Your Prayers Matter! (29th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C)

To listen to this homily, click here.

I watched a good movie this week on Netflix. It is called “The Siege of Jadotville” and it’s the true story of a ferocious battle between UN peacekeepers from Ireland and French mercenaries in an obscure town of the Congo in 1961. It was not a fair fight. A small force of 150 Irish troops who had never been in battle against several thousand battle-hardened former French Legionnaires and Congo Rebel militia fighters. The Irish had only small arms and mortars while the opposing forces had heavy weapons and air support. There was tremendous pressure on the UN troops to give up, to sneak away, to leave the problem to someone else since this was not their country and, seemingly, not their war. Despite these temptations and difficulties, they fought valiantly for days until they literally ran out of bullets. They did not give up, they conducted themselves with honor, and eventually, were recognized as heroes.

This theme of perseverance, of staying the course, of not giving up is running throughout our readings today. In the passage from Exodus, God’s people are in a battle. As long as Moses raises his arms in prayer to God, the Israelites are victorious and successful. Any of you who have held a heavy picture or mirror while someone else checks to see if it is level or in the right place, knows that this is not good for Moses. His arms get tired and when he lowers them to rest, the enemy starts getting the advantage. Hand-to-hand combat between armies in the ancient world was an all-day event. Moses must have been tempted to give up, to let the Israelite army duke it out without his supplication. Instead, the great prophet and leader gets his brother Aaron and a friend to hold up his arms so God’s people can be victorious and rule the day.

St. Paul, in a letter to Timothy, encourages Christians to remain faithful to everything they have learned and come to believe. He challenges them to proclaim the truth of God’s word persistently, whether it is convenient or inconvenient.

Finally, Jesus shares a parable with his disciples about never giving up in prayer. He tells the great story of a widow who is seeking a just decision from a dishonest judge. She is so persistent, so single-minded in her badgering of the judge that he decides to render the proper judgement, not because of justice but because he is sick of her bothering him and he is also afraid she might punch his lights out if he ignores her or rules against her. 

In all three readings, perseverance in prayer and witness to the truth of God is key. Like the defenders of Jadotville, we are called to be tenacious in our prayer and living out of the truths of our faith. Even when we get tired. Even when we seem to be ignored. Even when it feels like the world is stacked against us and we wonder if this battle is really ours to fight. 

Haven’t we all felt like Moses at some point, praying for God’s will to be done in our lives, our families and our world? Haven’t we prayed day after day for the same things, maybe to be delivered from some sinful fault, for the conversion of a family member, the end of abortion or the death penalty, or for a just and holy person to represent us in government? And yet, the battle is not over and we are getting tired. It is really tempting to want to put our arms down and stop praying, to let someone else handle it and just stop fighting. Our readings emphatically remind us not to give up, to never stop praying!

Maybe its not weariness that we are facing. Perhaps it is discouragement, feeling that we are insignificant, wondering what difference my little life can bring. Today’s readings point out that no life is insignificant or unimportant. Your prayers, your witness makes a difference! Even in a world of 7 billion people, your prayers and contribution are unique. Don’t underestimate the impact you can have in your faithfulness to the gospel and kind acts of charity. Can you imagine a world that never had Mother Teresa, Abraham Lincoln, Ghandi, St. Francis, or our own beloved Jane Corbett? Imagine how different and impoverished your life would be without your spouse, a sibling, a child, a parent, or a dear friend. Each of these are just one life among billions but what a tremendous and irreplaceable impact every one of them makes! That is why the Catholic Church has always been and will always be so protective of human life. That is why we want you to take your privilege of voting so seriously. Every life, every person, with their gifts, talents and prayers has an indispensable role for the salvation of the world and good of human history.

That purpose, that belief begins and ends with prayer. Please do not underestimate the power of your prayers for your family, for this parish, and for the world. Please do not stop praying each and every day for God to bless and guide you in following his plan for your life. If you are not praying at all or have stopped for some reason, imagine what you could do, more importantly, what God could do with your life if you renew your relationship with him. Imagine how differently the world would have looked if Moses stopped praying on the day of battle or St. Paul had ceased giving witness to the teachings he had learned. Our lives and even the history of the world would have been negatively affected! 

