Autosave and Autorecovery yes, but not automatic!
October 4, 2020: 27th Sunday in Ordinary timeIsaiah 5: 1-7; Philippians 4: 6-9; Matthew 21:33-43
'Are you saved?' - this is one disturbing question that has to be removed from the non-catholic, pentecostal lexicon! We often see this phrase on the lips of the non-catholic, specially those who belong to the pentecostal sects and varied denominations other than the mainline churches. That question, should kind of intrigue us, and at the same time challenge us! Let us understand this first.
Salvation: as sons and daughters of Christ, we should be confident of it, because the Lord has saved us by his blood. That is why that question should intrigue us! But can we take 'being saved' for granted, that whatever I may do or not do, I will be saved? That is a true challenge that this question inspires, but answers have to be sincere and genuine; and such sincere and genuine answers will of course lead to transformation, both personal and universal! Though it lacks wholeness and truth in its entirety, the point that these denominational brethren try to make is the second understanding we just referred to. How challenged do we feel about receiving the salvation from the Lord? Are we eager to be SAVED?
Look at that question once again - to be saved! In today's computerised digital language we can imagine an explanation in these lines: do you want to be saved - don't expect that to happen by default! Every time the computer asks you, do you want to save? And you need to say, yes! Allegorically, even in our spiritual parlance, there is no Salvation by default!
It is true that there is an Auto-save Option at work - Yes, the very fact that we are the chosen children of God we are automatically saved! God has chosen us and named us after Godself, and made us God's own people. As Peter would say "once you were not a people; but now you are God's people" (1 Pet 2:10); we are made "children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ" (Rom 8:17)! This is what is theologically known as 'Objective Salvation'...the possibility of salvation that is open to ALL people! God wishes EVERYONE to be saved, says the Word of God (1 Tim 2:4), yes by the very fact that we are created in the image and likeness of God, we are eligible for that salvation.
In our computer lingo, this is what we refer to as our Auto-save option, but for auto-saving, something should have been done which could be saved. The Lord had made us the Lord's vineyard, but have we proved to be vineyards or are we merely a plot of useless thistles? What we sow, that we reap; the Lord has sown and looks forward to see vines; is it not justified and mandatory that we put forth our fruits? What is there will be saved...that is the auto-save option! Our efforts to live-up to our calling and our identity as children of God - that is what will define us.
It is also true that there is an Auto-Recovery Option at work - just as it happens when we work at a computer, at times we fail, we hang, we crash, we shut down without warning and alas, lose data! But we need not totally panic. There is an auto-recovery option that is on, isn't it? "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fallback into fear" (Rom 8:15), and that is why St. Paul advises us, "do not worry about anything" (Phil 4:6), but to cast behind us what has been and strain forward (Phil 3:13) towards that crown of salvation prepared for us! Everything will be recovered, everything will be brought back, reconciled in Christ our salvation; he is the auto-recovery option that is on (cf. Col 1:20).
But, be attentive... if something has to be recovered, it should have been there! Again our efforts to belong to Christ (cf. Col 2:20), our efforts to bear fruit, to make most of the short time we have (cf. Eph 5:15,16)... all these count. Auto-recovery option is fine, but it is when there has been some solid work that has been done. We can cast behind our back our limitations and shortcomings, but only if there is within us an abundance of good will to belong to God and a unquenchable thirst to unite with the Lord. The Lord is always there beside us to recover us from whatever we lose ourselves into, but on our part we are expected to have built already a relationship with the Lord, a loving relationship, a childlike relationship, so that we could keep the channel open for the love of God to act in, through and on our behalf.
The crucial point, therefore, that we have to keep in mind is, though auto-save and auto-recovery are options, salvation is never by default! We have to work it out, on a daily basis! "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling", says St. Paul (Phil 2:24). We are called to live in a situation that is surrounded by all sorts of choices; what choices do we make? A tree will be known by its fruits, it is said; what fruits do we put out?
We are weak, we are limited and we have our shortcomings - no one can deny that. But in spite of these, are we prepared to "overcome evil with good" without being "overcome by evil" that is around? (cf. Rom 12:21). We need to show it by our efforts and by the fruits, however small, that these efforts produce. We have to be transformed into the image of the one after whom we are fashioned. Salvation is never by defalut; it is by our choices (choice of what is true, what is honourable, what is just, what is pure and so on), and by our faithfulness to the call that we have received. Let us take stock of our daily living and be transformed into true and fruitful vineyards of the Lord.