There's Something We Need To Talk About...(23rd Sunday, Year A)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

Last week’s Scriptures encouraged us to consider our relationship with the Truth. Are we willing to speak it, defend it, and even suffer for it, when God’s truth makes us unpopular or unwelcome? Last week’s readings also confronted us with another question; are we willing to hear the truth about ourselves, even when it is difficult or requires change on our part? In my own self-reflection, I have to admit that sometimes I have been willing to compromise the truth or remain silent because there is part of me that would rather be popular, accepted, and free from conflict. There are other times where I get defensive about hearing the truth about myself, especially my faults or failures. I have been tempted to lash out, to be critical of those offering correction rather than humbly receiving feedback as an opportunity to grow in virtue and excellence. Perhaps you can think of similar moments in your own experience?! Last week’s Scriptures made it clear that to be in friendship with God, we must be committed to truth, no matter where it leads us. Today’s Scriptures continue that theme but now apply it to our friendships with others!

In the first reading, God says to Ezekiel, “You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. If I tell the wicked, "O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.” God goes on to tell Ezekiel if he warns the wayward sinner and is ignored, it is no longer the prophet’s problem; he has done his job. That is an important reminder for us too! We are responsible for speaking the truth in our vocations but we are not responsible for the results. We cannot control whether a person accepts God’s truth but we must make sure they have a chance to hear it. The gospel builds on this theme of truthful but loving correction as Jesus lays out a process of charitable confrontation to be used when someone has fallen into sin. 

Both of these readings, with their mandate to correct the sinner, to share difficult truths in love, fly in the face of what our feelings-first, anything goes, morally-subjective society tells us to do. Our culture often preaches that we should never rock the boat, that offending someone is the worst sin we could ever commit. Ahhh, but the Word of God offers another perspective, which is certainly more challenging but also more loving. 

Just as He told the prophet Ezekiel, God tells us, ‘you are a watchman, a watchwoman for my kingdom. If we see someone doing wrong and say nothing; we are in some way responsible too!’ We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, with two important caveats: 1) we are dealing primarily with major moral issues and 2), we always examine our own lives 1st before confronting another! If we truly love every person, we should want them to share in the truth of God’s saving and loving commandments. We are never confronting someone to win them over to our view or our opinions (that would be proud and arrogant) but to share God’s truth. We have to want what is best for them, which is not just earthly comfort or contentment but everlasting happiness in heaven. Many times that will mean supporting others with encouragement and love. Sometimes that will mean respectfully pointing out ways a person is wandering away from God. We see this in good parenting; loving parents not only encourage their children but also correct them. They always strive to do so with love but true concern for the child means confronting wrongdoing directly and not ignoring it. 

There is nothing easy about confronting another person about something as personal as sin. Thankfully, in the gospel, Jesus gives us method for doing so with the best possible chance of a good outcome. We would be wise to follow his approach, which starts small with just two people and only involves others if absolutely necessary. We also can’t hope to give correction if we aren’t first open to receive it. Every one of us is imperfect and sinful in some way. We must be humble enough to accept charitable criticism from the prophets God sends into our lives. The experience of receiving correction prepares us to offer it compassionately. We know how the first reaction we feel is often shame, pride, anger, or defensiveness. It doesn’t mean the person is wrong but often our first response to correction is pushing back or lashing out. Understanding this helps us to be kind to the person who loves us enough to point out our sins. It also allows us to absorb the feelings of those whom we correct without taking it personally.

  

Ultimately, we aren’t having these difficult conversations with others using our standards, trying to get our way, or seeking to make life easier for ourselves. We are not trying to win or be right! Instead we are trying to win the person back to Christ and his saving truth. We are doing for them what we would want someone to do for us if we were in the same situation. And so our motivation should always be love and compassion for the other person. To help us have the proper intentions, we must pray about the situation and for the person before we ever open our mouths. We should be respectful and make sure not to talk to everyone else about their faults and weaknesses. Just as we appreciate someone coming directly to us about a problem, so we should do for others. Everything we do should be motivated by Godly love. May you and I be humble servants of God’s truth, willing to speak up respectfully and humbly when someone has wandered from God. If we do so with love, God might use that as the first moment of a conversion that brings a person closer to him for all eternity! 

