LUKE 17:5-10
IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THIS COUNTRY, THE PURITANS WOULD SPEND MOST OF SUNDAY IN WORSHIP. SERMONS WOULD GO ON FOR HOURS. WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THESE SERMONS THAT WERE LATER PRINTED IN SMALL BOOKS. MAYBE OUR ANCESTORS HAD LONGER ATTENTION SPANS, OR MAYBE IN AN AGE WITHOUT TELEVISION THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING ELSE TO ENTERTAIN THEM; BUT I DOUBT THAT EVEN THE POPE COULD SIT STILL FOR A SIX HOUR SERMON. MOST CATHOLICS START TO TWITCH AFTER FIFTEEN MINUTES. ANYWAY, THE PURITANS HAD A WAY TO KEEP AWAKE. THEY WOULD CARRY SMALL LINEN BAGS CONTAINING SEEDS. A PEPPER CORN; A LICORICE SEED; A CARAWAY SEED; A CUMIN SEED, A MUSTARD SEED; THE DEVOUT CHURCHGOER WOULD REACH IN HIS LITTLE BAG, SELECT A SINGLE SEED, PUT IT IN HIS MOUTH, BREAK IT, SUCK ON IT, WORRY IT, UNTIL THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT. THEN HE'D TAKE ANOTHER. THE TASTE AND SMELL AND TACTILE SENSATION KEPT HIS EYES OPEN AND HIS ATTENTION ON THE MINISTER.
HAVE YOU EVER BITTEN INTO A MUSTARD SEED? IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH FLAVOR YOU GET; ALONG WITH A SLIGHT BURN, LIKE CHILI PEPPER. I CAN SEE WHERE IT WOULD WAKE YOU UP. PEOPLE IN JESUS' DAY CONSIDERED THE MUSTARD SEED THE SMALLEST OF SEEDS; BUT MAYBE IN THIS GOSPEL JESUS WAS CONSIDERING THE TASTE AS WELL.
I WANT TO TEACH YOU A NEW WORD TODAY, SO THAT WHEN YOU LEAVE CHURCH YOU WILL BE SMARTER THAN WHEN YOU CAME IN. THAT WORD IS “PERICOPE”. IT IS WHAT WE CALL THESE LITTLE PASSAGES THAT WE READ FROM SCRIPTURE. SOMETIMES, AS IS TRUE OF THE GOSPEL TODAY, THE PERICOPE IS PLUCKED OUT OF CONTEXT, AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE THINGS THAT JESUS IS SAYING ARE UNRELATED, AND SOMETIMES THEY SOUND LIKE SAYINGS FROM CONFUCIUS. SO A LITTLE BACKGROUND. JESUS HAS BEEN TELLING PARABLES. HE TOLD HIS APOSTLES ABOUT THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS. HE TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PRODIGAL SON AND THE WOMAN WHO LOST A COIN AND THE SHEPHERD WHO WENT IN SEARCH OF HIS SHEEP. AND THEN HE TELLS THEM THAT IF THEY ARE THE CAUSE FOR SIN FOR ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES, IT IS BETTER FOR THEM TO HAVE A MILLSTONE TIED AROUND THEIR NECKS AND BE CAST INTO THE SEA; AND HE TELLS THEM THAT THEY ARE TO HAVE NO LIMITS TO THEIR FORGIVENESS. AND IF YOU ARE SERIOUSLY TRYING TO FOLLOW JESUS, AS THE APOSTLES WERE, BY THIS TIME YOU WOULD THINK THIS WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE. JESUS HAS BEEN DESCRIBING A WAY OF LIFE WHICH SEEMS CLEARLY SUPERHUMAN. AND THAT IS WHERE THE APOSTLES CRY OUT, “INCREASE OUR FAITH!” BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THAT TO LIVE A LIFE LIKE JESUS IS DESCRIBING IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT MORE THAN THEY THINK THEY HAVE.
AND JESUS REPLIES, AND IT WOULD BE MORE CLEAR IF WE COULD READ GREEK, “YOU ALREADY HAVE ALL THE FAITH YOU NEED. FAITH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE MEASURED OUT BY THE GALLON. ANY FAITH CAN ACCOMPLISH IMPOSSIBLE THINGS – THINGS LIKE PICKING UP A TREE AND PLANTING IT IN THE SEA – IF THAT IS WHAT THE FATHER WANTS. AND WHAT I HAVE BEEN DESCRIBING IS A WAY OF LIFE THAT THE FATHER WANTS FOR YOU. IF HE WANTS IT, AND YOU WANT IT, WHAT CAN GO WRONG?
CHRISTIANITY IS FILLED WITH EVIDENCE OF THIS. WE READ ABOUT SOME SAINTS WHO WERE CONVERTED IN AN INSTANT, LIKE SAINT PAUL; OTHERS WHO SEEMED TO BE SAINTS FROM THE MOMENT THEY GRADUATED FROM DIAPERS, LIKE SAINT THERESA OF LISIEUX; BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF SAINTS WHO SEEMED TO HAVE MADE A DELIBERATE DECISION TO BECOME SAINTS. SAINT AUGUSTINE STARTED OUT THINKING THAT CHRISTIANS WERE NOT VERY SMART, AND BELIEVED IN A LOT OF NONSENSE. THEN HE HEARD SAINT AMBROSE PREACH, AND EVENTUALLY MADE THE DECISION TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN. AND THAT IS THE WAY MOST SAINTS GOT TO BE SAINTS; THEY YIELDED TO GOD'S WILL, AND GOD'S WILL IS THAT YOU AND I BECOME SAINTS, AND JESUS HAS LAID OUT THE WAY WE ARE TO DO THIS, AND TELLS US THAT WE HAVE ALL THE GRACE WE NEED, ALL THE FAITH WE NEED. IF GOD WANTS IT, WHICH HE DOES, AND IF WE WANT IT, WHICH IS THE REAL PROBLEM, IT WILL HAPPEN.
A MUSTARD SEED IS VERY SMALL, BUT IF YOU BITE ON ONE, YOU CAN'T IGNORE IT; IF YOUR FAITH IS LIKE A MUSTARD SEED, IT NAGS YOU; YOU KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO AVOID; AND YOU KNOW WHAT GOD WANTS FOR YOU. AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO MAKE UP YOUR MIND TO WANT WHAT GOD WANTS FOR YOU. AND YOU CAN BE A SAINT, IF YOU WANT TO.
JESUS GOES FURTHER. NOT ONLY DOES HE MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE CAN BECOME SAINTS IF WE WANT TO – BUT WE ARE NOT TO TAKE CREDIT FOR ANYTHING WE DO WHICH IS GOOD, WHICH MIGHT LOOK EXTRAORDINARY TO THE WORLD. BECAUSE IF IT IS TRUE THAT GOD WANTS US TO BE SAINTS, AND IF WE WANT TO BE SAINTS, AND AS A RESULT DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS IN THE WORLD, IT IS REALLY GOD WORKING THROUGH US. IF WE MANAGE TO BECOME SAINTS, THAT IS OUR HUMAN DESTINY; THAT IS REALLY NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT. WHAT IS REALLY EXTRAORDINARY, WHAT WE SHOULD REALLY TAKE NOTICE OF, IS WHEN WE DON'T BECOME SAINTS. THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE CHOSEN TO FIGHT GOD'S GRACE, AND HOW CAN THAT POSSIBLY MAKE SENSE? IN FACT, I THINK JESUS TELLS US THE PARABLE ABOUT THE SERVANTS SO THAT WE CAN EXAMINE OURSELVES – IF WE HAVE ANY TENDENCY TO FEEL THAT WHAT WE DO OR SAY, OR PRAY, BRINGS US CLOSER TO GOD, OR MAKES US SUPERIOR TO OUR FELLOW MAN, WE ARE ON THE WRONG TRACK.
I THINK ANOTHER POINT TO MAKE IS THAT THE APOSTLES THOUGHT THAT IF THEY HAD MORE FAITH, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ANY DOUBTS, AND ONCE THE DOUBTS WERE GONE, THEY COULD DO ANYTHING. BUT JESUS SEEMS TO BE SAYING THAT IT'S NOT LIKE THAT. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE DOUBT; IF YOU ARE A THINKING HUMAN BEING, YOU CAN'T BE IN A STATE OF ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY IN THIS LIFE ABOUT GOD, ABOUT THE CHURCH, ABOUT LIFE AFTER DEATH. IF YOU WERE, IT WOULDN'T BE FAITH. SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING; AUTHENTIC FAITH IS NOT THE SAME THING AS CERTAINTY. AT THE ROOT, AUTHENTIC FAITH IS A DECISION TO LIVE IN A WAY THAT PRESUPPOSES THAT WHAT WE BELIEVE IS TRUE. EVEN MOTHER THERESA LIVED WITH DOUBT.
SO TO SUM UP: EVERY ONE OF US HAS ENOUGH FAITH TO BECOME A SAINT. THAT'S WHAT GOD WANTS, AND IF THAT'S WHAT WE WANT, THEN NOTHING STANDS IN OUR WAY. FAITH NAGS US LIKE THE TASTE OF A MUSTARD SEED; WE CAN'T IGNORE IT. FAITH ALWAYS EXISTS WITH DOUBT, BY DEFINITION. AND IF WE BELIEVE THAT ANY PART OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD MAKES US BETTER THAN OUR FELLOW MAN, OR IN FACT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH OUR GOODNESS OR INTELLIGENCE OR FAITHFULNESS, WE ARE SORELY MISTAKEN. AS SAINT PAUL SAYS, EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD COMES FROM GOD.
SO THIS WEEK WE ASK OURSELVES, DO WE HAVE THE FAITH AS BIG AS A MUSTARD SEED? ARE WE SERVANTS WHO ARE DOING WHAT WE ARE EXPECTED TO DO? OR ARE WE FIGHTING WHAT GOD WANTS FOR YOU AND I?
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C
LUKE 16:19-31
VERY EARLY IN THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY, PREACHERS USED THIS PARABLE TO REASSURE THE MEMBERS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION THAT ALL THE SUFFERING THEY WERE GOING THROUGH WOULD BE REWARDED IN THE NEXT LIFE. AND THIS WAS PROBABLY A COMFORTING MESSAGE WHEN BEING A CHRISTIAN MEANT THAT AT THE MINIMUM YOU WERE EXCLUDED FROM GOOD JOBS AND NICE PLACES TO LIVE, AND THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE THAT YOU MIGHT BE FED TO THE LIONS OR GET YOUR HEAD WAS CHOPPED OFF.
BUT AFTER CHRISTIANITY BECAME THE DOMINANT RELIGION AND INDEED, THE RELIGION OF THE STATE, HUMAN BEINGS DID WHAT THEY ALWAYS DO – THEY SORTED THEMSELVES ONCE AGAIN, INTO THOSE WHO RULED AND THOSE WHO WERE RULED OVER. THE CHRISTIAN WORLD WHICH HAD ONCE BEEN A WORLD OF EQUALITY, A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE SHARED WHAT THEY HAD AND BISHOPS AND PRIESTS AND DEACONS HAD DAY JOBS, AND NO CHRISTIAN WOULD LET ANOTHER CHRISTIAN GO HUNGRY, – THAT WORLD BECAME LIKE ALL HUMAN WORLDS; AN UPPER CLASS WITH POWER AND RICHES AND BEAUTIFUL HOMES AND RICH FOODS – AND A LOWER CLASS WHO WORKED FROM DAWN TO DUSK, POORLY FED AND CLOTHED, LIVING IN SQUALOR. AND THE PARABLE OF LAZARUS AND THE RICH MAN CONTINUED TO BE PREACHED – BUT NOW TO JUSTIFY OPPRESSION WITH THE SAME MESSAGE – YOU POOR WILL SOMEDAY BE REWARDED IN THE NEXT LIFE.
IS THAT WHAT JESUS MEANT, THOUGH? DID HE TELL THIS STORY TO DRIVE HOME THAT THE RICH WOULD BURN IN HELL AND THE POOR WOULD ENJOY ETERNAL BLISS AFTER DEATH? I DON'T THINK SO. JESUS WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE GREAT PROPHETS OF HIS TRADITION. AND TODAY WE HEARD A SELECTION FROM THE PROPHET AMOS, WHOSE WRITING WAS ALL ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE; HE SPOKE FOR GOD IN CONDEMNATION OF THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THEIR POSITIONS, WHO ABUSED THOSE WHO WERE POOR AND WITHOUT POWER. AND AMOS WASN'T THE ONLY ONE. ISAIAH AND JEREMIAH AND MOST OF THE PROPHETS HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE AS WELL. AND IT WAS ALWAYS THE SAME MESSAGE – GOD HEARS THE CRY OF THE POOR, AND JUSTICE WILL BE DONE.
I THINK JESUS ISN'T CONCERNED ABOUT LIFE AFTER DEATH, AND DOESN'T TELL THIS PARABLE TO TELL US HOW IT WILL BE IN THE NEXT WORLD. PUT YOURSELF IN THE PLACE OF ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HEARD JESUS. YOU ARE POOR, AND YOU DON'T MUCH LIKE RICH PEOPLE. SO WHEN JESUS DRAWS THE PICTURE OF THE RICH MAN, YOU SEE A VERY WELL FED MAN DRESSED LIKE ROYALTY COMING OUT OF HIS PALACE AND STEPPING OVER THE BODY OF A BEGGAR. AND YOU CHEER WHEN THEY BOTH DIE, AND THEY BOTH GET WHAT'S COMING TO THEM. BUT THEN YOU BEGIN TO HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS; THE RICH MAN IS NOT JUST IN TORMENT, HE IS IN ETERNAL TORMENT. THE FLAMES BURN HIM, HE CAN BARELY BREATHE, HE LONGS FOR A DROP OF WATER. AND AS HE SPEAKS, YOU BEGIN TO SYMPATHIZE – YOU HEAR HIM BEG FATHER ABRAHAM THAT IF NOTHING CAN BE DONE FOR HIM, SAVE HIS BROTHERS FROM THIS TORMENT. AND WHEN JESUS FINISHES THE STORY, YOU HAVE MIXED FEELINGS; DID THE RICH MAN REALLY DESERVE WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM? JUST FOR IGNORING LAZARUS, THE POOR MAN? AND MAYBE, IF YOU THINK AGAIN, YOU MIGHT WONDER IF LAZARUS, THE POOR MAN, REALLY DESERVED ETERNAL HAPPINESS – JUST FOR BEING POOR AND MISERABLE.
