Reflection - Ignorance

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102517.cfm
Romans 6:12-18
Luke 12:39-48

Not every Scripture awakens a ready response or an immediately perceived line of reflection. Not every Scripture has a "pop-up" red flag suggesting that pondering this word, or that phrase, or the sequence of events is a meaningful endeavor. Such was the case for me as I perused the readings from Romans and Luke. Paul’s teaching seemed ordinary. Luke’s record of Jesus’ instruction and parable makes clear that both were specifically directed to the disciples; and even more specifically to the disciples who were or who would be in positions of authority. Still, my reflection for the day is sometimes impeded by my own blindness; and, although the verse, "the servant who was ignorant of his master's will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly." struck me as humorous, or even a bit strange, there seemed little worthy of serious reflection. Apparently this was one of those times when a knock on the head is more useful than words. I’ll come back to that in a minute.

“Ignorance is bliss.” Is one of those well worn idioms we use to excuse our ignorance, or to say that a person who does not know about a problem does not worry about it. Politicians have astutely refined the practice of willful ignorance for the purpose of being able to express "plausible denial." Ordinary individuals may studiously fortify their ignorance. After all, keeping current with family, local, or national news is possibly dismaying, even stressful. Information about the troubles in the world seldom arouses feelings of happiness or joy. Those who are true believers in the message of the idiom may even achieve the desired warm, fuzzy state through the practice of simple denial. Many disturbances to my peaceful condition can be avoided with ignorance. Ignorance is bliss. There seems to be one area of life, however, where ignorance carries only marginal benefits. We heard about that in the readings. 

That servant who knew his master's will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely.

On the other hand, the servant who acted badly but was ignorant of his master’s will “shall be beaten only lightly.” Like I said: marginal benefits.

All of this brings me back to the point brought up earlier: the point about the knock on the head sometimes being more useful than words. In this particular case the Spirit arranged for a knock on the head to dislodge the rose colored glasses that insured my blindness to his word. The incident for the ’knock’ was minor, but instructive. I was engaged in conversation about the details of a project at a time when my thoughts were kicking around my dissatisfaction with an entirely different aspect of the project. My counterpart in the conversation was apparently offended and later asked my wife why, in our exchange, I couldn’t be kind. I didn’t know I hadn’t been. (Ignorance in this case was not bliss.)

Fortunately my wife relayed the thought to me and I later apologized. Still, the incident and the reading reminded me, first, of my own deficiency in being sensitive to the attitude I am conveying when I speak. But second, and more important, it reminded me how much I need the guidance of the Spirit if I am going to engage in sensing, knowing and correcting those things which are not of Jesus. I will only remain ignorant of my participation in the seeds of evil if I am unwilling to confront those parts of my life where God is not present. Such ignorance is not bliss.