The Fruits of Extortion by Melanie Rigney (@melanierigney)

The Fruits of Extortion by Melanie Rigney

Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

For the LORD is one who always repays, and he will give back to you sevenfold. But offer no bribes, these he does not accept! Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion. For he is a God of justice, who knows no favorites. (Sirach 35:13-15)

To the upright, I will show the saving power of God. (Psalm 50:23b)

Peter began to say to Jesus, “We have given up everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first." (Mark 10:28-31)

Piety

Lord, I tremble in thinking of the number of times I’ve had the temerity to “demand” things from You in exchange for my obedience. Please forgive me.

Study

Maybe you’ve gotten them too, those email threats that you know are scams but seem so real. I’ve been foolish enough to open a few, warnings that people have videos of me I wouldn’t want others to see or that there are a number of bombs set to go off in the building where I am. The “remedy” is to send the scammers around three thousand dollars. I suppose past experience has shown them that that’s about the top price they can actually expect to get as fruits for their extortion.

God gets a lot of those threats too, a lot of them:

·         “I’m never going to Mass again if You don’t heal my spouse.”

·         “Show me Your love. Make them give me that promotion.”

·         “Why isn’t God doing something about these problems in the Church? I’m done with Him.”

Imagine that, us trying to extort earthly things from the Father who desires to give us everything. All He asks in return is for us to love Him, others, and ourselves, and to show that love in our actions and our words. He’s not running a scam, but the best bargain any of us could ever dream of.

Action

Consider your Lenten plans. Are you offering freely… or are there places of spiritual bribery and extortion in your almsgiving, prayer, and sacrifice?