Our Hearts are Restless Until They Rest in You (8th Sunday, Cycle A)

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One of my favorite stories was written about 16-hundred years ago in a little town of North Africa. In that book, a young man is brutally honest in telling us about his search for the meaning of life. He was the Charlie Sheen of the Roman Empire. At first he looked for happiness in the pleasures of drinking, eating and bodily pleasures of every sort. When these left his soul feeling empty, he began to pursue oriental philosophies. He thought those teachings seemed more sophisticated than the Bible he had listened to growing up. But something about those philosophies did not ring true to him, so he decided he would spend his life making money - and making a name for himself. At a certain point - it was like a divine intervention - he experienced a conversion. He wound up dedicating himself totally to God. The young man's name was Augustine - and after St. Paul he is considered the Church's greatest theologian. St. Augustine summed up his quest for life’s meaning in these famous and haunting words of his confessions: "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you." 

All of us can probably identify with his experience and his search for fulfillment. Our hearts are also restless - and nothing in this world can give us enduring peace. Today's Psalm says "Only in God is my soul at rest..." In the Gospel Jesus tells us how to find peace in God. 

Jesus lays it on the line. "No man can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other.You cannot serve God and mammon." Well, what the heck is mammon? The word mammon comes from a Hebrew root that means "to entrust." It referred to material, worldly things, things that money can buy, like today we speak about credit, trust funds and bonds. Mammon came to represent those things in which a man places his trust." It became a substitute for God, an idol, a false God. 

  

What are the false gods in our lives? What are the things in life that if you had them -- you would feel like your life would be complete....that you would be happy? Is it a new car? a nicer home? A better job? A raise?

Is it a cute, popular boyfriend or girlfriend? Winning a state championship? A later curfew? A friend who doesn’t hurt you or talk about you behind your back? A social media account or a better cell phone?

Is it more time?More space? Less weight? More hair? Nicer clothes? 

In today's Gospel Jesus identifies one of the sure signs of clinging to a false god: worry. A person devoted to an idol becomes consumed with worry. Our hearts are filled with fear as we wonder what will happen if I lose the thing that gives my life meaning? What happens if I lose my job? Don’t get that promotion? If my child doesn’t make the team? If my boyfriend/girlfriend dumps me? If I am suddenly no longer popular or if my parents take away that one thing I love?

I have talked to people who know that something is ruining their lives - but they cannot stand the thought of living without it, whether that be someone or some thing that is slowly destroying them and their families and friendships. Whatever the specifics are, the general rule is always the same: their obsession, their mammon and the worry of what to do without it have become false gods. 

Jesus invites us to turn from idols and to trust in God. God is the one thing, the one thing that not only will make us happy, but will bring us peace. We know this. We’ve known about this for two-thousand years. No self-help book about happiness has been reprinted as many times, in as many languages, for as many years as the Bible. So why do we keep turning away? Why do we keep looking for happiness elsewhere when the answer, the only answer, is right here, within feet of us every day.

Christ knew that we would have a hard time letting go of the various mammon in our lives. He knew we would struggle to place our full trust in the hands of our Heavenly Father. That is why he reminds us in today’s gospel to “Look at the birds in the sky; who do not sow or reap, who gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? To drive the point home he continues: Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?”

The next time you feel alone, or helpless, or you’re worrying about something or chasing something you think will make you happy, take a moment and pray. Thank God for all the gifts he has given you. Talk to Him about what’s on your heart, and ask Him for his guidance. Let go of the earthly things and riches which demand our allegiance and let your heart rest in God alone. He changed the life of St. Augustine. If you ask God, He’ll change your life, too.

Why do you Keep the Law? (6th Sunday in OT)

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Our readings this weekend focus on divine law, the commandments given to us by God as he gradually reveals Himself and his plan of salvation for the world. In these readings, we are not just given a laundry list of things to do or not do. The first reading connects following God’s commandments to preserving our lives. It’s a choice each of us has to make; God won’t force us to follow his commands. God’s laws can be mysterious at times but each and every one of them is holy and purposeful. Together they form a way of life and a roadmap to happiness in heaven. Ignoring or breaking these divine laws will affect our relationship with God in some way.