AND MAYBE AFTER YOU THINK ABOUT THIS PARABLE FOR A LONG TIME, YOU MIGHT WONDER IF WHAT JESUS IS REALLY SAYING IS THAT FOR THERE TO BE HAVES AND HAVE NOTS, FOR THERE TO BE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN LONGMEADOW WHO WORRY ABOUT WATCHING THEIR WEIGHT AND PEOPLE IN HAITI WHO LIVE ONE OR TWO MEALS AWAY FROM STARVATION; FOR THERE TO BE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES WHO CONSUME 25% OF THE ENERGY PRODUCED IN THE WORLD AND PEOPLE IN NORTH KOREA WHOSE NIGHTS ARE UNYIELDING BLACKNESS BECAUSE THERE IS NO ENERGY FOR LIGHT OR HEAT; IF YOU BELIEVE THE OLD PROPHETS; IF YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF JUSTICE, EVEN IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE RICH, WELL FED, HAVES, YOU SORT OF KNOW THAT IF THERE IS A GOD, THERE WILL BE JUSTICE. WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. IF THERE IS A LIFE BEYOND THIS ONE, JUSTICE MUST BE DONE.
AND JESUS IS SUGGESTING THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. IF THOSE WHO HAVE LIFT UP THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE, IT IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION. LAZARUS WON'T HAVE TO LIE IN THE DOORWAY, ATTENDED TO BY DOGS, WISHING FOR A FEW CRUMBS; AND THE RICH MAN WON'T HAVE TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF IGNORING LAZARUS. BOTH WILL ENJOY THE GOOD THINGS THIS LIFE HAS TO OFFER, AND BOTH WILL REST IN THE BOSOM OF ABRAHAM.
A FEW WEEKS AGO, BILL GATES, THE RICHEST MAN IN THE UNITED STATES, WHOSE WORTH IS ABOUT 54 BILLION DOLLARS, AND WARREN BUFFET, WHO ISN'T FAR BEHIND, PLEDGED TO GIVE MOST OF THEIR FORTUNES AWAY AND SUGGESTED THAT OTHERS WHO HAVE ACQUIRED FORTUNES DO LIKEWISE. WE ALL KNOW ABOUT TOM DONAHUE THE FOUNDER OF DOMINO'S PIZZA, AND THE FORMER OWNER OF THE DETROIT TIGERS, WHO HAS USED HIS FORTUNE TO BUILD A CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY AND A CATHOLIC-ORIENTED CITY IN FLORIDA. AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER EXAMPLES.
THESE ARE SPECTACULAR STORIES. BUT I KNOW OF A FEW OTHERS AS WELL. I KNOW OF A HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR AND A NURSE WHO, AFTER THEY RAISED THEIR FAMILY, SOLD EVERYTHING THEY HAD AND ADOPTED A TOWN IN THE MOUNTAINS OF MEXICO. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS THEY BUILT A HEALTH SYSTEM, TAUGHT SOME OF THE TOWNSPEOPLE HOW TO DO CARE FOR COMMON ILLNESSES, AND SET UP A SYSTEM THAT WAS SELF-SUSTAINING. THEY DIED WITH NOTHING. AMONG THE BUDDHISTS IN THAILAND, THOSE WHO TAKE THEIR RELIGION SERIOUSLY SPEND THE LAST FEW YEARS OF THEIR LIVES AS MONKS. AFTER SEEING TO IT THAT THEIR FAMILIES ARE TAKEN CARE OF THEY GIVE AWAY EVERYTHING ELSE AND DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO PRAYER AND MEDITATION, AND LIVING SIMPLY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A CHRISTIAN TO REALIZE THAT IF YOU DIE WITH IMMENSE WEALTH, OR EVEN WITH MODERATE WEALTH, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT. IF YOU BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER DEATH, YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL ANSWER FOR THE EXCESS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR POSSESSION. YOU WHO HAVE HAD THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE … AS JESUS SAYS. WE ALL HAVE A FEW YEARS LEFT. HOW ARE WE GOING TO SEE TO IT THAT WHEN WE DIE, THERE IS NOTHING LEFT THAT WE OWN? THAT OUR LAZARUS'S WILL BE WELL FED AND SHELTERED AND WEARING DECENT CLOTHING, AND NOT WISHING THAT THEY COULD HAVE THE CRUMBS THAT FALL FROM OUR TABLE?
VERY EARLY IN THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY, PREACHERS USED THIS PARABLE TO REASSURE THE MEMBERS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION THAT ALL THE SUFFERING THEY WERE GOING THROUGH WOULD BE REWARDED IN THE NEXT LIFE. AND THIS WAS PROBABLY A COMFORTING MESSAGE WHEN BEING A CHRISTIAN MEANT THAT AT THE MINIMUM YOU WERE EXCLUDED FROM GOOD JOBS AND NICE PLACES TO LIVE, AND THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE THAT YOU MIGHT BE FED TO THE LIONS OR GET YOUR HEAD WAS CHOPPED OFF.
BUT AFTER CHRISTIANITY BECAME THE DOMINANT RELIGION AND INDEED, THE RELIGION OF THE STATE, HUMAN BEINGS DID WHAT THEY ALWAYS DO – THEY SORTED THEMSELVES ONCE AGAIN, INTO THOSE WHO RULED AND THOSE WHO WERE RULED OVER. THE CHRISTIAN WORLD WHICH HAD ONCE BEEN A WORLD OF EQUALITY, A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE SHARED WHAT THEY HAD AND BISHOPS AND PRIESTS AND DEACONS HAD DAY JOBS, AND NO CHRISTIAN WOULD LET ANOTHER CHRISTIAN GO HUNGRY, – THAT WORLD BECAME LIKE ALL HUMAN WORLDS; AN UPPER CLASS WITH POWER AND RICHES AND BEAUTIFUL HOMES AND RICH FOODS – AND A LOWER CLASS WHO WORKED FROM DAWN TO DUSK, POORLY FED AND CLOTHED, LIVING IN SQUALOR. AND THE PARABLE OF LAZARUS AND THE RICH MAN CONTINUED TO BE PREACHED – BUT NOW TO JUSTIFY OPPRESSION WITH THE SAME MESSAGE – YOU POOR WILL SOMEDAY BE REWARDED IN THE NEXT LIFE.
IS THAT WHAT JESUS MEANT, THOUGH? DID HE TELL THIS STORY TO DRIVE HOME THAT THE RICH WOULD BURN IN HELL AND THE POOR WOULD ENJOY ETERNAL BLISS AFTER DEATH? I DON'T THINK SO. JESUS WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE GREAT PROPHETS OF HIS TRADITION. AND TODAY WE HEARD A SELECTION FROM THE PROPHET AMOS, WHOSE WRITING WAS ALL ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE; HE SPOKE FOR GOD IN CONDEMNATION OF THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THEIR POSITIONS, WHO ABUSED THOSE WHO WERE POOR AND WITHOUT POWER. AND AMOS WASN'T THE ONLY ONE. ISAIAH AND JEREMIAH AND MOST OF THE PROPHETS HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE AS WELL. AND IT WAS ALWAYS THE SAME MESSAGE – GOD HEARS THE CRY OF THE POOR, AND JUSTICE WILL BE DONE.
I THINK JESUS ISN'T CONCERNED ABOUT LIFE AFTER DEATH, AND DOESN'T TELL THIS PARABLE TO TELL US HOW IT WILL BE IN THE NEXT WORLD. PUT YOURSELF IN THE PLACE OF ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HEARD JESUS. YOU ARE POOR, AND YOU DON'T MUCH LIKE RICH PEOPLE. SO WHEN JESUS DRAWS THE PICTURE OF THE RICH MAN, YOU SEE A VERY WELL FED MAN DRESSED LIKE ROYALTY COMING OUT OF HIS PALACE AND STEPPING OVER THE BODY OF A BEGGAR. AND YOU CHEER WHEN THEY BOTH DIE, AND THEY BOTH GET WHAT'S COMING TO THEM. BUT THEN YOU BEGIN TO HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS; THE RICH MAN IS NOT JUST IN TORMENT, HE IS IN ETERNAL TORMENT. THE FLAMES BURN HIM, HE CAN BARELY BREATHE, HE LONGS FOR A DROP OF WATER. AND AS HE SPEAKS, YOU BEGIN TO SYMPATHIZE – YOU HEAR HIM BEG FATHER ABRAHAM THAT IF NOTHING CAN BE DONE FOR HIM, SAVE HIS BROTHERS FROM THIS TORMENT. AND WHEN JESUS FINISHES THE STORY, YOU HAVE MIXED FEELINGS; DID THE RICH MAN REALLY DESERVE WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM? JUST FOR IGNORING LAZARUS, THE POOR MAN? AND MAYBE, IF YOU THINK AGAIN, YOU MIGHT WONDER IF LAZARUS, THE POOR MAN, REALLY DESERVED ETERNAL HAPPINESS – JUST FOR BEING POOR AND MISERABLE.
AND MAYBE AFTER YOU THINK ABOUT THIS PARABLE FOR A LONG TIME, YOU MIGHT WONDER IF WHAT JESUS IS REALLY SAYING IS THAT FOR THERE TO BE HAVES AND HAVE NOTS, FOR THERE TO BE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN LONGMEADOW WHO WORRY ABOUT WATCHING THEIR WEIGHT AND PEOPLE IN HAITI WHO LIVE ONE OR TWO MEALS AWAY FROM STARVATION; FOR THERE TO BE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES WHO CONSUME 25% OF THE ENERGY PRODUCED IN THE WORLD AND PEOPLE IN NORTH KOREA WHOSE NIGHTS ARE UNYIELDING BLACKNESS BECAUSE THERE IS NO ENERGY FOR LIGHT OR HEAT; IF YOU BELIEVE THE OLD PROPHETS; IF YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF JUSTICE, EVEN IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE RICH, WELL FED, HAVES, YOU SORT OF KNOW THAT IF THERE IS A GOD, THERE WILL BE JUSTICE. WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. IF THERE IS A LIFE BEYOND THIS ONE, JUSTICE MUST BE DONE.
AND JESUS IS SUGGESTING THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. IF THOSE WHO HAVE LIFT UP THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE, IT IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION. LAZARUS WON'T HAVE TO LIE IN THE DOORWAY, ATTENDED TO BY DOGS, WISHING FOR A FEW CRUMBS; AND THE RICH MAN WON'T HAVE TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF IGNORING LAZARUS. BOTH WILL ENJOY THE GOOD THINGS THIS LIFE HAS TO OFFER, AND BOTH WILL REST IN THE BOSOM OF ABRAHAM.
A FEW WEEKS AGO, BILL GATES, THE RICHEST MAN IN THE UNITED STATES, WHOSE WORTH IS ABOUT 54 BILLION DOLLARS, AND WARREN BUFFET, WHO ISN'T FAR BEHIND, PLEDGED TO GIVE MOST OF THEIR FORTUNES AWAY AND SUGGESTED THAT OTHERS WHO HAVE ACQUIRED FORTUNES DO LIKEWISE. WE ALL KNOW ABOUT TOM DONAHUE THE FOUNDER OF DOMINO'S PIZZA, AND THE FORMER OWNER OF THE DETROIT TIGERS, WHO HAS USED HIS FORTUNE TO BUILD A CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY AND A CATHOLIC-ORIENTED CITY IN FLORIDA. AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER EXAMPLES.
THESE ARE SPECTACULAR STORIES. BUT I KNOW OF A FEW OTHERS AS WELL. I KNOW OF A HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR AND A NURSE WHO, AFTER THEY RAISED THEIR FAMILY, SOLD EVERYTHING THEY HAD AND ADOPTED A TOWN IN THE MOUNTAINS OF MEXICO. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS THEY BUILT A HEALTH SYSTEM, TAUGHT SOME OF THE TOWNSPEOPLE HOW TO DO CARE FOR COMMON ILLNESSES, AND SET UP A SYSTEM THAT WAS SELF-SUSTAINING. THEY DIED WITH NOTHING. AMONG THE BUDDHISTS IN THAILAND, THOSE WHO TAKE THEIR RELIGION SERIOUSLY SPEND THE LAST FEW YEARS OF THEIR LIVES AS MONKS. AFTER SEEING TO IT THAT THEIR FAMILIES ARE TAKEN CARE OF THEY GIVE AWAY EVERYTHING ELSE AND DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO PRAYER AND MEDITATION, AND LIVING SIMPLY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A CHRISTIAN TO REALIZE THAT IF YOU DIE WITH IMMENSE WEALTH, OR EVEN WITH MODERATE WEALTH, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT. IF YOU BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER DEATH, YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL ANSWER FOR THE EXCESS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR POSSESSION. YOU WHO HAVE HAD THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE … AS JESUS SAYS. WE ALL HAVE A FEW YEARS LEFT. HOW ARE WE GOING TO SEE TO IT THAT WHEN WE DIE, THERE IS NOTHING LEFT THAT WE OWN? THAT OUR LAZARUS'S WILL BE WELL FED AND SHELTERED AND WEARING DECENT CLOTHING, AND NOT WISHING THAT THEY COULD HAVE THE CRUMBS THAT FALL FROM OUR TABLE?
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C
LUKE 16:1-13
THIS GOSPEL SEEMS TO GIVE SOME PEOPLE A HEADACHE. IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLE HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT IT, THEY ARE ALL OVER THE MAP. IS JESUS COMPLIMENTING SOMEONE WHO HAS STOLEN FROM HIS BOSS? IS JESUS TELLING US THE BOSS ADMIRES THE STEWARD WHO STOLE FROM HIM? ONE WRITER MADE UP A WHOLE STORY IN WHICH THE MASTER WAS SO IMPRESSED BY THE STEWARD'S CLEVERNESS THAT HE RE-HIRED HIM. ANOTHER SPENT MOST OF HIS COMMENTARY ON THE IDEA THAT THE STEWARD TOLD ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT THE MASTER HAD DECIDED TO FORGIVE THEM PART OF THEIR DEBT, AND SO WHEN THE STEWARD WENT TO THE MASTER TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF HIS STEWARDSHIP BEFORE BEING FIRED, HE TOOK ALL THESE GRATEFUL DEBTORS WITH HIM, AND THE DEBTORS THANKED THE MASTER WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES, AND WITH ALL THOSE PEOPLE PRAISING HIS GENEROSITY, HE COULDN'T TAKE BACK THE MONEY, AND HE COULDN'T FIRE THE STEWARD. BUT I THINK WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE MAIN POINT HERE.