Truth and Friendship (22nd Sunday, Year A)

To listen to this homily, click here.

One of the last academic requirements in seminary, before we were cast into the wilderness called parish ministry, was to write a thesis paper and defend it before a panel of our professors. It had to be at least 50 pages, have numerous citations from different sources, be formatted properly, so on and so forth- in other words, not something you just pump out in a weekend after months of procrastinating! As someone who likes to tinker with fonts, margins, and spacing to eke out the bare minimum, this was a daunting task. If I was going to get this done, I had to write about something I was interested in. So I chose spiritual friendship and ended up finishing my thesis 6 months early with 20 pages more than I needed! In my reflecting and writing about friendship, one particular quote from the book of Sirach has always stuck with me, “Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter; whoever finds one finds a treasure. Faithful friends are beyond price, no amount can balance their worth. Faithful friends are life-saving medicine; those who fear God will find them.” 

Thinking of my friendships throughout the years, they truly are my greatest treasure. But what is the distinction between an acquaintance and a friend? How do you know when someone becomes that sturdy shelter you can rely on? Once again, the author of Sirach offers some helpful guidance! “Let those who are friendly to you be many, but one in a thousand your confidant. When you gain friends, gain them through testing, and do not be quick to trust them. For there are friends when it suits them, but they will not be around in time of trouble.” If I were to add anything, it would simply be this: “A true friend tells you the truth, no matter how difficult. They will speak up when you have broccoli in your teeth, when your shirt is a little too tight and needs to be retired or the shoes that you’ve been wearing for ten years are out of style and belong in a museum. A true friend will stop you when you try to talk like the cool kids, using slang and won’t care when you protest with the excuse, “well, Fr. Schneier says things are “fire”! Authentic friendship is based in truth and true friends want what is best for each other, even when that is difficult, painful, and sacrificial. That’s why a real friend is so rare and precious. So often, we stop short of the mark and just say what people want to hear, thinking more of feelings than eternal destiny.

In our first reading, we hear the heartfelt lament of Jeremiah, who is a true friend of the Lord and his loyal prophet. He expresses something we’ve all felt before when our commitment to God’s truth gets in the way of just getting along and blending in with others. Part of Jeremiah wants to stop sharing the Lord’s message because it gets him in trouble and makes him unpopular. Jeremiah continues to speak in the name of the Lord because he has seen the love and the wisdom of God. Whenever he tried to remain silent about this great truth, he experienced a burning in his heart, a scorching heat in his bones. And so, despite the mockery and punishment that awaits him, because of his friendship with God and his love for the Lord’s people, Jeremiah can’t help but speak the truth.

We see the same thing happening in the Gospel today. Jesus begins to tell his apostles that he must go to Jerusalem, where he will suffer and die. Simon Peter, who was praised by Christ just a few moments before, cannot believe this crazy idea and scolds Jesus for speaking this way. And what does the Lord say to him? “Get behind me Satan, you are not thinking as God does, but as human beings do.” Anyone who wants to follow him must be prepared to take up their cross and lay down their very life in service of the truth. Jesus makes it clear that following him is a complete act of faith that will involve suffering and courage. Jesus shares this difficult truth with Peter and the apostles, he corrects their mistaken notion of glory and greatness even though it created an awkward, painful moment. He wants them to know the truth, even if that truth makes them upset, angry, or uncomfortable because he loves and respects them too much to offer anything less.

Jesus offers this same profound friendship to us! Jesus loves you and me enough to tell us the truth about ourselves if we want to hear it. Those who use other people rarely tell them hard truths. It’s too risky; pointing out their failings may result in offense and rejection. But love will take the risk, because love always goes after what is best for the beloved. A true friend will tell you when you’re wrong so you can get back on the right track. Jesus is that true friend to Peter and he is that loyal friend to us, always for our own good and everlasting happiness. 

