26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on September 29, 2018October 5, 2018 by Deacon Joe

Nm. 11: 25-29; Ps 19:8, 10, 12-12, 14; Jas. 5: 1-6; Mk. 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

I say, “The long and winding road” and you say “that leads to your door, will never disappear” (Beatles, June 1970) in God’s love for our human dignity. Of course those lyrics are from the Beatles release 1970. Moses led the Israelites through the long and winding road to the promise land. The journey was a test of faith and not all survived the test. Scriptures highlight more the rebellion against God than the faithfulness of the people. Today’s first reading however is about the gift of the spirit upon Elders. The gift is given to those seventy Elders present and to two who were absent yet faithful. A similar event occurs with Jesus as the faithful use his name to drive out demons even though they did not belong to the group. Jesus response, “For whoever is not against us is for us.”

There is a program on Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) called “The Journey Home” with the host Marcus Grodi, a convert to Catholicism. It focuses on the journey people have taken that brought them into the Catholic Church and the sacrifice their journey cost them. Some left promising ministries in other denominations, some had to struggle with marriages because it impacted the faith and happiness of their spouse and children. It was truly a long and winding road home to the Catholic faith. The journey does not negate the blessing and truth received by the Holy Spirit in the past it brings the faithful into the fullness of the Truth. The truth is God rewards faithfulness to “anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink.” The cup of water is any act of kindness, generosity, sacrifice and/or mercy. The love of God is bountiful.

The love of God is also just. It forewarns us that our acts of injustice will result in “weep and wail over your impending miseries” we bring upon ourselves. The Lord hears the cry of the poor and suffering who are victims of our sins and justice is his. This is what makes the sins within the church grievous for the sinner whose abuse and crime affect not only the victims but in doing so the body of Christ. They bring scandal and injury to the Church and together we all suffer. Much has been done in “Protecting God’s Children” as the program is titled within the Church. Anyone who works with children in the Church goes through the program which provides guidance in our responsibility for promoting appropriate behavior among adults and children. This is a beginning but guidelines don’t impact culture, values, or social mores. This is the heavy lifting work we are all responsible for in bringing alive a culture of life.

A culture of life promotes human dignity as spoken about in Humanae Vitae by Pope Paul VI. It teaches the young to value and protect their own dignity against the snares of evil that prowl around the world seeking indulgence, seeking to take advantage while being the cause of sin in the lives “of these little ones”. We love our children and we want them to be children but there is a reason we are called the Militant Church on earth. We are to be prepared to battle evil and the attacks may come like a thief in the night to steal the innocence of these little ones so let us also prepare them for these challenges beginning in the home with honest discussions of prevention against these attacks to their human dignity.

It is a long and winding road to raise a child but we are not alone, God is with us in our baptismal infused virtues of faith, hope, and love and our moral virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. Prudence to teach our children to discern right judgment in their decisions; justice to act fairly and not tolerate unfairness; fortitude to show strength to resist temptation and say yes to righteousness; and temperance to find balance in life when too much of a good thing can become bad. If we spend so much time working to give our children all the good things but don’t take time to talk and share stories of life with them we leave them vulnerable.

It is also a truth that we cannot give what we do not have. As adults we give testimony by our actions of prudence when we take time to teach our children to understand “why” they say no or yes in their lives. As adults we give testimony of our justice when our discipline is consistent and fair. As adults we give testimony of our fortitude when we are faithful to our commitments and resist the “easy road”. As adults we give testimony of our temperance when our priorities are in order of God, family, work, and play. It is our responsibility as parents, godparents, and faithful community to strengthen the fire of the Holy Spirit in the child’s journey of life. We are the wind behind their sails of faith, hope, and love to avoid the hurricanes of danger and arrive safely into adult life.

When we look to scripture what makes us vulnerable, what made the road longer and more difficult from the Israelites? It was a desire for the easy road. God’s teaching offers us “the road less traveled”, the narrow way. When I was growing up I heard adult relatives make excuses for their children or grandchildren, “their just children, let them play” they would say to justify negative behavior. Some of those “just children” ended in drugs, pregnant out of wedlock, dropping out of school, prison and some grew up and escaped their poverty but not without suffering that may have been avoided. In listening, seeing, and learning it guided me to the road less traveled. It provided the most protection against the dangers around me. Call it self-protection, self-command, self-control, self-governance, self-discipline or call it obedience to God, obedience to parents, obedience to the natural law and obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I call it listening for the voice of God and responding to his calling.

