HERESY IS STILL WITH US

The earl Church Fathers and Councils believed that they had dealt with all the heresies that could ever plague the church. They were probably correct: they had dealt with them, condemned them, warned us about them. But they never eliminated them. Just because we tell someone that something is wrong does not mean they will believe us. They still want to touch the stove to prove it was hot as we said that it was.

For instance, we want to believe that if we are good enough, do what is good and right, we will be blessed. And we believe that the better we are, the more we will be blessed. We also believe that the bad that comes our way is the direct result of our sins. Good is the result of good. Bad is the result of bad “What did I do to deserve this (good or bad)?” we ask. “I must have done something,” we conclude. Quid quo pro. Right?

Not necessarily. Just as the good that comes our way is not either in direct proportion to the good we do nor the result of that same goodness, so neither is the bad that comes our way. In or humble moments we will grant that we really are not worthy of God’s graciousness. But even in our most penitential moments we find it difficult to accept the fact that any bad that happens to us is not the direct result of some bad that we have done sometime, somewhere.

God’s grace and God’s love do not depend on how moral or immoral we are. Now I will grant that good begets good and bad begets bad. The more good we do, the more likely we will do even more good and be a better person. The opposite is just as true. It is always easier the second time around: doing good or doing something not good. We know that. We do not need some Church Father, some declaration from on high, some lecture from priest or parent: good keeps us out of trouble and bad gets us into it. But we also we know deep within us that God’s grace is simply that: grace, freely given with no strings attached and no reason other than God’s love for us.

We know that, as well, yet somehow, we still think we need to do something to earn God’s love. Whether it is God’s love or the love of a spouse or the love of another, it is always freely given and does not depend on the reciprocity of the one loved. Never! Otherwise, it is not love. It may be something good and wonderful; but whatever it is, it is not unconditional love, which is what is supposed to be.

“Yes, but…,” we insist. But there are no “buts” about it: none whatsoever. And the sooner we learn that, the sooner we will be able to accept the grace of God for what it is: God’s innate and total love for us no matter what. NO MATTER WHAT, what we do or do not do. Our sins have ben forgiven, always will be, NO MATTER WHAT. And our response? “Yes, but…”

Heresy is still with us.