Christmas Day 2022 Sermon

Christmas Day 2022 Salvation

Salvation means the reversal of whatever is wrong and making it right.

The blind see, the lame walk, the evil repent. Even nature can turn from arid to fertile, hostile to friendly.

The moral sphere is the most important - sinners become saints.

But the saving work of God can be seen at all levels. Whatever the problem He will bring us closer to Himself, the source of all goodness and right order.

Everything from finding a lost object to the salvation of souls, God has it in His nature to heal, to bless, to restore.

He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.(Ps 147, 3)

He casts down the mighty from their thrones, and raises the lowly (Lk 1,52)

I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh (Ez 36,26)

Salvation goes on all year. At Christmas we focus a little more as we contemplate the Crib scene and the peace and order which emanate from there.

Christmas is partly celebrating what we already have in the way of salvation, and partly praying for what still needs to happen. The world is still sadly short of where it could be in receiving the Saviour in its midst.

Those who have faith cannot rest out of complacency or despair.

Complacency is thinking all the necessary work is done; there is nothing left for us to worry about.

Despair is thinking that we are beyond salvation; there is no way out of here for the human race.

We keep pressing on, to bring the knowledge of Christ to all of creation.

Many do not know where to look for salvation. There are many false turnings and dead ends. Only in Jesus Christ can salvation be achieved.

We cannot do this without Him. With Him, however, we can do much, and we must do that which falls to us.

Salvation is God's initiative, but does need our responsiveness. It is a gift that must be opened,

Mercy is not forced on us, but is there as long as there is daylight left to us.

We seek by our prayer, good works, good example, to bring others to where they can be healed of whatever ails them; whatever is out of place to its proper place.

The Church at the human level does not always give the best example, but it is Christ we proclaim, not ourselves.

If He is sought after then there will be abundant blessings in all directions.

For whatever reason we might not ask, but if we would persevere there would be a flood of grace and mercy.

We call down mercy first of all; then a change of heart for each person; then that those who do experience God's mercy will be willing to make Him known to others.

Those He touches will be his disciples. We can assume that all those people Jesus healed would have lived better lives as a result.

We still pray for other things of moment, such as protection from fire and flood, and a hundred other evils.

And peace on earth, the weapons to be used for peaceful purposes (swords into ploughshares).

The Crib scene strikes us with its peaceful appearance. Everyone in that scene was striking the right note. There was no ego, no competitiveness; only goodwill to all.

This is how we are invited to respond. Bury our grudges and our pride; put away the desire for revenge, the quest for earthly riches and recognition.

We empty ourselves to be refilled with something better.

In a word, salvation changes us for the better, and so for all who seek it.

 

 

4th Sunday of Advent 18 Dec 2022 Sermon

 4^th Sunday of Advent 18 December 2022 Incarnation

 And the word was made flesh…. And dwelt amongst us.

 And became man.

 These phrases are familiar to us, perhaps too familiar insofar as we could take them for granted, without appreciating their massive importance.

 As often as we say those words we must never allow ourselves to forget the enormity that they contain.

 Given who God is, and who we are, we can say with the psalm, what is man that you should make so much of him…You have made him little less than the angels. (Ps 8,4-5).

 It is one thing that God would even  create us, when He had no need of us. God is perfectly happy within Himself.

 We understand that He wants to share His glory with us. Like a rich man opening up the grounds to the peasants and then feeding them. He takes pleasure in their pleasure.

 But rich men are not likely to want to become poor; they give from their excess. It does not bother them much because they still have so much left over.

And the rich are even less likely to take on the punishment due to the sins of others.

This is what God the Son did, when He came down from Heaven.

He did not have to come at all. If He did come he did not have to become man; He could have simply acted out of His divinity, and pardoned us without actually dying in our place.

It seems that God must love us a great deal to put Himself to such trouble.

Many are scandalized by the assertion that God would do this, and they therefore deny the divinity of Christ. They will say he was a good man, but no more.

However, God can do as He decides, and it is not necessary or helpful for us to dispute His actions.

He became Man without ceasing to be God. He has from the moment of His conception been both God and Man, and this is a fundamental belief to being a Christian.

By becoming Man He upgrades human nature, purifying it and raising it to a higher standard.

As Man He can do all the things which we were meant to do, but cannot unless we are freed from our sins.

For example, As Man He can love God with perfection of heart and mind. He can love neighbour without the usual restraints we would put on that obligation.

He understands the mind of God much more clearly than we would otherwise be able to do.

He can draw down the power of God to intervene in human affairs, eg working miracles.

He has restored human nature to the favour it had before the sin of Adam

He can claim a place in Heaven which was always God's desire that we could share.

He has perfect control over His human will, which is always in perfect union with the Father, whereas we struggle to keep our will on course.

He gives us a focal point as we come out of this struggle. Submit our wills to His and we have great peace.

All this is what He did and why He did it. At Christmas we celebrate that His coming to birth in humble circumstances was a major step along the way of our restoration to God's favour.

Christmas gives us great hope, and at the same time a lesson in humility. If we are to share in the new humanity of Christ we must imitate His humility.

We see ourselves as life-long disciples, with so much to learn. We take every chance to draw from the humanity of Christ and so share in His divinity.

3rd Sunday of Advent 11 Dec 2022 Sermon

3^rd Sunday of Advent 11 December 2022 Finding joy

When important people are scheduled to give a speech, usually they will be introduced by someone who will also have some importance, but less than the main speaker.

So it could be said with John and Jesus, that John was good enough to be the main event, but he could see, if the people could not, that the One coming after was much greater.

It gives honour to the main person to build up a little expectancy. John takes this role with Our Lord, especially as to the moral and spiritual side of events.

The Messiah was to be above all, a good person, extremely so; more so than people would have been expecting.

The main solution to all Israel’s troubles was to be found in the spiritual domain, not the political or economic.

If they would repent; if they would live holy lives; then they would be free of slavery to other powers, beginning with evil, the worst slavery.

Even such great figures as John and Jesus had difficulty reaching the common person with this teaching. It has ever been a challenge for the Church to pass this message to the world.

If John was the introducer and Jesus the celebrity then we are the ‘audience’, inspired to go out and tell others.

The others may not want to know, however! People can be cynical and complacent. Cynical, insofar as not committing to any particular form of truth. Complacent, insofar as not admitting any serious need of repentance.

We tell them anyway. Not just in our own strength, but combined as the Church.

We have different gifts, and between us we have them all. (cf 1 Cor 12,4-11).

All of us have a job to do, part of which will be that we make God present by the way we live. A demanding role.

If we are to make any impact we must live pure and dedicated lives like John, so that people will see in us something worth imitating.

We are not only attempting to reach individuals, but from that to achieve a cleansing effect in our whole society – all the social and moral evils which we lament. In Advent imagery there is barren land which suddenly turns green. Sin causes death and decay; holiness restores life, fruit, and beauty.

