Sunday, August 8, 2010

Ninteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C

LUKE 12:32-48
WHEN YOU CHECK YOUR EMAIL, YOU PROBABLY GET A NOTICE IN BROKEN ENGLISH ABOUT ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK TELLING YOU THAT A NIGERIAN LAWYER HAS SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS JUST SITTING THERE WAITING FOR YOU TO CLAIM. IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, YOU DON'T REPLY, YOU JUST DELETE. WE AMERICANS ARE PRETTY SUSPICIOUS ABOUT GETTING SOMETHING FOR NOTHING. WE READ ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SCAMMED AND LOST THEIR LIFE'S SAVINGS.
BUT JESUS TELLS US TODAY THAT WE ARE BEING OFFERED SOMETHING FOR NOTHING – THE KINGDOM WHICH THE FATHER IS PLEASED TO GIVE US. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A THING; WE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE HIM OUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER OR SEND A FINDER'S FEE.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A CATCH. WE MAY HAVE THE KINGDOM, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, CERTAIN THINGS ARE EXPECTED OF US.
THE KEY IS IN THE VERY FIRST WORDS – “DO NOT BE AFRAID ANY LONGER”. HOW MUCH TIME DO WE SPEND BEING AFRAID? I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SHAKING IN OUR BOOTS FEAR. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PARADE OF CONCERNS THAT ARE ALMOST NATURAL TO US, AND THAT GO WITH LIVING IN OUR WORLD. I WONDER WHAT THAT NEW PAIN IN MY ARM IS? I AM GOING TO HAVE TO GET MY CAR TO THE SHOP. I HOPE I HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THE BANK TO COVER MY BILLS THIS MONTH. I WISH MY DAUGHTER WOULD CALL. LIKE BACKGROUND MUSIC, THESE LITTLE FEARS OR CONCERNS DANCE THROUGH OUR HEADS, DISTRACTING US, TORMENTING US, KEEPING US FROM BEING FOCUSED. SO JESUS BEGINS BY SAYING, “HERE IS A FACT. YOU ALREADY HAVE THE KINGDOM. THERE ISN'T ANYTHING TO FEAR.”
AND ONCE WE CLEAR AWAY THE FEARS, HE SAYS THAT INSTEAD OF SPENDING SO MUCH SPIRITUAL ENERGY ON ALL THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT WILL NEVER MATTER IN THE LONG RUN, SINCE WE ALREADY POSSESS THE KINGDOM, WE CAN LIVE THERE, WE CAN PUT OUR HEARTS THERE, AND KNOW THAT WHAT WE DO IN THE KINGDOM IS PERMANENT; IT WILL BE LIKE A TREASURE THAT NEVER FADES AWAY.
A STORY: IN A VILLAGE LIVED A HANDYMAN, AND ONE NIGHT AN ANGEL CAME AND SAID “I'VE COME TO BRING YOU TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.” THE HANDYMAN REPLIED, “COULD YOU COME BACK LATER? I HAVE TO FIX MY NEIGHBOR'S ROOF; SHE'S A WIDOW AND CAN'T DO IT HERSELF.” THE ANGEL LEFT. A WHILE LATER, HE RETURNED. THE HANDYMAN BEGGED OFF AGAIN, SAYING, “I DON'T WANT TO SEEM UNGRATEFUL, BUT I PROMISED TO HELP A FARMERS GET IN HIS CROP. HE BROKE HIS LEG AND CAN'T DO IT HIMSELF.” THE ANGEL LEFT AGAIN. THIS WENT ON FOR YEARS, UNTIL FINALLY THE HANDYMAN WAS OLD AND TIRED. THE ANGEL APPEARED AND THE HANDYMAN SAID, “I'M READY NOW. TAKE ME TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.” THE ANGEL LAUGHED. “WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'VE BEEN FOR THE LAST FIFTY YEARS?”
AND JESUS CAUTIONS US. IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE READY. SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE READY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN WE ARE GOING TO DIE OR WHEN OUR WORLD WILL END, AND IF WE ARE CAUGHT UNAWARES, WE COULD BE REALLY SORRY, SORRY FOR ALL ETERNITY. BUT I THINK JESUS IS SAYING LIVE AS THOUGH EVERY MINUTE IS YOUR LAST, BECAUSE THEN YOU WILL LIVE FULLY, YOU WILL TREASURE EVERY MOMENT YOU ARE GIVEN; YOU WILL JUDGE ALL YOUR ACTIONS BY THE STANDARD – IS THIS WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING WITH THE PRECIOUS TIME I'M GIVEN, WITH THE FINITE ENERGY I HAVE? IT'S A GREAT WAY TO EXAMINE YOUR CONSCIENCE.
