22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

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22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11 (see 11b)
Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a
Luke 14:1, 7-14

September 1, 2019

“Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.”  The people there observed Jesus carefully, perhaps looking to find something to trap him with.  Jesus is also observing their behavior and notices “how they were choosing the places of honor.”

They want the recognition.  This is “pride”, one of the seven deadly sins.  Jesus’ desire is to help them see the error of their ways so that they may become good disciples.  His desire for us is the same.

So, He tells them a parable set at a wedding banquet.  He tells them not to seek the “place of honor” for it might actually cause them embarrassment if a “more important person” comes and they are asked to move.  Here, He uses their pride to motivate them to become more humble.

He tells them if they take the lower place, if they are the most important people there, the host will invite them “to a higher position.”  Perhaps there might be some false humility here.  They might take the lower place with hope of being called up but at least it is a start.  Sometimes the changes we need to make to be good disciples have to come in small steps because that is all we can handle.

What is “humility”? 

Some think being humble means we can’t acknowledge the good we do.  They might go so far as to think being humble means thinking they are not good.  That’s not true.  We can be humble and acknowledge the good we do by giving credit where credit is done. 

This begins with acknowledging that the Lord is “the giver of every good gift” (opening prayer for Mass today).  We are able to do good because of the gifts God has given us.

Jesus teaches about humility in the context of places of honor at a wedding banquet.  Humility is a virtue that we need to make part of our whole life. 

For instance, on Monday we celebrate Labor Day.  It is a day to celebrate the accomplishments that come from the work we do. 

How do you look at the work you do?  Here I want to say that by “work”, I do not simply mean what we do at a paid job.  “Work” as I am referring to can include any task we do.  Perhaps you volunteer.  It can be what one does as a parent to raise their children.  Good parenting is not motivated to make the parent look good through their children (this happens but it should not be the motivation).  Good parenting is motivated to help their children become good people and good disciples.

Are you prideful about your “work”?  Do you put all your energy into being the best, trying to be better than everyone else?  That would be “pride.”  It is better to be humble.  In being humble we do try to do our best but not to look good.  No, we do it for the glory of God.

Who would you rather be around?  A humble person or a bragger?  Think of the words of Sirach, “My child, conduct your affairs with humility and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.” 

Isn’t it easier to work with someone who humbles themselves and will work with you rather than work with someone who will do anything to get ahead without concern for others?

In proper humility we open ourselves to the help of others.  We open ourselves to God’s guidance.  Here I think of Sirach’s words, “the mind of a sage appreciates proverbs and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise.”  If we are truly humble and wise, we want to listen so that we may grow.

After all, what is our goal?  Are we looking to make a lot of money (that would be greed)?  Do we just want to look good (that would be pride)? Or are we trying to live the words of the Lord’s Prayer, “your kingdom come,” working to make God’s kingdom known in this world?

What about our humbleness before God?

What is your attitude in approaching God?  Do we realize that as we come here into God’s house, that we are coming before the Lord?  Yes, God is present everyone but God is present here in church in a special way?  That’s why we genuflect when we come in.  It’s our acknowledgment of God’s greatness. 

Do we pray before Mass to hand our concerns over to God so we can focus on giving glory to God?  Does our appearance serve as a recognition of our love for God? 

Do you come here to get something?  For the record, we do get something wonderful, grace!  We receive it through God’s Word and through the Eucharist.  However, coming here is not just about us getting something.  Coming here to celebrate Mass is centered on praising God for what He has already done for us.  We humble ourselves to thank God.  When we do so we open ourselves to trusting in God so that we live in his peace for the future.

It is in surrendering ourselves to God and living in gratitude for what God has given us that we can find peace and say to God, “for in you we live and move and have our being” (Preface VI of the Sundays in Ordinary Time).

Who Instilled the Faith in You?

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For the last couple of months, our first readings at daily Mass have been from the stories of Genesis, the Exodus, Joshua, and Judges. Today we shift to Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians.

Most of Paul’s letters are written to communities he helped start. He writes the letters to help them continue to grow in faith. Each of Paul’s letters start with a greeting. In his greeting at the beginning of his first letter to the Thessalonians, he is thanking God for the great faith the Thessalonians now have.

Who is it that first started you on your journey of faith? Most of us have probably been Catholic our whole lives. That means it was probably our parents who brought us to church for baptism. Hopefully, your parents continued to inspire your faith. Is there someone else who was an inspiration to you? Sometimes, it was grandma. Sometimes it is a dear friend. It could be someone you barely know.

