Not me!  I didn’t do it.  I’m not responsible.  Have you heard this before?  It is very common today, especially among public officials.

We are responsible for our words and actions.  To blame others or things for what we have done is irresponsible and sinful.  We must face our mistakes and faults.  Without doing this, we embrace cowardice and  opportunism.  Blaming  someone else is often a cynical attempt to get the advantage by denying the fault.

Without taking responsibility for our shortcomings and sins, we are not able to repent.   True repentance require a knowledge of sin. Without repentance there is no forgiveness.  Without forgiveness there is no salvation.

We are afraid that accepting responsibility means admitting our weakness to the advantage of an opponent.  Taking the blame is a no-no in politics; but, politics is not a guide to the truth.  We remember what President Truman had on his desk in the White House:  “The buck stops here.”  This is extremely brave compared to the behavior of our present leadership of both parties. Politics involves the gaining of power. Truth has a small space or no space here.  Power as the world sees it is not the desire of the Christian. The Christian’s power is that of the cross–an apparent defeat that is in fact a victory.  The cross is found in its’ breaking the thrall of sin, death, and the power of the devil. The power of the Christian is found in humility (which is strength, not weakness).  The Christian is a servant whom God calls to help the neighbor.  Christians are not mostly concerned with worldly success, but faithfulness to Christ.

We can not be perfect.  If we were, we would not need Christ.  To claim perfection is to deny Christ and His work of salvation.

We must own our responsibility after evaluation of any situation where it is relevant.  “Judge not, that you be not judged.”(Matthew 7:1 ESV)  And “Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye.”(Matthew 7: 3 ESV)  Clear the log so that you can see.

Blame is not usually a good thing.  Most times, we must put aside blaming, and evaluate if we are blameworthy.  If we are honest with ourselves about this matter, we certainly have matured in our Christian faith.  When blame is appropriately assigned to another, we direct our attention to the spiritual healing of that person, not his destruction.

 

Michael G. Tavella

September 14, 2024

Holy Cross Day