Silent Slaves or People of Conscience

In the Old Testament reading, Abraham has slaves whom he takes to war as soldiers to kill enemies. Upon victory, an allied king, Melchizedek, who also uses slaves as soldiers, glorifies Abraham as God/Godly. Abraham gave the war’s plunder to his slaves/soldiers. “Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.” Melchizedek specifically tells Abraham, “Give me the captives.” What Melchizedek really wanted was more slaves.

Today is the feast day of Thomas More (1478-1535). More, Lord Chancellor of England, was a man who conducted business for two slave masters, Pope Clement VII and King Henry VIII. Like slave masters Melchizedek and Abraham before them, the King and the Pope comprise the master class that gains plunder from using people. The people, all slaves to varying degrees, were forced or coerced into loyalty to both rulers. Loyalty to each was usually proven in statements/creeds and in the payment of taxes. Thomas More pledged loyalty to both the Church–Clement and the State–Henry. Until one day when the King claimed he was master of a territory held by the Pope, dissolving a marriage. Henry claimed he was the supreme master of the State of England and the Church of England. Thomas refused to take an oath of loyalty to King Henry in his new dual role. But Thomas also refused to speak on the matter to avoid the charge of treason. More was relying on legal precedent that “one who keeps silent seems to consent.” King Henry used his advisor (slave) Thomas Cromwell and his Solicitor General (slave) Richard Rich, who each gained from More’s removal, to testify that More was treasonous. Some people viewed More as conscientious. Others, groomed to be obedient slaves, viewed him as a traitor. More was judged guilty. The King ordered his soldiers (slaves) to kill Thomas for the crime of disloyalty. The soldiers (slaves) obeyed and beheaded Thomas More. Rulers, to control their many territories, have always enslaved the people: in mind, in heart, in imagination. People’s identity, their means of livelihood, their very lives are held bound by the master class. In the U.S., we have been especially held bound by the self-titled Christian master class. Dictates, charges of treason, the lash, slave patrols, pledges of allegiance, mandating 10 Commandment plaques, curriculum control, loyalty pledges, higher taxes on the people, DOGE controlling worker productivity and data, the task master, the master sergeant, an oath “to protect and defend the U.S. against all enemies foreign and domestic,” “to obey the orders of the President and of the officers appointed over me,” “to do my utmost to encounter, engage, capture, or destroy any enemy.” We don’t have to ask if the police, sheriffs, and now soldiers in Los Angeles and other cities, will be loyal slaves to this current King’s deadly orders. We know they already are. They have been trained throughout history to be loyal. Will they all remain silent seeming to consent? To what degree can this King and his soldiers count on our loyalty, on our silence? We don’t have to ask what action this King and his loyal soldiers (slaves) will take against us if we are disloyal. Thomas More and other people attempting to live from conscience have given us the answer. But we do have to ask the loyalists we know, if they want only to be slaves or if they want to be persons of conscience like Thomas More and the Nazorean he tried to follow.

“Was he so bound, poor soul?’… So are we all… His gain is loss; for he that wrongs his friend Wrongs himself more, and ever bears about A silent court of justice in his breast, Himself the judge and jury, and himself The prisoner at the bar, ever condemn’d: And that drags down his life… With all his conscience and one eye askew, So false, he partly took himself for true; Whose pious talk, when most his heart was dry… Who, never naming God except for gain, So never took that useful name in vain… And Christ the bait to trap his dupe and fool.” (Sea Dreams – Alfred Lord Tennyson)

Prayer: Spirit, help us speak Truth loudly.

Question: To whom do I need to speak the truth about mistaken loyalty?

Jun 22, 2025       Gospel Luke 9:11-17     Body & Blood / Corpus Christi