If you weren’t always Catholic, who inspired you in faith before you became Catholic? Who inspired you to become Catholic?

For me, it was my mother who saw to my baptism. However, honestly, we didn’t go to church a lot. Mom made sure we made our First Communion and Confirmation. I remember going to Sunday School but not always going to Mass. I remember a Sunday School teacher I had in fourth or fifth grade that invited students to come to Mass with her. I remember going to Mass with her family a couple of times when my family didn’t go after Sunday school.

After you think of who inspired you in the faith, ask yourselves what would that person think of your faith life today. Would they be proud?

Of course, our goal is to follow God. Our psalm response today is “The Lord takes delight in his people.” May you have all that you need so that you live our faith in a way that the Lord takes delight in you.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

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21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Isaiah 66:18-21
Psalm 117:1, 2 (Mark 6:15)
Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13
Luke 13:22-30
August 25, 2019

Jesus is asked, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”.

Taken at face value, the question might be interpreted as simply asking how many people are in Heaven?  Conversely, one might ask, “does anyone really end up in Hell?”

Some people today think that because God is merciful, everyone gets into Heaven.  After all, our psalm and first reading today both refer to “all”, even those from “distant coastlands” getting in.

That is our hope but, unfortunately, I think it leads some people to take God and his mercy for granted.  Behind this is the thought that if everyone gets into Heaven, then they can do whatever they want, good or bad, and still get in. 

It might be as simple as thinking that we don’t have to worry about going to church every week because God doesn’t care if we are there all the time.  It might lead some to think that it is okay to sin and just seek God’s mercy after that.  If you feel that way, you might ask yourself, how do you feel when someone knowingly does something that wrongs you and assumes you will forgive them?

On a positive note, our Church does teach that we know at least some people have already been welcomed into Heaven.  We call them saints.  I will be talking about the saints in a short series of presentations starting in a couple of weeks.  You can read more about those presentations in the bulletin.

So, what is Jesus’ response to the person asking, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”

Jesus does NOT say everyone gets into Heaven.  Nor does He say most people get into Heaven.  Actually, He never specifies any kind of number.  He does indicate that some do not when He says that some will seem themselves “cast out.”

Jesus says, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough to enter.”  Jesus clearly says not everyone can get into Heaven, at least they won’t get in on their own.   

What does it take to get in?  Based on Jesus’ discussion, it is not enough just to show up in prayer once in a while.  To those who say, “We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets,” and thought that was enough, Jesus says, “I do not know where you are from.”

This might be pretty scary to hear.  One might fear that they might be one of those people who just shows up once in a while. 

The good news is that, as we read in Isaiah, the Lord says, “I know their works and their thoughts.”  God knows when we are sincerely trying as He knows our thoughts.  It also means He knows when we are not sincere in our efforts to follow him. 

So, we need to “strive” to follow him.

I emphasis “strive” as it is what Jesus himself says because He knows we are not perfect in the sense of always following him.  He knows our weaknesses. 

We cannot save ourselves but Jesus can save us.

We call it the Crucifixion.  We think of all the suffering Jesus endured during his Passion.  He did not endure his Passion for himself.  He did it for us.  His willingly handed over his life on the Cross so that our sins might be forgiven.  His willingness to do this flows from his absolute love for us.

We need to embrace the Lord’s love, the love of the Cross, and the love of which Hebrews speaks of as “discipline.” 

Discipline…. when we hear the word, I imagine that a number of people are thinking of “punishment.”  By punishment, some might think of physical punishment, maybe even abuse.  That is not the way the Lord treats us when we sin against him.

He does discipline us just like our parents are supposed to.  A parent is never to discipline out of hate or anger.  True discipline is an act of love.  Hear the words from Hebrews, “for who the Lord loves, he disciplines” and “for what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline.”

When we are young, true discipline from our parents happens because they love us and want us to learn to be good people.  This means teaching us right and wrong.  To do so requires consequences. 

Just as our parents teaching is to be rooted in love, so too is Jesus’ teaching rooted in his love for us.  Jesus did not simply come, die on the Cross for our sins, and be gone.  No, He first spent time teaching what it means to follow him, what it means to follow the Commandments. 

Then, on the Cross He took the punishment for our sins on himself. 

Jesus wants everyone, Jesus wants you to be in Heaven.

Listen to his teaching.  Strive to follow it.  When you fall short, confess your sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  When you do all this, God will give you the gift of salvation and welcome you into Heaven.