Jesus continues to love and guide us in friendship through his Church. This is how he remains with us always, even til the end of the age. It’s also why the Catholic Church often insists on maintaining the difficult truths that people don’t want to hear on things like marriage and family life, contraception, divorce and remarriage, human sexuality, abortion, the need for attending Mass every Sunday, frequent confession, and so many other topics we are tempted to just leave alone and be silent about. Often we shy away, we leave it to someone else, and we might even complain, rebel, or lash out when difficult things are brought up concerning ways we we are out of step with Church teaching. But if Jesus loved Peter enough to correct him so directly and clearly, how can the Church do anything less? It was a risk for Jesus to admonish Peter, who might have taken offense and stormed off, never to return. It is a risk for the Church to continue speaking out on these truths and admonishing those who stray. Many Catholics get angry and decide to leave. But for us and for the Church to remain silent about God’s truth, in the hopes of placating guilty consciences or creating superficial friendships, this would be failing to truly love others as we are called!

This week, our scriptures ask us to examine our commitment to the truth and whether we are ready to endure hardship for its sake. Are we willing to speak the truth to others, in love of course, but always truth in its pure, unvarnished form? Or do we tend towards silence when truth gets difficult? If so, what kind of friends are we to God and to others? True friendship requires sharing the truth, even when it’s difficult. Lastly, how do we receive correction when we wander from the way of truth? Do we take our medicine as Peter did from the Lord? Or do we lash out, punishing the messenger, resenting the Church for speaking the hard truths that challenge, confound, and convict us? May you and I be in love with what is true! May we be willing to hear it, speak it, and defend it! And may we never forget that any hardship suffered for it’s sake will be rewarded with everlasting joy and glory!

 

Jesus Revolution (20th Sunday, Year A)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

    This weekend, I had the opportunity to watch a lovely film called, “The Jesus Revolution.” This movie centers around the spiritual awakening that started in Southern California within a community of teenagers and then spread around the US and eventually the world. Prior to this “Jesus Revolution”, there was a sweeping counter-cultural movement among young people that was seeking truth, enlightenment, and freedom while also distrusting government, institutions, and formal religion. These so-called hippies sought acceptance and higher purpose in all sorts of places, philosophies, and life-styles, but as the movie and history shows, they continually found themselves unsatisfied. The Jesus Revolution celebrated Scripture and the person of Jesus as the key to finding abiding truth, lasting love, purpose, and the healing embrace of a caring community. The human longing for these good things was well-communicated in the movie and they are not restricted to just the hippie movement or a single moment in time.

This feeling of belonging, this yearning to be accepted and cherished or conversely, the fear of not fitting in or wondering what our place in the world might be, is something we all experience at different points of life as we start a new school year, begin a new job, move into a different neighborhood, or join a different parish. Our psalm and first two readings are beautiful scriptures about inclusion in the best and truest sense of the word. Through Isaiah, the Lord states that any foreigner who unites themselves to him will be part of his family. God’s house is meant to be a house of prayer for all peoples. The psalm exclaims, “O God, let all the nations praise you!” Even the fiery St. Paul shares the love and reminds the Gentiles that God’s mercy is extended to them as well.

This theme of belonging, of acceptance in God’s house seems to hit a brick wall with the gospel. The feeling of not belonging someplace appears forced on the woman who comes to Jesus seeking healing for her daughter. She was a Canaanite, a gentile, a pagan. The apostles try to shoo her away! Who does she think she is: asking healing from this Jesus, a Jewish Holy Man? Jesus Himself seemed to emphasize this exclusion when He joined the sentiment of the crowd and said that He was only sent for the lost sheep of Israel. But the woman wouldn’t give up. 

She demanded an audience with Him. Her faith was further tested when the Lord said “it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs”, dogs being the Jewish way of referring to the gentiles. Her response that even the dogs eat the food that falls from the table showed Jesus her faith in Him would not waiver. It was clear that she belonged there, before the Lord. No one could say she didn't belong. She couldn't even say that about herself. Rather than mistreating her or pushing her away, Jesus, who alone can read hearts and souls, is actually testing and rewarding her faith.

None of us should ever feel that we don't belong before the Lord. We do belong here in his house. We belong because he has called us to be here. Of course we are not good enough to be in His Presence. Not on our own. But He makes us good enough. That is what Baptism does. And, if we squander the Grace of our Baptism, then Reconciliation makes us good enough. Everyone in the Church belongs here. And there are billions of people outside the Church who also belong here. This is the Catholic Church. The word Catholic literally means universal. All people from all lands, demographics, and races belong in the Church. They deserve to know Christ and the healing he offers.

