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Homily

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time – “Increase our faith”

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Hab. 1:2-3; 2:2-4; Ps. 95:1-2, 6-9; 2 Tim. 1:6-8, 13-14; Lk.17:5-10

“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith’” and so it came to be after the death and resurrection of the Lord and the coming of the Holy Spirit.  Before Jesus’ death they were a fearful, confused and an ignorant group of men who heard the voice of Jesus but did not understand.  After the resurrection of Jesus, they were a powerful group of apostles evangelizing, healing, and exorcising demons with sacrificial love.  Jesus increased their faith beyond the mustard seed having to bear their share of hardship “with the strength that comes from God”.  This gift of God’s grace to increase our faith is being offered to us as baptized believers but we must be willing to also take up our cross and follow him. 

The underlying theme of today’s readings is to hold onto our faith and not be “the rash one” expecting only what is good in the world and not have to “look at misery”.  Often the question is, “if God is good why is there so much misery and suffering?”  God allows suffering not to break our spirit but to strengthen it with “power and love and self-control.” 

God wants us to “press one” and he “will not disappoint”.  When are we more open to hear the voice of the Lord, in the midst of suffering or in the midst of our celebrations?  God is with us but we are not attentive to him in the noise that surrounds us.  He speaks into the silence of our hearts, in the quieting of the mind, and in the surrender of our will to his will.  This is how we increase our faith.  In the most challenging of life’s moments, when we cry out for help, it is then that he carries us because we trust in him. 

“The rash one” reveals that it is all about him, what he wants, when he wants it and how he wants it to be and God says this one “has no integrity”.  You hear statements like “I prayed and God did not answer” or “where is God when you need him” as if God exists to be our servant instead of us living to serve God.  This one is his own god. 

In the gospel, Jesus is reminding us that we are called to serve God not as “unprofitable servants” doing simply what we are obliged but in sacrifice.  In sports we often hear the call to give 110%, talent alone does not make you a superstar, sacrifice does.  When it comes to serving God we turn into minimalist, what is the least required of me to get to heaven.  Before we ask “where is God?” we are to ask ourselves “where am I in my commitment to God?” 

There are 5 precepts of the Catholic Church, attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, confession once a year, receive the Eucharist at least during Easter season, observe days of fasting and abstinence, and provide for the needs of the Church.  For some even this seems to be too much to ask for.  These “unprofitable servants” are the ones who say “I don’t get anything from going to church” and don’t care to live up to these precepts. 

The Lord gives the apostles the parable of the mustard seed and the mulberry tree.  The mustard seed testifies to its small size and the mulberry tree to something that is impossible to grow in the sea and yet Jesus tells us in this parable that nothing is impossible with God but it begins with an act of faith.  What is an act of faith?  Follow the commandments, follow the precepts of the Church, make your day an offering to God and be still in prayer to hear the voice of God that we may be one with him. 

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Homily

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Compete well!

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Amos 6:1a, 4-7; Ps. 146: 7-10; 1 Tim. 6:11-16; Lk.16:19-31

“But you, man of God…compete well for the faith”.   Man of God is for all mankind and throughout all stages of life from the young to the old.  There is a competition in this world between the forces of good and the forces of evil and the outcome determines the destiny of the soul for eternity.  It is enough to send a chill down the spine of those who see this truth and respond by competing well for the faith.  It is an active response to pursue righteousness with devotion and love.  Sadly, even among the faithful there is a presumption that life is to seek the pleasures of this world for our good and not to serve the good of others.  The story of the rich man and Lazarus is a clear reminder that God calls all to accountability for what we do or not do for the least we do unto him. 

The sin of a Christian is complacency as we hear in the first reading “woe to the complacent in Zion!”  Complacency is taking God for granted by not responding to the call we were given from God.  We live under the pretext that being a “good person” gets us to heaven but we don’t stop to ask ourselves what is “good” in the eyes of God.   God defines goodness and he clearly has provided us the prophets, the Word and his Son to make clear his will.  Here we fall short of the glory of God and the first step is this awareness that leads us to seek reconciliation and the mercy of God but also to take the right steps to be the person who God desires of us.  God’s desire is to seek his will and pray for the courage to complete well with his grace by our side. 