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

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20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10
Psalm 40:2, 3, 4, 18 (14b)
Hebrews 12:1-4
Luke 12:49-53
August 18, 2019

Jesus’ words today may seem strange or even disheartening to us.  We are more comfortable when Jesus tells us to love our neighbor (not that we always do) than today’s words that He comes “to set the earth on fire” and that He comes not “to establish peace’ but “division.”

Every time we celebrate Mass, we exchange a “sign of peace.”  We do this remembering Jesus’s words “Peace be with you.”  How are we to recognize “love your neighbor” and “peace be with you” with the division that Jesus speaks of?

 Thinking of love, our opening prayer today asks God to “fill our hearts, we pray, with the warmth of your love.”  Yet the reality is that there is real division in the world. 

Jesus’ speaks of his baptism that is to come.  His baptism by John the Baptist has already happened.  The future baptism that Jesus speaks of is his Crucifixion, his death that brings new life.  Many accepted Jesus but not all.  There was real division.

This division is not new with Jesus.  We see it with Jeremiah.  There are those who seek to put Jeremiah to death.  Their reason is that he is “demoralizing the soldiers” and “he is not interested in the welfare of our people.” 

That’s not true.  Jeremiah spoke as a prophet of the Lord to lead them to a better life.  They wanted to get rid of Jeremiah because he was telling them of their sins and need to change but they didn’t want to.

The king consents to their desire because he “could do nothing with them.”  I think the king consented just to “keep the peace.”

How often do we choose to keep silence or seemingly consent to actions we do not approve of just to keep the peace?

Am I saying that we need to be very vocal in speaking up against others’ sin and behavior?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  What we need to do is to let the Holy Spirit guide us to know what to say and when to say it that accomplishes God’s Will.  If all we do is offend others so they won’t talk to us, we can’t help lead them to Christ.   On the other hand, if we just keep silent, again, we can’t lead them to Christ.

It’s not easy.  There is division.  Sometimes it is within our own families.  It might be people whose beliefs are different than us.  How we to “persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus?”

First, we need to realize we don’t need to do it alone.  I’ve mentioned relying on the Holy Spirit.  Of course, we also have Jesus who “endured the cross” and “opposition” for our sake.

We also have “so great a cloud of witnesses” for our aid.  Who are the “cloud of witnesses”?

They are the saints.  They are the ones who have gone before us and are now with God.  Some of them are martyrs who held fast to our faith “to the point of shedding blood.”  Of course, many saints are not martyrs but they strived to live good holy lives as witnesses to Jesus.  Others were not always good disciples but they opened themselves to the Lord and underwent conversion.

In the saints our churches are named after, we see a variety.  St. Lucy was a martyr.  St. Thomas Aquinas a scholar who lived his whole live in faith.  St. Patrick was born Catholic but was an atheist at the point he was kidnapped and made a slave.  It was in slavery he had his conversion experience.

You may have read in the bulletin or seen on our parish Facebook page that in September I will start a short series of presentations on the saints of our churches.  I’ll start with a general introduction about saints and the misconceptions of how we as Catholics view the saints.  Then, I will talk about each of the saints of our churches. 

For now, know that the saints serve as a “cloud of witnesses”, to be examples of what it means to follow Jesus even when it means struggles and divisions in our lives.  Know that they are interceding for us. 

The saints are important to us as examples and intercessors.  First among them is Mary.  Yet, the saints are not what is most important.  The saints are not “god.”  They are witnesses.  The saints point us to Jesus who is the one who gave his life for us.  Jesus is the one who walks with us through division, leading us to the peace of his kingdom.

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

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19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Wisdom 18:6-9
Psalm 93:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22 (17b)
Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
Luke 12:32-48
August 11, 2019

“Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.” 

The Lord has chosen to make all of us his children.  As our Father, He chooses to be “our help and our shield.”  Yet, we need to realize that doesn’t mean we get what we want when we want it.

Sometimes, we have to wait for the Lord, we need to wait for the appointed time.  I don’t know about you but I know I do not like to wait.

Jesus speaks today of the hour of his Second Coming.  He speaks using a parable of the servants awaiting the master’s return.  They did not know the hour but they were expected to be ready.

We do not know the hour when the Son of Man will come but we are expected to be ready.

God called Abraham to a new land.  He did not tell Abraham where it was yet “by faith Abraham obeyed…by faith he sojourned,” letting the Lord lead him.   He was patient, knowing the Lord would provide in his own time.

