LUKE 17:11-19
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP I ATTENDED ST. HELENA GRADE SCHOOL IN HELENA MONTANA – NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE. I WAS TAUGHT BY THE SISTERS OF CHARITY OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, AND FOR MOST OF MY GROWING UP I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS SISTERS. I REMEMBER ONCE IN RELIGION CLASS WE HAD GONE THROUGH THE FOUR TYPES OF PRAYER – ADORATION, THANKSGIVING, PETITION, AND PENANCE – YOU MAY REMEMBER THOSE – WHEN, AS AN EXERCISE, SISTER MARY LORENTIA TOLD US TO GO THROUGH THE PRAYERS OF THE MASS AND IDENTIFY WHICH ONES BELONGED TO WHICH CATEGORY. AND WHAT I FOUND IS STILL TRUE TODAY. THE ONLY PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING IS THE PREFACE, THE PRAYER JUST BEFORE THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER.
EVEN IN THE MASS, THANKSGIVING MAKES UP ONLY A SMALL PART OF OUR DIALOG WITH GOD. THE WORD “EUCHARIST” COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD MEANING THANKSGIVING, AND YET WE ARE MOSTLY ASKING FOR THINGS, REPENTING OF OUR SINS, OR PRAISING GOD.
TODAY WE HEAR THE STORY OF THE TEN LEPERS. ONLY THE SAMARITAN RETURNS TO THANK JESUS FOR GETTING HIS LIFE BACK. I CAN SYMPATHIZE. I TAKE CARE OF CANCER PATIENTS, AND WHILE MY ULTIMATE SUCCESS RATE IS NOT AS HIGH AS I'D LIKE, THERE ARE PATIENTS WHO WOULD NOT BE ALIVE IF IT WEREN'T FOR MY ATTENTIONS, AT LEAST IN PART. AND YET, BEING THANKED IS A RELATIVELY RARE THING FOR ME AS A PHYSICIAN, JUST AS IT SEEMED TO BE FOR JESUS WHEN HE WAS HEALING. WHAT GOES THROUGH THE MINDS OF PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE A GREAT GIFT AND DO NOT THANK THE GIVER? WHAT WERE THOSE OTHER NINE LEPERS THINKING? MAYBE ONE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE CURE WOULD LAST. MAYBE ONE PLANNED TO GO BACK LATER AND THANK JESUS, BUT HAD MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO – AFTER ALL HE HADN'T SEEN HIS FAMILY IN SEVERAL YEARS. MAYBE ANOTHER THOUGHT THAT HIS LEPROSY HAD BEEN GETTING BETTER BY ITSELF. SOMETIMES WHEN SOMEONE RECEIVES A GREAT GIFT, LIKE A HEALING, THEY RESENT THE HEALER; IT HAPPENS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY. BUT I IMAGINE THAT IF YOU WERE TO ASK ANY OF THEM, THEY WOULD HAVE SAID THEY WERE GRATEFUL – IT JUST DIDN'T OCCUR TO THEM TO PHYSICALLY THANK JESUS.
GIVING THANKS, EITHER TO OTHER PEOPLE OR TO GOD HIMSELF, IS THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN GIVE THAT DIDN'T COME TO US FIRST. EVEN GOD CAN NOT MAKE US THANK HIM, BECAUSE THANKSGIVING WELLS UP FROM THE FREEDOM WHICH IS AT THE CENTER OF OUR NATURE AS HUMAN BEINGS.
SOMEONE ONCE STUDIED MEN IN PRISON AND DISCOVERED THAT THOSE WHO SAID “THANK YOU” WHEN SOMETHING WAS DONE FOR THEM HAD A MUCH HIGHER CHANCE OF GOING STRAIGHT ONCE THEY GOT OUT. THE ONES WHO DID NOT OR COULD NOT OFFER THANKS ENDED UP BACK IN JAIL. MAYBE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE TRULY FREE IN THEIR HEARTS CAN REALLY GIVE THANKS.
WHAT DID THE SAMARITAN GET FROM THANKING JESUS? HE ALREADY HAD HIS HEALING, AS HAD THE OTHER NINE. I'M SURE HE WASN'T ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR SOMETHING. WHEN WE THANK SOMEONE SINCERELY, WE AREN'T CONSCIOUSLY TRYING TO GET SOMETHING MORE. BUT WHEN WE SAY THANKS, WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING AND DEEPENING A RELATIONSHIP WHICH BEGAN WHEN THE OTHER PERSON GAVE SOMETHING TO US. TO FREELY GIVE A GIFT TO SOMEONE DOES NOT REALLY PUT THAT PERSON IN THE DEBT OF THE GIVER – IT MAY FEEL LIKE THAT, BUT REMEMBER, IT IS A GIFT, NOT A LOAN. A FREELY GIVEN GIFT IS ALWAYS AN ACT OF LOVE. AND WHEN WE THANK SOMEONE WHO HAS GIVEN US A GIFT, WE ARE ACCEPTING THEIR LOVE AS WELL AS THEIR GIFT. AND TO ACCEPT LOVE DOES MAKE US VULNERABLE, BECAUSE IT BINDS US TO THE ONE WHO LOVES US.
I FIND IT HARD TO SAY THANKS – NOT HARD, I GUESS, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER TO THANK PEOPLE FOR THE LITTLE THINGS. I SHOULD THANK MY WIFE A LOT MORE OFTEN FOR EVERYTHING SHE DOES FOR ME. I SHOULD THANK MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN JUST FOR BEING THE GOOD PEOPLE THEY ARE. I SHOULD THANK FATHER REILLY FOR HIS SUPPORT AND PATIENCE AND HIS DEVOTION TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS PARISH. I CAN THINK OF MANY PEOPLE I SHOULD THANK, AND DON'T. AND IF YOU ARE HUMAN, YOU CAN AS WELL.
WHEN YOU EXCHANGE THE SIGN OF PEACE TODAY, OFFER YOUR THANKS. I'M SURE YOU CAN THINK OF SOME REASON TO THANK THOSE PERSONS. IF YOU CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER REASONS, THANK HIM OR HER FOR BEING AT MASS, FOR BEING A MEMBER OF SAINT MARY'S.
AND WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST, REMEMBER THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING IN THE MASS, AND YOU'VE ALREADY SAID IT. AND NOW YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE GREATEST GIFT THAT GOD COULD GIVE YOU, HIS SON, IN THE FORM OF BREAD AND WINE, AND MAYBE THE REASON FOR THERE ONLY BEING ONE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING IN THE MASS IS BECAUSE GOD HOPES THAT YOU WILL CHOOSE TO THANK HIM FROM THE FREEDOM HE GAVE YOU, AND WILL LINGER A FEW MOMENTS AFTER MASS TO OFFER YOUR GRATITUDE. WHERE ARE THE NINE? WERE THEY NOT HEALED AS WELL? MAY YOU AND I NO LONGER BE AMONG THOSE NINE, BECAUSE TRUE WORSHIP IS ONE LEPER RETURNING TO THANK JESUS.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Sunday, October 7, 2007
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C
LUKE 17:5-10
SO WHY DO THE APOSTLES SAY, “LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH?” WHAT DO THEY EXPECT TO GET OUT OF IT? THEY'VE BEEN WITH JESUS FOR A WHILE. THEY'VE SEEN HIS MIRACLES. THEY'VE LISTENED TO HIS TEACHING, AND OFTEN PUZZLED OVER WHAT HE COULD POSSIBLY MEAN. MAYBE THAT IS WHAT THEY MEAN. MAYBE THEY WANT TO DO MIRACLES, MAYBE THEY WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN FORGIVE SOMEONE SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN, WHICH IS WHAT JESUS JUST FINISHED TELLING THEM.
BUT HE GIVES A STRANGE ANSWER. IF YOU HAD FAITH THE SIZE OF A MUSTARD SEED, YOU COULD SAY TO THIS MULBERRY TREE, “BE UPROOTED AND PLANTED IN THE SEA”, AND IT WOULD OBEY YOU.
A MUSTARD SEED, TO THE PEOPLE OF THAT TIME, WAS THE SMALLEST SEED AROUND. AND A MULBERRY TREE ONCE FULLY GROWN, COULD NOT BE TRANSPLANTED ANYWHERE-- THE ROOTS WERE SO EXTENSIVE THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE TREE KILLED IT. MAYBE JESUS IS SAYING, “FAITH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE INCREASED OR DECREASED; YOU EITHER HAVE IT OR YOU DON'T.”
JESUS GOES ON TO TELL THEM A STORY THAT SEEMS TO HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH THEIR QUESTION, BUT IT REALLY HAS A LOT. HE SAYS, “PRETEND LIKE YOU HAD A SERVANT. WOULD YOU WAIT ON THAT MAN WHEN HE CAME HOME FROM WORK? OR WOULD YOU CONTINUE TO TREAT HIM LIKE A SERVANT?” THE APOSTLES KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT ONE. AND THEN JESUS SAYS, THAT IS THE SAME WITH YOU – EVEN WHEN YOU DO EVERYTHING YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO, SAY TO YOURSELVES, WE ARE UNPROFITABLE, WE HAVE ONLY DONE OUR DUTY.
I DON'T REALLY LIKE TO REPHRASE THE GOSPEL AFTER YOU'VE JUST HEARD IT, BUT THIS ONE IS DIFFICULT. JESUS KNOWS WHAT THE APOSTLES WANT – THEY WANT POWER, ENLIGHTENEMENT – THEY WANT A FAITH THAT SERVES THEM. JESUS TELLS THEM THAT THE FAITH THEY SHOULD BE SEEKING IS THE FAITH OF A SERVANT WHO DOES HIS DUTY – A FAITH WHICH MIGHT BETTER BE TERMED “FAITHFULNESS”.
I SUSPECT MOST OF US HAVE FAITH, IN THE SENSE THAT WE BELIEVE IN GOD, IN JESUS, IN THE MASS; BUT PROBABLY ALL OF US COULD BE MORE FAITHFUL. WE COULD PRAY MORE; WE COULD BE MORE CHARITABLE; WE COULD LIVE AS THOUGH WE REALLY CARED ABOUT OUR NEIGHBOR, ABOUT THE POOR AMONG US. SOME OF US ARE PROBABLY MORE FAITHFUL THAN OTHERS; BUT NONE OF US ARE THERE YET, NONE OF US CAN SAY “WE HAVE BEEN AS FAITHFUL AS WE COULD BE.” BUT WE CAN SAY, IF WE ARE LIVING OUR LIVES THE WAY JESUS ASKS US TO, THAT WE ARE MORE FAITHFUL THAN WE WERE YESTERDAY, OR LAST YEAR.
THAT IS WHAT HABAKKUK IS TALKING ABOUT. TO HIM AND HIS COUNTRYMEN, EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH GOD HAS DESERTED THEM; WE KNOW THAT DURING OR SHORTLY AFTER HABAKKUK WROTE HIS PROPHECY, THE BABYLONIANS CONQUERED JERUSALEM AND SENT ALL ITS INHABITANTS INTO EXILE. GOD'S ANSWER TO HABAKKUK IS NOT WHAT HE WOULD LIKE. GOD SAYS, IN EFFECT, “THERE WILL BE AN END TO ALL OF THIS, BUT YOUR JOB, IF YOU ARE A JUST ONE, IS TO BE FAITHFUL – AND THEN YOU WILL LIVE.” THE HEBREW WORD THAT IS TRANSLATED “FAITH” HERE REALLY MEANS “FAITHFUL” -- AND IN THIS CONTEXT, MEANS TO ADHERE TO THE LAW THAT GOD HAS GIVEN THEM.
IF WE WANT TO BE MORE FAITHFUL, AND WE SHOULD, IT HAS TO START WITH US. GOD HAS GIVEN US FAITH; ONLY WE CAN COOPERATE WITH HIS GRACE. OCTOBER, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER, IS THE MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY, AND TOMORROW IS THE FEAST OF THE HOLY ROSARY. A WONDERFUL WAY TO BEGIN TO BE MORE FAITHFUL IS TO MAKE THE ROSARY A DAILY PRAYER. WHY? BECAUSE IT IS A MEDITATION ON THE LIVES OF JESUS AND MARY. WHY? BECAUSE WE SPEAK THE WORDS OF JESUS TO HIS FATHER, AND THE WORDS OF THE ANGEL TO MARY. WHY? BECAUSE WHEN WE SAY THE ROSARY EVERY DAY, ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT DAY CAN BE MEASURED AGAINST THE WORDS THAT WE PRAY, THE SCENES THAT WE IMAGINE. WHY? BECAUSE IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND 15 MINUTES SAYING THE ROSARY THOUGHTFULLY AND PRAYERFULLY, REFLECTING ON YOUR DAY, YOU BEGIN TO BE MORE FAITHFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO, NOT JUST IN YOUR PRAYER.
OUR MOTHER MARY THROUGH HER SAINTS HAS GIVEN MANY WONDERFUL PROMISES TO THOSE WHO SAY THE ROSARY. ST. DOMINIC WAS CHARGED BY MARY TO PREACH THE ROSARY, AND WAS GIVEN THESE PROMISES, AMONG OTHERS:THE ROSARY WILL MAKE VIRTUE AND GOOD WORKS FLOURISH, AND WILL OBTAIN FOR SOULS THE MOST ABUNDANT DIVINE MERCIES. IT WILL DRAW THE HEARTS OF MEN FROM THE LOVE OF THE WORLD AND ITS VANITIES, AND WILL LIFT THEM TO THE DESIRE OF ETERNAL THINGS.
