The Blessing of Family (Holy Family, 2023)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

It’s difficult not to be sentimental this time of year, even for a crusty German like me! This season of celebration and being together as family contains so many happy memories for me growing up. The frenzy of excitement as we cleaned and decorated our little house in Hazelwood so we could host my mom’s family on Christmas Eve. The impatient praying at Midnight Mass, which actually started at midnight, at St. Agatha’s parish in South St. Louis, anticipating the many gifts that would appear under the tree a few hours later. The waking up at the crack of dawn to stare at the mountain of gifts Santa had brought. The lazy days between Christmas and New Year’s Day where we could play games for hours, enjoy having dad home from work, eat the leftovers from special Christmas feasts, and put our new gifts through their paces. What wonderful times those were! What simple pleasures! But what made these memories most special was not the gifts, the food, or the time of relaxing. What made the memories an everlasting joy were the people, my family. Despite our expected arguing, bickering, and occasional grudges, my family has and continues to be, a place of joy, strength, refuge, accountability, and faith. I hope you can say something similar as you think of your own families who loved and formed you!

The human family is not simply an evolutionary construct or a gathering of convenience; it's part of God’s plan. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says the family is the “domestic Church.” Long before we went to Catholic school or PSR, or knew what was happening at Mass, we were being taught in our families how to love, how to share, how to forgive and pray. God, in his wisdom, knows that the safety, acceptance, and calm of the family is the most natural place for humans to learn how to love Him and others. That is why the family will always be sacred and why the Church will never stop fighting to protect families from sin, evil, abuse, and redefinition.

We need this encouragement and protection now more than ever. Family life today is difficult. Has any one here not seen loved ones affected by divorce, the scourge of alcohol and narcotics, the breakdown of discipline, or profound hurts that produce grudges lasting decades?

We should pay attention to St Paul's letter to the Colossians which contains timeless advice. Apparently word had reached Paul that Christian families in that city were falling apart. And so he notes the qualities that must be present in any Christian home. "Bear with one another. Forgive one another... Over all these put on love...Christ's peace must reign in your hearts...Be thankful...Wives, cherish your husbands...Husbands, love your wives...Children, obey your parents in everything.”

What a home it would be to find all the qualities Paul mentions! It really would be a holy family! Oftentimes when we hear these things we let our cynicism win and think, “my family could never do all that.” But our Church is an everlasting optimist! She hopes for the best! With God all things are possible! That was the message last week and it is still true a week later, even with our families! How can our families grow holier if we don’t try? We may never be the holiest family but with God’s grace we can certainly be a holy family! 

Some of you may be thinking, “Get your head out of the clouds, Padre! How can we relate to the Holy Family? Joseph was a celibate. Mary a virgin. Jesus the Son of God. They had it easy!” But we do Mary, Joseph, and Jesus a disservice if we fantasize their lives. Take the Christmas stable for example. We picture it as something rustic and charming. However, stables are constructed for livestock, not families. That Christmas stable was crawling with dangerous vermin and foul odors. There were no pampers, heat, or fresh water. Imagine the cold drafts. Mary and Joseph had to be sick with worry for the Infant's health. Where would the next meal for the Baby come from? Soon there would be a murderous king hunting them and the need to flee to another country. Consider, too, the teen years of Jesus. Most teens believe they know everything. Can you imagine raising one who did?! Each family has their own unique challenges to face. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph faced theirs together with faith; how do we approach ours?

We celebrate not the feast of the Perfect Family but the feast of the Holy Family. God knows, each of us comes from imperfect families and we all contribute our fair share to the dysfunction and neurotic tendencies found in every home. The good news is that God loves working with imperfect people! He can make you and your loved ones holy in the course of daily life. But we have to give him opportunities to make it happen. In our time the main dangers to family life are a lack of silence, stillness, and being present to each other. Modern life and technology constantly isolate us and keep us running around so there is no time to truly listen to those we live with. And let’s not forget, we are not simply waging battle against human weakness or a hostile culture. The devil hates the things God loves; families are at the top of his list to divide, distract, and destroy. But we should never be afraid or lose hope because God will always protect us if we entrust our family to him. And God most often gives us grace in ordinary moments of life. Ask yourself these questions to get the conversation started with God on how to be a holy family:

1. when was the last time I gave my family my undivided attention and was completely present to them without the tv, phone, internet, or any other distraction pulling at me? Is there regular moments they know I am focused on them above all else?
2. Do I make time each day to communicate meaningfully with the people in my home? Do I know what is on their heart or do I mostly engage in small talk? Do I listen as much as I speak? Am I willing to share my heart, including my thoughts, feelings, and desires or do I simply convey information?
3. How often do I pray with my family, before meals, at the end of the day, even over the phone before ending a conversation with a family member who might be living out of town?
4. Am I doing my part to make my family a domestic church? Do I act in a way that fosters a community of respect, love, warmth, compassion, forgiveness, strength, holiness, peace, service, and gratitude? Or is it all about me?