The first disciples lived expected the Second Coming to happen immediately.  That was 2,000 years ago.  It hasn’t happened yet.  So, today we don’t live with any sense of urgency.  That means many people have slacked off and choose earthly pleasurers over following the Lord’s way today.  They might think they will have time to change.

Jesus is clear that the Son of Man will come “at an hour you do not expect.”  Elsewhere he speaks of how there will be earthquakes, wars, and insurrections as signs of the coming.

Do you watch the news on a regular basis?  You can watch news reports about earthquakes.  Sometimes it seems to me that there are more earthquakes happening in recent years?  Is that a sign of the Second Coming?

The news also reports on terrorist attacks, wars, and insurrections.  Is this a sign of the Second Coming?  If not, the shootings and violence still point to the rise of evil and people turning away from the Lord’s way.

What is our response to be?  It could be a response of fear.  There I turn to Jesus’ words “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom.”

Faith, belief in God and knowledge of his kingdom, is God’s free gift to us.  He wants us to have hope.  The first reading from the Book of Wisdom reminds how the Israelites knew when the Passover would come so they would be prepared.  Jesus speaks of the Second Coming so that we might be prepared and have hope of what is to come. 

God does not want us to live our whole lives in fear.  God wants us to have hope.  That’s why He sent Jesus.  Jesus came and died for us on the Crucifix not to install fear of our sins but to give us hope of God’s merciful forgiveness.

We need to be “ready.”  We need to keep “vigilant.”  We need to be “prepared.”

Are you scared by the news of more shootings?  Do you feel powerless to stop it?  I know people who say they don’t watch the news because it is too depressing.

What can we do to stop it?  How can we prepare ourselves?

For earthly preparation, such acts of violence should serve as a reminder that wherever we go, we should be aware of our surroundings.  If something bad is to happen, where are the exits (i.e. where can I run to for safety)?  If I can’t escape, where can I hide?  If I can’t hide, how can I defend myself?

Of course, the more ideal thing is to keep these events from happening but what can someone like me do?  If you see someone saying or doing things that might indicate they are planning an attack, report it to the police.  Last weekend you probably heard the news of the shootings in Texas and Ohio.  After that, did you hear Monday or Tuesday of the man who was arrested before he carried out an attack because his grandmother turned him because she knew something was wrong?

Thinking as Christians, we can we do?  Some of these shootings are done by people with mental health issues.  Do we advocate for better availability of help for those with mental health problems?  It isn’t just the individual’s problem.  God calls us to love our neighbor.  Thus, mental health is a societal problem.

For many in society, their decisions are always about what’s in it for them.  As Christians, we need to think about how our actions affect others.  For instance, if I use more than I need of something, does that keep others from having what they need.  Does that lead them to steal and/or acts of violence?

If I set aside selfish desires, then can I better show love and compassion for others?  Then, in turn others might turn from “hate”, choosing instead to love one another.

Of course, we can always pray.  For example, after Mass we pray the St. Michael Prayer together.  We can read in the Book of Revelation of St. Michael the Archangel leading the battle against the dragon.  We need his help and God’s grace in our battle against evil

The Christian response to “hate” is not hate.  You can’t defeat hate with more hate but love can transform the world.  Let us love others as God loves us.

You Can’t Fight Hate with Hate

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We continue to see violence. This Saturday, August 3rd, there was a shooting in El Paso, Texas at a Walmart. The death toll now stands at 22 with more than two dozen injured. Law enforcement officials say the evidence points to it as a hate crime against Mexicans.

Then, during the night there was a separate shooting in Dayton, Ohio with 9 dead and numerous wounded. In this shooting the shooter is dead. However, in El Paso, Texas, the shooter is alive and in prison. The prosecuting attorneys have announced their intent to seek the death penalty.

I am both not surprised by their intent to seek the death penalty and very saddened by it. I see the death penalty as responding to hate with more hate. What good does it do?

Death penalty supporters call it justice. I see it as revenge. As long as the criminal is caught and locked in prison, what does the death penalty gain that is not achieved by life in prison?

Many may be feeling “anger“. We should be upset but we need to keep our anger in check (remember anger is another of the seven deadly sins). We should let our anger motivate us to act for changes but there is another emotion that should govern our actions, compassion, compassion for the victims. Our compassion should motivate us to work for changes in mental health diagnosis & treatment and for proper gun laws that balance the right to bear arms guaranteed in the Second Amendment with the need for public safety.

