Christmas Day 2023 Sermon

Christmas Day 2023 The kindness of God

Zachary notes the loving-kindness of the heart of our God, who visits us like the dawn from on high (Lk 1, 78).

God is generous; He has loving-kindness towards us. It is His generous loving nature that motivates Him to create whomever and whatever He does create. He did not need anything extra as to His own existence; He is all-sufficient, and cannot suffer pain.

But it is in the nature of love to offer itself to others. Love implies the need for a beloved. God had His own community of love in the Three Persons of the Trinity, but wanted to go further, to include human beings.

This is what God was looking for. He did not need us, but He takes pleasure in seeing us receive what He is giving. So He gives us a chance to do that.

We hear of something being the ‘chance of a lifetime’. Well, we have it here – the chance to base our lives around the will of God, to experience a share of the perfection of life found in God Himself.

God makes this possible by creating us, and all else that is needed.

To enable a more loving response from us, God gives us free will. It is a great privilege but it can be used wrongly.

And if it is used wrongly there will be all sorts of trouble, as we have seen in our time and in all ages of human history.

Will God abandon us because we have been so ungrateful? No, He has another card to play. He brings into operation another dimension of love, and that is Mercy.

Mercy is when Love gives itself even when not returned, even when brazenly rejected.

Today at Christmas especially we express our own sense of wonder at God's goodness.

We are moved to gratitude for His goodness, and shame for our lack of appreciation up to this point; not to mention the ongoing ingratitude of much of the world.

Christmas is part celebration of what we have achieved, and part prayer for what is still lacking.

God initiates, we respond.  The more we respond, the more the love of God can take hold in our world and its fortunes.

A world which truly seeks God would have many blessings presently unattainable.

Love enables more love.

This Love or Mercy will move sinners to repentance. They will see their sins in a new light and be ashamed of them; and they will have sufficient desire to renew their lives.

We can think of Jesus in the Crib, an apparently small presence, but all of God's infinity was concentrated at that moment – one place and one time; and those who could discern His presence and what it promised were filled with joy and hope.

We come along much later but we can benefit from Christ’s coming as much as those who were there that night.

We have been attempting to capture that scene ever since, and especially on this day of the year – to be as humble and focused as were those gathered around the Christ-child.

Many have lost belief in God's coming among us; they see the suffering but not the relief that comes with it.

One thing we can say: if more would obey more relief would be evident.

We can also say that God's plans take time, as He is working on such a grand scale, seeking to save every person on earth.

We must be patient if we want to see better days. Meanwhile we give God the chance to work His plans in us and through us, and we do as we sing to each other: O come let us adore Him.

3rd Sunday of Advent (B) 17 Dec 2023 Sermon

3^rd Sunday of Advent (B) 17 Dec 2023 Gaudete Sunday

We hear of people who have won the lottery but do not know it, and everyone is trying to work out who it is.

We could say such a person is in a happy state but does not know it.

We could say the same thing for the human race, only that we have done better than win the lottery by receiving the offer of salvation. Many do not know it; they do not know that God is their Creator and Saviour who is offering them daily help in this life, and then a glorious future life.

Too good to be true, perhaps? But it is true anyway.

Only a few can win the lottery but everyone can win eternal life.

Perhaps hardened by so much disappointment many cannot bring themselves to trust in such a happy prospect.

In this life we know so much and so many kinds of suffering that indeed it is easy to sink into a blend of cynicism and scepticism

God knows we find it hard so He keeps telling us how well-disposed to us He is. He encourages us to approach Him and place our needs before Him.

It is normally easy to tell someone good news. The one who receives the news is grateful and all is well.

In our case it is not so simple. We tell the good news to people that they can be saved and they might react angrily, or in any case simply refuse to believe.

It is complicated because our offer of good tidings requires a response which will include giving up of false gods, sinful ways – and this can be painful.

So it comes to this: receive the Good News which is free and forever. The only bit of small print is that you will need to live a regular life, keeping the commandments, loving one’s neighbour etc.

