The Fundamental Option

Gospel: Luke 12: 54-59

We human beings are obsessed with forecasting and predicting future events and outcomes.  From the weather to the stock market to sports betting we have created entire industries and sciences dedicated to outcome prediction.  And yet when it comes to the ethical and spiritual life we have entirely neglected these fields for similar exploration and development.  We do not develop our interior conscience, the innate power we have to do such work, and so we are left rudderless in these areas.  

The reason for this incongruence is simple.  In the areas of weather, stocks, and Vegas betting we are pursuing profit and our own self-interest.  We seek advantage for ourselves to acquire more money, position, power, influence, and stuff.  But in the ethical and spiritual life it is the opposite.  There we must give up our egos and self-interest for the good of others; we must let go even of our precious stuff - and this we are not willing to do.

And so we would rather pursue a case in court for our self-interest, knowing we will almost certainly lose, rather than settle with our opponent and seek to help both our enemy and ourselves.  We would rather commit untold crimes of war and economic competition rather than share the land and its plenty with others. Which is the way of Jesus? Which is the way to authentic human life?