THOSE WHO TRUST THEMSELVES TO ME THROUGH THE ROSARY WILL NOT PERISH.
THOSE WHO FAITHFULLY RECITE MY ROSARY SHALL HAVE DURING THEIR LIFE AND AT THEIR DEATH THE LIGHT OF
GOD AND THE FULLNESS OF HIS GRACES AND WILL SHARE IN THE MERITS OF THE BLESSED.
THOSE WHO RECITE MY ROSARY FAITHFULLY ARE MY BELOVED CHILDREN, THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF JESUS CHRIST.
THERE WERE ACTUALLY FIFTEEN PROMISES MADE TO DOMINIC, NOT TO MENTION SEVERAL OTHERS DOWN THROUGH THE AGES.
SO HOW DO WE BECOME MORE FAITHFUL? A GOOD WAY IS TO START SAYING THE ROSARY EVERY DAY. AND A GOOD TIME TO START IS DURING THE MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY. AND A GOOD DAY TO START IS ON THE FEAST OF THE HOLY ROSARY.
SO WHY DO THE APOSTLES SAY, “LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH?” WHAT DO THEY EXPECT TO GET OUT OF IT? THEY'VE BEEN WITH JESUS FOR A WHILE. THEY'VE SEEN HIS MIRACLES. THEY'VE LISTENED TO HIS TEACHING, AND OFTEN PUZZLED OVER WHAT HE COULD POSSIBLY MEAN. MAYBE THAT IS WHAT THEY MEAN. MAYBE THEY WANT TO DO MIRACLES, MAYBE THEY WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN FORGIVE SOMEONE SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN, WHICH IS WHAT JESUS JUST FINISHED TELLING THEM.
BUT HE GIVES A STRANGE ANSWER. IF YOU HAD FAITH THE SIZE OF A MUSTARD SEED, YOU COULD SAY TO THIS MULBERRY TREE, “BE UPROOTED AND PLANTED IN THE SEA”, AND IT WOULD OBEY YOU.
A MUSTARD SEED, TO THE PEOPLE OF THAT TIME, WAS THE SMALLEST SEED AROUND. AND A MULBERRY TREE ONCE FULLY GROWN, COULD NOT BE TRANSPLANTED ANYWHERE-- THE ROOTS WERE SO EXTENSIVE THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE TREE KILLED IT. MAYBE JESUS IS SAYING, “FAITH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE INCREASED OR DECREASED; YOU EITHER HAVE IT OR YOU DON'T.”
JESUS GOES ON TO TELL THEM A STORY THAT SEEMS TO HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH THEIR QUESTION, BUT IT REALLY HAS A LOT. HE SAYS, “PRETEND LIKE YOU HAD A SERVANT. WOULD YOU WAIT ON THAT MAN WHEN HE CAME HOME FROM WORK? OR WOULD YOU CONTINUE TO TREAT HIM LIKE A SERVANT?” THE APOSTLES KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT ONE. AND THEN JESUS SAYS, THAT IS THE SAME WITH YOU – EVEN WHEN YOU DO EVERYTHING YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO, SAY TO YOURSELVES, WE ARE UNPROFITABLE, WE HAVE ONLY DONE OUR DUTY.
I DON'T REALLY LIKE TO REPHRASE THE GOSPEL AFTER YOU'VE JUST HEARD IT, BUT THIS ONE IS DIFFICULT. JESUS KNOWS WHAT THE APOSTLES WANT – THEY WANT POWER, ENLIGHTENEMENT – THEY WANT A FAITH THAT SERVES THEM. JESUS TELLS THEM THAT THE FAITH THEY SHOULD BE SEEKING IS THE FAITH OF A SERVANT WHO DOES HIS DUTY – A FAITH WHICH MIGHT BETTER BE TERMED “FAITHFULNESS”.
I SUSPECT MOST OF US HAVE FAITH, IN THE SENSE THAT WE BELIEVE IN GOD, IN JESUS, IN THE MASS; BUT PROBABLY ALL OF US COULD BE MORE FAITHFUL. WE COULD PRAY MORE; WE COULD BE MORE CHARITABLE; WE COULD LIVE AS THOUGH WE REALLY CARED ABOUT OUR NEIGHBOR, ABOUT THE POOR AMONG US. SOME OF US ARE PROBABLY MORE FAITHFUL THAN OTHERS; BUT NONE OF US ARE THERE YET, NONE OF US CAN SAY “WE HAVE BEEN AS FAITHFUL AS WE COULD BE.” BUT WE CAN SAY, IF WE ARE LIVING OUR LIVES THE WAY JESUS ASKS US TO, THAT WE ARE MORE FAITHFUL THAN WE WERE YESTERDAY, OR LAST YEAR.
THAT IS WHAT HABAKKUK IS TALKING ABOUT. TO HIM AND HIS COUNTRYMEN, EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH GOD HAS DESERTED THEM; WE KNOW THAT DURING OR SHORTLY AFTER HABAKKUK WROTE HIS PROPHECY, THE BABYLONIANS CONQUERED JERUSALEM AND SENT ALL ITS INHABITANTS INTO EXILE. GOD'S ANSWER TO HABAKKUK IS NOT WHAT HE WOULD LIKE. GOD SAYS, IN EFFECT, “THERE WILL BE AN END TO ALL OF THIS, BUT YOUR JOB, IF YOU ARE A JUST ONE, IS TO BE FAITHFUL – AND THEN YOU WILL LIVE.” THE HEBREW WORD THAT IS TRANSLATED “FAITH” HERE REALLY MEANS “FAITHFUL” -- AND IN THIS CONTEXT, MEANS TO ADHERE TO THE LAW THAT GOD HAS GIVEN THEM.
IF WE WANT TO BE MORE FAITHFUL, AND WE SHOULD, IT HAS TO START WITH US. GOD HAS GIVEN US FAITH; ONLY WE CAN COOPERATE WITH HIS GRACE. OCTOBER, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER, IS THE MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY, AND TOMORROW IS THE FEAST OF THE HOLY ROSARY. A WONDERFUL WAY TO BEGIN TO BE MORE FAITHFUL IS TO MAKE THE ROSARY A DAILY PRAYER. WHY? BECAUSE IT IS A MEDITATION ON THE LIVES OF JESUS AND MARY. WHY? BECAUSE WE SPEAK THE WORDS OF JESUS TO HIS FATHER, AND THE WORDS OF THE ANGEL TO MARY. WHY? BECAUSE WHEN WE SAY THE ROSARY EVERY DAY, ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT DAY CAN BE MEASURED AGAINST THE WORDS THAT WE PRAY, THE SCENES THAT WE IMAGINE. WHY? BECAUSE IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND 15 MINUTES SAYING THE ROSARY THOUGHTFULLY AND PRAYERFULLY, REFLECTING ON YOUR DAY, YOU BEGIN TO BE MORE FAITHFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO, NOT JUST IN YOUR PRAYER.
OUR MOTHER MARY THROUGH HER SAINTS HAS GIVEN MANY WONDERFUL PROMISES TO THOSE WHO SAY THE ROSARY. ST. DOMINIC WAS CHARGED BY MARY TO PREACH THE ROSARY, AND WAS GIVEN THESE PROMISES, AMONG OTHERS:THE ROSARY WILL MAKE VIRTUE AND GOOD WORKS FLOURISH, AND WILL OBTAIN FOR SOULS THE MOST ABUNDANT DIVINE MERCIES. IT WILL DRAW THE HEARTS OF MEN FROM THE LOVE OF THE WORLD AND ITS VANITIES, AND WILL LIFT THEM TO THE DESIRE OF ETERNAL THINGS.
THOSE WHO TRUST THEMSELVES TO ME THROUGH THE ROSARY WILL NOT PERISH.
THOSE WHO FAITHFULLY RECITE MY ROSARY SHALL HAVE DURING THEIR LIFE AND AT THEIR DEATH THE LIGHT OF
GOD AND THE FULLNESS OF HIS GRACES AND WILL SHARE IN THE MERITS OF THE BLESSED.
THOSE WHO RECITE MY ROSARY FAITHFULLY ARE MY BELOVED CHILDREN, THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF JESUS CHRIST.
THERE WERE ACTUALLY FIFTEEN PROMISES MADE TO DOMINIC, NOT TO MENTION SEVERAL OTHERS DOWN THROUGH THE AGES.
SO HOW DO WE BECOME MORE FAITHFUL? A GOOD WAY IS TO START SAYING THE ROSARY EVERY DAY. AND A GOOD TIME TO START IS DURING THE MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY. AND A GOOD DAY TO START IS ON THE FEAST OF THE HOLY ROSARY.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C
LUKE 16:19-31
THE STORY OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS HAS BEEN TROTTED OUT TO SUPPORT THE IDEA OF HELL AS A PLACE OF FIRE AND TORMENT; IT HAS BEEN USED TO MAKE THOSE WHO HAVE THINGS FEEL GUILTY ABOUT ENJOYING WHAT THEY POSSESS. SOME PEOPLE THINK IT IS A TRUE STORY. BUT MAYBE WE NEED TO HEAR IT AS THOSE WHO LISTENED TO JESUS MIGHT HAVE HEARD IT. IT IS A MARVELOUS STORY, AND JESUS IN A FEW WORDS MANAGES TO PAINT COMPLEX AND MANY-LAYERED PICTURES.
A RICH MAN, CLOTHED IN PURPLE AND LINEN. WHY PURPLE, WHY LINEN? ONLY THOSE OF ROYAL BLOOD COULD WEAR PURPLE. AND ONLY PRIESTS CUSTOMARILY WORE LINEN, WHICH WAS EXPENSIVE AND DIFFICULT TO MAKE. SO THE RICH MAN IS BOTH ROYAL AND PRIESTLY – HE IS PART OF A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD. SAINT PETER TELLS US, “YOU ARE A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE SET APART BY GOD TO DECLARE THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS.” THE RICH MAN HAS BEEN GIVEN GREAT GIFTS AND GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES.
THEN THERE IS THE BEGGAR, LAZARUS. THE NAME MEANS “GOD IS MY HELP”, BUT HE IS HELPLESS, HE IS LYING AT THE DOOR OF THE RICH MAN'S HOUSE.
IN JESUS' TIME, YOU ATE WITH YOUR HANDS, AND WIPED THEM ON PIECES OF FLAT BREAD. IF YOU WERE POOR, YOU ATE THE BREAD, AND IF YOU WERE RICH, YOU WADDED UP THE BREAD AND THREW IT TO THE DOGS. REMEMBER THE WOMAN WHO SAID TO JESUS, “EVEN THE DOGS GET TO EAT THE BREAD THAT FALLS FROM THE CHILDREN'S TABLE”. LAZARUS WOULD HAVE GLADLY TRADED PLACES WITH THE DOGS. THE PRODIGAL SON WOULD HAVE GLADLY TRADED PLACE WITH THE PIGS THAT HE FED. ISN'T IT A TERRIBLE THING WHEN A HUMAN BEING, A CHILD OF GOD, IS IN SUCH TERRIBLE STRAITS THAT HE WOULD TRADE PLACES WITH AN ANIMAL?
THE PEOPLE OF JESUS' TIME DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF DOGS. THEY WERE TOLERATED, BECAUSE THEY WOULD CHASE AWAY WILD ANIMALS, AND THEY COULD HERD SHEEP. BUT THEY ATE ANYTHING, AND ROLLED IN THE DIRT, AND HAD NO SENSE OF SHAME. IN FACT, IF YOU WANTED TO REALLY INSULT SOMEONE, YOU CALLED THEM A DOG. AND JEWS REFERRED TO GENTILES, ESPECIALLY SAMARITANS, AS DOGS. AND VICE VERSA.
EVERYONE KNEW ONE GOOD THING ABOUT DOGS. WHEN THEY LICKED AN OPEN WOUND, IT SEEMED TO HEAL FASTER. IN FACT IN SOME PARTS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD, DOGS WERE KEPT FOR THAT PURPOSE. LAZARUS HAD OPEN SORES, AND THE RICH MAN STEPPED OVER HIM, BUT THE DOGS, ONLY SLIGHTLY MORE HONORABLE THEN PIGS, DID SOMETHING FOR HIM. THEY TRIED TO HEAL HIS SORES.
