Different Times
If we had lived in the time of our ancestors, would we have done what they did?
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors. You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets, sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this generation. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’” - Matthew 23:29-39
We are not our ancestors. That is part of the message Jesus is giving in today's Gospel.
If we pride ourselves on the fact that we are like those who came before us, then perhaps we are equally guilty of the acts that we now see are evil.
People in ancient times didn't believe they were wrong in killing the prophets, but now, in Jesus' time, they can see it was wrong, for these were men of God.
How we perceive things changes with time. We learn more. Our views evolve. We may descend from those who didn't perceive the world as we do today, but we don't have to own their views as our own.
We can be guilty of our own sins, rather than the sins of our ancestors.
So, how do we take this lesson and apply it to our world today, where so many are trying to hold us hostage to the past?
Times change.
We should be able to change as well.
More to come...