Trading Souls

October 22, 2023 – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102223.cfm)

On the final stage of a job interview, the job-interviewer asked a Catholic applicant  for sale representative position, a question: “Supposing in the course of your negotiation & transaction, one of our rich prospect client responds to you and said – ‘I will buy your products as long as you provide me with a lady-companion as I enjoy your city during my whole stay here’. What and how would you respond to such costumer’s conditions?” The applicant, being one among the last two final contenders for the job as well as an active Catholic church youth leader, paused for a moment to think deeply, and eventually reply: “I would tell the costumer as civil as possible that our prestigious company is not in any way involved with escort servicing as well as pimping is not part of my job description. I sell our company’s good products and not my soul.”

This story is to point out & emphasize that our gospel today is more than just about Jesus and Taxes, as well as about the separation of Church & State. Yes, we do tend to read & interpret our gospel today to highlight Jesus’ stance about a controversial social and political issue of His time: about Paying taxes, or religion & politics. Beyond the issue of taxes & politics, Jesus here is addressing a much deeper issue of personal principles and spiritual commitment. Yes, what is at stake here is His deeper faith and commitment to God and humanity – our Christian moral principles.

Remember, the Pharisees and their disciples as well as the Herodians were there not to know what is right, good and proper but to test and probe Jesus of His loyalties and principles in faith and life with malice. Yes, beyond common issues-raised, there was malicious intent of fault-finding & values-testing & scrutiny, Thus, our gospel today is not only about how smart the response of Jesus is, but moreso about how our world can be so cruel and evil to the point of misguiding us to put our Christian values, principles and faith in jeopardy or under compromise.

We cannot deny that our today’s world is a world where our Christian principles and faith are tested and probe. In a world where the consumerism and corporate ideals are promoted, everything, not only material things but also the self, relationships, moral principles and faith, become negotiable & for-sale. Like the job interviewee, we sometimes find ourselves nowadays in situations where our very person and identity is on the line and under fire – where people are willing to sell and buy lives for their evil and corrupt ways to the point that we resort to so-called “soul for sale” or commercializing our very souls. Thus, the very heart of the issue here is the real threat & malice of these corrupt and evil practices in the world to our human and Christian principles today.

As Jesus has dealt with this situation of His time, Jesus today is directing us to the following challenges:

Beyond the issue of taxes, and of other human pressing social, religious and political issues of our times, Jesus wants us first to be aware and remain vigilant of this existent threat & malice to our principles in our world today. All of us (not only common people but also civic and church leaders) can be knowingly and unknowingly be victims of this corrupt ways and evil threats. Moral consciousness and awareness are thus important. So, Beware. Be-aware & vigilant of the dangers-done & malice-caused by consumerism & corporate capitalistic world.

Second, Jesus teaches that as we engage with the world, there are fundamental Christian principles that in conscience, simply cannot be compromised and negotiated. Unfortunately, moral decadence in our society today are often caused by Filipino Christians who gamble, sold, negotiate, and compromise their principles to malicious and evil ways. We should not put ourselves and others at the edge of selling & trading their souls in jeopardy. So, Be firm & strong of our Christian faith values & principles.

And lastly, Jesus particularly upholds & directs us to two non-negotiable and non-comprised Christian principles. First, Think of common good over and above me-good or self-good. This would mean that win-win situation is not necessary and always better than with the for-the-sake-of-others situation. Self-denial or selflessness is still more noble and humane than self-gratification or self-fullness. Second, consider righteousness first before social acceptance and approval. This means that in making moral decision, we should consider first our right and proper relationship with God over and above keeping-up with Joneses, flowing with the current tides, trends, and mob; or “sabay sa tama”.

Simply put, Be AWARE and VIGILANT with our today’s corrupt and evil ways that putting our Christian principles in jeopardy. Be STEADFAST and PERSISTENT of our non-negotiable and non-comprise Christian principles, especially Upholding Common Good and Righteousness over and above me-good, self-good and social acceptance and approval.

Lord, Help us to be Your worthy witnesses & proclaimers of God’s kingdom today, as we do our best to be aware, strong & firm in living-out and upholding our Christian faith- values & principles in our challenging world today.

So may it be. Amen.