IN JESUS' TIME, THE STORY WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT. THERE WERE MANY RICH PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN CITIES, BUT OWNED LARGE FARMS OUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. THESE FARMS WERE RUN BY STEWARDS. IN ADDITION TO OVERSEEING THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON THE FARM, THE STEWARD WOULD ADVANCE LOANS TO PEOPLE WHO WERE SCRATCHING OUT A LIVING ON LITTLE PLOTS OF LAND. THE LOANS WOULD BE REPAID IN PRODUCE. STEWARDS WERE NOT GIVEN A SALARY, AND IT WAS CUSTOMARY FOR THE STEWARD TO TACK ON A COMMISSION TO WHAT THE MASTER WOULD BE OWED. IN FACT WE HAVE RECORDS THAT SHOW EXACTLY THIS – THE COMMISSION ON OLIVE OIL AND WINE WAS 50%, ON GRAIN, 20%. SO AS LONG AS THE STEWARD IS THE STEWARD, HE IS ENTITLED TO A SHARE OF WHAT THESE DEBTORS WOULD EVENTUALLY PAY TO THE MASTER. BUT THAT WOULD COME AT THE END OF THE GROWING SEASON, AND THIS STEWARD WOULD NO LONGER BE IN A POSITION TO COLLECT HIS COMMISSION. SO HE WORKED OUT THIS VERY CLEVER WAY OF USING SOMETHING THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE AND COULDN'T HAVE IN ORDER TO MAKE A FEW FRIENDS WHO WOULD HELP HIM OUT WHEN HE NO LONGER WORKED FOR THE MASTER. HE IS CALLED “DISHONEST” BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT KNOWN TO THE DEBTORS, WHO ASSUMED THE STEWARD HAD A RIGHT TO DO WHAT HE WAS DOING; BY OMISSION, THE STEWARD WAS LYING. THE MASTER COMMENDS HIM, RATHER THAN THROWING HIM IN JAIL, BECAUSE HE IS IMPRESSED BY THE CLEVERNESS AS WELL – DID THE STEWARD STEAL? MAYBE YES, MAYBE NO; EVEN THE MASTER COULDN'T FIGURE THAT OUT. YOU HAD TO ADMIRE THE STEWARD.
I THINK JESUS IS TELLING A STORY SORT OF LIKE THAT FAMOUS STORY OF TOM SAWYER, WHO HAD TO PAINT A PICKET FENCE, BUT GOT ALL HIS FRIENDS TO DO IT BY PRETENDING HE WAS HAVING A GREAT TIME AND REALLY DIDN'T WANT THEM TO HELP.
JESUS' AUDIENCE ARE REALLY ENJOYING THIS STORY OF THE CLEVER STEWARD. THEY IDENTIFY WITH THIS PERSON WHO WAS LIKE THEM – POWERLESS IN A SOCIETY WHERE ONLY A FEW HAD POWER, WHO USED HIS HEAD TO GET OUT OF A TERRIBLE SITUATION.
MOST OF US ENJOY STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WHO SOLVE PUZZLES THROUGH CLEVERNESS. WHY ARE DETECTIVE STORIES SO POPULAR? ONE OF THE THINGS DOCTORS DO SOMETIMES IS ENTERTAIN EACH OTHER BY DESCRIBING A DIFFICULT DIAGNOSTIC PROBLEM AND THEN EVERYONE HAS A SHOT AT SOLVING IT.
AND JESUS POINT IS THAT WE ALL HAVE ENORMOUS POTENTIAL TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND TO GET OURSELVES OUT OF DIFFICULTIES. WE CAN DO ANYTHING IF WE PUT OUR MINDS TO IT. AND THE GREATER THE CHALLENGE, THE GREATER THE THREAT, THE MORE SOME OF US TURN ON OUR CREATIVE POWER.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, WHAT IS LIFE AND DEATH ITSELF, WE CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT DON'T SEEM CLEVER AT ALL. MOST OF US ARE JUST CONTENT TO RUN IN PLACE; WE KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE, WE GET TO MASS ON WEEKENDS, WE GET TO THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION DURING LENT. AND YEARS GO BY AND NOTHING CHANGES.
SAINT THERESE OF LISEAUX DECIDED WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE A SAINT. THIS BECAME HER SINGLE-MINDED OBSESSION. HER CLEVERNESS WAS DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO GROWING CLOSER TO JESUS. THERE ARE MANY STORIES ABOUT HER LIFE, BUT MY FAVORITE IS THIS: ONE DAY SHE AND ANOTHER SISTER WHERE SITTING NEAR THE FRONT DOOR OF THE CONVENT MENDING CLOTHING. THE MOTHER SUPERIOR CAME ALONG AND SAID THAT SHE WAS GOING TO TOWN FOR SUPPLIES AND WOULD ONE OF THEM LIKE TO GO? THERESA REPORTED IN HER AUTOBIOGRAPHY WHAT WENT THROUGH HER MIND: FIRST, SHE FELT A DESIRE TO GO TO TOWN; THOSE CLOISTERED SISTERS DIDN'T GET OUT MUCH. BUT THEN SHE DECIDED TO LET THE OTHER SISTER VOLUNTEER; THAT WOULD BE THE CHARITABLE THING TO DO,THE ACT MORE IN KEEPING WITH THE SACRIFICIAL LOVE OF JESUS. BUT THEN SHE JUMPED UP AND SAID “TAKE ME! PLEASE, TAKE ME!” AND THE MOTHER SUPERIOR LOOKED AT HER WITH DISGUST AND TOOK THE OTHER SISTER. THERESA HAD DECIDED THAT IF SHE HELD BACK AND LET THE OTHER SISTER VOLUNTEER, SOMEONE MIGHT ADMIRE HER FOR HER SELFLESSNESS. BUT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF SHE WAS NOT ADMIRED, IF IN FACT NO ONE KNEW THAT SHE HAD ENGINEERED THINGS SO THAT THE OTHER SISTER COULD GO TO TOWN. SAINT THERESE IN A FEW SECONDS TOOK AN ORDINARY MOMENT AND MADE IT HOLY.
AND THAT SHOULD BE OUR GOAL; HOW CAN WE USE OUR CLEVERNESS, OUR ABILITY TO PLAN, OR ABILITY TO DEVELOP NEW HABITS AND SUPPRESS OLD ONES, IN THE SERVICE OF OUR FATHER'S KINGDOM? DO WE HAVE A PLAN OF LIFE? DO WE OCCASIONALLY CONSULT A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR? DO WE DELIBERATELY MAKE TIME FOR PRAYER AND SPIRITUAL READING EVERY DAY? TO WE LIVE REFLECTIVE LIVES, WHERE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE EXAMINE WHAT HAS GONE ON AND ASK WHERE WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER? DO WE MAKE RESOLUTIONS, AND PERIODICALLY EXAMINE WHETHER WE ARE GETTING THERE OR NOT? HOW ARE WE USING OUR CLEVERNESS TO ATTAIN OUR REAL HEARTS DESIRE, UNION WITH GOD HIMSELF.
LET US RESOLVE THAT THIS WEEK TO USE OUR CLEVERNESS TO ACHIEVE OUR HEART'S DESIRE, UNION WITH JESUS, HEAVEN ITSELF.
THIS GOSPEL SEEMS TO GIVE SOME PEOPLE A HEADACHE. IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLE HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT IT, THEY ARE ALL OVER THE MAP. IS JESUS COMPLIMENTING SOMEONE WHO HAS STOLEN FROM HIS BOSS? IS JESUS TELLING US THE BOSS ADMIRES THE STEWARD WHO STOLE FROM HIM? ONE WRITER MADE UP A WHOLE STORY IN WHICH THE MASTER WAS SO IMPRESSED BY THE STEWARD'S CLEVERNESS THAT HE RE-HIRED HIM. ANOTHER SPENT MOST OF HIS COMMENTARY ON THE IDEA THAT THE STEWARD TOLD ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT THE MASTER HAD DECIDED TO FORGIVE THEM PART OF THEIR DEBT, AND SO WHEN THE STEWARD WENT TO THE MASTER TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF HIS STEWARDSHIP BEFORE BEING FIRED, HE TOOK ALL THESE GRATEFUL DEBTORS WITH HIM, AND THE DEBTORS THANKED THE MASTER WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES, AND WITH ALL THOSE PEOPLE PRAISING HIS GENEROSITY, HE COULDN'T TAKE BACK THE MONEY, AND HE COULDN'T FIRE THE STEWARD. BUT I THINK WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE MAIN POINT HERE.
IN JESUS' TIME, THE STORY WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT. THERE WERE MANY RICH PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN CITIES, BUT OWNED LARGE FARMS OUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. THESE FARMS WERE RUN BY STEWARDS. IN ADDITION TO OVERSEEING THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON THE FARM, THE STEWARD WOULD ADVANCE LOANS TO PEOPLE WHO WERE SCRATCHING OUT A LIVING ON LITTLE PLOTS OF LAND. THE LOANS WOULD BE REPAID IN PRODUCE. STEWARDS WERE NOT GIVEN A SALARY, AND IT WAS CUSTOMARY FOR THE STEWARD TO TACK ON A COMMISSION TO WHAT THE MASTER WOULD BE OWED. IN FACT WE HAVE RECORDS THAT SHOW EXACTLY THIS – THE COMMISSION ON OLIVE OIL AND WINE WAS 50%, ON GRAIN, 20%. SO AS LONG AS THE STEWARD IS THE STEWARD, HE IS ENTITLED TO A SHARE OF WHAT THESE DEBTORS WOULD EVENTUALLY PAY TO THE MASTER. BUT THAT WOULD COME AT THE END OF THE GROWING SEASON, AND THIS STEWARD WOULD NO LONGER BE IN A POSITION TO COLLECT HIS COMMISSION. SO HE WORKED OUT THIS VERY CLEVER WAY OF USING SOMETHING THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE AND COULDN'T HAVE IN ORDER TO MAKE A FEW FRIENDS WHO WOULD HELP HIM OUT WHEN HE NO LONGER WORKED FOR THE MASTER. HE IS CALLED “DISHONEST” BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT KNOWN TO THE DEBTORS, WHO ASSUMED THE STEWARD HAD A RIGHT TO DO WHAT HE WAS DOING; BY OMISSION, THE STEWARD WAS LYING. THE MASTER COMMENDS HIM, RATHER THAN THROWING HIM IN JAIL, BECAUSE HE IS IMPRESSED BY THE CLEVERNESS AS WELL – DID THE STEWARD STEAL? MAYBE YES, MAYBE NO; EVEN THE MASTER COULDN'T FIGURE THAT OUT. YOU HAD TO ADMIRE THE STEWARD.
I THINK JESUS IS TELLING A STORY SORT OF LIKE THAT FAMOUS STORY OF TOM SAWYER, WHO HAD TO PAINT A PICKET FENCE, BUT GOT ALL HIS FRIENDS TO DO IT BY PRETENDING HE WAS HAVING A GREAT TIME AND REALLY DIDN'T WANT THEM TO HELP.
JESUS' AUDIENCE ARE REALLY ENJOYING THIS STORY OF THE CLEVER STEWARD. THEY IDENTIFY WITH THIS PERSON WHO WAS LIKE THEM – POWERLESS IN A SOCIETY WHERE ONLY A FEW HAD POWER, WHO USED HIS HEAD TO GET OUT OF A TERRIBLE SITUATION.
MOST OF US ENJOY STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WHO SOLVE PUZZLES THROUGH CLEVERNESS. WHY ARE DETECTIVE STORIES SO POPULAR? ONE OF THE THINGS DOCTORS DO SOMETIMES IS ENTERTAIN EACH OTHER BY DESCRIBING A DIFFICULT DIAGNOSTIC PROBLEM AND THEN EVERYONE HAS A SHOT AT SOLVING IT.
AND JESUS POINT IS THAT WE ALL HAVE ENORMOUS POTENTIAL TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND TO GET OURSELVES OUT OF DIFFICULTIES. WE CAN DO ANYTHING IF WE PUT OUR MINDS TO IT. AND THE GREATER THE CHALLENGE, THE GREATER THE THREAT, THE MORE SOME OF US TURN ON OUR CREATIVE POWER.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, WHAT IS LIFE AND DEATH ITSELF, WE CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT DON'T SEEM CLEVER AT ALL. MOST OF US ARE JUST CONTENT TO RUN IN PLACE; WE KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE, WE GET TO MASS ON WEEKENDS, WE GET TO THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION DURING LENT. AND YEARS GO BY AND NOTHING CHANGES.
SAINT THERESE OF LISEAUX DECIDED WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE A SAINT. THIS BECAME HER SINGLE-MINDED OBSESSION. HER CLEVERNESS WAS DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO GROWING CLOSER TO JESUS. THERE ARE MANY STORIES ABOUT HER LIFE, BUT MY FAVORITE IS THIS: ONE DAY SHE AND ANOTHER SISTER WHERE SITTING NEAR THE FRONT DOOR OF THE CONVENT MENDING CLOTHING. THE MOTHER SUPERIOR CAME ALONG AND SAID THAT SHE WAS GOING TO TOWN FOR SUPPLIES AND WOULD ONE OF THEM LIKE TO GO? THERESA REPORTED IN HER AUTOBIOGRAPHY WHAT WENT THROUGH HER MIND: FIRST, SHE FELT A DESIRE TO GO TO TOWN; THOSE CLOISTERED SISTERS DIDN'T GET OUT MUCH. BUT THEN SHE DECIDED TO LET THE OTHER SISTER VOLUNTEER; THAT WOULD BE THE CHARITABLE THING TO DO,THE ACT MORE IN KEEPING WITH THE SACRIFICIAL LOVE OF JESUS. BUT THEN SHE JUMPED UP AND SAID “TAKE ME! PLEASE, TAKE ME!” AND THE MOTHER SUPERIOR LOOKED AT HER WITH DISGUST AND TOOK THE OTHER SISTER. THERESA HAD DECIDED THAT IF SHE HELD BACK AND LET THE OTHER SISTER VOLUNTEER, SOMEONE MIGHT ADMIRE HER FOR HER SELFLESSNESS. BUT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF SHE WAS NOT ADMIRED, IF IN FACT NO ONE KNEW THAT SHE HAD ENGINEERED THINGS SO THAT THE OTHER SISTER COULD GO TO TOWN. SAINT THERESE IN A FEW SECONDS TOOK AN ORDINARY MOMENT AND MADE IT HOLY.