The long and winding road can have us going in circles repeating our mistakes, dying in the desert or finding ourselves lost in despair. The road less traveled is God’s way, his plan for us and the purpose we are here today in memorial of his sacrifice for you and me as we celebrate the Mass together. The invitation is given to follow the road less traveled that leads to God’s door. It will never disappear or disappoint for the heart that seeks but we must enter through the narrow gate.

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Homily

Friday 25th Week in Ordinary Time

Posted on September 28, 2018September 29, 2018 by Deacon Joe

Eccl 3: 1-11; Ps 144; 1b; 2abc, 3-4; Lk. 9: 18-22

Who do you say that I am for you is the question of Jesus for each of us today. There is a book titled, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and It’s all Small Stuff”. Today’s first reading is a reminder “There is an appointed time for everything,” don’t sweat the small stuff it is in God’s hands. Why do we sweat the small stuff? We don’t know how to “let go and let God”. There is this underlying fear that “Man is like a breath; his days, like a passing shadow” and we have to take control to be masters of our world before we perish into obscurity. Does God take notice? Who am I that God takes notice of all the small stuff in my life surely there are bigger problems in the world than mine.

Our sinfulness is in denying God access to putting “timeless” into our hearts where we may abide in his love as “my Rock”. Jesus is the “Christ of God” who came into the world to be our rock, our mercy, our fortress our stronghold, our deliverer and our shield but we must trust. Here lies the battle of egocentricity against the gift of his sacrifice. We are the work which God has done and yet we cannot discover from beginning to end ourselves. There is a test that measures your telomeres. Telomeres are a determinant in your longevity and can predict when you will die. How would our daily life change if we knew that timeclock? Do our priorities in life change, our attention to others, our temperance in how we manage our health, work, family, and free time only to die in an accident tomorrow. How foolish to believe we can take control of time. Time is not ours we cooperate with God’s appointed time in his plan of salvation for each of us.

We are to trust in the appointed time for the revelation from birth to death of who we are as children of the Most High. “He has made everything appropriate to its time” including our being into existence at this time. We have a purpose for our time and we are to embrace the purpose not the time. The purpose is to contribute to the salvific plan of the Son of Man. He suffered greatly, was rejected and killed thus we embrace the plan when it requires our suffering our denial of self even our martyrdom. Each day we live and we put that day to rest. If we suffer in any small way for living our faith then we can offer our suffering of a thousand deaths for the Lord until he calls us to himself. Our faith, hope and love are in the Lord who rose on the third day as we await the time of our resurrection.

The work which God has done in us is to experience planting, uprooting, killing, healing, tearing down, building up, weeping, laughing, mourning, dancing, and every other gift from above. Don’t sweat the small stuff rejoice in the gift of discovery where he may lead. This week I had a frustrating day at work and as frustrating as it was while I was dealing with some difficult individuals and situations I was also asking myself, “I wonder what purpose God has intended for this to happen?” It was not a time to be silent but a time to speak but I was allowing myself to sweat the small stuff of dealing with difficult people. It is easier said than done in our imperfection. In the moment of time it was happening I was asking, “Jesus what is the outcome you desire from this?” In that moment I say Jesus was my deliverer and my shield, the Rock in whom I trust. Who do you say that Jesus is for you today?

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Homily

Twenty-fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Posted on September 15, 2018September 14, 2018 by Deacon Joe

Is. 50:5-9a; Jas. 2:14-18; Mk. 8:27-35

Last week we focused on the need for solidarity among the poor, rich, employee, employer, nations and people. Today Jesus calls for solidarity of faithful followers. His word is spoken boldly, “my face I did not shield…I have set my face like flint.” He invites confrontation, “if anyone wishes to oppose me let us appear together…Let that man confront me.”

Generally, we don’t like confrontation and most of us were not taught the art of debate. Think back to your childhood and arguments among your siblings how you were heard. Were you all cordial to each other or did everybody simply yell louder to each other from room to room or face to face. The idea of debate in our time as seen through media is like a rowdy group of siblings yelling to drown out the other person. Everyone needs to be heard but isn’t willing to listen. Today colleges promote “safe spaces” to avoid any debate or dialogue from opposing views.