We must shed what remains of our own cynicism and complacency.

As to cynicism, we still believe in goodness, in right living, in the power of Christ to bring this about in any who will call on Him.

As to complacency, we will not settle for less than the best in our response to Him.

This is why John the Baptist stood out so strongly, because he pushed himself to the limit in the task that he had.

If enough of us would do that, and for long enough, the whole orientation of the world would be turned towards God. Presently the world denies or ignores God but this can change.

In today’s epistle, we are told to be joyful, and hence the name for today – Gaudete Sunday.

We cannot be happy about everything, but let us say that every problem has a solution and that solution is coming.

If I am hungry but I know there is food coming, I still feel hungry, but I also feel a lot better knowing that the remedy is near at hand. This is our position.

Christ comes as the answer to every need, and we reaffirm our gratitude to Him and trust in Him.

Until He comes finally and fully He consoles us, and gives us at least smaller victories, as constant reminders of His presence.

Rejoice in the Lord, always.

2nd Sunday of Advent 4 Dec 2022 Sermon

2^nd Sunday of Advent 4 December 2022 Desires

Our faith requires a certain toughness. While we might prefer things to be easy and comfortable there is also in us a desire for challenge and achievement; and even to be disciplined, though it hurts sometimes.

We find we have conflicting desires much of the time. We do not always want the right thing in the right way.

We understand that everything would run much better if we did want the right things but our sinfulness confuses us.

It should not be as difficult as it is, but at least we know to what we are aspiring.

Ultimately we want to go to Heaven. What is so good about Heaven is that we can indulge the senses? No, it is to be in union with God.

There will be sensual enjoyment, no doubt, but there is more than that, waiting to be discovered.

At two years old we might be happy to play in the backyard. At twenty-two we would be bored by infantile games and seek other sources of entertainment.

At 42 or 62, probably different again.

Our tastes change and we learn as we go, so we can smile at our own limited understanding back years ago.

The same process can apply to how we are now, at whatever age. We are offered Heaven, and even in this life a fair slice of Heaven as we bring our lives under God’s authority.

The happiness being offered to us is much greater than we have ever experienced here, or could even imagine.

What made John the Baptist do what he did; to live so differently from other people around him? He could have been just one of the boys but chose to be separate, pursuing different goals.

He had discovered the precious pearl (Mt 13,45-46) and stayed with that all his life. Even in the womb he could rejoice at the coming of the Messiah (Lk1,44).

It takes the average person years to grasp this, if they ever do, but John was right onto it.

Like John we must stay on the right side of the argument. We can always set a straight course if we have not done so yet. Prepare ye the way.

The way to eternal life.

Instead of just trying for worldly happiness, as seen from our very limited perspective, we can go for a much bigger prize.

We cultivate our stance before God, our desire for Him, and knowledge of Him. As we do that we find we are less reliant on the worldly things, we probably thought we could never do without.

John the Baptist preferred penance to sensual delights.

Penance is the voluntary renunciation of permissible pleasures. It helps us to focus on other things besides what we can see right in front of us. It helps us to see beyond this life to the next, and adjust accordingly.

John would have been happier in the desert eating locusts than spending Friday night at the pub etc.

We get bored with the world, not in a depressive way but because we have found something better.

In the old quiz shows you could take your winnings and leave, or you could come back next week and try for higher prizes. This is our position. We must come back till we find God, and having done that we never let go.

We talk penance at the most hedonistic time of the year! We want happiness as much as anyone, only we know from the prophets and other saints that it cannot be found in this life alone. We set our sights for Heaven, our true home. 

 

 

1st Sunday of Advent 27 Nov 2022 Sermon

1^st Sunday of Advent 27 November 2022 Out of trouble

The liturgical year gives us a mixture of high and low points. We value the high points more, if we have reflected on where we would be without them. So we will enjoy Christmas more if we have been through Advent.

We need to know how much trouble we were in before we can celebrate getting out of that trouble. If we are lost, for example, we are glad when we see familiar landmarks.

The same applies in the spiritual life, though the need there may not be so evident.

One could be far from God, not in a state of grace, and that is certainly a form of trouble, but not necessarily one that the person recognizes.

It is possible, though very unwise, to live this earthly life as though we did not need God, as though all our happiness could be found here on earth.

We need a vision of reality that is broader than just the everyday running about. It would be a great pity if our lives just ended and there was nothing more to come. No redemption, no resurrection.

But there is a great deal more, and we find it in God. We have a deep need for Him and He is ready to supply that need.

In the Advent season we can ask ourselves: what if there were no Christmas? What if Christ never came? How desolate we would be.

But He did come, and we go back to that fact to regain faith, hope and charity.

We anticipate also His second coming, which will complete His glorious victory over sin and death.

People complain about God for not doing more to repair all that is wrong in the world.

He does act but just in different ways than we expect. There is often a clash of priorities. Not many people would be likely to identify union with God as their main need. Yet that is what God Himself would tell us.

God acts to bring people to believe in Him, to acknowledge Him as God, and themselves as humble servants; to focus on Him rather than their own problems.

Seek first the kingdom and all else will be provided for you (cf Mt 6,33).

Why is it so hard to see this? Sin obscures the vision and creates multiple distractions.

Too many cooks spoil the broth, they say. Well, in the faith world there are definitely too many cooks, all trying to tell God what to do, instead of humbly complying with what he wants.

God is able to work it all around even if we do not cooperate. But we here do want to cooperate, asking forgiveness, praying for everything good to happen, asking God to come and take over our hearts and minds.

He wants to help everyone, even those complaining, but on His terms. He wants to transform people to a state of kindness, mercy, gratitude, generosity and a host of related qualities.

Yes, the other troubles need attention too, but none of them is the worst problem. The worst problem is when people ignore God and make their own false gods.

We are in trouble but there is a solution, and we pursue that solution, all the while expressing gratitude that God gives us so many chances to get this right.

It is like we are rehearsing a play, and we can redo the scene if it is not working out.

All this is presupposed in our various prayers, Advent and otherwise. We are being saved; it is a process which we depend upon and can help to make it work.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Last Sunday after Pentecost 20 Nov 2022 Sermon

Last Sunday after Pentecost 20 November 2022  End times

On the last Sunday of the Church year we naturally consider the end of things - the end of our lives, the end of the world, the end of Satan and all his legions.

It is hard to interpret the timing of all the various prophecies, biblical and otherwise.

We know that on the Last Day the dead shall be raised, and there will be a final judgment. It will be the end of this world, but we should not be alarmed because Heaven is much better than here.

Much as we do not generally like upheaval, we will be glad when this day comes. If we love the Bridegroom, how can we want him to stay away?

In the meantime we must live good and holy lives (1 Th 4,11).