WHEN THEY DIED, LAZARUS FOUND HIMSELF IN THE BOSOM OF ABRAHAM. IN JESUS' TIME, WHEN PEOPLE HAD A BANQUET, THEY WOULD LIE DOWN ON THEIR SIDES AND REST THEIR HEADS ON THEIR LEFT HAND, AND EAT WITH THEIR RIGHT HAND. THE HONORED GUEST, THE ONE WHO RECLINED NEXT TO THE HOST, WAS SAID TO BE IN THE BOSOM OF THE HOST. LAZARUS IS THE HONORED GUEST OF ABRAHAM. AND THE RICH MAN IS IN TORMENT. THE GREEK WORD, THOUGH, DOES NOT MEAN WHAT WE THINK IT MEANS. THE WORD REFERS TO THE PROCESS OF USING A CERTAIN STONE TO TEST THE STRENGTH OF METAL. WHEN SOMEONE SOLD YOU A BRONZE VASE, YOU WOULD TAP IT GENTLY WITH A CERTAIN STONE, AND SEE IF THE METAL BECAME DENTED; IF SO, IT WAS FLAWED AND YOU WOULDN'T BUY IT. THE RICH MAN HAD BEEN TESTED, AND FAILED THE TEST. THE GREAT CHASM AND THE FLAME ARE OF HIS OWN DOING, OR LACK OF DOING. THAT IS WHY NO ONE CAN CROSS OVER. THE RICH MAN HAS CREATED A BARRIER HE CAN NOT UNCREATE; AND NO ONE ELSE CAN BREAK THROUGH EITHER.
WAY TOO LATE HE BEGINS TO THINK OF OTHERS-- NOT LAZARUS, WHO HE STILL SEES AS A THING, AS AT BEST A SERVANT. SEND HIM TO ME WITH A DROP OF WATER; SEND HIM TO MY BROTHERS. BUT THE BROTHERS, AND YOU WILL NOTE THAT THERE ARE FIVE BROTHERS – BECAUSE THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH, THE REMNANT OF THE JEWISH NATION, CONSIDERED THEMSELVES DESCENDED FROM JUDAH, ONE OF THE SONS OF JACOB, WHO HIMSELF HAD FIVE SONS. JESUS MEANT THE FIVE SONS TO MEAN ALL THE JEWISH PEOPLE, WHO HAD EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO AVOID THE FATE OF THE RICH MAN.
“THEY HAVE MOSES AND THE PROPHETS,” ABRAHAM SAYS.
THE PEOPLE WHO HEARD JESUS TELL THIS STORY KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. THE RICH MAN WASN'T EVIL, AND LAZARUS WASN'T GOOD. THE RICH MAN WAS THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP, CHARGED NOT ONLY WITH DISPENSING THE GIFTS OF GOD TO THE PEOPLE, BUT ALSO, IF WE READ THE PROPHETS, CHARGED WITH SPREADING THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD TO THE GENTILES – REPRESENTED BY LAZARUS, THE MAN WHO HAD NOTHING, THE MAN WHOSE ONLY HOPE WAS GOD. AND THEY FAILED, AND THEY WOULD NEVER AGAIN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED; THEY HAD BECOME USELESS, IRRELEVANT. AND THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH WERE WARNED.
WE ARE NOW THE ROYAL PRIESTHOOD. OUR MISSION IS TO BRING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST INTO THE WORLD. WE HAVE THIS ONE CHANCE, THIS ONE LIFETIME. AS WE ALL KNOW, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN IN GREAT PAIN, OR WHO HAVE BEEN DISABLED, PHYSICAL THINGS LIKE FIRE, LIKE THE PICTURE WE HAVE IN OUR MIND OF HELL, CAN ONLY HURT US FOR SO LONG. PEOPLE CAN GET USED TO ANYTHING. BUT REAL PAIN, ETERNAL PAIN, IS TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE FAILED IN WHAT WE WERE MEANT TO DO, AND THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE A SECOND CHANCE. AND JESUS GIVES US FAIR WARNING – THIS LIFETIME IS OUR CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, TO PROMOTE THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, TO BE INSTRUMENTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN RE-CHRISTIANIZING THE WORLD – STARTING WITH OURSELVES, MOVING TO OUR NEIGHBOR, AND THEN OUT TO THE WORLD. IF WE ARE GIVEN SO MANY GIFTS AS CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS, AND WE IGNORE THE SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL NEEDS OF OUR NEIGHBOR – IF WE ARE EVEN LESS HELPFUL THAN THE DOGS OF THIS WORLD, WE WILL HAVE FAILED THE TEST.
THE STORY OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS HAS BEEN TROTTED OUT TO SUPPORT THE IDEA OF HELL AS A PLACE OF FIRE AND TORMENT; IT HAS BEEN USED TO MAKE THOSE WHO HAVE THINGS FEEL GUILTY ABOUT ENJOYING WHAT THEY POSSESS. SOME PEOPLE THINK IT IS A TRUE STORY. BUT MAYBE WE NEED TO HEAR IT AS THOSE WHO LISTENED TO JESUS MIGHT HAVE HEARD IT. IT IS A MARVELOUS STORY, AND JESUS IN A FEW WORDS MANAGES TO PAINT COMPLEX AND MANY-LAYERED PICTURES.
A RICH MAN, CLOTHED IN PURPLE AND LINEN. WHY PURPLE, WHY LINEN? ONLY THOSE OF ROYAL BLOOD COULD WEAR PURPLE. AND ONLY PRIESTS CUSTOMARILY WORE LINEN, WHICH WAS EXPENSIVE AND DIFFICULT TO MAKE. SO THE RICH MAN IS BOTH ROYAL AND PRIESTLY – HE IS PART OF A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD. SAINT PETER TELLS US, “YOU ARE A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE SET APART BY GOD TO DECLARE THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS.” THE RICH MAN HAS BEEN GIVEN GREAT GIFTS AND GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES.
THEN THERE IS THE BEGGAR, LAZARUS. THE NAME MEANS “GOD IS MY HELP”, BUT HE IS HELPLESS, HE IS LYING AT THE DOOR OF THE RICH MAN'S HOUSE.
IN JESUS' TIME, YOU ATE WITH YOUR HANDS, AND WIPED THEM ON PIECES OF FLAT BREAD. IF YOU WERE POOR, YOU ATE THE BREAD, AND IF YOU WERE RICH, YOU WADDED UP THE BREAD AND THREW IT TO THE DOGS. REMEMBER THE WOMAN WHO SAID TO JESUS, “EVEN THE DOGS GET TO EAT THE BREAD THAT FALLS FROM THE CHILDREN'S TABLE”. LAZARUS WOULD HAVE GLADLY TRADED PLACES WITH THE DOGS. THE PRODIGAL SON WOULD HAVE GLADLY TRADED PLACE WITH THE PIGS THAT HE FED. ISN'T IT A TERRIBLE THING WHEN A HUMAN BEING, A CHILD OF GOD, IS IN SUCH TERRIBLE STRAITS THAT HE WOULD TRADE PLACES WITH AN ANIMAL?
THE PEOPLE OF JESUS' TIME DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF DOGS. THEY WERE TOLERATED, BECAUSE THEY WOULD CHASE AWAY WILD ANIMALS, AND THEY COULD HERD SHEEP. BUT THEY ATE ANYTHING, AND ROLLED IN THE DIRT, AND HAD NO SENSE OF SHAME. IN FACT, IF YOU WANTED TO REALLY INSULT SOMEONE, YOU CALLED THEM A DOG. AND JEWS REFERRED TO GENTILES, ESPECIALLY SAMARITANS, AS DOGS. AND VICE VERSA.
EVERYONE KNEW ONE GOOD THING ABOUT DOGS. WHEN THEY LICKED AN OPEN WOUND, IT SEEMED TO HEAL FASTER. IN FACT IN SOME PARTS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD, DOGS WERE KEPT FOR THAT PURPOSE. LAZARUS HAD OPEN SORES, AND THE RICH MAN STEPPED OVER HIM, BUT THE DOGS, ONLY SLIGHTLY MORE HONORABLE THEN PIGS, DID SOMETHING FOR HIM. THEY TRIED TO HEAL HIS SORES.
WHEN THEY DIED, LAZARUS FOUND HIMSELF IN THE BOSOM OF ABRAHAM. IN JESUS' TIME, WHEN PEOPLE HAD A BANQUET, THEY WOULD LIE DOWN ON THEIR SIDES AND REST THEIR HEADS ON THEIR LEFT HAND, AND EAT WITH THEIR RIGHT HAND. THE HONORED GUEST, THE ONE WHO RECLINED NEXT TO THE HOST, WAS SAID TO BE IN THE BOSOM OF THE HOST. LAZARUS IS THE HONORED GUEST OF ABRAHAM. AND THE RICH MAN IS IN TORMENT. THE GREEK WORD, THOUGH, DOES NOT MEAN WHAT WE THINK IT MEANS. THE WORD REFERS TO THE PROCESS OF USING A CERTAIN STONE TO TEST THE STRENGTH OF METAL. WHEN SOMEONE SOLD YOU A BRONZE VASE, YOU WOULD TAP IT GENTLY WITH A CERTAIN STONE, AND SEE IF THE METAL BECAME DENTED; IF SO, IT WAS FLAWED AND YOU WOULDN'T BUY IT. THE RICH MAN HAD BEEN TESTED, AND FAILED THE TEST. THE GREAT CHASM AND THE FLAME ARE OF HIS OWN DOING, OR LACK OF DOING. THAT IS WHY NO ONE CAN CROSS OVER. THE RICH MAN HAS CREATED A BARRIER HE CAN NOT UNCREATE; AND NO ONE ELSE CAN BREAK THROUGH EITHER.
WAY TOO LATE HE BEGINS TO THINK OF OTHERS-- NOT LAZARUS, WHO HE STILL SEES AS A THING, AS AT BEST A SERVANT. SEND HIM TO ME WITH A DROP OF WATER; SEND HIM TO MY BROTHERS. BUT THE BROTHERS, AND YOU WILL NOTE THAT THERE ARE FIVE BROTHERS – BECAUSE THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH, THE REMNANT OF THE JEWISH NATION, CONSIDERED THEMSELVES DESCENDED FROM JUDAH, ONE OF THE SONS OF JACOB, WHO HIMSELF HAD FIVE SONS. JESUS MEANT THE FIVE SONS TO MEAN ALL THE JEWISH PEOPLE, WHO HAD EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO AVOID THE FATE OF THE RICH MAN.
“THEY HAVE MOSES AND THE PROPHETS,” ABRAHAM SAYS.
THE PEOPLE WHO HEARD JESUS TELL THIS STORY KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. THE RICH MAN WASN'T EVIL, AND LAZARUS WASN'T GOOD. THE RICH MAN WAS THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP, CHARGED NOT ONLY WITH DISPENSING THE GIFTS OF GOD TO THE PEOPLE, BUT ALSO, IF WE READ THE PROPHETS, CHARGED WITH SPREADING THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD TO THE GENTILES – REPRESENTED BY LAZARUS, THE MAN WHO HAD NOTHING, THE MAN WHOSE ONLY HOPE WAS GOD. AND THEY FAILED, AND THEY WOULD NEVER AGAIN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED; THEY HAD BECOME USELESS, IRRELEVANT. AND THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH WERE WARNED.
WE ARE NOW THE ROYAL PRIESTHOOD. OUR MISSION IS TO BRING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST INTO THE WORLD. WE HAVE THIS ONE CHANCE, THIS ONE LIFETIME. AS WE ALL KNOW, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN IN GREAT PAIN, OR WHO HAVE BEEN DISABLED, PHYSICAL THINGS LIKE FIRE, LIKE THE PICTURE WE HAVE IN OUR MIND OF HELL, CAN ONLY HURT US FOR SO LONG. PEOPLE CAN GET USED TO ANYTHING. BUT REAL PAIN, ETERNAL PAIN, IS TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE FAILED IN WHAT WE WERE MEANT TO DO, AND THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE A SECOND CHANCE. AND JESUS GIVES US FAIR WARNING – THIS LIFETIME IS OUR CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, TO PROMOTE THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, TO BE INSTRUMENTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN RE-CHRISTIANIZING THE WORLD – STARTING WITH OURSELVES, MOVING TO OUR NEIGHBOR, AND THEN OUT TO THE WORLD. IF WE ARE GIVEN SO MANY GIFTS AS CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS, AND WE IGNORE THE SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL NEEDS OF OUR NEIGHBOR – IF WE ARE EVEN LESS HELPFUL THAN THE DOGS OF THIS WORLD, WE WILL HAVE FAILED THE TEST.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
LUKE 14:25-33
MOST OF US COME TO CHURCH AND PRACTICE OUR RELIGION FOR SOME BASIC REASONS: WE FIND CONSOLATION AND THE PROMISE OF A BETTER WORLD; WE BELIEVE THAT PRACTICING OUR FAITH WILL MEAN THAT GOD WILL LOOK AFTER US MORE THAN HE MIGHT OTHERWISE; AND SOME OF US PRACTICE OUR FAITH BECAUSE WE FEAR WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF WE STOP. NOW GRANTED THESE AREN'T THE ONLY REASONS, BUT I SUSPECT DEEP DOWN THOSE KIND OF REASONS ANCHOR US. BUT LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF SOMEONE WHO PRACTICED HER FAITH TO A DEGREE ALMOST UNHEARD OF IN TODAY' S WORLD.
“LORD, MY GOD, YOU HAVE THROWN [ME] AWAY AS UNWANTED – UNLOVED. I CALL, I CLING, I WANT, AND THERE IS NO ONE TO ANSWER, NO, NO ONE. ALONE. WHERE IS MY FAITH? EVEN DEEP DOWN RIGHT IN THERE IS NOTHING. I HAVE NO FAITH. I DARE NOT UTTER THE WORDS AND THOUGHTS THAT CROWD IN MY HEART.” “I AM TOLD GOD LOVES ME, AND YET THE REALITY OF THE DARKNESS AND COLDNESS AND EMPTINESS IS SO GREAT THAT NOTHING TOUCHES MY SOUL. DID I MAKE A MISTAKE IN SURRENDERING BLINDLY TO THE CALL OF THE SACRED HEART?”
