Hardly a day goes by without a report of a clash with an intruder. An elderly person is terrified as she confronts a burglar. A man in the prime of his days reacts robustly. He takes matters into his own hands and finds himself viewed as the aggressor, not the victim. Each time something like this happens we have to review our beliefs about property.
Proudhon famously said: ‘Property is theft.’ And there are those in this country who regard the population as still suffering today from the Normans’ grab for land and property in the days following the battle of Hastings in 1066. We acknowledge the ownership of land by virtue of conquest or inheritance but we are obliged to question how that ownership came about. It is not always a pretty story. In the colonial aftermath land ownership is a key issue.
In common sense terms we accept property rights. We favour the idea of a property-owning democracy. With help from a building society we work to own a house to live in. And when our ownership rights are violated, we protest.
Jesus accepted this understanding. We find in Luke’s Gospel (12.39) a casual reference to householders’ rights: ‘Remember, if the householder had known at what time the burglar was coming he would not have let his house be broken into.’ When he said this, he was urging his disciples to be ready for a divine visitation at any moment. That was the main point. What is interesting is his casual acceptance of the idea that a householder has a right to ensure the security of his property. The sidelight is as significant as the primary concern. Jesus is accepting the assumption that anybody who follows his teaching is not only a dependent creature but also a citizen with a citizen’s responsibilities.
HOYLAKE BUDDIES
St Hildeburgh’s church, Hoylake, Wirral operates a buddy scheme for the benefit of those living alone in lockdown. Shopping for food and medical items is on offer, as is a chat. The March ‘Weekly Beacon’ offers Easter goody bags via messy church. The Vicar is Paul Rossiter.
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