Deacon Greg’s Homily 2-17-19
Blessed are are those who guide us… Fr. Bryan and Fr. Thomas… for they continue to know the love of God is the hearts of those that they encounter each day in their ministry, helping shepherd this flock of ours! Last week, Fr. Thomas offered us three very poignant questions regarding discipleship. Are you weak enough to fully trust in God? Are you broken enough to share yourself with others? Are you afraid enough of sin, so as to follow Christ? This week, I encourage you to note Fr. Bryan’s Bulletin Reflection, where he asks us to trust in what God wants vs. what the world wants. He asks us to BE like the tree planted near the water, always staying close to the source of life that helps us grow!
Blessed are you, in spite of the day to day challenges, who still live out your faith, who still reach out and serve, and who still trust that God will continue to provide all that we need… Even if it is in His time, and not ours! - Can I get an Amen?
We had a little reminder this past week that we live in a world that is still not always kind and trustworthy… First, we had a little break-in to a couple of the Church offices this week… during the work day and during a funeral no less…
Blessed are those who are poor and have to go without… But woe to those who steal, thinking that such worldly goods are worth the sin and the crime.
Materials can be replaced, but hardened hearts need our prayers…
Second, I woke up to the news of yet another senseless shooting of innocent people just trying to work, this time in Illinois, and this headline in this morning’s USA Today: Former Cleric Theodore “McCarrick, a one-time “prince of the church,” as cardinals are known, becomes the highest-ranking churchman to be laicized, or dismissed from the clerical state. It marks a remarkable downfall for the globe-trotting powerbroker and influential church fundraiser who mingled with presidents and popes but preferred to be called “Uncle Ted” by the young men he courted.”
Woe to those who don’t get it! Woe to those who abuse power! Woe to those who think they can have it all, and then some, even at the expense of a person’s life, dignity and our Church and Community’s integrity!
It should be noted that beginning Thursday, late this week, our Holy Father will be meeting with key Bishop’s from around the world. The meeting of the Presidents of over 180 Episcopal Conferences, that is, groups of Bishops from various countries and regions, will take place in Rome through the upcoming weekend. The President from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo commented earlier today on the Vatican’s Announcement, saying “No bishop, no matter how influential, is above the law of the Church. For all those McCarrick abused, I pray this judgement will be one small step, among many, toward healing."
Let us take some time this week to pray for our Holy Father and our Bishops…
Meanwhile this past week…
Many came together to help raise tens of thousands of dollars to help our school.
Our community gathered for daily masses, our weekly prayer groups, our religious ed classes, and a ministry that helps folks find jobs!
Folks responded to a call to help host a funeral, and serve a family who’s husband and father have been taken from them far too soon.
And two nice guys agreed to help someone move into an apartment!
In today’s first reading, Jeremiah challenges us to put our TRUST in the Lord! His image of a tree planted near the water, being better that a barren bush in the middle of the desert, sets forth a somewhat simple formula to consider. Better that you stay close to the Lord, putting your trust in the Lord, making good decisions to do good things, focusing on the goodness in your life, than to wander away from the Lord, placing your trust on the things that will not flourish, or grow, or last.
In today’s Gospel Luke speaks to us with simplicity and straight-forwardness. His witness of the Beatitudes is referred to as the Sermon on the Plain, as opposed to Matthew’s version called the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew was trying to help a predominantly Jewish Christian Community make sense of their own unique challenges in understanding Christ and his teachings, while Luke was witnessing to a very diverse culture of non-Jewish Gentiles from many walks of life. Notice that the crowd includes “The Twelve” (Leaders), his disciples (who had already begun to follow), and a large number of people from many places like Judea, Jerusalem, Tyre and Sidon, which I guess we can refer to as “everybody else!”
It is to THEM that Jesus refers to when, instead of using the more familiar “Blessed are the poor in spirit” from Matthew, he says, “Blessed are you who ARE poor, for the kingdom of God is yours! Blessed are you who ARE NOW hungry, or weeping, or hated, or excluded, for “behold, your reward will be great in heaven!”
Blessed are you who do not have, and are in need of help… You who know that God is primary and trustworthy. You who work tirelessly. You who are grateful for the blessings that ARE in your midst, in spite of what you are lacking. You are the opportunity for others to BE what God has called them to be. You are the reason that Christ is known to the world. Your faith and goodness, and your life of virtue, as you pursue to try and obtain what you need is what the kingdom of God is all about! Both Fr. Thomas in his homily last weekend, and Fr. Bryan in his column in this weekend’s bulletin, referr to St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta in saying that God does’t call us to be successful… He calls us to be FAITHFUL!
But because it is so unique to Luke’s Beatitudes, let’s conclude with “The Woe’s.” These are not threats from a fire & brimstone preacher, they are a simple promise based upon many millennia of human experience. When one puts their trust in a finite and worldly thing, instead of the Lord, things usually don’t work out too well.
Woe to you who are rich, who are filled now, and who laugh now… Woe to you when all speak well of you… You have your blessings, and yet you keep them to yourself… You feel satisfied with all that you’ve accumulated. One day those will be gone, and you will have missed the opportunity that comes with sharing, depriving yourself of God’s grace trying to work through you!
So, blessed are you who have, and are willing to share… Remember, Jesus is not shaming those who have material blessings, he’s just calling on them to live as a community, serving one another in times of need. Good stewards know where their blessings come from, and they know that the Lord is working through them, as they share that blessing and help meet the needs of others.
