The Four Idols
The Anti-Beatitudes
As I am writing this, today is the 4rth Sunday of Ordinary time and Septuagesima Sunday in the Traditional calendar. The Gospel for today in the new Missal is Matthew 5:1-12, commonly known as the Beatitudes. Today’s Reflection in the Exodus 90 program focused on the days Gospel reading and I don’t think I have ever read a better treatise on the Beatitudes than that of Father Boniface Hicks. Focusing on the first four for the “Blessed are” statements, Father Hicks goes into detail about the four opposing positions of these virtues. Identifying them as the Four Idols, he lists out:
Money
Power
Honor
Pleasure
He challenges us to look interiorly to discover which of these idols bring us the greatest temptations. At first glance I quickly accused myself of Pleasure. The material things of this world, entertainment, delicious comfort food, drink. I figured that was my number one as I don’t consider myself someone who cares much what others think of me (Honor), don’t find exhilaration from wielding power over others, nor chase money for social status. But after reading Father Hicks explanations of these idols, I found a deeper wound in all of these.
To begin with, Power is rooted in control. It can be controlling people, it could be controlling situations, or controlling outcomes. We can imagine that if we have enough power, everything will go as we plan them. Everything will be fine. This is the opposite of the beatitude of meekness. Father states, “It is an unfortunate word in English, because meekness does not mean weakness. The virtue being described is the mean in anger—not wimpiness, not aggressiveness, but a properly controlled anger.”
Secondly, Money is not just chasing after it to gain material things, influence or power. The idol of money comes also from the security one puts into having enough money. One could imagine that, if I have enough money, nothing bad can happen to me. Or at least, when bad things happen, I will have enough money to weather the storm, pay for the health bills. The opposite beatitude is embracing poverty of spirit.
Thirdly, Pleasure is the opposite of the beatitude of hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Instead of a holy thirst, we satiate ourselves with the self-gratification of the things of the world and the things that satisfy the body.
Lastly, the is Honor. This is the opposite of the Beatitude of Blessed are those who mourn. We usually associate mourning with the loss of a loved one, but the Greek term is more closely connected to repentance. Seeking honor comes with a refusal to see oneself as they are and repenting of their sin. We should mourn our sins.
All of these forced me to reframe my view on these four idols and see the true root of this list for me. The root is control. Chasing after power, money and honor are all a temptation for me because I want to control the outcome of my life. When I can not control life, I fall to the temptation of pleasure, thinking as least I can make good with the money, honor or power I have accumulated while failing to control the outcomes of life.
This perspective was very eye opening for me. It may hit you with a completely different result. But the one thing I can take away is this. The devil is craftly. He will tempt you from angles you may not even perceive. This can make you focus on an area in your life that isn’t exactly where the battle is being won or lost. Always look for the root not at the symptoms. It takes purpose. Fight the good fight my friends.
To Jesus through Mary,
Rich