AND THAT SHOULD BE OUR GOAL; HOW CAN WE USE OUR CLEVERNESS, OUR ABILITY TO PLAN, OR ABILITY TO DEVELOP NEW HABITS AND SUPPRESS OLD ONES, IN THE SERVICE OF OUR FATHER'S KINGDOM? DO WE HAVE A PLAN OF LIFE? DO WE OCCASIONALLY CONSULT A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR? DO WE DELIBERATELY MAKE TIME FOR PRAYER AND SPIRITUAL READING EVERY DAY? TO WE LIVE REFLECTIVE LIVES, WHERE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE EXAMINE WHAT HAS GONE ON AND ASK WHERE WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER? DO WE MAKE RESOLUTIONS, AND PERIODICALLY EXAMINE WHETHER WE ARE GETTING THERE OR NOT? HOW ARE WE USING OUR CLEVERNESS TO ATTAIN OUR REAL HEARTS DESIRE, UNION WITH GOD HIMSELF.
LET US RESOLVE THAT THIS WEEK TO USE OUR CLEVERNESS TO ACHIEVE OUR HEART'S DESIRE, UNION WITH JESUS, HEAVEN ITSELF.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Twenty fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C
LUKE 15:1-32
I AM ALWAYS FASCINATED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE OBSESSIONS. SOMETIMES WE THINK THAT REFERS TO A MENTAL ILLNESS, AND SOMETIMES IT DOES; BUT WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WHOSE OBSESSION IS BENIGN AND SOMETIMES A SOURCE OF GREAT PLEASURE. MY GRANDMOTHER COLLECTED ORNAMENTAL SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS. SHE LET IT BE KNOWN THAT FOR CHRISTMAS AND BIRTHDAYS, SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS WOULD BE WONDERFUL GIFTS. PEOPLE WHO WENT AWAY ON TRIPS WOULD BRING HER BACK SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS. SHE HAD TWO LARGE DISPLAY CASES CRAMMED WITH THESE LITTLE FIGURINES SHAPED LIKE BIRDS OR BEARS OR BEER CANS, OR JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE YOU COULD MENTION. WHEN I WAS SMALL, I COULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT HER COLLECTION, SO FULL OF VARIETY, AND SHE HAD A STORY ABOUT WHERE EACH SET CAME FROM.
WHEN SHE DIED, NO ONE REALLY WANTED HER COLLECTION, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS BOXED UP AND SHIPPED TO HER DAUGHTER WHO HAS ALSO PASSED AWAY, AND WHO KNOWS WHATEVER HAPPENED TO IT?
TODAY'S GOSPEL TELLS US ABOUT GOD'S OBSESSION. GOD IS OBSESSED WITH US. HE MOVES HEAVEN AND EARTH TO GATHER US TO HIMSELF. I THINK WE CAN ALL SEE THAT IN THE THREE STORIES JESUS TELLS, EACH ONE WITH THE REFRAIN, REJOICE, OR CELEBRATE! WHAT WAS LOST IS NOW FOUND!”
BUT WHY THREE STORIES? CERTAINLY ANY ONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE MADE THE POINT. BUT I THINK JESUS TOLD THREE STORIES FOR A REASON.
THE SHEEP, THE COIN AND THE WAYWARD SON ARE NOT INTERESTED IN BEING FOUND. AND I THINK MOST OF US, DESPITE WHAT WE MAY SAY, DESPITE EVEN WHAT WE DO, ARE DEEP DOWN A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT BEING GATHERED INTO GOD'S COLLECTION. WE LIKE BEING IN CHARGE. EVEN WHEN WE TRY TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE AND MAKE GOOD CHOICES, THE FACT THAT WE MAKE THE CHOICES AND THAT WE COULD CHOOSE OTHERWISE PLEASES US. WE RIGHTLY SUSPECT THAT SOMETHING WILL CHANGE IF WE SURRENDER COMPLETELY TO GOD. OUR WILL WON'T BE OUR OWN ANYMORE; TO MAKE OTHER CHOICES THAN THE ONES GOD MAKES WILL NO LONGER BE A POSSIBILITY. JESUS, WHO COMPLETELY SURRENDERED TO GOD, MADE SEVERAL STATEMENTS TO THIS EFFECT: “MY FOOD AND DRINK IS TO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER; NOT MY WILL, BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE; FOR I HAVE COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN NOT TO DO MY WILL. BUT THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME.” AND YET EACH OF US STRUGGLES MOST OF OUR LIVES TRYING TO SURRENDER OUR WILL TO GOD. NONE OF US CAN USE THE EXCUSE THAT WE DON'T KNOW GOD'S WILL. WITH EVERY CHOICE WE MAKE, GOD'S WILL IS USUALLY CLEAR, AND IF IT'S NOT, THAT'S WHAT THE CHURCH IS FOR. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THAT WE DON'T KNOW GOD'S WILL, BUT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO KNOW IT.
THE COIN IS PASSIVE. DID IT FALL OFF A TABLE OR OUT OF A PURSE? WHATEVER HAPPENED, IT JUST LIES THERE; IT DOESN'T COOPERATE WITH OR OPPOSE THE EFFORTS OF THE WOMAN AND HER BROOM. HER FRANTIC SWEEPING MEANS NOTHING TO IT. AND SOME OF US ARE LIKE THAT. GOD, WE SAY, LEAVE ME ALONE. I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT YOU AND YOUR OBSESSION WITH ME. MAYBE SOMEDAY IN THE FUTURE, BUT AS FOR RIGHT NOW, I HAVE ENOUGH ON MY PLATE.
THE SHEEP IS DISTRACTED. SHE LEAVES THE FLOCK IN PURSUIT OF A MOUTHFUL OF THIS AND A TASTE OF THAT; AND SOONER OR LATER, SHE'S COMPLETELY LOST. AND SOME OF US ARE LIKE THAT AS WELL. WE HAVE A SORT OF A DESIRE TO DRAW CLOSER TO GOD, TO PRAY MORE, TO GET TO THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE; WE INTEND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE. WE PLAN TO GET INVOLVED IN SOME PARISH ACTIVITY, OR MAKE A CURSILLO, OR IN SOME WAY START TO TAKE OUR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT MORE SERIOUSLY. BUT WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN, AND ONE DAY LEADS TO ANOTHER, AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY DISTRACTED BY THE THINGS THAT CATCH OUR ATTENTION, AND DESPITE OUR INTENTIONS, NOTHING HAPPENS. AND ONE DAY WE WAKE UP IN THE TWILIGHT OF OUR LIVES AND REALIZE THAT WE ARE NO NEARER TO OUR LORD THAN WE WERE WHEN WE WERE YOUNG.
AND THE YOUNG MAN MAKES A DECISION TO LEAVE HIS FATHER'S HOUSE AND DEPEND ON HIS OWN RESOURCES, AFTER, OF COURSE, SQUANDERING EVERYTHING HIS FATHER GAVE HIM. AND WE SEE THIS ALL THE TIME AS OUR YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVE THE CHURCH AFTER CONFIRMATION, AS ONCE FAITHFUL CHURCH-GOERS STOP GOING BECAUSE THEY DISAGREE WITH THE BISHOP ABOUT CLOSING A CHURCH, OR ABOUT HOW A CONTROVERSY IS HANDLED. AND WE MAY TURN AGAINST OUR FATHER'S HOUSE, OUR CHURCH, IN OTHER WAYS; THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN THE CHURCH TAKES ONE POSITION AND THE WORLD ANOTHER. WE CATHOLICS AREN'T VERY DIFFERENT FROM OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE WAY WE REGARD SO CALLED GAY MARRIAGE, ABORTION, AND MANY OTHER TOPICS. INSTEAD OF LEARNING ABOUT WHY THE CHURCH TEACHES THE WAY IT DOES, WE REFLEXIVELY ASSUME THAT THE CHURCH IS HOPELESSLY OUT OF DATE AND DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE.
SO JESUS IS SAYING THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF RESISTING GOD'S OBSESSION WITH US. BUT GOD DOESN'T GIVE UP; HE LEAVES THE 99 SHEEP TO FIND THE ONE THAT IS LOST – SOMETHING NO HUMAN SHEPHERD WOULD DO. HE SWEEPS THE ENTIRE HOUSE LOOKING FOR A LOST COIN; IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REALLY VALUABLE FOR ME TO DO THAT; I WOULDN'T DO IT FOR A QUARTER OR EVEN ONE OF THOSE ONE DOLLAR COINS THAT YOU GET NOW AND THEN. BUT FOR THE PERSON WHO DELIBERATELY REJECTS HIM, GOD ACTS DIFFERENTLY; HE WAITS, HE CHOOSES TO WAIT FOR THE RETURN OF THAT PERSON. BECAUSE AS MUCH AS GOD IS OBSESSED WITH US, HE LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE ALLOWS US THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR DELIBERATE CHOICES; BECAUSE IF WE ARE IN GOD'S IMAGE AND LIKENESS, WE MUST BE FREE TO CHOOSE.
OVER THE PAST FEW SUNDAYS JESUS HAS BEEN TELLING US ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. TWO SUNDAYS AGO HE TOLD US TO INVITE THE OUTCASTS TO OUR FEAST AND TO HUMBLE OURSELVES. LAST SUNDAY HE TOLD US THAT UNLESS WE HATED OUR FAMILY AND EVEN OUR OWN LIVES, WE COULDN'T ENTER THE KINGDOM; BUT TODAY HE OFFERS REASSURANCE; WE DON'T HAVE TO FIND THE KINGDOM ALONE. WE HAVE A GOD WHO WILL NEVER GIVE UP. WE HAVE A GOD WHO PLUNGED FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH, WHO THREW OFF HIS GODHOOD TO BE ONE OF US, WHO WHEN THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE US WAS TO DIE IN OUR PLACE, CHOSE TO DIE FOR US. BUT HAVING DONE ALL THAT, HE STILL WAITS BY THE ROAD FOR US TO RETURN TO HIM AND SURRENDER OUR WILLS SO THAT HE CAN GIVE US EVERYTHING.
AND YET SO MANY CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN THAT FOREIGN LAND AND FIGHT WITH PIGS OVER WHAT WE EAT, WHEN WE COULD BE FEASTING IN OUR FATHER'S HOME.
I AM ALWAYS FASCINATED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE OBSESSIONS. SOMETIMES WE THINK THAT REFERS TO A MENTAL ILLNESS, AND SOMETIMES IT DOES; BUT WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WHOSE OBSESSION IS BENIGN AND SOMETIMES A SOURCE OF GREAT PLEASURE. MY GRANDMOTHER COLLECTED ORNAMENTAL SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS. SHE LET IT BE KNOWN THAT FOR CHRISTMAS AND BIRTHDAYS, SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS WOULD BE WONDERFUL GIFTS. PEOPLE WHO WENT AWAY ON TRIPS WOULD BRING HER BACK SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS. SHE HAD TWO LARGE DISPLAY CASES CRAMMED WITH THESE LITTLE FIGURINES SHAPED LIKE BIRDS OR BEARS OR BEER CANS, OR JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE YOU COULD MENTION. WHEN I WAS SMALL, I COULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT HER COLLECTION, SO FULL OF VARIETY, AND SHE HAD A STORY ABOUT WHERE EACH SET CAME FROM.
WHEN SHE DIED, NO ONE REALLY WANTED HER COLLECTION, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS BOXED UP AND SHIPPED TO HER DAUGHTER WHO HAS ALSO PASSED AWAY, AND WHO KNOWS WHATEVER HAPPENED TO IT?
TODAY'S GOSPEL TELLS US ABOUT GOD'S OBSESSION. GOD IS OBSESSED WITH US. HE MOVES HEAVEN AND EARTH TO GATHER US TO HIMSELF. I THINK WE CAN ALL SEE THAT IN THE THREE STORIES JESUS TELLS, EACH ONE WITH THE REFRAIN, REJOICE, OR CELEBRATE! WHAT WAS LOST IS NOW FOUND!”
BUT WHY THREE STORIES? CERTAINLY ANY ONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE MADE THE POINT. BUT I THINK JESUS TOLD THREE STORIES FOR A REASON.
THE SHEEP, THE COIN AND THE WAYWARD SON ARE NOT INTERESTED IN BEING FOUND. AND I THINK MOST OF US, DESPITE WHAT WE MAY SAY, DESPITE EVEN WHAT WE DO, ARE DEEP DOWN A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT BEING GATHERED INTO GOD'S COLLECTION. WE LIKE BEING IN CHARGE. EVEN WHEN WE TRY TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE AND MAKE GOOD CHOICES, THE FACT THAT WE MAKE THE CHOICES AND THAT WE COULD CHOOSE OTHERWISE PLEASES US. WE RIGHTLY SUSPECT THAT SOMETHING WILL CHANGE IF WE SURRENDER COMPLETELY TO GOD. OUR WILL WON'T BE OUR OWN ANYMORE; TO MAKE OTHER CHOICES THAN THE ONES GOD MAKES WILL NO LONGER BE A POSSIBILITY. JESUS, WHO COMPLETELY SURRENDERED TO GOD, MADE SEVERAL STATEMENTS TO THIS EFFECT: “MY FOOD AND DRINK IS TO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER; NOT MY WILL, BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE; FOR I HAVE COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN NOT TO DO MY WILL. BUT THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME.” AND YET EACH OF US STRUGGLES MOST OF OUR LIVES TRYING TO SURRENDER OUR WILL TO GOD. NONE OF US CAN USE THE EXCUSE THAT WE DON'T KNOW GOD'S WILL. WITH EVERY CHOICE WE MAKE, GOD'S WILL IS USUALLY CLEAR, AND IF IT'S NOT, THAT'S WHAT THE CHURCH IS FOR. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THAT WE DON'T KNOW GOD'S WILL, BUT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO KNOW IT.