The consequence of the complacent is “exile”.  When we recall the exile of the Israelites it was a wandering in the desert not because the promise land was far from them but because their hearts were far from God.  The exile was a time of suffering to purify their hearts.  The same can be said of purgatory for the believers as an exile from the kingdom of God until our hearts are purified of its sin.  As the prophet Amos declares from the Lord, “Never will I forget a thing they have done” or failed to do out of complacency.   It was the message from last weeks readings and continues with focus on wealth and how we live our wealth and share our blessings. 

Riches are not a sin but they do contribute to complacency as we stretch comfortably “lying on our beds of ivory” and feed comfortably while forgetting the needs of others.  “Blessed is he who keeps faith” with a heart of justice for the oppressed.  We live in a country with tremendous opportunity to grow wealth through hard work and our God given talents.  Wealth creates the opportunity for freedom in how we manage our lives and our resources.  It also can create an illusion of power to control and to govern the lives of others through business, politics, and wealth.  This is vanity of vanities until the hour God says “enough” through loss, sickness, tragedy or death and we find ourselves in exile. 

The God of mercy who says take up your cross and follow me gives us the cross to bear not with a heart of persecution but with a heart of love to turn us back to him as the rich man now recognizes in his exile.  The rich man pleads for someone from the dead to go to his five brothers so they will repent. Abraham responds that if they will not listen to Moses and the prophets they will not be persuaded “if someone should rise from the dead”. 

We live in this time when someone did rise from the dead, our Lord Jesus Christ and yet there are few who are listening to his voice.  Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees because he wanted them to remember this story after he suffered and died for their sins that they may repent.  Some did repent but others went to their grave rejecting his teaching and persecuting the followers of Jesus.  Now is our time of repentance, to grow in holiness, to be good stewards of the gifts we are given by the way we live our lives and care for others.  Compete well as a good and faithful steward against complacency and the forces of evil, eternity depends on it. 

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Homily

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time – The Choice

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Amos 8:4-7; Ps. 113: 1-2, 4-8; 1 Tim. 2:1-8; Lk.16:1-13

The choice that we make determines our destiny.  Our day is filled with choices that speak to who we serve and is our God.  The list of choices in inexhaustible from who do we pray for to who do we care for as well as who do we exclude as a sin of omission.  What we learn from the rich man and his “dishonest steward” is that an action may on its surface by prudent and charitable but the motive is selfish and self-serving.  The Lord knows the heart and intent behind the choice and judges who can be trusted with the riches of heaven.   As the prophet Amos declares from the Lord, “Never will I forget a thing they have done!” 

Amos describes the “cheating” in the market place tipping “the scales for cheating” as the normal course of business with no sense of moral corruption.  Recently someone shared that in their business (car sales) meeting the mode of operation was described with the words “we are here to get people to make bad decisions”.   The act of promoting open deceitfulness for profit is a choice from the lowest position to the head of a business that seeks to build a culture that normalizes injustice as fair play.  The Lord reminds us there is nothing fair and nothing forgotten. 

The “dishonest steward” whose choice to act in a charitable way is no more than self-serving bias.  He is being held accountable for “squandering” the property of his “master” and knowing his own limitations uses his “masters debtors” to cheat his master even further of the true debt for his benefit.  Rather than having a conversion of heart and repentance he digs himself into a deeper hole.  How difficult it is to admit when we are wrong and our bias looks to avoid accountability.   Adam blamed Eve for the bite of the apple and Eve blamed the snake and both suffered the consequence of their sin.  Their self-serving bias got them both out of heaven and if we follow in those footsteps, it will keep us out of heaven as well. 