The Catholic Church is not a white Church or a black Church, an Asian Church or a Hispanic Church. The Catholic Church is not an American Church. The Catholic Church is not a European Church. An attitude of “us’ vs “them”, “insider” vs “outsider” has no place in Catholicism. The Catholic Church is the universal Church. All people belong here. Saints and sinners belong here. People who are living exemplary lives belong here. People who are seeking to live better lives belong here. Most of us, probably all of us, are in that second group. We don't go to Church because we are so holy. We go to Church because we are seeking holiness. We all find ourselves here because we have tried to be good and do good on our own and it didn’t work so well. We wanted to be self-sufficient and many have tried to self-medicate with wealth, success, pleasure, and countless other things but the emptiness still remains. Only God heals and satisfies. If you are seeking a friendship with God, if you have made mistakes but wish to be made whole and learn from them, you belong here.

There are many people here at Incarnate Word Parish, including myself, who come to Mass every week and even every day, asking God to heal us. We are seeking to be sincere in our practice of the faith. We belong here. "Come, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, the Lord said. He didn't exclude anyone. He said, all you who are weary. One of the most effective weapons the devil uses against us is convincing us that we are entitled to the Grace of God without repentance or humility. That no change or sacrifice is needed. The devil wants us to settle for less than God knows we can be. The devil also wants to divide God’s family and create little camps opposed to each other. The Lord promises he will never give up on us. So we don’t have the right to give up on ourselves or each other. God wants his family together for prayer and service, no matter how imperfect and complicated that family may be. And so, we come before Him this Sunday and every Sunday. We come before Him with simple, humble, faith like the Canaanite woman and we ask Him for healing. We learn to be patient and persevere, even when it feels like Jesus is testing our faith. Especially in those times, like the quick-witted woman of the gospel, we trust Him. For His mercy and compassion are infinitely greater than our sins. His timeline is wiser and better than ours, too! We look at the image of our Lord on the cross. We meditate on what He has done for us. And in complete humility we say, "I belong here and to each other, you belong here.” Let us all work and pray that the Catholic Church and our Incarnate Word parish may be a house of prayer for all people so all the nations will praise God!

Focus, Not Talent, Makes Us Great (19th Sunday, Year A)

To listen to this homily, click here.

I had a free evening last weekend and I excitedly got some good food and plopped in front of my tv to find something to watch. I have access to three different streaming platforms but as I scrolled through each of them, I felt like there was nothing to watch. How was that even possible?! This has happened before and what I end up doing is finding some documentary, either on crime or sports and sort of half-watch it while working on other things. This particular doc was following various professional athletes as they train and compete. You see some of the behind-the-scenes prep and the struggle for many of them to remain at the top of their game while balancing the demands of training, the pressure of big matches, and the inevitable self-doubt and disappointment that comes from losing. More and more of these premier athletes work with sport psychologists to clear their minds and remain focused on winning and improvement. The author James Clear, explored the practices of highly successful athletes and professionals in his book, Atomic Habits. What he found was that, by and large, most of them found success by constantly improving in little ways all the time. Also, they generally were not vastly more talented than others. Instead, what each of them shared in common was the ability to stay focussed when others got distracted, discouraged, or overwhelmed. In other words, “what looks like a talent gap is often a focus gap, vision is the bottleneck of talent.” Their ability stay focussed on the game, their training, and the things around them was the actual talent that people like Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, and so many other elite athletes used to become the GOAT of their sport. 

Our Scriptures reveal this same truth on a spiritual level. The difference between a saint and sinner is not some sort of special favor mysteriously give to some and not others, nor is a thing some are born with and others will never have. Instead, the ability to grow in holiness in some small way each day and to focus on what is most important in any given situation while blocking out what is not, that is what makes a person great in their practice of faith. 

In the first reading, Elijah, who is fleeing the wicked King Ahab and murderous Queen Jezebel, has the opportunity to encounter God. The Lord tells him to stand outside the cave and wait for him. First comes a mighty wind, then a tremendous earthquake, followed by a roaring fire. Each of these had been manifestations of God in the past but in this moment, they are distractions. Elijah remains focussed through it all and the moment he hears the tiny whisper, he recognizes the presence of God. From this tiny whisper, he will receive encouragement, direction, and confidence on what comes next. Elijah was one of the greatest prophets, not simply because of what he said or did but because of his ability to stay focussed on God which then led him to say and do what the Lord wanted every step of the way.