It is not so easy to be good as we discover, and we see around us. Sin is addictive, and can be a hard snare to escape. Also one sin leads to others. and a kind of despair can set in.

People can hate their lives as they are yet they fear turning to a religious solution because that is perceived as boring and difficult.

It cannot be boring to move closer to the Source of all that is interesting. Whatever interests people pursue, it is only possible because God makes it so.

We pray that those who resist conversion will see the light, while we do our best to give witness of our beliefs by the way we live.

We need to be aware of the spiritual dimension, knowing that whatever we do for good or evil will have an effect in the physical world.

We are spiritual beings with the capacity to commit sin or do good many times in one day.

We can help to bring on the kingdom in our midst. We ask for God’s kingdom to come; it will come through enough people being willing to receive it. We can be among that number.

The chastisements described in the Bible, and experienced throughout human history do not have to be so dramatic as they have been. If only enough people would repent the whole scene would change very quickly.

It is only human stubbornness that has made it so difficult, that makes people think it is always going to be like this, that there is no future to look forward to.

God does not want to punish us. It is just so He does not have to punish that He tells us in advance what will happen unless we repent. Knowing that, we gladly repent.

It is harder for people to repent these days because they are not so clear about right and wrong as in other ages. Many will say they have done nothing wrong .

Others will kill, or otherwise silence the prophet rather than worry about what he is saying.

God can be ignored for a time but only for a time. He will make Himself known eventually, and this is what these prophecies are making plain.

We can take the disasters as just a glimpse of what could be far worse.

But we don’t have to go that way. We can change it if there are enough people capable of believing in God and His Kingdom. There have been such people and we call them saints.

We can be as they are, not letting anything deflect us from the task at hand - which is to call on the grace of God to forgive, to heal, to bring us to a point where we can welcome Him, going out to meet Him confidently (Lk 21,28), to be able to pray with every good hope – Come, Lord Jesus.

 

 

23rd Sunday after Pentecost 13 Nov 2022 Sermon

23^rd Sunday after Pentecost 13 November 2022 Death

Here are two miracles from Our Lord: a woman touching the hem of His garment, and the young girl raised to life. Two different methods of healing Our Lord used. He could have done it differently - all ways were open to Him.

He is Lord of the living and the dead (Rm 14,9). He not only has life it but is life (Jn 11,25).

We get the sense that He could work miracles all day long, and effortlessly.

Indeed we wish He would do that; for example, that He could go through a hospital or even a cemetery and restore health and life to everyone there.

But though He could do that it is not His normal way of operating.

He is working to a different plan and blessing us in another way. It is a longer-term solution. When we die we do not come back to life, not here on earth, but we live on in another way.

We do not want our loved ones to come back; rather that we go to them.

We understand that it is not always God's will that each person live the normal life span. Some people He takes early, as with many saints, especially the martyrs.

Taken too soon, we might say but what if  God has uses for them somewhere else.

Did not St Therese say that she would spend her Heaven doing good on earth?

We have to stop thinking about death as death, we might say; that is, thinking about death as though it is the end of everything. It can look and feel like the end but is not so.

God wants us to entrust every person to His special care. We will miss them, but we can absorb that loss in the larger context of God's whole saving plan.

If they are saved, and we are saved, we will meet again, and the joy of that meeting will exceed by far any pain we have felt at the separation.

We cannot fathom God's will much of the time, but we can come to trust Him, which is what He most wants from us.

Our Lord is demonstrating by these miracles that He can heal the dead, the living, and the grieving – and He can work it all into the best overall outcome.

Everyone has a place prepared for us (Jn 14,3). We could miss that place, but we will make sure we do not.

God does not enjoy seeing us suffer, but He can see a lot further than we can, and will console us in the meantime.

We have two lives; we are meant to use this one to prepare for the second one.

It is as easy as touching the hem of His garment! As easy as approaching Him and asking for the necessary help.

We express trust in Him even if we do not feel it. The feelings will come along eventually, but in the meantime we walk by faith.

Death is part of the human condition in the present phase of life. It will remain so until the Second Coming of Christ when death will be no more, and every tear wiped away (Rev 21,4).

We tend to cling to what we know, but God challenges us to let Him decide what we will have. He will give us a better Heaven than we could have designed for ourselves.

He will help us negotiate the unknown, and we will be very glad we did go His way.

In any case life for us is primarily spiritual not physical. It is, for example, better to be charitable than to be able to run fast.

To share in the divine nature requires   a spiritual perspective, which will come with sufficient prayer and reflection.

First in the spirit, and then in the body, we shall live forever. Death shall be no more (Rev 21,4).

22nd Sunday after Pentecost 6 Nov 2022 Sermon

22^nd Sunday after Pentecost 6 November 2022 Purgatory

We are made to know love and serve God. This is not well known and may take a lifetime or a little more to grasp it.

Many people do not know this, or do not believe it, or may not care.

Even we who give God some space may still see Him as only a part of our world, in which we have so much else to do.

It is so easy to pick the wrong goals, the wrong things to chase after in this life. There are so many false signals, confused ideas.

It should be straightforward but our sins have made it confusing.

We eat when we are hungry, we sleep when we are tired, but on spiritual matters it has all become cloudy.

God is patient, however, and gives us a lot of time to find Him in the midst of it all.

We can find Him, and for this we pray.

Many will not find out this central point until death.

They may be saved, as in having some recognition of God, but still not ready to enter the splendour of Heaven.

Thus we have Purgatory, a place of purification and clarification for those who need further repairs before they can enter Heaven.

God accepts our prayer for each other, and this applies also for the dead. We can assist them by directing God's mercy towards them in their need.

They will then be able to come to a stronger love for God, realizing then what they do not know yet, that God made us to love Him.

[This was for our benefit more than for Him. He is all sufficient to Himself but we are not sufficient for ourselves]

In the end we do not love anything or anyone more than we love God.

Here on earth we have many insights into God's nature and ways of working with us.

If we are sensitive to the signs we will get  a lot of things right before we die, and will not be languishing in Purgatory.

It will also help us to run our earthly lives much more efficiently if we do that one thing, and put God first.

It  becomes easier for us to turn away from sin and pursue the prize that really matters

Purgatory can be longer for some than others because there is more to be worked through.

We rejoice when someone repents after maybe many years of neglecting their faith.

They may still have hurdles to overcome, however. Many, for instance, find it hard to forgive those who have offended them.

God's grace is on hand for all needs, large or small.

Even in this life we can perceive that some sins or wrong attitudes are harder to shake off than others. The seven deadly sins would give a fair summary of those.

It is hard to shed bad habits all at once and completely. We feel the need for help to do that… Lord, make me patient etc… And so for the souls in Purgatory there may be a real struggle before they can see things from God's point of view.

We do not know the precise mechanics of how it works, but we do know that our prayer and sacrifice can help those souls, as it will also benefit us.

