What's Keeping You From Confession?

To listen to this homily, click here.

There are many layers to the gospel story we just heard. The most obvious and simple would be that the rich should not ignore the sufferings of the poor. This theme is repeated over and over in scripture, including our readings last week. Another angle might be to warn us about becoming so caught up in our own comfort that we become blind to the needs of other people. It might seem ridiculous that someone could be as callous as the rich man in the gospel but sadly, his example is imitated over and over again in our world, as people go about their business, willfully unaware and unconcerned about the poverty, starvation, persecution, and abuse of so many around the globe. Finally, there is the possibility that the rich man knew about Lazarus and thought about helping him but put it off day after day. Or rationalized that the poor man didn’t deserve help or should take care of himself. How many days did the rich man rationalize and procrastinate, missing out on the opportunity to help Lazarus and ease his suffering while also helping himself get to heaven? Eventually he ran out of tomorrows and is condemned to hell for his lack of charity, his sin of not doing anything. 

The dangerous twin habits of rationalization and procrastination are familiar to all of us in some way. I would like to home in on one area in particular that seems to be more and more prevalent among Catholics today. I have heard some interesting reasons, (you might call them excuses or rationalizations) to avoid receiving the sacrament of confession. Here are the ones we priests hear all the time, at parish events, wedding receptions, at the grocery store, or anywhere else we wear our clerics. Listen to the list and see if any of them sound familiar!

I don’t need to tell my sins to a priest! I can tell God I’m sorry on my own.

There is no such thing as a private sin. Anytime we do wrong, that sin affects other people, often in ways we cannot imagine and it always wounds the Body of Christ, the Church, of which we are members. The priest is the representative of the Church who gives us forgiveness in the name of God and on behalf of the Church. We have a human need to know, without a doubt, that we have been forgiven. Confession is an incredible gift where we can know for sure that our sins have been wiped away and we can move on. 

It’s embarrassing! What will the priest think of me?

Confession can be embarrassing, like a lot of things that are good for us. Think of going to the doctor or the dentist! But it is not humiliating. Most confessionals have the option for you to go anonymously. And, to be honest with you, unless you go to a brand-new priest, chances are, we’ve already heard someone say what you are about to confess. People just aren’t that original when it comes to sinning. Don’t let embarrassment keep you from experiencing God’s love and peace.

There was one time a priest yelled at me.

If that happened, I’m sorry. It shouldn’t have. But that was one person, one experience. We don’t stop going out to eat if we get bad service at a restaurant. Maybe we avoid that particular establishment or make sure another waiter serves us. We move on and realize that that was the exception, not the norm. If we are boycotting confession because of one bad experience, who are we really hurting.

I always confess the same sins.

Welcome to the human race! Could you imagine if you had to run around and commit different sins in order to go to confession? It would be exhausting! Most of us have certain sins or faults that we will struggle with our whole life: maybe its gossip, lying, losing our temper, or anything else. Even St. Paul had a thorn in the flesh he continually confessed. That’s why confession is not a one-time event. It’s part of a life-long process of conversion.

I can’t think of anything to confess.

 Ummm…you need to talk to your spouse or friends or family a little more often. They will be happy to give you some ideas. If that doesn’t work, I have some great little books by the confessional that help you go through the commandments and evaluate your life. They are free and trust me, they will jog your memory. If neither of these work, then let me know and I’ll work on getting your statue on this altar!

Why should I go to a priest who is not married and doesn’t have a family? What can you know about my life?

Can you imagine if we only went to a doctor who had the same illnesses as us? Or grew up in the same town in the same circumstances? Just because a doctor never had cancer doesn’t mean he or she can’t diagnose it for what it is. And, while it’s true I can’t completely relate with being married or having kids, I do know what it is like to be a friend, a family-member, and to care for others and those are the same principles involved in any vocation.

Priests are sinners too! What makes them good enough to hear my confession?

There is nothing me or any other priest has done to earn the right to hear anyone’s confession. It is an honor and a gift I have only because of my ordination and the call to be God’s representative on earth. Trust me, priests are sinners; I will never deny that. That’s why we go to confession just like anyone else. I need confession just as much as you, maybe even more. God could have chosen angels or the Blessed Virgin Mary to forgive sins…but he didn’t. Maybe because the priest knows from personal experience what it means to be weak, sinful, and most importantly, forgiven.

My sin is too big; God won’t forgive me.