Then we have the wonderful story where Jesus walks on the water. In this famous scene, Peter and the disciples are getting beat up by a storm at sea. We often focus on the fact that Peter doubts and sinks but we should remember that he and the other disciples are in the boat, first of all, because of faith. Just before this scene, Jesus had fed the massive crowd who had been with them the entire day. Next, Matthew tells us, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. Some of the apostles were fishermen and they would have known better than to get into a boat and head out onto the Sea of Galilee on a stormy night. And yet, at Jesus’ command, they go, trusting in his knowledge more than their own. Their faith is already at work! When they spot Jesus walking towards them on the stormy sea, some react in fear; it is too much to believe that this could actually be Jesus. But not Peter. Faith got him into the boat and now faith leads him out of it too! If Jesus can stand above the storm, Peter wants to be there with him. What an incredible boldness and belief? Can most of us honestly say that we desire to be with Jesus in the middle of whatever storm seems to distance us from him? Or do we prefer to remain in the relative safety of our boats, which are tossing and scarcely staying afloat. For a remarkable moment, for as long as he stays focussed on Jesus, Peter does the impossible; he walks on water. And not some glass-like surface but a tortured sea that terrified even those who made their living on it. It is only when he pays more attention to the wind and waves that he begins to sink. Like a world-class athlete, Peter immediately re-focuses, stops the momentum of doubt, and cries out to the One who can save him. Without hesitation or lag-time Jesus reaches out to raise him up. As soon as we turn to Jesus, he responds and rescues!

The Fathers of the Church loved this story and the rich image it provided. The boat represents the Church and it requires faith from us to get in when we would rather stay on shore. The boat also represents the little shelters and securities we create for ourselves throughout life. Sometimes they are enough in the calm waters of daily life but are no match for the massive storms that come upon us and quickly overwhelm. When we are focussed on Jesus, we can leave the sanctuaries we have created and find true peace in moments and places the world thinks to be impossible. But the key is that we stay focussed on the Lord! If our eyes wander to the storm, the sickness, the struggle, or to anyone or anything besides Jesus, we will begin to sink. In those moments, like St. Peter, we must re-focus and call on Jesus, through prayer, through the sacraments, by embracing his Church and her teachings, and know that immediately he will help us and bring us to the spiritual safety only he can provide. 

Today we recognize the power that is provided when we stay focussed on the Lord. It is not a matter of talent but of vision and knowing what is truly important. His presence and love shows us the next steps in adversity, it makes possible the impossible, and raises us above the storms of life. We ask for that grace to focus on who and what is most important and to quickly cry out to Jesus when we falter. He will not disappoint and he will not fail us.  

Transfiguration, 2023

 To listen to this homily, click here.

One of the best books I’ve ever read on the life and person of Christ (besides scripture of course!) is written by an Italian Monsignor, Romano Guardini. He is considered one of the greatest Catholic minds of the 20th century and anything with his name on it is excellent! His book, titled The Lord, winds its way through the life of Christ, with beautiful reflections on the miracles, parables, and teachings from the gospel. As you read, you can’t help but notice how endlessly rich the person of Jesus is, how mysterious and profound. One chapter is dedicated to the gospel scene we just heard, the event of the Transfiguration.

I would say most homilies about the transfiguration focus on the reason for the event and its connection to the resurrection, or why Christ takes three of the apostles, or what was said by God in the heavenly voice. Often, very little is said about the two individuals who are seen on the mountain talking to Christ in the moment he is transfigured, namely Elijah and Moses. Msgr. Guardini encourages us to take a deeper look at these men, who represent the Law and the Prophets, the two pillars of Judaism, because they are so directly connected to Christ and his saving mission.

  Let us first consider Moses. Moses was a loyal son of Israel who was called by God to a very difficult and unenviable task: to guide God’s people out of slavery and into freedom in the Promised Land. The Israelite people suffered a slavery on two levels: first, on the physical plane as slaves of the Egyptians. But they were also slaves on a deeper and more troubling level, to their own sinfulness and laziness and love of other gods. Moses’ real challenge, over and over again, would be to try and shake the people out of this spiritual haze, to realize that the life and freedom God was offering them were worth the sacrifice and pain that was involved.