Jesus Christ came to be the “one mediator between God and men…who wills everyone to be saved”.  The Lord is good and stands for good over evil.  Jesus further declared evil does not start when an evil act is committed but in the heart of the person that separates them as evil doers from the grace of God.   The culture of evil is nurtured by the creation of social norms that promote the separation of God from humanity.  Humanity is created in the image of God with the purpose of being a reflection of the goodness of God.  Anything that is “other” is from the evil one.  While God wills everyone to be saved, he cannot save us without us by our own free will. 

In our times as in past times we see a philosophy that attempts to keep God out of policy and business or stated in other terms God and politics don’t mix nor does God and money in the current culture.  Many a “good” person will show their dark side when the politics of another does not support their ideological views.  Behind the cover of public, political and social media is revealed the true hate and rejection of a person who dares to speak against their ideology.   This too is self-serving bias under the vail of a false “goodness”.  The freedom and right to dialogue our differences is no longer the gold standard of discord but the denial of the search for truth as a free society.  When evil acts are celebrated as “good” our self-serving bias is the great divide between humanity and God and a nation, a community and a family will soon come to an end.  The cost to bear is eternity.  The choice we make reveals the true self and nothing is hidden from God.    

Today, St. Paul calls for “supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone” not just those who agree with us.  From those in authority whose actions will impact our lives to the poor where our actions will impact their lives.  This is the choice of true love, Godly love that rises to heaven.   

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Homily

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Num 21:4b-9; Ps. 78: 1bc-2, 34-38; Phil. 2:6-11; Jn.3:13-17

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is Jesus on the cross lifted up to open the gates of heaven to eternal life.  The Holy Cross is exalted as the greatest sign of God’s love.  There are four signs of hope for humanity, God the lover, God’s gift of creation, God’s gift of his son Jesus, and God’s gift of eternal life. 

God the lover for God is love.  Love is transcendent and unifying.  God is unified in the Holy Trinity as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Love is eternal transcending our mortal life and uniting us to our creator.  Love gives life to the dead and brings about new creation. 

God’s gift of creation is a sign of God’s love for humanity.  Created in God’s image we can transcend our mortal being with the gift of his grace to be united to God as body, soul, and spirit.  The body serves God to be his temple that we may be united to him.  The soul is the image of God in its likeness as intellect, will, and emotions.  We are to put on the mind of God in our minds, unite our will to his will, and with filled with emotions to experience God’s love.  God’s gift of creation is all creation from the insect on the group to the eagle in sky, from the thorn bush in the desert to the flowers and crops in the field are a gift with a purpose. 

God’s gift of his son Jesus is our hope in the Exaltation of the Cross, lifted up to offer atonement for our sins.  When the people suffered for their sin in the desert God’s “punishment” was not an act of vengeance but an act of mercy to turn a hardened heart back to him.  Suffering brings us back to God, to the truth of our mortality and our need for a God who is love.  It was a sign of the coming of Jesus who also would be lifted up that we who look up to the Exaltation of the Cross will live as we bend our knees and we proclaim, “Jesus Christ is Lord”.  We are to always be aware of the power of the name of Jesus to bring us healing and salvation. 

God’s gift of eternal life is our hope that cannot be denied by the Exaltation of the Cross.  God is faithful to his promises.  There is not a moment in our life that God is not at work in us.  We often fail to recognize the grace at work and forget all that we have received from him.  We tend to be like a bottomless pit asking “what have you done for me lately” blinded by our own indulgence and failing to recognize how he has already freed us from slavery in order to live a Godly life.  The gift of eternal life is our greatest treasure, and our time is a window to prepare ourselves to be received in heaven. 

There is a false impression that God sends “punishment” to appease his anger and satisfy his wrath.  This fails to understand God acts out of love and love requires action not to “condemn the world but that the world might be saved” through Jesus.  God told Moses “Whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived”. By their sin they suffered the bite of the serpent and died as we suffer the bite of our sins and die. Our salvation is to look up to the cross of Jesus and live.