This is the most troubling excuse for not going to confession. God stopped at nothing to redeem the world and offer salvation to every single human person. He did not even spare his Son! Jesus wanted to die for you! He laid down his life freely so that there would be no doubt how much he cared for you.The only sin God cannot forgive is the one that is never brought to him. He won’t force his saving grace on us but he is just waiting for us to ask. God has never said no to someone looking for mercy. If you are a big sinner, guess what? So were many of the saints and some of Jesus’ favorite people in the gospel! Through confession and forgiveness of their sins, they didn’t have to be defined by their past. We know them by their future: eternity with God in heaven. 

These are some of the “classic” reasons people give for avoiding confession. If you have avoided this sacrament for any reason, I hope you will make your way to a confessional soon so you can experience the joy of hearing the words of forgiveness, “I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

MacGyver Your Way to Heaven (25th Sunday, Year C)

To listen to this homily, click here.

Human ingenuity is amazing! When you think about how many examples of brilliance there are, it is incredible. Maybe the pyramids come to mind. Or Hoover Dam. Or the smartphone or robotics that assist doctors in delicate surgeries. Any of these would just be the tip of the iceberg. As people, made in God’s image and likeness, we have been given a sliver of the Creator’s genius. There is something within us that loves to create, build, and fix. I remember one of the moments I experienced this divine inspiration in solving a problem. It was amazing. 

My dad had an old Plymouth horizon. It had some serious issues. For example, the engine mounts were broken and when the driver hit the gas, the engine would lurch back towards the firewall. The result was that the shifter would fly back until it was stopped by the center console…. or your hand. If it pinned your hand, it hurt and you just had to wait until it was safe for mom or dad to let off the gas so you could have your hand back. We eventually figured out that this was a great can crusher. But this wasn't the moment of genius. The Horizon’s exhaust had rusted out between the engine and the muffler. I knew I could patch it but as a pre-teen, my overly protective parents wouldn’t let me have welding equipment. So I started with duct tape. That was a no-go and it melted in minutes. Next I tried a cloth, and I should mention clean, diaper. A little better but it too burned up quickly. Knowing that metal was the answer, I got 4 large landscaping spikes and clamps and tried to force everything back together. It worked until the spikes got loose and fell out. If you inexplicably had a landscaping spike in your tire 20 years ago, I am sorry and now you know why. Finally, after staring at that exhaust pipe for hours instead of homework, it came to me. It was almost the exact same size as a can of tomato paste. I acquired one, took two radiator clamps, and sure enough it worked until the car could be properly fixed. I was so proud of myself and felt like I had really used all of my gifts to make a difference in the world. I hope all of you have experienced this sort of fulfillment that comes from solving a problem with your ingenuity.

That cleverness is what is on display in the gospel today. Jesus tells the story of a dishonest steward whose self-serving behavior is discovered by the master. A steward was an important job in the ancient world. A steward was someone, usually a servant, who was entrusted with the property and wealth of their master while he was away on business. The duties of a steward were mostly limited to things, but they could even be asked to take care of the master’s family, especially his children. A good steward was the source of great joy and pride to the master while an incompetent one was considered a humiliation and a liability. 

This steward was a disaster. He was wheeling and dealing with his master’s wealth for his own benefit. He was not doing his job of protecting the estate of his employer. Large debts were being handled and we can only imagine the amount of wealth that was squandered by the dishonest servant over time. He shrewdly forgives debts in the name of his master to ensure there will be people who owe him favors when he is fired.

One of the most surprising things about this parable comes at the end, when the dishonest steward is praised and admired by his master. He is not praised for his wickedness, rather, he is admired for his cleverness in taking care of himself and providing for his well-being in this life. Each of us are called to be clever stewards as well, not to become rich and comfortable in this life, but to secure everlasting life in heaven. And we are called to do this in a way that pleases God and gives glory to his name.

Why do we need to hear this parable? Because we are all stewards as well. Each of us has been entrusted with the wealth of God in some way. He gives us a piece of his Divine Life to carry in our souls. He blesses us with many different talents and gifts. Our families and friends, as well as the money we have, the car we drive and the house we live in, are all treasures from God and ultimately belong to Him. He gives us these different things to take care of while we are here on earth. When we die, we will be asked to give an account of our stewardship of these gifts.

So perhaps we can take some time this week to evaluate ourselves as stewards. How well are we taking care of the blessings God has given us? Jesus makes it clear in the gospel that those who are faithful in small things will be faithful in large things. And those who are dishonest in small things will be dishonest in large things too. The steward in our parable didn’t start out by wasting a great deal of his master’s wealth. But eventually he ended up doing just that. And we can do the same thing in our own lives. Perhaps we begin to squander the gift of our families by neglecting to spend good, quality time with them, whether as children, siblings, or parents. Or maybe we begin to throw away the blessings of our faith by failing to make time in our busy schedules for God, or frequently leaving Mass early or skipping Mass altogether. Do we allow ourselves to cut corners in our jobs by giving less than we are capable of or by leaving work a little early. If we are not vigilant, these sort of things can cause us to become poor and dishonest stewards to God and each other. We must make a constant effort to be faithful in small things everyday so that we will be faithful in the larger matters of life.  

