It's All About Love ... Homily - 30th Sunday OT cycle A 2014

We hear words today in our gospel reading that lots of us have heard many times before.

"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart,

  with all your soul, and with all your mind;” and,

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Hearing familiar words like these today reminds me of the story of an old priest who met a member of his congregation who began to boast:  “Father, I have been through the gospels many times.” Rather than praise him the priest said gently: “The important thing is not how often you have been through the gospels but how often the gospels have been through you.”

The purpose of the gospels that we read each week at Mass is not to recreate the words and works of Jesus ... but to let them recreate us.

Earlier in Matthew’s gospel Jesus says something to his apostles that we need to really contemplate deeply.  He said:

“These people have become close-minded and hard of hearing.

 They have shut their eyes so that their eyes never see.

 Their ears never hear. Their minds never understand.

 And they never return to me for healing!” Matthew 13:15

Sadly ... those words often describe us

We come to church with our ears and eyes so full of the cares of our world we don’t look or listen deeply with open minds and eager hearts. Our hearts and minds are so full of our own thoughts and worries that we don’t really let the words of the Gospels flow through us and change us.  God’ wants this experience we share each Sunday –  this time together – to so touch our hearts that we are changed by it; recreated in some small way.

Let’s listen again and this time try to hear it and let it deeply impact our hearts:

"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart ...

 with all ... your soul ... ... and with all ... your mind.”

“You shall love your neighbor as you love your very self.

Is this your experience ... ?

Do you really love the Lord God that way? 

Does your love for Him consume all of you ... heart  ... mind ... and ... soul?

To love God that way, like any loving relationship, requires spending time with Him – quality time. If you never give God any time, can you really love him like that?

Wouldn't it be transformative if we really lived this commandment? To "love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind.  And, love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Jesus placed love of neighbor alongside love of God for a reason, because he knows that they are completely linked.  God can feel so distant that he’s hard to love that is why he gave us each other.

There is a story about a young woman who was in great distress because she had lost a sense of God in her life.  She complained to her elderly grandmother, “Why doesn't God let me feel His presence? If only I could feel Him and know that He has touched me.”  Her grandmother said, “Pray to God, right now.  Close your eyes and pray to him.  Ask Him to put out his hand and touch you.”  The girl closed her eyes and prayed fervently.  Then she felt a hand on her hand.  “He touched me.  He touched me,” she cried out.  Then she said, “You know, his hand felt just like your hand.”  “Of course it was my hand,” her grandmother said.  “That’s how God works.  He takes the hand that is nearest and uses that.”

Loving God and loving our neighbors are completely connected.  That’s why Jesus answered the man’s question, that day, the way he did. Jesus knows the best way to connect to God, to love God, is to love someone.  And the truth is we cannot truly love our neighbor apart from loving God.  We cannot separate the two.  We show our love for God, by the way we love our neighbor. "What you did for the least of mine you did for me," God said. And in the end that’s all that really matters.

Any of us who have had the privilege to be at the bedside of someone in their final moments, when they stand on the edge of eternity, know that you will never hear someone say, “Bring me my diplomas! I want to look at them one more time. Show me my awards, my medals, that gold watch I was given.”  When life on earth is ending people don’t surround themselves with objects.  What we want around us is people – people we love – and have relationships with. In our final moments we all realize that relationships are what life is all about. Love is all that matters in the end.

This is what Jesus is really saying to us today. He is saying: Do you know that nothing you do in this life will ever matter unless it is about loving God, and loving the people he has made?                                         

Today let’s all allow these words about love sink in deeply.

Let them go – through us – and change us, recreate us.

And then Jesus can heal us. And, use us to heal others. 

What good can come from suffering? ... you ask. "Awareness"

No one wants to suffer.
But ... we must learn that suffering is part of the journey of growth.
It is inevitable in the human state.  All humans suffer.  So the question becomes:

What do you do with suffering?

No one is happy for the suffering - who would be, who could be?
But ... that does not mean that there are no benefits - no blessings.

What good can come from suffering? ... you ask.  "Awareness"

The end of the world for a caterpillar is ... a butterfly.