Those who support the death penalty point to Leviticus 24:20 in the Bible where it says “eye for eye” to justify their position. In looking at the Bible, we need to look at Matthew 5:38-42 where Jesus speaks against anger and Matthew 5:44 where Jesus tells us to “love your enemies.” Justice must be done but let it be God’s justice, not human revenge.

Jesus’ words above come from his Sermon on the Mount. Jesus begins this sermon with the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:1-12a. There He speaks of being “poor in spirit.” That means surrendering ourselves to God’s Will. He says, “Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.” We need to offer comfort to the victims who survive these shootings and for the families of all victims. We need to be the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-16), motivated by our compassion to make the world better as we pray “thy kingdom come.”

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

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18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23
Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17 (95:8)
Colossians 3:1-5, 9, 11
Luke 12:13-21
August 4, 2019

We hear that “someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”

We are not told the person’s name.  The person is only identified as “someone.”  We have no idea who it is.  Many people who come to Jesus are never identified by name but they are generally identified as disciples or as a Pharisee or other title.  In this case, the person is only identified as “someone.”  They may not even have been a believer.  “Someone” could be us. 

Looking at the words of the person, note that they are not in the form of a request.  It’s worded in the form of an order.  Do you tell Jesus what to do?  Are you this “someone”?

What is their request about?  Apparently, a person has died and the speaker’s brother is keeping the inheritance to themselves.  Sadly, even today, I hear and have seen families break apart over inheritance.

Why do people fight over “inheritance”?

Sometimes it can involve sentimental reasons.  Maybe there was that special platter mom used to serve food at all the family gatherings.  In monetary terms the platter may not be worth much but it comes with memories that are priceless.  Yet, fighting with family over it would seem to miss the value of the memories of the family gatherings where it was used.

More often, divisions over inheritance are because of greed.  It might be over money itself or it might be over possessions that have significant monetary value.  If it’s about monetary or monetary value it can involve “greed” and that’s one of the seven deadly sins.

I want to note that it’s not always about “greed.”  Sometimes, we just want our fair share.  Sometimes, there’s someone in the family who has lost a job and could really use the money.  That’s need.

That’s not what Jesus is talking about when He says, “to guard against all greed” and “one’s life does not consist of possessions.”  

If we need it, it’s not greed.  The question is how much do we need compared to what we want.  Even then, are we just seeking a little enjoyment or are our wants extravagant? 

To help us realize that life is not about possessions Jesus offers the parable about this “rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.”  The harvest is so great that it won’t fit in his barns.  We assume his barns are already designed to be big enough to hold as much as he needs.  He has plenty, even for times when the harvest might not be so good.

So, what does he do?  Does he show generous by sharing the harvest with others who don’t have so much? 

No.  He is determined to keep it for himself.  So, he decides to tear down the barns and “build larger ones.”  One might suppose, he is storing up for the future.  In this sense, we talk about retirement planning and/or saving for one’s children’s college fund.  These are smart things to do but how much do you really need to save?

After all, why build up more than you need?  Ecclesiastes speaks of the person who labors greatly to build up wealth only to leave it to a stranger.  As Ecclesiastes says, “For what profit comes to man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun.”

Why do some people want so much?  Is it greed?  Again, that’s one of the seven deadly sins.  Maybe it is to make ourselves look good.  That’s “pride”, another of the seven deadly sins.

(The next two paragraphs were added Sunday morning following shootings in Texas and Ohio Saturday)

If greed and/or pride out are what motivate us, then our desires are selfish.  Yesterday morning there was a shooting in El Paso, Texas at a Walmart with at least 20 dead and several more injured.  Last night there was a shooting in Ohio with at least nine dead with more injuries.

They are just beginning the investigations so we don’t know motives yet.  So, I can’t sure what we could do to have stopped these particular shootings.  I wish I had the answers to stop shootings in general.  I don’t have specific answers but I can’t help but think that if we turn away from selfish desires, from greed and pride, and be concerned for others, things could get better.

What are we to do?  Paul calls us to “seek what is above…Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.”  Does this mean we can completely forget about earthly things?  No, the reality is that we need food and a place to life. 

The point is that the possessions should not be the focal point of our lives.  How many people work hard, thinking if they get one more promotion, one more pay raise, that they will have enough.  Then, when they get that, they find they need more.  How much is enough?

