Dumb Ox

 Jesus said to the Eleven, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole of creation” (Mark 16:15).

             Since the time I started publishing my blog a few weeks ago, a number of people have asked me why I named it the Dumb Ox Society. The “Dumb Ox” was a term used to describe St. Thomas Aquinas (it was not meant as a compliment). I am neither as brilliant nor as holy as him. But one of the things which attracted me to Aquinas when I studied his ideas while I was in the Seminary was the expansiveness of his thought. He wrote not just on Philosophy and Theology but examined such topics as Law, Politics and Economics. He seemed interested in everything. In a world of hyper-specialization (especially in academia) perhaps he can teach us something.

            In this passage from Mark, Jesus tells his disciples to preach the Gospel everywhere. By doing so, he reveals his message to be inclusive rather than exclusive.

            Within the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament, there existed a tradition of thinking which viewed the outside world with suspicion. When the Israelites came into the Promised Land, they were told to drive out the people already living there and not intermarry with their neighbours (because they worshipped other gods). It was the Solomon’s marriage to foreign women which was seen as the cause of the introduction of pagan religions into Israel which eventually led to the division of the Jewish people into two kingdoms. After the Greeks conquered their territory and attempted to force Jews to adopt pagan ways, Judas Maccabaeus began a military campaign against them and their Jewish supporters. There were good reasons for the Jews to be suspicious of outsiders. They were a small nation often threatened by powerful neighbours such as Egypt, Assyria and Babylon. Northern Israel was conquered by the Assyrians and the entire country was taken over by the Babylonians. The Jews were slaves in Egypt for centuries and a large portion of them were exiled to Babylon for a long time. Throughout their history, extinction was seen as a real possibility for the Jewish people.

            Yet, there was also a more inclusive strand of thought within these Scriptures. According to Genesis, through Abraham all people, not just his descendants, would receive God’s blessing. Isaiah wrote that one day all nations would come to the Lord’s House in Jerusalem to learn from God and as a result universal peace would be established. In the Book of Jonah, God is merciful to the people of Nineveh (capital of Assyria, Israel’s enemy) when they repented. Jesus expanded upon this inclusivist strand by associating with outsiders in Israel. Christ touched a leper, which made him ritually impure according to the Jewish Law, ate dinner with a tax collector (Matthew), his friends and other public sinners and cured a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, which angered the Pharisees. He also ministered to people outside the boundaries of Israel including the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman because of the mother’s faith. When Jesus sent out the Twelve, he placed no limits on where they went or to whom they ministered. Finally, before he ascended into heaven, Christ instructed his disciples to proclaim his Gospel to all people. It was not to be confined to those of one religious tradition, language, nationality, race or culture. The message was universal or catholic in the real sense of the term.

            During a time when the Church and Organized Religion appear to be under attack from Secularism, it is tempting to move towards an exclusivist mindset. This means separating people into insiders and outsiders. Scientific, spiritual, social, political and economic developments are evaluated by how well they support one’s worldview. Anything which challenges one’s thinking is considered a threat to be eliminated. One clings to individuals who have the same opinions and ideas which makes one feel secure. Periods of rapid and significant change are always disturbing. However, at the time of Aquinas, the Christian worldview in Europe was also facing significant changes. People were moving from rural to urban areas. The economy was more commercial as trade increased and small industries expanded, The writings of pagan philosophers like Aristotle and Plato or Islamic scholars like Avicenna were being introduced into universities. The Church reacted by establishing the Mendicant Orders (Dominicans and Franciscans) in order to care for people where they were. Thinkers like Aquinas embraced the new ideas and identified how they could be used by our Catholic tradition. Our Church is at its best when it is outward rather than inward looking. I think that was one message of Vatican II. It can dialogue with practically every group of people when done with respect and in a sincere effort to share (not impose) the Gospel. This inclusivist attitude is also meant for all areas of human activity. The Church has an interest in all topics and can contribute something to the conversation. It has an Observatory in Arizona where astronomers from all backgrounds study the universe. It holds conferences on topics like human trafficking and cyberbullying which attract experts from around the world. It converses with those who influence culture like artists and members of the media through public events and statements. Likewise, individual Catholics should learn and interact with the world around them.

            I hope through my blog I can follow in the footsteps of the “Dumb Ox”. His view of the world was inclusivist: he embraced what he found in it and worked out how it could fit into his faith. I hope to do the same. Over time, I will try to explore many of the topics which impact our lives and show how the Gospel message is linked to them. I invite your comments because this is a journey we are all on together. I may make a few wrong turns along the way but I look forward to continuing the trip.

May 14, 2024