May we be people that pray always without becoming weary. Even when the world seems stacked against us, even when we wonder if our prayers and our lives make any difference. Scripture and history show us that they have real power, that they accomplish good things for ourselves and others, both in our lifetime and for generations to come. Believe; then pray accordingly!

Catholics and Voting, Part 2 (10/9/16)

To listen to this homily, click here.

Last week I began our discussion on the upcoming election by reflecting on the privilege of voting we enjoy as Catholics living in a free, democratic country. To briefly recap, voting is more than just a nice idea; it is actually one of the primary ways we exercise our faith in the civic arena to ensure a just and compassionate society. Catholics should not excuse themselves lightly of the responsibility to vote and we are obliged to take time to know the issues and candidates and prayerfully reflect on how we will cast our ballot. Last week’s readings centered on faith and hope, which was a very good place for us to begin. No matter what age we live in, no matter who our choices are for public office, our faith and hope must always be placed squarely in God. Not on a party platform, promises, or political candidate. It’s no secret that many people are troubled by the upcoming election, especially the candidates for president. Now, more than ever, there is the temptation to be cynical, despondent, or to try to isolate ourselves from society. Some have become apathetic, feeling that their vote has no importance, and refuse to participate in any way. None of these are healthy Christian responses. But they are certainly understandable. We live in a very morally-complicated world. Trying to sort through the many issues facing voters and evaluate them according to our Catholic values can seem overwhelming. 

Fortunately for us, the Catholic Church has been around a long time. Drawing on 2000 years of wisdom, revelation, Tradition, and Divine Guidance, she can help us prepare our consciences to vote on November 8. Today I want to share some of that insight for your consideration, especially in regards to evaluating the moral issues and policies at stake. For you and me, the teaching of the Church is a great blessing because it provides us with guidance in making our choices. We don’t have to fumble around on our own.  

The first teaching for us to keep in mind is that not all issues are of equal importance or weight. Some things are always right or always wrong, regardless of the circumstances or what religious tradition you come from. These are the issues that relate directly to who we are as human persons, living together in society. They follow the truth of natural law, that inherent sense of right and wrong, written on the heart of every human person. These matters have the highest importance and are in a class of their own. All other issues, as important as they are, need to defer to these. The issues or actions we can never do or support are: abortion, euthanasia, embryo-destructive research like cloning and embryonic stem cell lines, racism, treating the poor as disposable, and same-sex marriage. We call these intrinsically evil actions because they can never be morally justified. As an important clarification, we are not calling the people involved in these actions or who support these actions intrinsically evil. They are children of God, loved by Him in the same way as anyone else and deserve our compassion, respect, and kindness without exception. Knowing the importance of these fundamental issues is a great starting point for evaluating the candidates vying for our vote. We can score each of them according to their stance on these most important matters. 

After we have prayed and wrestled with these issues involving intrinsically evil acts, we can move on to the many other serious moral concerns that are at stake in the upcoming election. These matters are significant political issues like education, foreign policy, fiscal policy, healthcare, national security, nominating judges, green energy, and transportation, to name a few. Each of these political issues are open for debate and argument. You can make an argument for your position and the candidate who supports it and, unless your thinking is downright immoral, your position can be totally valid. However, there could be another person who disagrees with you and your candidate and could have another completely rational and morally acceptable viewpoint. These sort of things are true political “issues.” They are not hard truths and we are not required to hold any particular view but we simply cannot ignore them. These issues are of secondary importance to the matters involving intrinsically moral evils. They should not be given the same weight but can still be helpful in determining which candidate receives our vote. 