THE COIN IS PASSIVE. DID IT FALL OFF A TABLE OR OUT OF A PURSE? WHATEVER HAPPENED, IT JUST LIES THERE; IT DOESN'T COOPERATE WITH OR OPPOSE THE EFFORTS OF THE WOMAN AND HER BROOM. HER FRANTIC SWEEPING MEANS NOTHING TO IT. AND SOME OF US ARE LIKE THAT. GOD, WE SAY, LEAVE ME ALONE. I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT YOU AND YOUR OBSESSION WITH ME. MAYBE SOMEDAY IN THE FUTURE, BUT AS FOR RIGHT NOW, I HAVE ENOUGH ON MY PLATE.
THE SHEEP IS DISTRACTED. SHE LEAVES THE FLOCK IN PURSUIT OF A MOUTHFUL OF THIS AND A TASTE OF THAT; AND SOONER OR LATER, SHE'S COMPLETELY LOST. AND SOME OF US ARE LIKE THAT AS WELL. WE HAVE A SORT OF A DESIRE TO DRAW CLOSER TO GOD, TO PRAY MORE, TO GET TO THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE; WE INTEND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE. WE PLAN TO GET INVOLVED IN SOME PARISH ACTIVITY, OR MAKE A CURSILLO, OR IN SOME WAY START TO TAKE OUR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT MORE SERIOUSLY. BUT WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN, AND ONE DAY LEADS TO ANOTHER, AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY DISTRACTED BY THE THINGS THAT CATCH OUR ATTENTION, AND DESPITE OUR INTENTIONS, NOTHING HAPPENS. AND ONE DAY WE WAKE UP IN THE TWILIGHT OF OUR LIVES AND REALIZE THAT WE ARE NO NEARER TO OUR LORD THAN WE WERE WHEN WE WERE YOUNG.
AND THE YOUNG MAN MAKES A DECISION TO LEAVE HIS FATHER'S HOUSE AND DEPEND ON HIS OWN RESOURCES, AFTER, OF COURSE, SQUANDERING EVERYTHING HIS FATHER GAVE HIM. AND WE SEE THIS ALL THE TIME AS OUR YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVE THE CHURCH AFTER CONFIRMATION, AS ONCE FAITHFUL CHURCH-GOERS STOP GOING BECAUSE THEY DISAGREE WITH THE BISHOP ABOUT CLOSING A CHURCH, OR ABOUT HOW A CONTROVERSY IS HANDLED. AND WE MAY TURN AGAINST OUR FATHER'S HOUSE, OUR CHURCH, IN OTHER WAYS; THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN THE CHURCH TAKES ONE POSITION AND THE WORLD ANOTHER. WE CATHOLICS AREN'T VERY DIFFERENT FROM OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE WAY WE REGARD SO CALLED GAY MARRIAGE, ABORTION, AND MANY OTHER TOPICS. INSTEAD OF LEARNING ABOUT WHY THE CHURCH TEACHES THE WAY IT DOES, WE REFLEXIVELY ASSUME THAT THE CHURCH IS HOPELESSLY OUT OF DATE AND DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE.
SO JESUS IS SAYING THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF RESISTING GOD'S OBSESSION WITH US. BUT GOD DOESN'T GIVE UP; HE LEAVES THE 99 SHEEP TO FIND THE ONE THAT IS LOST – SOMETHING NO HUMAN SHEPHERD WOULD DO. HE SWEEPS THE ENTIRE HOUSE LOOKING FOR A LOST COIN; IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REALLY VALUABLE FOR ME TO DO THAT; I WOULDN'T DO IT FOR A QUARTER OR EVEN ONE OF THOSE ONE DOLLAR COINS THAT YOU GET NOW AND THEN. BUT FOR THE PERSON WHO DELIBERATELY REJECTS HIM, GOD ACTS DIFFERENTLY; HE WAITS, HE CHOOSES TO WAIT FOR THE RETURN OF THAT PERSON. BECAUSE AS MUCH AS GOD IS OBSESSED WITH US, HE LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE ALLOWS US THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR DELIBERATE CHOICES; BECAUSE IF WE ARE IN GOD'S IMAGE AND LIKENESS, WE MUST BE FREE TO CHOOSE.
OVER THE PAST FEW SUNDAYS JESUS HAS BEEN TELLING US ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. TWO SUNDAYS AGO HE TOLD US TO INVITE THE OUTCASTS TO OUR FEAST AND TO HUMBLE OURSELVES. LAST SUNDAY HE TOLD US THAT UNLESS WE HATED OUR FAMILY AND EVEN OUR OWN LIVES, WE COULDN'T ENTER THE KINGDOM; BUT TODAY HE OFFERS REASSURANCE; WE DON'T HAVE TO FIND THE KINGDOM ALONE. WE HAVE A GOD WHO WILL NEVER GIVE UP. WE HAVE A GOD WHO PLUNGED FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH, WHO THREW OFF HIS GODHOOD TO BE ONE OF US, WHO WHEN THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE US WAS TO DIE IN OUR PLACE, CHOSE TO DIE FOR US. BUT HAVING DONE ALL THAT, HE STILL WAITS BY THE ROAD FOR US TO RETURN TO HIM AND SURRENDER OUR WILLS SO THAT HE CAN GIVE US EVERYTHING.
AND YET SO MANY CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN THAT FOREIGN LAND AND FIGHT WITH PIGS OVER WHAT WE EAT, WHEN WE COULD BE FEASTING IN OUR FATHER'S HOME.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C
LUKE 14:25-33
IF YOU WANT TO BE A DISCIPLE, YOU HAVE TO HATE YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR LIFE, TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND GO WHERE JESUS GOES – TO CALVARY. AND JESUS WARNS THAT WE BETTER MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO – BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE EVERYTHING WE HAVE.
AND IMMEDIATELY OUR MINDS GO TO PEOPLE LIKE SAINT FRANCIS, OR MOTHER THERESA, OR MARTYRS, OR MISSIONARIES OR MONKS. BECAUSE SURELY, WE SAY, WE CAN'T DO THIS – OR MAYBE WE COULD, BUT FACE IT, WE DON'T WANT TO. SO WE PUT THIS TROUBLING GOSPEL ASIDE AND TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT. IT'S EASIER TO LISTEN TO JESUS TELL US SOOTHING THINGS, LIKE “MY YOKE IS LIGHT AND MY BURDEN IS SWEET”.
LUIGI QUATTROCHI MET MARIA CORSINI WHEN HE WAS 25 AND SHE WAS 21. BOTH WERE WELL-EDUCATED; LUIGI WAS A LAWYER AND MARIA HAD A DEGREE IN EDUCATION. THEY MARRIED IN 1905. IN RAPID SUCCESSION THEY HAD THREE CHILDREN. LATER A FOURTH WOULD BE BORN, AND SINCE THE DOCTORS DIDN'T THINK MARIA OR THE BABY WOULD SURVIVE, THEY ADVISED AN ABORTION. THE COUPLE REFUSED, AND THE BABY AND MARIA SURVIVED. LUIGI WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN HIS CAREER, AND ENTERED GOVERNMENT SERVICE. MARIA, IN ADDITION TO RAISING HER FAMILY, FOUND TIME TO PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ESPECIALLY FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN IN ROME. THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES THEY THREW PARTIES FOR THEIR FRIENDS, AND TOOK THEIR CHILDREN CAMPING; THEY LIVED SIMPLY, BUT WERE COMFORTABLY MIDDLE CLASS. THEY GOT IN THE HABIT OF A DAILY ROSARY, PARTICIPATED IN A HOLY HOUR BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT ONCE A WEEK, AND WENT ON A PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES. WHEN LUIGI DIED IN 1951 OF A HEART ATTACK, HE WAS DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE ITALIAN STATE. MARIA SPENT THE LATER PART OF HER LIFE AS A CO-FOUNDER OF THE SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY IN ROME. DURING WORLD WAR II THEY WERE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN HELPING SETTLE REFUGEES.
PEOPLE WHO KNEW THEM RECALLED THEIR GENEROSITY, SENSE OF HUMOR, AND OBVIOUS LOVE FOR EACH OTHER AND FOR THEIR FAMILY; THEIR CHILDREN DESCRIBED THEM AS WONDERFUL PARENTS.
POPE JOHN PAUL II IN AN UNPRECEDENTED ACT, BEATIFIED THIS COUPLE IN 2001, AND THEIR FEAST DAY IS THE DAY OF THEIR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, NOVEMBER 25TH.
THE REASON TO THINK ABOUT LUIGI AND MARIA IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS GOSPEL IS THAT THEY TOO WERE DISCIPLES; BUT YOU AND I KNOW PEOPLE JUST LIKE THEM, MANY IN THIS PARISH. BECAUSE MOST OF US ARE CALLED TO BE DISCIPLES THROUGH OUR ORDINARY LIVES, AND I THINK IT MAY BE HARDER TO BE A DISCIPLE IN ORDINARY LIFE THAN TO BE A SAINT FRANCIS OR MOTHER THERESA, A MARTYR OR A MISSIONARY OR A MONK.
JESUS CALLS US TO DISCIPLESHIP RIGHT WHERE WE ARE. THERE WILL BE MOMENTS WHEN WE HAVE TO HATE OUR LIVES AND OUR LOVED ONES – HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A MARRIAGE WHERE ONE SPOUSE SACRIFICES EVERYTHING FOR THE SAKE OF THE OTHER, WHO MAY BE SICK, MAY BE MENTALLY ILL, MAY BE VERY DIFFICULT TO LOVE; OR WHERE A CHILD BETRAYS EVERY VALUE THE PARENTS TRIED TO INSTILL – THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE ONLY REASON YOU CAN LOVE SOMEONE IS BECAUSE YOU PUT JESUS FIRST, WHO COMMANDED THAT WE LOVE EACH OTHER. THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN YOU WORK AT A JOB YOU HATE, OR FEEL THAT YOU CAN'T CLEAN UP ONE MORE GLASS OF SPILLED MILK; AND YOU WILL BE BEARING YOUR CROSS, YOU WILL BE ENTERING INTO THE CRUCIFIXION ALONGSIDE JESUS. AND EACH MORNING, YOU WILL HAVE TO MARSHAL ALL YOUR STRENGTH TO GET THROUGH THE DAY, NOT JUST TO GET THROUGH IT, BUT TO DO EACH TASK AS WELL AS POSSIBLE, TO NOT JUST APPEAR CHEERFUL, BUT TO BE CHEERFUL; AND SOME DAYS YOU WILL STRUGGLE TO SEE GOD'S PLAN FOR YOU THAT DAY. OH, TO BE A MARTYR AND DIE IN A GLORIOUS MOMENT FOR GOD! INSTEAD, WE DIE A LITTLE AT A TIME, DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY.
MOST OF US ARE CALLED TO WORK IN THE WORLD. FATHER ESCRIVA, THE FOUNDER OF OPUS DEI AND NOW A SAINT, SPENT HIS LIFE TRYING TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW WORK WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE DONE SO THAT WE COULD DEVOTE OURSELVES TO PRAYER AND CHARITY DURING OUR SPARE TIME; WORK IN THE WORLD WAS IN FACT THE WAY MOST OF US ARE GOING TO BE SANCTIFIED. A CHRISTIAN DOES THE WORK TO WHICH HE OR SHE IS CALLED WITH THE INTENTION OF DOING IT AS WELL AS IT CAN BE DONE. AND HOLINESS COMES ABOUT AS A RESULT. FIRST, THE CHRISTIAN MAKES THE WORK HOLY, BECAUSE IT IS AS THOUGH JESUS HIMSELF IS DOING IT; WE ARE AFTER ALL, MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST, BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE LORD. SECOND, THE CHRISTIAN MAKES HIMSELF OR HERSELF HOLY BECAUSE OF THE WORK, NOT IN SPITE OF IT. BECAUSE HUMAN BEINGS ARE MEANT TO WORK; GOD TOLD ADAM, BEFORE ORIGINAL SIN TOOK PLACE, THAT HE WAS TO CULTIVATE AND TEND TO THE GARDEN OF EDEN. WHEN WE WORK, WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO GOD BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW DEMEANING THE TASK MAY SEEM TO BE, WORK IS CREATIVE. AND WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO MARY AND JOSEPH, WHO WORKED ALL THEIR LIVES. FINALLY, THE CHRISTIAN MAKES THE WORLD HOLY THROUGH WORK. BECAUSE WE ARE CALLED TO BUILD THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THAT ISN'T PIE IN THE SKY; IT ISN'T THE SAME THING AS GOING TO HEAVEN. EACH OF US SHOULD HAVE A CLEAR IDEA HOW THE WORK WE DO FITS INTO GOD'S PLAN FOR THE WORLD. AND IT DOES. AND WHEN WE GO ABOUT OUR WORK KNOWING THAT REPRESENTING A PERSON IN COURT OR FIXING A BROKEN SINK, OR MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR OUR FELLOW CITIZENS TO PURCHASE SOME GOOD OR SERVICE THAT ENHANCES THEIR LIVES AND SAVES THEM TIME, WE BEGAN TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE; THE KINGDOM THAT JESUS DIED TO ESTABLISH CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF WE DO OUR WORK IN THE WORLD, AND THAT'S HOW WE MAKE THE WORLD HOLY.
IT'S VERY HARD TO BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS. IT TAKES EVERYTHING WE HAVE. BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO ENVY THE GREAT SAINTS WHO DID SPECTACULAR THINGS. LIKE BLESSED LUIGI AND BLESSED MARIA QUATROCCHI, IF WE LIVE OUR ORDINARY LIVES WITH EXTRAORDINARY LOVE, THAT IS ALL JESUS WANTS.
THIS IS LABOR DAY WEEKEND. WE HONOR HUMAN LABOR BECAUSE LABOR IS THE REASON GOD PUT US HERE, AND OUR OWN LABOR IS THE MEANS BY WHICH WE BECOME DISCIPLES AND WE BRING ABOUT GOD'S KINGDOM. SO LET US ASK BLESSED LUIGI AND MARIA FOR A RENEWED APPRECIATION FOR THIS WONDERFUL GIFT GOD HAS GIVEN US TO MAKE US HOLY.
