Being in Communion requires Sacrifice (21st Sunday, Year B)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

We’ve been blessed over the past few weeks to have an opportunity to do some in-depth reflection on the gift of the Eucharist Jesus left to His Church. During this time, we’ve pondered the role of reverence when we are at Mass, how the Eucharist nourishes our soul as spiritual food and drink, and marveled at the fact that is it actually Jesus’ Body and Blood, not just a symbol. In this final week of praying with the 6th chapter of John’s gospel, we have a chance to consider the Eucharist by another name we sometimes use: Holy Communion. We all know what “holy” means but what about “communion”? It is the same root for the word community and it embodies a deep connection and sharing important things in common. By its very nature, communion requires sacrifice, collaboration, and compromise. I cannot be in communion with another person if everything is all about me and what I want. Communion requires me to go outside of myself, to place others first, and begin thinking in terms of “we” instead of “me”.

Humans are made for communion because our God is a perfect unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and he made us in his image. Belonging to and building a community leads to a level of fulfillment, achievement, and flourishing that simply cannot be accomplished when we do things alone. But just because communion is good for us, doesn’t mean that it happens on its own. There comes a moment for every group, whether that be two people or an entire country, when they have to make a decision: Are they going to hang together or each go their separate ways? That happened, for example, in the history of our nation. After we won the War of Independence, we were still not a nation. We had only gone from being thirteen colonies to being thirteen states. Representatives of the states met in Philadelphia to determine what kind of union they would have. They wanted things like common defense and open commerce, but - at the same time - each state guarded its own rights and priorities. Finally a young man named James Madison stood up and stated the obvious: You cannot form a nation based on each one defending their own turf; you have to make some sacrifices to work together. Well, by a fairly small margin, the delegates accepted Madison's proposal - and instead of being thirteen states we became the United States. It was a defining moment for our country.

Today’s readings are all about forming communion with God and with each other. In the first reading, Joshua gathers the Chosen people and demands they make a choice concerning who or what they will serve. Will it be the one, true God or the gods of other nations? Are they willing to give up their petty arguments, differences, and personal idols? He says that awesome line, “decide today whom you will serve. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” St. Paul says something similar about communion as it relates to marriage. It’s impossible to form healthy, happy, holy marriages if husbands and wives are focused on jealously guarding their own rights and always trying to get their own way. St. Paul uses the word “subordinate”, which has plenty of negative connotation for us. But let’s not let that word ruin the wisdom being presented. St. Paul is reminding the Ephesians and us that in order to achieve the communion that exists between Christ and his Church, husbands and wives each have to sacrifice something and give up some of their personal prerogatives. When they do, they are no longer simply two people living together. Instead, they become a living sign, a sacrament of God’s love and unity to the world.

In the Gospel, we see the disciples facing a moment of decision for communion. After Jesus announced that his flesh was the new bread from heaven and we must feed on him to have life, most people left him. Only the Twelve remained. Jesus did not soften or explain away his words. Rather, he asked them: Will you also leave me? Thankfully, the apostles sacrificed their preconceived notions of what the Messiah might look like and chose to remain with Jesus. They learned to set aside their doubts, their worldly ambitions and expectations, and entered into communion with the Son of God. That Communion would take years to mature but little by little the first followers of Jesus were transformed by their union with Him in the Eucharist.

We must understand that being in communion with Jesus is not like belonging to a political party or a social club where take the parts we like or agree with and leave the rest. We do not pick and choose the teachings of Christ we will follow and which ones we will ignore. Once we do that, we are creating our own god, our own religion and substituting human wisdom in place of God’s. Being in communion with Christ means letting go of leading and teaching ourselves and allowing Jesus to fill that role in our lives.  

There is no doubt that Jesus taught things which challenge and make us uncomfortable. The same was true 2000 years ago when he delivered this teaching on the Eucharist. The question is not whether we like everything he said. The real question is whether we accept Jesus and are willing to do our part to be in communion with him and his teachings. Hopefully we can be like St. Peter who spoke for the other apostles. Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Those words marked a defining moment. This is when the apostles stopped being a collection of individuals, each trying to get their own way. They became a Church. The Church.

