There are several variants of the saying, “The good is the enemy of the better.” That particular saying reminds us of the temptation to settle, to feel content. Israel felt pretty good about herself — they had the law and the prophets. But their very goodness inhibited their ability to see the new thing God was doing in Jesus. The Pharisess felt good about themselves — they observed the commandments better than others. But Jesus challenged their external goodness so they would have an internal conversion. The Catholic Church feels pretty good about itself — over one billion members. That goodness hides the fact that millions are leaking out the back door and cause us to miss our new missionary moment. We can feel good about ourselves — we aren’t terrible sinners, we go to Church and say our prayers. But we can’t let that goodness prevent us from heeding the call to be better — more compassionate, more forgiving, more generous, more loving.
