The Paradoxical Commandments

by Kent M. Keith

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest ideas. Think big anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
People really need help, but may attack you if you do help them. Help them anyway.
People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
Give the world the best that you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

This weekend, I made a visit -- an amazing, attitude-changing visit -- to the Boston area. While there, I knew I wanted to visit the Paulist Center. The Paulist Center is a welcoming, affirming Roman Catholic congregation run by the Paulist fathers. The Paulists are well known for their progressive, love-and-peace centered communities on college campuses. Locally, they also run St. Paul's Parish in Westwood.

I first learned of the Paulist Center during the 2004 Presidential campaign. John Kerry was attacked for being Catholic/not being Catholic enough, and his home parish was mentioned. Like me, Senator Kerry has found that your average Catholic parish -- which covers a defined geographical area -- is grossly inadequate. Luckily for him, the Paulist Center is in his 'hood on Beacon Hill. Unlucky for me, I have to drive into Santa Monica for my church.

The Paulist Center has a beautiful crucifix over its altar. That's what stood out to me. I printed out a picture of it and have kept it at my desk at two jobs. I wanted to see this crucifix. In making my plans, I committed myself (and my host) to taking me. (He liked it.)

The Mass was beautiful and meaningful. This weekend was heavy for me, and having some time for prayer was good. I like the Catholic liturgy because it has remained so constant in my life. I disagree with the Church on so much; I have grand intellectual battles in my mind and heart with the Church as my foe. But it's always there. And fortunately, places like the Paulist Center are there.

This week, I really paid attention to the readings because my heart and mind were well aligned. This was a good week. The first reading came from the book of Samuel and was the story of David and Saul. Saul was King of the tribes of Israel. He was a crumby kind. David's destiny was to be King, he would be a great King. He had a chance to destroy Saul and his army while they slept, but he knew that was not righteous. He made a tough choice, to be merciful to Saul, and to act with justice.

The second reading was from Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Paul sucks. Oh well. But the Gospel... it's a famous one. This Gospel reading is where we get the Golden Rule.

To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.

The priest's homily included his sharing of the Paradoxical Commandements, which I started off with. It seems cut and dry.

But, who are my enemies? Yes, I could be a better person. I could be nicer to my nemesis, Little Miss Nemesis, my brother, Scabies. These are all highlights of my recent moments of weakness, cowardice, and childishness. While I know I should act differently to them, based on my mindset on Sunday, and since thinking of this liturgy, I don't think this is who God is warning me of. Where is the danger in my actions? Who is this great enemy?

It's me.

Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.

I need to love myself. I need to embrace my decisions. I need to take that ownership.

For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount.

And here is why I would be a bad priest: I'll find something completely different. During the homily, Father spoke about how difficult it is to do these things. Perhaps our great human challenge. (Think of how much power spite and vengeance weild? If we lived the Golden Rule, terrorist would achieve nothing. Bullies would acheive nothing. The Republican Party would acheive nothing.)

I do the easy thing. My life is full of the easy decisions. Maybe it's time to make the hard decision. To take a risk and be a pioneer. I think I see some opportunities on the horizon. Will I let risk get the better of me? Will I cower to my own self? I should be strong. Be bold. Not easy. (Well, easy can get you places, but that's for another blog!)