Every time we come forward to receive the Eucharist, we say ‘Amen” which is us saying “I’m all in; my thoughts, my words, my actions, my faith and my conduct are fully united with the Gospel and the teachings of Christ”. Every time we receive Holy Communion, we are proclaiming that we want to belong completely to Jesus and His Church. That’s why we ask non-Catholics not to receive Communion at Mass; not because they are somehow bad or less but because there isn’t yet full unity there. It’s why, if there’s some central teaching of the Church that we’re not following (whether it concerns doctrine or morals) we ought not receive the Eucharist until that lack of communion is resolved. It’s also why, if we have serious sin on our souls, we ought not receive Jesus Body and Blood until that sin has been wiped away in Confession. Otherwise, our “Amen” isn’t really “all in” and receiving the Eucharist unworthily actually does us more harm than good. We should always be on guard against trying to conform the Eucharist to our lifestyles and beliefs rather than shaping our lives and beliefs to the Eucharist. 

The great news is that we are made and loved by a God who never stops trying to be one with us. Even when we struggle with some teaching or sin, Jesus offers the sacraments to cleanse us and his Church to guide us. Let’s ask for the grace to desire communion with God more than anything else in the world. Let’s not be afraid of the sacrifices such a relationship demands and take care to receive the Eucharist in a worthy manner each and every time. May our receiving Holy Communion at this altar make us one in every way with Jesus and his Church!

I'm in Love...(Solemnity of the Assumption, 2021)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

Sometimes my friends and family give me trouble for not being more emotive. Some parishioners have asked me to be more emotional and dramatic in my homilies. It’s not that I lack emotions or animation; I really do have them! But I tend to keep them contained and under control. I typically blame it on the considerable German heritage I come from but I realize being stoic is not always a strength. In talking to an older priest about this struggle, he told me how he had also tried to overcome it in his first assignment. His first pastor was Italian and emotions were no trouble at all. This priest, whom we will name Fr. Mario said, “try opening with some dramatic statement to get people's attention. “Like what?” asked the other priest. “Well, when you preach about the Blessed Virgin Mary, you could say, I am in love with a beautiful woman.' Then pause for effect and say, 'She is...my mother.”

The young priest thought it was worth a try so in his next homily he announced, "I am in love with a beautiful woman." The congregation fell silent. He had their attention and he paused to let the bold statement sink in. It felt pretty good. Then he went completely blank. He couldn't think of what came next so he repeated, "I am love with a beautiful woman... She is... She is... She is...Fr. Mario’s mother!”

This Sunday I do want to say, "I am in love with a beautiful woman." And hopefully I’m not alone! I am willing to talk about my feelings and even use that scary four letter word to describe how I feel about her. She is easy to love because of her kindness, her patience, and her goodness. She has always been there for me even when I have wandered from her loving gaze. She is gentle, strong and untouched by any of the viciousness that so often finds its way into our actions. She is resplendent in her beauty, and described in our first reading as a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. This woman who captivates the hearts of so many is no ordinary woman. She is the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

    Many people believe that devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is something best suited to priests, nuns, and old ladies. But if we understand the incredible life she lived and the irreplaceable role she played in our salvation, then we realize that each and every one of us should love her, even if we don’t like to talk about our feelings! Today we remember her life in a very special way as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption, a holy day of obligation that often gets ignored when it falls during the week. 

    But what is the Assumption? And why in the world should this feast of Mary matter to us, especially when we are busy getting ready to start another school year and sending kids off to college? Well first of all, the Assumption is the event where we believe Mary was taken body and soul into heaven when her time here on earth came to an end. We believe she is now in heaven, body and soul, unlike the saints whose souls are in heaven but will have to wait until the end of the world to be reunited with their bodies. This belief of the Assumption was declared official Church teaching in 1950 by Pope Pius XII but it was held as true by tradition long before, since the earliest times of the Church.

    So why is this feast of the Assumption so important that the Catholic Church around the world celebrates it, each and every year? Why should we care about the Assumption? The answer is beautifully presented to us today in the preface that the priest says right before the Holy, Holy, Holy. The prayer explains: 

    “Today the virgin Mother of God was assumed into heaven as the beginning and image of the Church coming to perfection, and a sign of sure hope and comfort to your pilgrim people; rightly you would not allow her to see the corruption of the tomb since from her own body she marvelously brought forth your incarnate Son, the Author of all life.”