Anytime we focus on the next life we immediately feel a pull in the right directions as regards this life.

May we all come to know the simple but elusive truth that we are made to know, love and serve God.

 

Christ the King 30 Oct 2022 Sermon

Christ the King 30 October 2022 True King

The state of the world is not good, either from a spiritual or a material point of view.

Pope Pius XI instituted this feast in 1925 hoping to call enemies back to something that would unite them – Jesus Christ Himself, calling the world to sanity and holiness.

But to benefit from His presence we have to turn to Him in prayer, repent of our sins, and put all our plans at His disposal. It is His Kingdom that we pray for, not our own.

We should be standing side by side all looking towards Him, rather than looking at each other with hatred.

Thing have not improved much since 1925 or any time in between, but the Pope was right, and no doubt considerable good has come from even a partial acknowledgment of Christ as King.

The call to humanity to come back to God is always current and urgent; it is for every day, every place.

Sometimes they say small is beautiful, and sometimes big is beautiful; it depends on what we are looking for.

For the Church the ‘big’ is the universal element. Catholic means universal. We are not racist; all people of all colours belong to God, or at least they should. And hence all people should get along with each other.

We have the same God, the same Saviour, the same hope of eternal life.

The God in whom we believe is the only real god in the universe. The others are false containing some truth, but a lot of evil as well. Evil because it is wasted energy communicating with them, and in some cases at least they would be demonic.

Historically, people have thought there was more than one god and even the gods fight each other. This is attributing human fault onto the divine; in reality it is divine goodness that comes upon humanity. God is not like us; we can become like Him, at least so far as charity is concerned.

Today, the aspect of Christ as King is particularly emphasised. All authority has been given to me (Mt 28,18).

He is king because He is God (the Son), and that carries unlimited status.

He is King also as Man, because He has taken humanity to a place where it has never been before, reconciled with God.

He has triumphed over sin and death, and every kind of disorder, restoring all things in Himself.

He has the right to claim homage from us, and attentiveness to His will. We should take Him very seriously.

We come to distrust human governments because they have so much of human weakness and evil about them. But not this King, or Kingdom.

We see the perils of trying to govern ourselves without first submitting to the King who has authority over everything.

Even if human governments were perfectly well-behaved they would still be subservient to the One who is King over all.

The world needs a lot of changing and it may take a while yet. What can you or I do? This is where small is beautiful. Each one can do a lot by humble obedience and adoration.

One person can help the light to spread.

Whether we are talking about the universal or local scene, all problems can be solved by individual fidelity to Christ. Any progress is welcome.

He is there for all, but not indiscriminately. Sinners must repent, not just stay as they are. This is a point of much confusion in the current Church.

The world must give up its false gods and bend the knee before the real Saviour.

Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Ph 2,10)

20th Sunday after Pentecost 23 Oct 2022 Sermon

20^th Sunday after Pentecost 23 October 2022 All for God

Be not drunk with wine (epistle). Many think the Church is restrictive and makes life harder than it needs to be. As teacher the Church explains the word of God to all who are prepared to listen.

The word of God brings life and joy to all who pay heed to it. This word sometimes restricts, and sometimes commands, but always is aimed at helping people to the greatest happiness – which is the knowledge of God, and being in right relationship with Him.

Sinners will try to avoid God, much as Adam did when he committed the first sin. He tried to hide in the bushes! We cannot escape Him As the psalm puts it (Ps 138 (139), 8): If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. But we don’t need to escape.

God owns us body and soul, as He owns the whole of creation. Is this a scary thought? Not if He has only goodwill towards us.

It is not every day that God asks us something major. Most of the time it will be just ambling along, trying to get all our decisions right.

The next word we speak, the next thought we think, or action we do. Taken one at a time it is not so hard. If God asks it of us we know two things straight away – it is good for us, and it is achievable. God will never ask more than we can give.

Some things are with us all the time, like being married, or having a particular career. Other things might happen only once, like being caught in a flood or a fire. In all cases we are disciples of Christ, and we seek to bring Him to every situation.

Nothing is completely my own – my time, money, possessions, even my life – these are His, more than they are mine.

It is easy to say this while inside a church but the old ways creep back in! It takes about one lifetime to get this right, and that is what we are attempting.

The key is to see things in their true light - never forgetting the overall view, which is to get to Heaven.

Getting back to drinking wine, many things are good in themselves but become sinful if taken to excess. Wine, food, television, computer games, entertainment, sleep…

Some things are always wrong, others may be alright depending on other factors.

Our religion is not all hard grind; there are many joyful aspects to it as well. It is a matter of getting the right balance. Joy will have the last word, when all the dust has settled.

God can use people who let Him into their lives. This is how saints emerge; they are people who took God seriously enough to do what He wanted.

Whatever I do, whatever I refrain from doing - I give it to God to turn to good effect, happy to express gratitude that I am even allowed to exist.

Had we never sinned we would not have the distorted desires we have now. Obeying God would be as easy as breathing, so natural would it be.

We would then be wondering why anyone would ever disobey God.

Until that state is reached, God will give us the necessary understanding and willpower to eradicate harmful habits, and steer ourselves back into the right path.

We redeem the time because the days are evil (epistle); we claim time for what it was meant for, which is for us to worship God and seek to lead others to the same conclusion.

Many are still hiding from God, trying to avoid His eye; trying to navigate difficult waters by their own ingenuity, when they could be aboard the unsinkable ship, the Church. Unsinkable and unerring, till the final harbour is reached.

19th Sunday after Pentecost 16 Oct 2022 Sermon

19^th Sunday after Pentecost 16 October 2022 Invitation

Our Lord invites us to the banquet, which represents His kingdom, or we could say, His Church.

Some invitations are too good to refuse and this is certainly one of those.

Coming from God an invitation is much the same as being commanded.

We might resent being commanded to do anything but if it makes us happier why complain?

If we refuse an invitation it means we forfeit whatever benefit would come to us from acceptance. People are sometimes very casual about God, as though they can sort it out with Him anytime. The time might run out before they ever do sort it out.

There is too much at stake to delay entry into His banquet, to get ourselves right with Him, and stay in a state of grace.

To be without God for all eternity is an agony, comparable to but far worse than suffering a burning thirst or any similar pain.

Is it unfair of God to put such a weighty choice on us? It is best not to be too fussy; better just to accept the invitation and then sort out what it all means.

We cannot demand to be treated as equal partners. We have to trust that God has set up the best arrangement possible for us.

If we are being rescued we don’t want to have a discussion about it, till the danger is past.

A direct straightforward approach is required; God proposes and man agrees.

We can't do it by ourselves, nor on our own terms. If we can humble ourselves enough to realize this we will be fine.

God did not ask does not ask us first how He was going to arrange His universe or what various creations He would make.

We are born into these things; we have no say. But why argue? It is better if we agree and go from there (be it done unto me according to thy word).

