly act against faith and eventually lead people into demoralization and injustice. And when a society or a country is fragmented by immorality and injustice, it is only matter of time to disintegrate inside or to be demolished externally.
Today the book of Lamentations grieves over the unfaithful prophets of Israel who let people fall into falsity, unfaithfulness, and moral corruption. I admire many ordained clergy and lay people today who courageously warn people against their unfaithfulness to God. We need to listen to them. And we should also become one of them. Because, we, baptized, as his Mystical Body, all share the duty of the prophetic office of Christ.