How many times would Moses go back and forth between God and his people? On one hand, trying to get the people to grow in their faith and love of God? Trying with all his might to break them out of their petty arguments and small-mindedness into seeing a glimpse of glory of God. Can’t we almost feel him throwing up his arms in frustration as again and again he begs God to work one more miracle on behalf of the people, whether that be the parting of the Red Sea, the gift of Manna from Heaven, the Water gushing from the Rock, or the bronze serpent which saved the snake-bitten people, and every time God provides. And yet every time the Israelites doubt, they ask for one more sign, and they complain that things were better and easier when they were back in Egypt as Pharaoh's slaves. Again and again, this is the pattern, followed by Moses going to God and asking Him to be patient, to spare the people when they sin. 

Moses gives his life serving as the middleman between God and his People. He takes it on both sides as he tries to get the Israelites to grow in their love of God and keep God from growing too angry with the sinfulness of his own people. His whole life was spent urging Israel to follow God, to trust in him fully. In the end Moses dies on a mountaintop, overlooking the Promised Land. Even though he doesn’t enter into this blessed place himself, he remains faithful to God’s call to lead his people.

 

And what about Elijah? Here was a mighty prophet who is mysterious to us. We have no book from him but he is larger than life because of the hardships he endured. He lived during the reign of the wicked King Ahab and devious Queen Jezebel. Together this evil couple killed the priests of the Lord and taught the people to hate the one true God while worshiping false gods. Elijah was the one who stood in the breach and fought against this wave of sin, darkness, and death. His whole life, every ounce of energy, was spent in defending the majesty of God as he endured every sort of hardship and suffering. His bravery is breathtaking and when his time on earth is finished, we read that he is swept away to heaven by a fiery chariot. 

These then are the two men seen talking to Jesus on the mountain during the Transfiguration. “Moses, who had known the hopelessness of all efforts to rip his people out of the captivity of their own hearts; Elijah, who with both sword and spirit had charged the satanic dark.” Both find their fulfillment in Christ who will bring their epic struggles to a dramatic and Godly conclusion. We can only imagine the encouragement they offered Christ, as he prepared for the unthinkable sufferings of his passion and death. Certainly all three of them understood the frustration of dealing with people whose hearts and heads were hardened by pride and sin. 

The account of the Transfiguration reminds us that God came to earth for one purpose and one purpose alone: To save us from wandering and worshipping other gods, to break us out of our pathetic patterns of slavery. This encounter on the mountain challenges us to look inward at our lives and our own faith. Where would Moses and Elijah find spiritual slavery within us? In unhealthy relationships with other people? In an undue attachment to wealth or success or material things? Would they find a people in love with comfort rather than with God? A people afraid to leave behind what is familiar so that they could glory in the blessings and freedom of a new life that only God can give? Would they find within us the darkness of hidden, unconfessed sins or untreated addictions? Would it be clear that we worship the One, True God or would our hearts betray the fact that we often serve many different gods?

This feast is an opportunity for us to go up on that mountain and be transformed by the power of Christ, foreshadowed in the lives of Moses and Elijah. Let us open ourselves completely to work of purification so that we may enjoy forever the freedom that is given to the sons and daughters of God. If this is our intention, we, like St. Peter, will say: “Lord, it is good for us to be here.”   

The Road to Riches, Power, and Happiness (17th Sunday, Year A)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

Our first reading has always fascinated me. God gives Solomon the opportunity of a lifetime; the chance to request anything, a blank check from the one who can offer everything. And because he is a king, I would have expected Solomon to ask for power and victory for him and his armies. I would have expected him to ask God for money and riches, so his kingdom and legacy would be legendary. If nothing else, I would have expected King Solomon to ask for the pleasure of enjoying himself during his time as king. Why wouldn’t he ask for plenty of food, drink, or whatever else his kingly heart desired? But look at what Solomon actually requests of God. It is not power, pleasure, or money. When God tells Solomon: “ask something of me and I will give it to you”, Solomon asks for knowledge and the gift of an understanding heart. 