Some will refuse on the basis of that small print, but really we are streets ahead in terms of happiness if we go with God's offer.

We are accepting what He asks of us and what He offers by being here today. Our response may not be as complete as it needs to be but we are at least on the way.

Today is Gaudete Sunday, a day to take stock of where we stand with God and how happy we can be if we accept His terms.

The second reading tells to be happy at all times.

How can we be happy when so much is wrong with the world, and all of us could probably produce a list of things not to be happy about.

Well, we can be happy and sad at the same time.

An image that may help is that of a pool of water. The surface of the water can be turbulent, but deeper down the water is still.

We deal with turbulence in our lives, but we do not say that all of life turbulent.

Deep down we are calm, because joined to Jesus Himself, and He has the answers for every problem.

Psalm 1: we draw on His grace like a tree does from water.

So the reading goes on to say that we should give thanks to God for all things.

We are giving thanks not so much for the ‘things’ but for Christ who manages all things.

We regularly express our trust in Him to bring all things around to where they need to be.

Having Him on our side how can we not be happy?

He helps us, not necessarily removing all our troubles, but helping us to come through them in the best possible way.

This will include that we see our sins in a new light and are therefore able to change our attitudes or behaviour without regret. Even the sacrifices asked of us start to seem very small along side of the joy which is available to us.

2nd Sunday of Advent (B) 10 December 2023 Sermon

2^nd Sunday of Advent 10 December 2023 Character

When we are in trouble, among other things, we pray to God.

We know He can help us in every need, and has helped us a million times before.

He can help us in two ways – He can remove the trouble, or He can leave the trouble in place, and give us the necessary strength to deal with it.

Either way we come out happy. While we are enduring the trouble, however, it can seem like there is no help coming.

Many lose faith in God when the troubles seem too many and too hard to bear.

We might face the same temptation. Can we guarantee that we will not abandon our faith, even under great pressure?

God will rescue us, or strengthen us, or a bit of both. If we recognize this pattern in His ways of dealing with us we will feel a lot more secure.

As to rescuing us, we have guardian angels, who are known to have intervened supernaturally in saving lives and injuries. Many of these occasions we would not know because we do not see them, yet they do arise.

As to giving us the strength to deal with troubles, this also is a largely invisible thing, yet it is what God wants to do for us. He builds up our characters so that we become stronger people.

This way we become more able to cope with difficulties and overcome them – because we have more grace operating in us than before.

This can explain why God lets us suffer, always a sore point with the human race!

Even the good suffer, the best people (saints) most of all. This seems the wrong way round from one point of view. The good people should get it easy and the bad people hard (so human wisdom would have it). Eventually it will be that way, but God is acting to make the good people better, and grow to their full potential.

Consider your own life to this point. Can you recall a time when you felt God was letting you down? Can you see how you have benefited from going through such a time and you are still believing?

We learn and we become stronger through meeting adversity and overcoming it. We are stronger to deal with life, able to answer new challenges.

In the Advent season we hear of John the Baptist. He lived a hard penitential life, seeking in all things to do the will of God.

It is good to be comfortable, but better still to be pushing ourselves harder in seeking self-discipline, aided by God's grace.

God wants to make us stronger, and we find that we want it too.

It is much easier to live a happy life if we are strong. We can endure the pain more easily and do more good at the same time.

John denied himself much of what other people sought. And look at all he achieved. If he had been like everyone else, none of that would have happened.

Over a lifetime, it is what we have become that counts. What sort of a person am I, which way have I been heading?

God does not want us to see Him as just a fixer of problems, someone we call in an emergency, but only in emergencies (like a plumber or electrician).

His objective is that we come to know Him as He is, and not just what he can do for us.

Further, His objective is to make us good people, in His image; not just doing good but being good. Be you perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5,48).