In the gospel, Jesus has just finished naming Peter the “rock” for claiming “You are the Christ” and he places him as the head of the early church. He then begins explaining the coming Passion he will undergo. Peter’s response, not wanting to confront Jesus in public takes him aside to “rebuke him” quietly. Peter takes his new authority seriously. I picture Peter taking Jesus aside and whispering, “There is no way you are going to let them do that to you and I will not allow it.” Jesus turns to the disciples and makes a public rebuke, “Get behind me Satan”. In your face Peter so that all know clearly where Jesus stands. One moment Peter is having this high spirit of elation, the next he is deflated into shame. But there is more, Jesus also lets them know how to stand with him in solidarity or against him with Satan.

Solidarity of the faithful with Jesus is to “deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” These three principles in unison are the works of the faithful. The first principle, denial is self is the first work that we must do. To assist us in this work is not to focus on self but on Jesus, what is pleasing to him, what is acceptable in his eyes and as the youth would say WWJD, “what would Jesus do?” If the eyes of the soul are focused on him we realize, it is not about me, it is all about Him who I choose to abide in that we may be one as he is in the Father and in the Spirit. We seek the Lord God who “opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back” This is the first of our faith at work that is pleasing to him.

The second principle is to take up our cross. When we abide in him we take up our cross not with a sense of sorrow in our spirit because we feel denied of worldly pleasures but with a sense of joy to do his will for our life is in his will and “how good it is”. The cross we bear is to feed the hungry, shelter the poor, cover the naked. Solidarity is seen in the works of the faithful, doing the will of the Father. Unfortunately the call for solidarity is confused with the call for salvation by some separated Christian faithful. The argument is that we are saved by faith alone not by works. The intent of the argument implies that we cannot earn our salvation by merits it comes by faith in Jesus Christ. There is no meter reading to count our works and determine if we have been good enough or if our good works offset our bad works.

The Catholic Church would agree we cannot earn our salvation by works of merit but that is not the position of the church as some misinterpret. The church stands behind today’s reading, stresses the important relationship between faith and works. They go hand-in-hand as two sides of the same coin, “faith of itself, if it does not have works is dead.” Nowhere in scripture does it say that faith “alone” brings salvation. Scripture also says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21); “For I will render to every man according to his works…” (Rom. 2:6); “For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgments…?”(Heb. 10:26-27); and finally, “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (Jam. 2:24). That is as clear an apologetic “rebuke” without being politically incorrect or pride fully “in your face” because it is the word of God.

The third principle to “follow me” calls upon our baptismal vows as priest, prophet, and king. Solidarity of the faithful is to stand behind the church as one body in Christ. The Mass is the summit of that solidarity in the Eucharist. To reach the summit we journey in life in the light provided by the sacraments to purify our lives and abide in holiness. We all receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit when we search the deep things of God. In the Mass “I confess” my sin, “I believe” in the Trinity in our personal confession of faith; then we celebrate, go forth and follow as one body in Christ.

When one part of the body of Christ suffers we all suffer and woe to those who desecrate the altar by their sin and cause scandal. That is the seriousness and the sorrow of the crisis within the church today. Failure of denial of self by priests breaking their vows of obedience and chastity willingly is a grave sin against God and in some cases a crime against humanity. “Follow me” in rebuking those responsible that the body of Christ in the church will know clearly the will of God. “Follow me” in purifying the church when it identifies those responsible who choose not to deny themselves and are no longer fit for the ministry of leading the faithful. “Follow me” in solidarity with prayer, penance, and good works in atonement calling for healing and mercy. The crisis in the church is beyond the sin of those responsible, it is a crisis of trust in the shepherd. The works of Satan in the church do not represent the voice of God, yet God remains faithful to his bride and will purify her but not without suffering denial of self, the cross, and works of purification. Faith without works is dead.