That is the reason the feast of the Assumption is so important, or at least should be important to you and me, as followers of Christ. Mary is the sign, the living proof of what God intends to give us in heaven. Her goodness, her happiness, her living forever now with her Son and her Lord is what we were all created for. And if we stay true to Christ, if we keep his commandments and obey his will, just as Mary did, we too will be taken up to heaven on the last day to live and rejoice with him forever. What God did for Mary today, he desires to do for each and every one of us. Even though we have to fight with sin and experience death, Mary’s Assumption reminds us that our final destination is meant to be Everlasting life and love with the God who created us.

    This is wonderful news for us and a source of hope when we are enduring the various trials and setbacks that are a part of life here on earth. We can look to Mary’s Assumption the next time we are sick, suffering, persecuted, or upset and remember that there is something better waiting for us in heaven. And we can take comfort knowing that Mary experienced so many of those same trials and tribulations as a fellow human being and with God’s grace she was victorious. And as she waits for us to join her in heaven, she prays for us and intercedes for us before God, making sure that we have all the graces that we need. 

    So, no matter who you are and whether or not you like talking about your feelings, I hope that you join me today in praising the Blessed Virgin Mary and thanking God for the hope and strength that she gives us. Let her feast of the Assumption give you hope in the various sorrows and difficulties of life, knowing that God wishes to share her blessings with us in the life to come. 

Reverence for the Eucharist (Jn 6, week 1)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

Growing up, my parents (and probably yours) had a way of verbally highlighting what was most important to them; they would repeat something many times so we knew it was important. You might be able to plead ignorance of what they had said once, possibly twice, but by the time they said it a third time, you’d better pay attention and do it. Starting today, the Church does the same thing regarding the Eucharist. For the next five weeks, the Church will invite us to explore chapter 6 of St. John's Gospel. This section of John’s writing is often called the “bread of life discourse”, and it gives us an opportunity to reflect repeatedly on the greatest gift Christ has given us, the gift of himself in the Eucharist. These precious verses have been prayed with and studied for 2000 years and still we have not exhausted their richness. In order that we don’t get overwhelmed by the theological feast in front of us, the clergy of Incarnate Word will focus on a single topic each week while we reflect on the Eucharist. The theme for this first Sunday of the Bread of Life Discourse is reverence.

We humans have a sense of reverence hard-wired into our brains whenever we are around something precious and beautiful. If you’ve ever visited a museum, you notice the demeanor of others change as they pass through the galleries looking at masterpieces. There is a hush, an atmosphere of quiet reflection, a slower pace, and a careful distance as a sign of respect for the painting or sculpture. Only a careless fool would run around, yell, or try and touch the piece.

Nowhere is basic human reverence on display than when you hold a baby. Even before you cradle the child in your arms, you make sure to stand or sit somewhere safe. You also make sure your hands are clean and that you’re are not sick. As the baby is placed in your arms, you make sure the baby’s head and neck are supported and the infant is held close to you so that there is no way it can wiggle out of your arms. You are also mindful of any soft spots on their delicate head and even after you become comfortable with laying down or handing over this precious cargo, you never rush or become careless. Getting to hold a baby is an honor; it is something that should be done carefully and with attention to every detail. Imagine how horrifying it would be to see someone handling a newborn baby roughly or carelessly. It would take your breath away, it would probably anger you, and I hope all of us would do something about it immediately.

In the Eucharist, we are given a similar but even greater privilege. Every time we come to Mass and receive Holy Communion, God says to us: “here is my precious Child, my only begotten Son, I am going to let you hold him, touch him, receive him so you can become my child too and have the strength to follow me and love your neighbor.” In the Eucharist, God becomes vulnerable for us. How do we respond? Do we have the same care and concern for the Body and Blood of Christ as we do for a newborn infant? Can people see in us that same tenderness, awe, and attention to detail?

From my vantage point as a priest, distributing communion to so many of you over the past four years, I see an incredible love and devotion for the Eucharist present in this parish. For so many Incarnate Word parishioners, the Eucharist is indeed what the catechism says it should be, "the source and summit of your lives." It is very encouraging as a priest to see so many present at daily Mass, signing up for an hour of adoration during the week, spending quiet time in prayer before and after Mass, and also genuflecting or bowing before you enter your pew.