We cannot change the system, but we can work with it.

The only way to be saved is to go with Christ and be admitted into His kingdom.

To belong to the Church requires that we conform on certain matters of faith and morality. We do need someone to tell us what to do when it comes to things of major import such as basic beliefs and teachings.

But that is not to limit us; it actually serves as a springboard to greater knowledge and freedom.

To live in a state of grace is much happier than living apart from God, deep in sin.

It is not strength but pride which leads people to refuse to conform to a higher truth.

I can work it out myself, they will say. For how long?

We will have the chance to exercise our particular gifts once we have come inside to the banquet.. Humility will protect us from any temptation to go it alone. This is wearing the wedding garment – conforming to the conditions of the banquet.

There is strength in unity and together we can make our talents available as the Holy Spirit directs (1 Cor 12,11). We bring what we have and it is multiplied (parable of talents Mt 25,14-30) (or the loaves and fishes, Jn 6,1-14)).

And who knows what limit there is to the Church if enough of her members can wake up to this?

Each person has the power to strengthen or weaken the Church according to how he responds to Our Lord’s offer.

For ourselves, we accept the invitation and enjoy the banquet!

 

18th Sunday after Pentecost 9 Oct 2022 Sermon

18^th Sunday after Pentecost 9 October 2022 Forgiveness

The Scribes questioned Our Lord’s right or ability to forgive sins. He had the right to forgive because, being God, all sins are a direct personal offence to Himself, and therefore within His power to forgive.

Every sin pushes the sinner further away from Christ. It is a personal matter, not just the breaking of a rule.

Forgiveness restores what the sin has broken. When God forgives He treats the sinner as though nothing had happened. Though your sins are like scarlet they shall be as white as snow (Is 1,18). As far as the east is from the west so far has He moved our transgressions from us. (Ps 102 (103),12)

People might write others off  after an offence has been committed. There is often a strong desire for revenge. Not with God. He desires only the return of the sinner to a state of friendship.

God has no hatred or dislike for the sinner; He has only good will. He is not like humans insofar as He does not get progressively annoyed and impatient and finally lose His temper!

He is absolutely beyond such turbulence of feeling. He simply waits and hopes for true contrition from each person.

Sometimes the sin is punished. This is not revenge on God's part; it is meant to lead the sinner to reflect on the damage his sins have caused, and so be less likely to commit those sins again.

God looks on all sinners with love. But the sinners might not return that love, even after being offered forgiveness.

The forgiveness remains on offer; it is there in potential but not fully effective until acknowledged and received.

It is like a starving person who refuses to eat, though there is food available.

People usually welcome things which are free, but many are afraid of the ‘religious’ dimension in the case of mercy. They do not necessarily want to give up all their worldly ways.

Sin has a way of enslaving people, such that it is like an addiction which can be very hard to shake off.

Forgiveness is a great gift from God because we do not deserve such favourable treatment. ‘Forgiving’ is intensified giving. It is giving more than strict justice requires. It is like paying ten times the price of an object, purely out of generosity.

There is a proviso for us: we have to make a serious effort to refrain from further sin.

Even this, however, can be forgiven if we do not immediately break free.

True repentance will usually take more than one time; it has to be a continuous moving away from sin and towards God.

There is another proviso too, and that is that we must forgive one another. No small matter!

This is a condition Our Lord puts on divine forgiveness: But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Mt 6,15).

And the parable of the unforgiving debtor, Mt 18,21-35.

God expects us to see – as He does – the value behind the other person, even when that person has offended us. Just as God hopes and works for reconciliation with the offender, so should we.

This is part of the general requirement on Christians that we must love others, even if they do not love us.

Our willingness to forgive others should be on offer, in potential. If reconciliation happens, that is good. If not, I still have goodwill towards the offender, and will not add any further sin on my own account.

If we have a merciful attitude this creates an environment where reconciliation becomes much more likely.

And a lot less sin too, as we learn the ways of charity.

Lord, have mercy!

 

 

17th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Oct 2022 Sermon

17^th Sunday after Pentecost 2 October 2022 Love of Neighbour

It may seem a strange thing to be commanded to love someone as love is not something we can always choose or direct.

Some people, some things, are more loveable than others. It is accordingly easier to love some than others.

God wants us to see other people as He sees them, and not as how they might seem to us, with our limited perception.

If we interpret other people in terms of what faults they have, what is wrong with them, then we find them unlovable.

Often people do not go beyond this level when considering each other. Dishonest, bad-tempered, lazy, conceited, lustful… how can we love such people?

So we then settle for loving only those who love us, as Our Lord noted (Lk 6,32).

To start with someone’s faults is the wrong place.

If we try to see it from God's point of view, it becomes clearer.

God loves all His people, whether or not they are behaving properly.

Remember the father in the Prodigal Son parable (Lk 15,11-32). He loved both sons; one who was steady and dependable, and the other who was wild and foolish.

The father could see the good in the wild son; he could see past the faults to the basic goodness that was there, or would be there if the boy made a sincere repentance.

This is how God wants us to see each other. We do not dwell on the faults; they are obstacles which can be removed. The essential person is created to know, love and serve God, and to live with Him forever.

We do not have to deny the faults, only to see that they are not an intrinsic part of the person.

What is intrinsic is the image of God planted in each soul. That image might flourish or be covered with weeds, but it remains in place, and if it is overgrown with weeds, it is waiting to be restored.

We try to see the intrinsic goodness in our neighbour. Once we do see it then love follows on naturally; it will not be a great effort.

If we cannot find much good in the neighbour, and maybe a considerable amount of evil, then we join with God in seeking to restore that soul to the status that was intended for it.

God can see what He had in mind when He created each person, and He can also see the end result of each life, which we hope means salvation for most.

God has it firmly in His mind how everything should be, how one thing fits in with another. And ever since the first sin He has been restoring what has come adrift.

People enjoy restoring old houses, cars, coins, books, gardens - so why not the soul that is overgrown with sins and its effects?

Loving on our part amounts simply wanting the right and the good to emerge in each person, as God has been wanting and working for all time till now.

The human race has never got this right on any great scale. We look to Our Lord on the Cross to see this attitude in action. He loves those who are crucifying Him; He can see the good in them and is trying to draw it out.

‘Father, forgive them, they know not what they do’(Lk 23,34)

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.(1 Cor 13,7)

We are still too much like the older brother, somehow resenting that others can be forgiven without having been sufficiently punished!

Instead let us rejoice with the angels over one sinner who repents (Lk 15,10).

16th Sunday after Pentecost 25 Sep 2022 Sermon

16^th Sunday after Pentecost 25 September 2022 Pride

The demons were angels first but they let their own beauty seduce them away from God.

It is the same for us, in principle. Humans are able to reflect on themselves, having self-consciousness. We are aware of our identity, and can take pride in ourselves.

There is a right and a wrong pride.