There is no fear in God in confrontation and we must fear not the confrontation with evil regardless of the source, at home, work, school, public square and in the church. We do not rebel against the church or turn back away from it we confront the evil with truth and seek mercy. The Lord is our help and we are not disgraced. We are also not alone in this battle. We have the Church Penitent and the Church Triumphant. The Church Penitent can be a source of penance for the sins of this world and the Church Triumphant can be a source of holiness for our purification. “Do not forget the works of the Lord”. When we abide in him we are the works of the Lord. He did not come to condemn the world but the world must remain faithful to the covenant and it begins with me abiding in the body of Christ. We hold a great treasure to be guarded, stay alert, keep watch, the hour is upon us and the redeemer comes in glory.

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Homily

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Deacon Joe

Nm. 21:4b-9; Phil. 2:6-11; Jn. 3:13-17

We know from Jesus himself in the gospel the correlation between the serpent in the desert of the first reading and Jesus being lifted up for salvation. The serpent being the source of death goes back to Adam and Eve’s temptation by the serpent. The punishment of the serpent is to drag itself on earth. The serpent lifted up on a pole becomes the source of salvation from the Lord when he directs Moses to create this image and have the people look at it. At first to place a serpent, the image of evil in the same mold as Jesus seems contrary to faith. The serpent is the source of sin and Jesus the source of salvation. The first step of conversion is to face our sin. The serpent represents their sins and if we desire salvation we must face the truth about our sin. Jesus takes the form of our sins that we may gaze upon salvation.

This however is a “seraph” serpent which is the singular form of Seraphim, the highest rank of angels in heaven. “Seraph” means “the burning one”. Imagine burning snakes from heaven bringing the poison of death for the sin of the people.

In Isiah 6: 2-7 the Seraphim were stationed and one cried out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of host! At the sound of the cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke. Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips…Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it. “See,” he said, “now that this has touched your lips your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.”

Jesus takes the form of the sinful slave to purge the sin of the world exalted on the pole in the form of a cross. Jesus brings the fire of salvation. The cross should be at the door of our homes to shake the serpents of sin from entering our home.

Salvation comes through Jesus “obedience to death, even death on a cross” It does not say that salvation comes without fire to purge us of our sins. Early Christians experienced the great fire of martyrdom for their obedience to their faith. Then there is the fire of being purged of our sins for what comes out of our mouth defiles and an ember of truth comes to purify us. What about the fire of justice when we “do not forget the works of the Lord” and seek holy lives. That too is a fire of obedience and humility to carry the cross and empty ourselves for the Lord.

Jesus sends us the fire of the Holy Spirit to sustain us in our purity of faith. He did not come to condemn the world but the world must remain faithful to the covenant. The exaltation of the cross is the fire still burning for our sins. The exaltation of the cross is mercy incarnate waiting to be loved. The exaltation of the cross is a memorial of the cry for conversion of souls. The works of the Lord is to bring others to the cross. The cross is redemptive suffering if we accept it as our gift and fear not. Mary remains at the side of Jesus on the cross so she too is our Mother of Sorrows calling us from her tender heart to repent and undergo the sacrifice of our lives for our salvation and the salvation of the world.

The Church is under crisis and the Seraphim angels are bringing the fire to purge it from the serpent’s death. Note that Jesus response to the cry of the suffering did not remove the poisonous serpents. The serpents of sin remain in the world. People continue to die from their sin, spiritually and mortally. Our vision on the exaltation of the cross is victory over death. We shall not die into the eternal fire of death but be raised with Christ in the Exaltation of the cross. Jesus empties himself in the form of a slave. Is he simply a slave to the human condition? He is a slave to obedience, to truth, to his divine purpose. May we follow our call to obedience and truth wherever it may lead us. Guard ourselves against sin, we are his works called to holiness for a divine purpose. “Do not forget the works of the Lord” and let it begin with me.

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Homily The Deacon Joe

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary time

Posted on September 8, 2018 by Deacon Joe

Is. 35: 4-7a; Jas. 2: 1-5; Mk. 7: 31-37

Ephphatha! “Be opened”. Isaiah’s prophesy in the first reading, “Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you” is fulfilled in Jesus. The healing of the deaf mute is one of many miracles performed by Jesus. Keep in mind to a deaf mute you cannot explain things so he alone with Jesus must be open to trust Jesus even if his heart is frightened he accepts what Jesus is doing to him. The crowd responds with “He has done all things well.” Scholars believe that while he was in a region with primarily Gentiles there were also Jews who knew the scriptures and recognized by this statement an awareness of the connection to Isaiah and the coming era of salvation. The miracle is a sign of the dawning of the messiah and this could be the One.