But like anything else we do many times, over and over, we have to be careful not to lose our sense of reverence and let the Eucharist become a mindless habit. Unless we are constantly vigilant and growing in our appreciation of God’s gift, some bad habits can enter into our personal practice of receiving communion and participating at Mass. This is not unique to Incarnate Word; it is a human tendency. 

Fortunately for us, the Catholic Church gives us many traditions and procedures to help us maintain our reverence and love for Jesus in Eucharist. For example, that is why we are asked to fast from all food or drink, except water or medicine, one hour before we take holy Communion. The Eucharist is not just one more thing we eat; it is Bread from Heaven and that small fast makes us mindful of how special it really is! Our respect for the Eucharist is why we genuflect or bow towards the tabernacle when we come into church. The same is true when we come forward to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus; we should bow as the person before us is receiving: when it is our turn we raise our hands before us, one on top of the other as a throne for the King of Kings. We should also feel comfortable receiving the Eucharist on our tongue, as this is still the preferred way to receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church. If we receive the Host in the hand, do we carefully make sure to consume any particles remaining on our hands or fingers?

If we are aware of some serious sin that we have committed since our last confession, we should not receive the Eucharist until we have gone to confession. We should also pay attention to other details, like taking some time to prepare to receive the Lord as we are driving here to church, turning off the radio, putting away the phone and just centering our mind on God. It is also a great practice to get to Mass a few minutes early so that we can set aside any distractions or worries we brought with us. Finally, we should make sure that we never do things that appear disrespectful or careless when it comes to the Body and Blood of Jesus. We should never be chewing gum in church, playing on our phone, or taking Holy Communion without consuming it immediately. Our demeanor, our behavior, and even the way we dress for Mass can affect other people in either positive or negative ways. The way we participate at church and receive the Eucharist can help point others to God but it can also distract and call attention to ourselves. That’s why these habits of reverence are so important. They build up the entire congregation and help us all to be more attuned to the heavenly gift of the Eucharist! 

In just a few minutes, you and I will be entrusted with God’s Son in Holy Communion. Let us be mindful, let us be filled with awe, let our reverence radiate as we receive this precious gift. May the Body and Blood of Jesus transform our lives and help us to grow even more in love with him!

Balancing Action and Reflection (16th Sunday of OT, Year B)

 (I couldn't make up my mind, so I preached two different homilies this weekend!)

Today’s gospel continues the story we started last week. Last Sunday, the apostles were commissioned and sent to preach the Good News to the surrounding towns and villages. They were sent out as prophets to be the voice of God to anyone who would listen. Today we hear about their return as they completed their first missionary endeavor. How long they were gone, we don’t know, but we get to listen as they report their experience. Thanks to the gospel writers, we know this moment of reunion was full of rejoicing and energy - they had experienced the power of God working through them as they cast out demons, healed the sick, and saw people’s hearts changed before their very eyes. How Jesus must have smiled as he listened to their stories and saw their excitement and joy! What happens next, teaches us something essential about our overall wellbeing; after the apostles return from their exciting and busy adventure, Jesus takes them aside to rest, to be with him again in the safety and calm of their small community.

The lesson is clear, but so hard to put into practice: Christians who are engaged in living their faith in the world around them need to balance their activity with contemplation, with time spent in personal conversation with the Lord, not doing anything per se. Sometimes we wonder why we are so emotionally and spiritually exhausted by the busy-ness of our lives. It's because we aren't recharging our spiritual batteries. Stress, discouragement, and other strong emotions can wear us out if we aren't constantly reinforcing our faith in Jesus Christ and letting him love us. Only our friendship with the Lord can supply us with the strength and wisdom we need to be truly successful not only in our daily lives but more importantly, in our relationship with Christ.

Without prayer and time alone with God, our well will soon run dry - we will have nothing to offer others. But without action, without giving freely to others what we have freely received from God, our spiritual waters will become stagnant and lifeless. Contemplation and action, prayer and work - this was how Christ lived his life and this is also how he wants us to live as his modern-day apostles. 

