Use Your Gifts for Mercy (26th Sunday, Year C)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

The Gospel of Luke is often called the Gospel of God’s compassion, the Gospel of the lowly being raised up. St. Luke was a physician, trained to comfort and heal those who were afflicted, and he couldn’t help but highlight the mercy of Jesus in his account of the Lord’s’ life. Each us should be challenged today by the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man. The parable is not meant to condemn those who have worked long and hard for their financial gains. It is not meant to dump on the rich. The parable is meant to help us recognize the responsibilities that go along with our blessings. This story calls us to examine whether or not we are good stewards of God’s gifts and how we use what we have.

One of the dangers of riches is that they can make us feel self-sufficient and become self-absorbed. Once we can provide for ourselves and have what we want, it becomes easier to focus only on ourselves. Another danger of acquiring wealth is that there is no limit to it. No matter what we have, we always want more and there is already someone else who has more than we do! This is the criticism of the prophet Amos in the first reading. The rich of his time are sleeping on beds of ivory. Think of all the poor elephants such beds would condemn! More importantly, it is taking something that was considered a treasure in small quantities and making it absurd. The same is true of their wine-drinking; there is nothing wrong with having a glass of wine. These fools had so much of it, they were drinking it out of bowls; which was a sign of their excess and their shamelessness in living life completely over the top. Their lifestyle made them oblivious to the suffering and need of those around them. Because of this blindness, they are condemned.

The same is true of the rich man in the gospel parable. His blindness is what lands him in hell, not his wealth. However, by using his wealth only for himself, he became completely unaware of poor Lazarus, who would have been happy with the leftovers the rich man didn’t even want. Lazarus is completely invisible to the rich man. He didn’t see him as a fellow human being, deserving of help and compassion, regardless of the reasons that landed him in such desperate circumstances. 

As people who live in the richest nation on earth, we are at risk of this same blindness. Who is invisible to us? The poor, the unborn, the immigrant, the prisoner, the lonely, the disabled, the mentally ill, the elderly? How many people do we pass by who are reaching out, who are longing for something from our table, and we don’t even realize they are there, much less that they are starving and suffering? As a people of faith, the greatest thing we have is our relationship with God. We are surrounded by so many spiritually starving people, people who have many material possessions but still feel utterly empty, depressed, unloved. How often do we share our spiritual riches with others? How often do we pray with and for someone? How willing are we to enter into deeper discussions than simply the weather or sports? Can we sit and listen or are we always on to the next thing? I wonder if many of us catholics are like the rich man in the sense that we dine sumptuously here at the table of the altar. We receive the body of Christ, the bread of life, which is worth more than any earthly treasure, and yet we are so often hesitant to share any of that richness with others. This spiritual generosity is far more important that how much money we give to the poor, as noble and necessary as that is. 

This spiritual blindness is just as real today as it was when Jesus preached this parable. We have to work to maintain our spiritual vision and remain aware of those around us who are suffering and starving, physically, spiritually, mentally, or emotionally. Without an active habit of stewardship, generosity, and self-denial, we will quickly become like the rich man: oblivious, self-absorbed, and deserving of condemnation.

To wrap up this up, let me offer you a real-life instance of this parable that happened during World War II. You might already know the story but the similarities are uncanny, at least until the end; the end is very different because of grace and conversion.

In 1939, a German businessman joined the Nazi Party and he immediately began to get rich from the Nazi invasion of Poland. He took possession of a factory, seized from Jewish owners, and began the manufacture of various products. To increase the margin of his profit, he arranged to have his factory manned by hundreds of Polish Jews, essentially as slave labor. During this time, he enjoyed great financial success and spent much of his time, money, and energy endearing himself to various high-ranking German officers and members of the local government. Then, in 1942, this businessman witnessed a raid on a Jewish ghetto in Krakow and was struck by the cruelty of the soldiers to the people living there. Furthermore, he was appalled that many of them were his own factory workers and were rounded up and taken away, only to be murdered in concentration camps. 

Because of what he saw, this wealthy businessman, a member of the Nazi party, experienced a change of heart and began to use his wealth to help his workers in need. Over the next few years, he would use his influence, his money and his energy to bribe officials and save the innocent lives of over 1000 Polish Jews, whom he called “his children”. By the end of the war he was practically broke, having invented numerous jobs and bribed many officials to protect as many persecuted Jews as possible. That man was Oscar Schindler and his noble efforts were made famous in a movie called Schindler’s List.

Although this rich man was imperfect and had some serious faults, he allowed his heart to be changed and used his wealth for mercy. And after the war, when he no longer had anything, he received mercy and assistance from the very people he had helped.

May you and I share our spiritual and material riches freely instead of keeping them to ourselves. May our eyes be opened to the needy and hurting who are all around us. With God’s grace, we can avoid the horror of spiritual blindness and become good stewards who enjoy not only the blessings of this life, but more importantly the everlasting blessings of the life to come.

