To See As God Sees (30th Sunday, Year B)

To listen to this homily, click here.

Keep in mind that Mark’s gospel is written from the viewpoint of an elderly, wise, and holy St. Peter. We can only imagine his thoughts as he retold these stories to Mark after many years of reflection and seeing the truth of Jesus’ words and actions.

Let’s zoom in on Jericho, which is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. People have been living in it non-stop for 11,000 years! It was the location of both the rise and fall of Israel’s political fortunes. It was the first city that Joshua and the Chosen People conquered as they entered the Promised Land. Perhaps you remember the story as they walked around its walls, blew their trumpets and the walls came tumbling down leading to a great victory. It was also to Jericho that the last king of Israel fled before he was hunted down and killed, leading to God’s people being scattered in slavery and the 12 twelve tribes were lost forever. At the time of Jesus and the early Christians, Jericho was seen as a city of sin, worldliness, and pain. Even the geography seem to reinforce this notion because Jericho sat almost 3500’ lower in elevation from Jerusalem, the holy city, even though it was only 15 miles away. 

Jesus enters this “low city of the world” on his way to the heavenly city for Passover. He would have been teaching as he walked, answering questions and explaining the Scriptures. He is just walking through, at least that’s the plan. What good could be found in such a place, some might have asked. But Jesus is always listening for the cry of the poor. He is always on the lookout for a heart filled with faith.

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” , a blind man yells. Even as people tell him to be quiet, to have some manners because Jesus is teaching and shouldn’t be interrupted, that he has bigger and better things to do, that he is just passing through Jericho, the blind man doesn’t care. In fact, he gets louder, more persistent, more obnoxious. He calls him the Son of David, which is a term for the messiah, demonstrating his belief that Jesus is the Chosen One of God.

These things catch Jesus’ ear and he tells the people to call the blind man to him. Does Bartimaeus hesitate? No, we hear that he jumps up, throws off his cloak, which is a symbol of his worldly possessions, and comes right to the Lord. 

Once he is standing in front of him, Jesus says, “what do you want me to do for you?” If you remember, Jesus said the exact same thing last week, when James and John came up to him. They blew it by asking for the places of honor at his right and left. Bartimaeus gets it right. He doesn’t even ask for the good thing of having his sight restored, he asks to see, which is not just his vision but the ability to see the world as God sees. And here is the important part, Jesus not only gives him what he asks but his vision as well. That is probably the most important part of the reading today. Don’t aim too low when asking God for something.

Think back to King Solomon when he was a young man. God appeared to him and said I will give you anything, just ask. Solomon could have requested power, money, a long life, peace, —— whatever he wanted. But he doesn’t request any of these things, instead he asks for wisdom. And guess what, he gets all those other “lesser” goods as well!

The blind man wants to see the world, his life, and God as Jesus does. The Lord says, not only will I give you that but your sight is restored too! And what does he do with the Divine gift of properly seeing the world, his life, and Jesus? He follows him on the way to Jerusalem, the way of the cross! He shows us the perfect progression of how a Christian should act: first he asks God for help, after receiving it, he gives thanks, and finally, he follows the Lord with conviction and loyalty.

I have to think St. Peter smiled as he told this story to St. Mark. He must have shaken his head at how blind James, John and all the apostles had been leading up to Jesus' death on the cross. I imagine Peter must have given glory to God for the faith of Bartimaeus and maybe even said to Mark, “make sure this story is included, so future believers don’t make the same mistakes we did.”

So, consider a couple questions in light of what we know now about this story:

• Do we ever make the mistake of “passing through” a place or passing by a person, assuming God cannot be found there?
• Do we think at times that God doesn’t care about me or my problems and fail to call out to him for help? 
• Do we allow allow embarrassment, pride, or the voices of this world to convince us to be quiet instead of yelling for Jesus?
• Do we have a holy boldness when we go to God for what we need? Do we ask for the gift to see everything with his eyes or do we instead settle for lesser things that are good but not the best?
• Lastly, do we use those moments of Divine clarity and spiritual vision to give thanks to God and then follow him? Or do we settle back into the cares and concerns of worldly life until we need Jesus again?

The simple prayer of Bartimaeus is all that we need tonight, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me; help me to see!”

Jesus Knows What He Is Doing! (29th Sunday, Year B)

To listen to this homily, click here.