IF YOU WANT TO BE A DISCIPLE, YOU HAVE TO HATE YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR LIFE, TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND GO WHERE JESUS GOES – TO CALVARY. AND JESUS WARNS THAT WE BETTER MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO – BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE EVERYTHING WE HAVE.
AND IMMEDIATELY OUR MINDS GO TO PEOPLE LIKE SAINT FRANCIS, OR MOTHER THERESA, OR MARTYRS, OR MISSIONARIES OR MONKS. BECAUSE SURELY, WE SAY, WE CAN'T DO THIS – OR MAYBE WE COULD, BUT FACE IT, WE DON'T WANT TO. SO WE PUT THIS TROUBLING GOSPEL ASIDE AND TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT. IT'S EASIER TO LISTEN TO JESUS TELL US SOOTHING THINGS, LIKE “MY YOKE IS LIGHT AND MY BURDEN IS SWEET”.
LUIGI QUATTROCHI MET MARIA CORSINI WHEN HE WAS 25 AND SHE WAS 21. BOTH WERE WELL-EDUCATED; LUIGI WAS A LAWYER AND MARIA HAD A DEGREE IN EDUCATION. THEY MARRIED IN 1905. IN RAPID SUCCESSION THEY HAD THREE CHILDREN. LATER A FOURTH WOULD BE BORN, AND SINCE THE DOCTORS DIDN'T THINK MARIA OR THE BABY WOULD SURVIVE, THEY ADVISED AN ABORTION. THE COUPLE REFUSED, AND THE BABY AND MARIA SURVIVED. LUIGI WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN HIS CAREER, AND ENTERED GOVERNMENT SERVICE. MARIA, IN ADDITION TO RAISING HER FAMILY, FOUND TIME TO PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ESPECIALLY FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN IN ROME. THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES THEY THREW PARTIES FOR THEIR FRIENDS, AND TOOK THEIR CHILDREN CAMPING; THEY LIVED SIMPLY, BUT WERE COMFORTABLY MIDDLE CLASS. THEY GOT IN THE HABIT OF A DAILY ROSARY, PARTICIPATED IN A HOLY HOUR BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT ONCE A WEEK, AND WENT ON A PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES. WHEN LUIGI DIED IN 1951 OF A HEART ATTACK, HE WAS DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE ITALIAN STATE. MARIA SPENT THE LATER PART OF HER LIFE AS A CO-FOUNDER OF THE SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY IN ROME. DURING WORLD WAR II THEY WERE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN HELPING SETTLE REFUGEES.
PEOPLE WHO KNEW THEM RECALLED THEIR GENEROSITY, SENSE OF HUMOR, AND OBVIOUS LOVE FOR EACH OTHER AND FOR THEIR FAMILY; THEIR CHILDREN DESCRIBED THEM AS WONDERFUL PARENTS.
POPE JOHN PAUL II IN AN UNPRECEDENTED ACT, BEATIFIED THIS COUPLE IN 2001, AND THEIR FEAST DAY IS THE DAY OF THEIR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, NOVEMBER 25TH.
THE REASON TO THINK ABOUT LUIGI AND MARIA IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS GOSPEL IS THAT THEY TOO WERE DISCIPLES; BUT YOU AND I KNOW PEOPLE JUST LIKE THEM, MANY IN THIS PARISH. BECAUSE MOST OF US ARE CALLED TO BE DISCIPLES THROUGH OUR ORDINARY LIVES, AND I THINK IT MAY BE HARDER TO BE A DISCIPLE IN ORDINARY LIFE THAN TO BE A SAINT FRANCIS OR MOTHER THERESA, A MARTYR OR A MISSIONARY OR A MONK.
JESUS CALLS US TO DISCIPLESHIP RIGHT WHERE WE ARE. THERE WILL BE MOMENTS WHEN WE HAVE TO HATE OUR LIVES AND OUR LOVED ONES – HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A MARRIAGE WHERE ONE SPOUSE SACRIFICES EVERYTHING FOR THE SAKE OF THE OTHER, WHO MAY BE SICK, MAY BE MENTALLY ILL, MAY BE VERY DIFFICULT TO LOVE; OR WHERE A CHILD BETRAYS EVERY VALUE THE PARENTS TRIED TO INSTILL – THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE ONLY REASON YOU CAN LOVE SOMEONE IS BECAUSE YOU PUT JESUS FIRST, WHO COMMANDED THAT WE LOVE EACH OTHER. THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN YOU WORK AT A JOB YOU HATE, OR FEEL THAT YOU CAN'T CLEAN UP ONE MORE GLASS OF SPILLED MILK; AND YOU WILL BE BEARING YOUR CROSS, YOU WILL BE ENTERING INTO THE CRUCIFIXION ALONGSIDE JESUS. AND EACH MORNING, YOU WILL HAVE TO MARSHAL ALL YOUR STRENGTH TO GET THROUGH THE DAY, NOT JUST TO GET THROUGH IT, BUT TO DO EACH TASK AS WELL AS POSSIBLE, TO NOT JUST APPEAR CHEERFUL, BUT TO BE CHEERFUL; AND SOME DAYS YOU WILL STRUGGLE TO SEE GOD'S PLAN FOR YOU THAT DAY. OH, TO BE A MARTYR AND DIE IN A GLORIOUS MOMENT FOR GOD! INSTEAD, WE DIE A LITTLE AT A TIME, DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY.
MOST OF US ARE CALLED TO WORK IN THE WORLD. FATHER ESCRIVA, THE FOUNDER OF OPUS DEI AND NOW A SAINT, SPENT HIS LIFE TRYING TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW WORK WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE DONE SO THAT WE COULD DEVOTE OURSELVES TO PRAYER AND CHARITY DURING OUR SPARE TIME; WORK IN THE WORLD WAS IN FACT THE WAY MOST OF US ARE GOING TO BE SANCTIFIED. A CHRISTIAN DOES THE WORK TO WHICH HE OR SHE IS CALLED WITH THE INTENTION OF DOING IT AS WELL AS IT CAN BE DONE. AND HOLINESS COMES ABOUT AS A RESULT. FIRST, THE CHRISTIAN MAKES THE WORK HOLY, BECAUSE IT IS AS THOUGH JESUS HIMSELF IS DOING IT; WE ARE AFTER ALL, MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST, BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE LORD. SECOND, THE CHRISTIAN MAKES HIMSELF OR HERSELF HOLY BECAUSE OF THE WORK, NOT IN SPITE OF IT. BECAUSE HUMAN BEINGS ARE MEANT TO WORK; GOD TOLD ADAM, BEFORE ORIGINAL SIN TOOK PLACE, THAT HE WAS TO CULTIVATE AND TEND TO THE GARDEN OF EDEN. WHEN WE WORK, WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO GOD BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW DEMEANING THE TASK MAY SEEM TO BE, WORK IS CREATIVE. AND WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO MARY AND JOSEPH, WHO WORKED ALL THEIR LIVES. FINALLY, THE CHRISTIAN MAKES THE WORLD HOLY THROUGH WORK. BECAUSE WE ARE CALLED TO BUILD THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THAT ISN'T PIE IN THE SKY; IT ISN'T THE SAME THING AS GOING TO HEAVEN. EACH OF US SHOULD HAVE A CLEAR IDEA HOW THE WORK WE DO FITS INTO GOD'S PLAN FOR THE WORLD. AND IT DOES. AND WHEN WE GO ABOUT OUR WORK KNOWING THAT REPRESENTING A PERSON IN COURT OR FIXING A BROKEN SINK, OR MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR OUR FELLOW CITIZENS TO PURCHASE SOME GOOD OR SERVICE THAT ENHANCES THEIR LIVES AND SAVES THEM TIME, WE BEGAN TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE; THE KINGDOM THAT JESUS DIED TO ESTABLISH CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF WE DO OUR WORK IN THE WORLD, AND THAT'S HOW WE MAKE THE WORLD HOLY.
IT'S VERY HARD TO BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS. IT TAKES EVERYTHING WE HAVE. BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO ENVY THE GREAT SAINTS WHO DID SPECTACULAR THINGS. LIKE BLESSED LUIGI AND BLESSED MARIA QUATROCCHI, IF WE LIVE OUR ORDINARY LIVES WITH EXTRAORDINARY LOVE, THAT IS ALL JESUS WANTS.
THIS IS LABOR DAY WEEKEND. WE HONOR HUMAN LABOR BECAUSE LABOR IS THE REASON GOD PUT US HERE, AND OUR OWN LABOR IS THE MEANS BY WHICH WE BECOME DISCIPLES AND WE BRING ABOUT GOD'S KINGDOM. SO LET US ASK BLESSED LUIGI AND MARIA FOR A RENEWED APPRECIATION FOR THIS WONDERFUL GIFT GOD HAS GIVEN US TO MAKE US HOLY.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C
LUKE 14:1, 7-14
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT TAKES A LOT TO CIVILIZE US. I CAN REMEMBER MY MOTHER TELLING ME TO EAT WITH MY MOUTH CLOSED, TO GET MY ELBOWS OFF THE TABLE, NOT TO TALK WITH MY MOUTH FULL – ALL ARBITRARY RULES; IN SOME SOCIETIES IT'S CONSIDERED BAD FORM TO EAT WITH YOUR LEFT HAND, OR TO TELL YOUR HOST YOU CAN'T EAT ANOTHER BITE. BUT EVERY SOCIETY HAS ITS ARBITRARY RULES, RULES ABOUT EATING, RULES ABOUT HOW MEN AND WOMEN INTERACT IN PUBLIC, RULES ABOUT HOW WE SPEAK TO EACH OTHER. AND WHEN SOMEONE DOESN'T FOLLOW THE RULES, PEOPLE AROUND HIM OR HER ARE MADE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. HERE'S AN EXPERIMENT. NEXT TIME YOU ARE TALKING TO SOMEONE, MOVE CLOSER, OR MOVE FURTHER AWAY; THE OTHER PERSON WILL UNCONSCIOUSLY ADJUST SO THAT THE SAME DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU WILL BE MAINTAINED. ONE OF THE REASONS WE ARE A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH PEOPLE FROM THE MIDDLE EAST IS BECAUSE THERE, PEOPLE STAND CLOSER TO EACH OTHER WHEN THEY ARE SPEAKING.
SO WHAT IS JESUS DOING TODAY? IT SOUNDS LIKE HE'S GIVING SOME POINTERS ABOUT MANNERS. BUT MANNERS, IMPORTANT AS THEY ARE FOR THE SMOOTH FUNCTIONING OF A SOCIETY, SEEM LIKE RELATIVELY UNIMPORTANT THINGS FOR THE LORD OF CREATION TO SPEND TIME ON.
BUT JESUS HAD FOUND A TEACHABLE MOMENT, AND HE WAS NOT GOING TO LET IT GO TO WASTE.
YOU AND I ARE FAR REMOVED FROM THE FIRST CENTURY IN PALESTINE. IF PEOPLE CAME TO A PARTY WE GAVE AND JOSTLED AND PUSHED TO GET AS CLOSE TO THE HOST AS POSSIBLE, IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED EXTREMELY IMPOLITE. BUT THAT WAS ACTUALLY NORMAL BEHAVIOR IN THAT TIME AND PLACE. IF YOU WERE INVITED TO A PARTY, YOU KNEW YOU HAD A BOND WITH THE HOST, AND IT WAS CONSIDERED GOOD FORM TO TRY TO SIT AS CLOSE TO HIM AS POSSIBLE. IT WAS A SIGN THAT YOU APPRECIATED HIS FRIENDSHIP, AND THE HONOR HE HAD GIVEN YOU BY INVITING YOU. THE JOSTLING AS PEOPLE TRIED TO SIT CLOSE TO THE HEAD OF THE TABLE WAS NOT MALICIOUS; IT WAS EVEN FRIENDLY, AND THERE WOULD BE PRETEND ARGUMENTS ABOUT WHICH ONE SHOULD GIVE WAY TO THE NEXT; “I'M HIS FIRST COUSIN, I SHOULD SIT HIGHER THAN YOU!” “BUT I'M HIS SON-IN-LAW, THAT GIVES ME A HIGHER PLACE.” SOMETIMES OTHERS WOULD JOIN IN THESE ARGUMENTS SIDING WITH ONE OR THE OTHER.
AND INDEED, AS JESUS POINTS OUT, SOMETIMES THE HOST WOULD ASK SOMEONE TO MAKE ROOM FOR A SPECIAL GUEST, AND IF EVERYONE HAD ALREADY FOUND A PLACE, THAT PERSON WOULD HAVE TO MOVE TO THE FARTHEST SPOT. AND THIS WAS MORE THAN EMBARRASSMENT, IT WAS AN INSULT; THE HOST WAS MAKING VERY LITTLE OF THE RELATIONSHIP YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD HAD.
WE DON'T IDENTIFY WITH THE GUESTS AT THE BANQUET. WE CAN'T SEE OURSELVES BEHAVING IN THIS WAY AT ALL. BUT WE DO IDENTIFY WITH THE BEHAVIOR OF THE HOST. LIKE HIM, WE INVITE TO OUR DINNER PARTIES ONLY THOSE PEOPLE WE KNOW AND LIKE. WE MAY SOMETIMES HAVE A FRIEND OVER WHO CAN'T INVITE US TO HER HOUSE, BUT WE DO SO BECAUSE OF FRIENDSHIP, AND SO WE ARE PAID BACK; WE WANT TO GET TOGETHER AND SOCIALIZE AND THE PRICE IS A SUPPER. AND BY EXTENSION, OUR CHARITY IS SIMILAR. WE PICK AND CHOOSE WHO WE WILL HELP. IT'S MUCH EASIER TO GIVE MONEY TO A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION THAN TO GET OUR HANDS DIRTY HELPING PEOPLE WHO ARE UNLIKEABLE, OR WHO HAVE BROUGHT THEIR MISERY ON THEMSELVES THROUGH DRUGS OR ALCOHOL; OR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T LIKE US – IMMIGRANTS FROM COUNTRIES HALF-WAY AROUND THE WORLD, DISPLACED PERSONS.