1st Sunday of Advent (B) 3 December 2023 Sermon

1^st Sunday of Advent 3 December 2023 The coming of Christ

From there He shall come to judge the living and the dead - from the Apostles Creed

We believe it, but we may have trouble with this belief as it concerns the future. When things are in the future we can have difficulty trusting they will actually happen; or we find it hard to visualise something so far outside our experience.

We are on the adventure of our lives here, and for some things we just have to wait to see what they are like. Our concepts, our vocabulary are too limited to be able to see all that is coming.

What no eye has seen nor ear heard what God has prepared for those who love Him. (1 Co 2,9)

To add even more mystery we do not know the time of this event. There will be many who predict it too early, as many proposed dates have already gone by.

No amount of time or wrong predictions, however, can take anything away from the event itself.

What will happen on this day? Every person who has ever lived will come back to life. The cemeteries will be emptied; the sea will give up its dead.

Then each person will be judged according to the life he/she has lived. Have we lived as disciples of Christ? Or failing that, have we reached a state of true sorrow for not doing so?

We are judged when we die – this is called the particular judgment; and this judgment is ratified at the general judgment.

Jesus desires to save all, or as many as possible. Those who approach Him with sincere repentance He will forgive freely.

And joyfully: There is more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents (Lk 15,7)

We can prepare for this event by seeking always to come closer to Jesus Christ – asking him for mercy, grace, and reassurance that He is with us to the end of days.

If we have lost any enthusiasm along the way it can be replenished.

If we have taken any wrong turn it can be made straight. (Lk 3,4-6)

He will come once more, in this spectacular way, but we can say He makes many other comings in the form of the Eucharist, in His word, in His hearing the prayers of all His disciples. He interacts with us in many ways, especially if we ask Him to do so.

We need these more subtle comings to help us stay on course for the final coming.

Salvation is a process rather than a moment. We make a commitment to seek a deeper union with Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Advent wreath reminds us that salvation takes time to sink in. Each week brings us closer to the fulness of His intervention. A little more light dawns on us as time goes by.

We are being prepared for Heaven and we have to get rid of whatever will not belong in Heaven. A clean-out of the soul is required.

The more we pray, the more we seek to be transformed, the more that clean-out will happen.

Advent is a season to raise our expectations. Advent reminds us why we need Christmas. We need God among us, and we need to be obeying Him, and thanking Him, and all else that goes with it. This will make the world more like the desired Kingdom of God. The more we recognize we need saving the more saving can take place.

So we pray constantly, Come, Lord Jesus!

Christ the King 26 November 2023 Sermon

Christ the King (A) 26 Nov 2023 Life prevails

In November we think particularly of the Holy Souls, the Faithful Departed, and express our strongest hope that each and all can find eternal happiness.

 It is comforting, then, to have such passages as today’s second reading (1 Co 15,20-28)  which remind us how the powers of Life and Goodness are in control. Adam brought death into the world through his sin; now Jesus, the Second Adam brings life.

In Jesus Christ we have the vulnerable victim, the sacrificial Lamb, who goes freely to His death, so He can achieve a complete victory over all death.

He not only breaks the hold of death on the human race, but also of what causes that death, which is Sin.

By living a sinless life in complete union with the will of His Father, Jesus draws down upon the human race a stronger than ever experience of life; this time a life that can never die again (cf He who eats this bread shall never die.  Jn 6,51).

He absorbs death and radiates life. He has complete authority over death, part of His kingship which we celebrate today.

There is always so much sad news around: wars, murders, accidents, disease – and these things can dampen our hope. We come here to find some good news, and also to make some good news! We can find life in Jesus Christ. The physical life restored, but even better the spiritual life – we are living good lives, participating in the life of Christ.

He has become the source of eternal life. All who are united with Him will experience that life. It is all concentrated in Him, the Saviour and the only Saviour.

He helps us with all our troubles, but most of all with the handling of death, because that is a battle on a much grander scale than the others.

We worry about many things, but nothing can equal the issue of whether or not we live in union with God in Heaven.