Historically, St. James letter comes after the gospel life of Jesus so we move forward from the coming of the messiah to the beginning of the early church. The early church was what we would refer to as an unsegregated group of Jews, Gentiles, rich and poor. The communities they were coming from however were very segregated in that Jews and Gentiles kept apart so the early church was faced not only with a concern for integration of two cultures but also the rich, poor, and slaves as one body in Christ to be truly Christian. Sociologist might say a social experiment in integration for the purpose of salvation with divine intervention.

The Jesus prayer to the Father for his disciples before his arrest is “Father keep them in your name…so that they may be one just as we are” (Jn. 17: 11). How united is our world, our country, our Church? The world never ceases in war, a country founded as “one nation under God” is battling to take God out of the nation, and a Church founded by Christ is in crisis failing to guard against the sin from within. Desegregation has come through changes in law not changes in hearts. Jesus prays for solidarity, that we may all be one.

St. James addresses in part one of these concerns with the human tendency to give deference to the wealthy and allow them to become “judges” over other Christians of less stature. He reminds them and all of us not to make these distinctions. We are all sinners in need of salvation.

The church addresses this concern in the call for solidarity: “solidarity of the poor among themselves, between rich and poor, of workers among themselves, between employers and employees in a business, solidarity among nations and peoples” (CCC 1941).

Solidarity among the poor themselves reminds me growing up in poor neighborhoods from the barrios of Houston to the colonias of the Rio Grande Valley. When we ran out of food such as eggs, potatoes, lard the kids were sent to the neighbor to ask if they could spare a little. It was repaid with the same kind offering when someone came knocking on your door. The man in the fruit truck would stop to sell his produce at the house and he always offered to keep a tab until payday. The poor look after each other. I remember the first time living in a middle class neighborhood around eight years old and nobody ever talked to their neighbors, everybody stayed indoors or in wood fenced backyards.

Solidarity between the rich and poor meant the landlord accepted partial payment for rent until payday and you could always buy on layaway without paying interest. The rich farmer provided shelter for the migrant workers and if necessary gave an advance to help in times of unforeseen circumstances. Now the poor turn to pawn shops and loan sharks in every poor neighborhood not to mention high interest rate credit cards.

Solidarity among workers themselves meant you learned from your peers as mentors to master a trade. The more skilled worker was the “Maestro” who may not necessarily be the “Jefe” boss man. It was the on the job school passing down a trade. Now we go to trade schools and often start in debt, get a license, and insurance before we earn a buck to pay it all back.

Solidarity between employers and employees means earning a living wage. The vision of the “American Dream” has changed over generations from opportunity to choice. Originally it was work that provided an opportunity to have a career, raise a family, own a home and serve your duty for pleasure. Over generations it has evolved to freedom of choice, upward mobility, doing better than your parents, and experiential “good life”, we all like the good life. However we define the American Dream success requires solidarity between the worker and the business community.

Finally, solidarity is needed between nations and peoples. For this we must give some credit to the Millennials generation, also called Gen Y. Gen Y defines the American Dream as “Living in an open society in which everyone has equal chance.” Their vision is family-centric with global peers. You can take an on-line course, buy merchandise, do business, and skype with family from anywhere in the world feeling connected, present, and responsible to others world-wide with a greater vision for world peace.

This is not saying the “Dream” is a return to the “good old days”. There is good, evil, and struggle in every generation from Adam and Eve on, just read the Bible. Only God is good all the time. We are a work in progress. The poor are as resourceful as the rich and the poor can be as wasteful as the rich. Solidarity is a shared responsibility for the resources God gives us to be blessed and be multiplied.

Wealth is a blessing but it can also lead to “evil designs” in the heart. As we were reminded in last Sunday’s gospel, “Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” We lose the purity of heart to be servants of the Lord. Of the twelve Disciples who would have been the wealthiest? Mathew was a Jew and a tax collector who by profession was known for their oppression of the poor in their collections. God chose “those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith” not for their material poverty but for their humility and dependent faith on God.