THOSE WERE THE SECRET THOUGHTS THAT PLAGUED MOTHER THERESA DURING THE LAST FORTY YEARS OF HER LIFE, THE THOUGHTS THAT SHE ONLY CONFIDED IN HER CONFESSOR, THE THOUGHTS THAT WERE RECENTLY ASSEMBLED IN A BOOK AND MADE PUBLIC. THERE WERE MANY REACTIONS TO THESE THOUGHTS. CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS, A VOCAL ATHEIST, LEAPT UPON THESE REVELATIONS AS PROOF THAT MOTHER THERESA WAS A FRAUD, THAT WHILE SHE PRESENTED ONE FACE TO THE WORLD – A FACE OF JOY AND DEDICATION, HER INNER SELF DID NOT BELIEVE AT ALL. ON THE OUTSIDE SHE SPOKE OF GOD'S LOVE, SHE SPENT TWO HOURS A DAY BEFORE THE EUCHARIST, SHE PREACHED SIMPLY AND POWERFULLY TO ALL WHO WOULD LISTEN. BUT HITCHENS WOULD SAY, SHE DIDN'T BELIEVE ANY OF THAT.
ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, BELIEVERS SPOKE OF HER DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL, A SITUATION MANY SAINTS WENT THROUGH DURING THEIR LIVES. LISTEN TO WHAT ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS SAID ABOUT THIS: “THERE COMES TO ALL SOULS, AT LEAST ONCE IN LIFE, A SEVERE TEST. IT IS KNOWN AS THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL. IT IS WHEN WE ARE BELEAGUERED BY DARKNESS: SPIRITUAL AND MENTAL AND WHERE NO HOPE SEEMS TO BE NEAR...” ST. JOHN ALSO SAYS THAT IT IS VERY COMMON FOR SOULS WHO ENTER THIS DARK NIGHT TO FEEL AS THOUGH THEY ARE WASTING THEIR TIME PRACTICING THEIR RELIGION, PRAYING, ATTENDING MASS.
HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT THERE IS NOTHING OUT THERE? HAVE YOU EVER FELT ABANDONED BY GOD, OR TEMPTED TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GOD? I HAVE. AND FOR A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY GOD AT SOME POINT, THESE FEELINGS ARE DOUBLY PAINFUL.
JESUS TELLS US TODAY THAT IF WE WANT TO FOLLOW HIM WE HAVE TO HATE OUR LOVED ONES. THE ARAMAIC WORD HE USED DOES NOT REALLY MEAN THE SAME THING AS HATE MEANS IN ENGLISH. IT IS LESS INTENSE, IT MEANS SOMETHING LIKE “NOT PREFER”. SO THE SENSE IS, IF WE ARE TO BE FOLLOWERS, WE MUST NOT PREFER ANYTHING IN OUR EXPERIENCE TO JESUS. AND JESUS GOES ON TO REINFORCE THIS POINT – IF YOU INTEND TO BE A DISCIPLE, YOU BETTER SIT DOWN AND DECIDE WHETHER YOU HAVE IT IN YOU, WHETHER YOU CAN GO THE DISTANCE. BECAUSE THERE WILL BE DARK NIGHTS AHEAD, NIGHTS WHEN YOU FEEL TOTALLY ABANDONED, SOME OF THEM PERHAPS LASTING YOUR WHOLE LIFE. YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF SAYING WITH THE PROPHET JEREMIAH, O LORD, YOU DECEIVED ME, AND I LET MYSELF BE DECEIVED ; YOU OVERPOWERED ME AND PREVAILED; I AM RIDICULED ALL DAY LONG; EVERYONE MOCKS ME”. OR, YOU MAY, IN FACT, CRY OUT AT THE TIME OF YOUR DEATH, “MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”
SO WHY DOES GOD DO THIS TO US? WHY DOES A DARK NIGHT AWAIT EVERYONE WHO VENTURES FORTH ON THE NARROW PATH TO FOLLOW CHRIST? ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS SAYS THAT THIS IS GOD'S WAY OF GETTING US TO ABANDON ALL OUR ATTACHMENTS TO GOD'S CREATED GIFTS, SO THAT WE CAN POSSESS HIM ALONE. BECAUSE AS LONG AS WE HAVE NOT REACHED THAT STATE, OUR UNION WITH HIM IS GOING TO BE PARTIAL AND IMPERFECT.
PROBABLY ALL OF US KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE ABANDONED THEIR RELIGION BECAUSE THINGS WERE NOT GOING THE WAY THEY WANTED THEM TO, AND THEY CONCLUDED THAT EITHER THERE WASN'T A GOD, OR GOD COULD CARE LESS. AND WHEN SOMEONE DECIDES TO GO TO A DIFFERENT CHURCH OR EVEN JOIN A DIFFERENT CHRISTIAN BODY, HOW OFTEN DO WE HEAR THE EXCUSE THAT THEY DID THIS BECAUSE THAT OTHER BODY WAS MORE LIVELY, THE SERMONS WERE BETTER, THE SOCIAL LIFE WAS MORE FUN, OR THE BEST EXCUSE OF ALL, “I WAS NOT BEING FED WHERE I WAS.” THOSE WHO ABANDONED THEIR RELIGION, AND THOSE WHO SEEK FROM RELIGION SOME SORT OF ONGOING CONSOLATION, SOCIALIZATION, OR OTHER PLEASANT SITUATION, HAVE BRUSHED UP AGAINST THE DARK NIGHT AND RUN OFF SCREAMING.
IN THE PAIN OF MOTHER THERESA WE SEE THAT SHE DID COUNT THE COST, SHE DID HATE, OR DETACH HERSELF, FROM EVERYTHING THAT JESUS ASKED HER TO – AND THEN SHE WAITED – AND WAITED – AND WAITED SOME MORE, FOR GOD TO FILL UP THE GREAT HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF HER BEING. AND SHE GOT UP EVERY MORNING AND FELT DRY AND ARID, BUT PRAYED AGAIN BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. SHE WENT OUT AND TENDED HER SICK AND DYING; SHE PRESENTED THE FACE OF CHRIST TO ALL SHE MET, SHE KEPT UP A PUBLIC APPEARANCE WHICH REFLECTED WHAT SHE TRULY BELIEVED, BUT WHAT SHE NO LONGER FELT. AND SHE SUFFERED IN WAYS WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE AS SHE WAITED AND WAITED.
AND GOD PURIFED HER THROUGH THIS DARK NIGHT, AND HER STEADFASTNESS AND PERSISTENCE PAID OFF, AND SHE PROBABLY SLIPPED EASILY INTO HEAVEN TO FINALLY UNITE COMPLETELY WITH THE ONE SHE LOVED WITH AN EXCLUSIVE LOVE, ALL HER LIFE.
WE WILL ALL HAVE A DARK NIGHT; SOME OF US ARE ALREADY IN IT, SOME MAY HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT. SOME WILL FEEL THE DARK NIGHT COMING OVER THEM AND WILL TURN AROUND AND RUN, SOME TO WHERE EVERYTHING IS MORE COMFORTABLE, AND THEY DO NOT HAVE TO FEEL CHALLENGED; AND OTHERS TO DESPAIR, TO THE STATE IN WHICH THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING BUT THIS LIFE, I WILL NOT WASTE MY TIME ON A GOD THAT I DON'T EVEN FEEL EXISTS. LET US PRAY THAT WE WILL HAVE THE STRENGTH FROM GOD AND THE GRACE TO LIVE THROUGH OUR OWN DARK NIGHTS, TO DETACH OURSELVES, ONE BY ONE, FROM ALL THAT WE LOVE – SO THAT WE CAN PUT JESUS FIRST IN OUR LIVES.
MOST OF US COME TO CHURCH AND PRACTICE OUR RELIGION FOR SOME BASIC REASONS: WE FIND CONSOLATION AND THE PROMISE OF A BETTER WORLD; WE BELIEVE THAT PRACTICING OUR FAITH WILL MEAN THAT GOD WILL LOOK AFTER US MORE THAN HE MIGHT OTHERWISE; AND SOME OF US PRACTICE OUR FAITH BECAUSE WE FEAR WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF WE STOP. NOW GRANTED THESE AREN'T THE ONLY REASONS, BUT I SUSPECT DEEP DOWN THOSE KIND OF REASONS ANCHOR US. BUT LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF SOMEONE WHO PRACTICED HER FAITH TO A DEGREE ALMOST UNHEARD OF IN TODAY' S WORLD.
“LORD, MY GOD, YOU HAVE THROWN [ME] AWAY AS UNWANTED – UNLOVED. I CALL, I CLING, I WANT, AND THERE IS NO ONE TO ANSWER, NO, NO ONE. ALONE. WHERE IS MY FAITH? EVEN DEEP DOWN RIGHT IN THERE IS NOTHING. I HAVE NO FAITH. I DARE NOT UTTER THE WORDS AND THOUGHTS THAT CROWD IN MY HEART.” “I AM TOLD GOD LOVES ME, AND YET THE REALITY OF THE DARKNESS AND COLDNESS AND EMPTINESS IS SO GREAT THAT NOTHING TOUCHES MY SOUL. DID I MAKE A MISTAKE IN SURRENDERING BLINDLY TO THE CALL OF THE SACRED HEART?”
THOSE WERE THE SECRET THOUGHTS THAT PLAGUED MOTHER THERESA DURING THE LAST FORTY YEARS OF HER LIFE, THE THOUGHTS THAT SHE ONLY CONFIDED IN HER CONFESSOR, THE THOUGHTS THAT WERE RECENTLY ASSEMBLED IN A BOOK AND MADE PUBLIC. THERE WERE MANY REACTIONS TO THESE THOUGHTS. CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS, A VOCAL ATHEIST, LEAPT UPON THESE REVELATIONS AS PROOF THAT MOTHER THERESA WAS A FRAUD, THAT WHILE SHE PRESENTED ONE FACE TO THE WORLD – A FACE OF JOY AND DEDICATION, HER INNER SELF DID NOT BELIEVE AT ALL. ON THE OUTSIDE SHE SPOKE OF GOD'S LOVE, SHE SPENT TWO HOURS A DAY BEFORE THE EUCHARIST, SHE PREACHED SIMPLY AND POWERFULLY TO ALL WHO WOULD LISTEN. BUT HITCHENS WOULD SAY, SHE DIDN'T BELIEVE ANY OF THAT.
ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, BELIEVERS SPOKE OF HER DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL, A SITUATION MANY SAINTS WENT THROUGH DURING THEIR LIVES. LISTEN TO WHAT ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS SAID ABOUT THIS: “THERE COMES TO ALL SOULS, AT LEAST ONCE IN LIFE, A SEVERE TEST. IT IS KNOWN AS THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL. IT IS WHEN WE ARE BELEAGUERED BY DARKNESS: SPIRITUAL AND MENTAL AND WHERE NO HOPE SEEMS TO BE NEAR...” ST. JOHN ALSO SAYS THAT IT IS VERY COMMON FOR SOULS WHO ENTER THIS DARK NIGHT TO FEEL AS THOUGH THEY ARE WASTING THEIR TIME PRACTICING THEIR RELIGION, PRAYING, ATTENDING MASS.
HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT THERE IS NOTHING OUT THERE? HAVE YOU EVER FELT ABANDONED BY GOD, OR TEMPTED TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GOD? I HAVE. AND FOR A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY GOD AT SOME POINT, THESE FEELINGS ARE DOUBLY PAINFUL.
JESUS TELLS US TODAY THAT IF WE WANT TO FOLLOW HIM WE HAVE TO HATE OUR LOVED ONES. THE ARAMAIC WORD HE USED DOES NOT REALLY MEAN THE SAME THING AS HATE MEANS IN ENGLISH. IT IS LESS INTENSE, IT MEANS SOMETHING LIKE “NOT PREFER”. SO THE SENSE IS, IF WE ARE TO BE FOLLOWERS, WE MUST NOT PREFER ANYTHING IN OUR EXPERIENCE TO JESUS. AND JESUS GOES ON TO REINFORCE THIS POINT – IF YOU INTEND TO BE A DISCIPLE, YOU BETTER SIT DOWN AND DECIDE WHETHER YOU HAVE IT IN YOU, WHETHER YOU CAN GO THE DISTANCE. BECAUSE THERE WILL BE DARK NIGHTS AHEAD, NIGHTS WHEN YOU FEEL TOTALLY ABANDONED, SOME OF THEM PERHAPS LASTING YOUR WHOLE LIFE. YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF SAYING WITH THE PROPHET JEREMIAH, O LORD, YOU DECEIVED ME, AND I LET MYSELF BE DECEIVED ; YOU OVERPOWERED ME AND PREVAILED; I AM RIDICULED ALL DAY LONG; EVERYONE MOCKS ME”. OR, YOU MAY, IN FACT, CRY OUT AT THE TIME OF YOUR DEATH, “MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”
SO WHY DOES GOD DO THIS TO US? WHY DOES A DARK NIGHT AWAIT EVERYONE WHO VENTURES FORTH ON THE NARROW PATH TO FOLLOW CHRIST? ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS SAYS THAT THIS IS GOD'S WAY OF GETTING US TO ABANDON ALL OUR ATTACHMENTS TO GOD'S CREATED GIFTS, SO THAT WE CAN POSSESS HIM ALONE. BECAUSE AS LONG AS WE HAVE NOT REACHED THAT STATE, OUR UNION WITH HIM IS GOING TO BE PARTIAL AND IMPERFECT.
