Chapter XXII: The Dialogue

Sunday, December 23, 2012
Christmas Eve Eve

Catherine of Siena by Sigrid Undset
Chapter XXII

As this chapter covers, in broad strokes, the Dialogue transcribed by Catherine in her final days when all that she had learned from God was condensed and reviewed so that she might leave her family with guidance, there is much I could reflect upon.  So much of it was beautiful and moving and bears further thought.

What really caught my conscience, however, was a comment in the midst of the discussion of corrupt priests and Church leaders.  Because God and Catherine instruct us to obey them anyway - to do as they say instead of what they do.

This struck me so forcefully because hypocrisy these days is a universal excuse to dismiss what a person is saying.  Failing to practice what you preach allows us to dismiss with impunity any wisdom or instruction you set forth.

We are judging, in this way, the message by the messenger.  Now, that's not entirely unfair.  I'm not saying that examining people's motives is useless or that it is not much more compelling to be instructed by someone who is strong and wise themselves.

However, I think in our world we are too quick to dismiss pieces of wisdom because they come to us in imperfect packaging.  Why should a priest's opinion on one matter invalidate all of his potential wisdom?  Why do I shy away from learning the wisdom of God from those who feel strongly in the opposite way that I do about gay marriage?  Because of my own pride, of course, but I know that particularly with this issue I do it again and again.  I dismiss everything I might have learned from spiritual mentors because I am hurt or simply violently disagree on this one issue.

I am robbing myself of messengers from God.  Do I think I am incapable of judging the good from the bad so I dismiss entirely?  Or am I so eager to dismiss that I look for a reason to dismiss in aggregate rather than having to examine each new piece of potential wisdom on its own?  Is it laziness or pride that keeps me from being willing to listen with an open heart if there is one thing I cannot stomach?

Or both?  And how do I combat it?  Besides just knowing this sin for what it is.  Perhaps that is the most we can do on a number of sins - see it for what it is: arrogance, pride, and a willful cheapening of our souls.  Bankrupting ourselves and shouting over a message from God because of the wrapping.

Rejecting a gift because of the giver.