Journal of Sacred Work

It's often safer to be in chains than to be free.  – Franz Kafka

 
  Perhaps the greatest chapter of The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevsky's immortal masterpiece, explores an ancient question: If Jesus returned, how would he be greeted? The chapter is entitled The Grand Inquisitor. In it, a parable describes Jesus' return to earth at the time of the Spanish Inquisition. Jesus performs miracles and the townspeople are amazed, affirming Jesus as the Christ. But, the local leader of the Inquisition has Jesus arrested as a fake and sentenced to death.
   On the eve of his execution, the Inquisitor comes to Jesus and says, loosely summarized: I know that you are actually Jesus and we don't want you here. We are in charge now. The truth is, people don't really want freedom. They prefer the relative comfort, predictability and safety of chains.  "Anyone who can appease a man's conscience," the Inquisitor says, "can take his freedom away from him."
   At first glance, the idea that people might prefer chains over freedom seems appalling. But a careful look at most of life experience says that is the choice many of us often make.

   We all say we want freedom. When it's offered to us, how are we inclined to respond? We are free to act from the freedom of Love, not from the chains of fear. How many of us stand up for Love when our job is threatened? How many of us live Love when it means we may face personal pain?

   Comfort is a powerful seductress. She often wins over conscience. Jesus represents conscience. The world offers many comforts. It requires a passionate commitment to high purpose to resist temptation. Indeed, the Grand Inquisitor criticizes Jesus for resisting each of the three temptations. For example, the Inquisitor ridicules Jesus for saying, "Man does not live by bread alone." Instead, he says, "Feed men and then ask them virtue."

   So many of us seem to have one set of values when we're well-fed and another set when we're hungry. Loving caregivers know that living love calls us to demonstrate strength and courage in the presence of others who may be afraid. Powerful leaders often prefer using their power to intimidate fearful caregivers.

   How can we nurture our strength so that we can live the Love that honors sick patients in the face of supervisor threats that may emphasize financial margin over caregiver mission? What would Jesus think about the culture of care where you work?

-Erie Chapman