PROBABLY ALL OF US KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE ABANDONED THEIR RELIGION BECAUSE THINGS WERE NOT GOING THE WAY THEY WANTED THEM TO, AND THEY CONCLUDED THAT EITHER THERE WASN'T A GOD, OR GOD COULD CARE LESS. AND WHEN SOMEONE DECIDES TO GO TO A DIFFERENT CHURCH OR EVEN JOIN A DIFFERENT CHRISTIAN BODY, HOW OFTEN DO WE HEAR THE EXCUSE THAT THEY DID THIS BECAUSE THAT OTHER BODY WAS MORE LIVELY, THE SERMONS WERE BETTER, THE SOCIAL LIFE WAS MORE FUN, OR THE BEST EXCUSE OF ALL, “I WAS NOT BEING FED WHERE I WAS.” THOSE WHO ABANDONED THEIR RELIGION, AND THOSE WHO SEEK FROM RELIGION SOME SORT OF ONGOING CONSOLATION, SOCIALIZATION, OR OTHER PLEASANT SITUATION, HAVE BRUSHED UP AGAINST THE DARK NIGHT AND RUN OFF SCREAMING.
IN THE PAIN OF MOTHER THERESA WE SEE THAT SHE DID COUNT THE COST, SHE DID HATE, OR DETACH HERSELF, FROM EVERYTHING THAT JESUS ASKED HER TO – AND THEN SHE WAITED – AND WAITED – AND WAITED SOME MORE, FOR GOD TO FILL UP THE GREAT HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF HER BEING. AND SHE GOT UP EVERY MORNING AND FELT DRY AND ARID, BUT PRAYED AGAIN BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. SHE WENT OUT AND TENDED HER SICK AND DYING; SHE PRESENTED THE FACE OF CHRIST TO ALL SHE MET, SHE KEPT UP A PUBLIC APPEARANCE WHICH REFLECTED WHAT SHE TRULY BELIEVED, BUT WHAT SHE NO LONGER FELT. AND SHE SUFFERED IN WAYS WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE AS SHE WAITED AND WAITED.
AND GOD PURIFED HER THROUGH THIS DARK NIGHT, AND HER STEADFASTNESS AND PERSISTENCE PAID OFF, AND SHE PROBABLY SLIPPED EASILY INTO HEAVEN TO FINALLY UNITE COMPLETELY WITH THE ONE SHE LOVED WITH AN EXCLUSIVE LOVE, ALL HER LIFE.
WE WILL ALL HAVE A DARK NIGHT; SOME OF US ARE ALREADY IN IT, SOME MAY HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT. SOME WILL FEEL THE DARK NIGHT COMING OVER THEM AND WILL TURN AROUND AND RUN, SOME TO WHERE EVERYTHING IS MORE COMFORTABLE, AND THEY DO NOT HAVE TO FEEL CHALLENGED; AND OTHERS TO DESPAIR, TO THE STATE IN WHICH THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING BUT THIS LIFE, I WILL NOT WASTE MY TIME ON A GOD THAT I DON'T EVEN FEEL EXISTS. LET US PRAY THAT WE WILL HAVE THE STRENGTH FROM GOD AND THE GRACE TO LIVE THROUGH OUR OWN DARK NIGHTS, TO DETACH OURSELVES, ONE BY ONE, FROM ALL THAT WE LOVE – SO THAT WE CAN PUT JESUS FIRST IN OUR LIVES.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C
LUKE 14:1, 7-14
TODAY JESUS TELLS ANOTHER STORY INVOLVING A BANQUET. IT REMINDED ME OF THE STORY WHICH I THINK IS TRUE, OF A COUPLE WHO PLANNED THEIR WEDDING BANQUET. THEY RENTED A BANQUET HALL IN A LARGE HOTEL, HIRED A BAND, BOUGHT THE DECORATIONS, ORDERED THE FOOD – IT CAME TO ABOUT $30,000. THEN THE GROOM DECIDED HE WASN'T READY TO GET MARRIED. THE DISTRAUGHT AND ANGRY BRIDE WENT TO THE WEDDING PLANNER TO GET THE MONEY BACK, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS TOO LATE, CONTRACTS HAD BEEN SIGNED, THE MONEY WAS GONE. SO SHE DECIDED TO THROW A PARTY, AND INVITED PEOPLE FROM ALL THE HOMELESS SHELTERS AND FOOD KITCHENS IN THE CITY. SHE ASKED THE CATERERS TO CHANGE ONE THING ON THE MENU. INSTEAD OF ROAST BEEF, THE MAIN COURSE WOULD BE BONELESS CHICKEN, IN HONOR OF THE GROOM.
HE WHO EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED, AND HE WHO HUMBLES HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED. THAT IS THE LESSON JESUS WANTS HIS HEARERS TO TAKE HOME. AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO DO WITH HOW WE BEHAVE AT PARTIES, AT LEAST PRIMARILY. JESUS DOESN'T GIVE ETIQUETTE LESSONS -- WHEN HE TEACHES SOMETHING, IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR SOULS, WITH OUR PROSPECTS FOR ETERNAL HAPPINESS.
WE ARE PROBABLY ALL GUILTY OF EXALTING OURSELVES. ANYTIME WE COMPARE OURSELVES FAVORABLY TO SOMEONE ELSE, WE ARE EXALTING OURSELVES. IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER IF THE COMPARISON IS GROUNDED IN REALITY; THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AS SMART AS I AM. THERE ARE CERTAINLY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AS HEALTHY AS I AM. AND GOD KNOWS THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOWHERE NEAR AS TALL AS I AM. IF I MAKE THESE STATEMENTS OF FACT, THAT IS ONE THING. IF I MAKE SUCH STATEMENTS AND IMPLY THAT BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS MY VALUE IS GREATER THAN YOURS, THEN THAT IS EXALTING MYSELF.
WHEN I BELIEVE THAT SOME GIFT OR ACCOMPLISHMENT OR ACCIDENT OF BIRTH OR TALENT THAT I HAVE MAKES ME MORE VALUABLE THAN SOMEONE ELSE – EVEN IF ONLY IN THAT ONE AREA – THEN I AM EXALTING MYSELF, EVEN WHEN I KEEP MY OPINION TO MYSELF, EVEN WHEN I BEAR NO ILL WILL TOWARDS THE PERSON WITH WHOM I AM COMPARING MYSELF. A HUSBAND MAY FEEL THAT BECAUSE HE MAKES THE LION'S SHARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HE IS WORTH MORE THAN HIS WIFE. SHE MAY FEEL THAT SINCE SHE SPENDS MORE TIME RAISING THE CHILDREN, SHE IS WORTH MORE THAN HE IS. AND YET THEY MAY LOVE EACH OTHER AND VALUE EACH OTHER'S QUALITIES. SO THIS EXALTING ONESELF IS SUBTLE, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK MOST OF US DO IT, ALMOST UNCONSCIOUSLY.
SO WHY DOES JESUS WARN US ABOUT THIS TENDENCY WE ALL HAVE? BECAUSE IT LEADS TO A FALSE VIEW OF REALITY, WHICH LEADS TO UNHAPPINESS, WHICH LEADS TO SIN. AND THE FALSE VIEW OF REALITY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE ARE WORTH. REALLY, THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO, NO ACCOMPLISHMENT WE CAN ACHIEVE, NO CIRCUMSTANCES OF BIRTH OR NATIONALITY OF CITIZENSHIP, THAT CAN ADD ANYTHING TO OUR WORTH; GRANTED WE ARE WORTH, AS JESUS SAID, MUCH MORE THAN A SPARROW – BUT ONLY BECAUSE WE ARE LOVED BY GOD. GOD LOVES US NOT IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE DO, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE THE ADOPTED BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF HIS SON.
HOW WILL WE BE HUMBLED IF WE EXALT OURSELF? BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER, MAYBE WE HAVE TO WAIT TILL AFTER WE DIE, WE WILL REALIZE THAT WHAT WE VALUED IN OURSELVES IS NOTHING. TED TURNER, THE FOUNDER OF CNN AND A VERY RICH, SUCCESSFUL PERSON, SAID “SUCCESS IS AN EMPTY BAG, BUT YOU HAVE TO GET THERE TO REALIZE IT.” WHEN WE BEGIN TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO JESUS CHRIST, NOTHING ABOUT US CAN BE EXALTED. AND IF WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY FOUND OUR VALUE IN SOMETHING WE HAVE OR DO OR ARE, WE CAN ONLY LOOK AT OURSELVES WITH DISMAY.
JESUS SAYS THAT THOSE WHO HUMBLE THEMSELVES WILL BE EXALTED. HUMBLING OURSELVES IS ENTIRELY AN INTERIOR STATE, AN ATTITUDE. IT IS A CLEAR-EYED RECOGNITION NOT OF OUR ASSETS, NOT OF OUR TALENTS, NOT OF ALL THE THINGS ABOUT US THAT ARE GOOD, BUT RATHER, OUR LIABILITIES. IF WE TRULY KNOW OURSELVES, THERE ARE THINGS WE KNOW COULD BE BETTER. THERE ARE THINGS ABOUT ME THAT NOT ONLY COULD BE A LOT BETTER, BUT I DON'T EVEN WANT TO TRY TO MAKE THEM BETTER. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE LIKE GAPING WOUNDS ON MY SOUL, I CAN BARELY IMAGINE MYSELF WITHOUT THEM. IT'S VERY EASY TO GO DAY TO DAY, WEEK TO WEEK, AND NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS. BUT IT IS VERY HARD TO STARE THEM DOWN AND REALIZE THAT I COULD CHANGE FOR THE BETTER, BUT DON'T EVEN WANT TO. AND IT IS IN THAT RECOGNITION, THAT CONFRONTATION WITH MY TRUE SELF, THAT I CAN BEGIN TO CHANGE. AND WHEN I SEE MY REAL FLAWS, MY TRUE FAULTS, THE SOURCES OF MY OWN SIN, I AM SEEING WHAT TRULY IMPACTS ON MY WORTH, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE I CAN RESIST GOD'S LOVE, CHRIST'S FRIENDSHIP. AND ITS ALSO IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO EVEN BEGIN TO SEE THOSE DARK PLACES IN OTHER PEOPLE. BECAUSE EVERY PERSON KEEPS THEM HIDDEN, FROM OTHERS AND FROM EVEN HIMSELF.
SO JESUS, WHO KNOWS US SO WELL, IS SAYING, TURN YOUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT YOU ESTEEM, YOUR TALENTS, YOUR RICHES, YOUR HEALTH, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY. THOSE ARE ALL GIFTS. IF YOU THINK THEY MAKE YOU BETTER THAN EVEN ONE OTHER PERSON, YOU ARE SADLY MISTAKEN, AND A DAY WILL COME WHEN YOU WILL SEE THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR VALUE. TURN YOUR ATTENTION INSTEAD TO THOSE PLACES IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU HATE TO THINK ABOUT; YOUR SELFISHNESS, YOUR LAZINESS, THOSE TEMPTATIONS YOU CAN'T RESIST; THOSE HABITS OF MIND AND BODY WHICH DESTROY WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT YOU. BECAUSE IF YOU DO, I'LL GIVE YOU THE GRACE TO OVERCOME THEM.
SAINT AUGUSTINE SAID THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS IN US THAT WE HAVE MADE WILL BE CONDEMNED, BUT EVERYTHING THAT GOD HAS MADE IN US WILL BE SAVED.
THIS WEEK LET US BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HUMBLING OURSELVES, AND PRAY THAT WE WILL HEAR OUR MASTER'S VOICE, “FRIEND, GO UP HIGHER.”.
TODAY JESUS TELLS ANOTHER STORY INVOLVING A BANQUET. IT REMINDED ME OF THE STORY WHICH I THINK IS TRUE, OF A COUPLE WHO PLANNED THEIR WEDDING BANQUET. THEY RENTED A BANQUET HALL IN A LARGE HOTEL, HIRED A BAND, BOUGHT THE DECORATIONS, ORDERED THE FOOD – IT CAME TO ABOUT $30,000. THEN THE GROOM DECIDED HE WASN'T READY TO GET MARRIED. THE DISTRAUGHT AND ANGRY BRIDE WENT TO THE WEDDING PLANNER TO GET THE MONEY BACK, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS TOO LATE, CONTRACTS HAD BEEN SIGNED, THE MONEY WAS GONE. SO SHE DECIDED TO THROW A PARTY, AND INVITED PEOPLE FROM ALL THE HOMELESS SHELTERS AND FOOD KITCHENS IN THE CITY. SHE ASKED THE CATERERS TO CHANGE ONE THING ON THE MENU. INSTEAD OF ROAST BEEF, THE MAIN COURSE WOULD BE BONELESS CHICKEN, IN HONOR OF THE GROOM.
