Don't Slide Away from God! (1st Sunday of Advent, Year B)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

It is hard to believe we are entering another liturgical season while under the grasp of the pandemic. And while it would be easy to preach on the Advent themes of waiting and watching without discouragement, let’s save that for another time. Even more important, in my mind, is the need to reflect on the spirit of Isaiah’s question to God in the first reading. He writes from the heart and his inspired words shed insight not only into the human heart and its yearnings but also the Divine Heart of God. Today’s reading starts with a question many of us have asked before. “Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways, and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?” In other words, Lord, why do you allow so much evil in the world? Can’t you just make it stop? Fix us so we cannot do the terrible things that happen every day around the world! Just make us do what you want. 

The prophet is longing for the love of God. But what he finds instead he cannot bear: God seems angry; God appears gone and feels distant. The experience the prophet describes might be familiar to us who see so much evil in our world. God is angry and has hidden his face; he is somewhere above the heavens, and we cannot find him. How can this be? Doesn’t God love us? Where is he? Why does he feel so far away? Why isn’t he here?

The prophet answers these questions, and in the saddest possible way. The reason for God’s apparent distance lies in our choices. God is not gone from us nor has he forsaken us. Our weaknesses, our selfishness, our pride, our failure to love, our failure even to accept the love of others—all these things have made us wither and dry up. Hollow and unclean, we have been blown away from God by the winds of worldliness. God is here, where he has always been. We are the ones who have been swept away by evil and selfishness. We are the ones who have run away from Him; not he from us.

This perspective reminds me of when I drove a car with a manual transmission. Sometimes, when I was waiting on a hill for a light to change, I would unconsciously relax my left foot which was on the brake and my car would slow slide backwards. I would notice the motion but think the person next to me was inching forward impatiently. “What a fool” I would mutter, only to realize a moment later that they were not moving at all; I was the knucklehead rolling backwards! So too with God, who NEVER moves away from us. But in our sinful, unreflective state, we often think he does because we fail to see how our wayward thoughts, words, and actions make us slide backwards from his loving presence.

This movement away from God is called sin and there are two types in our world: original sin, passed down to us from Adam and Eve at the dawn of creation. This fundamental fault disposes us towards the things we ought not like or want and makes it hard to chose the things which are best for us and for others. Original sin has put our world out of sync with God and his loving plan. But there is also actual sin, offenses that I choose to commit. Deliberate thoughts, words and actions that drive me away from God and from other people and bring about hurt, selfishness, and destruction. If you boil down any bad thing in our world, any of the reasons for why they take place, you will eventually trace it back to both personal and original sin, which is nothing more than humans wandering away from God.

And that is where the season of Advent and today’s readings tie in. We are reminded that God is near us every moment of our lives. Our Faith reminds us that Christ wants to draw us back to him and put an end to our destructive wandering. He wants our freedom to be used for peace, service, worship, healing, and loving. That is the message for us on this first Sunday of Advent. Our gospel tells us to be watchful, to look for the Lord’s coming and return to him. Jesus makes it clear that we must be prepared if we are going to be ready to receive him when he comes. This is a test we do not want to fail as people that bear his name; when he returns, we want to be waiting and ready. 

But because of our sinful tendencies, because of our inclination towards chaos, we need this season of Advent. We need this time each year to examine our lives and ask ourselves if we are living in a way that puts Christ in the center of our hearts; have we wandered away?

The amazing thing about our faith is the trust that God puts in us. Especially when you consider how so many behave. Despite the risks, God entrusts us with his gifts, with building up a piece of his kingdom and all he asks is "do your best, behave well, and be alert for my return."

Christ is coming again, and we need him to come again; too many in the world have become unruly and self-centered. But, while we long for his return, as Isaiah longed for his coming, while we long for the time when the world will be a place of harmony and peace, for the time when all things will be finally straightened out, the time when the wicked will get their just desserts and the faithful their reward,  --while we long for this time, we need not be overly concerned about when it will come, we need not worry because we have our work cut out for us and we can trust God to honor that work, and to keep his promise to be merciful and kind to those who have lived by faith in him.

The Lord will come, and the faithful and the unfaithful alike will see him coming. They will see him coming with his angels in the clouds with great power and glory, and the angels will be sent out to gather his elect from the four corners of the earth, and there will be justice, there will be peace. A peace greater than that which any earthly court can render, a justice more just than that which any law can guarantee.

This is our hope, this is our Christian faith, and this is the time in which we show our Lord that we indeed can be trusted and that we want to stay close to him. It is not our job to sit around and point out the faults of everyone else; we each have more than enough work to do within ourselves!

During this advent, let us allow the words of Isaiah in the first reading to resonate in our hearts and in our lives: “You, LORD, are our father, our redeemer you are named forever. Return for the sake of your servants. Would that you might meet us doing right, that we were mindful of you in our ways!”

Whose News Rules You? (Christ the King, Year A)

To listen to this homily, click here.