  

The Spiritual Shark Tank (25th Sunday, Year C)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

How many of you have seen the show Shark Tank? It is a panel of 5 successful millionaire/billionaires who are looking for the next big idea or startup to invest in, looking for someone who has created a  better mousetrap. I really enjoy the program for the ways you get to see driven persons pitching new ideas for products and companies. Some of the biggest success stories have come from very simple ideas; looking at an unfilled need or an untapped market and seeing how to fill it. 

After watching a few episodes, you see a pattern in both the sharks and the people who get a deal. It is not enough simply to have a good idea or invention; the entrepreneur needs to have the right qualities as well. Those qualities are:

They need to be all in; this cannot just be a hobby or part time gig.

  They need to have ownership in their idea/company rather have sold it off

They have to be willing to work hard and sacrifice sleep, money, time, etc…

They need to be relentless and never take no for an answer.

As you hear the stories of those who are successful, you can’t help but admire their tenacity, ingenuity, and drive. Many sacrifice the security and comfort of a good job for their idea. Some of them cash in their retirement or take out a 2nd mortgage to fund their cause. Many go door to door to get sales, work 16hrs a day, and receive dozens of no’s before hearing a single yes. 

And yet they keep on going because they believe they have something special, something worth fighting and sacrificing for! And the sharks are the same way! Even though they have more money than we could ever dream of, they give nothing away and fight to make every possible penny on a deal. Even if you don’t agree with their priorities, you cannot help but admire their skill in making their wealth grow.

But it’s not just millionaires and billionaires who know how to find and seal a good deal. Whether it's buying a used car, selling a house, or shopping online, all of us learn how to get the most for our money. This is not something new. It's part of human nature and Jesus was aware of this. The parable he told recognized human ingenuity when it comes to worldly matters and personal comfort. Jesus is not praising the dishonesty and sinful of the bad steward; What is being commended is how the dishonest steward did whatever it took to make sure he would have a future after he was fired. He went all the people that owed his master money and slashed what they owed, making sure they would take care of him when he was let go. Jesus’ point is that we often demonstrate our intelligence in worldly matters and endeavors, but too often we don't apply that same ingenuity and skill to the one thing that really matters: our eternal salvation. 

Imagine if we were plopped into the spiritual shark tank to pitch our faith. Would we be deemed investable?! Would we have the same qualities that make an entrepreneur successful? Are we all in or is our faith just a part-time thing that we practice once a week, or several times a year, only in parts of our life? Do we own our faith or is it something we do out of habit because it was passed down to us? Are we willing to sacrifice for our relationship with God, to do the hard work of growing and going deeper, never letting anything get between us and eternal life? And last of all, are we relentless in our faith, working hard to not give in to discouragement, not throwing in the towel when challenges arise or we meet resistance?

Today, the Lord is telling us, "You have intelligence and ingenuity, use it not only to get ahead in this life but to make sure you have eternal life. We must be as resourceful and dedicated in the ways of God as we are in the ways of commerce and politics. Jesus' parable challenges us to be as eager and ingenious for the sake of God's reign, to be as ready to use our time, talent, and money to accomplish great things for the Gospels as we are to secure our own happiness and earthly success.

Some people, like those in the first reading, have perfected how they can out-smart others. They cheat with their scales. They inflate money. Even though they have 6 days a week to make money, it’s not enough. The one day of rest for the sabbath is torture; all they can think about is making more money and getting every last cent out of others. What about us? Are we any better? Do we even rest for one day a week from our planning and spending? That is not why God gave us intelligence. He gave us intelligence and perseverance not just to make money and acquire things but to make His presence real in the world. Imagine if we put that same energy and ingenuity into our faith?!

At the end of the first reading the Lord says about the cheating merchants, "Never will I forget a thing they have done." This is bad news for them. This is good news, though, for all who fight the temptation to use others for their own gain. This is good news for those who put Christ before immoral profit. If, as the first reading says, God is aware of the bad things that men do, it follows that He is also aware of the good things we do. God will never forget how we helped someone, even though it was not our responsibility. God sees the times we help others and protect them from those who would take advantage of their situation. God will never forget how we chose not to do something we wanted because a friend or family member needed us to help them. God remembers every time you forced yourself out of bed to take care of your children, even when no one else noticed. God sees, God knows, and God loves. 

The best news of all is that we are not on our own! God has already invested in us, in the spiritual shark tank! God did not create us and then abandon us. Jesus did not just call us to follow Him and then leave us to figure it all out. God gives us His Holy Spirit to empower us. He strengthens us with His Word and His Body and Blood. He gives us the courage to stand up for the poor, the vulnerable, those about to be born, those being treated poorly by others. But in addition to grace and prayer, we must also use our intelligence, ingenuity, tenacity, and drive that helps us be successful in everyday life.