Our contemporary society and church tend to stress the importance of action more than prayer, but the two are always meant to go together like St. Louis and pork steaks. One of the hidden blessings of the lockdown was that so many people rediscovered the joy and peace of slowing down and spending more time with God and family. With fewer distractions and so many things cancelled, many people realized how frantic and out-of-balance their lives had become. Jesus taught this balance not only in the way he treated his closest followers but also by the example of his own life. Towards the beginning of his public ministry, he and his apostles visited Simon Peter's house, where he healed Peter's mother-in-law and then spent the evening curing the sick and casting out demons. The next morning, the apostles got up early to start what they knew would be a very busy day. But when they looked around for Jesus, they couldn't find him. They searched all around and finally located him in the hills outside of town, praying. Worldly wisdom would suggest that Jesus pray after getting everything done or maybe even skipping it just this once since he was so holy and there was so much to do. But Jesus knew that in order to do the Father’s Will, he had to stay connected with prayer. If that's the case for the Son of God, how much more it should be the case for us, who seek to follow his example!

St Benedict used a motto that perfectly captures this lesson. His motto was Ora et labora, which is Latin for pray and work. Prayer and work are like the two sides of a coin for us Christians. We are called to become close friends of Jesus Christ and we can only do that if we develop our prayer life. But we are also called to be his fellow workers, ambassadors of his everlasting Kingdom, and that only happens when we be put our talents, time, and energy into doing things that will make this world a better place, a place worthy of our King and Lord.

As we contemplate today’s readings then, we should ask ourselves some challenging questions. Have I found the right balance between prayer and work in my life? Do I only pray when I come to Mass on Sunday or when I step into a church? Do I think of God while I am active and engaged in the everyday business of my life? Do I speak to him during the the week? On the other hand, do I flee to prayer to the point that I neglect my other responsibilities? Am I treating my relationship with God like a magical wand that will take away all my problems without any sacrifice or change on my part? Do I make excuses as to why it is good enough for me to pray but not live out my faith in my words, actions, choices, and relationships?

Some Catholics try to leave all the Kingdom-building to priests, religious, and missionaries. They don't stay on the lookout for opportunities to help others discover the one thing worth finding in this life: friendship and companionship with Jesus Christ. Other Catholics are constantly doing things, staying busy and running around like their hair is on fire but there is little introspection, reflection, and contemplative prayer. Each one of us needs to find the balance that goes with our personality, our gifts, and state in life. Each and every one of us is called to be both active in our faith and contemplative in prayer; it’s not an either/or situation. May we be open to God’s grace as he sends us out to his people. May we find that balance between work and prayer, activity and stillness, so that we may return to Jesus each day like the apostles did, with great joy, telling him of many wonders he is working in our lives!

All Called to Shepherd (16th Sunday of OT, Year B)

To listen to this homily, click here.

There are these nasty things out there called smelling salts, maybe some of you have used them before. They are made with ammonia and often used in contact sports when a player comes off the field from a big hit and is a bit woozy. They are also used when someone passes out to help them wake up. I’ve even seen people use them to focus and be fully alert. In any case, they are not pleasant. There will never be a smelling salts candle or air freshener but that’s kinda the point. They are meant to be used sparingly for serious reasons.

Our first reading tonight is a sort of spiritual smelling salt. On one hand it contains the strong and unpleasant condemnation of bad shepherds who have failed in their duty to care for God’s flock. There is a divine promise of punishment for those who abandon their role to guide and protect. God’s strong language gets our attention and snaps us out of the distracted daze that often grabs us when we hear His Word. Why is God so angry? Why do bad shepherds cause such a strong response? 

For most people, when they think of shepherds in the scriptures, they think of priests and bishops and other spiritual leaders. And for good reason! Jesus often describes himself as a shepherd. Tonight’s gospel describes his tender heart with this image as he looks about the crowds of people who have caught up with Jesus and the disciples as they were trying to rest and reflect. Even though he is tired and his apostles have not even had time to eat, Jesus is the good shepherd who puts the needs of the flock first. They want healing, preaching, and direction and he will not deny them what their souls need. Jesus is the opposite of the leaders who are condemned in the first reading and he is teaching his disciples to lead in the very same way. Over the past 15-20 years, we’ve seen the devastating effect of bad shepherds in our Church. Since the priest scandal broke in the early 2000’s, catholics have had to confront the reality that there have been far too many bad shepherds leading God’s flock. The result is that many people have left the flock, rejected the teachings of Jesus and went looking for green pastures elsewhere. Their hearts have been broken and their souls repulsed by the very people who should have led them to the Lord. That is why Jeremiah uses such strong and threatening language in our first reading. Thanks be to God there are still so many good and holy shepherds called to lead God’s Church. God continues to keep his promise to raise up righteous and wise leaders in the wake of scandal and sadness.