Don’t stop being clever and ingenious! Continue to use the brilliance God gave you to make a better world and solve problems. But first and foremost, put that ingenuity to work making sure you get to heaven. That is the essence of stewardship and that is the best way to honor the gifts God has entrusted to us.

Never, Never, Never, Never, Never Give Up (24th Sunday, Year C)

To Listen to this homily, click here.

Many historians consider Winston Churchill one of the greatest orators of the twentieth century. During dark years he rallied the British nation and the entire free world, to stand against Nazi barbarism. It is said, however, that he gave his most famous speech not during World War II, but afterwards. Supposedly, at a commencement ceremony, a speaker gave Churchill a long (and long-winded) introduction. Churchill walked to the podium and spoke softly, but firmly: "Never, never, never, never, never give up." He returned to his chair and sat down. The listeners were stunned silent, then one person brought his hands together. Immediately the entire crowd stood and started applauding and cheering wildly. Unfortunately for you, I will not be imitating Churchill's brevity in this homily!

There may be some legend in this story, but it does sum up the spirit of Winston Churchill. It also summarizes today's Scripture readings. Moses had every reason to give up on the Israelites. At the command of God, Moses had worked miracles and led the Israelites through the sea. But they quickly forgot God's mercy and began worshiping false gods. Moses, nevertheless, continued to intercede for them - and they got a second chance.

This reading might give us the impression that God was all set to destroy the Israelites and that Moses' prayer got him to change his mind. It is a little more complicated than that. The Israelites' behavior had brought destruction upon themselves, but as we heard in the Psalm, God is always ready to show mercy. He does not give up on us.

We see this Divine Mercy once again in the Gospel. Jesus describes an amazing father who does not give up on his ungrateful and impulsive son. Jesus tells us that God not only waits for us, he also goes out to actively seek us. He is like a shepherd trying to rescue a sheep that gets separated from the flock. Or like a woman who loses a coin and has to turn the house upside down to find it.

And let's face it. We often do not want to be found. We prefer to hide from God. In this regard, many people can identify with C. S. Lewis. As a young man he had become an atheist. But he had a nagging fear that God might actually exist. Lewis describes his state of mind with these words: "Amiable agnostics will talk cheerfully about 'man's search for God.' To me, as I then was, they might as well have talked about the mouse's search for the cat.”

We sometimes stay away from God, like a mouse hiding from a cat. But in C. S. Lewis' case, God did keep pursuing him. Eventually Lewis gave in to the Lord. He writes: "In 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed." Lewis described himself as "the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England." Like the Good Shepherd, seeking the lost sheep, God did not give up on C. S. Lewis. Lewis in turn used his gifts to bring many others to Christ: by writing children's stories, science fiction and insightful explanations of the Christian faith.

In today's second reading, we hear about another convert, in this case, the most famous convert ever: a Pharisee named Saul from a city called Tarsus. We know him better as St. Paul the Apostle. Before Christ touched him, Paul engaged in some miserable behavior: arrogance, bullying and blasphemy. The worst thing he did was to encourage a mob to murder an innocent man. They did it by surrounding the young man and throwing large rocks at him. The man was Stephen, a deacon of the early Church. St. Paul was the main one responsible for the death of this promising young man. But, in spite of that crime, God did not give up on Paul. And by Paul's conversion he taught the Church one of its most important lessons: Sometimes our greatest enemies become our greatest apostles. 

“Never, never, never, never, never give up.” Those words of Churchill, meant to inspire and encourage a nation weary of war and suffering, can also motivate us in the practice of our faith.  God never gives up on us. Even when we run away from him by our sins. Even when we make the same mistakes over and over again. Even when we receive his gifts and blessings without gratitude. Even when we ignore him or get angry with him or any of the million other ways that humans have found to lash out at God and shut him out. God never ever, ever, ever gives up on us. That is what the cross means, that is the whole point of the life and death of Jesus Christ. There is only one catch to this incredible gift of God; we have to share it with others! Just as God never gives up on you and me, so too, we can never give up on anyone else. Remember that when you talk to people who are cold or hostile to our faith or the Christian way of life - our goal is not to win arguments, but to win souls. No matter how awful or unkind a person may be, never give up on another person. No matter how you feel about anyone, they still deserve your prayers. Never give up on anyone. That’s God’s view on us. Let’s make it philosophy for the world!

