Joseph: A Parable for Today | The Dog's Bollocks

July 14, 2008 • 9:39 pm 3

Joshua: A Parable for Pell

Cardinal George Pell I have been reading Joshua – A Parable for Today by Father Joseph Girzone. My son left it here on a recent visit, as is his way. It is a parable of what might happen if Jesus appeared among the residents of conservative small town America. An engaging story for anyone with theological bent. Some might say it’s a little obvious, but hey, we are talking the life of Jesus here so you can’t deviate too far from the script. And anyway it is one priest’s insight into the mores of contemporary Christianity, and as such his fictional portrayal of Joseph is both insightful and reverential.

As Joseph becomes known and loved by all the people he meets, the Catholic Bishop is Joseph’s first unpleasant run-in with clerical authority. Given the media’s current obsession with the Catholic LoveFest in Sydney at the moment, and the unfortunate profile of Cardinal Pell, tonight’s reading was serendipitous indeed.

Joshua was visibly angry. “They are not your people,” he said sharply. “They are God’s children, and as God’s children they are free.

It is shepherds like you who have stripped God’s people of the freedom and joy they should experience as the children of God and returned them to the status of slaves, no longer free to follow their own consciences, or to listen to their inner voices, or even the voice of God.

It is shepherds like you who are so taken up with your own authority that you resent people even talking to others about the things of God without your permission.

It is men like you who have destroyed the good name of Jesus’ message and have bound up people’s lives in shackles and fear of punishment, not because you care for people, but merely to protect your authority.

Jesus taught his apostles to love and to serve, but you have never loved your people because you cannot love in the normal way men love. You rule them and force them to serve you instead.”

Couldn’t have put it better myself.