HE WHO EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED, AND HE WHO HUMBLES HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED. THAT IS THE LESSON JESUS WANTS HIS HEARERS TO TAKE HOME. AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO DO WITH HOW WE BEHAVE AT PARTIES, AT LEAST PRIMARILY. JESUS DOESN'T GIVE ETIQUETTE LESSONS -- WHEN HE TEACHES SOMETHING, IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR SOULS, WITH OUR PROSPECTS FOR ETERNAL HAPPINESS.
WE ARE PROBABLY ALL GUILTY OF EXALTING OURSELVES. ANYTIME WE COMPARE OURSELVES FAVORABLY TO SOMEONE ELSE, WE ARE EXALTING OURSELVES. IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER IF THE COMPARISON IS GROUNDED IN REALITY; THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AS SMART AS I AM. THERE ARE CERTAINLY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AS HEALTHY AS I AM. AND GOD KNOWS THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOWHERE NEAR AS TALL AS I AM. IF I MAKE THESE STATEMENTS OF FACT, THAT IS ONE THING. IF I MAKE SUCH STATEMENTS AND IMPLY THAT BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS MY VALUE IS GREATER THAN YOURS, THEN THAT IS EXALTING MYSELF.
WHEN I BELIEVE THAT SOME GIFT OR ACCOMPLISHMENT OR ACCIDENT OF BIRTH OR TALENT THAT I HAVE MAKES ME MORE VALUABLE THAN SOMEONE ELSE – EVEN IF ONLY IN THAT ONE AREA – THEN I AM EXALTING MYSELF, EVEN WHEN I KEEP MY OPINION TO MYSELF, EVEN WHEN I BEAR NO ILL WILL TOWARDS THE PERSON WITH WHOM I AM COMPARING MYSELF. A HUSBAND MAY FEEL THAT BECAUSE HE MAKES THE LION'S SHARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HE IS WORTH MORE THAN HIS WIFE. SHE MAY FEEL THAT SINCE SHE SPENDS MORE TIME RAISING THE CHILDREN, SHE IS WORTH MORE THAN HE IS. AND YET THEY MAY LOVE EACH OTHER AND VALUE EACH OTHER'S QUALITIES. SO THIS EXALTING ONESELF IS SUBTLE, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK MOST OF US DO IT, ALMOST UNCONSCIOUSLY.
SO WHY DOES JESUS WARN US ABOUT THIS TENDENCY WE ALL HAVE? BECAUSE IT LEADS TO A FALSE VIEW OF REALITY, WHICH LEADS TO UNHAPPINESS, WHICH LEADS TO SIN. AND THE FALSE VIEW OF REALITY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE ARE WORTH. REALLY, THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO, NO ACCOMPLISHMENT WE CAN ACHIEVE, NO CIRCUMSTANCES OF BIRTH OR NATIONALITY OF CITIZENSHIP, THAT CAN ADD ANYTHING TO OUR WORTH; GRANTED WE ARE WORTH, AS JESUS SAID, MUCH MORE THAN A SPARROW – BUT ONLY BECAUSE WE ARE LOVED BY GOD. GOD LOVES US NOT IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE DO, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE THE ADOPTED BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF HIS SON.
HOW WILL WE BE HUMBLED IF WE EXALT OURSELF? BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER, MAYBE WE HAVE TO WAIT TILL AFTER WE DIE, WE WILL REALIZE THAT WHAT WE VALUED IN OURSELVES IS NOTHING. TED TURNER, THE FOUNDER OF CNN AND A VERY RICH, SUCCESSFUL PERSON, SAID “SUCCESS IS AN EMPTY BAG, BUT YOU HAVE TO GET THERE TO REALIZE IT.” WHEN WE BEGIN TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO JESUS CHRIST, NOTHING ABOUT US CAN BE EXALTED. AND IF WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY FOUND OUR VALUE IN SOMETHING WE HAVE OR DO OR ARE, WE CAN ONLY LOOK AT OURSELVES WITH DISMAY.
JESUS SAYS THAT THOSE WHO HUMBLE THEMSELVES WILL BE EXALTED. HUMBLING OURSELVES IS ENTIRELY AN INTERIOR STATE, AN ATTITUDE. IT IS A CLEAR-EYED RECOGNITION NOT OF OUR ASSETS, NOT OF OUR TALENTS, NOT OF ALL THE THINGS ABOUT US THAT ARE GOOD, BUT RATHER, OUR LIABILITIES. IF WE TRULY KNOW OURSELVES, THERE ARE THINGS WE KNOW COULD BE BETTER. THERE ARE THINGS ABOUT ME THAT NOT ONLY COULD BE A LOT BETTER, BUT I DON'T EVEN WANT TO TRY TO MAKE THEM BETTER. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE LIKE GAPING WOUNDS ON MY SOUL, I CAN BARELY IMAGINE MYSELF WITHOUT THEM. IT'S VERY EASY TO GO DAY TO DAY, WEEK TO WEEK, AND NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS. BUT IT IS VERY HARD TO STARE THEM DOWN AND REALIZE THAT I COULD CHANGE FOR THE BETTER, BUT DON'T EVEN WANT TO. AND IT IS IN THAT RECOGNITION, THAT CONFRONTATION WITH MY TRUE SELF, THAT I CAN BEGIN TO CHANGE. AND WHEN I SEE MY REAL FLAWS, MY TRUE FAULTS, THE SOURCES OF MY OWN SIN, I AM SEEING WHAT TRULY IMPACTS ON MY WORTH, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE I CAN RESIST GOD'S LOVE, CHRIST'S FRIENDSHIP. AND ITS ALSO IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO EVEN BEGIN TO SEE THOSE DARK PLACES IN OTHER PEOPLE. BECAUSE EVERY PERSON KEEPS THEM HIDDEN, FROM OTHERS AND FROM EVEN HIMSELF.
SO JESUS, WHO KNOWS US SO WELL, IS SAYING, TURN YOUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT YOU ESTEEM, YOUR TALENTS, YOUR RICHES, YOUR HEALTH, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY. THOSE ARE ALL GIFTS. IF YOU THINK THEY MAKE YOU BETTER THAN EVEN ONE OTHER PERSON, YOU ARE SADLY MISTAKEN, AND A DAY WILL COME WHEN YOU WILL SEE THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR VALUE. TURN YOUR ATTENTION INSTEAD TO THOSE PLACES IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU HATE TO THINK ABOUT; YOUR SELFISHNESS, YOUR LAZINESS, THOSE TEMPTATIONS YOU CAN'T RESIST; THOSE HABITS OF MIND AND BODY WHICH DESTROY WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT YOU. BECAUSE IF YOU DO, I'LL GIVE YOU THE GRACE TO OVERCOME THEM.
SAINT AUGUSTINE SAID THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS IN US THAT WE HAVE MADE WILL BE CONDEMNED, BUT EVERYTHING THAT GOD HAS MADE IN US WILL BE SAVED.
THIS WEEK LET US BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HUMBLING OURSELVES, AND PRAY THAT WE WILL HEAR OUR MASTER'S VOICE, “FRIEND, GO UP HIGHER.”.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
LUKE 13:22-30
DID YOU EVER THINK ABOUT HEAVEN? WHEN I WAS LITTLE I IMAGINED IT AS A PLACE WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF CANDY, NO SCHOOL, AND JUST FUN ALL THE TIME. THE ONLY THING THAT BOTHERED ME A LITTLE WAS THAT I SORT OF SUSPECTED THERE WOULD BE CHURCH, AND I'D HAVE TO STOP PLAYING EVERY NOW AND THEN AND PRAY. MOSLEMS HAVE A VERY DISTINCT IDEA OF HEAVEN, BECAUSE IT IS SPELLED OUT IN THE KORAN. IT IS A PLACE OF DELIGHT, WHERE ALL THE GOOD THINGS YOU COULD WANT ARE THERE INCLUDING A LARGE HAREM. I'M NOT SURE IT IS AS ATTRACTIVE TO MOSLEM WOMEN AS TO THE MEN.
BUT THE MORE YOU THINK ABOUT IT THE MORE DIFFICULT IT IS TO IMAGINE. AFTER ALL, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ETERNITY HERE, AND I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING IN ALL MY EXPERIENCE THAT WOULDN'T GET BORING AND OLD NOT IN FOREVER BUT EVEN IN A FEW YEARS. WE HUMAN BEINGS ARE DESIGNED SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING WE HAVE REALLY WANTED, WE IMMEDIATELY WANT SOMETHING ELSE. WE ADULTS TELL OURSELVES DIFFERENTLY SOMETIMES, BUT JUST WATCH A KID WITH A NEW TOY THAT HE OR SHE HAS WANTED FOR A LONG TIME. GIVE HIM ABOUT A WEEK. ST. AUGUSTINE SAID THAT THIS FEELING OF NEVER BEING COMPLETELY SATISFIED WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ONLY THING THAT CAN SATISFY US IS BEING IN UNION WITH GOD.
WHAT WE DO KNOW ABOUT HEAVEN IS THAT WE CAN'T DESCRIBE IT. ST PAUL COULDN'T. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT WE WILL BE UNITED TO THE TRINITY, AND THAT UNION IN SOME WAY WILL COMPLETELY SATISFY US, WILL COMPLETELY FILL US WITH JOY, WILL LAST FOREVER. AND THAT UNION IS ACCOMPLISHED ONLY BY OUR BECOMING ONE WITH JESUS. THAT IS WHAT HE MEANS BY “STRIVE TO ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW GATE”. HE HAS CALLED HIMSELF “THE GATE” IN OTHER PARTS OF THE GOSPEL, AND INSISTED THAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH HIM IF WE WANTED TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ACHIEVE THAT UNION WITH HIM ON THIS EARTH – SOME OF THE MYSTICS – AND OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD A MOMENT OR TWO IN THEIR LIVES WHEN THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT UNION. BUT FOR MOST OF US, WE ARE STILL STRIVING, AND AS FOR ME, IF I WAKE UP IN PURGATORY SOME DAY, I WILL REALLY BE HAPPY.
JESUS MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE DON'T HAVE A CLAIM ON HEAVEN. IF WE ARE CATHOLIC, IF WE GO TO MASS EVERY SUNDAY OR EVEN EVERY DAY, IF WE FREQUENTLY RECEIVE THE SACRAMENTS, IS THAT ENOUGH? JESUS SEEMS TO BE SAYING, “DON'T EVER THINK YOU HAVE IT MADE. THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME REAL SURPRISES, AND YOU MIGHT FIND THAT YOU MISSED YOUR OPPORTUNITY. THERE IS A TIME WHEN THE HOUSEHOLDER WILL SHUT THE GATE, AND THAT WILL BE IT. IF WE ARE NOT ACTIVELY STRIVING TO ENTER THE GATE, STRIVING TO IMITATE JESUS, STRIVING TO KNOW HIM AND BE ONE WITH HIM, IF WE DON'T FEEL THAT SENSE OF EFFORT IN OUR LIVES, THEN SOMETHING MAY BE TERRIBLY WRONG AND WE BETTER MAKE IT RIGHT.
THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER, AND WE ARE ALL GETTING BACK INTO THE ROUTINE. WE'VE HAD TWO MONTHS WHEN THINGS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE MORE RELAXED, AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE RE-ENERGIZED OURSELVES FOR THE NEXT TEN MONTHS. THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO TAKE STOCK. WILL THE COMING YEAR BE THE SAME AS LAST? OR WILL YOU AND I START SEPTEMBER WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY, A SENSE OF OPPORTUNITY, A DESIRE TO STRIVE, TO DRAW CLOSER TO JESUS?
DRAWING CLOSER IS NOT SOMETHING WE DO JUST IN OUR HEADS OR OUR HEARTS. IF WE WANT TO IMITATE JESUS, WE HAVE TO BEGIN TO ACT LIKE JESUS. IF WE WANT TO ACT LIKE JESUS, WHY OUR PARISH IS A GREAT PLACE TO START. JESUS TAUGHT; THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE, OR HELP THOSE WHO TEACH, IN OUR FAITH FORMATION PROGRAM. JESUS BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER. THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES SOME OF WHICH CAN BE A LOT OF FUN, IN THE COMING YEAR, WHEN THE PARISH HAS SOME SORT OF CELEBRATION OR EVENT. JESUS, AFTER ALL, SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE PLEASANT COMPANY OF FRIENDS. JESUS VISITED THE SICK AND DISTRAUGHT, AND OFTEN HIS PRESENCE BROUGHT ABOUT HEALING. WE HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO WORK WITH THE SICK, THE SHUT INS, THE PEOPLE WHO NEED JUST A LITTLE PRESENCE AND A SYMPATHETIC EAR. JESUS EVANGELIZED; HE WENT ABOUT TELLING PEOPLE THE GOOD NEWS. HE BROKE INTO THEIR CLOSED WORLD AND SHOWED THEM NEW POSSIBILITIES. THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS PARISH TO EVANGELIZE. WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PARISHIONERS WHO NEVER GO TO CHURCH. SOME OF THEM ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS. WE HAVE OTHER PARISHIONERS WHO COME TO CHURCH MOST SUNDAYS, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT. WE HAVE YOUNG MARRIED COUPLES WHO COULD BE INVITED TO BE MORE INVOLVED; WE HAVE NEW PARISHIONERS WHO COULD BE BEFRIENDED. BELIEVE ME, OUR PARISH DESPERATELY NEEDS EVANGELIZERS, EVEN BEFORE WE START GETTING OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORS WHO AREN'T CATHOLICS.
