When Loyalty Goes Too Far
Ascension TeamLoyalty is a powerful virtue—but can it become dangerous? Loyalty is seen as a sought-after virtue, even being the foundation of relationships. However, can loyalty be disordered? Can being loyal to the wrong things cost you your soul? Fr. Mike reveals to us that loyalty, when placed in the wrong order, is dangerous and can even lead to idolatry. What does your loyalty hierarchy look like?
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The shifting of loyalties is such a difficult thing sometimes. But I love this -‘disordered hierarchy’ so aptly describes the struggles that people feel when they start to feel left out as friendships and family relationships shift. So often, the product is jealousy, which can really destroy someone. My loyalty hierarchy would be… God, because he never gives up on me and his love is all encompassing. My family -husband, because we work on not giving up on one another —annoyed, irritated, frustrated yes, but giving up, no. My adult children, whose primary loyalties now lie with their beloved, and for one, her cat. I have my friends in there too, because I make keeping friends a priority. I don’t take having friends for granted.
FYI, loyalty can keep people alive, too. I’ve witnessed the brotherhood and sisterhood of soldiers, who’ve been through dangerous times. Without the unquestioning loyalty to one another, they never would have made it through. That loyalty continues decades after they’ve served. It’s a thing of beauty. (For more on that, read Sebastian Junger’s book WAR).
Thanks for the reminder!