At a party I recently attended, a few people were chatting with a friend who serves as a police officer. The legal limits of alcohol were being discussed, and several were interested in what he had to say on the topic.
He shared scientific knowledge on reasonable limits as well as experiences in which discretion was used. He then clarified that if one really wants to be sure they’re OK to drive, they should have no alcohol at all. The truth in his message was obvious: just do the right thing.
The officer went on to clarify that, while discretion may exist from law enforcement, there is absolutely no discretion for him. As a representative of the law, he must never drink if he plans to drive a vehicle. Once again, everyone in the room seemed to understand this without question. One person even went so far as to say, “You are held to a higher standard.”
The whole conversation stayed with me the next day, as I pondered the idea of “a higher standard.” People in positions of trust (police officers, teachers, priests, physicians, parents, coaches, and the list goes on) are held to a higher standard in certain—or all—circumstances because they uphold positions of trust. One who enforces a law would have no credibility if they broke those very laws, just as one who proclaims to be religious but embezzles money or gossips profusely becomes known as a hypocrite.
In 2 Maccabees, we hear of the faithful man Eleazar, who refused to break the religious laws regarding eating pork. Even though death was imminent if he did not comply, he held fast to his “no pork” rules. People even went so far as to suggest that he should just pretend to eat pork to save his life, but he refused to do even that because of his honesty. He knew that others would see him and could follow this poor example.
Eleazar remained faithful to a “higher standard,” even though it brought a torturous death upon him. Integrity and example meant more to him than the easy way out or the use of discretion to bend the rules (2 Mc 6:18-31).
Obviously, we are all sinners, and many people—including some in the positions listed above—have let us down, either personally, by word of mouth, or even in the media. Sometimes, we are guilty of letting others down. This does not mean that forgiveness is impossible; however, once someone has broken a position of trust, they have damaged their reputation and any relationships associated with it. Damaged images and hurt feelings can take considerable time—even generations—to reconcile.
The readings for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time remind us that while Jesus sacrificed for our sins (Heb 10) and will save us from the “netherworld” (Ps 16), we must still have the strength to stand before the Son of Man at the end of time (Lk 21:36). Forgiveness is possible, to be sure, but since we do not know when our lives will end, it is critical to prepare for our eternal salvation.
This is why we must strive to live with integrity. By virtue of the fact that we are created in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:27), we are held to a high standard. Made by God out of love, we must mirror that love in the world. We are not only called to seek our purpose in life but to examine our consciences, seek forgiveness, reconcile with others, set positive, consistent examples, and ultimately prepare to answer for our actions.
Advent is approaching, and the readings will continue to remind us that the final judgment could happen at any time. We must prepare, since “of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mk 13:32). Whenever we aim to be the best we can be, we ready ourselves for the Second Coming.
We are imperfect beings; yet, those of us who recognize that we are created in God’s image, those of us who are baptized, those of us who claim to be Christian, must strive to live with the integrity of Eleazar. As overwhelming as this may seem, we are never alone. God is always there to support us as we hold ourselves to “a higher standard.”
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