The right pride is that we are aware  children of God, and that He puts great value on us. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3,16)

The wrong pride is when we take the credit ourselves for any good attribute we have,  or anything we are good at doing.

We must at all times acknowledge that we come from God and are kept in being by Him; and all that is good about us is made possible only by Him.

We must admire the real God, not ourselves.

If we think we are better than others or take undue pride in our abilities this is danger for us spiritually.

We see how people with inflated egos can cause great harm – dictators, tyrants, bullies, chronically selfish people.

It is good to have talents. We do not have to deny that we have them, only attribute them to God as their originator, and ourselves to be stewards of His gifts.

Thus we maintain a true humility, which is an essential quality for any would-be disciple of Our Lord.

He was humble Himself in coming down from Heaven to share our condition.

God allocates gifts as He chooses. He may give more to one than another.

We should be grateful that He takes any notice of us at all.

Must we deny all good feeling, praise etc? If we get the right balance it is fine.

We can encourage each other and affirm a job well done. Only, we must be wary of forming too high an opinion of ourselves.

God will help us choose wisely. When we exercise our free will in union with God's will then we have the right formula. It is thus that God wants to work with us, and through us.

If we are to be praised it would be that we had enough sense to make the right choice.

Faced with all else I chose the right place to go – which is to God.

Our Lord accused the pharisees of pride in that they worried only about appearances. They wanted to look good without actually being good.

God searches the hearts and knows what a man has in him (Jn 2,25). We cannot deceive God, and should not try to deceive each other.

We should not be jealous if another seems to have more gifts than we have. Nor should we take pleasure in thinking we have more gifts than another.

We wish others to do well, to find their place with God, as we find ours.

We compare with Christ rather than each other, insofar as we are following Him not someone else.

Being right with him should make us right with each other.

We are grateful for praise from others but do not demand it or rely upon it; and if the praise is inflated then we adjust it downwards.

Some talents are more public than others and more likely to draw praise eg singing, acting, sport.

But other talents may be hidden such as being a good listener, a patient nurse, one who prays powerfully for others etc.

Many ministries within the Church are hidden. Think of the Holy Family, and the good they expressed, without the whole neighbourhood knowing. Great good can come from the right thing being done humbly.

cf extract from Litany of Humility. From being  esteemed,  loved, extolled, honored, praised, preferred to others, consulted, approved,

 From the fear of being humiliated, despised, of suffering rebukes, calumniated, forgotten, ridiculed, wronged, suspected. Deliver me, O Jesus

That others may be loved more than I, That others may be esteemed more than I, That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, That others may be chosen and I set aside, That others may be praised and I go unnoticed, That others may be preferred to me in everything, That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

15th Sunday after Pentecost 18 Sep 2022 Sermon

15^th Sunday after Pentecost 18 September 2022 Christ is Life

We wish every funeral ended like this one, with great joy to all who loved the dead man; but it does not usually happen.

God's plan was to give us better than that, by offering eternal life to those who have died, and then to all of us, whereby we will once again be reunited with those we love.

Our Lord referred to His mission to bring life to the world:  I am the way the truth and the life (Jn 14,6); I am the resurrection and the life (Jn 11,25); I came that they may have life and have it to the full(Jn 10,10).

We could say He has life; He is life! Life and death are part of His own creation; He remains above it all; just as He lives beyond time.

He radiates life to all around. He can even bring a dead body back to life.

We are so used to death and generally things declining. But death is temporary too!

Death to us seems such a big thing but to Our Lord it is no great difficulty; He can reverse death with a word, or even a thought. He is the Creator, Saviour and giver of life.

He is the Lord of the living and the dead (Rom 14,9). Life is much more God's signature. Death is all around but it will not win. The last word will be Life.

Our life is a share in the life of God, eternal and infinite.

Far from life running down, our spiritual life can increase, as when we overcome sin and come to prefer the good to the evil.

We are most alive when our souls reflect the glory of God, and we live out the moral demands that come with that. So, for example, we do not steal because we trust God to provide for our needs.

We are alive in proportion as how close we are to God, in ways of thinking and acting.

Union with God is the key point as to working out whether we are alive or not.

We are not told what happened to the man who was brought back to life, but we can hope that he would have learned a lot more about the spiritual life and what it takes to be fully alive.

We cannot escape the physical decline of our bodies but we can make the soul flourish and expand.

We don’t have to wait till death to try to navigate all this.

Life is good; it is good to be alive. Many find this life dreary and burdensome, having no meaning or direction, no end in sight, at least that they can see.

All such limitations can be swept away by an encounter with Our Lord.

We should not be overly surprised at the Resurrection, nor become too attached to this earthly life. Just about everyone does become too attached, but by God's grace we can learn to look higher. If we are close to God then death holds no fear. Death, where is thy sting?(1 Cor 15,55).

The mercy and grace of God keep us restored and revived, and getting better.

We can use the time remaining for us to increase all the right things and banish all that holds us back. We will have a desire to be good, and to do good. Even if we are physically restricted, lacking bodily life we can still worship God and serve Him.

Eventually we hope to hear those words: Well done, good and faithful servant (Mt 25,23); Come and enter the kingdom prepared for you (Mt 25,34).

14th Sunday after Pentecost 11 Sep 2022 Sermon

14^th Sunday after Pentecost 11 September 2022  Reconciliation

When God created the human race He intended only blessings and good things to happen to us.

Had we never sinned this would have been the case - straightforward happiness with no sickness or sorrow, no death, or anything unpleasant, truly Heaven on earth.

Tragically we did sin, through Adam, and our own sin as well.

That sin has broken the bond between us and God, but not forever, as God Himself has been trying ever since to restore it; and we take our part in that process too.

It is difficult to heal the break because sin has done so much damage.

But God has made a massive contribution to the process in coming Himself to take on human nature and share our difficulties. The word was made flesh.

This has done much to heal the breach and opens up the possibility of even more happiness than we had before the Fall. O happy fault!

All of these factors are still in play. God still intends what He started way back then.

It is complicated because the response we make to His will has been very poor, speaking generally. And this makes it much harder for God's plans to take effect.

It is hard to rescue someone if they are pushing you away.

The Gospel today - about the lilies in the field – (Mt 6,24-33) is appealing to us to let God go about His work, without impeding Him.

Our Lord is saying the birds and the plants have more sense than we have on this score. They do not resist God's bounty.

If we obeyed God without hesitation our happiness would come back quickly, the bond between God and us would be restored, and we would have a much happier world than it is now.

We have all this within reach, but the effect of sin already committed makes things look harder than they are. Sin makes the division and impedes the reconciliation.

Sin clouds our minds and weakens our wills. It is sin that makes us hesitant to give God all our attention. We are ill at ease with Him, not wanting to face Him directly.

We can at least identify the problem if we cannot fix it in one day.

