By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Wow. What a tempest in a teapot this whole Elon-Musk-buying-Twitter thing has stirred up. For some it seemed as joy-filled as the Second Coming, and to others like the end of the world.

Hyperbole and overreaction seem to be the order of the day these days, or at least what’s reported in the media. Of course, most people fall between the extremes—of left and right, of “liberal” and “conservative”, etc.—somewhere along “the average” in ways of looking at things—having a more reasoned and open-minded view. Most people realize that any good idea or theory must not be protected from tests, but rather welcome challenges so as to prove its veracity.

Likewise, it is good to distinguish between that which is truly valuable and that which is simply entertainment or of no lasting worth. One example is the epidemic spread of pornography, even as destructive as it is to psyche and relationships. Or, how many lives/relationships are totally ruined by debt on things which are nothing more than toys or posturing of wealth? We expect attention-getting behavior of young people, such young men displaying like male birds to win females; that’s the thing with flashy cars and the like. But, as older should be wiser, should we not grow out of juvenile attention-getting and discern what is truly of value?

So, who can we emulate in our efforts to value that which is valuable rather than valuing that which is worthless … the trivial over treasure? Hmmm…

Oh, look! November 1 is coming, which means: All Saints Day!

The saints, of course, ARE saints because they DID focus on the valuable. Yes, yes … we Christians recognize their utter devotion to God, but even the non-Christian/non-theist can look at their examples and see that they chose the valuable over the valueless—goodness, charity, selflessness, compassion, forgiveness of faults, etc. That doesn’t mean they were perfect by any means, but it does mean that they made the seeking of goodness and holiness the guiding principle of their lives.

Some favorite saints can be known by the number of churches that have them as their patrons. You’ll find Elizabeth of Hungary often—the princess of Hungary who herself chose simplicity and self-sacrifice in her desire to assist the poor and the sick. Or St. Martín of Peru, a lay Dominican brother of African descent who was widely known for his selfless charity. Many churches are named after the various apostles, of course, for their courage and dedication in spreading the Gospel of Jesus even to their own persecution and martyrdoms—a Gospel which highlighted (highlights!) kindness and forgiveness, charity and love.

In fact, the apostles’ lives are some of the most convincing testimonies of the truth of Jesus, His works and His teaching, as all but one apostle gained the martyr’s crown dying for the truth of what they had witnessed. One has to wonder: Why do that if they knew Jesus and His works were deceptions? And how could these simple country bumpkins have been so successful in spreading Jesus’ Gospel around the Mediterranean and, over the millennia, around the world? Hmmm….

Valuing persons over things, and the other over the self, are not only the two bedrock principles for being a good person and valuing the valuable, but of Jesus’ teaching; the wise who heard the Gospel realized this truth. As the saying goes, humility and goodness do not come from thinking less of yourself, but of yourself less; in fact, our greatest joys come from helping others. As St. Paul writes of his own goal: “No one should seek his own advantage, but that of his neighbor… I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many…” (1 Corinthians 10:24,33), and “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:4-5)

And Paul himself puts his deeds where his mouth was. As a young man he was an up-and-coming religious leader with a bright and lucrative future, and yet he not only gave it all up in order to spread the Gospel of Jesus, but “…five times…received forty lashes minus one … three times beaten with rods …  stoned … three times shipwrecked … passed a night and a day on the deep … on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from [his] my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers…” (2 Corinthians 11:24-26) This is not even to mention his imprisonments.

And, of course, Jesus is the very exemplar of virtue—He who gave up even His very life for the benefit of humanity. For as He testifies of His mission: “… the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many …” (Matthew 20:28), and “I am among you as the one who serves.” (Luke 22:27)

So, how do we value the valuable? Simple; simple, though not easy. We must ever swim upstream against the relentless current of selfishness and self-interest. What are we to do?

Value one another.

Or, as Jesus put it: “Love one another.” (John 13:34)

————–

“ … walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us … “ (Ephesians 5:2)

Editor’s note: Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.