It getting more and more difficult to look at the news these days. Practically every time I check on what is happening, there is more bad news emphasized. Whether it’s about the pandemic, our nation’s political divide, race relations, natural disasters, or any other number of tragedies highlighted on a minute-by-minute basis, one would be forgiven for thinking very little good is happening anywhere at any time. Months ago, I had begun to notice how addicted I was to checking the news. What tipped me off was the screen time report my phone gives. More and more time using my my phone correlated directly to my sense of anxiety, cynicism, and anger. Slowly but surely I’ve been trying to balance any reading of the news with the reading of the Good News, the Word of God. If I am willing to give 30-60 minutes a day to learn about what is going on in our world, why wouldn’t I give at least a similar amount of time to learn the highlights what is happening in the kingdom God is building? That world is just as real as the one I am slogging through right now! When I am faithful to this balancing practice, the presence of peace, faith, and hope is palpable.

Perhaps you understand this struggle as well. Maybe you have been hurt by some of the events that are taking place in our country and across the world. Maybe you struggle to remain hopeful and ask “why”? Why have so many good people lost their jobs and their ability to provide for their families? Why are their different rules for different people? Aren’t we are equal as children of God? Why are so many innocent people losing their lives to violence, disease, and hunger, even when so much of this could be prevented? Why are troublemakers glorified and law-abiding citizens ignored? But even more fundamental than the question “why” is the question, “where is God in all of this?”

As Christians, we believe that God is all-good, all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present here in our world. But when we see good people being hurt and getting sick, when the innocent are suffering and dying at the hands of the wicked and greedy, this belief can be challenging. And it becomes even more difficult when the people who are suffering are our friends or family members. At times like these, it can be easy to look around and wonder: “Where are you God? How can you allow these things to happen?”

It’s for times like these that the Church, in her wisdom, gives us the feast we celebrate today, the feast of Christ the King. Today we reminded of the faith we profess in Jesus Christ as king of heaven and earth. He is in control of all that is happening, no matter how bad it seems, and he will make all things work for his greater honor and glory. 

The belief that Jesus reigns over all things is ancient but this feast is relatively new in the life of the Church. It was founded in 1925 by Pope Pius XI for a very practical reason. At the time, a certain dictator named Mussolini had taken control of Italy and another young man named Adolph Hitler was gathering support for the Nazi Party.  Across the world, the economy was beginning to fail and peace was faltering only a few years after the devastating First World War. 50 million people had just died from the Spanish Flu pandemic. These times were dark and many were wondering if God was present or if evil had finally conquered the world. So Pius XI established the feast of Christ the King to remind Christians that Jesus was in charge of the world and of history; not evil people and their destructive plans, not disease or natural disasters. 

Our times aren’t so different from the 1920’s. We often experience the effects of bad leaders and sinful shepherds; evil people still seize power and oppress the weak for their own gain. Our world hopes for peace as wars rage and terrorists murder the innocent and defenseless. So many in our world are affected by the struggle for earthly power and dominance, which causes abuses in marriages, families, and whole societies. Our times have seen horrendous attacks on human life and dignity. People still go hungry; the rich still oppress the poor, good so often appears to be defeated by evil and lives are too often snuffed out for the sake of profit and convenience. We need the message of hope and comfort given to us by Christ the King just as people did in 1925!! We need to be reminded that Christ still rules over history, even when things look terrible and depressing. We need to recall the fact that this world is passing away and the kingdom of God is coming to take its place.   

This is the truth of Christ the King. He is Lord of heaven and earth. He will return to make things right and to destroy evil once and for all. But for now he waits and, despite his unlimited power, he gives us a choice, he doesn’t force us to serve him. He asks us to choose between serving him and serving the world. But we cannot do both.

We would be wise to learn from the parable of the sheep and goats. The sheep are granted eternal life not because they immediately recognized Jesus in the people they served but because they were willing to love those who were marginalized, ignored, despised, and rejected. And Jesus reveals that these are the ones with whom he identifies. There is no shortage of individuals and groups who fit this description in our time. 

St. Teresa of Calcutta used to teach the "five-finger Gospel." You can watch the video of her holding a man's hand, palm up and beginning with the thumb, she says, "You. Did. It. To. Me." Mother Teresa emphasized that we don't need to go to Calcutta to practice the five-finger Gospel. We have people near us who are hungry, forgotten, imprisoned, rejected, and ill. The person who comes across angry, nasty, and hard to love often has the greatest need. Treat them with charity because, more than likely, you are ministering to Christ! Resist the temptation to adopt the world’s one-finger gospel which simply says, “me” or something even worse!

We can take comfort in Christ, whose kingship is described in Isaiah and psalm 23 as a loving shepherd. True power is manifested in service. We have a king who loves us by seeking out the lost, binding our wounds and even laying down his life for us.  In dark times like these, when things are truly difficult and frightening, Christ comes to seek us out and show us the way to safety. In return, he asks us to do the same for those around us who are struggling. 

Our times are tough but they’ve been bad before. Jesus was Lord and King then and he is Lord and King now! Stay close to him! Don’t lose hope! He will not abandon us. Be willing to love him through acts of mercy and compassion for those around you and nothing shall you want!

