Self-Reliance vs. Reliance on God

Homily for Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Ralph Waldo Emerson is regarded as one of the most important figures in American literary history. His essay entitled, “Self-Reliance,” is held up as an important exposition of the American cultural identity. In this essay, Emerson urges his readers to follow their individual will instead of conforming to social expectations. Although he began his adult life as a Protestant minister, he left the ministry and began to emphasize following one’s own voice rather than an intermediary's, such as the church. He posits the effects of self-reliance: altering religious practices, encouraging Americans to stay at home and develop their own culture, and focusing on individual rather than societal progress.

During my four years in college, I majored in English. As it happened, the comprehensive seminar for graduation in the year 1970, was taught by the professor of American literature. Most of the comprehensive exam was about nineteenth century American literature. We spent a great deal of time in our last semester studying Emerson and his fellow nineteenth century authors. At that time, we Franciscan Friars were still wearing our Franciscan habit when we attended classes. Needless to say, during that seminar class in the last semester of my college years, many of my classmates would look at me as we examined Emerson’s essays. Outside of class, when my classmates would ask me how I would counter Emerson’s arguments, I simply said, “In order to be able to pass this examination, I will have to be able to express Emerson’s line of thought. I won’t have to defend it or agree with it.” Indeed, there is very little of the Christian Gospel present in the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The “reversal of fortune” theme that we hear in today’s Gospel passage is, in fact, woven through the entire Gospel. The first shall be last. The last shall be first. The greatest shall be the least. The least shall be the greatest. If you wish to be the master, serve the others; for the servant will become the master. Rulers will be thrown down from their thrones, and the lowly will be raised up. The hungry will be well fed while the rich will go away empty. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Gospel of reliance upon God rather than self-reliance or reliance upon self.

Today we also begin to read the story of Job. Scripture scholars regard this particular book of the Scriptures as an amplification of the first few chapters of the Book of Genesis. By the time we reach the end of this story, Job will once again find himself a wealthy man surrounded by family and friends. The difference between the story of Adam and the story of Job is that while Adam succumbed to temptation, Job did not. Adam was self-reliant. Job relied on God. Perhaps Emerson simply didn’t understand the Gospel.