11th Sunday after Pentecost 20 Aug 2017 Sermon

11^th Sunday after Pentecost 20.8.17 Holding firm

St Paul reasserts the basics in today’s epistle. In the light of moral crises and general decline we need to go back to those basics and hold on tight.

When we are in a battle, and seem to be pushed back, we tend to re-group, hoping to find new strength.

If we retreat it is not to admit defeat, but to rebuild and come back out again. The Church is in that state at present, and has been many times before.

We have our ‘backs to the wall’. We are probably losing more than we are winning, as far as influencing the world goes - though there is a lot of good happening which is under-reported.

But certainly if we go by the numbers we are declining in many key areas – Mass attendance, vocations, Catholic percentage of the population.

And the wrong numbers are going up - depression, abuse, suicides, atheism, general moral decline – addictions, abortions, homosexual behaviour etc.

The first thing for us is not to change sides. So many have left, having been baptised and confirmed, but still gone. This is part of the test. The real disciples will hold on. The weaker ones will take flight.

We worry about those who leave, for their own salvation; and also because we miss the contribution they could make.

And they serve as a temptation for those still here also to leave. Why am I still here when all my family and friends have gone\?

We are still here because the basic data of our faith are still true, and cannot become untrue.

God the Son became man, was born, and died, and raised, and ascended, and will come again.

In that process He has established the Church, which speaks infallibly for Him, and which makes Him present through the sacraments.

This is where we draw the line. No further retreat from this is possible. These things are the certainties on which we rely, no matter what else anyone says or does.

We do not go by polls, or by sentiment, or crowd mentality. Crowds are notorious for getting it wrong – crucify him, crucify him.

This will do wonders for our own faith; we will never leave if we dig in firmly enough.

And it should have a flow-on effect in retrieving the lost, and winning new members.

We have the responsibility to hold on in this present time of crisis.

We are confident of the ultimate victory because Christ will come again, even if only a remnant still believes.

We hold on, with awareness of the seriousness of the conflict, so we put all our energy to the task, much as if we were in a physical battle.

There is a certain desperation in the effort; but no desperation in the beliefs themselves, in which we can be serenely certain. There the truth is as clear and strong as anything could ever be.

We build up our knowledge of the faith, so that we can put in a good word when possible. We are usually outnumbered, but we do not let the numbers fool us. We will be mocked and ridiculed, but no amount of mocking and scorning can put Our Lord back into the tomb.

Nothing can keep Christ down, nor His followers, if we hold firm.

If anyone wants to say we are winning at present, the principle remains the same. We would then have to guard against complacency. We will have neither complacency nor despair. In all weathers we hold firm.