But priests, bishops, and religious leaders are not the only shepherds called out by the challenge of the first reading. In the bible, the king and other political figures were also regarded as shepherds. Worldly leaders also have a responsibility to care for the people they are appointed to lead, not necessarily focussing on the spiritual care of their constituents but making sure their basic human needs are meant and their human dignity protected. Political leadership in our country and in our time is in need of serious moral reform. In almost every poll, politicians are regarded some of the least admired and most mistrusted groups. The spiritual smelling salts of the first reading should serve as a wakeup call to all who serve in public leadership; God expects that power to be used for the betterment of his flock!

It can be easy to jump on the bandwagon and condemn the examples of bad leadership we see in both Church and politics. God knows, there are plenty of examples to point to! But bad priests, bad politicians, and other bad shepherds don’t drop out of the sky. They grow up in families, they go to schools, they hang out with friends, and even go to church. Before any person becomes a good or bad shepherd, they are guided and formed by many others in the course of daily life in the process of growing up. The role of shepherding involves far more people than just our clergy and political leaders; it includes just about every single person who is old enough to know right from wrong! 

Parents, you are some of the most important shepherds out there. Your flock is your family and you set the tone not just for your home but for our entire society. The catechism describes the family as the domestic church. If parents lead their children towards God, if they teach them to love what is good and run from what is sinful, our society and our parishes are better because of it. So many of the qualities of good and holy leaders are instilled by a healthy and wholesome family life. 

It is so hard these days for parents to be good shepherds. There is no shortage of voices that call young people away from what will make them truly and forever happy with God in heaven. It is not easy to round up the family and come to Mass each and every Sunday. The world is forever encouraging parents to make other priorities and choose other values that seem more convenient or pleasant. Don’t underestimate the importance of your choices and the power of your example. Your grace-filled leadership in your homes is needed now, more than ever, for the good of our church and our world!

Shepherding doesn’t stop with priests, politicians, or parents. Each of us have people who depend on us and are affected by our choices and behavior. Our wonderful teens and grade school students, you are shepherds too! You provide an example to your friends, your siblings, your classmates and so many others you may never even met in person. Your kindness and support can get others through a low point in life. Your sticking up for someone can stop a bully in their tracks. Your speaking the truth can transform a heart and offer freedom to some who is living a lie. The way you engage others online has the potential to magnify your voice; always use that power to do good! There is no minimum age for becoming an inspiration and example of virtue. Please do not forget that you are also called to be shepherds here and now in your own way. 

The list could go on for all of you who are grandparents, godparents, teachers, coaches, managers, executives, and leaders but I think you get the point. We all have people who rely on us, look up to us, and follow our lead. Our first reading reminds us that this is both an honor and a responsibility. It is an honor that God has given our actions and decisions such power. We have a responsibility to make sure our leadership directs people back to God rather than being used for self-serving purposes.

The best news of all is that we have a living example in Christ. He shows us how to lead others and be good shepherds. It always starts with service and putting others first. The life of a shepherd is not always easy but if lived well, it is always rewarding and life-giving. May we allow Jesus to lead us every day so we may, in turn, lead those who rely on us!

 

A Problem of False Prophets (15th Sunday, Year B)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

Long before chocolate chip cookies, there was a famous Amos found in the bible. This Amos wasn’t very popular, though, so maybe it’s best to think of him as “Infamous Amos”! But why? This biblical Amos was a normal, everyday working man. We hear about him in the first reading. He was an arborist; which means he ran a tree service, specializing in Sycamores and also did some shepherding on the side. He lived in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, next to the border of the Northern Kingdom. Like so many working men and women, Amos didn’t play games; he called it like he saw it. He was not a politician or kisser of backsides. So, when he was called by God to be a prophet, he stuck out like a sore thumb. There were many professional prophets in his time, people who would prophesy for a fee. Many of them were in the service of the corrupt king and instead of challenging him and calling their ruler to follow God’s laws, they constantly said whatever they thought would make the king happy and keep the peace. In large part because they were on the king’s payroll. Amos wasn't part of that crowd. His prophecies were tough, challenging and clear on the need for repentance and reform. Amaziah, the leader of the false prophets, told Amos to shut up and get out, because he was bumming everybody out and making people feel bad. But Amos said he had no choice.  "The lion has roared, who will not fear?  God has spoken, who can but prophesy?"  So this ordinary man became the vehicle of God's truth because he was willing to share God’s message even if it was unpopular. Amos was the perfect prophet for his time because he was not captive to the king or corrupted by politics or seeking earthly favors. He knew the truth when he saw it and was courageous enough to speak it.