He offers us a share in His life-giving power, to rise from death ourselves at the appointed time.

The coming of Christ in judgment is not meant to frighten us, but to give us hope.

We see His coming more as a victorious liberation than a harsh retribution.

This theme will continue into the Advent season when we are encouraged to hope for the final part of the salvation which has already begun.

If we are to be close to Him; if we want to discover the source of eternal life, we can find it in the practical expression of charity listed in today’s Gospel (Mt 25,31-46)

The Lord, the Judge, will confirm our hopes that we have learned to love  Him in our service of neighbour.

And He will say to us, enter into the joy of the Lord, for I was hungry and you gave Me to eat, etc.

Charity is the ultimate expression of life. We are really alive when we are charitable, and dead if not charitable. St John spells this out in his epistle: If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. (1 Jn 4,20)

Today we praise Jesus’ victory over sin and death, and in gratitude we re-commit to a life of charity – practical help and also a humble merciful attitude to one another in the Body of the Church.

Not least in our prayer we ask Jesus to help us focus on Him as our main hope and source of life, now already and in eternity.

King of kings and Lord of lords, have mercy on us.

33rd Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 19 Nov 2023 Sermon

33rd Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 19 November 2023 Adventure

There are people in life who seek challenges. They want to try everything especially dangerous and exhilarating things. Like skydiving, hiking, anything with speed.

Others want to avoid all that adventure and have a nice quiet life at home, with regular habits.

Wherever you fit in with that spectrum, you probably have a fairly high degree of choice. So, for instance, no one will make you go skydiving if you do not really want it.

There is one adventure, however, to which we are all called to participate, and with this particular adventure we do not really have a choice.

This is the adventure of being created and then called to salvation. Coming to life, and then coming to eternal life.

God made us without our consent; He did not ask us first. If He had asked we might have refused. In any case, here we are!

People sometimes say: I never asked to be born. This is said as a kind of complaint, implying that the person concerned would have preferred not to exist.

However, it is only in bad moments we would say that. who really would regret tasting of this life, given all its joyful moments, and the prospect of eternal happiness?

And that is just being alive. There is more to come. Each one of us is challenged to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

We did not ask for that either, but how can we refuse? Lord, to whom shall we go? (Jn 6,68).

We are here, however we got here, so why not make the best of it? We can make this thing work.

God did not just make us and then throw us to the wolves. He gives us all the necessary support in the form of the Church, the sacraments, fraternity among ourselves, individual talents etc.

There are challenges, and many of them, but none of them beyond our reach (cf 1 Cor 10,13). We have to give up various bad habits and replace them with the corresponding good habits.

It is easy to see why one might think it is too hard, but if it leads to greater happiness, how can we lose?

As to the matter of suffering if more people obeyed God's laws there would be a lot less suffering in the world. So that is another incentive to be good.

Even those without faith would probably like to have more self-control for instance. These days there is much emphasis on wellness and living the best life, and the like.

Carefully devoid of religious reference these pursuits are designed for happiness, and would succeed to a degree, but there is still a void to be filled, which only knowledge of God can fill.

Ask the Apostles if they are glad now that they followed Jesus when He called them.

God calls some to a harder task than others cf parable of the talents.

Again if you have more talents more is expected of you; and you might say that is unfair too! But here again the more we multiply our gifts the more happiness goes with that. Ask Our Lady, or any saint.

Instead of complaining we give thanks, for making us, for saving us; for being strict with us, so that we can discover real joy, not just the passing pleasures of this life.

We do have a choice how deep we go, but once we know God's importance we might as well go as far as possible.

The ‘burden’ of existence cannot be helped, but can be enjoyed!

Stick with it, and you will hear one day the very welcome words: Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord (Mt 25,23).

2nd Sunday of Advent 2017 Sermon (from the Archives)

I did not preach last Sunday, so here is one from the archives, to help prepare for Advent, which gets somewhat displaced by early celebrations of Christmas.