These are some of the basic things we can do in our families to create a holy environment in our homes. Holiness then fosters happiness and healthiness which we all need. May God bless our families today and heal any hurts that keep us from loving as we should. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, help us!

You Can Have My Room! (Christmas, 2023)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

First of all, I want to wish all of you a very merry Christmas! This is my 7th Christmas at Incarnate Word and I cherish this holiday as a time to see and pray with so many of you! I pray that this is your best Christmas yet and you each experience profound peace and joy within yourself and with your loved ones!

I heard a sweet story about an unscripted moment that happened at a grade-school Christmas play. We’ve all been in the audience for these festive performances which never fail to make us smile because of their unpredictable and precious nature. In this case, there was a second-grader named Wally who inadvertently stole the show. Wally was one of those big second-graders, having been held back a year before kindergarten and also having a late-summer birthday. This delayed entry into school was all for the better because Wally was never going to be an academic superstar; his gifts lie elsewhere. Wally was blessed with a big heart, endless optimism, helpful, with a ready smile, a natural defender of the underdog, and well-liked by his classmates. His parents encouraged him to audition for the annual Christmas play. Wally wanted to be a shepherd but he was given the role of the innkeeper. The director reasoned that Wally’s size would lend extra force to the innkeeper’s refusal of lodging to Joseph. During rehearsals, Wally was instructed to be firm with St. Joseph. When the play opened, no one was more caught up in the action than Wally. When Joseph knocked on the door of the inn, Wally was ready. He flung the door open and asked with a big scowl, “What do you want?” “We seek lodging,” Joseph replied. “Seek it somewhere else,” said Wally in a firm voice: “There’s no room in the inn.” “Please, good innkeeper,” Joseph pleaded, “this is my wife, Mary. She is about to have a baby and is very tired. She needs a place to rest.” There was a long pause as Wally looked down at Mary. A teacher whispered Wally’s next line: “No! Be gone!” Wally remained silent. Mary and Joseph turned and slowly began to move away. Seeing this, Wally’s true self got the better of him. Tears welled up in his eyes and he called out, “Don’t go! You can have my room.” 

This little story is light-hearted and sweet but it hints at something deeper within ourselves. Most of us in church know what it is like to be comfortable at home and to hear a knock on the front door or have the phone ring at the worse possible moment. When this happens, many of us contend with that dilemma: do I avoid answering or do I go the extra mile and engage with the person on the other end? Many times, for a whole host of reasons; we tell others there is no more room at the inn and we ask that person to go somewhere else.

But our homes and phones are not the only things we guard carefully. So too our hearts and our time. When we look across the horizon of salvation history, recorded in Sacred Scripture and secular history, we notice how often people, indeed entire cultures, closed the doors of their hearts to the message of love and peace God desired to share.  Again and again, God knocked on the doors of the human heart, first at the dawn of creation with Adam and Eve then through his prophets, angels, judges, and kings. And as many times as our God offered his incredible offer of divine forgiveness and peace, we responded by either ignoring his invitation or going back on our promise to be faithful. We replied, in no uncertain terms, there is no room at the inn, go somewhere else! But in his never-ending goodness, God never gave up on us! And that is what we celebrate today. That in the fulness of time, God would send his only-begotten Son, born of a virgin in a manger, amidst farm animals, visited by kings and shepherds. Here, in this little baby, was the Son of God, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Wonder-Counselor, the Prince of Peace. He is the Word-Made-Flesh, who has come to earth to invite us to let him in so he might share his peace, mercy, and love.

Today Christ is seeking a place to stay, wondering if we will make room for him. Someone beautifully wrote, “Christ could be born a thousand times in Bethlehem – but all in vain until He is born in me.” Each of us knows, in some way, we have refused to open that door due to sin, fear, or selfishness. As we gather here to celebrate again the birth of Jesus, we should ask ourselves what it is that causes us to close the doors of our heart to the Christ-child. Is it a lack of faith that God will provide all that I need, even if it is not all I want? Is it because I have deep-rooted addiction to some sin I don’t want to give up? Do I resist the invitation to pray each day, filling that time instead with activity or mindless screen time? Am I so attached to an unhealthy relationship that I fear life without it? Am I unwilling to set aside my greed, lust, anger, bitterness, fear, or shame which barricades the door of my heart from welcoming the many gifts Jesus desires to share with me?  