God’s action is his mercy to bring healing to the suffering of his heart for the sins of his people and call his people back to his love.  This is made clear through Jesus and his sacred heart who reveals his wounds on the cross in atonement for our sins.  It is our time now to respond to his suffering heart with the one gift he desires, a heart of love, love of God and love of neighbor in adoration, “We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your Cross you have redeemed the world.”   Amen. 

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Homily

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time – The cost of discipleship

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Wis. 9:13-18b; Ps. 90: 3-6, 12-14, 17; Phil. 9:12-17; Lk.14:25-33

Today Jesus makes clear the cost of discipleship is one of sacrifice.  It is the sacrifice of carrying our own cross.  A mother bears the pain of childbirth but then comes the joy of her suffering in the life of a newborn.  This is the mystery of the cost of discipleship that it gives birth to the joy of the resurrection in that Jesus lives through us and in us.  As John (Jn. 3:29-30) reminds us in scripture, “So this joy of mine has been made complete.  He must increase; I must decrease”.  

It begins and ends with our surrender of our will to do his will.  Our purpose is to seek his will, listen for his voice, be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit by our life of prayer.  The cost of discipleship does not compare to the joy of receiving the Lord in this life and for eternity.   Our mortal bodies return to dust but the soul’s act upon death is to face our personal judgement.  As Simon Peter tells Jesus in the miracle of the fish, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”  Who can stand before the Lord when we come face to face with our sins before him?  The disciple who followed him after he made his salvation known. 

The Lord is our refuge.  We turn to him and he will place his laws in our hearts.  The challenge is can we keep his commandments and accept the cost of discipleship.  The “hating” of father or mother, wife or children, brothers or sisters is not the hate of a person since we are also called to love one another.  The “hate” is the sin and how we deal with the sins of others.  In a culture that calls for “safe space”, the rise in sensitivity to anything that can be labeled as a “microaggression” and the efforts to “cancel” any person who does not support specific cultural norms is the sin of “hate” in its evil ways.  Jesus is calling us to hate the sin and love the sinner by being truthful of the sin and not denying its danger.  The ultimate danger is the loss of a soul from heaven. 

The cost of discipleship is to stand for the truth as revealed by God.  The truth is that our days are numbered and possessions are a passing resource, a blessing to serve a good when we call out to God to “prosper the work of our hands”.  If by some tragedy we lose all our possessions, a fire, a storm, a flood or any other major event the heart that was detached from its possessions will bear their cross with greater strength than the heart whose meaning was attached to its possessions.  The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh as we have often heard, “praise be to the Lord”.  Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall but the Lord remains with his people and rescues us and is our refuge. 

Jesus gives the example of the King marching into battle who first decides if he can successfully oppose another king who is much stronger in troops.  In this case because he lacks the strength of enough troops he seeks “peace terms”.  It is an act of prudence and so we are called to be prudent with all our possessions.  When is “enough too much”?  One way to seek peace and not let our possessions “possess us” is to ask ourselves “is this still serving a purpose”? 

The will of God is that we serve our purpose, a greater purpose and not let anything or anyone stand in the way of achieving God’s purpose.  This is the cost of discipleship, to let go and let God be the one who possesses us. 

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22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – “Be humble of heart”

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Sir. 3:17-18, 20, 28-29; Ps. 68: 4-7, 10-11; Heb. 12:18-19, 22-24a; Lk.14:1, 7-14

Being humble of heart is living the truth that there is a God and we are not a god.  Be humble of heart and learn from the Lord what it is to truly be “meek and humble of heart”.  Humility is often misunderstood as a sign of weakness when in fact it takes great courage to stand up to the truth whether convenient or inconvenient.  A person who is humble of heart does not seek personal attention or recognition but desires to reflect the truth of who we are and who God is. 

We are created and God is the creator, we are sinners and God is the redeemer of our sins, we are the imperfect and God is the perfector of our lives, we are pilgrims and God is the way; we desire to live and God provides us life.   To be humble of heart is to accept the truth of God.

