Forming & Guarding our Conscience

Recently I have been reading C.K. Stead's book “My Name Was Judas” You may be familiar with the Bible stories of Jesus as told by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In his novel, C.K Stead retells this story through the eyes and mind of Judas. As a novel I found the story sometimes unsettled me and I wanted to put the book to one-side. However, as the story progressed, I found my interest grew as Stead wove a story that begins with Judas growing up alongside Jesus. He goes on to include the years they shared together through the brief period of Jesus ministry, that ended with his trial and crucifixion.

Along the way Stead writes of their friendship and rivalry, uncertainty and inquiry, endurance and loyalty. However, the story doesn't end with Jesus death. They discovered the essence of Jesus' life and teaching continued in their lives and conversations – as he does in ours if we are interested and curious enough to become engaged in what he was seeking to live and teach.

In the unfolding of his novel, Stead refers to many of the Gospel stories including the role John the Baptist played. He also includes the grizzly death of John the Baptist as recounted in this Sunday's Gospel reading¹. It's a sad and shocking interlude that Mark used to fill the narrative between Jesus sending his disciples out on mission, and their reunion with Jesus on their return.

The events around John's untimely death are very much a story of the sanctity of human life where every person has an innate human dignity (and conscience) which Herod failed to value, and chose to ignore. In contrast, John the Baptist shaped and lived by his conscience, and allowed to be daily formed through his knowledge of their sacred traditions and enriched through the time he spent in prayerful devotion to God,

The story is more than an ancient story. It challenges us to consider how do I, or how do we, form and guard our conscience? John and Jesus lived a life that had been shaped through time spent in prayer and in reading and studying their sacred scriptures. I wonder what ways do you use to shape and form your conscience?

Some years ago Karen Armstrong, the prolific author and thinker on faith and the major religions, was involved in calling together a multi-faith and multi-national group of religious thinkers and leaders called The Council of Conscience. Their goal was to help formulate a document called 'The Charter of Compassion²'. Their hope was it might help transform people's attitudes towards the way they lived. It was a vision of a world in which all life could flourish; a world in which compassion might be encouraged at every level. This big dream depended on connecting, cultivating, and encouraging networks of compassionate action that would encourage and inspire the people of the world to “honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect”.

As we know, such a vision is easier said than done. Changing attitudes doesn't happen overnight. However, the following suggestions were offered and you may find they offer food for thought:

1. Commit yourself first thing in the morning to allow the God-in-you to express love to others in little acts of random kindness.

2. Remind yourself when you see someone in need, that 'Just like me this person is seeking happiness.' 'Just like me this person knows sadness and loneliness.' 'Just like me this person is loved by God.'

3. Imagine how the person in (2) above might feel. This is one way to awaken the capacity for empathy.

4. Respond with some simple act of practical kindness – in other words: become involved.

5. Review: Each night take a few minutes to think of the people you have met and how you have treated them. Pray for them. Ask yourself: ''What have I learnt?'' ''What could I have done differently?''

And finally There is a cost because it will take time and practice as Mother Teresa once said:

“Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”³

Phil (14 July 2014)

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1July 14, 2024

2 Charter for Compassion https://charterforcompassion.org/what-we-do/

3 ( https://excellencereporter.com/2019/02/21/mother-teresa-on-love-life-and-purpose/)