GUILT

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 16 Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Guilt!”

Guilt is tricky stuff – so let me see if I can get my hands on some of it – knowing this is a lifetime puzzle.

I noticed in today’s first reading the word “guilt”, when the prophet, Micah, says, “Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin ….” [Cf. Micah 7: 14-15, 18-20],

It triggered the memory of a good quote on guilt that I read just last week somewhere. But where? I began searching and finally found it. It’s from Archibald MacLeish [1892-1982] in his 1958 play, J.B., which stands for Job – the Bible Job. The quote:

“Guilt matters.
Guilt must always matter.
Unless guilt matters the whole world is
Meaningless.”
Now that’s something to reflect upon: the impact and importance of guilt.

FIRST READING FROM MICAH

Obviously guilt is a card that is part of the deck and we have to deal with it from time to time. So we heard in today’s first reading from the ending of the book of the Prophet Micah, Chapter 7, verse, 18, “Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt….” Then in verse 19 Micah pictures God burying sins in the depths of the sea.

Obviously the sea, the ocean, is a better place to dump one’s sins than to try to bury them in our backyard or in the woods or at a garbage dump. If we could bury stuff underground, there might be obvious markers. At sea this is much more difficult. However, with these underwater cameras, the image of burying our sins at sea weakens a bit.

In the meanwhile, it seems to be a human trait that people want their sins hidden like a cat hides her mess – like people walking into a court house with their coat over their head – like people burying their hands in their faces after they discover they blew it.

People who make mistakes then want not only the memory of the sin they committed removed, but they also want the guilt from their sins removed. Shakespeare put Lady Macbeth on stage to show all this – the woman who is forever trying to wash off her hands the blood of Duncan the King whom her husband murdered – especially because of her instigation.

If I heard anything as a priest, it’s that people don’t forget the mistakes of their life. People have trouble accepting God’s forgiveness – as well as other’s forgiveness. Guilt remains. They might say a thousand times, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us….” but those words seem to remain on the lips or just the word level – and don’t seem to seep into the deepest feelings and memory level of the human person.

So for many people, mistakes – and then the guilt that follows – are written in indelible ink on the walls of their souls.
Now in one way, guilt and the remembrance of our sins are good. They can keep us humble. They can give us understanding of others who mess up. They might get us not to sin – because we don’t like the aftertaste and regurgitation of sin.

Once more isn’t that a bit of what the poet Archibald MacLeish. was saying when he wrote,

“Guilt matters. Guilt must always matter.
Unless guilt matters the whole world is
Meaningless.”

Guilt matters. Guilt is necessary. People ought to feel guilt if they have abused children or covered such horrors up. People better feel guilty about sloppy procedures when drilling for oil. People ought to feel guilt if they have hurt others or other’s reputations. People ought to feel guilt for sins of omission – and neglect.

So we need to be conscious of our impact on this world and each other. So I’m not talking about “popcorn” type sins here – those rash, quick thoughts and judgments we make on each other – or distractions in prayer or what have you. I’m taking here about the big stuff.

THE DIANE REHM SHOW
Last Thursday morning July 15, 2010 – 11 to 12 – on the Diane Rehm National Public Radio Program there was a whole show on the issue of apology – and the 3 experts she had as guests were saying there are phony apologies and authentic apologies.

Guilt hopefully gets us to apologize – to try to make things right.
Guilt hopefully gets us to realize when we have done something harmful, stupid, nasty.
That same program was repeated again Sunday morning. I hope some of you caught it. If you use Google, and want to still catch the show, just type in the search box, “Diane Rehm NPR” and see if you can get it. Just look at the options on the screen. Look for the word, “Apology.” Then listen to the radio program. Good stuff.

Or see if this works:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-07-18/apology-rebroadcast
I don’t remember them using the word “guilt” or even the word “sin”, but they did say a key item is that the person who makes the mistake, the person who commits the sin, needs to realize that he or she has significantly hurt the other person or lots of persons.

One comment the panel mentioned that is disastrous to say is, “If I have hurt you….” Or, “If I have hurt anyone, I’m sorry.” No if’s. The issue here is to see and know and become aware of what we have done or have not done – and it’s wrong. The program talked about people who have hurt people and guilt helps us realize we did just that.

Then the two steps and sometimes three steps that need to follow,

The first step is to go to the person and apologize – to say, “I am sorry”, to say, “I really messed up and hurt you.” The better one is aware of what the other or others had to go through because of my behavior is key. They advised that the best way to do this is in person, not by phone or e-mail.

The second step – which is often missing is the commitment – in both word and action. I will not do this again. This is the action step – the follow up step – the behavioral change step.

A third step is the restitution step – what I will do to compensate – to make up for – in my attempts to try to restore order.

MOVING TOWARDS A CONCLUSION: TWO TYPES OF GUILT

In today’s first reading Micah talks about God forgiving us our sins – as well as the guilt we feel. I’m talking in this homily about the importance of guilt – experiencing that – as well as the wonderful forgiveness God can give us.

So I’m saying that there are two types of guilt. Good guilt and bad guilt. I’m talking here about good guilt.

Now there are two types of bad guilt. There’s the guilt we should not be feeling because what we did or say wasn’t bad enough to take on the amount of guilt we have taken on. This type of guilt is a self centered guilt. It’s also found in the type of bad guilt that happens after we committed a serious sin – but once more the only person we’re really only thinking about is self and the bad feelings that come with sin – not really being aware of what we have done to others – but only concentrating on oneself.

In this homily I’m talking about good guilt – the kind of guilt Archibald MacLeish talked about in his poem – meaningful guilt.

This is often forgotten by folks. Catholic Moral Theology has always taught that God can as Micah says here, take away our guilt, forgive us our sins, but it also teaches about reparation and restoration and reconciliation – and trying not to being repeat performers.

Bonheoffer would use the phrase “cheap grace” for this wrong kind of understanding of forgiveness.

Last Thursday, one of the guests on the Diane Rehm Show talked about the difference between Protestant and Catholic apologies for forgiveness. The Protestant Tradition has the person standing up and speaking out his confession of sin; the Catholic Tradition has the person going to confession – a private moment between priest and penitent.

Yes, but we Catholics also have the community confession and prayer and the beginning of each Mass – and in Penance Services.

But what is not mentioned are the steps after confession. Confession is wonderful – especially if we cannot go to another – especially if it will make things worse. Confession can be also be tough but what seems to be often missing is the firm purpose of amendment.

And lastly what people often forget is the message: be reconciled with your brother and sister, and confess your sins to one another – and start again – and this often means restitution – reconfiguring the human covenant we have with each other.

+

Someone asked for a copy of this weekday homily. It was a bit long and a bit unclear in my opinion and I tinkered with it a bit after preaching it. Here it is - something on Guilt - Second Draft.