WE SEE OURSELVES AS CHARITABLE, BUT WE PICK AND CHOOSE WHERE OUR CHARITY GOES, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT OUR HELP TO GO TO WASTE; IF WE HELP SOMEBODY, THEY BETTER STAY HELPED!
JESUS IS TEACHING US THE MANNERS OF THE SOCIETY IN WHICH WE ALL HOPE TO LIVE, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. THERE, WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES AT THE BANQUET, WE WILL SUDDENLY SEE OUR TRUE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR HOST-- WE WILL FEEL PRETTY SMALL WHEN WE THINK OF THE RELATIONSHIP WE REALLY HAVE, AS OPPOSED TO THE ONE WE THOUGHT WE HAD. WE WILL REMEMBER THE TIMES WHEN WE TURNED AWAY FROM OPPORTUNITIES TO GET TO KNOW OUR HOST BETTER, OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVE OUR FRIENDSHIP IN SERVICE, OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER HIS IDEALS, HIS PLAN. WE WILL REMEMBER THE TIMES WHEN WE PUT OURSELVES FIRST, AND GAVE LITTLE THOUGHT TO OUR HOST. WE WILL TAKE OUR SEAT AT THE FOOT OF THE TABLE, AND IF WE ARE ASKED TO COME UP HIGHER, IT WILL BE A GENUINE SURPRISE.
AND AS WE LOOK AROUND THE BANQUET HALL AND SEE THE REST OF THE GUESTS, HEROIC MARTYRS, FOUNDERS OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS, MISSIONARIES, NOT TO MENTION PARISH PRIESTS, SELF-SACRIFICINGMOTHERS AND FATHERS – ALL THE PEOPLE WHO POURED THEMSELVES OUT FOR THEIR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS IN THE NAME OF OUR HOST, WE WILL FEEL OVERWHELMED BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THE BANQUET – AND WE HAVE NOTHING TO GIVE BACK, NOTHING WITH WHICH TO RECIPROCATE.
IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, THE MANNERS ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEY ARE IN OUR SOCIETY. THERE PEOPLE KNOW THEMSELVES; THEY KNOW THEIR FAULTS AND LIMITATIONS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY KNOW WHERE THEY STAND IN RELATION TO OUR FATHER; THEY KNOW HOW MUCH THEY ARE LOVED, THEY KNOW THAT IN RESPONSE TO THIS LOVE THEY SHOULD GIVE EVERYTHING BACK, AND THEY KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT THEY HAVEN'T MET THAT MARK. AND NO ONE IN THE KINGDOM CAN LOOK AT ANOTHER PERSON AND HONESTLY SAY, “I SHOULD BE CLOSER TO THE HOST THAN YOU. AND THAT IS HUMILITY – TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF OURSELVES AS WE APPEAR IN GOD'S EYES.
IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, OUR HOST OVERLOOKS OUR LIMITATIONS; HE LOVES US EVEN THOUGH WE AREN'T VERY LOVABLE AT ALL. HE INVITES US TO THE BANQUET WHERE THERE IS NO HOPE OF US RECIPROCATING; HE PICKS US UP AND DRESSES US IN A FINE ROBE AND THROWS US A FEAST, WHEN WE HAD BEEN HOPING AGAINST HOPE THAT MAYBE HE WOULD AT LEAST LET US BE SERVANTS IN HIS MANSION.
AND THAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO PIECES OF ADVICE OUR LORD GIVES THE GUESTS AND THE HOST AT THAT DINNER PARTY IN PALESTINE SO LONG AGO. LOOK AT THE OTHER PERSON, AND NEVER FOR A MINUTE ALLOW A COMPARISON TO ENTER YOUR MIND. AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THAT PERSON DESERVES TO SIT CLOSER TO THE HOST THAN YOU DO. AND IF YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF HONESTLY, YOU KNOW THAT YOUR PLACE IS LOW, AND YOU'RE LUCKY TO BE INVITED AT ALL.
AND SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED, YOU WHO DON'T DESERVE EVEN THE LOWEST SEAT IN THE BANQUET HALL, IT MAKES SENSE IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN TO IMITATE YOUR HOST, WHO INVITED YOU WHEN YOU HAD NO WAY OF REPAYING. SO WHEN YOU SERVE, WHEN YOU ARE MOVED TO ACTS OF CHARITY, DO LIKEWISE; BECAUSE IN SERVING THOSE THAT NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO SERVE, YOU SERVE YOUR HOST, AND YOU STRENGTHEN THAT RELATIONSHIP, AND MAYBE YOU WILL HEAR THOSE WORDS SOMEDAY, “FRIEND, COME UP HIGHER.”
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT TAKES A LOT TO CIVILIZE US. I CAN REMEMBER MY MOTHER TELLING ME TO EAT WITH MY MOUTH CLOSED, TO GET MY ELBOWS OFF THE TABLE, NOT TO TALK WITH MY MOUTH FULL – ALL ARBITRARY RULES; IN SOME SOCIETIES IT'S CONSIDERED BAD FORM TO EAT WITH YOUR LEFT HAND, OR TO TELL YOUR HOST YOU CAN'T EAT ANOTHER BITE. BUT EVERY SOCIETY HAS ITS ARBITRARY RULES, RULES ABOUT EATING, RULES ABOUT HOW MEN AND WOMEN INTERACT IN PUBLIC, RULES ABOUT HOW WE SPEAK TO EACH OTHER. AND WHEN SOMEONE DOESN'T FOLLOW THE RULES, PEOPLE AROUND HIM OR HER ARE MADE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. HERE'S AN EXPERIMENT. NEXT TIME YOU ARE TALKING TO SOMEONE, MOVE CLOSER, OR MOVE FURTHER AWAY; THE OTHER PERSON WILL UNCONSCIOUSLY ADJUST SO THAT THE SAME DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU WILL BE MAINTAINED. ONE OF THE REASONS WE ARE A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH PEOPLE FROM THE MIDDLE EAST IS BECAUSE THERE, PEOPLE STAND CLOSER TO EACH OTHER WHEN THEY ARE SPEAKING.
SO WHAT IS JESUS DOING TODAY? IT SOUNDS LIKE HE'S GIVING SOME POINTERS ABOUT MANNERS. BUT MANNERS, IMPORTANT AS THEY ARE FOR THE SMOOTH FUNCTIONING OF A SOCIETY, SEEM LIKE RELATIVELY UNIMPORTANT THINGS FOR THE LORD OF CREATION TO SPEND TIME ON.
BUT JESUS HAD FOUND A TEACHABLE MOMENT, AND HE WAS NOT GOING TO LET IT GO TO WASTE.
YOU AND I ARE FAR REMOVED FROM THE FIRST CENTURY IN PALESTINE. IF PEOPLE CAME TO A PARTY WE GAVE AND JOSTLED AND PUSHED TO GET AS CLOSE TO THE HOST AS POSSIBLE, IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED EXTREMELY IMPOLITE. BUT THAT WAS ACTUALLY NORMAL BEHAVIOR IN THAT TIME AND PLACE. IF YOU WERE INVITED TO A PARTY, YOU KNEW YOU HAD A BOND WITH THE HOST, AND IT WAS CONSIDERED GOOD FORM TO TRY TO SIT AS CLOSE TO HIM AS POSSIBLE. IT WAS A SIGN THAT YOU APPRECIATED HIS FRIENDSHIP, AND THE HONOR HE HAD GIVEN YOU BY INVITING YOU. THE JOSTLING AS PEOPLE TRIED TO SIT CLOSE TO THE HEAD OF THE TABLE WAS NOT MALICIOUS; IT WAS EVEN FRIENDLY, AND THERE WOULD BE PRETEND ARGUMENTS ABOUT WHICH ONE SHOULD GIVE WAY TO THE NEXT; “I'M HIS FIRST COUSIN, I SHOULD SIT HIGHER THAN YOU!” “BUT I'M HIS SON-IN-LAW, THAT GIVES ME A HIGHER PLACE.” SOMETIMES OTHERS WOULD JOIN IN THESE ARGUMENTS SIDING WITH ONE OR THE OTHER.
AND INDEED, AS JESUS POINTS OUT, SOMETIMES THE HOST WOULD ASK SOMEONE TO MAKE ROOM FOR A SPECIAL GUEST, AND IF EVERYONE HAD ALREADY FOUND A PLACE, THAT PERSON WOULD HAVE TO MOVE TO THE FARTHEST SPOT. AND THIS WAS MORE THAN EMBARRASSMENT, IT WAS AN INSULT; THE HOST WAS MAKING VERY LITTLE OF THE RELATIONSHIP YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD HAD.
WE DON'T IDENTIFY WITH THE GUESTS AT THE BANQUET. WE CAN'T SEE OURSELVES BEHAVING IN THIS WAY AT ALL. BUT WE DO IDENTIFY WITH THE BEHAVIOR OF THE HOST. LIKE HIM, WE INVITE TO OUR DINNER PARTIES ONLY THOSE PEOPLE WE KNOW AND LIKE. WE MAY SOMETIMES HAVE A FRIEND OVER WHO CAN'T INVITE US TO HER HOUSE, BUT WE DO SO BECAUSE OF FRIENDSHIP, AND SO WE ARE PAID BACK; WE WANT TO GET TOGETHER AND SOCIALIZE AND THE PRICE IS A SUPPER. AND BY EXTENSION, OUR CHARITY IS SIMILAR. WE PICK AND CHOOSE WHO WE WILL HELP. IT'S MUCH EASIER TO GIVE MONEY TO A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION THAN TO GET OUR HANDS DIRTY HELPING PEOPLE WHO ARE UNLIKEABLE, OR WHO HAVE BROUGHT THEIR MISERY ON THEMSELVES THROUGH DRUGS OR ALCOHOL; OR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T LIKE US – IMMIGRANTS FROM COUNTRIES HALF-WAY AROUND THE WORLD, DISPLACED PERSONS.
WE SEE OURSELVES AS CHARITABLE, BUT WE PICK AND CHOOSE WHERE OUR CHARITY GOES, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT OUR HELP TO GO TO WASTE; IF WE HELP SOMEBODY, THEY BETTER STAY HELPED!
JESUS IS TEACHING US THE MANNERS OF THE SOCIETY IN WHICH WE ALL HOPE TO LIVE, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. THERE, WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES AT THE BANQUET, WE WILL SUDDENLY SEE OUR TRUE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR HOST-- WE WILL FEEL PRETTY SMALL WHEN WE THINK OF THE RELATIONSHIP WE REALLY HAVE, AS OPPOSED TO THE ONE WE THOUGHT WE HAD. WE WILL REMEMBER THE TIMES WHEN WE TURNED AWAY FROM OPPORTUNITIES TO GET TO KNOW OUR HOST BETTER, OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVE OUR FRIENDSHIP IN SERVICE, OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER HIS IDEALS, HIS PLAN. WE WILL REMEMBER THE TIMES WHEN WE PUT OURSELVES FIRST, AND GAVE LITTLE THOUGHT TO OUR HOST. WE WILL TAKE OUR SEAT AT THE FOOT OF THE TABLE, AND IF WE ARE ASKED TO COME UP HIGHER, IT WILL BE A GENUINE SURPRISE.
AND AS WE LOOK AROUND THE BANQUET HALL AND SEE THE REST OF THE GUESTS, HEROIC MARTYRS, FOUNDERS OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS, MISSIONARIES, NOT TO MENTION PARISH PRIESTS, SELF-SACRIFICINGMOTHERS AND FATHERS – ALL THE PEOPLE WHO POURED THEMSELVES OUT FOR THEIR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS IN THE NAME OF OUR HOST, WE WILL FEEL OVERWHELMED BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THE BANQUET – AND WE HAVE NOTHING TO GIVE BACK, NOTHING WITH WHICH TO RECIPROCATE.
IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, THE MANNERS ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEY ARE IN OUR SOCIETY. THERE PEOPLE KNOW THEMSELVES; THEY KNOW THEIR FAULTS AND LIMITATIONS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY KNOW WHERE THEY STAND IN RELATION TO OUR FATHER; THEY KNOW HOW MUCH THEY ARE LOVED, THEY KNOW THAT IN RESPONSE TO THIS LOVE THEY SHOULD GIVE EVERYTHING BACK, AND THEY KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT THEY HAVEN'T MET THAT MARK. AND NO ONE IN THE KINGDOM CAN LOOK AT ANOTHER PERSON AND HONESTLY SAY, “I SHOULD BE CLOSER TO THE HOST THAN YOU. AND THAT IS HUMILITY – TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF OURSELVES AS WE APPEAR IN GOD'S EYES.
IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, OUR HOST OVERLOOKS OUR LIMITATIONS; HE LOVES US EVEN THOUGH WE AREN'T VERY LOVABLE AT ALL. HE INVITES US TO THE BANQUET WHERE THERE IS NO HOPE OF US RECIPROCATING; HE PICKS US UP AND DRESSES US IN A FINE ROBE AND THROWS US A FEAST, WHEN WE HAD BEEN HOPING AGAINST HOPE THAT MAYBE HE WOULD AT LEAST LET US BE SERVANTS IN HIS MANSION.
AND THAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO PIECES OF ADVICE OUR LORD GIVES THE GUESTS AND THE HOST AT THAT DINNER PARTY IN PALESTINE SO LONG AGO. LOOK AT THE OTHER PERSON, AND NEVER FOR A MINUTE ALLOW A COMPARISON TO ENTER YOUR MIND. AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THAT PERSON DESERVES TO SIT CLOSER TO THE HOST THAN YOU DO. AND IF YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF HONESTLY, YOU KNOW THAT YOUR PLACE IS LOW, AND YOU'RE LUCKY TO BE INVITED AT ALL.
AND SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED, YOU WHO DON'T DESERVE EVEN THE LOWEST SEAT IN THE BANQUET HALL, IT MAKES SENSE IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN TO IMITATE YOUR HOST, WHO INVITED YOU WHEN YOU HAD NO WAY OF REPAYING. SO WHEN YOU SERVE, WHEN YOU ARE MOVED TO ACTS OF CHARITY, DO LIKEWISE; BECAUSE IN SERVING THOSE THAT NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO SERVE, YOU SERVE YOUR HOST, AND YOU STRENGTHEN THAT RELATIONSHIP, AND MAYBE YOU WILL HEAR THOSE WORDS SOMEDAY, “FRIEND, COME UP HIGHER.”
