Of Checklists

Note: On Tuesdays and some Sundays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.

Checklists are wonderful, aren’t they, when they’re manageable? Get 10,000 steps in each day. Get the oil changed in the vehicle every X number of miles. Replace the furnace filter every X number of months. Keep up with your lists, and you reduce the likelihood of a heart attack, a malfunctioning vehicle, or a high energy bill. We like

By Phillip Medhurst (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

On the surface, organized religion has a lot of checklists too: go to church once a week. Tithe. Pray at least X times per day. Keep up with your lists, and it’s smooth sailing to heaven, right?

Except that we’re told in today’s readings it’s just not that simple. Paul tells the Galatians that a follower of Christ isn’t about whether a man’s been circumcised; it’s about “faith working through love.” Jesus tells the Pharisees in Luke 11 it’s not about following the rules about pre-meal washing; it’s about helping our brothers and sisters and the inside of our souls.

There’s nothing wrong with checklists if we keep them in the right place—and are willing to put them aside as the Lord asks. Opportunities to show love and obedience trump the checklist every time.

Tagged as: Catholic, cursillo, galatians 5, jesus and the pharisees, Luke 11, the inside of the cup, Your Daily Tripod