A person who is meek is not weak.  When the Lord says he is “meek”, he recognizes who he is as the son of God, what his purpose is for which he came into this world, and accepting the sacrifice he is prepared to make for the salvation of souls.  This meekness takes great courage.  We too can learn from Jesus to be meek by accepting our call, our purpose in doing his will, and being ready to carry the cross that may come.  We are a child of God here to do his will in meekness and with a humble heart of love. 

Jesus is calling us to learn from him what it is to be in this world but not of this world.  The world desires attention and recognition seeking to showcase every life on social media and have followers and with influencers to influence what you think, how to look, what is popular and be a “good” follower of what is acceptable to the world.  In contrast the Lord teaches us if you “humble yourself the more, the greater you are”.  The good that we do is for God and from God and he who sees all things will multiply our blessings. 

The world desires power and control and it often does it by trying to destroy the other.   Many battles and wars have been fought not only between nations, tribes, and neighborhoods but even at the kitchen table among families claiming rights or entitlements.  Being humble of heart desire the good of the other, is willing to sacrifice for the other.  This is the “city of the living God”, not an earthly city but a spiritual city, a heavenly Jerusalem with Jesus “the mediator of a new covenant”.  It is a covenant with “sprinkled blood” from the sacrifice of love.  We cannot say “thank you Jesus for the blood of your sacrifice” and not be open to the share in the sacrifice of the cross.  Jesus says “take my yoke…and learn from me”, learn to be humble in carrying the cross. 

I had just finished my Master’s degree and was applying for my first professional job.  I was interviewed by two women for a job as a counselor.  In most interviews you want to show confidence and competence and be positive so I was greatly surprised when towards the end of the interview one woman said, “You are very proud”.  I didn’t know how to respond to this criticism.  I got the job but it left we having to reflect on how I carry myself.  The difference between confidence versus “a know it all” attitude is humility and humility is recognizing your limitations and admitting your mistakes. 

God is the perfector to holiness but not in a heart filled with pride.  The mind that believes “I know best” leaves no room for God.  God knows best and our minds have to bend to the will of God.  He has already given us a roadmap through the scriptures but knowing how to read the roadmap requires us to trust in Jesus, learn from him in a very personal direct union of hearts and souls. 

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Homily

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time – The Lord’s way!

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Is. 66:18-21; Ps. 1117: 1,2; Heb. 12:5-7, 11-13; Lk.13:22-30

It is the Lord’s way that will get us salvation.  The Lord’s way is “the narrow gate” of obedience, faithfulness, and perseverance.  It is not a mystery for he came to reveal to us “the way, the truth, and the life” to holiness.  It is the way of love, the truth of the commandments, and the life of surrender to the will of God.  Here lies the dilemma for the human condition, “love” is more about “seeking” than giving love; truth centers on “my truth” rather than God’s revealed truth; and life is ego-centric to our pleasure than to our sacrifice.  “Lord, will only a few people be saved?  Many will attempt, but not be strong enough”. 

Who are the “many” who desire heaven but not be strong enough?  There are many who call themselves “Christian” by identity without living the true identity in the image of Christ.  “Eating and drinking in the company” of Jesus sounds more like a socialized Christian or a “cafeteria type” Christian living the minimalist role but not the life of Christ.    We must recall that these are choices we make daily leaving us on the outside looking in.  God’s choice is to welcome us in to the Lord’s way.  It is an invitation.  He will lead us but we must be open to follow the way, the truth, and the life. 

The Lord’s way is also the way of the cross.  We unite our suffering with Christ on the cross so our sacrifice is the love and discipline of the Lord.  The Lord does his pruning of the weaknesses of the flesh that we may grow straight and not be ‘disjointed but healed”.  This is what being a “son” that is a child of God by order of our baptism, is the beginning into the life of Christ.  The end is yet to be determined by our response to the invite, a response that is seen by our action.  There is a false teaching that says “once saved always saved” minimizing the importance of our daily response to God.  We have heard it said “a little poison won’t kill you” and in the same way there is the attitude that “a little sin won’t kill you”.  It comes with the attitude that says “I’m a good person, haven’t killed anybody” as if God judges us on our terms and not his.  Surprise will come on judgment day when our whole life is made bare from the heart. 

