Posted on 05/12/2016 7:19:37 AM PDT by Salvation
In the Gospel for Mass yesterday (Wednesday after Ascension), the Lord said that the world would hate and persecute the disciples and He thus prayed that we would be consecrated in the truth. In the first reading, St. Paul warned the presbyters that after his departure “savage wolves” would seek to mislead the faithful. We hardly ever talk like this today, but there is a great battle for our hearts and minds. How seriously do we consider this battle?
There is also a tendency today to trivialize and reduce the human person. One of the ways we do this is by claiming that it doesn’t really matter what people think or believe; all that matters is that they behave well. For example, we think that if a man is a good citizen, pays his taxes, doesn’t beat his wife, and is kind to children and animals then it doesn’t matter what he believes. But this trivializes us, because we were made to know the one, true God. We were made to know the truth and, knowing this truth, to be set free (Jn 8:32). God’s plan for us is more than just that we behave well from some humanistic perspective. He offers each of us a complete transformation: a new mind and new heart, attained through personal knowledge and experience of Him. Now all of this will surely affect our behavior, but we must be clear that God is offering us much more than just being considered nice in the eyes of men and getting along with people.
One of the ways Scripture expresses what God is offering us at a deeper level is the appeal to the mind that so frequently occurs in the New Testament. The very first words of Jesus as He began His public ministry announced the invitation to receive a new mind. Sadly, most English translations do not adequately capture what the Greek text actually reports Jesus as saying. Most English renderings of Jesus’ opening words are “Repent and believe the Good News” (cf. Mark 1:15; Matt 3:2). The most common meaning of “to repent” is to reform one’s behavior, to do good and avoid evil, to stop sinning. But the Greek word used in the text is far richer than this. Μετανοείτε (metanoeite) most literally means “to come to a new mind.” It comes from meta (hard to translate perfectly into English but often indicating accompaniment, change, or movement of some sort) and nous or noieo (meaning mind or thought). Hence metanoeite means thinking differently, reconsidering, coming to a new mind. So what the Lord is more fully saying is “Come to new mind and believe in the Good News.”
Thus Jesus is not merely saying that we should clean up our act, He is inviting us to come to a new mind, which He alone can give us. If we think differently we will surely act differently. Hence metanoeite can and does include the notion of reformed behavior. But notice that this reformed behavior is the result of a new mind. If we think differently (by the new mind Christ will give us) we will start to see things more as God does. We will share His priorities, His vision. We will love what He loves. We will think more as He does. This, then, will effect a change in our behavior.
There is a famous quote (attributed to various sources) that goes, “Sow a thought, reap a deed. Sow a deed, reap a habit. Sow a habit reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.” Notice how it all begins with the mind. Our mind shapes our decisions, habits, character, and ultimately our destiny.
The mind is the deepest part of the human person. It is not always possible in Scripture to perfectly distinguish between the words mind and heart. Sometimes they are used interchangeably, and at other times distinctively. But for our purposes here, the mind can be understood as quite similar to the heart in that it is at the deepest part of the human person, where thought, memory, imagination, and deliberation take place. The mind is not to be equated merely with the brain or the intellect; it is deeper and richer than these. The mind is not simply a function of the physical body, but rather involves the soul as well. The mind is where we live, think, reflect, ponder, remember, and deliberate.
Hence, in appealing to the mind, God is offering a transformation of the whole human person, for it is from within the mind and heart that all proceeds forth. Good behavior is a nice goal, but God does not trivialize us by trying to reform only our behavior. He offers us much more: to transform us.
Thus, what a person thinks and believes does matter. In these hyper-tolerant times, in which tolerance is one of the few agreed-upon virtues remaining, we like to brush aside the details. We are almost proud of ourselves for affirming that people can think and believe whatever they want as long as they behave well. Well, perhaps a person is free to think whatever he pleases, but we are foolish if we think that this does not ultimately influence behavior. Our dignity is that we were made to know the truth and thus to know Jesus Christ, who is the truth and the only way to the Father (Jn 14:6). Hence our dignity is not just an outer transformation but an inner one as well. In fact, it is an inner transformation that leads to an outer transformation.
Below are a few more Scripture passages that refer to the mind as the locus of transformation and as the main battleground where grace must win. Without a transformed, clear, sober mind we will give way to sin and bad behavior. Transformation begins with the mind. My comments on each text are in blue.
The lyrics of this song (“Caribbean Medley” or “I’ve Got My Mind Made Up,” by Donnie McClurkin) say, “I’ve got my mind made up and I won’t turn back because I want to see my Jesus someday.”
Monsignor Pope Ping!
So it’s the mind that’s responsible for sin. On the other hand, it’s supposed to be Satan.
Seems like a lack of standards to me. But without God there are no standards.
When monotheism is broken, things can get pretty confusing.
In the entire universe, where was this devil before Man became able to abstract information from his mind?
Seems all Man has to say is that, “The Devil made me do it.”
Thanks, Salvation. Msgr. Pope always gives us so much to think about!
Another great essay. Thank for the ping.
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