Whatever You Did to the Least, You Did to Me! (34th Sunday, Year A)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

One of my character flaws, one of many(!), that drives people crazy, is what they describe as “Schroeder Time”. In my version of chronology, a task that normally takes 15 minutes can be done in 5; a drive that always takes 20 minutes will be completed in 10. I often build my day and my commitments around this unrealistic schedule and usually end up running late and keeping people waiting. In my mind, my rationing of time makes perfect sense. The problem is, I don’t account for missing a light, getting behind someone driving below the speed limit, or any interruptions, disruptions, or diversions whatsoever. In other words, I assume everyone and everything will just move out of my way. This, of course, never happens! Daily life is full of surprises, detours, and interruptions and some of the most grace-filled moments are the ones we never planned on! 

While I make no defense of myself or my scheduling habits, I don’t think I am alone. This attitude seems to be pretty common among humans and it permeates many dimensions of our lives. How often we approach our day and our problems as if we were king or queen of the universe. As if all that matters was coming up with the perfect plan and carrying it out. 

Today’s feast reminds us of the actual truth: there is one king and only one king of the universe and that is Jesus. He rules over time and space, over all that ever was, is, and will be. There is no thing or person outside of his dominion and authority. But the kingdom of God is a little different than any other kingdom we’ve seen. It is hidden and subtle. It does not crush or dominate. It is full of surprise and irony. 

Our king likes to visit in disguise. He arrives in the appearance of the poor, the sick, the lowly, the annoying, and the sad. More often than not, he is shrouded in humility and subtlety; if you aren’t paying attention, he can walk right by without being noticed. That is the word of caution in today’s gospel. Both the righteous and the wicked seem surprised by their verdict; “When did we see you, Lord?” they exclaim and we can almost see them scratching their heads, trying to remember a moment when they encountered the Lord. “Whatever you did to one of these least ones, you did for me”, he replies. 

The famous Russian author, Leo Tolstoy, wrote a story called, “Martin the Cobbler.” It tells of a lonely shoemaker who is promised a visit by Jesus that very day. Throughout his work, he waited for his arrival. But the only ones that walked through the door were a man in need of shoes, a young mother in need of food and shelter, a child in need of kindness, all of whom he helps. Martin the cobbler ended the day thinking, “Perhaps tomorrow He will visit,” only to hear a voice reply, “I did come to you today, Martin; not once, but three times. – and you helped Me!” — Christ is a King who appears all around us as the poor, the sick, the crippled, the tortured, the marginalized. Many of these encounters are not life-changing moments but rather simple, thoughtful interactions of kindness, compassion, and respect.

This is a sobering reminder to you and me, a people that are often running around like chickens with our heads cut off. A people who often navigate our day and our lives through a screen without being present to the real humans around us. I know that I usually try to cram 28 hours of activity into most of my days and so I am not always accepting of the interruptions and surprises, the unscheduled visits and drop-ins where Jesus is hiding. Many times, when I pray, I carve out a little time that works for me and then I wait impatiently for God to do his thing, on my command and timeline. But this is not how the Kingdom of Heaven works! And this is not how the King of Kings usually visits! 

As we prepare to enter the season of Advent next week, the Church is giving us a reminder to slow down, to pick our head up, and be mindful of the little moments where God can be found. We are being encouraged to see the kingdom of God and its king for what they are and not how we want them to be. There is a bumper sticker many of us have seen which says, “God is my Co-pilot” . That is a good start but now the Church says, “If Christ the King is your Co-Pilot, it’s time to change seats. Let him lead the way!”

With that in mind, let’s make sure we value the seemingly insignificant interactions that will happen this week. Let’s allow ourselves to be interrupted and delayed without becoming too anxious or troubled. Be present to the people in front of you in the coming days, at the store, in your home, at work, and on the road. If Jesus is present in any of the people you are soon to encounter, will he be treated well or might he end up being ignored, dismissed, or worse? The key to entering into Christ’s kingdom depends most on these little moments and how we respond. Jesus will visit each of us many times in the week ahead. May we treat him well, starting always with the least among us!

Put a Ring On It (33rd Sunday, Year A)

To listen to this homily, click here.

