Psalm Meditation 692
Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 22, 2013

Psalm 52
1 Why do you boast, O mighty one, of mischief done against the godly? All day long
2 you are plotting destruction. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you worker of treachery.
3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth. Selah
4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous will see, and fear, and will laugh at the evildoer, saying,
7 “See the one who would not take refuge in God, but trusted in abundant riches, and sought refuge in wealth!”
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever, because of what you have done. In the presence of the faithful I will proclaim your name, for it is good.
(NRSV)

We are quick to attach evil motives to those who disagree with us, especially when those folks mount violent attacks against us. While it is possible that their entire intent is evil, it is also possible that their intent is good, positive and honorable. Their actions may be violent and destructive even as they look to a positive and peaceful outcome. The folks who participated in the Crusades had the laudable goal of winning back the Holy Land for the glory of Christ. The part about totally discounting the faith and even humanity of the folks who lived there continues to give Christians a bad reputation in parts of the world.

Some of the evils we have experienced in recent years have been a response to the actions of Christians during the Crusades. That does not make either side good or right in the actions carried out, it simply gives a window into the thought processes of the folks who are seen by others as evil. I do believe that there is evil in the world and that simply because we have a way to justify our actions does not mean that those actions are not seen as evil by someone else. At some point in our lives we have railed against the unfairness of our parents as they asked or demanded a certain course of action. While we saw them as terrible parents they saw themselves as people acting out of love in the best interest of us, their children.

What is evil to me is justifiable and even laudable to you. At times, it is a matter of whether we are giving or receiving an action that defines it as evil. Yes, there is evil. Yes, there are evil people. Yes, sometimes it is ‘them’ who do the evil deeds, Yes, sometimes it is ‘us’ who do the evil. As our hearts and lives are more finely tuned to God we are confronted by the evils we have perpetrated on others. We can find ways to justify our actions or we can find ways to repent and move forward in our relationship with God and with the people with whom we live and work.

September 16, 2013