Suffering can - if we allow it to - helps us to shed the unimportant.
We can become more aware of what is really important in life.
It focuses us on what truly matters.

The blessing in suffering is that you are happy
for for the new level of intimacy that the suffering brought you to.
Often you only know this - after the fact.
You usually can't see it in the suffering.
Perhaps days or weeks or even years later, one day you realize -
"God is so real to me now.  How did I get here?"

Suffering's greatest gift might be that you learn to live in the present moment.
You become fully alive in the moment.

All the expectations of the world drop away when we suffer. You stop caring about an other's approval.  Suffering can allow one to no longer march to the drums of society, but rather become someone who dances to the tune of the music that springs up from within.

When you are ready to lose your life ... you live it.

An Italian poet once said:
"We live in a flash of light; evening comes and it is night forever."
Our earthly life is only a flash and it is so easy to waste it.

Suffering can make you desire not to waste a moment ... and that is a blessing!

"Show me the coin."

They asked Jesus.
Tell us what is your opinion:
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" 
Knowing their malice, Jesus said,
"Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? 
Show me the coin that pays the census tax." 
Then they handed him the Roman coin. 
He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" 
They replied, "Caesar's."
At that he said to them,
"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."

Matthew 22:17-22


"Show me the coin."

In this reading, Jesus brilliantly dodges another trap set for him.  Taking a tiny little coin with Caesar’s image on it Jesus said: “give to Caesar what his Caesar’s;” and then he drops a bomb shell on his adversaries by saying: and give “to God what belongs to God."

Yes, of course, we must do our civic duty and pay our taxes, but the more important question is: What are we giving God?  Few of us shirk our civic duty; all of us pay our taxes.  But, many of us are shortchanging God.   And, the currency that matters to God is love.  What God values from us is love of neighbor.  What He values most is compassion.

Jesus was saying that day that we have a dual citizenship.  We are citizens of two worlds, citizens of this world and citizens of heaven.  We too must give to Caesar – the government – what is their due; and God what is His.

• Are you giving to God what is God’s?
• What about our lives belongs to God? 
• Everything?
• So what do you owe him?  

Don't be cheap!

That is what we are called to contemplate this week in our reading.

Proverbs 3:1-6

My child, do not forget my teaching,

take to heart my commands;

For many days, and years of life,

and peace, will they bring you.

Do not let love and fidelity forsake you;

bind them around your neck;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then will you win favor and esteem 

before God and human beings.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

on your own intelligence do not rely;

In all your ways be mindful of him,

and he will make straight your paths.

Call to the Vineyard

A man had two sons.  He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' He said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and went.  The man came to the other son and gave the same order.  He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will?  Matthew 21:28-31

In his letter to the Philippians St. Paul says something powerful, unbelievable really. He said:

“Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality 

with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the 

form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, 

he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death.”  Phil 2:6-8

Wow, that is so incredible.  

Jesus, who is God, emptied himself to become a slave – for us! 

Why would an all-powerful God do that? 

Jesus, who was God, in complete humility, emptied himself of himself to serve us. If he is our model as Christians, what does that tell us? Our call as Christians is to like Jesus, to be humble and serve others.  But the world tells just the opposite.  The world celebrates vanity, and tells us to watch out for number one.

In the reading above from Matthew's gospel, Jesus Invites us today to come to the vineyard and do God’s work. The vineyard imagery is a place where God calls his people to labor with him in the midst of the world. It is where his sons and daughters work in order to receive the reward of his kingdom. And the values in the vineyard – in God’s kingdom – are different than that of the world.  The world tells us happiness comes from acquiring possessions, receiving praise and having more. "The one with the most toys wins."

Jesus says – that’s a lie. He told us: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the Good News's will save it.”  God is calling us to live differently, to humble ourselves as he did and serve others. Jesus said in God’s world – in the vineyard – “The humble are exalted. The exalted are humbled.”