One of the great things about having parents is that they remember good or funny things you forgot you did growing up. One of the downfalls of having parents is that they remember bad and stupid things you forgot you did growing up. As a I child, I had an inquisitive mind. I liked to problem-solve and philosophize. I loved to take things apart and see how they worked. I would try and put them back together and see if they would still work. I even went through the neighborhood every time there was bulk trash pickup and go through people’s garbage looking for hidden treasure. Before you judge me, let me tell you, I found some pretty amazing things like an accordion, ski goggles, and some retro luggage that our family rocked for years. I still look at big trash piles to this day but I usually manage to stay in the car, at least when I am wearing my collar. 

As a result of this thinking and tinkering and theorizing about things, I came up with a pretty solid worldview and approach to solving my parents problems. I figured if I could get them straightened out then I could eventually move on to addressing the larger stage of the world’s problems in my teenage years. One night, very seriously, I sat my parents down and tried to explain to them a better way of parenting, based on my observations, critiques, and extensive experience of nine or so years of life. I don’t quite remember it this way, but my parents do! After they politely listened to my advice and recommendations on how they could better raise my younger siblings, they simply smiled and encouraged me not to worry about it, that they had things under control. Some twenty-plus years later, I see they did ok, that they actually had a plan in place and maybe my sage advice wasn’t so great. But I certainly didn’t believe it at the time and I definitely didn’t think my theories on life were all that outrageous.

Any parent or wise person here knows this experience. How often the people who know the least about something are the first ones to speak up and give suggestions. And those who are the least qualified to speak with authority oversimplify a given problem and present the so-called solution as indisputable truth. 

In our gospel today, this dynamic between the all-knowing and wise master and his naive and over-enthusiastic students is on display. James and John come up to Jesus and ask for a favor. They would like the privilege of sitting at his side when he arrives in his heavenly kingdom. The Lord has been working miracles and awing the crowds with his profound and definitive teaching. The twelve apostles must feel like rock stars as they journey from village to village and see huge groups of people lined up to listen to Jesus. So these brothers decide to secure their future with Christ. What better way to do this than get him to promise them the places of honor at his side?

For James and John, this made a lot of sense. In their philosophy or worldview, this was a good move. They had a plan, they had it figured out, and all they had to do was get Jesus to sign off on it. Kinda like that kid who tells his parents, “listen, all you have to do is this...”

Jesus doesn’t buy what they are selling but he corrects them gently. He says, “You do not know what you are asking.” Seeing this as a teaching moment, he asks them, “Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared."

Now what does this mean? Jesus first tells them he cannot give what they are asking for; it is not reasonable or good for them. Secondly, he tells them they will get to be with him and share what he has, but it’s not what they think or what they want to hear right now. The cup and baptism that they will share with Christ is suffering and death for the sake of the gospel. They don’t know it yet, but that is the one thing that will let them sit with Jesus in his heavenly kingdom. This cup of suffering is, ironically, the only way to the glory they desire and the life they ask for. They will understand it later but not right now. For now they must be corrected and trust that the Lord might just know what he is doing, even if it doesn’t make sense right now.

This is a timeless lesson for you and me. So often we are like James and John, asking Jesus for this favor and that. Wanting him to grant various things that we believe hold the key to our happiness and fortune. These requests seem like a good idea at the time. They make perfect sense to us while we are asking them. They nearly always represent good intentions and good things. But how many times they are immature, limited in scope, and actually less than what God wants to give us!

Friends, we may not ask to sit at Jesus’ side in the heavenly kingdom but don’t we often come to him seeking something else? Like that new job that pays a better salary or that bigger house that seems perfect or that relationship that we believe would complete us, or the Megamillions Jackpot!? It can be large or small, but don’t we often come to God with a request and a plan and a thought, even if we don’t say it out loud, that we have it figured out and if God would just do this, then we would be set?!

God wants us to talk to him and to ask him for the things we need. But he also wants us to realize that sometimes we don’t know what we need or what is actually best for us and for others. He wants us to trust that he will give what we need and more to be happy and joyful and, most importantly, to live with him forever in heaven. Even if his answer doesn’t always make sense at the time, even if it isn’t exactly what we asked for. 

In the end, James and John got what they asked for. As saints, they sit at his side in the glory of heaven. But they got there by a different road than they planned; they got there by embracing the suffering of the cross and trusting that God knew what he was doing. You and I should expect nothing different. We can and should enjoy that same eternal glory that is endless life in heaven. But first we will need to drink of the cup that Jesus did and embrace the same baptism of suffering and sacrifice that he lived. Are we willing to trust the Lord this much? Are we ready to humble ourselves and realize that God has things under control? “Lord, let  your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you!”