2^nd Sunday of Advent 10 December 2017 Salvation

There is a deep longing in us for things to be right, to be as they are meant to be. We have an instinct to want justice, for example, or an end to cruelty and violence. Certain things we see or hear will immediately bring a reaction from us.

The same longing applies to us, though it may not be so apparent. We would like to be as we are meant to be. This comes from the fact that God has planted in us a desire to be at one with Him. to share in His created order.

When God created the world He naturally saw how all things would fit in with each other. Sin has ruptured that order, but it can be retrieved, and that is the essence of Our Lord’s saving mission.

Christ came to help us to sort out our desires, to steer us in the right direction.

John the Baptist was a part of that process. He told the people what they wanted, even if they did not know they wanted it. He awakened in them, from somewhere deep down, this desire that they could be better. Even the wicked Herod liked to hear John speak (Mk 6,20).

We are torn between the selfishness we have inherited and learnt, on the one hand, and on the other hand a new freedom from sin, and purity of intention.

We choose between self-indulgent pleasure-seeking, or the ability to exercise restraint, working to a higher goal.

We know we would rather be the latter. But it takes a certain effort to sustain that vision.

Still it explains how we can be attracted to a harder life. It is the not the ‘hardness’ we want, so much as the ‘betterness’. Thus we are inspired by the lives of the saints. They sacrificed so much, always driven by a higher goal.

Young people in particular feel this dichotomy. This would explain their willingness to make sacrifices, when sufficiently inspired: for example, the desire to join strict religious orders, and seminaries.

We get tired of too much pleasure, leading nowhere. As Our Lord points out to the crowd: You did not come out into the desert to see those who live in luxury. You came out to see a man who lived a severely penitential life, and who spoke the plain truth. This is what you are hungering for.

This applies to us with the same force as to the people in John’s time. We seek the better life, and we find it in more prayer, especially the Mass; doing penance, good works, pushing ourselves a little harder, and that continuously.

There is that inner voice calling each one to something great, or at least greater.

We can hear that voice if we turn off enough of the surrounding noise.

Whether old, young, or in the middle, we are always refining and deepening our response.

If we are life-long disciples (or most of our lives), it may seem a long time to stay faithful; but it becomes easier when the attractiveness of a holy life becomes apparent.

It is not giving up happiness to be miserable instead; but giving up one sort of happiness for a much better one.

John showed the way, and Our Lord took it further still. He shows us, and He equips us to take it.

We do not just admire holy people, as we might look at an exhibit in a museum; but rather we are stirred to imitate them, and so we present ourselves now, to be stirred into true discipleship of Christ.

To live a harder life for the sake of a better life.

31st Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 5 November 2023 Sermon

31st Sunday Ordinary time (A) 5 November 2023 Holy Souls

The mercy of God is infinite and inexhaustible and always there for us to call upon. No matter how many sins or wrong turnings it can all be restarted.

In the physical realm we can have repairs but generally there is a diminishing over time.

In the spiritual realm we can not only repair what was wrong but improve on any previous state.

Replenished, refreshed, improved, we can get better at all the things we do, have a better understanding of God, greater love for Him, sensitivity for His will, increased obedience.

Even great sinners can be retrieved and restored, provided there is sufficient repentance.

We rely heavily on God's mercy. At this time of year we focus on Purgatory, a place where souls are healed and polished, made ready for Heaven.

While we think about the faithful departed we apply the appropriate lessons to ourselves, as we constantly call on God's mercy to set us on a straighter path.

The souls in Purgatory cannot advance their own salvation through sacraments and good works. They rely on the living to pray and make sacrifices for them.

The souls in Purgatory will come to feel a deep contrition for their sins, and in doing that they see things in a new light and so can be ready for Heaven.

I came that they may have life and have it to the full (Jn 10,10).  Our Lord did not mean an increase in life expectancy, but in the moral or spiritual dimension of life. He came so that people could live better lives in union with God's will.

He sets people free from false attachments, and as they do that they become more alive.