JESUS WAS A LEADER. HE CREATED A MOVEMENT THAT STARTED WITH 12 AND NOW INVOLVES ABOUT TWO BILLION. AND THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERSHIP IN THIS PARISH AS WELL AS FOLLOWERSHIP. WE NEED GOOD LEADERS AND GOOD FOLLOWERS, AND WHEN A LEADER AND A FEW FOLLOWERS GET TOGETHER TO ORGANIZE A PROJECT, THAT ISN'T A LOT DIFFERENT THAN WHEN JESUS AND HIS APOSTLES GOT TOGETHER TO DISTRIBUTE SOME BREAD AND FISH TO THE HUNGRY CROWDS, OR SET UP ONE OF THOSE SESSIONS WHEN JESUS HEALED PEOPLE WHO CAME TO HIM.
IN THE WEEKS AHEAD, YOUR PARISH COUNCIL WILL BE ORGANIZING ITSELF FOR THE COMING YEAR. MUCH OF THAT ORGANIZATION WILL HAVE TO DO WITH STUDYING THE NEEDS OF THE PARISH AND TRYING TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. AS THESE NEEDS ARE RECOGNIZED, YOU MAY BE CALLED UPON TO HELP. OR YOU MAY VOLUNTEER.
THE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES OUR PARISH SPONSORS ARE ALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO SERVE EACH OTHER, AND IN DOING SO, TO SERVE THE LORD AND IMITATE HIM. PRAYER AND SACRAMENTS ARE ESSENTIAL, BUT SERVICE IS AS WELL, IF WE WANT TO STRIVE TO ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW GATE. JESUS SAID, “LOVE ONE ANOTHER; HE SAID THAT WE ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS; HE EVEN TOLD US THAT WHEN WE SERVED EACH OTHER, WE WERE SERVING HIM. LOVE, BEING BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IS NOT JUST A FEELING.
SO PLEASE MAKE THIS YEAR DIFFERENT THAN PREVIOUS YEARS. TRY TO SEE THE SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF SERVICE. AND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORDS AT THE END OF MASS “GO AND SERVE THE LORD AND EACH OTHER,” THEY WILL NOT JUST BE WORDS, THEY WILL BE A CALL TO ACTION.
DID YOU EVER THINK ABOUT HEAVEN? WHEN I WAS LITTLE I IMAGINED IT AS A PLACE WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF CANDY, NO SCHOOL, AND JUST FUN ALL THE TIME. THE ONLY THING THAT BOTHERED ME A LITTLE WAS THAT I SORT OF SUSPECTED THERE WOULD BE CHURCH, AND I'D HAVE TO STOP PLAYING EVERY NOW AND THEN AND PRAY. MOSLEMS HAVE A VERY DISTINCT IDEA OF HEAVEN, BECAUSE IT IS SPELLED OUT IN THE KORAN. IT IS A PLACE OF DELIGHT, WHERE ALL THE GOOD THINGS YOU COULD WANT ARE THERE INCLUDING A LARGE HAREM. I'M NOT SURE IT IS AS ATTRACTIVE TO MOSLEM WOMEN AS TO THE MEN.
BUT THE MORE YOU THINK ABOUT IT THE MORE DIFFICULT IT IS TO IMAGINE. AFTER ALL, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ETERNITY HERE, AND I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING IN ALL MY EXPERIENCE THAT WOULDN'T GET BORING AND OLD NOT IN FOREVER BUT EVEN IN A FEW YEARS. WE HUMAN BEINGS ARE DESIGNED SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING WE HAVE REALLY WANTED, WE IMMEDIATELY WANT SOMETHING ELSE. WE ADULTS TELL OURSELVES DIFFERENTLY SOMETIMES, BUT JUST WATCH A KID WITH A NEW TOY THAT HE OR SHE HAS WANTED FOR A LONG TIME. GIVE HIM ABOUT A WEEK. ST. AUGUSTINE SAID THAT THIS FEELING OF NEVER BEING COMPLETELY SATISFIED WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ONLY THING THAT CAN SATISFY US IS BEING IN UNION WITH GOD.
WHAT WE DO KNOW ABOUT HEAVEN IS THAT WE CAN'T DESCRIBE IT. ST PAUL COULDN'T. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT WE WILL BE UNITED TO THE TRINITY, AND THAT UNION IN SOME WAY WILL COMPLETELY SATISFY US, WILL COMPLETELY FILL US WITH JOY, WILL LAST FOREVER. AND THAT UNION IS ACCOMPLISHED ONLY BY OUR BECOMING ONE WITH JESUS. THAT IS WHAT HE MEANS BY “STRIVE TO ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW GATE”. HE HAS CALLED HIMSELF “THE GATE” IN OTHER PARTS OF THE GOSPEL, AND INSISTED THAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH HIM IF WE WANTED TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ACHIEVE THAT UNION WITH HIM ON THIS EARTH – SOME OF THE MYSTICS – AND OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD A MOMENT OR TWO IN THEIR LIVES WHEN THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT UNION. BUT FOR MOST OF US, WE ARE STILL STRIVING, AND AS FOR ME, IF I WAKE UP IN PURGATORY SOME DAY, I WILL REALLY BE HAPPY.
JESUS MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE DON'T HAVE A CLAIM ON HEAVEN. IF WE ARE CATHOLIC, IF WE GO TO MASS EVERY SUNDAY OR EVEN EVERY DAY, IF WE FREQUENTLY RECEIVE THE SACRAMENTS, IS THAT ENOUGH? JESUS SEEMS TO BE SAYING, “DON'T EVER THINK YOU HAVE IT MADE. THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME REAL SURPRISES, AND YOU MIGHT FIND THAT YOU MISSED YOUR OPPORTUNITY. THERE IS A TIME WHEN THE HOUSEHOLDER WILL SHUT THE GATE, AND THAT WILL BE IT. IF WE ARE NOT ACTIVELY STRIVING TO ENTER THE GATE, STRIVING TO IMITATE JESUS, STRIVING TO KNOW HIM AND BE ONE WITH HIM, IF WE DON'T FEEL THAT SENSE OF EFFORT IN OUR LIVES, THEN SOMETHING MAY BE TERRIBLY WRONG AND WE BETTER MAKE IT RIGHT.
THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER, AND WE ARE ALL GETTING BACK INTO THE ROUTINE. WE'VE HAD TWO MONTHS WHEN THINGS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE MORE RELAXED, AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE RE-ENERGIZED OURSELVES FOR THE NEXT TEN MONTHS. THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO TAKE STOCK. WILL THE COMING YEAR BE THE SAME AS LAST? OR WILL YOU AND I START SEPTEMBER WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY, A SENSE OF OPPORTUNITY, A DESIRE TO STRIVE, TO DRAW CLOSER TO JESUS?
DRAWING CLOSER IS NOT SOMETHING WE DO JUST IN OUR HEADS OR OUR HEARTS. IF WE WANT TO IMITATE JESUS, WE HAVE TO BEGIN TO ACT LIKE JESUS. IF WE WANT TO ACT LIKE JESUS, WHY OUR PARISH IS A GREAT PLACE TO START. JESUS TAUGHT; THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE, OR HELP THOSE WHO TEACH, IN OUR FAITH FORMATION PROGRAM. JESUS BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER. THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES SOME OF WHICH CAN BE A LOT OF FUN, IN THE COMING YEAR, WHEN THE PARISH HAS SOME SORT OF CELEBRATION OR EVENT. JESUS, AFTER ALL, SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE PLEASANT COMPANY OF FRIENDS. JESUS VISITED THE SICK AND DISTRAUGHT, AND OFTEN HIS PRESENCE BROUGHT ABOUT HEALING. WE HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO WORK WITH THE SICK, THE SHUT INS, THE PEOPLE WHO NEED JUST A LITTLE PRESENCE AND A SYMPATHETIC EAR. JESUS EVANGELIZED; HE WENT ABOUT TELLING PEOPLE THE GOOD NEWS. HE BROKE INTO THEIR CLOSED WORLD AND SHOWED THEM NEW POSSIBILITIES. THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS PARISH TO EVANGELIZE. WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PARISHIONERS WHO NEVER GO TO CHURCH. SOME OF THEM ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS. WE HAVE OTHER PARISHIONERS WHO COME TO CHURCH MOST SUNDAYS, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT. WE HAVE YOUNG MARRIED COUPLES WHO COULD BE INVITED TO BE MORE INVOLVED; WE HAVE NEW PARISHIONERS WHO COULD BE BEFRIENDED. BELIEVE ME, OUR PARISH DESPERATELY NEEDS EVANGELIZERS, EVEN BEFORE WE START GETTING OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORS WHO AREN'T CATHOLICS.
JESUS WAS A LEADER. HE CREATED A MOVEMENT THAT STARTED WITH 12 AND NOW INVOLVES ABOUT TWO BILLION. AND THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERSHIP IN THIS PARISH AS WELL AS FOLLOWERSHIP. WE NEED GOOD LEADERS AND GOOD FOLLOWERS, AND WHEN A LEADER AND A FEW FOLLOWERS GET TOGETHER TO ORGANIZE A PROJECT, THAT ISN'T A LOT DIFFERENT THAN WHEN JESUS AND HIS APOSTLES GOT TOGETHER TO DISTRIBUTE SOME BREAD AND FISH TO THE HUNGRY CROWDS, OR SET UP ONE OF THOSE SESSIONS WHEN JESUS HEALED PEOPLE WHO CAME TO HIM.
IN THE WEEKS AHEAD, YOUR PARISH COUNCIL WILL BE ORGANIZING ITSELF FOR THE COMING YEAR. MUCH OF THAT ORGANIZATION WILL HAVE TO DO WITH STUDYING THE NEEDS OF THE PARISH AND TRYING TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. AS THESE NEEDS ARE RECOGNIZED, YOU MAY BE CALLED UPON TO HELP. OR YOU MAY VOLUNTEER.
THE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES OUR PARISH SPONSORS ARE ALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO SERVE EACH OTHER, AND IN DOING SO, TO SERVE THE LORD AND IMITATE HIM. PRAYER AND SACRAMENTS ARE ESSENTIAL, BUT SERVICE IS AS WELL, IF WE WANT TO STRIVE TO ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW GATE. JESUS SAID, “LOVE ONE ANOTHER; HE SAID THAT WE ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS; HE EVEN TOLD US THAT WHEN WE SERVED EACH OTHER, WE WERE SERVING HIM. LOVE, BEING BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IS NOT JUST A FEELING.
SO PLEASE MAKE THIS YEAR DIFFERENT THAN PREVIOUS YEARS. TRY TO SEE THE SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF SERVICE. AND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORDS AT THE END OF MASS “GO AND SERVE THE LORD AND EACH OTHER,” THEY WILL NOT JUST BE WORDS, THEY WILL BE A CALL TO ACTION.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C
LUKE 12:32-48
ONCE A TRAVELER PASSED A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN, A PART OF A GREAT ESTATE. HE ASKED THE GARDENER HOW LONG HE HAD BEEN TAKING CARE OF IT. THE GARDENER SAID, 25 YEARS. AND THE OWNER OF THE ESTATE, DOES HE ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL GARDEN? “HE IS NOT HERE VERY OFTEN,” SAID THE GARDENER. “WHEN WAS HE HERE LAST?” ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO, REPLIED THE GARDENER. “TWELVE YEARS? AND YET YOU KEEP THE GARDEN AS THOUGH HE IS GOING TO COME BACK TOMORROW? “NOT TOMORROW, THE GARDENER REPLIED, TODAY.
TODAY IN THE GOSPEL JESUS GIVES US THREE COMMANDS. THE FIRST IS “DO NOT BE AFRAID.” IF WE ASK OURSELVES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AFRAID, WE ALL THINK WE KNOW. WE'VE EXPERIENCED MOMENTS WHEN THE ADRENALIN RUSHED ABOUT AND OUR HEARTS RACED. WE'VE HAD THOSE “NEAR MISSES” WHEN WE NEARLY HAD A CAR ACCIDENT OR ALMOST STEPPED OFF THE CURB INTO TRAFFIC – AT LEAST I HAVE – WHEN IN THE AFTERMATH WE'VE FOUND OURSELVES SHAKING. BUT JESUS IS REFERRING NOT TO THESE KINDS OF FEAR, BUT INSTEAD TO A STATE OF FEAR. ALL MY LIFE I'VE NEVER WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE VERY MUCH. I'VE KIND OF LEFT THAT JOB TO MY WIFE, WHO IS MUCH BETTER AT WORRYING. WE LIVED OUR LIVES, BOUGHT A HOUSE, PUT THE KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE, PAID OFF THE MORTGAGE, WENT ON A FEW VACATIONS, AND MY WIFE AND I ARE FORTUNATE IN THAT WE STILL HAVE OUR GOOD HEALTH AND ARE BOTH DOING THINGS WE LIKE TO DO. BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE AGE OF 65 LOOMED. ALL OF A SUDDEN I BEGAN GETTING NOTICES FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, TELLING ME WHAT KIND OF CHOICES I HAD. AND NOW I FIND MYSELF AFRAID – AFRAID THAT IF I LIVE TO BE 95 I MAY HAVE TO GO ON WELFARE, AFRAID THAT SINCE MUCH OF WHAT I HAVE SAVED UP IS IN FUNDS THAT DEPEND ON THE STOCK MARKET --I COULD LOSE MY SHIRT IF THE MARKET TANKS. BUT THERE IS HOPE FOR ME; JESUS TELLS ME THAT WHERE MY TREASURE IS, THERE IS MY HEART. THE SOLUTION TO MY FEAR IS TO RELOCATE MY TREASURE TO A TRULY SECURE PLACE, HEAVEN.
