Don't Surrender Your True Freedom (13th Sunday, Year C)

To listen to this homily, click here.

At some point in our lives, we all have the thought that there will be a time when we are finally free from the authority that keeps us from doing what we want to do. When I was little, ultimate freedom looked like a life without chores or school. Perhaps many of us thought when we got our driver’s license, we would be able to come and go as we want. Then we were introduced to the concept of paying for gas, insurance, and a car; which of course required a job. So much for freedom and a life of leisure!  Similar things happened when we got to college or moved out of the parents’ house. Those who are married took on a deep responsibility towards their spouses, a responsibility that limited their actions in favor of caring for another. And then children came, and real responsibility hit.  Some may have hoped that life and liberty would begin after the kids moved out but usually new responsibilities to parents or grandchildren take over. There is always some force, something over us that limits our freedom. 

            There’s a part of us that believes that freedom means doing what we want, when we want, with no restrictions. That's OK to a certain extent. None of us should unnecessarily impose on each other. On the contrary, we should respect people and give them room to live their lives. But that's not the deepest meaning of freedom. St. Paul talks about real freedom in the second reading when he says, "You were called for freedom, brothers and sisters." But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh."

For the Christian, freedom is the ability to be the unique person that God created us to be by developing our talents and living a life of virtue. True freedom is having the ability to do the things God wants us to do. Hopefully we have experienced this to some degree. We are at our happiest when we are at our best. Yes, we still have responsibilities, and, yes, there will always be someone in authority over us in some way, but this does not keep us from being free. Freedom, in the fullest sense, comes from being our best selves and resisting our lower impulses.

Holy freedom is seen in the lives of the saints. It’s what Maximilian Kolbe had as he sat in a starvation cell of Auschwitz.  You may know his story, but if not, he was a Catholic priest in Poland who helped shelter thousands of Jews during the second World War.  The Nazi’s caught up to him and sent him to a concentration camp. When a prisoner escaped, ten others were chosen to die as a deterrent. As one man was being dragged to his doom, he cried out, “My wife, my children.” Fr. Kolbe said, “Take me instead.” He was imprisoned, he suffered, and ultimately died, yet he was free, perhaps more than you and I, because sin, death, fear and selfishness had absolutely no hold on him.

       

            There are so many others, be they canonized saints, members of our own families, and perhaps, some of you sitting in here in church who are continually at your best because you are giving to others.  If at any time in our lives others can see Christ in us, even if it is only a glimpse, then we are free, free to be who God meant us to be.

The main threat to true freedom is licentiousness, which we might define as being ruled by impulses and worldly desires.  This is what St. Paul speaks about in the second reading.  We cannot allow anything to keep us from being our best. When we confuse freedom with licentiousness, we bind ourselves to our sins.  How many people are imprisoned by their sins but think they are actually free?!  They embrace a sinful life to spite others, to exercise what they thought would be freedom, or simply to live “their” way. So often, they end up incapable of being the best version of themselves and live lives defined by restlessness, discontent, selfishness, and a lack of commitment to God and others. 

            Jesus Christ sets us free from sin and death. We need to cherish this freedom. But it takes courage. It takes determination. We cannot just say we are Christians. We have to be willing to live the Christian life. Think of Elisha in the first reading. He was so determined to heed God’s call and follow Elijah that he slaughtered his oxen and burned their yokes. There would be no turning back for him. Total commitment can be scary, but strangely liberating!  

In today's Gospel Jesus talks about the freedom involved in becoming a disciple. He says that once we have put our hand to the plow, once we have decided to follow him, we must never look back. That tendency to “look back” can apply to any form of addiction or enslavement. Maybe we do not have an addiction to things as obvious as alcohol, gambling or impurity. But we all have areas where we are not free. Bursts of anger, laziness, gluttony, envy, self-importance, desire for revenge, craving for control, and so many others are just as dangerous and make us slaves. Sure, when we gives in to these tendencies, they might offer momentary relief. But they are a mirage. In the end, sin can only bring isolation, rage, helplessness, misery, and spiritual slavery. 

There is, thanks be to God, a way to freedom: Accept God's Holy Spirit. Allow Him to direct your soul. By submitting to God and giving him everything, you will, ironically, experience freedom and self-control. You will have a self to offer to God and to those you love. Do not turn back; do not romanticize the fake freedom that sin offers. The way ahead will bring fulfillment, satisfaction, inner peace, self-possession, joy, and love. Keep your hand to the plow. That is the path to true freedom.

Today let us pray for the grace, the wisdom, and the courage to be whom God calls us to be. Lord, make us free!

The Importance of Tough Love - (Ascension, Year C)

To listen to this homily, click here.