ONCE A FRIAR ASKED SAINT FRANCIS WHAT HE WOULD DO IF HE FOUND OUT THAT HE ONLY HAD A DAY TO LIVE? HE REPLIED, “FIRST, I'D FINISH HOEING THIS GARDEN.” FRANCIS HAD EXAMINED HIS OPTIONS IN THE LIGHT OF THAT POSSIBILITY, AND DECIDED LONG BEFORE THE QUESTION WAS POSED, THAT THIS WAS WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO AT THAT TIME. IT ISN'T THAT WE HAVE TO DO SPECTACULAR OR PROFOUND THINGS; IT'S THAT WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF HOW WE USE OUR TIME, HOW WE SPEND OUR ENERGY. EVEN HUMBLE TASKS ARE AT HOME IN GOD'S KINGDOM. RECREATION IS ESPECIALLY AT HOME, BECAUSE ONLY IN RECREATION CAN WE APPRECIATE BEAUTY, WHICH IS A MAJOR ATTRIBUTE OF GOD. WE ARE ALL AWARE OF USING TIME BADLY. I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU A LIST, BECAUSE IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, AND YOU ARE, YOU ALREADY KNOW WHEN YOU ARE “WASTING” TIME; AND WHEN YOU WASTE TIME, YOU ARE NOT READY FOR THE KINGDOM.
AND FINALLY, JESUS TELLS US THAT IF WE ARE GIVEN MUCH, MUCH IS EXPECTED OF US. JESUS HAS JUST USED THE IMAGE OF THE MASTER MAKING HIS FAITHFUL SERVANTS SIT DOWN AT THE BANQUET AND THEN WAITING ON THEM. NOW HE INDICATES THAT THIS IS THE ROLE OF HIS FOLLOWERS AS WELL – TO DISTRIBUTE THE FOOD ALLOWANCE AT THE PROPER TIME TO ONE'S FELLOW SERVANTS. IT'S A GREAT IMAGE. WE CAN USE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR FELLOW SERVANTS, OR WE CAN ABUSE THEM BY IGNORING THEIR NEEDS, BY HOARDING WHAT WE HAVE ACCUMULATED. SO I HAVE ONE MORE STORY.
A RICH UNCLE LEFT A YOUNG COUPLE A MILLION DOLLARS. THEY TALKED ABOUT IT AND DECIDED THAT SINCE THEY DIDN'T EXPECT IT, AND SINCE THEY HAD GOOD CAREERS AND WOULD PROBABLY NEVER REALLY NEED THE MONEY, THEY WOULD GIVE IT AWAY. SO THEY WENT TO THEIR PASTOR AND OFFERED TO GIVE IT TO THE CHURCH. THE PASTOR TOLD THEM HE WOULDN'T ACCEPT IT, AND THEY WERE NOT TO GIVE IT AWAY TO ANYONE ELSE, BUT RATHER, GO HOME AND THINK ABOUT IT SOME MORE. SO THEY DID. THEY WENT BACK AND SAID THEY HADN'T CHANGED THEIR MINDS. THE PASTOR THEN TOLD THEM THAT IF THEY REALLY DIDN'T WANT THE MONEY, THEY SHOULD GIVE AWAY A LITTLE AT A TIME, ALL THROUGH THEIR LIVES, BECAUSE THEY WOULD DO A LOT MORE GOOD FOR OTHERS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR THEMSELVES THAN IF THEY GAVE IT ALL AWAY AT ONCE.
TODAY'S GOSPEL IS ABOUT LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. DON'T LOSE YOUR FOCUS; YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING THAT MATTERS, THE KINGDOM. SINCE THAT IS THE CASE, CONCENTRATE ON WHAT ADVANCES THE KINGDOM, NOT ON THINGS THAT DON'T MATTER; LIVE AS THOUGH EACH MINUTE IS YOUR LAST – NOT BECAUSE EVERY MOMENT HAS TO BE SPENT IN PRAYER AND GOOD WORKS, BUT BECAUSE THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO JUDGE HOW YOU USE YOUR TIME; AND REMEMBER THAT IF THE MASTER IS GOING TO RETURN AND WAIT ON YOU, YOU SHOULD WAIT ON EACH OTHER UNTIL HE COMES. ISN'T THAT A GREAT GOSPEL? ISN'T THAT GOOD NEWS?