Recently, I saw a news headline that said, “Ego lifting leads to head injuries.” The headline attracted my attention because I didn’t know what the term “ego lifting” meant. I wondered if this was a brand name for a new cosmetic surgical procedure. I tried to imagine how a face lift, or similar procedure, could lead to a head injury. 

The news article explained that increasing numbers of head injuries were being reported by young people (mostly men) while exercising at gyms and fitness centers. Apparently, “ego lifting” is the nickname for unwise attempts to lift more barbell weight than one is capable of lifting safely. The head injuries result when a lifter is unable to complete a lift and subsequently drops a heavy barbell on his head.  

After reading the news article, I understood the meaning of the recently coined term. “Ego lifting” is the condition of having too much ego, too much weight, and not enough ability or good sense. In religion, there is an analog to ego lifting. 

For at least the past few centuries, there has been a phenomenon in Catholicism that is the rough equivalent of trying to lift more weight than is wise to do. It has become an ingrained habit for Catholics to judge other Catholics as less than sufficiently Catholic. These judgments are based on a perception of an inadequate commitment to faith or morality in the lives of those being judged.  

It is too heavy a weight to lift to make the judgment, “N. (fill in the appropriate name) isn’t really Catholic because they do (or don’t do) the thing that I value highly.” This judgment is religious ego lifting for the obvious reason; in John’s Gospel, Jesus allowed judgment of others by those who have no sin. He said, “Let the one among you with no sin be the first to cast a stone.” (Jn 8:7)  

Most people, at least in their more reasonable moments, would agree that sinlessness is too heavy a burden to try to lift. Today’s Gospel reading provides an alternative to religious ego lifting. 

Jesus’ instruction to the disciples about the forgiveness of sins might seem unrelated to the story of “Doubting Thomas,” but the two narratives are connected directly to one another. A week after Easter Sunday, the assembly of disciples admitted Thomas to their company despite his refusal to believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead. Thomas rejected their witness and their belief, but they did not reject Thomas; their choice was to forgive Thomas’ sin of unbelief. 

The disciples’ forgiveness allowed Thomas the only available opportunity to experience the presence of the Risen Lord, namely, the assembly of the faithful. The story of Thomas’ conversion experience serves as an example of the type of forgiveness that Jesus commissioned his disciples to grant to sinners. Forgiveness of unbelief is a ministry that the Church is required to perform for its members, even today. 

“Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (Jn 20:23), is no statement of sacramental theory; rather, it is instruction about how to live in a Church and a world composed of fallible humans. Wisely, Jesus forbids us from religious ego lifting because, inevitably, we will find ourselves in need of the forgiveness we grant (or deny) to others. This is very true in the Church, as it is composed of many members with varied backgrounds and experiences. It is equally true in family relationships and friendships. While it is easy and tempting to want to rid oneself of voices and opinions that might cause confusion or conflict, it is never wise, merciful, or faithful to do. 

Admittedly, Thomas came late to faith in the resurrection, but he was able to do so only because he was allowed to join the assembly of disciples with his sin of unbelief forgiven. If you think the Church or the world will benefit from more division and disagreement, then the extreme sectarianism that is the religious equivalent of ego lifting makes perfect sense. If, on the other hand, you prefer less estrangement and more reconciliation, it makes good sense to avoid more ego, greater burdens, and harsh judgment. 

Jesus said, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (Jn 20:23) I’m counting on having my sins forgiven rather than retained; that expectation requires me to avoid ego by allowing others the forgiveness I desire for myself.