Let This Mind Be In You

As many of my readers know, The Office of Readings provides me with more fodder for Lectio divina than anything else. Today it comes from I Peter.

So strip away everything vicious, everything deceitful; pretenses, jealousies, and disparaging remarks of any kind.

I have no doubt read this passage many times, but today was the first time it stuck in my head. It is somewhat surprising that jealousy was not listed first, because it usually leads to the rest of the list. When we consider the modern world, and the modern Church, are we not confronted with viciousness, deceit, pretense, jealousy and nasty remarks?

Does that mean the Church is sinful? Of course, because it is full of humans. Does it mean evil has won? Absolutely not, because it is full of redeemed humans! The gates of hell will never prevail against it. I do believe that. However, I beseech everyone on all sides of every debate to remember that viciousness, deceitfulness, jealousy, pretentiousness and nasty remarks destroy community.

What I Peter lists for us are those very things which destroy community. St. Benedict in his Rule goes to great lengths to put those very things out of the communal life. Will we ever be free of them? No, we're human, and as such, fallen. Can we strive with the Holy Spirit to rise from them sometimes? Yes, because we are redeemed.

Christ is Risen. Alleluia.