The problem when we think possessions will make us happy forever is that they can’t.  Possessions are not what we are created for.  Some possessions are necessary.  Some do make earthly life more enjoyable but they can never completely fulfill us because they are not what we are created for.  We are created to know and his love.

I end with a quote from St. Augustine’s Confessions as he prayed to God, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

Some Food for Thought on the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

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At the parish where I serve, St. Luke the Evangelist, we had a missionary preaching today. So, I did not prepare a homily this week. I did sometime reflecting on the readings and offer some thoughts for you to reflect on:

  • The gospel begins by saying, “Jesus was praying in a certain place.” How often do you pray? Do you have a “certain place” that you use to pray where you can be alone, free from interruptions and distractions?
  • Jesus speaks of persistence using the example of the man with a visitor who needs food. Are you persistent in prayer? When you persistent do you think you can change God’s mind? Some interpret Abraham’s conversation with God in the first reading as Abraham haggling with God about how many innocent people are needed to save Sodom and Gomorrah. Some might think Abraham wins in getting the number lowered. Abraham is the one who started with fifty, not God. I don’t Abraham changed God’s mind. I think God was already planning on being merciful to any innocent people, no matter how many there were. Abraham is learning, with the declining numbers, just how merciful God is. Abraham did not change God through prayer, God changed Abraham. Do you let God change you?
  • Jesus tells us, “ask and you will receive.” From this, some think that we should get whatever we ask for. Then, when they don’t, they think there is something wrong with their prayer. Have you felt this way? Jesus goes on to say, “What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish?” In that land, there was a snake that looked like a fish. When a person saw it, they might want it thinking it was fish and good to eat, only to find find out it was a snake, something they did not want. Do we think God will give us something that is bad for us just because we ask for it?

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Problems with the Blog

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For those who subscribe by email to this blog, you may have noticed nothing was being sent out the last couple of weeks. There were technical problems with the blog that appeared to be fixed now (the blog was completely done for the last 2 1/2 days).

For those who missed my homilies for July 7th and July 14th, here are the links:

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

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16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Genesis 18:1-10a
Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 5 (1a)
Colossians 1:24-28
Luke 10:38-42
July 21, 2019

The words we hear from Paul to the Colossians might seem strange to us.  First, he says, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings.”  Most people do everything they can to get rid of sufferings.  We might ask why anyone would “rejoice” in sufferings. 

Then Paul goes on to say that he makes up for “what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.”  The first thought here might be how could anything be lacking in Christ (after all He is Son of God) and even if there is, how could any human being, let alone me make up for it.

We think of “suffering” as something bad, pure and simple.  When we face suffering, the first thing we can and should do is to pray that we be set free from the suffering if possible.  If we must suffer, we pray that God walks with us through the suffering and that we recognize there can be value in suffering.  Think of Jesus’ suffering in his Passion.  If He did not suffer for our sins, we would not be forgiven.  Pray that good comes from whatever sufferings you face.

As to what is lacking in Christ, nothing is lacking in the action of Jesus.  What more could HE do?  I emphasis “He do” because the one thing He couldn’t do is what we must do, accept the afflictions we must face, surrendering ourselves to our Father’s will.  Jesus took the sufferings for our sins upon himself but we need to surrender ourselves to God.  We have free will.  We must make the choice.

When we accept suffering in faith, we witness to our faith in God’s Will.  We are to do “justice” and “think in truth.” 

Here I turn to the story of Martha and Mary.  Martha is doing what she thinks best.  She is focused on offering hospitality for her guest.  She is doing what is expected of her in that culture.  Mary chooses to sit and listen to Jesus.

Hearing this passage, people will ask if you are like Martha or Mary.  The reality is we need to do both at different times in our lives.  There are times we are called to “do” and there are times we are called to “listen” in prayer.  The prayer can be at Mass, listening to God’s word and strengthened by the Eucharist.  It can be during Adoration, when we sit before Jesus on the altar to pray.  It can be at home or anywhere we pray.  The Lord appears to us in many places.

Again, Mass is one of the places we come to find strength from God.  At the end of Mass comes the dismissal.  It is not simply an ending.  The priest does not say, “Mass is over.  You can go now.” 

No, it is sending forth, a call to go out and live as God calls us to life, to give our whole lives to God.

We come to Mass to give praise to God.  We also come, as we prayed in the opening prayer, to be “made fervent in hope, faith, and charity.”  In all that we celebrate in Mass, we are “imbued with heavenly mysteries to pass from former ways to newness of life” (prayer after Communion).