One of the time-tested ways to pray with Scripture is called Lectio Divina, which simply means Divine reading in Latin. The heart of this method is to slowly read the bible passage and pay attention to whatever word stands out or which image comes to mind. Strangely enough, the idea that kept coming to my mind as I read the first reading from Proverbs was that it is sort of like the Old Testament equivalent of Beyonce’s famous song, “Single Ladies”, AKA “Put a ring on it”. In this pop hit which made her famous, Beyonce basically tells her former boyfriend, who is jealous that she is enjoying a night out on the town, that if he thought she was so great and wanted her all to himself, then he should have put a ring on her finger. In a tone both defiant and triumphant, Beyonce makes it clear that her ex should never have let her slip away. 

In a similar fashion, the author of Proverbs sings the praises of a worthy wife. She is one who can be trusted with her husband’s heart, she is worthy of admiration because she is skillful, kind, resourceful, and generous. Her value is beyond price and she is a blessing to the members of her household and strangers alike. Everything she does is full of purpose and brings joy to her husband. We can almost hear the writer saying, “don’t let someone like this get away! If you like her, put a ring on her finger and treat her right!!” Good advice for sure but how do we apply it to our relationship with God?

In the parable presented by Jesus, two servants are praised while one is condemned. What sets them apart? The two who are commended and rewarded take the master’s treasure, that which is most precious to him, and immediately do something worthwhile with it. They are not afraid to take a risk to increase the gift entrusted to them because they understand the master’s heart. He doesn’t even have to tell them what to do because they anticipate what will bring him joy. This is a relationship of love, respect, and trust. Their hearts and desires are one; much like the synergy of mind and heart seen between spouses that know, love, and serve each other. Because of these sacred qualities, blessings abound and both parties flourish in ways that seem almost too good to be true. 

God has entrusted incredible treasure to each and every one of us. He has given us material goods, spiritual gifts, and countless blessings which come directly from his loving heart. We are called to be like the worthy wife of the first reading, who respects and reverences the heart of her beloved. We are called to be resourceful, skillful, kind, generous, and loving with the gifts that surround us. Most importantly, we are called to interact with God from a place of love, trust, and gratitude, confident in his care and eager to do the things we know will please him. We should be constantly thinking of those things we know will bring joy to God’s heart and seeking ways to make them a reality. That is what a worthy wife does for her beloved and that is why she is a treasure to her husband and all in her household. Anyone who has ever been in love knows how diligently one strives to gladden the heart of their beloved with gifts, affirmations, signs of affection, and sweet surprises. Do we do the same for God who has already entrusted so much of his heart to us?!

The servant who incurs the wrath of his master is punished, not because he produced less but because he acted out of fear. Instead of loving the one who entrusted the talent to him, he buries that treasure and fails to take the initiative. He sees the master as a tyrant, a taskmaster, rather than a dear friend who has entrusted his greatest treasure to his care. Fear, not love, rules his heart. As St. John says in one of his letters to the early church, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” All three of the characters in the parable are given something incredible and meaningful; far beyond what they were owed or would be expected to receive. 

We should also take care to avoid entering into a relationship of spiritual fear and slavery with God. This can very easily begin when we start comparing ourselves to others and wondering why God gave them gifts we don’t see in ourselves. Whatever blessings and talents have been entrusted to us are far more than we deserve or earn. And each of us have more than enough to provide a handsome return on the investment God makes in us! So, assuming an attitude of gratitude already puts us on the path to loving God and honoring him by the way we use our blessings. Secondly, the talents we have received must make a return to the Lord and his kingdom. They are not entrusted to us only for ourselves but should be used in a manner that gladdens God’s heart and builds up his household. When we allow God to work through us, there is this incredible multiplication where there is more than enough for us, our families, and others. It’s an incredible thing and it looks different for every person but I see it over and over again, “For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”  

So, let’s make sure we take some time this week to reflect on our relationship with God. Are we honoring the sacred trust he puts in us by loving him in what we do and how we live? Are we seeking ways to bring gladness to his heart and make a return on the talents entrusted to us? May we never hesitate to love the one who sees so much in us and who is always worthy of all that we have and all that we are.