A few weeks ago, I found myself sitting working on a homily.  When I stood up a sharp pain hit my hip.   Suddenly, I could not walk straight.  I called it “Jacob’s hip” as he wrestled with an angel all night and in the morning was struck in the hip.  X-rays revealed a more medical diagnosis “radiculitis”.  I had to google to make sure I was not being called “ridiculous” for it felt ridiculous to suddenly not be able to walk on my own.  “I went from being completely active to severe pain and depending on a walker to get around.   The “scourging” has begun and the correction of love to make straight the way of the Lord.  This is the discipline of perseverance when things are not in our control, not a cause for joy but we await the fruit of righteousness as we trust in the Lord. 

The Lord knows our “works” and our “thoughts” because works and thoughts matter.  To proclaim “I believe” is only the beginning of the way, truth and life of a Christian.  Works reflect our commitment and thoughts our intent behind our action.  God desires a conversion of heart to love the love of God in our works.  This is the testimony of the God News we are to share with the world.  The Lord is steadfast and faithful and he calls us to be the same. 

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18th Sunday in Ordinary Time – The new self

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Eccl. 1:2; 2:21-23; Ps. 90:3-6, 12-14, 17; Col. 3:1-5, 9-11; Lk. 12:13-21

The new self is in the image of the creator putting to death the earthly and receiving Christ.  The old self is vanity, seeking the passions of the flesh and storing up the riches of the world.  The greatest treasure of earthly life lies in the kingdom of God that lies within the soul until we enter into the heavenly glory.  The new self is restored to the sanctity of life no longer drawn to the passions of this world but to the inner voice of God.  It is a hunger for the gifts of the Holy Spirit and a distaste for the vanities of the world. 

The treasure of the kingdom of God is our unity in the one body of Christ that is the bond of love that gives life meaning and purpose in which we live and die to self for the other, the one we love.  It is Christ above us to lift us up to things that are above, Christ within us in the Eucharist to nourish body and soul with divine grace, and Christ before us in our neighbor to call us to serve him daily. 

The new self must also guard one’s body as the body and soul are one being and what affects the body impacts the soul and what the soul lives gives life to the well-being of the body.  Everything else is vanity!  Christ reminds us that it is in the body where he comes to build the temple of the Holy Spirit.  The body is given no less respect that the mind or emotions from the heart.  Respect for the body extends from what we drink, eat, inhale to who we expose our intimacy with.  All impact the soul and our relationship with self and with God. 

The old self is a restless mind that does not seek rest in God but in how it takes control over its life and influences others.  This vanity is an illusion of power and not a trust in a greater power than ourselves.  A restless mind brews anxiety, fear, and obsession that can spiral out of control into paranoia, panic, and depression.  It is a mind in which every action is scrutinized and no answer seems to be sufficient and peace is always beyond reach. 

It is often said we are to trust as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on self.   This requires a life that is actively engaged in prayer even as we move about our day seeking the will of God not our will and the wisdom to know the difference.  The new self is wrapped in prayer as we lift our mind to God and open our heart to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus comes in the moments of life to engage us where we are.  This is the new self who hears his voice and opens up his heart.  Prayer is the answer. 

The Lord prospers the work of our hands when we not only offer it up for his blessing but we offer ourselves up in the love and sacrifice of our hands.  We are part of the labor of love that gives life and blessing to those who come to share and receive from our work.  Our work is to be a blessing that adds to the goodness of life.  The rich man desired to store up for himself his harvest and is called a “fool” for his greed.  In the beginning of life, we seek to build up our human treasures and keep seeking the next best material thing and in the end of life we end up giving away what we possess, trying to hold onto only our health to extend or days. 

