SHOWING HONOR

SEPTEMBER 2, 2007

One of the most fundamental ingredients of Christian love is to have a respect, even reverence, for every human being. There can be no love without reverence. This is made evident by St. Paul, who, in his letter to the Romans 12:9 10, says, "Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; anticipate one another in showing honor."

How are we to express this brotherly love concretely? According to St. Paul, by anticipating one another in showing honor. What does it mean to show honor and respect? Showing honor first requires recognition of the other person's dignity and worth. Next, it requires a loving appreciation and approval of this worth, and esteem for this value. Finally, it requires that we express this esteem by some sign or mark of appreciation and approval.

In a way similar to Hemingway's famous line to the effect that a bell isn't a bell until it's rung, a song isn't a song until it's sung, and love isn't love until it's given away, we could say that honor is not honor until it is shown in some practical way. Appreciation and esteem should not go unexpressed. To borrow from the Lord's teaching, the light should not be hidden under a bushel basket (cf. Mt 5:15).

The reason for showing honor is that every person is created in God's image and likeness, is loved with an eternal love, and was redeemed from sin by the blood of Christ. No matter how badly a person has distorted God's image by sin, he or she is still called to the glory of God's children, and perhaps that call will be heard and recognized only if and when we show the kind of honor Jesus Christ himself showed to all during his earthly life.

It is not difficult to feign respect. But to show respect sincerely is a great challenge. St. Paul helps us meet it by saying he carried out his ministry "in the Holy Spirit, in unaffected love" (2 Cor 6:6). These two things go together: sincere love and the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul was able to love sincerely because love was formed in him by the Holy Spirit. Likewise, we cannot possess or give sincere love unless we allow the Holy Spirit to form it in our hearts. "God's love is poured out into our hearts by the Holy spirit who is given to us" (Rom 5:5). Christian love proceeds from our hearts and from the Holy Spirit as from one source.

When we honor and respect others, our daily dealings with them become signs of our respect for them. So, abusive language, profanity, lustful talk, attempts to take advantage of them in business or in social life are completely ruled out. All these are insults to human dignity. To use profanity or obscenity or abusive language in someone's presence is a sure sign that I do not hold that person in very high esteem.

St. Paul says this: "Therefore, putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another... Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear... Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Eph 4:25 32).

Because the treasure of our dignity as God's children is carried in earthen vessels (2 Cor 4:7), we tend to see only the lowly vessel, not the treasure inside. As a result, we must work from faith and love the other so as to win from him a return of love. This return of love makes the other person more lovable, and that is our goal: to help the other person by the honor we accord him or her to become the dignified and loving person God created him to be. Calling someone to be this will not produce the desired result, only love for that person will achieve the desired goal. And love begins, again, by showing respect and honor for an individual.

+Bishop Raymundo J. Peña

last updated 05-Jun-2008 9:48 sitemap