We might find it enlightening to rank or score each candidate depending on where he or she falls on both the intrinsically evil acts and the serious moral concerns. Giving each issue the proper weight, depending on which category it falls in, along with with prayer, can help us arrive at a decision. It is also possible that, after considering the candidates for certain offices and their stances on each of these topics, some people will conclude they cannot in good conscience vote for any of the candidates. This is also a morally acceptable decision, provided it has been reached with due diligence, prayer, and reflection. It would be important for someone who is reaching this decision to acknowledge that they will have to accept whatever outcome and consequences result from the election. In the end, each of us needs to vote according to our conscience and make sure that our conscience is properly formed and informed. We should be able to defend our decision before God. 

The difficult part about voting in this election and really, any election, is that there are no perfect candidates. More than ever, we are faced with the dilemma of choosing between candidates who each hold morally-problematic views and may support one or more intrinsically evil acts. In these cases, we should choose the candidate who will do the least amount of evil. It’s a pretty lousy choice to be left with but we still have some say in limiting the damage. Once again, it is very possible that we may decide we are unable to vote for any of the candidates. If this is our decision, after prayer and reflection, then we should be at peace withholding our vote.

My prayer for all of us is that we have the humble courage to vote in a way that reflects the beauty and holiness of our Catholic Faith. Our world, our nation, needs Christ more than ever! Let’s trust the wisdom of our Church to inform our decisions in the coming weeks, a holy wisdom which has been guaranteed the guidance of the Holy Spirit until the end of time. May God bless and protect our great nation and give us the leaders we need to establish our country in justice, peace, and compassion. 

Catholics and Voting, Part 1 (10/1/16)

To Listen to this homily, click here.

You might not realize it, but there is a major election just around the corner! Seriously, it has been impossible to escape the impending election for the past year as our nation contemplates its next commander in chief and various other national and local leaders. This election, more than ever, has seemed contentious, divisive and almost surreal. For many voters, there appear to be few, if any clear-cut, choices. More and more people seem to be thinking in terms of compromise and who or what might be the less awful choice.

It is not my place nor my job to say who or what you should vote for. And I am not just saying that because of the IRS rules for tax-exempt institutions. Each and every one of us is called, as Catholics and American citizens, to participate in the process of electing leaders for our country. We need to make those decisions with prayer and thoughtful reflection because our vote has an impact on many people for years to come. Each of us has to be able to stand before God and explain the choices we made. God, unlike any human person, knows the heart and also sees through our excuses and rationalizations. 

It is my job, as your priest, to make sure you have the tools necessary to make good and holy choices at the polls. I have to stand before the Lord and tell him that I helped his people build up the kingdom of God and form their consciences. This is not something I can do in one week or with one homily. So, I am going to spend the next several weeks, not speaking about any particular candidates, but about the principles we need to keep in mind when we vote as Catholic Americans and the hierarchy of issues in light of Church teaching. Each homily will build upon the others so remember they will be posted on my blog and the parish website in both written and audio format so you can revisit them, even if I was not preaching at the Mass you attended. 

The scriptures center on two fundamental christian virtues: faith and hope. In the first reading, the prophet Habakuk feels abandoned and forgotten by God. Everywhere he looks, he sees violence, division, chaos, and suffering. He wonders where God can be found in any of this? Doesn’t this sound familiar?! The lord answers the prophet and encourages him to be patient, that God has not forgotten his people or the promises he made to them. The salvation of God, even though it seems delayed, will come. The person of faith, who hopes in God shall live. 

In the gospel, the disciples realize their faith needs to be increased in order to truly follow after Christ. Perhaps they saw the miracles that were being worked and knew that their faith needed to be more like those who trusted in the healing power of Christ. Or perhaps they were starting to understand what it meant to follow Jesus and what it would cost them and they knew that their faith needed to be deepened. Whatever the case, they ask the Lord to refine and deepen their faith.

As we prepare to vote in a little over a month, it would serve us well to first contemplate where we put our faith and hope. Have we unconsciously placed it other people and institutions, rather than God? There never has and never will be a candidate for public office who will guarantee our safety, success, or the protection of all our civil rights and religious liberties. Is it possible the angst, anger, and division we see in our country and in the upcoming election is due in some part because we expect humans to solve problems that only God can handle? Are we making choices at the polls without prayerful reflection? Has our hope and faith in God been replaced by cynicism or apathy? In the past, if we have voted at all, has it been informed by faith and hope in God?