This answer pleases God, in fact, it seems like he was almost caught off-guard by Solomon’s request. The Lord promises to give him wisdom and understanding in such abundance that never again will someone be so wise. Even as a kid, I wondered what I would have said if God offered me anything. I suppose my answer to that question would have changed depending on my age and what was going on in my life. At different moments, I would have asked God for a bulldozer, the answers to my spelling test, or a mute button for my siblings! It is humbling to admit but if I were in Solomon’s shoes, our first reading would probably have been much less inspiring!

What about you? If God spoke to you tonight and said, “ask something of me and I will give it to you” What would be on the top of your list? Would you ask to be a better husband or wife, a better parent to your children, a better friend to your peers? Would you ask for an understanding heart to better live your Catholic faith? If God granted you one wish, would you ask for Godly wisdom or might you squander God’s generosity on something as transitory as power, pleasure, or money?

Real power, authentic riches, and lasting happiness all come to us if we acquire the Godly wisdom Solomon asked for. This is not a luxury only for biblical characters; Christ offers us this same knowledge if we are willing to humble ourselves and learn from him, who is meek and humble of heart. And far from being an extravagance, an understanding heart, like the one given to Solomon, is absolutely essential for us if we hope to enjoy the kingdom of heaven when we die. So how do we “get” this gift?

For you and me, we will likely receive this pearl of great price, this hidden treasure slowly, over time, little by little, through a consistent and quiet process of daily prayer. Probably not overnight like Solomon! Oftentimes, when we think of prayer, we imagine a list of wants and needs that we send up to God. Then, if He is in a good mood and we have behaved ourselves, perhaps some or most of those requests will come back granted the way we hoped. For many Christians, this is majority of their prayer. But in reality, there is so much more. Prayer is first and foremost, a relationship, a friendship with God. When we pray, we should be talking (AND LISTENING!) to Almighty God as we do with our best friend. We should be asking for things to be sure, but we should also be sharing our joys and sorrows, our hopes and fears, saying thank you for everything we have, apologizing for the times we have hurt Him, and also praising Him for his greatness. 

Prayer is a relationship that transforms us over time if we stick with it. What we realize is that the point of prayer is not so much to change God’s mind as it does ours. As we grow in our friendship with God, we begin to trust Him more. We ask Him for the things we think we need and believe that whatever He gives, even if if is far different than what we requested, is exactly what is best for us. This trust, hope, and confidence in God is the foundation of wisdom, it leads to an understanding heart which knows how to prioritize the rest of our life. This God-given gift is what gives us the clarity to find the Lord in the toughest of circumstances and always choose what is best for ourselves and others from the perspective of eternity. The wisdom of prayer enables us to look beyond the instant gratifications and flashiness of this world and set our heart on the pearl of great price, which is eternal union with God.

One final observation: true wisdom and heavenly treasure are not possible without sacrifice. There are no shortcuts or life-hacks that allow us to get them easily or cheaply. When we think of treasure, we imagine gold; but gold has to be refined, purified by fire to remove impurities and contaminants. In a similar way, a pearl begins with an outside element that enters an oyster and first agitates and disrupts. Layer upon layer coats the irritant until it forms a beautiful pearl. Both are perfect analogies for the treasure and wisdom God desires to give us. They will require sacrifice, discomfort, and purification. But partnered with God’s generous grace and our willingness to let go of anything and everything to gain it, it makes what the world offers pale in comparison.

So let us ask God constantly for an understanding heart, just as King Solomon did. May you and I look for that priceless treasure, which is the kingdom of God, each and every day of our lives. And let us not be afraid to let go of whatever we have, whether it is material, spiritual, or psychological, that keeps us from obtaining the pearl of great price. For in the kingdom of heaven, we will obtain real power, authentic riches, and lasting happiness and we will rejoice in them for all eternity.

 

What We Learn from Weeds and Wheat (16th Sunday, Year A)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

Many years ago, when I was a teenager, I helped out at a friend's farm and nursery. During the 5 years I spent working there, I learned a number of basic things about planting, weeding, fertilizing, and so on. I acquired a great deal of practical knowledge in this time; things like: only spray round-up on days when the wind is low, don't pull up a plant unless you are sure it's a weed, a little fertilizer helps a great deal while a lot of fertilizer just makes things worse. I also found out that seed can be quite expensive and that the more you weed, the less you have to water your plants. 