In baptism is the “Ephphetha” prayer over the ears and mouth with these words, “The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May he soon touch your ears to receive his word, and your mouth to proclaim his faith, to the praise and glory of God the Father.” We have been given a spiritual treasure from our baptism and we are to be in solidarity between the Church Militant on earth, the Church Penitent in purgatory, and the Church Triumphant in heaven. We are warriors for Christ and our solidarity is with our Blessed Mother, the Angels, and Saints in the call to holiness. Be opened to the work of the Holy Spirit that we may do all things well for the glory of God with us, in us, and through us that we may all be one.

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Homily

Friday, Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

Posted on September 8, 2018September 8, 2018 by Deacon Joe

1 Cor. 4: 1-5; Lk. 5: 33-39

The gospel today reminds us of Jesus’ proclamation, “I have come to make all things new.” The reading however brings to light our human struggle in accepting the new with the words, “The old is good.” We have a tendency to not like change. Change can be disruptive, it produces uncertainties. In the old there is familiarity, even if we know it has problems we are familiar and have adapted to those problems. We judge “the old is good” enough why change.

When a new priest is assigned to a parish the first concern is what will he change, “the old is good we are happy with status quo”. The change comes and the complaints start. Just when the new becomes old a change of priest is made and we start over again. The responsorial reminds us, “commit in the Lord your way; trust in him, and he will act”. If we trust in him then we withhold judgment. If we trust in him we become what is new to mold us and fashion us in the potters hands. If you take putty the more you mold it in your hands the softer it becomes. If you let it sit for a long time it becomes hard, dry, and brittle. God needs servants who he can mold to serve the diversity of people in the world. The message of salvation is the same. How we come to the realization and revelation of the message is by being molded in Jesus’ hands as servants for the new evangelization. We have many opportunities to evangelize from birth to death such as in baptisms, weddings, funerals, visiting the sick, feeding the poor, and raising a holy family. The gifts to serve and evangelize are from God when we surrender into his hands.

St. Paul however reminds us in the first reading of the obvious for the church to function as one body. “Now it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.” Today all are speaking of the crisis in the church which at the heart of the crisis is a breach of trust. The community receives a new priest into the church to be a pastor. The priesthood is a call from God bestowed by the church. Being a pastor comes from the relationship between the priest and the people. It is a relationship not based on blind faith but found trustworthy as “stewards of the mysteries of God” by the good works. Faith and works make for true discipleship, builds trust, and builds God’s kingdom on a strong foundation.

Sadly and tragically we have had wolves in sheep’s clothing using the cover of the church violating the trust of the people. That in itself is a crime and a tragedy. The mishandling of the crime by the church is double jeopardy. The culture of our times trusts transparency not secrecy. Secrecy created a shadow of doubt and division. St. Paul reminds us, “do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts.” The Lords has come bringing to light what was hidden and the time for penance, reparation, healing, and renewal is upon us. “He will make justice dawn for you like the light; bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.” For the victims the Lord, “is their refuge in times of distress…he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.” Today we pray for deliverance and renewal within the church, “For the Lord loves what is right, and forsakes not his faithful ones. Deliverance and renewal will come but first there must be purification. Purification will be painful for it includes accountability and change. “Change” that word again to which there is resistance. We must all contribute as change agents through penance, prayer and trust in the Lord for he is faithful. The Lord will not abandon his bride the Church. In silence we pray and in justice we speak for change to be God’s will, “he will act”.

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Homily

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on September 2, 2018September 2, 2018 by Deacon Joe

Dt. 4: 1-2, 6-8; Ps. 15; Jas 1: 17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mk 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23

“From within…they defile”. Today’s call is for purity of heart, of body, and of faith. Perhaps we can say that we have come a long way in wisdom and intelligence. We understand our humanity more from a psychological and behavioral approach or have we? What about from a spiritual awareness? From an applied perspective everyone starts from ground zero to learn the lesson for themselves. What is the lesson? It is the lesson of how obedience, chastity, truth, faith, and love are living the good life. We all like the good life but we do not always see the good God in his creation. In fact some tend to focus on the “cup half empty”. The Catechism of the Church summarizes it well:

“The faithful must believe the articles of the Creed so that by believing they may obey God, by obeying may live well, by living well may purify their hearts, and with pure hearts may understand what they believe.” (CCC 2518)

Our first reading is the call to obedience. As a parent would say to a child, “Do it” and you will come to understand the good that comes from it. The child’s natural inclination is to believe only what it sees with a limited understanding but God who sees the end result takes the behavioral approach in its commands. Do it, then you will see the goodness of the Lord. Do it then you will discover a greater truth that you can only see by following these “statutes and decrees”. Behaviorist would say trust the process, don’t wait to understand or feel ready to change from within. Change the behavior and you will accomplish the change from within you seek.