We can work our way towards God by each prayer we make, each sacrament we receive, each good work we do.

We will be edging closer to giving Him the first place which is fitting, and where our attention needs to be.

We can still be greatly blessed ourselves, even if others resist.

But of course we want others to know about this, the people we pray for, our own families, the general run of humanity.

We are all called to link with God, obey Him, trust Him, walk in his ways. This is the kingdom of God among us.

Also we will come to a clearer sense of the need to avoid sin, which does so much damage and prevents the good from taking hold.

It is beyond us to save the whole world but we can help to save that part of it around us, and for the rest we hope and pray.

It can be done and must be done; there is no other refuge than to bring ourselves before the Saviour and let Him act on us. Reunited with God we come to the state God always had intended for us – eternal blessing.

13th Sunday after Pentecost 4 Sep 2022 Sermon

 

13^th Sunday after Pentecost 4 September 2022

The nine lepers who did not come back did not fully absorb what had happened to them. They had interest only in Our Lord’s ability to fix things; they did not take the extra step of considering the full meaning of the event.

They did not, for example, consider becoming His disciples; they had what they wanted and there it was.

The same temptation occurs for us – that we call on God only when we need something.

In a time of danger it is Lord, save us, help us etc. By all means call on the Lord in danger, but also when all seems calm. The need for His mercy and blessing is always present no matter what appearances may be.

Salvation is more a process than a moment. It is a lifelong interaction between the disciple and God, with the disciple constantly seeking to improve in responsiveness to God's holy will.

Our whole approach to life needs to be permeated with belief, trust, knowledge of God, increasing through continuous prayer and reflection.

The one leper who returned was able to see beyond the physical blessing he had just received, and came to faith as well.

When we thank God we are going much further than just one transaction. Each act of thanksgiving ties in with all the other aspects of our spiritual life.

Each Mass is among other things an act of thanksgiving, expressing the various aspects of God's dealing with His Church.

He creates us, He provides for us, He will come again to reward the faithful.

We thank God that we can thank, that we have enough rationality to be able to relate to Him.

We take the chance to ask His pardon for not thanking Him enough.

We can still say, however, that God does fix things, only on many levels at once, as He brings the best out of millions of people and situations.

This ongoing attitude of thanksgiving is found in Mass and other prayers and ceremonies. These all keep before our eyes the bounty of God and help us to trust Him for future events.

The solution is bigger than the problems! After a certain point we no longer dwell on the problems, instead expressing belief in the goodness of God. Problems melt away like snowballs in the sun.

We try to encourage others to see things in this light. It is very hard when we are worried to stop worrying, but to dwell on God's goodness is a strong move in that direction.

God wants us to trust in Him to the point that we will no longer complain or argue with Him.

The extra confidence we attain as we battle through many trials will make us ready for bigger challenges. We thank God for enlisting us in this task.

All the different types of prayer come together. The petitions are not in the draft on their own, but surrounded by all the other types of prayer (praise, thanksgiving, contrition) which will reinforce to us the ongoing nature of our dealings with God.

We need faith to be strong enough to withstand some cold air.

The regular routine thanksgiving such as we offer at Mass is vital, to keep us on the boil at all times, and also to discern other more subtle blessings God give us. It is not only on sinking ships or other disasters that we call upon Him. He is involved in everything. For which we thank Him.

Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.

12th Sunday after Pentecost 28 Aug 2022 Sermon

 12^th Sunday after Pentecost 28 August 2022 Stages of Salvation

 God provides for His people, in the first place creating us, then sustaining us in His grace and mercy, letting us go on living when we have offended Him so much; still seeking to save us despite our collective ingratitude and obstinacy.

He finds us lying on the side of the road, like the man in the parable. The devil has robbed us of our rightful inheritance as children of God and now God Himself seeks to restore what has been lost.

God proves Himself to be a neighbour to the one in need. He helps those in need - which is everyone - or at least offers help.

He saves us from whatever our problem is. There are many levels of salvation.

The most pressing need is that we be saved from eternal death, going to hell.

He saves us also from sin, which is a wrongful use of the will, made more likely through the effects of previous sins; and living in a world which ignores or denies God.

Then there is temporal death, and other misfortunes in the physical domain. He helps with these too, though complete freedom from this suffering is not possible.

Still He does save us at this level too, and more so if we ask for it in prayer. They brought to Him many and He cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick (Mt 8, 16-17).

Some would blame God for allowing so many troubles to come upon us, asking why - if He loves us so much - does He not make it easier for us by clearing away all the difficulties?

He is building us up:  Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (Jm 1,2-3)

He lifts us up, as for the man on the side of the road. That is the first stage of salvation. Then He helps us to live the right way, the second stage.

If we do not try the second stage the first stage will not help much. It is good to be free from hunger and disease etc, but at some point we have to address the spiritual dimension – why am I here? It is to know, love and serve God.

God wants us to help each other. This is good for both the one helping and the one helped. One has his needs met, the other has the chance to grow in grace..

We gladly give material aid when we can. This will kindle our compassion and generosity towards others and that will be a catalyst for other spiritual growth in us.

Spiritual aid is better still because it carries greater benefits. Whenever we can we evangelise, catechise, encourage, admonish – we help each other to come to the full dimension of salvation.

The greatest favour we can do others is to help connect them to God.

Some will say that we should not attempt to change someone else’s religious views. But the truth shall set you free (Jn 8,32). We never force, only offer the truth.

All of this comes under the broad heading of salvation, being set free from whatever afflicts us.

We hope to go to Heaven, which is the fullest expression of salvation, but before that to achieve the interior transformation we all need. We seek purification of all trace of sin, and a general clean out of the inside where the passions are found - in heart and mind.

The more we discover the goodness of God, the more we connect with Him, the more ‘saved’ we are, the more glory we can hope for in heaven, and the more useful we will be to our various ‘neighbours’.

11th Sunday after Pentecost 21 Aug 2022 Sermon

11^th Sunday after Pentecost 21 August 2022 Perceiving God

Our Lord heals the deaf man (today’s Gospel), and at another time He restores sight to a blind man (Jn 9,1-7).

The Church has always understood the healing miracles of Our Lord to have a symbolic value beyond their physical aspect.

As He makes the spiritually deaf and blind to hear and see clearly, He does the same for all who have lost the capacity to hear the word of God, or to perceive the presence and activity of God in their lives.

Much of our trouble in this world flows from the difficulty we have in perceiving God in His nearness to us, and our resulting lack of trust in Him.

We cannot see Him with the physical eyes so we say He does not exist.

We cannot hear His actual voice, so we say we do not know what He asks of us.

There are ways of knowing things other than through the physical senses.

St Paul, in today’s epistle (1 Co 15), speaks of the certainty of Our Lord’s resurrection.

We in our time have not seen the Risen Christ, but other people have, and many more have based their lives on the truth of this event.