Today Christ knocks on the door of every human heart not as a threatening judge, not as a fierce warrior, not as an impersonal god. He comes to us as a gentle and innocent baby, reflecting the infinite love and mercy of the God who never stops seeking to win our hearts. Make room to embrace the Incarnate Word and experience his freedom which liberates us from the slavery of sin. May Jesus always find a home in our hearts, minds, and homes! Today our savior is born, come let us adore him.

Testify to the Light (3rd Sunday of Advent, Year B)

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I can’t exactly tell you why, but I have always had a fascination with flashlights. Probably because every one in our house never worked! I also loved the variety. You can find lights powered by different batteries and bulbs, with or without the option to focus the beam. They could be heavy or lightweight, rechargeable or disposable, halogen or LED, massive or compact. Growing up, I would constantly ask for one for birthdays or Christmas, and always for extra batteries because I knew at least one sibling would try to steal my light and hid in a dark room flashing it on and off like a weirdo. One of my all-time favorites was the venerable Maglite which used to be a status symbol in the flashlight community. Made of aircraft-quality aluminum that was rugged and durable, you could find them ranging in size from the handy mini-mag which used two AA batteries to the Maglite white star, which used 6 D batteries and stretched nearly two feet long. I never did get that mega-maglite but it wasn’t for a lack of trying!

These days my enthusiasm for flashlights and other task lighting has not diminished, my affection is just more mature. I realize there is no single flashlight or work-light that can do everything so I must have all of them! I even brought a few of my go-to’s so you can see that I am serious. Headlamp (handsfree, attic, hiking), Solar lantern (recharged by the sun and ready for an emergency), two m18 work lights (one has a hook and an adjustable head while the other is magnetic and sticks to a vehicle or metal that you are welding!). The last and most used is a streamlight Strion which is small but mighty, rechargeable and 3 different brightness settings. I have one in the house and one in the truck and use it all the time!) It is so bright, that if you shine it in someone’s eyes in the dark, they will be blinded and disoriented for a few moments. Ask me how I know!

Perhaps you don’t share my passion for flashlights; that is regrettable but forgivable! However, all of us are drawn to light. We need it for so many aspects of daily life and we appreciate the safety and security it brings. Light is a good thing! I have yet to see advertising for a flashlight that says “our product produces the least amount of light and probably won’t have any power when you need it.” We all want light that is both bright and long-lasting. But no matter what man-made light we swear by, no matter how big the bulb or brightness rating, all of them pale in comparison to the sun. All of them are limited in the light they can provide.

The theme of light can be found everywhere in the Advent season. Isaiah tells us that the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light. Today, in the gospel, the theme of light comes to the forefront as we hear that “a man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

John was the greatest prophet that ever lived. He was the brightest light that would point to the messiah. He was the crown of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New. He inspired and captivated huge crowds and some of them even wondered if he might be the messiah or Elijah, back from the dead. But John’s brilliance, as good as he was, was dazzling in contrast to the darkness. His light, preparing the way of the Lord, was only bright in the absence of the One who was light from light, true God from true God. Compared to Christ, John paled, like any flashlight, which is so bright in the darkness but no match for the sunlight. 

The beautiful thing is that John knew this and embraced it. When asked by the crowds who he was, he made it clear that he was not the Christ, nor Elijah but simply “the voice of one crying out in the desert, 'make straight the way of the Lord.'" As a sign of his great humility, John said: “there is one coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie." John’s role as a prophet was simply to be a light leading others to Christ; his purpose was not to try and outshine Christ or to confuse people on where the true light can be found. How easy it could have been for him to take credit for what he was saying and doing, to promote himself and try to take the glory. 

This lesson of humility is really important for us as modern day people. It is far too easy to get caught up in being number one and competing with our rivals in business, school, social circles, and even church. So much energy can be spent on trying to outshine others that we forget that there is only one true light that gives meaning to our lives and peace to our souls.  

As followers of Christ, you and I are called to be lights in the midst of darkness. Like John the baptist, the Lord wants us to live lives of joy and courage, witnessing to him and preparing his way as he enters our world.  