The Cost of Discipleship (Year C)

“How many of you have ever bought a house, a car, or some other major purchase? Go ahead just raise your hand, I am certain that most of you have done this before. Good. Most of you in church today know what it is like to spend a lot of money. Now, here’s a second question: How many of you made a large purchase, like buying a car or house, with no planning or research or consulting with your spouse? If you have done this, please keep your hand up so that I can throw something at you!

Common sense tells us that large purchases and projects need to be done carefully and with sufficient planning so we don’t get ourselves into legal or financial trouble. When you buy a house, you have to consider not only the price of the house, but also the cost of taxes, utilities, insurance, maintenance and repairs. You would want to have a home inspection first, then see what sort of schools are around your house and pay attention to the neighborhood so your kids can have good, safe environment to grow up in. How awful it would be to buy a house and be unable to afford to actually live in it! Who wants a beautiful house in a dangerous or rundown part of town? The same thing is true when we buy a car. We have to keep in mind not only the cost of the vehicle itself but also the hidden costs of insurance, personal property and sales tax, maintenance and repair, and even fuel. We make sure and check the carfax so that we know whether or not this vehicle was involved in some major accident and might have hidden damage. Most of us do the same research and planing with other major purchases like electronics and appliances, so that we can have peace of mind knowing that we are getting a good, reliable product that will be within our budget. To neglect this planning and research could be disastrous. 

But as important as it is for us to plan and consult before making expensive purchases or starting major projects, Jesus makes it clear that it is even more important for us to plan and make sure we have what it takes to be his disciple. Over the past three weeks, we have been taught a trilogy of saving truths. Two weeks ago Jesus told us we can enter heaven only by the narrow gate. Last Sunday Jesus offered us the key to that narrow gate which is humility - "every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Today Jesus tells us what the key costs: "Any of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple." 

It shouldn’t surprise us that the key to heaven has a steep price. Jesus tells us to "calculate the cost." If you want to build a tower, says the Lord, make sure you have the resources to complete it. We know that very well when we go to buy a car or house or other expensive item. If we want to be a disciple of Jesus - which is the only path to heaven - we need to know in advance what it will cost: everything. In the end we must be prepared to turn over all we possess if it keeps us from following Christ. Eternal life can be incredibly costly and it is something we must plan for. We have to utilize the same degree of planning and resourcefulness we use in worldly affairs when it comes to our souls. Christ is calling us to a look at our lives and see where we are going. What are the things that keep us from following him?

Do I follow Christ by the way I talk to other people and about other people? Do I embrace the cross by looking for the good in people, even those that annoy me or seem strange to me? Am I willing to let go of habits of gossip, bragging, and putting others down? Or is this cost too steep?

What about the company I keep? Do my friends help me to be a disciple of Christ? Do they encourage me to live a good life and make wholesome decisions? Do they help me to respect myself and others? Or do they pressure me to break the rules, disobey my parents, and offend God? Do my friends compromise my dignity or my purity or encourage me to do things harmful to my health? Discipleship calls me to seek good and holy friends and to let go of those who lead away from God. As a matter of fact, Jesus tells us today that we should be ready to renounce even our own family if they keep us from him! Is this cost too steep?

How about my possessions? Am I generous with the things I have been given? Do I give back to those who are less fortunate and need more? Do I support the works of the church and my parish? Am I open to sharing my time and talents with my family, friends, and church? Am I prepared to give whatever God asks of me, even if this would require a greater trust in him? Or is the cost too steep?

Is there anything else in our hearts, in our lives that we tell Christ is off limits? Will we follow if he calls us to the priesthood or religious life? Or does that cost too much? Do we stand up for the lives of the unborn even when our society, our friends, our families tell us that being pro-life is too radical? Or is that too much? Do we dare to let God take control of our marriages and married love by trusting him and abandoning any contraceptive practices? Or is that simply too costly?

   

Jesus makes it clear to us today that the cost of discipleship is steep but we have his promise that the benefits are eternal. Let’s not be afraid of the sacrifices Christ might be calling us to embrace, trusting that following him will give us strength to do his will and be joyful in doing it. And let us put the same energy and planning into our spiritual lives that we do for our worldly matters, taking time for prayer and making an effort to learn more about our faith, so we will have what we need to be his loyal disciples. As we come to this Eucharist, let us together resolve to take up our own cross and follow after Jesus, the Lord of Life and the Giver of all good things.