{"id":7375,"date":"2017-08-02T09:15:09","date_gmt":"2017-08-02T14:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/?p=7375"},"modified":"2026-02-26T13:40:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T19:40:56","slug":"a-troubled-conscience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/2017\/08\/02\/a-troubled-conscience\/","title":{"rendered":"A troubled conscience"},"content":{"rendered":"

On June 20, Pope Francis visited the gravesites of two Italian priests who were well-known for the ministry among the poor and their opposition to war. These men were prophets. When I think of someone like them, closer to home, it’s Joshua Casteel. Joshua grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, enlisted in the United States Army shortly after 9\/11, was trained as an interrogator, learned Arabic and interrogated about 130 prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.<\/span><\/p>\n

One day, a Muslim prisoner asked Joshua how he could reconcile his work as an interrogator with the command of Jesus to love one\u2019s enemies. Joshua felt the prisoner was a hypocrite but the question cut to his heart. It touched his conscience. Joshua started to ask how he could become a peacemaker and whether there is a path outside the cycle of violence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joshua became a conscientious objector and received an honorable discharge from the army in 2005. He went on to write plays and publish books about war and conscience and the Gospel call to love our enemies. He even went to divinity school and considered becoming a Jesuit. (I met him when I was a Jesuit novice.) In 2012, at age 32, Joshua died of lung cancer, despite never having smoked. His family believes the cancer resulted from his six months near a burn pit in Iraq.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"joshua-casteel\"
Photo courtesy joshuacasteel.com<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

God called Joshua to be a prophet, and he responded to this call.<\/span><\/p>\n

We are baptized into Christ who is priest, prophet and king. Today, we are invited to reflect on the call of a prophet and our own call to be prophets.<\/span><\/p>\n

God created out of love. There is abundance — enough for everyone. But there is also human greed, violence and broken relationships. God calls <\/span>prophets<\/span><\/i> to say \u201cThis world, this violence, is not what God intends. You were created out of love, called to love each other, even our enemies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremiah was born into this world of sin and injustice. People had turned from God and neglected the most vulnerable in society, widows and orphans. God chose Jeremiah<\/strong><\/a> to call people to fidelity. Jeremiah\u00a0protested, \u201cI am too young!\u201d God reassured him: \u201cDo not be afraid of them, for I am with you … See, I place my words in your mouth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

God told Jeremiah to announce to the people \u201cReform your ways, or disaster will come upon you.\u201d It was not a popular message! People plotted against him. Jeremiah was scourged and imprisoned. He remained faithful to his call, but was persecuted. He was dejected and angry.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremiah laments: \u201cYou duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped.\u201d Jeremiah wanted to quit. (He tried to run away three times.) But, he said, \u201cI must cry out.\u201d The call is \u201cas if fire is burning in my heart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremiah was able to express his grief, anger and questions to God. Can we? In the end, Jeremiah praised God (\u201cSing to the Lord, praise the Lord\u201d). Even when we do not understand what is happening, and we are angry with God, can we also trust God and praise God? When we gather to worship, we can express doubt, lament, pain and anger. These feelings are part of a journey of faith.<\/span><\/p>\n

What injustice in our world, our neighborhoods, troubles your conscience?<\/span><\/i> For Joshua Casteel, it was the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, the violence of terrorism <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> the U.S. response: the \u201cwar on terror.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What about for you? What troubles your conscience? The deep division in our society and the lack of charity and dialogue? The lack of respect for life from conception to natural death? A \u201cjustice\u201d system quick to send people to prison, separating fathers, mothers and children from their families? An economic system that creates a great disparity of wealth? Violence against women in its many forms: street harassment, rape, exclusion?<\/span><\/p>\n

Are you angry that God does not seem to intervene? Can you express that anger to God?<\/span><\/p>\n

To be a prophet is not the call of a few. We are all baptized into Christ who is priest, prophet and king. What is the fire burning within you? How is God inviting you to respond, in small ways or large ways? How are your gifts and professional skills at the service of those most in need?<\/span><\/p>\n

In the Gospel according to Matthew (10: 26-33<\/strong><\/a>), \u00a0Jesus commands two things: \u201cfear no one\u201d <\/span>and <\/span><\/i>preach boldly: \u201cspeak in the light,\u201d \u201cproclaim from the rooftops\u201d). Jesus reminds us: God cares for each insignificant sparrow. How much more for you! God knows and loves you and sends the Spirit to empower and strengthen you in your prophetic call. How will you respond?<\/span><\/p>\n

Note from the editor<\/span><\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>This blog post is a version of a homily that Father Luke Hansen, SJ, preached at the Church of the Gesu on June 25, 2017 (Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

ABOUT THE RABBLE ROUSER<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luke Hansen, SJ<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Luke-Hansen-SJ\"Originally from Kaukauna, Wisconsin, Luke Hansen, SJ, has been a friend of Sister Julia\u2019s since 2004 when they met at an airport on their way to serve in the\u00a0<\/span>Jesuit Volunteer Corps<\/a>\u00a0in California. Passionate about justice and peacemaking, much of his experience in ministry has been centered on serving adults and adolescents who are incarcerated. In October, he will begin a licentiate in sacred\u00a0theology at the\u00a0<\/span>Pontifical Gregorian University<\/a>\u00a0in Rome. (<\/span>Photo credit:<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>www.jesuits.org<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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A troubled conscience<\/a><\/blockquote>