 

A Kingdom Way of Life (31st Sunday, Year A)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

Jesus’ contentious conversations with the scribes and Pharisees over the last few weeks reminds me of a parable about a lion who was very proud. He decided to take a walk one day to demonstrate his mastery over all the other creatures. He strutted through the wilderness until he came across a bear. “WHO IS THE KING OF THE animals, BEAR?”  “Why of course you are, mighty lion.”  He went on until he found the tiger. “WHO IS THE KING OF THE animals, TIGER?”  ‘Why you are, great lion.”  Next the lion found the elephant. “WHO IS THE KING OF THE animals, ELEPHANT?”  The elephant grabbed the lion with his trunk and spun him around a few times and slammed him to the ground. He then stepped on him a few times, picked him up again, dunked him in the water and finally threw him against a tree. The lion was seeing stars and took a minute to stand up. As he hobbled away, he said to the elephant, “LOOK, JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER, YOU DON’T HAVE TO GET SO UPSET!’” 

Of course, the lion was the one who wasn’t getting it. He was missing the truth, painfully demonstrated to him, just like many of the scribes and Pharisees to whom Jesus gives a spiritual smackdown in today’s Gospel.

Now, this spiritual pride and blindness was a not a new problem! Our first reading condemns the unfaithful and bad behavior of the Old Testament priests who had wandered away from God and become an insult to his holiness. Not only are they hurting themselves, they are misleading others and making it more difficult to walk in the Lord’s ways. 

Jesus was experiencing the same frustration. He had tried, over and over again to show the Scribes and Pharisees the error of their ways. He had worked miracles, offered parables, debated with them, and continually outsmarted their riddles. But still they hardened their hearts, refusing to humble themselves and learn their lesson. Because they refused every effort to turn back to God, Jesus knows he must try to save the people who look to them for guidance and inspiration. Otherwise, they will follow them to their own destruction. 

So what are the pharisees and scribes doing that is so horrible and provokes such a strong condemnation from Jesus? In a word, it is pride. They equated looking good with being good and were content to appear holy without actually being holy. They practiced their faith in a way that made them feel superior to the people they were called to lead. For them, leadership consisted of crushing those beneath them with laws and rules, intimidating with intellectual arguments, and demanding acknowledgement and praise whenever they went. Jesus’ public ministry and preaching demonstrates the exact opposite type of leadership and example. He sought only to lift up those around him. His miracles were always directed towards the good of others and he often tried to keep them private. In his words and his actions, Jesus teaches what true power, greatness, and love consist of: humble service done to please God and help others rather than self-serving hypocrisy which draws attention and praise to oneself. 

We would be wise to look inward as well. How much of the Pharisee mindset lives in us? How often do we seek recognition, demand respect with our credentials, or feel superior by what we have accomplished? How many of us define our worth and the value of others based on accolades, likes, or worldly acknowledgements which are here today and gone tomorrow. I have to share something embarrassing about that! When I was in HS, I was “accepted” into some sort of honor society. Good for me! But I wanted other people to know about my brilliance so I paid money to make sure my name was printed in some yearbook. I cannot even remember what year that was or where to find the listing. But at the time it made me feel elevated and superior. A small but very real example of the pharisee mindset alive and well in me! Are we willing to examine the ways we scheme, strive, and maneuver our way to praise, recognition, and admiration?

Hearing this sort of criticism is hard; realizing that we need to change our behavior or purify our motivations is unpleasant. Living in humble service to God and others is not usually our first choice. However, our Scriptures make it clear, such a way of life is what defines the Kingdom of God and its citizens. In order to enjoy true greatness and joy, the type that cannot be taken away, we must embrace the correction, the humility put forth by Jesus.

Doing so brings us to a place of peace and freedom. If we set our heart on pleasing God through humble service and heartfelt worship, we no longer fall hostage to comparing ourselves to others or finding value in our things, accomplishments, or status, all of which can be lost in an instant. If we set our hearts on pleasing God, obeying his word, letting him be our teacher, master, father, and friend, then the opinions of the world and and its false promises lose much of their power over us.

I think it must have been so difficult for Jesus to rebuke the scribes and pharisees in such a harsh way. He wanted them to be saved more than they wanted it for themselves. But as he saw them abuse the gifts, talents, and spiritual power that had been entrusted to them and lead others away from God, Jesus knew he had try and save those being harmed by their pride. Each of us is capable of the same arrogance, hypocrisy, and blindness. So let us give Jesus permission to teach us his values rather than binding ourselves to those of the world. Let us make sure a day never goes by without looking at a crucifix and reminding ourselves what true greatness and power look like. May we always seek to please God by humble service to him and the people around us. And may we know the peace that comes from putting others first and letting God exalt us in whatever way he sees fit!