In the same way, God the Father is saying observe the commandments “carefully” and you will be wise and it will purify your heart. He is also saying don’t add nor subtract from them, follow my plan. Here is where we struggle. We want to change the plan to meet our comfort zone. The Doctor says, “Take this pill for 14 days” and we start to feel better in 7 so we stop taking it without understanding the consequence of not allowing the full benefit to take effect or we start skipping days or taking only half. Do we know the physiological and pharmacological relationship between the medication and our body? No, but we take away or we add sometimes when we like the benefits like pain pills that become abused. The Old Testament says, “Follow God’s plan”. We tell our children “eat your breakfast”. The response, “I’m not hungry”. God says, “Eat my word”. We say, “I’m too busy.” Then we become malnourished spiritually.

Jesus comes into the world speaking truth to the mind and love to the heart. This is a huge paradigm shift in God’s revelation to humanity. He does not take away from the obedience of the commands but enriches the understanding of the commands through the gifts of the spirit. Jesus tells the Pharisees that they have created their own “human tradition” the laws on top of the law of God and failed to live God’s law in spirit and in truth. We run the same risk if we use Canon Law, the “Big Book of Rules” in judgment and not in mercy to serve God’s commands.

What is this human tradition? In our times we have different customs from region to region and across the continent such as the selection of music, when we kneel and how long we kneel, or whether people hold hands or not or liturgical dance in some countries. Many of these customs develop regionally and the church allow for adaptations to integrate itself into the culture without compromising the essential rites of the General Instructions of the Roman Missal (GIRM). The human tradition is to battle over the little “t” observations and lose sight of the big “T” purpose of the gospel.

Perhaps the question we must ask ourselves is “Does this fulfill the gospel proclamation of salvation?” What is “this”? “This” is our hearts, this is our actions, this is our rules, and this is our voice. It is what comes out of our mouth that defiles not what comes into it unless it becomes the poison of alcohol, drugs, or if we become consumed with pornography, certain video gaming, and even ideologies the world creates separating us from God.

Through obedience to the commands in our external behavior and purity of hearts in our internal beliefs of faith we will act in justice and live in the presence of the Lord. We often say, “God is love and God is mercy” but we don’t say enough of “God is righteous”. Love, mercy, goodness and holiness are feel good attributes of God however “Righteousness” is also an attribute that calls for justice and justice means obedience to God’s law. Injustice comes from within. Seeds of anger lead to evil thoughts and acts of revenge; lustful thoughts to unchastity as sexuality begins in the mind; selfish desires to theft remember that candy bar you grabbed as a child at the store; rejection in the heart to murder, once you objectify a person it becomes easy to kill them in your heart and actions; sexual drives to adultery blaming “hormones made me do it”; greed to lack of charity and loss of generosity the source of love; jealousy to malice with emotional hijacking causing acts of violence; deceit to manipulation, once you buy the lie yourself lying to others comes easy; licentiousness to immorality, the license to sin with euthanasia and killing the unborn; envy to covetousness, worshiping the material god; contempt to blasphemy, using the name of Jesus to cuss or “G-O-D-damn” as if God has anything to do with our anger; arrogance to overbearing, otherwise called “full of it”; and imprudence to folly without the guidance of the spirit poor judgment results. In summary, impurity leads to injustice and apart from the Lord.

Religion that is pure and undefiled is two parts, the giving of self to others and the guarding of self from the sins of others. The world is very creative in coming up with new ways to defile the mind under the cover of “entertainment”. The serpents promise has not changed to “be like gods”. What enters the mind defiles the heart and it manipulates the will to sin. Jesus came with the gift of the Spirit to wash us clean. We are called to be servants, servants to God who chose the cross and remained undefiled. Let us pray to our Blessed Mother in our weakness recognizing the strength of her love to endure suffering at the side of Jesus. Let us be ready to answer the call. We are all called to be saints. Jesus is the way.

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