We may be hesitant to believe because we have not seen Him, but He will ‘appear’ to us through the testimony of others, through the countless miracles that have been worked in His name, through the witness of the Church over twenty centuries.

We can sense St Paul’s anguish that there are still so many who do not believe. He has seen the Risen Christ, so he has no doubts, but how to bring others to the same certainty?

This has ever been the Church’s problem.

A combination of several factors will help the individual disciple to a stronger faith.

There is always Prayer, which opens up channels of communication otherwise closed. Prayer is like switching on the light, or the radio, making oneself open to whatever God wants to send.

Then there are Sacraments, direct encounters with the Risen Lord, whereby His power will act on us in various ways, and bring us to a stronger faith in Him.

Then there is the rich deposit of faith, accumulated over twenty centuries available to anyone who chooses to draw upon it.

This deposit of faith is summarised in our Creeds, which we recite frequently.

The words of the Creed are true, beyond the experience or perception of any individual, yet verified by the experience and perception of many.

The individual may falter but the whole Church never.

We can enjoy the certainty that comes from being surrounded by so many witnesses on all sides (Heb 12,1).

We can also sharpen our perception by avoiding sin and fully repenting of past sin.

This will also clear the cobwebs of doubt and fear which will otherwise hover about us.

We must resist the temptation to give up too soon. So many abandon the quest for faith because of some barrier they encounter. The Lord will make Himself known: Seek and you shall find.

Our Lord wants us to search for Him because it will be for our benefit if we do. He does not want us to be entirely passive but to take some share in our own salvation.

When we do this we are experiencing the healing of blindness, deafness, dumbness and all other barriers between us and Him.

10th Sunday after Pentecost 14 Aug 2022 Sermon

 10^th Sunday after Pentecost 14 August 2022  Humility

The pharisee was  too much pleased with himself for his prayer to be effective. And the publican was successful in his prayer because he was displeased with himself, and knew that he needed God’s help.

It is only by God's grace that we can get anything right. He prompts us to make the right choices, and then gives us the will to put those decisions into practice.

We must never for a moment boast of our achievements, even to ourselves, as though we are somehow cleverer or better than others.

We must be humble all the way through – before, during and after. And thank God all the way.

Everything comes back to our relationship with God. Religion is not just a corner of our lives, but has to be central if we are to get the right understanding of things.

Salvation happens when we come into full alignment with God's plans for us. He calls everyone to eternal life, and this call begins with a direct personal interaction with Him, being fully attentive to Him, not just seeking our own advantage, but putting Him first genuinely.

Today there is a lot of emphasis on self-esteem. People are encouraged to discover their true selves and blossom to full potential.

This can be a good thing as long as it is not overdone or misdirected – which it will be if God is excluded from the picture.

No one should be seen as useless or hopeless. We all have something to offer, and so we encourage each other. However, we do not want to overdo this to the point that we think we can do it without God.

Without Him as anchor and guide human pride can run anywhere. See the trouble we have right now with certain tyrants who want to invade their neighbours. They have plenty of confidence, but it is misdirected.

True humility is happy to work with others, having a common objective which stems from God Himself.

Whether we liken ourselves to a human body with all its parts, or an orchestra with all its different instruments, there is a great need for unity and communal collaboration in doing God's work..

There is no place for envy. If others can do something better than I then I am glad about that. Thus today’s epistle 1 Cor 12,2-11 where  the Holy Spirit brings out what is best from all of us.

We must not be envious of particular gifts, particularly the ones which attract attention.

On the other hand, if there are worse sinners than we are, we do not take pleasure in that, but wish them to come to true holiness.

We cannot know the state of others’ souls, in any case. It is enough if we seek increase in our own holiness and wish the same for others.

Humility means we may never be recognized for the sacrifices we make, for our attention to duty, for having anything to offer to the world.

We may be dismissed as old-fashioned, out of touch, still clinging to old ways while the world has moved on.

All this and more we will be told, but this is what to expect as disciples of Christ.

He Himself was rejected because He would not dance to the world’s tune.

He had something much better to give but it was too good for coarse minds to grasp. So as usually happens, violence was called upon, and He was crucified.

We are prepared to endure ridicule and worse for the sake of the Kingdom. We know that we will be exalted if we are first humbled for the sake of Christ.

9th Sunday after Pentecost 7 Aug 2022 Sermon

 

9^th Sunday after Pentecost 7 August 2022 Punishment

Does God punish? Not as in ‘taking revenge’. He does not want us to suffer hurt but He will allow suffering if it is needed to advance the cause of our salvation. Sometimes harsh measures are required to reach the ultimately soft conclusion.

He is warning us so that we ourselves will make any necessary changes. In that event there would be no need for punishment because the point is already taken.

The same can be said for all prophecies, and messages from Heaven. They are sometimes severe in their tone, but it is all for a reason - to move us to repentance and conversion first, and thus not needing correction or punishment.

We can come to love God for His goodness, and not out of fear.

God wants us to have an attitude of reverence towards Him, of belief in His love and good intentions towards us; of gratitude, humility and loyalty to Him. He has been so good that all these attitudes become our normal way of interacting with Him.

He wants us to have real unity with Him, actually being good, not because we fear punishment, but because we love God, and with that, all that is right and good.

Fear of the Lord, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, does not mean we are quivering nervously, but that we take God seriously, with all the reverence and attention that is required.

We think now, and act upon it, making and keeping good resolutions; and if those resolutions collapse we make new ones, and eventually one of them will hold up.

We see God's attitude to punishment when He laments the fate of Jerusalem (Lk 19,41-47). He weeps because they have missed so many chances to be saved.

He wanted instead that sinners would come to Him and be forgiven.

This has never yet happened on the scale that Our Lord wants, so we see the plagues and disorders continue; along with the crumbling of established order as people become more rebellious.

The remedy for all of it is very simple: Repent! That is everything in one word.

There will be other things that are needed but there has to be a clear repentance from the human race.

We repent for one’s own sins, and as far as we can for the sins of all mankind.

We are prepared to do more for that result. If we are close to Our Lord we will share in His desire to save sinners.

Meanwhile, for as long as we live and the world lasts, we maintain a state of humility and reverence towards God, always seeking to improve on wherever we are, never presuming that we have done enough, or that we are good enough as we are.

In this state we will be pursuing all the benefits of salvation as we grasp that more is available to us, if only we seek it.

If the word ‘punishment’ seems too strong or too harsh, then we can say ‘purification’ – things that go wrong can purify us of false or disordered attachments.

Or ‘purgation’, another word with a similar thrust. In Purgatory the souls are ‘purged’ or purified from sinful attachments.

It is painful but also sweet, as we discover the goodness of God and wonder why we did not do that sooner.

Why wait till we die to find that out? We can do it now as we ask the Lord to hold back His punishments, and give us instead the grace to do His will.