THE SECOND COMMAND IS TO SELL WHAT I HAVE AND GIVE ALMS. WELL, I GIVE ALMS, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HELP MY FEAR. IN FACT AS I CALCULATE HOW I AM GOING TO FINANCE THE REST OF MY LIFE, I LOOK AT THE VARIOUS CHARITIES WE SUPPORT AND THINK ABOUT HOW I AM GOING TO HAVE TO CUT BACK HERE AND ELIMINATE THERE. JESUS DOES NOT EXPECT ME OR YOU TO LIVE LIKE A MONK. THAT IS A GOOD WAY FOR MONKS TO LIVE, IT WOULD BE A SINFUL WAY FOR YOU OR I TO LIVE. BUT IF I WANT TO RELOCATE MY TREASURE SO THAT I CAN RELOCATE MY HEART, I'VE GOT TO SOMEHOW DETACH MYSELF FROM WHAT I HAVE TO THE POINT WHERE MY STUFF NO LONGER POSSESSES ME, TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD LITERALLY TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. MY WIFE IS MUCH BETTER AT THAT THAN I AM. WE RECENTLY DUMPED THE ACCUMULATIONS OF 41 YEARS OF MARRIAGE – AND WE STILL HAVE A FEW TRUCKLOADS LEFT. OVER AND OVER IN THE GOSPELS JESUS MAKES THE POINT THAT IT IS NOT THE STUFF WE HAVE THAT WILL GAIN US TREASURE IN HEAVEN, IT IS THE STUFF WE GET RID OF SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT, SO THAT IT DOESN'T DEMAND OUR ATTENTION.
THE THIRD COMMAND IS TO BE PREPARED, TO BE READY. THIS ALSO IS A COMMAND JESUS GIVES MANY TIMES IN SCRIPTURE – BUT BE READY FOR WHAT? WELL, NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. ALL THROUGH THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO TOOK THAT MEANING, AND THEY FOUND THEMSELVES LOOKING FOOLISH AFTER THE PREDICTED MOMENT CAME AND WENT. WELL, NOT FOR MY OWN DEATH, EITHER. OF COURSE WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR DEATH SPIRITUALLY. BUT DOES THAT REQUIRE CONSTANT VIGILANCE? SHOULD WE STAY AWAKE ALL NIGHT AND MEMORIZE THE BIBLE? EVEN JESUS TOOK A BREAK NOW AND THEN, ENJOYED TIME WITH HIS FRIENDS, TOOK AT LEAST ONE NAP IN THE BACK OF A BOAT. SO THAT'S NOT WHAT HE MEANS. I THINK WHEN WE READ THE ILLUSTRATIONS AND EXAMPLES JESUS USES, HE IS TALKING ABOUT BEING ALERT AT ALL TIMES TO THOSE MOMENTS THAT CONSTANTLY SNEAK UP ON US WHERE WE PERSONALLY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. BECAUSE IF THAT BECOMES OUR FOCUS RATHER THAN HOW I AM GOING TO FINANCE MY FUTURE, OR WHETHER I WILL RECOVER FROM THIS SERIOUS ILLNESS OR MANAGE TO GRADUATE FROM SCHOOL, OR BE ABLE TO HANG ON TO MY JOB OR MEET MY MORTGAGE PAYMENT, THEN I AM IN A POSITION TO STORE UP TREASURE WHERE IT IS SAFE. JUST THINK, IF I LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO IMITATE JESUS – OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFER A COMPLEMENT, OPPORTUNITIES TO LIFT SOMEONE'S SAGGING SPIRITS, MOMENTS TO REMIND MY CHILDREN THAT I LOVE THEM, -- JUST SIMPLE EVERYDAY THINGS, I AM ACCUMULATING TREASURE THAT CAN NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY. BUT SO OFTEN WE LET THEM GO BY BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID, BECAUSE OUR MINDS ARE SO OCCUPIED BY THE FUTURE OR THE PAST THAT THE PRESENT SLIPS BY; OR THEY ARE SO CENTERED ON OURSELF THAT WE DON'T NOTICE VERY MUCH ABOUT OUR NEIGHBOR. WHERE MY TREASURE IS, THERE ALSO IS MY HEART.
SO JESUS SAYS, BE NOT AFRAID; FIND OUT WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, AND IF IT IS NOT IN HEAVEN, IT ISN'T WORTH MUCH, IT ISN'T SECURE AT ALL, IT ISN'T A PLACE TO PUT YOUR HEART, SO TEAR YOURSELF AWAY FROM IT. AND THEN START STORING UP TREASURE BY BEING VIGILANT FOR ALL THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD UP THE KINGDOM OF GOD -- THE OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR DAY TO DAY LIFE. AND AS WE BEGAN TO LIVE THIS WAY, WE NO LONGER FEAR, AND WE REALIZE THAT AS WE BUILD UP THE KINGDOM OF GOD, IT IS ALREADY OURS, AS JESUS ASSURES US IN TODAY'S GOSPEL.
ONCE A TRAVELER PASSED A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN, A PART OF A GREAT ESTATE. HE ASKED THE GARDENER HOW LONG HE HAD BEEN TAKING CARE OF IT. THE GARDENER SAID, 25 YEARS. AND THE OWNER OF THE ESTATE, DOES HE ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL GARDEN? “HE IS NOT HERE VERY OFTEN,” SAID THE GARDENER. “WHEN WAS HE HERE LAST?” ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO, REPLIED THE GARDENER. “TWELVE YEARS? AND YET YOU KEEP THE GARDEN AS THOUGH HE IS GOING TO COME BACK TOMORROW? “NOT TOMORROW, THE GARDENER REPLIED, TODAY.
TODAY IN THE GOSPEL JESUS GIVES US THREE COMMANDS. THE FIRST IS “DO NOT BE AFRAID.” IF WE ASK OURSELVES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AFRAID, WE ALL THINK WE KNOW. WE'VE EXPERIENCED MOMENTS WHEN THE ADRENALIN RUSHED ABOUT AND OUR HEARTS RACED. WE'VE HAD THOSE “NEAR MISSES” WHEN WE NEARLY HAD A CAR ACCIDENT OR ALMOST STEPPED OFF THE CURB INTO TRAFFIC – AT LEAST I HAVE – WHEN IN THE AFTERMATH WE'VE FOUND OURSELVES SHAKING. BUT JESUS IS REFERRING NOT TO THESE KINDS OF FEAR, BUT INSTEAD TO A STATE OF FEAR. ALL MY LIFE I'VE NEVER WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE VERY MUCH. I'VE KIND OF LEFT THAT JOB TO MY WIFE, WHO IS MUCH BETTER AT WORRYING. WE LIVED OUR LIVES, BOUGHT A HOUSE, PUT THE KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE, PAID OFF THE MORTGAGE, WENT ON A FEW VACATIONS, AND MY WIFE AND I ARE FORTUNATE IN THAT WE STILL HAVE OUR GOOD HEALTH AND ARE BOTH DOING THINGS WE LIKE TO DO. BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE AGE OF 65 LOOMED. ALL OF A SUDDEN I BEGAN GETTING NOTICES FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, TELLING ME WHAT KIND OF CHOICES I HAD. AND NOW I FIND MYSELF AFRAID – AFRAID THAT IF I LIVE TO BE 95 I MAY HAVE TO GO ON WELFARE, AFRAID THAT SINCE MUCH OF WHAT I HAVE SAVED UP IS IN FUNDS THAT DEPEND ON THE STOCK MARKET --I COULD LOSE MY SHIRT IF THE MARKET TANKS. BUT THERE IS HOPE FOR ME; JESUS TELLS ME THAT WHERE MY TREASURE IS, THERE IS MY HEART. THE SOLUTION TO MY FEAR IS TO RELOCATE MY TREASURE TO A TRULY SECURE PLACE, HEAVEN.
THE SECOND COMMAND IS TO SELL WHAT I HAVE AND GIVE ALMS. WELL, I GIVE ALMS, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HELP MY FEAR. IN FACT AS I CALCULATE HOW I AM GOING TO FINANCE THE REST OF MY LIFE, I LOOK AT THE VARIOUS CHARITIES WE SUPPORT AND THINK ABOUT HOW I AM GOING TO HAVE TO CUT BACK HERE AND ELIMINATE THERE. JESUS DOES NOT EXPECT ME OR YOU TO LIVE LIKE A MONK. THAT IS A GOOD WAY FOR MONKS TO LIVE, IT WOULD BE A SINFUL WAY FOR YOU OR I TO LIVE. BUT IF I WANT TO RELOCATE MY TREASURE SO THAT I CAN RELOCATE MY HEART, I'VE GOT TO SOMEHOW DETACH MYSELF FROM WHAT I HAVE TO THE POINT WHERE MY STUFF NO LONGER POSSESSES ME, TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD LITERALLY TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. MY WIFE IS MUCH BETTER AT THAT THAN I AM. WE RECENTLY DUMPED THE ACCUMULATIONS OF 41 YEARS OF MARRIAGE – AND WE STILL HAVE A FEW TRUCKLOADS LEFT. OVER AND OVER IN THE GOSPELS JESUS MAKES THE POINT THAT IT IS NOT THE STUFF WE HAVE THAT WILL GAIN US TREASURE IN HEAVEN, IT IS THE STUFF WE GET RID OF SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT, SO THAT IT DOESN'T DEMAND OUR ATTENTION.
THE THIRD COMMAND IS TO BE PREPARED, TO BE READY. THIS ALSO IS A COMMAND JESUS GIVES MANY TIMES IN SCRIPTURE – BUT BE READY FOR WHAT? WELL, NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. ALL THROUGH THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO TOOK THAT MEANING, AND THEY FOUND THEMSELVES LOOKING FOOLISH AFTER THE PREDICTED MOMENT CAME AND WENT. WELL, NOT FOR MY OWN DEATH, EITHER. OF COURSE WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR DEATH SPIRITUALLY. BUT DOES THAT REQUIRE CONSTANT VIGILANCE? SHOULD WE STAY AWAKE ALL NIGHT AND MEMORIZE THE BIBLE? EVEN JESUS TOOK A BREAK NOW AND THEN, ENJOYED TIME WITH HIS FRIENDS, TOOK AT LEAST ONE NAP IN THE BACK OF A BOAT. SO THAT'S NOT WHAT HE MEANS. I THINK WHEN WE READ THE ILLUSTRATIONS AND EXAMPLES JESUS USES, HE IS TALKING ABOUT BEING ALERT AT ALL TIMES TO THOSE MOMENTS THAT CONSTANTLY SNEAK UP ON US WHERE WE PERSONALLY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. BECAUSE IF THAT BECOMES OUR FOCUS RATHER THAN HOW I AM GOING TO FINANCE MY FUTURE, OR WHETHER I WILL RECOVER FROM THIS SERIOUS ILLNESS OR MANAGE TO GRADUATE FROM SCHOOL, OR BE ABLE TO HANG ON TO MY JOB OR MEET MY MORTGAGE PAYMENT, THEN I AM IN A POSITION TO STORE UP TREASURE WHERE IT IS SAFE. JUST THINK, IF I LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO IMITATE JESUS – OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFER A COMPLEMENT, OPPORTUNITIES TO LIFT SOMEONE'S SAGGING SPIRITS, MOMENTS TO REMIND MY CHILDREN THAT I LOVE THEM, -- JUST SIMPLE EVERYDAY THINGS, I AM ACCUMULATING TREASURE THAT CAN NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY. BUT SO OFTEN WE LET THEM GO BY BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID, BECAUSE OUR MINDS ARE SO OCCUPIED BY THE FUTURE OR THE PAST THAT THE PRESENT SLIPS BY; OR THEY ARE SO CENTERED ON OURSELF THAT WE DON'T NOTICE VERY MUCH ABOUT OUR NEIGHBOR. WHERE MY TREASURE IS, THERE ALSO IS MY HEART.
SO JESUS SAYS, BE NOT AFRAID; FIND OUT WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, AND IF IT IS NOT IN HEAVEN, IT ISN'T WORTH MUCH, IT ISN'T SECURE AT ALL, IT ISN'T A PLACE TO PUT YOUR HEART, SO TEAR YOURSELF AWAY FROM IT. AND THEN START STORING UP TREASURE BY BEING VIGILANT FOR ALL THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD UP THE KINGDOM OF GOD -- THE OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR DAY TO DAY LIFE. AND AS WE BEGAN TO LIVE THIS WAY, WE NO LONGER FEAR, AND WE REALIZE THAT AS WE BUILD UP THE KINGDOM OF GOD, IT IS ALREADY OURS, AS JESUS ASSURES US IN TODAY'S GOSPEL.
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