For many of us, as Americans, we have a different view of law. In our culture, law is restrictive, in some ways we might think of them as limits to my personal freedom. Generally speaking our feelings on laws, at least those that are man-made, would be the fewer the better. There is something in our human nature that wants to find that fine line of getting around the law without breaking it. Or doing what the law requires but nothing more.

We see this literal approach to the law in little children. Growing up, I dreaded Ash Wednesday and Good Friday because they were fast days, meaning you could only have one full meal. Since I hated being hungry and was a glutton, I tried to interpret the law to my advantage. The law of fasting is that you can have one regular meal and two small meals, which combined, do not equal the regular meal. I argued that I could eat 5 sandwiches for lunch on a regular day (which I could). Therefore, on days of fasting, my little meals could be equal to 2 sandwiches each with a massive meal at the end of the day. Perhaps this did not technically break the laws on fasting but it certainly violated the spirit of the law which was to help me enter into a sense of sacrifice in solidarity with Christ on the cross.

When is comes to laws and commandments given by God, they are so much more than simple rules, hoops to jump through, or a checklist. They are part of a relationship. Maybe when we were young, we saw only rules and simply obeyed them to stay out of trouble or confession. Hopefully, as we grow older they become part of who we are and we follow them, not out of fear of punishment but because we love God. We want to preserve and protect that relationship with the Lord. To live the commandments this way requires faith and trust!

Jesus tells us that he is not here to get rid of the law but to fulfill it. He expands and deepens the commandments because he is establishing a deeper, more intimate friendship with the Father. This new friendship requires a heart that is even more pure and sensitive to the will of God. These expanded laws help us to have such a heart if we embrace them with love.

Those of you who are parents know exactly what God is hoping for! When your kids are young, they are mostly motivated by the fear of getting in trouble, losing privileges  or some other punishment. Many times, these sort of reminders or threats are the only thing that gets a child to clean his room, do her homework, or apologize to a sibling. Hopefully, as children get older, they begin to do what mom and dad ask, not out of fear but love. As they mature, rules are kept out of respect for the parents’ authority and wisdom. Even when a child may not agree with a command, the mature one obeys it as a sign of love and appreciation for everything the parents have done for him. There might even be the humility and self-awareness to acknowledge that mom and dad are asking me to do this because they know something I don’t. Keeping the law or commandment is only part of the equation; the motivation behind the obedience reveals where a child is in their relationship with their parents.

Which leads us to ask, “where are we in our practice of the commandments in relation to God our Father?” Are we tiptoeing around the letter of the law, trying to do the least possible without breaking the rules? Are we keeping the commandments only to stay out of trouble with God or avoid punishment for our sins? If we could get away with ignoring the commandments of the Lord, would we? I think, to some extent, all of us could answer yes to one or more of these questions. Most of us have some work to do before we can honestly say we are keeping God’s laws out of love rather than fear or obligation. 

Thankfully, we have some things working to our advantage! We have a God who loves us perfectly, 24/7, for all eternity. He does not have bad days nor does he lose his temper or become passive aggressive. His laws are always for our own good and any commandment he has given will help us in some way to live in peace with each other and grow in love for him. He is infinitely patient with us and will always forgive our failures and shortcomings; all we have to do is ask, especially in the sacrament of confession. 

The commandments of God and the laws of the Church are so much more than rules. Every one of them, no matter how small or mysterious, serves to protect us and draw us closer to God. They are the road leading to everlasting life, perfect love, and unshakeable peace. Imagine how much happiness it brings God when we keep his commandments out of love rather than fear or obligation! When we trust in his law for the world, even when it might not make complete sense or part of us disagrees! 

Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord, the psalmist says. May we be among the blessed of God’s children keeping his commandments with love and faith!

Salt of the Earth (5th Sunday of OT)

To listen to this homily, click here.