On this third Sunday of Advent, the Church tells us to rejoice because the saving light of Christ’s birth is drawing near. If we have the attitude of John, it will be easy to rejoice because we know the victory has already been won, that sin and death have no more power over us, and that all the good we do is not because of us but through Jesus. There is a great freedom in living, loving, and thinking this way. It is no longer up to us to make everything work or chase away every darkness; the glory and the worry are God’s. So let us quietly and humbly prepare the way of the Lord, pointing others to the one true light, Jesus Christ.    

Clear a Highway (2nd Sunday, Year B)

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Coming home is the central theme of the Scripture readings for the Second Sunday of Advent. All three readings focus on the absolute necessity of getting ready for Christ’s return into our hearts and lives by true repentance, reparation, prayer and the renewal of our lives. I am especially struck by the first reading, from the prophet Isaiah, which describes the Babylonian exiles coming home to their native country, Judah, and their holy city, Jerusalem. Isaiah assures his people that the Lord will lead them in a grand procession to their homeland and take care of them as a shepherd cares for his sheep.

I love the command to prepare the way of the Lord. The prophet describes the task at hand; make a highway that is straight, fill in the valleys, knock down the mountains, don’t let anything stand in the way. 

It reminds me of a wonderful experience I had growing up when highway 370 was being built. Part of this new road happened to run through the woods immediately behind our house. As a result, we were able to watch the whole process from beginning to end. I am fairly certain we creeped out the workers because after school each day, we would go to the edge of the woods, climb high into the trees and watch them work several hundred feet away. But we sure did learn a lot about how a road is built!

First was the clearing of the trees and other vegetation. Once that was finished, surveyors came and staked out the general outline of the expressway. After that, the heavy machinery followed. Magnificent equipment that moved incredible amounts of earth so the new roadway could be flat, wide, and straight. Those road scrapers could haul 130,000 lbs of earth in every load and the large bulldozers that work alongside them pushed a blade that was 26’ wide by 9’  tall. For someone who loves power equipment, this stage was a dream come true! After this heavy earth moving was done, precise grading equipment followed, along with compactors, tons of gravel, rebar and concrete forms, and then long lines of mixer trucks, and workers who finished the concrete with the proper texture and slight angle so the water would drain. 

From start to finish, the project took a couple years and it made a lasting impression on me, watching everything that went into a road that most people would soon use at high speed with hardly a thought to all that went into it. I will always have admiration for the incredible range of equipment and technique that goes into construction, the combination of brute force and masterful skill. And the fact that it takes years of work and planning to produce a road that, once completed, could be covered in a matter of minutes, from start to finish.

But isn’t that is the whole point of preparing the way?! To transform something, someplace that currently is difficult or impossible to travel into a new creation that propels us to our destination. I like to think if Isaiah or John the Baptist saw how roads are built today, they would exclaim, “now that is what I am talking about!”

The dynamics at work in building infrastructure also apply to our spiritual lives. For most of us, there are mountains and valleys that stand between us and God’s grace. A path is possible but it must be cleared. The first step is to bulldoze the major obstacles so a new way can be plotted. The heavy lifting is not our worry; God’s grace provides the power to move whatever stands in the way. We simply have to cooperate with his gifts; accept the grace he offers through the sacraments, personal prayer, and the guidance of the Church. God’s love is capable of clearing a highway through years of sin, addiction, judgement, and self-hatred and he can do so in record time. Nothing can defeat him!

Once the large sins have been eradicated and cleared away, the finer work continues as we learn to live the virtues, look for ways to love and serve others, and choose to live our faith because we want to make God happy rather than worrying about being punished. Our faith and relationship with God becomes something we are proud of, a priority that receives the best of who we are and what we have, something we willing to share with others. It becomes part of who we are and we practice it with skill, dedication, and joy. 

This process take place over years but when we look back, if we embrace it, we see that God’s grace and love can now move faster and freer than when we first started. God has a highway straight to our mind, heart, and soul. 

But like any road, our relationship with God requires regular maintenance and care. Potholes must be patched, sections may need to be replaced, new lanes added for additional traffic! 

Advent is a time for careful examination and spiritual evaluation. How easily can God reach my heart right now? What is the state of my soul today? Is it a multi-lane expressway, clear as far as the eye can see? Or is it littered with debris, in need of repair? Most of us probably have some work to do; I know I sure do! In these short advent weeks and every day after, let us prepare the way of the Lord within our hearts, making clear a highway for him and his gifts to come rushing into our lives whenever he so wishes!

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

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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)

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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!