The cleverness, skill and boldness the bad steward used to save his skin and secure his future, we must use to make God's ways real in our world and secure our salvation. You are a gifted group of people here at Incarnate Word; make sure your gifts are at the service of God and his kingdom.

Pack and Pray (23rd Sunday, Year C)

To listen to this homily, click here.

Story of getting to parish and being bombarded with lots of  “you must do this.” There were also a number of things “not to do”. Always wise not to listen to the first or the loudest ones...unless it is the bishop!

In life, in a family, and of course, in a parish, there are many priorities, but only one of them can be most important; all others have to fall in line behind it. For as much as we wish to be great multitaskers and to be able to handle lots of things at once, we can only have one purpose in life and one master to serve.

Jesus teaching to us follows these same lines: of all the things demand our attention, energy, and resources, he must be the greatest priority in our lives.

He is not telling us to call our parents, siblings, and spouses and tell them that we hate them…in the name of Jesus! He is speaking in hyperbole, which is using a degree of exaggeration to make a point. Just like if I tell you I am so hungry, I could eat a horse, you understand that a little snack might be great. You do not, however, start trying to find the nearest stable or horse farm. But while the talk of hating family and one’s own life grabs our attention, the truth behind the hyperbole is no joke; Jesus has to come first, no exceptions.

We all have priorities, whether we take the time to list them or not. Each of us someone or something that takes first place in our life and drives the values we hold and the choices we make. 

The challenge of our gospel today is to take the time to look at our priorities and see where Jesus ranks. Is he at the top? Or even near the top? Anything less than number one means we have work to do.

One last thing about the Lord at the center of our lives and all we do. We don’t always know how, but he will actually help us order all our other relationships and priorities. It is amazing but true. When Jesus is first, we end up having the time we need for everything that is essential. Our other relationships grow healthier and life-giving, there is a sort of order and harmony that is hard to describe but impossible to miss. 

It reminds me of when I went backpacking in the Grand Canyon. This was my first backcountry experience. I came to the packing meeting with all of my gear; way too much of it! The first stage was to let the guide see everything and make decisions with me. It was a little embarrassing to lay everything in plain sight, I was insecure that that most of my gear is new and untested while others clearly had done this before. But I had to let go of my ego and accept the fact that it would be impossible to move forward without first figuring out what was needed and what had to be left behind. By the way, this took multiple steps, starting when I packed in my room at the rectory, and then when I left the hotel in Flagstaff, and then finally when I departed the packing meeting, each time leaving more behind as I realized it wasn’t all necessary. And some of this I had to do trusting the one who was leading us. 

The 2nd step was to pack things in the right way and in the right order. When I tried it myself, I could only get about 80% of everything in the bag. The guide came back around and showed me the secret: tightly roll the sleeping pad in the center of the pack, with the tent shoved all around it, pegs in the corner, clothing in every possible space down low. camping supplies next, then food and remaining clothes on top. It was the same amount of gear but now it all fit because the guide knew exactly the place and order for every piece of it. And she found every bit of space that I didn’t even know existed!

The same is true of our lives. Jesus made us, he knows us better than we know ourselves. When we let him guide us and our priorities and relationships, he shows us what we need to take along and what we can leave behind. In his mercy, he does this in stages, little by little so we aren’t completely overwhelmed and discouraged. When we put him first, he makes everything fit, he makes sure we have all we need to get to heaven but also to have a meaningful life here on earth. But we have to let him see everything we are carrying, we cannot be so proud or ashamed that hold things back. We have to trust him enough to listen when he says, “you don’t need that”, “leave that behind”. There is always some sacrifice and self-denial involved but it all serves a purpose. Just like that efficient and perfectly packed bag allowed me to see the interior of the canyon, so too, a well-ordered life and relationships will allow us to see and experience life in a way that most people never do.

So how do we make this happen?

The simple answer is prayer, both the public prayer that we are doing here at Mass, along with receiving the sacraments, and participating in devotions like the rosary, the divine mercy chaplet, adoration and so many other treasures that our faith offers. Our prayer should also consist of time each day where we simply sit with God and listen, letting him lead us and speak to the areas of our heart that might be confused, trouble, or simply weary. Oftentimes, starting with a little Scripture can help quiet our minds and hearts and prepare us to hear his voice.

The second part of the answer is practice. Just like any other habit or skill, we get better at making God first by doing it over and over until it’s second nature. For most people, it won’t be something dramatic like running off and joining a monastery. It will be by doing the little things well and making sure to pray each day, come to Mass every Sunday, working honestly, being charitable in our thoughts, words, and actions, and placing Jesus first in the many choices we make each day. Over time, we will be amazed at everything God is able to fit into our life and how much joy and love we are able to share and experience. 

May that be our prayer today, that our priorities are aligned with God’s and that he always have pride of place in our life, our families, and our parish!