 

            Fast forward to the gospel and the seemingly terrible choices Jesus made in terms of personnel to go spread his gospel of freedom and repentance. Four were fishermen. One was a hated tax collector. One a political zealot. There was nothing extraordinary about any of the twelve that Jesus sent out to preach, to heal and to expel demons. They were ordinary, mostly uneducated people, given instructions to conduct themselves like prophets.  But because of their love for Jesus and his truth, the Word of God worked through them.

 

            God works through everyday people, including us. There is a saying that God does not call the qualified but qualifies the ones He calls. The Word of God wants to work through you and will qualify each and every one of you to bring the saving message to those you encounter. You do not need a theological degree or priestly ordination to be a prophet. You simply need a love for the truth of the gospel and a heart open to the grace of the Holy Spirit. Similar to Amos and the apostles, some of the best representatives of God have been the people the world sees as unqualified and inadequate. 

Our times are not so different from those of Amos. Even though our country is still recovering from the hardships of the pandemic, it is undoubtedly a prosperous nation. In our time many people have gotten caught up in acquiring things and have forgotten the laws of God. So many in our world want to hear what make them feel good about themselves rather than the truth that challenges their lifestyles. Far too many Christians have bought into this mindset and have become false prophets, preaching a gospel of prosperity and comfort. Far too many Catholics have become consumed with greed and the opinions of society. We see the results of this moral failure in the fact that our Christian nation continues to slaughter a million innocent children through abortion each year. We see it reflected in the growing indifference towards immoral acts of euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research. This wandering from the truth manifests itself in the increasing attacks against the meaning and sanctity of human sexuality and traditional marriage. Not only have many Catholics tolerated these things, a large number of Catholics have elected officials who advocate these unholy practices!!

The example of Amos serves as a reminder and an inspiration to all of us as followers of Christ. Most of us are not prophets by trade or training. Certainly there are certain truths of our faith that we wish were easier to accept. And if it were up to us, we would just go through life minding our own business and making ends meet. But as Christians, we have been given the challenge and privilege of proclaiming the truth, in our time and in our culture, no matter how foreign or unpopular that truth might be. Imagine the good that would follow in our world if all of us, as a group of Catholics, stood up for the truth, completely and unapologetically. This is how Christ commissioned the Apostles in today's gospel and by our baptism, we have received that same mission. Allow this Eucharistic sacrifice to give you strength, especially in those moments and circumstances where you might be tempted to waver and soften the truth. And if there have been times where you have forsaken that truth, ask the Lord for his pardon and peace. 

  Sadly, there will always be people who reject the message. Maybe some of us were in that group at one time  We may have to move on and proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ to others, just as the disciples were told to move on when they were rejected. But don't stop praying for them. And be patient.  Joy, happiness and the Presence of the Lord are contagious.  Sometimes, though, it takes time for people to allow God’s grace to soften their heart. Most importantly, don’t be silent! Many people will hear the message clearer when it comes from you rather than from me or any other priest. Because of your work, friendships, and human connections, you will have opportunities to witness to God’s truth to people and places I will never have a chance to encounter or enter. 

May we be a people, like Amos, who proclaims the whole truth of the Lord, in and out of season, whether it is popular or not, so that in this life, and more importantly, in the life to come, we may be truly and eternally blessed.  

Death is not a Problem for God (13th Sunday, Year B)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

