“Thus has the Lord of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’
Zechariah 7:9-10
STORY
The Shoes of the Fisherman, is a novel by Australian writer Morris West, that was published in 1963. The author’s admiration and commitment to Catholicism provided the central theme for nearly all of his thirty novels.
The novel begins with the death of the pope and the arrangements for a conclave to elect a successor. Among the cardinals summoned to Rome is Cardinal Kiril Lakota of Ukraine who, at age fifty, is the youngest cardinal in attendance. In the early years after World War II, he was elevated to a bishopric and was soon thereafter arrested and tortured for practicing his revolutionary faith. Shortly before being called to Rome, he was freed from nearly seventeen years of harsh imprisonment in a Siberian labor camp.
The presiding cardinal handpicked by Lakota to offer the sermon on the opening day of the conclave. His sermon was so inspirational and passionate, earnestly outlining the duty of the Papacy to serve forgotten souls, the following day the College of Cardinals elected charismatic Cardinal Lakota as pope on the first ballot. He took the name Pope Kiril I.
His impassioned speech had come from his spiritual awareness during his Siberian imprisonment and from his efforts to minister to fellow prisoners. This had made him astutely aware of the need for the spiritual and pastoral ministry of the church.
In that emotional sermon that opened the conclave, Kiril Lakota said: If I have any rights among you, any credit at all, let this be the foundation of them – that I speak for the lost ones, for those who walk in darkness and in the valley of the shadow of death. It is for them and not for ourselves that we are entering into conclave. It is for them and not for ourselves that we must elect a Pontiff. The first man who held this office was one who walked with Christ, and was crucified like the Master.
DEVOTION
The biblical book Zechariah was written after the return of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. The chief purpose of Zechariah’s preaching was to encourage and motivate the people of Judah to rebuild the temple; though the prophet was clearly interested in spiritual renewal.
This ministry to the soul is seen in an incident that occurred on December 7, 518 BCE, when priests came to the Temple with an inquire regarding ritualistic practices. Zechariah clarified the liturgies they should continue with and those they should modify, though he was most adamant that true worship was a change in disposition – a renewal of one’s heart. More important than overseeing burnt offerings, priests are called to Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.
A major, and perhaps, correct criticism of Christians is when they depart after a service of praise, they leave worship at the door of the sanctuary. The “halleluiahs” sung to God in the corridors of the church are not carried forth into the halls of the community. Christians are decried as hypocrites because unbelievers don’t see a ministry to the oppress, the widow, the orphan, the stranger, or the poor is not seen.
I do think critics have myopic vision, seeing only that what they want to see as justification to remain blind to Jesus; yet, their observations are not totally unfounded. As believers we often have a tendency to walk past rather than to walk into.
Every congregation must have a Zechariah, challenging worshippers that after singing What a Friend That We Have in Jesus to go forth and befriend the outcasts of society, and an outcast is any spiritually, emotionally, physically troubled person. Let us never, never ever, have to ask Jesus: and when was it that we saw you sick, or in prison, or naked, or hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger? To ask that makes us as blind as the detractors who stand at our sanctuary doors.
We must be Christians who can see. We must be Christians who can feel. We must be Christians who care.
On February 24, 2020, Harvey Weinstein was convicted by a jury of seven men and five women of rape and a criminal sexual act. The five days of deliberation followed a seven-week trial. Prior to his arrest, Weinstein was the studio chief of Miramax and Weinstein Company. He was accused of sexually molesting over 80 women.
Annabella Sciorra testified at the trail about his abusive behavior. She may be best known for playing the role of Gloria Trillo on the HBO drama series The Sopranos, which ran from 1999 to 2007. The actress offered this as the reason for publicly speaking at the trail, “I spoke for myself and the 80-plus victims of Harvey Weinstein in my heart.” After his conviction, Sciorra said, “For speaking truth to power, we pave the way for a more just culture, free of the scourge of violence against women.”
We must be courageous and outspoken Christians.