Septuagesima Sunday 31 Jan 2010 Sermon

Septuagesima Sunday 31.1.10 Answering the call

The older we get the more memories we have, the more people we have met and lost contact with along the highway of life; the more we can muse, Whatever happened to so-and-so? How did he end up? Is he still alive even? etc

When we ask, How did this or that person ‘end up’, we do that with particular relevance in relation to the Faith.

From a class of Catholic children in the 1960s (as in my case) how many would still be practising the faith? How many have fallen by the wayside in terms of faith, however much success they might have achieved in other spheres?

We fear the answers may not be very comforting. We live in an age of widespread scepticism and even outright denial of the faith. That does not make the faith any less true but does bring home to us how easily the ‘precious pearl’ can be thrown away.

St Paul alludes to this in today’s epistle: he confides that he has fears for his own salvation. He, the great Paul, who is one of our most exalted saints, yet considers that he may still end up in hell! Today no one is allowed to talk about going to hell like that; it just isn’t polite.

But it is possible all the same; possible for anyone no matter how highly thought of to lose the plot, to fall out of union with God through one or more wrong turnings, leading at some point to mortal sin, unconfessed, unrepented.

So here we are now. Whatever happened to us, people might ask. They haven’t seen us for years. Maybe they would be surprised to know we are in a church right at this moment. Somehow he never seemed the type for that!

But we have ended up here, and if we are wise will stay here – in the safety of the flock of Christ, answering the call of the Good Shepherd, seeking the mercy of the Prodigal Father who welcomes back the straying child.

We are here, however we got here, however many twists and turns our lives may have taken. We are in the right place and will not leave it.

[For the young, of course, you have not had twists and turns yet, and you don’t have to have them either. It is not compulsory to spend some part of your life in the wilderness. Best to stay here and grow in grace as long as you live.]

All of us are called to be labourers in the vineyard. Whether early or late we must answer that call. In fact, because God is merciful, He gives people usually many chances. We can reject His call at various ages and still come in before the end. If we do we will be saved.

But it is better to answer the call as soon as possible.

For one thing it gives us more chance to serve Our Lord, the Master of the vineyard. We may think that to serve Him is going to make life harder, but He explains that His yoke is easy and His burden light. The serenity of conscience that comes from serving Him far outweighs the ill-gotten gains of a godless life. We are happier if we are in His employ than if we are outside.

Further, by coming in early we have more chance to help others find their way in. Many have lost their way; so we will bring many back into the fold by our prayers, works and sufferings. We will let the power of God work through us to call sinners to repentance.

Further still, the more we learn about this work the less likely we are to throw it away in some late-life rashness. It is possible to be lost but it is not likely if one follows basic disciplines and has frequent recourse to prayer and sacraments.

So this is how we ended up [so far]. A surprise ending perhaps, even to ourselves, but the best thing that could have happened. As we may not be finished yet, and some of us may have a long time to live, we cannot rest complacent, but persevere to the end (like St Paul’s athlete); persevere in the Lord’s service, where we are paid much more than we deserve.