I want to offer an analogy for today’s gospel that sounds utterly ridiculous and seemingly trite. I promise I am not making light of the profound mysteries of suffering and death presented in the Scriptures. But for my simple mind, it makes perfect sense and I hope it will for you as well! So here is my great theological statement: God sees suffering and death like I see broken lawn mowers. Hold on! Put down your tomatoes! What do I mean? Over the past couple of years I have offered the Lazurus Small Engine Repair Service because I was amazed at how many folks threw away perfectly viable lawn equipment because of some small problem. To them it was ruined, good for nothing, never-gonna-run again trash. In nearly every case it was actually only a dirty carburetor, minor repair, or missing part. If you understand how a small engine works, then almost any problem can be fixed, most of them quickly and easily. If you don’t understand these engines, even the simplest problem seems catastrophic, unfixable and overwhelming. In two years, I have been able to keep almost 100 pieces of law equipment from getting unnecessarily trashed, much to the relief of their owners. Of course this analogy could be used for any area of expertise. Each of you has something you excel in and understand while the rest of us flounder. You see solutions and fixes where others simply see confusion and hopelessness. For example, I am utterly paralyzed when it comes to sewing. When a button falls off a shirt, my first impulse is to buy another one. When pants aren’t the right length, the idea of altering them seems only slightly less daunting than attempting open heart surgery.  

Does this rambling make sense? I suppose what I am trying to say is that what seems mysterious or impossible for one person is no problem for another. It’s a matter of training, experience, and perspective. But what about the topic of today’s scriptures? Does anyone have an answer for death, which one day will claim all of us? How do we make sense of suffering which often afflicts the innocent and helpless? How do we square these very real and often painful experiences with what we believe about God, who is revealed as all-powerful and all-good? 

The first truth given to us from the author of Wisdom is that death does not come from God. It was not part of his plan for the world and he does not rejoice in our suffering and loss. In fact, it hurts him even more than it hurts us! Let's face it, most of us cannot understand death, so we put it all on God's shoulders. "It's God's will”, we say when a person dies. No it isn't. To say that God wanted someone to die is to say that God does evil things. If God is All Good (and He is), how can He do evil things? Did God have a bad day? God does not have bad days. So how can we understand the existence of sickness and death? How can we understand why good people and innocent children become terribly sick and even die? 

Some of these questions cannot be completely understood this side of heaven but we certainly are wrong when we pass the blame off to God. He made everything wholesome and good. He formed man to be imperishable, made in His own image. But through the envy of the devil, death entered into the world. This is something else we don't like to think about. Sickness and death are the result of sin. Most often this is not the result of the sins of the person who gets sick or dies, but is due to the consequences of sin in the world and generational sin that has been gathering momentum over the course of thousands of years of humans hurting each other. It’s also tempting to blame Adam and Eve, but that takes us out of the picture. We are not that innocent. Within every human heart rages a battle between good and evil and the choices we make impact many others, for good or ill.

But as powerful as the tragedies of sin and death truly are, there is something far more mighty and lasting. God did not make death but he knows how to overcome it. God mysteriously allows suffering to continue in our world but he offers a solution to give it meaning. In the person of Jesus, God himself experienced suffering and death so he could rise above it and offer us a path to eternal life. 

God has a solution for every problem that affects humanity. However, God’s wisdom doesn’t always line up with human logic. There are things and people we see as completely hopeless, totally broken, and dead forever. God looks at those same problems and says, “I can fix that”, “fear is useless, what is needed here is faith.” What looks like death is only sleep! I can make you new, alive, and beautiful! 

Our problems of seemingly impossible suffering and irreversible death are nothing compared to God’s loving power and compassionate heart. He can raise the dead as simply as we wake a child from a nap. He can heal the sick as effortlessly as we get a mower running or a seamstress sews on a button! So what is the primary thing God needs from us to unleash his power in our lives? It is humble faith. In each of the healings in the gospel, we find someone trusting God. Their hearts are open to Jesus and willing to do whatever he asks them. There is a holy boldness that moves the woman to fight through the crowd and touch the Lord. There is an urgency and decisiveness that moves Jairus to ask Jesus to stop what he is doing and come to his house to help his daughter. 

Are we like these holy and courageous characters? Or are we like the crowd that jostles Jesus mindlessly? Are we the ones telling the woman there is nothing Jesus can do and certainly touching his garment won’t fix anything? Is it possible we are more like the mourners at Jairus’ house who mock Jesus when he says the girl is not dead but asleep? We become those people every time we put our wisdom before God’s, every time we think we know better and seek to change his laws and ways with our own. We risk dismissing the Lord of life and Solver of sadness whenever we judge a person or problem to be beyond hope and healing, as completely dead and lost. 

May God fill us with humble faith and holy boldness that we may go to him first with our problems, sufferings, and losses. Let us trust that he has power over it all and his solutions will always be what is best for us and our loved ones!