The practice of voting can and should be an exercise of faith and hope. We believe our Catholic faith has something worthwhile to contribute to the future of our nation and we shouldn’t turn it off when we go to vote. We believe, as followers of Christ that this world, as broken and messed up as it can be, is fundamentally good. God cared enough to send his Son to redeem humanity by dying on the cross. We should care enough to invest the time and effort to learn what we are about to vote on and what principles the different candidates operate on in making decisions. We cannot just shake our fist at the world, at the injustice or corruption we see and excuse ourselves from participating in legitimate government. Christians cannot put their heads in the sand or shake their heads in despair. We sincerely hope that the Lord can redeem our society, no matter how broken or crooked it may seem. If our faith and hope is in God, that can happen. If our faith and hope is in public officials, laws, or any other human institutions, there is no way it will.

It is true; there is no perfect candidate for any of the offices that are up for grabs in November. In fact, there never has and never will be. As followers of Christ, we don’t sit around and bemoan the problems of the world. We work with what is available and combine it with God’s grace to make the impossible happen. That is what God does with us! The vote we cast should be a reflection of our faith in God. It should not be a product of anger, cynicism, laziness, selfishness, or wanting to be on the winning side. 

As November 8 draws closer, let’s reflect on where we put our faith and hope for the future. Can we honestly say it is in God and God alone? Let’s make sure we begin prayerfully preparing to cast our vote, inviting God into the discernment process. May our faith and hope be reflected by the way we participate in the coming election and let us do our part as Catholics and citizens to make our nation more just, compassionate, and united under God. 

What's Keeping You From Confession?

To listen to this homily, click here.

There are many layers to the gospel story we just heard. The most obvious and simple would be that the rich should not ignore the sufferings of the poor. This theme is repeated over and over in scripture, including our readings last week. Another angle might be to warn us about becoming so caught up in our own comfort that we become blind to the needs of other people. It might seem ridiculous that someone could be as callous as the rich man in the gospel but sadly, his example is imitated over and over again in our world, as people go about their business, willfully unaware and unconcerned about the poverty, starvation, persecution, and abuse of so many around the globe. Finally, there is the possibility that the rich man knew about Lazarus and thought about helping him but put it off day after day. Or rationalized that the poor man didn’t deserve help or should take care of himself. How many days did the rich man rationalize and procrastinate, missing out on the opportunity to help Lazarus and ease his suffering while also helping himself get to heaven? Eventually he ran out of tomorrows and is condemned to hell for his lack of charity, his sin of not doing anything. 

The dangerous twin habits of rationalization and procrastination are familiar to all of us in some way. I would like to home in on one area in particular that seems to be more and more prevalent among Catholics today. I have heard some interesting reasons, (you might call them excuses or rationalizations) to avoid receiving the sacrament of confession. Here are the ones we priests hear all the time, at parish events, wedding receptions, at the grocery store, or anywhere else we wear our clerics. Listen to the list and see if any of them sound familiar!

I don’t need to tell my sins to a priest! I can tell God I’m sorry on my own.

There is no such thing as a private sin. Anytime we do wrong, that sin affects other people, often in ways we cannot imagine and it always wounds the Body of Christ, the Church, of which we are members. The priest is the representative of the Church who gives us forgiveness in the name of God and on behalf of the Church. We have a human need to know, without a doubt, that we have been forgiven. Confession is an incredible gift where we can know for sure that our sins have been wiped away and we can move on. 

It’s embarrassing! What will the priest think of me?

Confession can be embarrassing, like a lot of things that are good for us. Think of going to the doctor or the dentist! But it is not humiliating. Most confessionals have the option for you to go anonymously. And, to be honest with you, unless you go to a brand-new priest, chances are, we’ve already heard someone say what you are about to confess. People just aren’t that original when it comes to sinning. Don’t let embarrassment keep you from experiencing God’s love and peace.