God calls us into his vineyard every day, just like he did those two sons in the parable.  And truth is most of us can find a bit of each brother in our lives. At times we say; "Yes, Sir ... I will go to work in the vineyard."  But, do we make it to the vineyard?  We say: “Yes, sir,” but then never let go of the world, never do anything to bring compassion and healing to the world. We never humble ourselves, let go of our agenda, and serve others in God’s name. We put on a good show about our faith.  We come to church regularly, but in our hearts, we never let go of the values of the world. We don't really want to change.  And in truth, this little piece of our life, the part we call "church," works just the way we want it to. One of the hardest things about writing this blog is how often I realize that I am the one who needs to hear the message most! 

The truth is we are all, also, a little bit like the son who said: “NO Lord.”  We say “no” by sinning, being selfish, and choosing the world over God’s vineyard. All of us have had those moments of selfishness and been anything but humble. Then we discover that what we thought would make us happy doesn't.

That is what happened to Saint Augustine one of the greatest saints in the history of the Church.  His young adulthood was a stormy period. It included fathering a child out of wedlock. In his twenties, Augustine moved to Milan, Italy, where he became a professor of rhetoric; a very prestigious position for a young man.  His personal life, however, continued to be stormy and wayward.

While in Milan, two things happened to him. First, he became increasingly unhappy with his personal life. Second, he became attracted to Christianity. It was in this frame of mind that he sat down one day and began to ponder his life. Suddenly he broke into tears and began to cry out to God: And you, Lord! How long will you be angry with me? Forever? Why not at this very hour put an end to my evil life?

Augustine said later: I was crying out like this when, suddenly, I heard the voice of a child. It seemed to say, “Take and read! Take and read!” I stood up. For now the voice seemed like a command to read the Bible. I got a Bible and opened it. The first words my eyes fell upon were from the letter of Paul to the Romans.

They read:

“Let us stop doing the things that belong to the dark, and let us take up weapons for fighting in the light. Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the light of day—no orgies or drunkenness . . . no fighting or jealousy. But take up the weapons of the Lord Jesus Christ, and stop paying attention to your sinful nature.”  Romans 13:12–14

When Augustine read this, he stopped. There was no need to go on. He says: “My heart was suddenly flooded with a light that erased all my doubts. And my soul was filled with a deep peace.” The Confessions of Saint Augustine (condensed and adapted)

That’s what happens when we finally enter the vineyard ... we find peace.

We need to ask ourselves the same questions Augustine did:

• How content are you with our present life?
• Are you dissatisfied with your present relationship with God?
• Do you wish you had a closer relationship, a closer connection, with Jesus?
• Are we ready to work in the vineyard, ready to humble ourselves, and help     others, especially the needy?

If that’s the case, what all-important first step might we take?

• For some of us maybe that step is the sacrament of Reconciliation. Maybe we need to go to confession.
• Maybe it’s simply to begin tonight to spend a few minutes in prayer before going to bed.
• Or maybe you need to begin a small bible study or faith sharing group to support you.

We are all being called to the vineyard.  Will we go is the only question.

Welcome to the vineyard Jesus says.  Let’s go be productive together.

Covenant – Margaret Halaska ... I love this !

God 
knocks at my door 
seeking a home for his son.

Rent is cheap, I say.

I don’t want to rent. I want to buy, says God.

I’m not sure I want to sell, 
but you might come in to look around.

I think I will, says God

I might let you have a room or two.

I like it, says God. I’ll take the two. 
You might decide to give me more some day. 
I can wait, says God

I’d like to give you more, 
but it’s a bit difficult. I need some space for me.

I know, says God, but I’ll wait. I like what I see.

Hm, maybe I can let you have another room. 
I really don’t need it that much.

Thanks, says God, I’ll take it. I like what I see.

I’d like to give you the whole house 
but I’m not sure

Think on it, says God. I wouldn’t put you out. 
Your house would be mine and my son would live in it. 
You’d have more space than you’d ever had before.

I don’t understand at all.

I know, says God, but I can’t tell you about that. 
You’ll have to discover it for yourself. 
That can only happen if you let me have the whole house.

A bit risky, I say.

Yes, says God, but try me.

I’m not sure— 
I’ll let you know.

I can wait, says God. I like what I see.

Names are important ...

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” 
He said to them,

“But who do you say that I am?”  

