10th Sunday after Pentecost 1 Aug 2021 Sermon

 10^th Sunday after Pentecost    1 August 2021   Obedience

 We are often called upon to obey certain instructions, especially in this Covid era.

The Christian approach to authority is summed up in the phrase, Give to God what is God’s and to Caesar what is Caesar’s.(Mk 12,17)

As God has authority over the whole world, it means He has authority over everything in that world.

For most purposes God delegates authority to humans who can then organize things at a more local level; and this is where Caesar comes in.

Caesar himself often forgets he is working for God; he is tempted to think that he can govern in his own right!

We don’t need God, the world says – and then proceeds to make a gigantic mess of things. Any study of history will remind us very quickly of human fallibility in decision-making.

St Paul urges us to obey leaders (Heb 13,17) and pray for them (1 Tim 2, 2). We cultivate charity at all times. There is usually a lot of anger abroad whenever important issues are being considered.

We can disapprove of those in charge without hating them, or treating them badly.

Love always hopes (1 Co 13,7), always believes that any person has the potential to be a disciple of Christ, and repent of their sins.

We may not think it likely but we pray for it, and hope for it. We do not follow the way of the world with insults etc.

We should generally obey secular authorities as long as we are not doing something immoral by obeying.

We may think a particular law is wrong, but still comply, for the sake of keeping due order, and finding other ways to protest.

eg Abortion. We cannot pray publicly outside an abortion centre. We obey, reluctantly, but we still oppose abortion and will work in other forums to bring it to an end.

While complying we can also express our disagreement with unjust laws, and always we are praying for divine light to fall upon those in authority.

The same idea applies to Church authority. We pray for our leaders that they will make wise decisions, and for ourselves to be able to see that wisdom.

The Gospel today reminds us that to be humble before God is the key to everything.  The publican was humble, and that put him right with God.

So it will put us right, both the leaders and those being led. If we all kneel before God with sincere intent, we will see much more clearly what is right and good.

This would also enable charity to have a stronger effect in binding people to the right cause.

It comes to this: Keep the law where you can. Pray and work to change the laws when necessary. And above all maintain charity.

On the question of obedience, we are considering our response to the Pope’s recent directives concerning the Mass (Traditionis Custodes)

The Pope is not forbidding the old Mass but encouraging everyone to prefer the new form of the Mass.

We acknowledge his sentiments, but we are not obliged to reject the Latin Mass or to wish it to disappear! Indeed we want it to flourish, and do much good – to give glory to God and to save souls.

The new Mass remains as an option for those who wish – just as there are many other rites within the Church, open to all (eg Ukrainian, Maronite, Syro-Malabar, Ordinariate).

Let us pray for our leaders, ecclesial and secular, that they will make wise decisions, which we can understand and obey.

Lord, be merciful to us, sinners.