There was one time a priest yelled at me.

If that happened, I’m sorry. It shouldn’t have. But that was one person, one experience. We don’t stop going out to eat if we get bad service at a restaurant. Maybe we avoid that particular establishment or make sure another waiter serves us. We move on and realize that that was the exception, not the norm. If we are boycotting confession because of one bad experience, who are we really hurting.

I always confess the same sins.

Welcome to the human race! Could you imagine if you had to run around and commit different sins in order to go to confession? It would be exhausting! Most of us have certain sins or faults that we will struggle with our whole life: maybe its gossip, lying, losing our temper, or anything else. Even St. Paul had a thorn in the flesh he continually confessed. That’s why confession is not a one-time event. It’s part of a life-long process of conversion.

I can’t think of anything to confess.

 Ummm…you need to talk to your spouse or friends or family a little more often. They will be happy to give you some ideas. If that doesn’t work, I have some great little books by the confessional that help you go through the commandments and evaluate your life. They are free and trust me, they will jog your memory. If neither of these work, then let me know and I’ll work on getting your statue on this altar!

Why should I go to a priest who is not married and doesn’t have a family? What can you know about my life?

Can you imagine if we only went to a doctor who had the same illnesses as us? Or grew up in the same town in the same circumstances? Just because a doctor never had cancer doesn’t mean he or she can’t diagnose it for what it is. And, while it’s true I can’t completely relate with being married or having kids, I do know what it is like to be a friend, a family-member, and to care for others and those are the same principles involved in any vocation.

Priests are sinners too! What makes them good enough to hear my confession?

There is nothing me or any other priest has done to earn the right to hear anyone’s confession. It is an honor and a gift I have only because of my ordination and the call to be God’s representative on earth. Trust me, priests are sinners; I will never deny that. That’s why we go to confession just like anyone else. I need confession just as much as you, maybe even more. God could have chosen angels or the Blessed Virgin Mary to forgive sins…but he didn’t. Maybe because the priest knows from personal experience what it means to be weak, sinful, and most importantly, forgiven.

My sin is too big; God won’t forgive me.

This is the most troubling excuse for not going to confession. God stopped at nothing to redeem the world and offer salvation to every single human person. He did not even spare his Son! Jesus wanted to die for you! He laid down his life freely so that there would be no doubt how much he cared for you.The only sin God cannot forgive is the one that is never brought to him. He won’t force his saving grace on us but he is just waiting for us to ask. God has never said no to someone looking for mercy. If you are a big sinner, guess what? So were many of the saints and some of Jesus’ favorite people in the gospel! Through confession and forgiveness of their sins, they didn’t have to be defined by their past. We know them by their future: eternity with God in heaven. 

These are some of the “classic” reasons people give for avoiding confession. If you have avoided this sacrament for any reason, I hope you will make your way to a confessional soon so you can experience the joy of hearing the words of forgiveness, “I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

MacGyver Your Way to Heaven (25th Sunday, Year C)

To listen to this homily, click here.

Human ingenuity is amazing! When you think about how many examples of brilliance there are, it is incredible. Maybe the pyramids come to mind. Or Hoover Dam. Or the smartphone or robotics that assist doctors in delicate surgeries. Any of these would just be the tip of the iceberg. As people, made in God’s image and likeness, we have been given a sliver of the Creator’s genius. There is something within us that loves to create, build, and fix. I remember one of the moments I experienced this divine inspiration in solving a problem. It was amazing. 

