SELF-CONTROL

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 9^th Monday in Ordinary Time is, “Self-Control”.

That word, “self-control” appears two times here in 2 Peter 1:6  - part of today’s first reading. It’s the English translation for the Greek word “egkrateia”.  The root word is “kratos” strength - power - control.

MAJOR LIFE ISSUE

Control is a major life issue.

What are your thoughts about the issue of control. I think it’s worth thinking and talking about it from time to time.

Control: who has the wheel? Who is doing the driving?  The other person might be doing the driving, but sometimes the other is a back seat or other seat driver?  If you’re not the driver, do you find yourself trying to control the driving. Do you tend to say, “Slow down! You’re driving too fast.”  When we have these automatic cars - how will those who need to be in control deal with that?

So control, being in control,  power and who has the power around here, are main life issues.

SOCRATES

When reading up on this, I read someone saying that three disciples or followers  of Socrates, Plato, Xenophon and Isocrates - developed and moved the idea of egkrateia - from control to self-control. They moved the meaning of egkrateia from power over things - and others  - to self-discipline - self-control - in dealing with oneself.

So self-control is also a major life issue.

It takes in control of our own passions - emotions - drives - feelings - and instincts

It’s worth thinking and talking about it from time to time. How about today for 3 minutes in this homily?

THE ENCRATITES

In the second and especially the 3^rd century there were people who were labeled and called, “The Encratites.”

They were called heretics by the church - as well as by various church writers and teachers.

The issue of controlling one’s passions is often a life issue.

Another group that got into control issues were the Manichaes.

Augustine was a Manichaean  for a while.  

They and the Encratites were very strict when it came to sex - publically.

Privately could be another story.

Encratites went against marriage - and alcohol - etc.

They went out of existence.

I love to quote Groucho Marx’s words, “If your parents didn’t have any kids, chances are you won’t either.”

It could be stated, “If your parents didn’t have sex, chances are you are not here today.”

I remember visiting the Cloister in Ephrata PA. They practiced celibacy. Surprise they went out of existence.

Religious orders in the Catholic Church practice celibacy.  Our story is that we have to get members from the married folks amongst us. It prevents inbreeding: priests and nuns having children who become priests and nuns and on and on and on.

STRICT SELF CONTROL

We have all met or sensed people in our church who were off on self-control.

It shows up in clothing at times - for example in the issue of modesty.

We see this in Islam right now - with women having to cover themselves almost completely.

I remember going to the Vatican twice and women had to cover arms and men couldn’t wear shorts - but had to buy paper pants for the moment.

I’m not going to get into this - because it can be a button pusher  - yet it’s part of the issue of self-control - the issue I noticed  there in today’s first reading.

CONCLUSION

I like the idea of moving the issue of self-control to self - as opposed to being on the lookout for modesty and purity police.

So I think history teaches us that the finger pointing better go towards self - as in self-control - compared to controlling others.

I also have experienced that sometimes the strictest persons in our church and our world might be fighting themselves - but they think they are fighting others. I am not surprised when the ultra-sexuality police are sometimes caught messing around on the side.

The image that has always hit me is that of those Styrofoam pool things. The further you push them down into the water in the pool, the more powerful is their shooting up out of the water. The more people deny they are emotional, sexual, feeling, eating people, the more we might mess ourselves up.

Let me end there. I think that’s enough already.