The Lord fills the earth with many good blessings to bring joy, peace, beauty, unity, and our daily bread.  If our hearts are not filled with gratitude, we fail to recognize God’s presence and blessings in our life.  It follows the principle of compounding gains or losses meaning the more we focus on the negative the greater we engage and invite negativity into our life while the more we focus on the positive the greater we are open to receive positive blessings in our life.  The Lord fills the heart that is open and ready to receive his goodness but he cannot give to a closed heart.  Put on the new self and live with the end in mind, as if it was the first day of life and the last day of life, and the only day that matters.  “Christ is all and in all.” 

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17th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Ask and receive

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Gen. 18:20-32; Ps. 138:1-3, 6-8; Col. 2:12-14; Lk. 11:1-13

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find” says the Lord.  Abraham pleaded with God for mercy on his people.  Great was the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah for their grave sin worthy of death but great was the prayer for mercy from Abraham to save the innocent among the guilty.  Today we live the great sins Sodom and Gomorrah around the world worthy of the Lord’s justice but great is also the prayer of the Church for mercy and forgiveness.  The weeds remain among the crops till the day of harvesting.  Jesus reminds us in the gospel, God’s love is a father’s love who desires what is good for his people but we have to come to him, ask, seek, knock and persist through prayer and he will answer. 

The outcry for justice versus the outcry for mercy is heard in the heavens.  Unfortunately, not enough souls are praying for mercy because there is the forgotten truth of “sin”.  Pontious Pilate asked Jesus “what is truth?” and today the world questions “what is sin?”  Morality is seen as an individual choice defined by each individual so that one person’s claim of sin is another person’s claim of righteousness.  From the global intifada call for “death to Israel” to the legal claim to the death penalty and the abortion of a child, it is all seen as justice for some without sin.  The lost don’t seek their own mercy from a loving father because there is no connection to the truth of sin.  There is no asking for forgiveness or receiving of mercy for failure to acknowledge God’s truth. 

The modern-day perversion of the human body is beyond the sins of the past through relationships in adultery, prostitution, and homosexuality.  The human body has become the object of self-mutilation through attempts to transition into the opposite gender beginning in early childhood promoting our children to question their own sexuality and gender identity.  The body is now a billboard for identity within groups or simply for self-expression.  Lost is the awareness that the body is in union with the soul and as we dehumanize the body the soul is injured from its true identity created in the image of God.  We become unrecognizable to who God created us to be.  Morality is not a personal choice but a command from God.  Failure to live by his commands is sin. 

Hope is not lost as St. Paul reminds us “even when you were dead in transgression…he brought you to life…having forgiven us all our transgressions” for having asked we receive his mercy and forgiveness.  The legal claims against us for our sins is “obliterated” as he nails it to the cross.  This is the good news and we should come and be reconciled with our God through the sacrament of reconciliation.  All this for those who turn to him in recognition of our sin but if we fail to recognize our sin, fail to ask and seek, believe in our own self-righteousness then we remain lost captured by the snares of the devil. 

Ask and receive says the Lord.  Many will say that they prayed and “nothing happened”.  My first roommate in college as a freshman said to me one day after he found out I was a Christian, he prayed and asked if there was a God to show him.  He said nothing happened so he claimed to be an atheist.  When we approach God asking on our own terms, we will be disappointed and likely nothing will happen.   We are to ask in humility, seek God’s will, and approach God with love fulfilling the first commandment.  Jesus taught his disciples to begin prayer by recognizing the holiness of God that includes his love, mercy, and justice.  We pray for his kingdom to enter our hearts through forgiveness and reconciliation.  We receive “our daily bread” not only when we come to communion in the eucharist but in communion with each other united by the Holy Spirit.  We are obligated to forgive as we are forgiven and plead that we will not undergo the “final test”. 