Simon Peter said in reply, 

“You are the Christ, 
the Son of the living God.”  

Jesus said to him in reply, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.  For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.  And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 

In this reading from Matthew we hear about the power of a name. 

Jesus says to his disciples:  “Who do you say that I am?” or, what name do you give me. Simon speaking for all of them names him:  “You are the Christ.” Then Jesus gives Simon a new name – Peter – the rock.

The name "Christ" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” The word messiah literally means "the anointed one" So why is Jesus called “the anointed one?”

At the time of Jesus and the apostles to be anointed, literally, is to have sacred oil poured on one’s head because God has chosen the person for a special task. Priests, prophets and kings were anointed. Kings were anointed during their coronation rather than receiving a crown. So the Messiah – the Christ – the anointed one – was to be the leader of the Jewish people, promised to them down through the age by their prophets

They were expecting this leader, who they believed would be  the "King of Israel." They were expecting a king who would govern the people of Israel and lead them back to greatness.They didn't understand that his kingship was not of this world.  The Christ they expected would be a powerful worldly leader.  Jesus created a new definition of the messiah.  One who took our sins away and opened for us the Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus Christ – the anointed one – in the way he  lived, died and rose again, showed that He ultimately fulfilled all of the “anointed” roles … 
priest … prophet … and … king.

And Peter that day for the first time named Jesus the messiah. Giving him this name transformed the mission of the 12 Apostles.  Jesus was no longer merely a teacher, a spiritual leader they admired.  He was the one promised by God, called to build God’s kingdom.   Calling Jesus the Christ changed everything for them.

Then Jesus then turns to Simon and does the same, he names him – Peter. The name "Peter," from the Greek petros, signifies more than simply a stone, or a rock, Its meaning is more like bedrock.  It is solid, foundational, and immovable.

Jesus' naming of Simon – Peter – is also a significant moment for the 12, and for the entire church they would found.  Peter was called to lead. He was called to be the foundation of this new church.

In calling him Peter – the "bedrock" – on which the Church was to be built Jesus gave Simon

•           a name … to live into …

•           a name … to cling to … when times get tough …

•           a name … to fulfill … for the rest of his days.

The names and the nicknames that we give one another can have great power. They can become self-fulfilling prophecies.  What names and nicknames have you been given?  What names do you claim?  And, what names do you need to discard because they do not serve you as a child of God?

There are a few names my brothers gave me growing up that I’ve had to discard. 

In anger we often call each other names,  names that harm.  We all need to learn to let go of these names – names that have damaged us.

And there are some names we need to claim. In an increasingly secular society some of us are reluctant to claim the name "Christian" because of negative associations others have given the name.  We need to be brave enough to claim the name Christian.  And then, through our actions, give it a new name in society; as Jesus did with the name Messiah. Just like Jesus, by our living unselfishly – by living for others and dying to ourselves – we can give it a new definition.  Let the world say because of us, because of you and me, " See how these who claim the name Christian love one another "

At our baptism each of us was given certain names by the Church that we need to claim.

Like Jesus,  we too have been anointed. At our baptism the priest or deacon anoints us and gives us names. When the Chrism oil is applied to our heads the following words are said over us.  Listen to these words and claim them for yourself.  After the water is poured over your heads you are anointed and these words are spoken:

God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin, given you a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and welcomed you into his holy people. He now anoints you with the chrism of salvation. As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live always as a member of his body, sharing everlasting life.

As a baptized person you are a member of the body of Christ.   Do you own the titles, the names, Priest – Prophet – and – King? These are the names given to YOU at your baptism.  These are names that Christ wants you to claim, just as Peter was asked to claim, and live up to, his name.

•     A prophet is a messenger sent by God, a person who speaks for God. Someone who reveals God and communicates to people the truths that God wants them to know.  He, or she, witnesses to God, calling people to conversion.

•     A priest is a mediator, or bridge, between God and human beings. Offering prayers and sacrifices for others. We are called by our baptism to offer prayers for our-selves, for each other and for the Church.

•      A King is one who leads others.  Each of us is called to be a leader for Christ

How are you doing in these names –  these roles – you have been given?