the right thing for the wrong reason
In our kind of life and formation there is always that prevailing tendency that great deeds may be done for the wrong reasons. In our kind of life and formation there is a great danger that good deeds are done for the wrong reasons. Most of the time seminary formation forms us to do exactly what Jesus is condemning in our gospel today – to do good deeds for people to see, to do good deeds to win applause, to do good deeds in order to gain approval. Seminary formation has the tendency to form us to do the right thing for the wrong reasons. It is good that we are made aware of this as we begin the formation year.
Formation should make us do what Jesus is instilling in us with the gospel today – to stop acting like hypocrites, to stop treating religion and formation like a stage show complete with make-ups and props. In life as well as in seminary formation we must do the right thing for the right reason. And to do that, we have to build inside us an inner structure, galvanized and made strong by the convictions of truth, faith and love. Sometimes they call that inner structure conscience, sometimes they call it the inner authority. Some call it self-discipline.
St. Thomas More was friend of Henry the VIII and he was made his chancellor of the king. When the king wanted to divorce his wife against church law, however, he was the first to show the king that he was wrong. People thought that since the king gave him that high position he was in, people thought that since they were good friends, Thomas would support the actions of the king. But they were wrong. There was a higher call than friendship and there was a higher duty than merely reciprocating the king’s personal kindness – the call and duty to defend the truth. And for this Thomas did not just lose his position and his friendship with the king. He lost his head and his life.
It is in situations like this that sincerity is tested. It is in situations like this that one can distinguish the fake from the genuine. In crisis moments one can really see the difference. But this could not be reached if in the little things that we do, we could not be sincere with ourselves and with what we are doing or what we are made to do.
Doing the right thing for the right reason. Sincerity is being asked because even though you may have for a time escaped the notice of your superiors a time will come when your sincerity will be tested and should it fail the test we could only look back and make grunts of regret. While you have time, do the right thing for the right reason.
Formation should make us do what Jesus is instilling in us with the gospel today – to stop acting like hypocrites, to stop treating religion and formation like a stage show complete with make-ups and props. In life as well as in seminary formation we must do the right thing for the right reason. And to do that, we have to build inside us an inner structure, galvanized and made strong by the convictions of truth, faith and love. Sometimes they call that inner structure conscience, sometimes they call it the inner authority. Some call it self-discipline.
St. Thomas More was friend of Henry the VIII and he was made his chancellor of the king. When the king wanted to divorce his wife against church law, however, he was the first to show the king that he was wrong. People thought that since the king gave him that high position he was in, people thought that since they were good friends, Thomas would support the actions of the king. But they were wrong. There was a higher call than friendship and there was a higher duty than merely reciprocating the king’s personal kindness – the call and duty to defend the truth. And for this Thomas did not just lose his position and his friendship with the king. He lost his head and his life.
It is in situations like this that sincerity is tested. It is in situations like this that one can distinguish the fake from the genuine. In crisis moments one can really see the difference. But this could not be reached if in the little things that we do, we could not be sincere with ourselves and with what we are doing or what we are made to do.
Doing the right thing for the right reason. Sincerity is being asked because even though you may have for a time escaped the notice of your superiors a time will come when your sincerity will be tested and should it fail the test we could only look back and make grunts of regret. While you have time, do the right thing for the right reason.
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