Sacrificing for God

 The passage from Romans (Rom 13.1-10) has Paul telling us to be submissive to the authority of governments and those who have a valid authority over us.  This is a fine sentiment but when it comes in a time when our authorities appear to have no sense of justice or enabling peace we doubt the wisdom of this course of action. Yet, for us this is a point that we need to ponder especially when that authority asks us to give taxes, financial support, etc to the rule of law. As Christians are we right to withhold such things if the financial offerings are not going towards the cause of justice and righteousness?  We may say yes and others would say but hang on we all live in this world and some of the money is being used correctly and so we should go with the benefit of the doubt. What pertains to the wider community also pertains to the smaller communities that make up our society. How can we ensure that justice and righteousness prevails within our faith community if we are not brave enough to stand up for what God wants?

In Matthew's gospel Christ speaks about going after the one rather than the many (Matt. 18.12-14). We have a greater tendency in our lives at both the societal level and the faith level to turn towards the majority rather than going out of our way for the minority or even the embattled singleton. Either that or we overlook the faults in one rather than looking to those who suffer as a result of power. In the one case we render to the will of a large group what may be undeserving and in the latter we submit in fear to the implied power of a minority, which is the reverse of what following Christ implies. Quite often our decision is based on fear which has been provoked by those with power who stoke that fear for their own purposes as we can see in the current dialogue around the Voice referendum. We are asked to render to those in need not to those who have or to a status quo.  Our sacrifice in terms of money, power, time, etc is for the benefit of those who are unworthy in our eyes but are worthy in the eyes of God. It means going out of our way to respond to those in need over and above our own.

Opening ourselves up to God allows a small ripple on the face of creation

In making our wants into the wants of God we are not submitting ourselves before God but rather placing ourselves on the pedestal to try and emulate God. We know best. In coming to render to Caesar within our parish or faith lives we surrender to those whom we believe have power and not to God. In submitting, we should submit to what God is asking of us not what others are asking. God takes our lives and asks us to reach out in compassion and justice to those around us. But it means submitting to God's asking.  In rendering our obligations both financial and service we render them to God and ask God to do with them as God wills not as we will. God asks us to lay our lives on the line and go out of our way to assist those who are weaker and more lost then ourselves. God does not ask us to look after the 99. We reach out our hands here today to receive the sacrament of God's flesh and blood to strengthen us so that we may give to God that which God asks for. So what obligations are placed upon us at this moment of receiving?

It means a burden that is more than we think we can bear. It means losing those things that we want and allowing those things that God wants. It means fulfilling the obligations that are laid upon us, through our faith in God and our belonging to a faith community. It means that the community of God comes before our own needs and it means sacrificing our ideals for the ideals of God. Only then can we truly say that we have fulfilled what Paul would have us do and what Christ commands us to do, so that there may be rejoicing in God's presence and here in our lives. At the end of the day it means that our small decision to reach across the divide has a ripple effect on our community and our society.