This week we’ve seen murders, thieves and former clerics in our world who’ve decided to place their trust in something other than the Lord! But in this same week, we see victims being helped to move towards healing… We see blessings shower down upon the children and the families in our school… We see a community of believers who gather for Mass and prayer and the sharing of our faith, and work together to serve those who mourn or need work… And two guys helped someone move into their new apartment.
I think Jeremiah and Luke have it right…
Be blessed, and not woeful!
Blessed are you, in spite of the day to day challenges, who still live out your faith, who still reach out and serve, and who still trust that God will continue to provide all that we need… Even if it is in His time, and not ours! - Can I get an Amen?
We had a little reminder this past week that we live in a world that is still not always kind and trustworthy… First, we had a little break-in to a couple of the Church offices this week… during the work day and during a funeral no less…
Blessed are those who are poor and have to go without… But woe to those who steal, thinking that such worldly goods are worth the sin and the crime.
Materials can be replaced, but hardened hearts need our prayers…
Second, I woke up to the news of yet another senseless shooting of innocent people just trying to work, this time in Illinois, and this headline in this morning’s USA Today: Former Cleric Theodore “McCarrick, a one-time “prince of the church,” as cardinals are known, becomes the highest-ranking churchman to be laicized, or dismissed from the clerical state. It marks a remarkable downfall for the globe-trotting powerbroker and influential church fundraiser who mingled with presidents and popes but preferred to be called “Uncle Ted” by the young men he courted.”
Woe to those who don’t get it! Woe to those who abuse power! Woe to those who think they can have it all, and then some, even at the expense of a person’s life, dignity and our Church and Community’s integrity!
It should be noted that beginning Thursday, late this week, our Holy Father will be meeting with key Bishop’s from around the world. The meeting of the Presidents of over 180 Episcopal Conferences, that is, groups of Bishops from various countries and regions, will take place in Rome through the upcoming weekend. The President from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo commented earlier today on the Vatican’s Announcement, saying “No bishop, no matter how influential, is above the law of the Church. For all those McCarrick abused, I pray this judgement will be one small step, among many, toward healing."
Let us take some time this week to pray for our Holy Father and our Bishops…
Meanwhile this past week…
Many came together to help raise tens of thousands of dollars to help our school.
Our community gathered for daily masses, our weekly prayer groups, our religious ed classes, and a ministry that helps folks find jobs!
Folks responded to a call to help host a funeral, and serve a family who’s husband and father have been taken from them far too soon.
And two nice guys agreed to help someone move into an apartment!
In today’s first reading, Jeremiah challenges us to put our TRUST in the Lord! His image of a tree planted near the water, being better that a barren bush in the middle of the desert, sets forth a somewhat simple formula to consider. Better that you stay close to the Lord, putting your trust in the Lord, making good decisions to do good things, focusing on the goodness in your life, than to wander away from the Lord, placing your trust on the things that will not flourish, or grow, or last.
In today’s Gospel Luke speaks to us with simplicity and straight-forwardness. His witness of the Beatitudes is referred to as the Sermon on the Plain, as opposed to Matthew’s version called the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew was trying to help a predominantly Jewish Christian Community make sense of their own unique challenges in understanding Christ and his teachings, while Luke was witnessing to a very diverse culture of non-Jewish Gentiles from many walks of life. Notice that the crowd includes “The Twelve” (Leaders), his disciples (who had already begun to follow), and a large number of people from many places like Judea, Jerusalem, Tyre and Sidon, which I guess we can refer to as “everybody else!”
It is to THEM that Jesus refers to when, instead of using the more familiar “Blessed are the poor in spirit” from Matthew, he says, “Blessed are you who ARE poor, for the kingdom of God is yours! Blessed are you who ARE NOW hungry, or weeping, or hated, or excluded, for “behold, your reward will be great in heaven!”
Blessed are you who do not have, and are in need of help… You who know that God is primary and trustworthy. You who work tirelessly. You who are grateful for the blessings that ARE in your midst, in spite of what you are lacking. You are the opportunity for others to BE what God has called them to be. You are the reason that Christ is known to the world. Your faith and goodness, and your life of virtue, as you pursue to try and obtain what you need is what the kingdom of God is all about! Both Fr. Thomas in his homily last weekend, and Fr. Bryan in his column in this weekend’s bulletin, referr to St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta in saying that God does’t call us to be successful… He calls us to be FAITHFUL!
But because it is so unique to Luke’s Beatitudes, let’s conclude with “The Woe’s.” These are not threats from a fire & brimstone preacher, they are a simple promise based upon many millennia of human experience. When one puts their trust in a finite and worldly thing, instead of the Lord, things usually don’t work out too well.
Woe to you who are rich, who are filled now, and who laugh now… Woe to you when all speak well of you… You have your blessings, and yet you keep them to yourself… You feel satisfied with all that you’ve accumulated. One day those will be gone, and you will have missed the opportunity that comes with sharing, depriving yourself of God’s grace trying to work through you!
So, blessed are you who have, and are willing to share… Remember, Jesus is not shaming those who have material blessings, he’s just calling on them to live as a community, serving one another in times of need. Good stewards know where their blessings come from, and they know that the Lord is working through them, as they share that blessing and help meet the needs of others.
This week we’ve seen murders, thieves and former clerics in our world who’ve decided to place their trust in something other than the Lord! But in this same week, we see victims being helped to move towards healing… We see blessings shower down upon the children and the families in our school… We see a community of believers who gather for Mass and prayer and the sharing of our faith, and work together to serve those who mourn or need work… And two guys helped someone move into their new apartment.
I think Jeremiah and Luke have it right…
Be blessed, and not woeful!
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