 

What a Fool Believes... (32nd Sunday, Year A)

To listen to this homily, click here.

This parable of the ten bridesmaids, five who are wise and five who are foolish, seems unthinkable these days. Who would possibly be allowed to have so many people in their bridal party with COVID 19 restrictions? Even before the pandemic, there has been a tendency for priests and pew-persons to focus on the less-important details of the parable. For example, it’s not such big deal that the foolish bridesmaids fell asleep; so did the wise ones. Nor is it helpful to be distracted by the detail that the wise did not share their oil with the others. This is not because they were somehow mean girls who were only thinking of themselves. The oil stands for something deeper that cannot be shared or given away. But more on that later. We will understand the heart of this parable if we remember it has, like all of Jesus’ stories, several layers of meaning. Some meanings are specific to the place and people he is preaching to. Others transcend 1st century Palestine and apply to all of us, regardless of where and when we live. Most important for us is to keep in mind that the lesson is not so much about 10 bridesmaids as it is about us who are supposed to be waiting for Jesus the bridegroom.

Let’s begin by digging deeper into traditional Jewish marriage practices. There were two stages to getting married. The first was the betrothal. Representatives from both families would get together and decide if the other’s son or daughter would be a good choice for their child and family. If they agreed, a dowry would be set, a marriage contract would be signed, and the couple would be legally married according to Jewish law. The betrothal was far more than an engagement. It was stage one of marriage. But the couple did not live together yet. They could remain betrothed for a year or two; no one exactly knew. This marriage process was not like ours which is meticulously planned out, sometimes minute-by-minute, by hired wedding coordinators. 

After the betrothal period, stage-two of the marriage took place: the wedding celebration. Here is how it happened. The bridegroom would go the house of the bride’s father and make the final arrangements, perhaps bringing whatever part of the dowry he still owed. Then he would escort the bride from her house to his home. This joyful procession would be led by maidens carrying torches. The bride and groom would come next, followed by members of their families. Neighbors would stand at their doors cheering the young couple on, wishing them well and offering small presents. Once the procession got to the groom’s house, the chosen ones invited to the party would enter with the bride and groom. Then the doors were closed and locked. Wedding crashers and late guests were not allowed in. If you weren’t ready, you missed out, no matter who you were. The wedding feast had begun and could not be interrupted. The party could last a whole week. For most people, it would be the happiest moment of their entire life; pure uninterrupted celebration with their dearest loved ones. From that point on the couple lived together as husband and wife.

In the parable, the maidens waited for the bridegroom to arrive so they could lead the procession. The only problem is that he is delayed. The five foolish girls were not prepared for a delay. They did not plan for any difficulties or surprises. They assumed everything would go according to their plan and they could control the timeline. As a result, their lamps have gone out and they did not have any oil to replenish them. The oil the wise virgins possess is not something external like food, clothes or money. The oil refers to an inner quality: for example, honesty, holiness, or integrity. It would be like asking someone to give you their courage or their relationship with God. Even if they wanted to, it simply isn’t possible; these are things each person has to cultivate for themselves. No one can do it for them. 

One of the most the most important and sobering lines in the parable comes when the foolish bridesmaids finally arrive late, and call out “Lord, Lord.” The groom responds, “I do not know you.” Even though they had been some of his dearest friends, even though they had been invited to the feast, they blew their chance to join in the celebration because they were not prepared for the big moment. They had ample time and opportunity but they squandered those chances. 

Jesus’ audience would know exactly what he was talking about because this was the world they lived in. It was possible to be too late and be locked out of the feast. There comes a time when there simply are no more chances and the opportunity is lost. If you’ve ever experienced this kind of loss, you know the crushing regret that follows. You and I are living in the time of betrothal. Jesus never wants you and I to miss the chance to join him at his wedding feast, when he finally returns to escort his Bride (the Church and all her faithful ones) to the eternal wedding feast in his home (which is heaven). But he is warning us that this terrible thing is possible if we are foolish and fail to be spiritually alert.

So what are the lessons for you and me as we ponder this parable? 1) There are some things that cannot be obtained at the last minute. We are foolish if we think we control our lives and our souls so much that we can wait to find forgiveness of our sins and holiness until the last minutes of our lives. These things take time and practice to cultivate and we simply do not know the moment we will be called before God. It is possible for us to be locked out.

2) The parable also teaches us there are some things which cannot be borrowed from others. The foolish virgins realized this too late and it caused them to be absent at the most important moment of their lives. You and I cannot borrow a relationship with God, we have to forge our own. We cannot borrow a virtuous, hopeful, and kind heart, we must grow our own with the help of God’s grace. If we delay doing these things, there will come a day when it is no longer possible, when it is too late and the lamp of our soul, first filled on the day of our baptism, runs out of oil and no longer burns with the light of Christ.  

    So where is your soul right now? Watching and waiting for the bridegroom? Or comfortable and sleeping, distracted by worldly concerns? May God’s wisdom come upon us all and help us to anticipate the Lord’s return by the way we live our lives. May we say with the psalmist, “My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God,” as we watch and wait for him.