Here's the story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7744282.stm
So, in a nutshell, back in 1966, when the Beatles were a worldwide sensation, John Lennon made a remark comparing the Beatles' popularity to that of Jesus Christ. The church took umbrage at that.
Now, about 28 years later after Lennon's death, the Vatican has found it in its heart to forgive the rocker.
H.G. Wells has been quoted as saying, "Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo." I believe that the Vatican was suffering some jealousy over its failure to have relevance with the youth culture back then.
I think it's the Vatican that should be asking Lennon's forgiveness.
In his incarnate days, Jesus was never out to win any popularity contests. He said, "My kingdom is not of this world." Yet, ever since Constantine made Christianity the official state religion of the Roman Empire (some suggest this was the death knell for Christianity as a true expression of Christ's teaching), Christianity has been anywhere from concerned to obsessed with concerns that are very much "of this world," namely politics, war, commerce, and other pursuits linked to the acquisition of money, power, and influence. Christ, in his day, forbade people from referring to him as a messiah -- even showing discomfort with the title of "teacher." Perhaps his reasons were self-preservation, since Christ probably knew that Rome didn't look favorably upon upstart movements that could be seen as challenging its authority. True as this may be, he frequently reflected people's light back to them: "Your faith has healed you," not "I have healed you."
All of this points uncomfortably to the recent furor in California over Proposition 8, which would write the definition of marriage as a heterosexual union into the state constitution. Churches claiming Christ as their leader came out very heavily in favor of this proposition, which passed (and is now being challenged). It also points uncomfortably to some Catholic dioceses (regional organizational jurisdictions) whose bishops demanded penance from anyone voting for Obama, since Obama is "pro-Abortion," according to them. Never mind that more Catholics (54%) voted for Obama than McCain this time around.
In a brilliant statement about love, St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians, stated:
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Cor. 13: 4-7)
Whether we belong to a church or not; whether we believe in the God we were raised with or not; whether we're comfortable with people whose highest love is reserved for their own gender or not; and whether we agree or not, let us always put love first.
For if our first and highest purpose is love (notice I'm saying "love" and not "tolerance"), not for somebody but for everybody -- especially those with whom we're not comfortable -- then what kind of world will each of us create around ourselves?
I welcome your comments.