My dad had an old Plymouth horizon. It had some serious issues. For example, the engine mounts were broken and when the driver hit the gas, the engine would lurch back towards the firewall. The result was that the shifter would fly back until it was stopped by the center console…. or your hand. If it pinned your hand, it hurt and you just had to wait until it was safe for mom or dad to let off the gas so you could have your hand back. We eventually figured out that this was a great can crusher. But this wasn't the moment of genius. The Horizon’s exhaust had rusted out between the engine and the muffler. I knew I could patch it but as a pre-teen, my overly protective parents wouldn’t let me have welding equipment. So I started with duct tape. That was a no-go and it melted in minutes. Next I tried a cloth, and I should mention clean, diaper. A little better but it too burned up quickly. Knowing that metal was the answer, I got 4 large landscaping spikes and clamps and tried to force everything back together. It worked until the spikes got loose and fell out. If you inexplicably had a landscaping spike in your tire 20 years ago, I am sorry and now you know why. Finally, after staring at that exhaust pipe for hours instead of homework, it came to me. It was almost the exact same size as a can of tomato paste. I acquired one, took two radiator clamps, and sure enough it worked until the car could be properly fixed. I was so proud of myself and felt like I had really used all of my gifts to make a difference in the world. I hope all of you have experienced this sort of fulfillment that comes from solving a problem with your ingenuity.

That cleverness is what is on display in the gospel today. Jesus tells the story of a dishonest steward whose self-serving behavior is discovered by the master. A steward was an important job in the ancient world. A steward was someone, usually a servant, who was entrusted with the property and wealth of their master while he was away on business. The duties of a steward were mostly limited to things, but they could even be asked to take care of the master’s family, especially his children. A good steward was the source of great joy and pride to the master while an incompetent one was considered a humiliation and a liability. 

This steward was a disaster. He was wheeling and dealing with his master’s wealth for his own benefit. He was not doing his job of protecting the estate of his employer. Large debts were being handled and we can only imagine the amount of wealth that was squandered by the dishonest servant over time. He shrewdly forgives debts in the name of his master to ensure there will be people who owe him favors when he is fired.

One of the most surprising things about this parable comes at the end, when the dishonest steward is praised and admired by his master. He is not praised for his wickedness, rather, he is admired for his cleverness in taking care of himself and providing for his well-being in this life. Each of us are called to be clever stewards as well, not to become rich and comfortable in this life, but to secure everlasting life in heaven. And we are called to do this in a way that pleases God and gives glory to his name.

Why do we need to hear this parable? Because we are all stewards as well. Each of us has been entrusted with the wealth of God in some way. He gives us a piece of his Divine Life to carry in our souls. He blesses us with many different talents and gifts. Our families and friends, as well as the money we have, the car we drive and the house we live in, are all treasures from God and ultimately belong to Him. He gives us these different things to take care of while we are here on earth. When we die, we will be asked to give an account of our stewardship of these gifts.

So perhaps we can take some time this week to evaluate ourselves as stewards. How well are we taking care of the blessings God has given us? Jesus makes it clear in the gospel that those who are faithful in small things will be faithful in large things. And those who are dishonest in small things will be dishonest in large things too. The steward in our parable didn’t start out by wasting a great deal of his master’s wealth. But eventually he ended up doing just that. And we can do the same thing in our own lives. Perhaps we begin to squander the gift of our families by neglecting to spend good, quality time with them, whether as children, siblings, or parents. Or maybe we begin to throw away the blessings of our faith by failing to make time in our busy schedules for God, or frequently leaving Mass early or skipping Mass altogether. Do we allow ourselves to cut corners in our jobs by giving less than we are capable of or by leaving work a little early. If we are not vigilant, these sort of things can cause us to become poor and dishonest stewards to God and each other. We must make a constant effort to be faithful in small things everyday so that we will be faithful in the larger matters of life.  

Don’t stop being clever and ingenious! Continue to use the brilliance God gave you to make a better world and solve problems. But first and foremost, put that ingenuity to work making sure you get to heaven. That is the essence of stewardship and that is the best way to honor the gifts God has entrusted to us.

Never, Never, Never, Never, Never Give Up (24th Sunday, Year C)

To Listen to this homily, click here.

Many historians consider Winston Churchill one of the greatest orators of the twentieth century. During dark years he rallied the British nation and the entire free world, to stand against Nazi barbarism. It is said, however, that he gave his most famous speech not during World War II, but afterwards. Supposedly, at a commencement ceremony, a speaker gave Churchill a long (and long-winded) introduction. Churchill walked to the podium and spoke softly, but firmly: "Never, never, never, never, never give up." He returned to his chair and sat down. The listeners were stunned silent, then one person brought his hands together. Immediately the entire crowd stood and started applauding and cheering wildly. Unfortunately for you, I will not be imitating Churchill's brevity in this homily!