A few years ago, I came across an odd but intriguing book titled, Salt: A World History. At first glance, it didn’t seem like a very interesting read, but as I progressed through the 500-page work, I was amazed at how central this humble mineral was to human history. For example, did you know that we have a whole host of common words that come from salt? The word “salad” originally described a dish of raw vegetables flavored with a salty brine dressing enjoyed by the Romans. Salary was a term originally describing an allowance given to Roman soldiers to buy salt. Sometimes their payment was salt itself, with which they could trade for other goods. Perhaps many of you have heard the phrase, “he is worth his salt.” Other common words derived from this essential mineral are sauce, salami, sausage and saline. One other nugget for you: Buffalo, New York has its name because of the large natural deposits of salt that were found near the surface in that region. Massive herds of buffalo would swarm the area to satisfy their need for this essential mineral and settlers who observed this phenomenon decided to name the region after these salt-craving beasts.

We might not think too much about salt because it is so abundant and cheap. In fact, we might think of salt as a bad thing because there is too much in our modern diet and it can cause health problems. But this is a modern issue. Throughout human history, salt has been a source of life, riches, and power. It is used to preserve food, flavor meals, cure meats, treat ailments, and even make our roads safer. For most of human history, salt was precious, extremely valuable, and something to be desired. Every animal needs it and many wars have been fought, trying to secure this commodity.

Perhaps this brief background helps us then appreciate a little more, what Jesus is saying in the gospel when he tells his apostles, “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

That little salt shaker, present today in every home, was unknown in the Middle East at the time of Christ. Only the very wealthy could afford pure salt. Ordinary people had a "salt bag." The salt with all its impurities was placed in the bag, and then used in soup or other liquids for flavoring. Eventually all the salt was gone, leaving only impurities. This is what is meant in the gospel when our Lord asks, "what if the salt loses its flavor?"

As people consecrated to God by baptism, we are meant to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Notice that Christ does not say that “one day you will be the salt of the earth”, no he says you ARE. Right now, where you are, no excuses. He can say this because he is willing and ready to replenish us at any time through prayer and the sacraments. With this in mind, it is time to ask: Do we really act like the salt of the earth? As apostles, are our lives having the same effect in our world? Are we a source of life to those around us? Do we provide the irreplaceable flavor of the gospel to others? Do our thoughts, words, and actions serve to heal and preserve and save from spoils of sin and sadness? Have we lived our faith so well that we are seen as a precious commodity, a resource essential to the life and well-being of others? Or, have we lost our flavor? Have we run empty in the practice of our faith, becoming like that salt bag, full of impurities and other undesirable elements? 

Dr. Eleanore Stump, a theologian at St. Louis University offers an insight into the images of salt and light that Christ calls us to be. Salt and light share a funny characteristic. Each of them is discernible by our senses; we taste salt, and we see light, but neither of them is meant to be center of attention. Nobody makes salt for dinner. We put salt on the chicken, but the chicken is the dinner. The chicken tastes better if we salt it; and enjoying the chicken, not the salt, is what we are after. Light is like this, too. We turn on a light not in order to look at the light, but in order to look at other things by means of the light.

So if a Christian is the light of the world, he is enabling the world to see something other than himself. A Christian is to let his light shine in such a way that the people of the world glorify God. The worldly people couldn’t glorify God if God were in darkness for them. So a Christian’s life is to shine in such a way that what the people of the world see is the Lord. The image of salt works in the same way. If a Christian is the salt of the earth, he makes something else appeal to the taste of the people of the earth. The earthly people will savor the goodness of God when Christians are the salt of the earth.

The source of all true and lasting joy and blessing is Christ. That is easy to believe but difficult to live consistently. We turn most readily in thanks to God when things go well, when the spouse and family are happy, when everybody is healthy. But when the inevitable disappointments, tragedies, betrayals, and depressions come, do we go back to the source of spiritual light and salt by faithfully attending Sunday Mass, by staying faithful to daily prayer? Life here will sometimes lose its flavor, and someday will end. But the glorious and eternal truth is that we are salt in Christ, with Him our lives will never lose their flavor. May we enjoy this Divine Salt in our own lives and share it freely as a strength and sustenance now and forever.