The Case for Christian Marriage (27th Sunday, Year B)

To listen to this homily, click here.

“The union of man and woman in marriage [is] a unique, natural, fundamental and beautiful good for persons, communities, and whole societies.”

Pope Francis spoke these words several years ago to highlight the importance of healthy families and healthy marriages for the good of the world. The family is the basic building block of society and serves as the most accurate barometer of how a nation is holding up. If families are generally happy, wholesome, and functional then the country will move in the same direction. On the other hand, if families are broken, dysfunctional, and sources of conflict, then it is only a matter of time before the society begins to mirror those wounds and problems. The same is true about the institution of marriage. Healthy, holy marriages make for a better society. 

So what is going on in our world today??!! If marriage and family life are beneficial to society, why does our culture often undermine these crucial institutions? There is no one person or problem to blame. It is a perfect storm of many factors that have converged to make an environment that is often hostile towards married life. The truth is, God’s plan for marriage and family has been under attack from the moment Adam and Eve lived in the Garden. The problems we see today such as domestic violence, rampant divorce, casual infidelity, abortion, contraception, and same-sex unions are all rooted in the human desire to re-define God’s plan for marriage and family. 

But rather than dwell on the problems that face married couples and families, I think it is more helpful to consider the many positive things Christian marriage has to offer our world. This holy sacrament provides future generations for the world. It offers a safe and stable place for children to grow and develop so they can be healthy, productive members of society. Marriage strengthens the spouses in every aspect of life and allows them to be more than they could be by themselves. It multiplies joy in good times and gives strength and comfort in the midst of adversity. At its best, holy matrimony brings husband and wife closer to God and to each other and helps spouses and their children get to heaven. It allows Jesus to be present through all of life. The sacrament of marriage is not just a prayer during the wedding, it is not just a blessing of two people, it is far more. It is the partnership of God with two people as they establish a new unit of his Church. The sacrament of matrimony establishes the home with Christ at the center.  It is a bold, public pledge to live according to God’s plan. It is a solemn vow to work with God to build up His Church and serve as a living portrait of his Divine Love. That is why people get married in the Church. That is the ideal. 

However, we live in a world that often gives up on ideals. We live in a world where people, good people, suffer the result of sin. "But there is disorder”, the Pharisees say to Jesus in the Gospel. The Law of Moses, after all, permitted a bill of divorce. "This was not God’s original intention”, Jesus replies. Disharmony in homes, among people, is a result of generations of sin. We have many wonderful people in our parish whose marriages have suffered. It may not be their fault; it may not even be their former spouse's fault. Many good people suffer the destruction of their marriage and the inability to form a sacred lasting union due to the effects of sin in the world. It’s not so simple as to blame it on one spouse or the other. Therefore, we need to have a special place in our hearts and in our charity for those who have suffered the loss of their marriages. They have been pulled away from the intention of the Creator by the forces of the world. They need our support and our love. As for sin and suffering, it was never in God's plan for evil to enter the world. 

God never meant for people to be widowed, divorced or without a loving spouse. In God's original plan there would be no need for people to work so hard to establish and preserve their marriages. It is tragic how evil attacks something so good. The divinely created attraction of men and women to image God has been deformed into a drive for selfish gratification. Sexual intimacy is portrayed by the world as having less to do with love and more to do with pleasure. But deep down, people know better. People know the ideal of marriage exists. But they need more than the ideal. People need a living, breathing example of what this looks like. 

We need the witness of your marriages as a union with God, demonstrating the Creator's Love for the world, making real what is often talked about as theology. We need the witness of your marriage, your sacrament. Your marriages are infinitely more than natural unions. You are not animals who mate for life. You are human beings, made in the image and likeness of God, who are called to make God real to the world by reflecting His Love in your love for each other and for your children. The world needs the Sacrament of Matrimony. We need you to be married in the Church and to live this sacrament. 

How important you are to us all! We the single, the celibate, the separated, the divorced, the widowed, need you, the married, to embrace and live the ideal of marriage. We ask God's blessing today on all in our parish who celebrate and live the sacrament of matrimony. May you have the courage and strength to give witness to the presence of God in your marriage and your family.