There may be some legend in this story, but it does sum up the spirit of Winston Churchill. It also summarizes today's Scripture readings. Moses had every reason to give up on the Israelites. At the command of God, Moses had worked miracles and led the Israelites through the sea. But they quickly forgot God's mercy and began worshiping false gods. Moses, nevertheless, continued to intercede for them - and they got a second chance.

This reading might give us the impression that God was all set to destroy the Israelites and that Moses' prayer got him to change his mind. It is a little more complicated than that. The Israelites' behavior had brought destruction upon themselves, but as we heard in the Psalm, God is always ready to show mercy. He does not give up on us.

We see this Divine Mercy once again in the Gospel. Jesus describes an amazing father who does not give up on his ungrateful and impulsive son. Jesus tells us that God not only waits for us, he also goes out to actively seek us. He is like a shepherd trying to rescue a sheep that gets separated from the flock. Or like a woman who loses a coin and has to turn the house upside down to find it.

And let's face it. We often do not want to be found. We prefer to hide from God. In this regard, many people can identify with C. S. Lewis. As a young man he had become an atheist. But he had a nagging fear that God might actually exist. Lewis describes his state of mind with these words: "Amiable agnostics will talk cheerfully about 'man's search for God.' To me, as I then was, they might as well have talked about the mouse's search for the cat.”

We sometimes stay away from God, like a mouse hiding from a cat. But in C. S. Lewis' case, God did keep pursuing him. Eventually Lewis gave in to the Lord. He writes: "In 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed." Lewis described himself as "the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England." Like the Good Shepherd, seeking the lost sheep, God did not give up on C. S. Lewis. Lewis in turn used his gifts to bring many others to Christ: by writing children's stories, science fiction and insightful explanations of the Christian faith.

In today's second reading, we hear about another convert, in this case, the most famous convert ever: a Pharisee named Saul from a city called Tarsus. We know him better as St. Paul the Apostle. Before Christ touched him, Paul engaged in some miserable behavior: arrogance, bullying and blasphemy. The worst thing he did was to encourage a mob to murder an innocent man. They did it by surrounding the young man and throwing large rocks at him. The man was Stephen, a deacon of the early Church. St. Paul was the main one responsible for the death of this promising young man. But, in spite of that crime, God did not give up on Paul. And by Paul's conversion he taught the Church one of its most important lessons: Sometimes our greatest enemies become our greatest apostles. 

“Never, never, never, never, never give up.” Those words of Churchill, meant to inspire and encourage a nation weary of war and suffering, can also motivate us in the practice of our faith.  God never gives up on us. Even when we run away from him by our sins. Even when we make the same mistakes over and over again. Even when we receive his gifts and blessings without gratitude. Even when we ignore him or get angry with him or any of the million other ways that humans have found to lash out at God and shut him out. God never ever, ever, ever gives up on us. That is what the cross means, that is the whole point of the life and death of Jesus Christ. There is only one catch to this incredible gift of God; we have to share it with others! Just as God never gives up on you and me, so too, we can never give up on anyone else. Remember that when you talk to people who are cold or hostile to our faith or the Christian way of life - our goal is not to win arguments, but to win souls. No matter how awful or unkind a person may be, never give up on another person. No matter how you feel about anyone, they still deserve your prayers. Never give up on anyone. That’s God’s view on us. Let’s make it philosophy for the world!

The Cost of Discipleship (Year C)

“How many of you have ever bought a house, a car, or some other major purchase? Go ahead just raise your hand, I am certain that most of you have done this before. Good. Most of you in church today know what it is like to spend a lot of money. Now, here’s a second question: How many of you made a large purchase, like buying a car or house, with no planning or research or consulting with your spouse? If you have done this, please keep your hand up so that I can throw something at you!