Every year, when the feast of the Ascension rolls around, it reminds me of another event that will take place in a couple months right here at Incarnate Word. That moment is the first day of school, when families drop off their children and many of our younger students, perhaps because of nerves, or separation anxiety or just a love of sleeping in, will wail and grind their teeth as they are being dropped off for the first day of classes. In their mind, this is the worst day of their entire existence. They will kick and scream, they will try to bargain with their parents and God not to go to school, and when all else fails, they will go limp and refuse to move, requiring some motivation from teachers and carpool drivers alike. This experience can be pretty tough for parents too. Seeing a child upset isn’t a great way to start the day but as long as they stick to the program and drop off their kids and go, things get better. Usually, within the first week or so, these things get sorted out, and some of our most ardent protesters from the first day will often be the ones throughout the school year that jump out of their cars, ready to go each morning. They soon learn that school is ok and that mom and dad were not trying to ruin their life after all in making them leave home and enter a classroom.

-Today marks the winding down of the Easter season as we celebrate the feast of the Ascension, which is the moment Jesus left this earth and returned, body and soul to heaven.

-Like our young students, the Apostles weren’t real happy about Jesus going away again.

-they had lost him once when he was crucified and died on the cross

-they were enjoying having him around after the resurrection as he appeared to them at different times and ate with them and taught them.

-They were still afraid and hiding from the Jewish authorities, uncertain what would be their fate if they told people that they were followers of Christ.

-So when Jesus is telling them that he must leave and return to the Father, they are not excited, in fact they are upset.

-Jesus knows that he needs to leave them for their own good. He can’t wait until they say they are ready because they will never feel like they are. The band aid needs to be ripped off!

-When he leaves, it will make it possible to for the Holy Spirit to come upon them and transform them and the Church

-It will also allow Christ to be present to all of them always without the restriction of time and space. HE CAN BE EVERYWHERE!

-Finally, leaving the apostles and taking his place with his Father in heaven will allow Christ to glorify our human body.

-His ascension is preview of what we will enjoy if we remain faithful during our time on earth.

-At the time, the apostles cannot appreciate this. They are focused on the here and now. They cannot see the bigger picture. 

-Soon, in a few days, when they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, God’s wisdom will be revealed to them and they will set the world on fire.

-But none of this would have happened if Jesus hadn’t first left them with the Ascension and rejoined his heavenly father.

-Which sounds a lot like the wonderful people, especially our parents, who have formed us throughout our lives! 

-How often have mom and dad made us do something we didn’t understand or like or want to do?

-How many times did we resent the “tough love” of our parents, thinking in our minds that they were just trying to ruin our lives or out to get me?

-How often did we hear those words “trust me” or “you’ll be fine” and, despite our skepticism, things worked out?

-How many of us were sure that our parents were crazy, old-fashioned, uncool fogies, only to realize later that they actually were pretty wise and knew what they were doing?

-And just as Jesus makes the Apostles do something difficult and unpleasant, namely live without his physical presence, so that they can enjoy something even better in the days to come, so too, we recognize that our parents have done the same for us. Putting up with our rebellion, tears and hurtful words so that down the road, we might be able to receive even better things than we could have chosen for ourselves.      Tell story of homework and quizzes….

-God also puts important people in our lives at just the right time to form and guide us into the people we are today and it is good for us to remember their influence and thank God for the gift they were to us. Perhaps it was a challenging teacher who saw more potential in us than we did in ourselves. Maybe it was a mentor or supervisor at work who shared generously and patiently shared the knowledge and experience they worked so hard to gain. Perhaps it has been a priest or religious, who counseled us and helped reveal the love and mercy of God through the sacraments, scriptures, and teachings of our Catholic Faith. In some way, all of these people, whoever they are in our life story, have been the gift of the Holy Spirit, placing us on the path to virtue and holiness by the grace of God.

Jesus also gives us the catholic church to protect, guide, and nurture our souls. In much the same way, the church exhorts us to live in a way that can be difficult and challenging. The catholic church wants what is best for us from the perspective of eternity and sometimes we resent that because we are stuck in the here and now.

-oftentimes, what we thought was foolishness and old-fashioned on the part of the church, ends being profoundly wise and beneficial as we mature and grow up.

-The church’s teaching on marriage, the family, human life and dignity, sexuality and countless other things look all the way down the road to the glory of the ascension where Jesus has prepared a place for us to live with him forever.

So today, in a special way, we want to say a profound “thank you” for all these special people in our lives who saw beyond our immediate comfort to a greater good. We ask God for the grace of humility and trust that we continue to believe in the plan he has for our lives and our world, especially when we find ourselves in situations like the Ascension, where God says, “trust me, this is difficult now but something even greater will come because of it”! Lord, increase our faith and help us to live in such a way that we can be reunited one day with you in heaven!