What is the “final test”?  In Jewish apocalyptic writing it is a period of severe trial before the end of the age.  In historical terms we know all the disciples died and the world has continued for thousands of years but we still await the “end of the age” which is to be a severe time in history.  We currently are living in an age of mercy but as the world falls into greater sins the outcry to heaven is for the end of time to come. 

Our time, that is the lifetime of our human condition is short and we too must pass through a final test in the battle for our soul with the evil one.  We must fight the good fight and remain faithful and persevere to the end because every day counts and every moment is a test of where we stand.  The final test is also the test of the eucharist.  Do we believe in his body and blood soul and divinity coming to us in the bread and wine we receive and do we ask and receive in a state of grace our daily bread?  This is the test we are faced with to stand with God as our Lord and savior in the sacrifice of the eucharist where our sins are obliterated.  God is our hope and our glory. 

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Homily

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Perfect in Christ

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Gen. 18:1-10a; Ps. 15:2-5; Col. 1:24-28; Lk. 10:38-42

“He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord” having been perfect in Christ.  Abraham is perfect in Christ in his justice and generosity to the “’three men” being a servant to their needs.  He is rewarded with the promise of a son with his wife Sarah.  Martha likewise is being a servant to Christ without a just heart as she complains to Jesus about her sister Mary.  Abraham makes an offering of his resources while Martha makes a complaint of her service.  Mary however makes an offering of her heart “the better part and it will not be taken from her”.  Every day we are called to be of service to our family, friends, work, neighbor and even to a stranger and justice is served when it comes from the heart.  The unjust find fault and complain “why me” instead of “why not me”. 

St. Paul rejoices in his suffering because he makes of an offering of it to serve “what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ”.  What could possibly be lacking in Christ who is God with us?  What is lacking is this unity of our suffering with his for our sins and those of the whole world.  What is lacking is our response to his sacrificial love in meeting the first and greatest commandment.  The love of God with all our heart, mind and soul is lacking when we remain attached to an attitude of “me first”, far from being perfect in Christ.  What is lacking is our desire to be one with Christ because it requires our surrender to his will not ours to be perfect in Christ. 

Perfection is both an act and a process.  The perfect act of perfection is Godly love.  Christ’s perfect act of perfection was his surrender to the cross for the salvation of souls.  Each day we are given an opportunity to make an act of perfection in our charity, suffering, offering of ourselves and worship of our God.  Be perfect as God is perfect is one act of perfection at a time It is how we respond to the test of life with the right attitude of mind, right love of heart, and right desire of will. 

Perfection is also a process that requires perseverance, patience, humility and desire.  Too often the human condition falls into the trap of justifying oneself by rationalizing “I am not perfect”.  I can only imagine God responding with “And what are you doing about it?”  This should not be an excuse for our state of life but a realization of what separates us from God.  It should lead us to an examination of conscience for what needs to change in our lives.  To recognize our imperfection is the first step towards spiritual growth.  In supplication we are to seek God’s grace to be made perfect in Christ.  The process comes through our daily life as God sends us his messengers like he sent Abraham those three angels as men. 

Perfection is also an act of justice.  Jesus death on the cross was the justice paid in atonement for the sins of the world.  Purgatory is the Lord’s justice in atonement for the sins we have committed to be made perfect in Christ.  Many assume that Christ’s death on the cross for our sins implies a direct path to heaven for us but the imperfect soul must be cleansed for only the perfect can see the face of God and live.  We are reminded of this in the book of Wisdom “as gold in the furnace he proved them” (Wis. 3: 1:6).  The fire of purification brings us to be perfect in Christ.  Justice is perfect love and I for one remain in the process of seeking that perfect love. 

Abraham provides for a meal to the three men who arrive and Martha is busy about preparing a meal for Jesus, both indicative of the perfect meal to come through Jesus.  The perfect meal began with the last supper and culminated with the final cup to drink on the cross.  Jesus is the perfect meal that bring us closer to his perfect love.  Today we celebrate that perfect meal in the Eucharist that we may be made perfect in Christ. 

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