As I acquired these pearls of agricultural knowledge, the gospel parables about farming, the one we had last week and the one we have this week, began to drive me crazy. What sort of a farmer sows seed so carelessly that it falls among thorns, upon rocky soil, and on the path? And what in the world would a farmer be thinking if he allowed his crops to grow along with the weeds without making an attempt to kill at least some of them? All in all, I concluded, God was a pretty bad farmer, wasting seeds and letting weeds grow in his garden of creation.

However, after 15 years of preaching, I’ve had the opportunity to go deeper into this parable and learn the context behind it, which Jesus and his listeners would have already known. No surprisingly, this knowledge exposed my foolishness and hubris. It also demonstrates the wisdom of God with his atypical gardening and why this image of the weeds and the wheat is perfect in describing the spiritual struggle in the human heart.

In Palestine, the farmers have to contend with weeds just like anyone else. A particular weed that grows alongside wheat is called a bearded darnel. In their early stages, the bearded darnel and the wheat were impossible to tell apart, even for an experienced farmer. By the time they grew large enough to be distinguished, one from the other, it was too late because their roots were impossibly intertwined. Any attempts to get rid of the weed would kill the wheat as well. As a result, the farmers of Jesus’ time would let both grow together until the time of harvest. When the harvest finally arrived, the wheat and the darnel weed had to be separated carefully by hand because the grain of this weed is actually poisonous. If it is consumed, it is bitter, unpleasant and it causes a person to get dizzy and sick.

This parable teaches us many important truths. First, it shows how hard it can be to distinguish between the wheat and the weeds in regards to people. You and I live in the time before the spiritual harvest. More often than not, it is impossible for us to tell which person is wheat and which person is a weed in the eyes of God. We might classify someone as “bad” who is not, or we might consider someone as “good” who is not. Because we do not know all of the facts, because many deeds and the intentions of the heart are unknown to us, we must learn that only God has the right to judge the wheat from the weeds. It is not our place to do so. How often we might consider someone a weed in our own lives because they have caused us pain, annoyance, or some other type of suffering. We want them to pay and be uprooted for what they have done. But if we are honest with ourselves, we realize we have also acted as weeds and should be grateful for many chances God gives to turn our lives around and repent.  

Secondly, it shows us that there is judgment for all people at the end of time. This might be a frightening and unpleasant thing for us to think about, but the parable makes it very clear that God’s judgment will come. At the time of the harvest, God must separate who has truly been wheat and who has lived as a weed. As frightening as this divine judgment might seem, we can take comfort in the fact that God is not arbitrary or careless. He is patient, loving and kind; this is why he doesn’t rush to tear out those who appear to be weeds. Think of how many saints might have been uprooted and thrown into the fire if they had been judged too soon, according to the minds of men rather than God. God sees the heart and the potential each person has to turn back to him and bear an abundant harvest!

Finally, this parable demonstrates that there is an evil power at work in our world. The enemy who sows bad seed is clearly the devil, who wishes to destroy the kingdom of God and its great spiritual harvest. We should recognize that we are in the midst of a great spiritual battle and our hearts, minds, and souls often contain both wheat and weed at the same time. When we are attentive to the Word of God, when we follow the teachings of Christ and his Church, when we live as true Christians, then our lives are wheat for the kingdom of heaven. But when we fall asleep spiritually, when we sin in our thoughts, words, and deeds, we allow the devil to sow bad seed in our hearts, bad seed that separates us from God and one another. 

This beautiful, powerful parable reminds us that we must always be on guard against sin in our lives. It teaches us that we are fighting a serious power and we need God’s help to do so. It keeps us humble by acknowledging that we have both good and bad present within us and we are in no position to condemn others or give up on them. Until the time of the harvest arrives, you and I must never stop struggling against the weeds of sin that try to take root in our souls. Let us resolve today to always be wheat for the kingdom of God, preparing for the harvest. Let us make use of the spiritual fertilizers that Christ gives us, especially in the sacraments, to grow in our faith and in our service to God and to one another. “He who has ears ought to hear!!”