Common sense tells us that large purchases and projects need to be done carefully and with sufficient planning so we don’t get ourselves into legal or financial trouble. When you buy a house, you have to consider not only the price of the house, but also the cost of taxes, utilities, insurance, maintenance and repairs. You would want to have a home inspection first, then see what sort of schools are around your house and pay attention to the neighborhood so your kids can have good, safe environment to grow up in. How awful it would be to buy a house and be unable to afford to actually live in it! Who wants a beautiful house in a dangerous or rundown part of town? The same thing is true when we buy a car. We have to keep in mind not only the cost of the vehicle itself but also the hidden costs of insurance, personal property and sales tax, maintenance and repair, and even fuel. We make sure and check the carfax so that we know whether or not this vehicle was involved in some major accident and might have hidden damage. Most of us do the same research and planing with other major purchases like electronics and appliances, so that we can have peace of mind knowing that we are getting a good, reliable product that will be within our budget. To neglect this planning and research could be disastrous. 

But as important as it is for us to plan and consult before making expensive purchases or starting major projects, Jesus makes it clear that it is even more important for us to plan and make sure we have what it takes to be his disciple. Over the past three weeks, we have been taught a trilogy of saving truths. Two weeks ago Jesus told us we can enter heaven only by the narrow gate. Last Sunday Jesus offered us the key to that narrow gate which is humility - "every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Today Jesus tells us what the key costs: "Any of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple." 

It shouldn’t surprise us that the key to heaven has a steep price. Jesus tells us to "calculate the cost." If you want to build a tower, says the Lord, make sure you have the resources to complete it. We know that very well when we go to buy a car or house or other expensive item. If we want to be a disciple of Jesus - which is the only path to heaven - we need to know in advance what it will cost: everything. In the end we must be prepared to turn over all we possess if it keeps us from following Christ. Eternal life can be incredibly costly and it is something we must plan for. We have to utilize the same degree of planning and resourcefulness we use in worldly affairs when it comes to our souls. Christ is calling us to a look at our lives and see where we are going. What are the things that keep us from following him?

Do I follow Christ by the way I talk to other people and about other people? Do I embrace the cross by looking for the good in people, even those that annoy me or seem strange to me? Am I willing to let go of habits of gossip, bragging, and putting others down? Or is this cost too steep?

What about the company I keep? Do my friends help me to be a disciple of Christ? Do they encourage me to live a good life and make wholesome decisions? Do they help me to respect myself and others? Or do they pressure me to break the rules, disobey my parents, and offend God? Do my friends compromise my dignity or my purity or encourage me to do things harmful to my health? Discipleship calls me to seek good and holy friends and to let go of those who lead away from God. As a matter of fact, Jesus tells us today that we should be ready to renounce even our own family if they keep us from him! Is this cost too steep?

How about my possessions? Am I generous with the things I have been given? Do I give back to those who are less fortunate and need more? Do I support the works of the church and my parish? Am I open to sharing my time and talents with my family, friends, and church? Am I prepared to give whatever God asks of me, even if this would require a greater trust in him? Or is the cost too steep?

Is there anything else in our hearts, in our lives that we tell Christ is off limits? Will we follow if he calls us to the priesthood or religious life? Or does that cost too much? Do we stand up for the lives of the unborn even when our society, our friends, our families tell us that being pro-life is too radical? Or is that too much? Do we dare to let God take control of our marriages and married love by trusting him and abandoning any contraceptive practices? Or is that simply too costly?

   

Jesus makes it clear to us today that the cost of discipleship is steep but we have his promise that the benefits are eternal. Let’s not be afraid of the sacrifices Christ might be calling us to embrace, trusting that following him will give us strength to do his will and be joyful in doing it. And let us put the same energy and planning into our spiritual lives that we do for our worldly matters, taking time for prayer and making an effort to learn more about our faith, so we will have what we need to be his loyal disciples. As we come to this Eucharist, let us together resolve to take up our own cross and follow after Jesus, the Lord of Life and the Giver of all good things.