St. Anthony the Abbot Catholic Church

Growing in Christian maturity, both as individuals and as a community, is hard work, and it lasts our whole life long. God assists us with His grace, but He doesn't do it all for us. It's like being an artist. God gives artists the gift of artistic talent, but the artist has to take responsibility for developing it, and that is hard, painstaking work. But since the vocation of the artist is to make beautiful things and since beauty can never be exhausted, true artists never stop this process of development.

Michelangelo worked on the Dome of St Peter's Basilica in Rome nonstop for the last twenty years of his life, from age 68 to 88, when most people are relaxing in retirement. When he was in his late eighties, he allowed younger artists to assist him in his sculpture studio, something he never permitted in his earlier years. Though he was an old man, when he got out his hammer and chisel he worked so furiously that he would finish more in a few hours than his assistants were able to do in a week. They said that sometimes as he worked, even in his 80s, the speed and passion with which he chiseled and carved his marble blocks, would make it look as if it were snowing inside the studio.

That's what being a Christian is like. We are called to keep sculpting Christ's image in our souls our whole life long. Our lives are living works of art. Christ is infinite wisdom, goodness, and courage - we are fallen and finite, so there will always be more to do in our efforts to follow Him and become like Him, more blocks of marble in our lives and community, that we need to chisel into works of art that give glory to God.

Becoming a mature Christian is a life-long process, both for us as individuals, and for us as a Christian community. In order to interfere with this process, the devil likes to tempt us to spend a lot of time in useless complaining and criticism. The sign of useless complaining and criticism is when we express our complaints and criticisms to people who have no power to do anything to improve the situation.

Imagine if the Greek-speaking Christians in the First Reading had just grumbled to each other about their mistreatment, and had never gone to the Twelve Apostles. The problem would never have been resolved, and their resentment would have festered and led to bitter conflicts and maybe even divisions. Likewise, in our parish life, in family life, at the office, or at school, whenever there is a problem, the proper Christian response is not just to vent, but to actively seek a solution.

Christians are not called to be whiners; we are called to be winners, and that means working to solve problems, not just wallowing in them with useless complaining and criticism. Useless complaining and criticism is an easy habit to fall into, because it gives us a false sense of superiority. It can become a spiritual cancer. Whenever we complain and criticize, we are putting ourselves in judgment over others. That feeds our innate tendencies to vanity.

It also gives us a sense of power, since our criticisms damage peoples' reputation. The people we complain to will inevitably have a lower opinion of the people we complain about after they listen to our complaints.

Jesus has every right to complain about and criticize us, but He doesn't; instead, He is merciful, constructive, and patient. To become mature Christians, wise and joyful Christians, we should follow in His footsteps.