Identity is an indispensable part of who we are. But what is identity? How do we define it? Identity is how each individual defines him or herself. When you think about it, such identification is virtually always made by linking to specific and particular things and – secondly – it’s multi-layered. For example, I can describe myself as a fifty-year-old man, a son of my parents, a Catholic priest. Such a short description refers to my date of birth, the connection to my biological parents and their influence in my childhood, and my priestly training and almost 25-year long career. It is obvious that I have barely skimmed the indescribable complexities and influences that have affected me over the years. In fact, we are not aware of the majority of elements that have formed our identity. However, there’s one particular way that we consciously – more or less – use to identify ourselves. It’s a sense of belonging to a specific group, based on nationality, ethnicity, language, culture, religion… It’s a positive affiliation that cannot be overestimated. Sometimes – sadly – this is done in a negative way, by setting ourselves against other groups regarded as inferior. The extreme form of such an attitude is genocide but less violent forms are no less hurting. Jesus’ words and actions often astounded his Jewish audiences who disdained non-Jews in general and the Samaritans in particular. Today’s gospel gives us yet another example of that when, in response to the inflammatory demand made by his disciples, he said: ‘Anyone who is not against us is for us.’
It seems that we are losing the ability to differ in a constructive way. Instead of respectful discussion and exchange of ideas, there’s a tendency to get entrenched in one’s position and treat those with different opinions as enemies. The exchange of arguments is being replaced by volleys of insults, name-calling and sometimes threats of violence. We don’t debate anymore, we fight. We can see that in politics, we can see and even experience that on so-called social media, we witness it in the so-called culture wars. As a result, people develop emotionally strong but fundamentally shaky identities in opposition to other groups. Convinced of being the exclusive holders of ‘the truth’ such people are deaf to any arguments even slightly deviating from their strong beliefs. Their conviction of righteousness is mutually fortified by their fellow supporters of the cause in the echo chamber they have created. As history teaches us, such ideologues tend to create harsh norms and rules for others but don’t apply them to themselves. George Orwell very skilfully presented the whole process in his book ‘Animal Farm.’ Every movement, religious or secular, is in danger of turning into a heartless ideology. How to avoid slipping into a caricature of ideas in this way?
Let’s have a look at the gospel. Jesus’ disciples presented a situation in a divisive, emotionally loaded statement: ‘we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ Twice in one short sentence, they denounced the nameless man as alien and potentially dangerous; someone who must be stopped. In response, Jesus used a rational counterargument: ‘no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me.’ In a very loose, modern reinterpretation he would have added an opening phrase: ‘Think about it.’ The ability and willingness to question and think critically about our convictions – religious and secular – is the key to avoid falling into an irreflective, mindless and dogmatic ideology. Jesus challenged his disciples as well as his contemporaries to question their attitude towards their inherited religion. Once Jesus asked a Samaritan woman to give him water to drink; it astonished his disciples because she was a woman, a Samaritan and – as it turned out – lived in partnership rather than marriage. That event reflects today’s gospel: ‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’ The woman’s reward was a dramatic, positive change in her life. In a prolonged discussion with her, Jesus led the woman to faith, and through her conversion, the whole village came to believe in him. Had Jesus followed the strict rules as expected by his contemporaries he would never have talked to the woman. And here we touch the last but not least important piece of the puzzle.
As I mentioned earlier, ideologies – religious and secular – tend to produce harsh laws and regulations for others. That’s not the gospel way, so as Christians we should never adopt such an attitude. The gospel is radical in its demands but in a very specific way; listen to it carefully: ‘if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off; […] if your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out.’ The radicalism of the gospel must be inbound. In other words, I must be radical in fighting my own weaknesses and sins, I must reflect on my life, my attitudes and either get rid of the bad ones or correct the flawed ones so that I gradually align myself with the gospel. As a side-effect of such inbound radicalism, we become more sympathetic and understanding towards others and consequently, we can offer them a proverbial helping hand instead of unjust judgment and harsh words. ‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’ Why cannot we be those offering water to others? ‘Anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)