Growing in integrity

THE WORD IN LENT - 2nd week, Tuesday

March 10, 2020: Isaiah 1: 10,16-20; Matthew 23: 1-12

Point for Dialogue #11: Orthodoxy and Orthopraxis

"Do what they tell you but do not do what they do" - how would I feel if someone said this of me! However, the world is not far from saying that to us Christians...when Mahatma Gandhi said, 'I like Christ, but not Christians', what he meant was exactly this: that we call ourselves Christ-ians, but we seem to be far, far away from the way of life that Christ stood for. Look at the in-fights we have and the kind of stand we take on very many issues. Are they not indicative of this hypocritical lacuna? 

My deeds have to speak the words of faith, and my faith has to be demonstrated by congruent and consistent deeds. This situates us at the centre of a dialogue between Orthodoxy or right belief and Orthopraxis or right living. Believing the right thing, understanding what I believe and my earnest effort to live daily what I believe, will lead me to doing the right thing and standing by right values. 

Orthodoxy and Orthopraxis are two things that cannot be separated one from the other. Humility, Mercy, Forgiveness, Compassion and True Love...if these do not describe my person, I am no Christian! The more I grow in these, the more I grow to be a Christian. Have a look at those verbs that Isaiah presents to us today - wash, clean, learn, search, help, be just, plead, come, walk and listen! 

Often we pose a question: but what do I gain from doing the right things and standing by right values, apart from the problems and disadvantage that I get into? Not for any gain or not for any advantage, but not to lose the integrity of my person that I need to grow in these. Sans integrity, life as a Christian will be a farce! 

The integrity that Jesus had, gave him the authority to stand up and speak, be it in the Sanhedrin or to the Herodians or before the Roman Governor. If my Christian life has to have real meaning, I need absolutely to grow in integrity.