Friday, August 19, 2005
I LIKE country music. There’s a song out now where Trace Adkins explains why HE likes it. The song’s called “Songs About Me”. He says “cause it's songs about me and who I am, songs about loving and living and good hearted women and family and God.” I think Jesus is probably a country music fan because a lot of the songs are about God.
For example, two brothers, Johnnie and Donnie Van Zant, recently recorded a song called “Help Somebody.” Johnnie and Donnie are two of three Van Zant brothers, all former members of rock ‘n roll bands. The late Ronnie was a member of Lynard Skynynard. Donnie was a member of .38 Special. Johnnie was part of a revival version of Lynard Skynard for thirteen years, taking his brother’s place. But in 1998, the two remaining brothers formed a country band. It’s a long way from Lynard Skynard and .38 Special to singing songs about loving and living and good hearted women and family and God.
But, in their current song, called “Help Somebody” they reminisce about their grandpa and grandma. One line in the song says, “stick to your guns if you believe in somethingno matter what, cause it's better to be hated for who you areThan loved for someone you're not.”
What a great thought. In the Gospel today, Jesus says that the greatest commandment is to love God and the second is to love one another. “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Down through the ages, how many Christians have been hated for who they were? It still happens today. Martyrdom is alive and well. But an even better question might be how many Christians have pretended to be something else in order to be loved? The most obvious example is probably the politicians who claim to be Christian, but vote to allow the murder of innocent, unborn children. But, there are a lot more of us who pretend to be something we’re not in more subtle ways.
We love our neighbor, but we look the other way when we see a homeless person. I love you, but don’t try to cut in front of me in line at Dierberg’s. I love God, but I can’t make it to Sunday mass because I’ve got tickets to the ball game.
Jesus tells us to love one another, but He doesn’t tell us that we should sell out to popular culture so others will love us. If we need an example, all we have to do is look at Jesus himself. A lot of people hated him for who He was and now He sits at the right hand of His Father.
If we want to join Him, we would do well to remember, “it’s better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you’re not.”
For example, two brothers, Johnnie and Donnie Van Zant, recently recorded a song called “Help Somebody.” Johnnie and Donnie are two of three Van Zant brothers, all former members of rock ‘n roll bands. The late Ronnie was a member of Lynard Skynynard. Donnie was a member of .38 Special. Johnnie was part of a revival version of Lynard Skynard for thirteen years, taking his brother’s place. But in 1998, the two remaining brothers formed a country band. It’s a long way from Lynard Skynard and .38 Special to singing songs about loving and living and good hearted women and family and God.
But, in their current song, called “Help Somebody” they reminisce about their grandpa and grandma. One line in the song says, “stick to your guns if you believe in somethingno matter what, cause it's better to be hated for who you areThan loved for someone you're not.”
What a great thought. In the Gospel today, Jesus says that the greatest commandment is to love God and the second is to love one another. “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Down through the ages, how many Christians have been hated for who they were? It still happens today. Martyrdom is alive and well. But an even better question might be how many Christians have pretended to be something else in order to be loved? The most obvious example is probably the politicians who claim to be Christian, but vote to allow the murder of innocent, unborn children. But, there are a lot more of us who pretend to be something we’re not in more subtle ways.
We love our neighbor, but we look the other way when we see a homeless person. I love you, but don’t try to cut in front of me in line at Dierberg’s. I love God, but I can’t make it to Sunday mass because I’ve got tickets to the ball game.
Jesus tells us to love one another, but He doesn’t tell us that we should sell out to popular culture so others will love us. If we need an example, all we have to do is look at Jesus himself. A lot of people hated him for who He was and now He sits at the right hand of His Father.
If we want to join Him, we would do well to remember, “it’s better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you’re not.”
posted by Mike at 6:27 PM
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