When I was at UMass/Boston, I ended up with a fascination for Anthropology which I wanted to be my major. However, I left UMass to focus on the philosophy at the seminary college that was also required to be a priest. Strangely, Boston College, with whom we had an academic connection, did not offer anthropology studies at all. So, I majored in the required philosophy as well as social science. However, many years later, I realized that I live my anthropology interests as I work in different cultures every day. What I do is more than understanding that a simple phrase, common in the United States, is an insult so horrible in Latino cultures it can get you killed. Or that the American symbol for OK is a vulgar symbol in Brazil.

One thing that truly concerns me about American culture is its focus on the civil law and while ignoring the higher standard which is God’s law. Literally, there is a movement to change our culture using the law. Our legal culture is concerning especially, outside of New England. For example, in California and other places including Charlotte, North Carolina, rapid transit and other elements are rooted in the honor system.

You buy a ticket and get on the train. In Charlotte, there are often, but not always, officers that check to see if you actually bought a ticket while you ride to your destination. In California, the same system exists, but when I was there it was less strict, you could ride the train many times and not have anyone check to see if you bought a ticket. Also in California the HOV lane is by the honor system. This may seem like a good thing, until you realize such behavior opens people up to follow the law no matter what, lockstep every time. You do it thoughtlessly because that is the rule, as opposed to doing it for living by a higher standard.
Understand, I have lived in a culture in which cars go one way around a traffic circle and motorcycles go the opposite way because that is what they preferred to do, regardless of what the law said. I am not endorsing that system.
This American culture of law also affects our faith, negatively. Let us look at today’s readings. In both the second reading and the Gospel, you see one form or another of having to give an account of our lives. Hebrews warns that the Word of God is the powerful instrument that makes us completely exposed before God. It says at the end that we must give an account of our lives. The Gospel tells the story of a man who will have to give an account of his riches in light of his faith and the choices he made in that context. We can live mindlessly following rules, or we can be aware of living by a higher standard that the level the civil society requires.
Words such as “giving an account” to an American culture can be scary words and as we can see in Hebrews for some people they should be. If persons live their lives rejecting the thought that we are accountable to God, then the persons can expect that their final encounter will not be a happy one. But usually such people do not care. The people who are most afraid, usually, are the ones who should not be.
Giving an account before God is like the two edge sword, Hebrews says. Remember what a sword is for, it is used for good or bad. Let me give you a better example, the machete. It is a scary instrument when seen in the wrong context. There are people in Boston that can use the machete against you so quickly, you would be dead a half an hour before you realized they used a machete against you. However everyday you are allowed to eat because of the harvesting abilities of the machete. I’ve worked with wonderful people who have been using the machete as a life giving tool since they were four years old.
This brings us to the whole point of these words. If I say to you that you will have to give an account of your life, and you know that nothing in your life will be hidden, does this give you trepidation or does it not bother you? For some people, it should bring trepidation, but let’s look at it another way. Are you seeking to do God’s will, obviously, otherwise you would not be here. You may fail many times, but do you seek be a good Catholic? Remember, you are here. Do you seek to bring God’s grace in the world? You do realize there is no civil law that says that you have to be here or do that. There is God’s law, but there is no civil law that says you have to be here. So at this point, you are doing what St. Paul says, living at a higher standard, a wiser standard than just following the rules.
Now go back to that scenario, you will have to give an account before God. If you are seeking to be a good Catholic, why would those words concern you? If Jesus challenges you and you find the challenge difficult why does that concern you? Is not that what a coach does? Are you willing to accept that challenge?
Do not ever forget that you are faithful Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston. That is not an easy position: this diocese was ground zero for the crisis in the Church. It is not easy being a Catholic in the world today, much less a faithful Catholic in the Archdiocese of Boston. However, there you are. So when I say to you that you will be held accountable for that, are you shivering in your boots, or are you realizing that God gave you a special challenge that you are seeking to meet.
There are people in the territory of our parish that should be shivering in their boots at the thought they will be held accountable for their actions. They will be held accountable for lost souls and for their role in helping those souls become lost. However, there are others who should be like the class valedictorians waiting for their marks to come out. Usually they are filled with great trepidation and by default they learn there was not need to worry, after all they are the class valedictorians.

God bless you,

Fr. Robert J Carr

Fr. Carr is an alliance member of the New Song Community (Canção Nova). He is the pastor of Holy Trinity Quincy, MA and is the editor of this blog. He is the author of several books, blogs and hundreds of videos all of which you may find on Youtube. He also has a regular radio program on WebRadio Canção Nova. Which he podcasts on Podomatic and here on Catholicismanew. You can follow him on twitter as @frbobcarr and on Google plus as +FrRobertCarr. Thoughts, comments on the homily? Let us know at Facebook