In the first reading the prophet Elisha is conscious of the hospitality a woman provides and promises to reward her. Paul proclaims consciousness about a life before baptism and the rewards of a baptized life. Jesus begins his Gospel conscious of the violence done to peacemakers (“the cross”) but promises that rewards will come too.
A reward can be a motivating reason for our taking action. We want the good that will result from what we do for others or for ourselves, perhaps a better education or a better position at work bringing with it more money. The reward theory of Mimetic desire, which means an Imitation desire, asserts that we don’t really want the particular reward that we think we want. The reward we really want when we take action, is an elevated status in the eyes of the people around us, especially our heroes, whom we’re imitating. Thus, according to the theory, once we get any particular reward, we feel disappointed. We unthinkingly move on to the next desire which, whether rewarded by it or not, leaves us feeling disappointed – because we lack consciousness of the deeper status reward we seek. We seek to be the favorite son, the top manager, or the president. We are conscious of the rivalry in our pursuits, but not of our pursuit for status. The increased rivalry causes great social tension that needs to be released for peace to be restored. That happens by projecting all the rivalry and disappointment tensions onto a scapegoat. The scapegoat is judged guilty of all the tensions and then killed – relieving the great social tension, thus restoring peace – momentarily – because the cycle begins again. The author of this theory is Rene Girard. He believes Jesus is conscious of the cycle and breaks it by being an innocent scapegoat and therefore the final victim, “From the purely religious point of view… (Jesus) the final victim appears as a being who submits to violence without provoking a reprisal; a supernatural being who sows violence to reap peace.” The theory is nonsense, a convoluted continuation of patriarchy and Militarism: It universalizes patriarchal status pursuits and maintains patriarchs’ judgments against guilty scapegoats, for example women and minorities. It justifies Militarism, asserting violence as the means to restore peace. Given its patriarchy and Militarism, Rene Girard and his theory have great status, among patriarchs and Militarists, for example, Trump supporting Peter Thiel, whose protégé is Vice-President J.D. Vance. Both patriarchs tell scapegoating lies about women, for example, unmarried women with cats who don’t deserve the right to vote; and lies about immigrants, for example, Haitian ones who eat pets and don’t deserve the right to be in the U.S. Both Militarists practice violence across the world in their Palantir Technologies and U.S. Military and refuse consciousness of practicing genocide against Palestinians. Further evidence of continuing the patriarchal violence embedded in the Girardian theory, is Thiel scapegoating for ultimate guilt and thus violence, a young female environmentalist. Thiel is charging Greta Thunberg with being the anti-Christ! He defines the anti-Christ as “an evil tyrant or anti-messiah who appears in the end times.” Thiel’s been giving talks on the anti-Christ for a couple of years and has been naming Thunberg. Though recently he declared, “I don’t want to flatter (Greta) too much… with AOC, you can choose.” The lack of consciousness about the still violent patriarchy and Militarism waging war against us all, requires a peace revolution. As Jesus lets us know, the cross will be used against us but rewards will come too – we will know many kindnesses and ultimately a meaningful life and a peaceful world.
“won’t you celebrate with me what i have shaped into a kind of life? i had no model. born in babylon both nonwhite and a woman what did i see to be except myself? i made it up here on this bridge between starshine and clay, my one hand holding tight my other hand; come celebrate with me that everyday something has tried to kill me and has failed.” (Won’t You Celebrate With Me – Lucille Clifton)
Prayer: Beautiful Spirit, may I receive and create rewards of happiness and transformation.
Question: What is the rewarding life I am shaping and sharing with others?
June 28, 2026 Gospel Matt 10:37-42 Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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