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Twenty first Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C
LUKE 13:22-30
I READ AN ARTICLE RECENTLY IN WHICH THE AUTHOR SAID THAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T BELIEVE IN GOD. HE SAID THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS A GOD, IT WAS AN OBSERVATION THAT WAS EASILY PROVEN. IF YOU ARE DRIVING ALONG A ROAD AND SEE A SIGN THAT SAYS “BRIDGE OUT” YOU DON’T KEEP BARRELING ALONG; YOU BELIEVE THE SIGN, YOU STOP YOUR CAR, YOU CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR. BUT IF GOD SAYS FOR YOU TO DO SOMETHING OR NOT TO DO IT, MOST PEOPLE DON’T PAY MUCH ATTENTION. THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE ARE ALL NOTORIOUS SINNERS, ALTHOUGH WE CERTAINLY ARE SINNERS, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT MOST OF US AREN’T MAKING ANY ATTEMPT TO CHANGE OURSELVES IN RESPONSE TO THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS. DOES THAT MEAN WE DON’T BELIEVE IN GOD? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
TODAY JESUS IS ASKED A QUESTION: “LORD, WILL ONLY A FEW PEOPLE BE SAVED?” AND HE DOES NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION. RATHER, HE PAINTS A PICTURE, A PICTURE MUCH MORE FAMILIAR TO HIS HEARERS THAN TO US. BUT LET ME SPEAK ABOUT TWO OTHER GOSPEL PASSAGES FOR A SECOND. IN MATTHEW, AT THE END OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, JESUS TELLS HIS HEARERS TO “ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW GATE, BECAUSE WIDE IS THE GATE AND BROAD THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION”. AND IN LUKE, ONLY A FEW SUNDAYS AGO, JESUS TOLD THE PARABLE OF THE PERSISTENT NEIGHBOR WHO KNOCKED ON THE DOOR UNTIL THE HOUSEHOLDER GOT UP TO GET HIM THE BREAD HE HAD REQUESTED. IN TODAY’S GOSPEL PASSAGE, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH JESUS MAY BE CONTRADICTING HIMSELF; HERE THE PEOPLE ARE KNOCKING, AND THEY ARE BEING DENIED ENTRANCE, WHILE OTHERS ARE STREAMING INTO THE BANQUET – THE PATRIARCHS AND THE PROPHETS AND PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER.
TOWNS AND CITIES IN PALESTINE HAD WALLS AROUND THEM. USUALLY THERE WERE ONE OR MORE “GATES” WHICH WERE OPENED IN THE DAY AND CLOSED AT NIGHT. THESE WERE THE WIDE GATES. DURING THE DAY, GUARDS STOOD AT ATTENTION, READY TO CLOSE THE GATES IF THERE WAS A THREAT. BUT THERE WERE OTHER ENTRANCES INTO THE CITY WHICH WERE NARROW; SOMETIMES YOU HAD TO WORK YOUR WAY IN SIDEWAYS, OR STOOP VERY LOW, AND COULD ONLY GET IN ONE AT A TIME. IF YOU WANTED TO GET IN THROUGH A NARROW GATE, NOT ONLY WAS IT A STRUGGLE, BUT YOU HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE ON THE INSIDE WHO WOULD KNOW YOU WERE COMING, OR YOU TOOK A CHANCE THAT YOU WOULD BE HIT WITH A CLUB OR RUN THROUGH WITH A SPEAR.
AND THAT’S THE POINT. THE PEOPLE STANDING ON THE OUTSIDE SAYING THAT THEY HAVE EATEN AND DRUNK IN THE COMPANY OF THE LORD, AND THAT HE HAS TAUGHT IN THEIR STREETS, ARE APPEALING TO THE ONE ON THE INSIDE TO LET THEM IN, TO GIVE THEM SAFE PASSAGE. BUT NOTICE THAT THEY DON’T SAY THEY LEARNED ANYTHING THAT JESUS TAUGHT; THEY PRESUME THAT HE KNOWS THEM BECAUSE HE MOVED AMONG THEM. IT’S NOT OBVIOUS THAT THEY’VE MADE ANY CHANGE IN THEMSELVES. AND JESUS SAYS “I DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE FROM; DEPART FROM ME, YOU EVILDOERS.” JESUS DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THEM, AND CONSIDERS THEM FOREIGNERS, AND WILL NOT ADMIT THEM TO THE BANQUET.
AND THEY STAY OUTSIDE, FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY, BUT HELPLESS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR PREDICAMENT. BUT THE STORY ENDS ON A HOPEFUL NOTE: “FOR BEHOLD, SOME ARE LAST WHO WILL BE FIRST, AND SOME ARE FIRST WHO WILL BE LAST.”
SO KNOCKING WORKS, AS IN THE CASE OF THE PERSISTENT NEIGHBOR, WHEN YOU KNOW THE ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GATE. IT DOESN’T WORK WHEN HE DOESN’T RECOGNIZE YOU, WHEN THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP.
SO WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS? FIRST, WHEN WE TAKE THIS GOSPEL STORY AND THE SECTION FROM ISAIAH THAT WE HEARD EARLIER, IT’S OBVIOUS THAT GOD WANTS EVERYONE TO COME TO HIS BANQUET. SECOND, YOU CAN’T GET THERE THROUGH THE WIDE GATE. THE WIDE GATE, THE EASY PASSAGE, MIGHT GET YOU INTO THE CITY, BUT THAT ONLY GETS YOU A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE BANQUET. THERE IS NO WAY TO GET INTO THE HALL WITHOUT SOMEONE TO LEAD YOU THERE THROUGH THE NARROW GATE. THIRD, GETTING THROUGH THE NARROW GATE REQUIRES STRIVING – IT’S NOT EASY. THE GREEK WORD FOR STRIVING IS RELATED TO THE ENGLISH WORD “AGONY”. IT’S NOT EASY BECAUSE IT REQUIRES BELIEVING IN GOD, JUST LIKE YOU BELIEVE THE SIGN THAT SAYS THE BRIDGE IS OUT. IT REQUIRES MORE THAN COMING TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY, MORE THAN WISHES; IT REQUIRES A STRUGGLE, TO LEARN WHAT GOD WANTS FOR YOU, AND THEN TO DO IT. THIS MEANS LISTENING TO THE CHURCH, READING THE WORD OF GOD, AND EXAMINING OURSELVES TO SEE WHERE WE CAN CHANGE SO AS TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS CHRIST. THEN JESUS WILL RECOGNIZE US WHEN WE DO GOD’S WILL – AS HE SAID, “THE ONE WHO DOES THE WILL OF THE FATHER IS MY BROTHER AND SISTER AND MOTHER AS WELL”. AND HE WILL HELP US THROUGH THE NARROW GATE, INTO THE BANQUET WHERE PEOPLE WILL STREAM FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. IF WE AREN’T RECOGNIZED, WELL, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE BACK OF THE LINE AND START OVER AGAIN; SOME WHO ARE FIRST WILL BE LAST. MAYBE WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE, OR TWO, OR THREE. BUT MAYBE WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE, ONE OPPORTUNITY TO BE RECOGNIZED BY OUR FRIEND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NARROW GATE.
I READ AN ARTICLE RECENTLY IN WHICH THE AUTHOR SAID THAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T BELIEVE IN GOD. HE SAID THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS A GOD, IT WAS AN OBSERVATION THAT WAS EASILY PROVEN. IF YOU ARE DRIVING ALONG A ROAD AND SEE A SIGN THAT SAYS “BRIDGE OUT” YOU DON’T KEEP BARRELING ALONG; YOU BELIEVE THE SIGN, YOU STOP YOUR CAR, YOU CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR. BUT IF GOD SAYS FOR YOU TO DO SOMETHING OR NOT TO DO IT, MOST PEOPLE DON’T PAY MUCH ATTENTION. THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE ARE ALL NOTORIOUS SINNERS, ALTHOUGH WE CERTAINLY ARE SINNERS, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT MOST OF US AREN’T MAKING ANY ATTEMPT TO CHANGE OURSELVES IN RESPONSE TO THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS. DOES THAT MEAN WE DON’T BELIEVE IN GOD? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
TODAY JESUS IS ASKED A QUESTION: “LORD, WILL ONLY A FEW PEOPLE BE SAVED?” AND HE DOES NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION. RATHER, HE PAINTS A PICTURE, A PICTURE MUCH MORE FAMILIAR TO HIS HEARERS THAN TO US. BUT LET ME SPEAK ABOUT TWO OTHER GOSPEL PASSAGES FOR A SECOND. IN MATTHEW, AT THE END OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, JESUS TELLS HIS HEARERS TO “ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW GATE, BECAUSE WIDE IS THE GATE AND BROAD THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION”. AND IN LUKE, ONLY A FEW SUNDAYS AGO, JESUS TOLD THE PARABLE OF THE PERSISTENT NEIGHBOR WHO KNOCKED ON THE DOOR UNTIL THE HOUSEHOLDER GOT UP TO GET HIM THE BREAD HE HAD REQUESTED. IN TODAY’S GOSPEL PASSAGE, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH JESUS MAY BE CONTRADICTING HIMSELF; HERE THE PEOPLE ARE KNOCKING, AND THEY ARE BEING DENIED ENTRANCE, WHILE OTHERS ARE STREAMING INTO THE BANQUET – THE PATRIARCHS AND THE PROPHETS AND PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER.
TOWNS AND CITIES IN PALESTINE HAD WALLS AROUND THEM. USUALLY THERE WERE ONE OR MORE “GATES” WHICH WERE OPENED IN THE DAY AND CLOSED AT NIGHT. THESE WERE THE WIDE GATES. DURING THE DAY, GUARDS STOOD AT ATTENTION, READY TO CLOSE THE GATES IF THERE WAS A THREAT. BUT THERE WERE OTHER ENTRANCES INTO THE CITY WHICH WERE NARROW; SOMETIMES YOU HAD TO WORK YOUR WAY IN SIDEWAYS, OR STOOP VERY LOW, AND COULD ONLY GET IN ONE AT A TIME. IF YOU WANTED TO GET IN THROUGH A NARROW GATE, NOT ONLY WAS IT A STRUGGLE, BUT YOU HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE ON THE INSIDE WHO WOULD KNOW YOU WERE COMING, OR YOU TOOK A CHANCE THAT YOU WOULD BE HIT WITH A CLUB OR RUN THROUGH WITH A SPEAR.
AND THAT’S THE POINT. THE PEOPLE STANDING ON THE OUTSIDE SAYING THAT THEY HAVE EATEN AND DRUNK IN THE COMPANY OF THE LORD, AND THAT HE HAS TAUGHT IN THEIR STREETS, ARE APPEALING TO THE ONE ON THE INSIDE TO LET THEM IN, TO GIVE THEM SAFE PASSAGE. BUT NOTICE THAT THEY DON’T SAY THEY LEARNED ANYTHING THAT JESUS TAUGHT; THEY PRESUME THAT HE KNOWS THEM BECAUSE HE MOVED AMONG THEM. IT’S NOT OBVIOUS THAT THEY’VE MADE ANY CHANGE IN THEMSELVES. AND JESUS SAYS “I DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE FROM; DEPART FROM ME, YOU EVILDOERS.” JESUS DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THEM, AND CONSIDERS THEM FOREIGNERS, AND WILL NOT ADMIT THEM TO THE BANQUET.
AND THEY STAY OUTSIDE, FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY, BUT HELPLESS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR PREDICAMENT. BUT THE STORY ENDS ON A HOPEFUL NOTE: “FOR BEHOLD, SOME ARE LAST WHO WILL BE FIRST, AND SOME ARE FIRST WHO WILL BE LAST.”
SO KNOCKING WORKS, AS IN THE CASE OF THE PERSISTENT NEIGHBOR, WHEN YOU KNOW THE ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GATE. IT DOESN’T WORK WHEN HE DOESN’T RECOGNIZE YOU, WHEN THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP.
SO WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS? FIRST, WHEN WE TAKE THIS GOSPEL STORY AND THE SECTION FROM ISAIAH THAT WE HEARD EARLIER, IT’S OBVIOUS THAT GOD WANTS EVERYONE TO COME TO HIS BANQUET. SECOND, YOU CAN’T GET THERE THROUGH THE WIDE GATE. THE WIDE GATE, THE EASY PASSAGE, MIGHT GET YOU INTO THE CITY, BUT THAT ONLY GETS YOU A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE BANQUET. THERE IS NO WAY TO GET INTO THE HALL WITHOUT SOMEONE TO LEAD YOU THERE THROUGH THE NARROW GATE. THIRD, GETTING THROUGH THE NARROW GATE REQUIRES STRIVING – IT’S NOT EASY. THE GREEK WORD FOR STRIVING IS RELATED TO THE ENGLISH WORD “AGONY”. IT’S NOT EASY BECAUSE IT REQUIRES BELIEVING IN GOD, JUST LIKE YOU BELIEVE THE SIGN THAT SAYS THE BRIDGE IS OUT. IT REQUIRES MORE THAN COMING TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY, MORE THAN WISHES; IT REQUIRES A STRUGGLE, TO LEARN WHAT GOD WANTS FOR YOU, AND THEN TO DO IT. THIS MEANS LISTENING TO THE CHURCH, READING THE WORD OF GOD, AND EXAMINING OURSELVES TO SEE WHERE WE CAN CHANGE SO AS TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS CHRIST. THEN JESUS WILL RECOGNIZE US WHEN WE DO GOD’S WILL – AS HE SAID, “THE ONE WHO DOES THE WILL OF THE FATHER IS MY BROTHER AND SISTER AND MOTHER AS WELL”. AND HE WILL HELP US THROUGH THE NARROW GATE, INTO THE BANQUET WHERE PEOPLE WILL STREAM FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. IF WE AREN’T RECOGNIZED, WELL, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE BACK OF THE LINE AND START OVER AGAIN; SOME WHO ARE FIRST WILL BE LAST. MAYBE WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE, OR TWO, OR THREE. BUT MAYBE WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE, ONE OPPORTUNITY TO BE RECOGNIZED BY OUR FRIEND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NARROW GATE.
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