This can be our prayer to Him on our own account - that we be willing to take whatever He wants to give us.

Many do not give much thought to God or related matters, such as death and judgment. These matters never become any less important, it is just that they can be put on hold, and never clearly faced. Much prayer is needed around this matter too.

We pray for the living as well as the dead.

God likes to see us taking charitable concern. As in a physical rescue, we would pull people out of whatever difficulty they are in; so spiritually we can help those who need prayer, but cannot do it on their own.

Many people die suddenly, without the benefit of time to reflect on their lives and come to a serious assessment of where they stand.

They will need prayer to help them readjust.

Charity is the quality that makes things happen in the spiritual world. If we have genuine charity for the dead it will help them come to the necessary state for progress to higher levels.

And we benefit, as it is always good for us spiritually when we help someone else in need, living or dead.

Death may be a depressing topic, but we see there is a lot of good in the subject too, when we see the spiritual and eternal aspects of it all.

Many try to exclude the spiritual but that is exactly where the strongest comfort is found.

Each person must reach the point of voluntary surrender, being aware of their true status before God, and the right options they face.

We seek the best outcome for every person. The Good Shepherd searches the whole earth for any sheep needing rescue (Lk 15,4-7). There are a great many of these sheep, on earth and in purgatory. Our prayers and sacrifices will make up some part of what needs to happen. Let us keep to the task.

30th Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 29 October 2023 Sermon

30th Sunday Ordinary time (A) 29 October 2023 Knowing God

Loving God is an obligation, and that may seem strange as love is usually seen as a matter more concerned with feelings, not the stuff of commands.

We find, however, that we want to keep this command. We go beyond loving God because we have to, and find ourselves wanting to love Him.

This is what He wants us to discover. And from that we will find the same thing happening as regards loving our neighbours. We actually want to do it.

The fulfilment of loving God will probably not happen until we reach Heaven, but in the meantime we can grow from one day to the next.

We might say that God is too far away to love, too hard to connect with, as He is beyond sense experience. We cannot see or hear or touch Him, and that can make Him seem remote.

Then there can be a sense of estrangement from God, or even bitterness towards Him due to the sufferings of this life. Why does He let us suffer, when He could easily work a few miracles to make it easy for us?  So we might reason.

The way to see God more clearly and to understand His ways more fully is to get to know Him better.

There is a song: To know know know you is to love love love you. If we really knew what God is like we never for a moment doubt His existence, His closeness, His wisdom and good intentions towards us.

It is only the limits in our own perception that make it seem as though He has forgotten us, or whatever the difficulty is.

Think of Romeo and Juliet. If you say to Romeo that he had to go to Mass every Sunday he might say that is too boring, or too hard etc.

If you told him he had to see Juliet for one hour every week, it would be a different matter! He does not regard that as an imposition or a task.

Plainly, he loves Juliet more than he loves God - yet God created Juliet, and all that goes with her. Whatever and whomever we love in this life can be seen as coming from God, and therefore God must be better.

To know Him is to love Him.

There is still mystery with God but there are things we can know, and once we do know them we will come towards a response of love.

We seek the essence of God, and we can find it.

We see His signature all around us – in what He has made, the work of His hands.

If we move towards Him He will make Himself better known. Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near (Is 55,6).

As we experience in various ways the goodness of God we naturally reflect back to Him with gratitude, trust, hope etc.

We love what He has made, so why not Him? It is only because we do not know Him.

We can come through the clouds of doubt, fear, resentment or whatever else may obscure our vision.

It might sound abstract at first, but with continuous prayer and sacrament we perceive God's  presence not far behind.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. (2 Chron 16,9).

29th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A) 22 October 2023 Sermon

29th Sunday Ordinary time (A) 22 October 2023  One God

Give to God what is God's. What would that be? We cannot give God anything that He does not have, as all the world is His anyway. But we can give Him our hearts and minds in paying Him homage and giving  Him obedience.

Apart from Me all is nothing I am the Lord unrivalled. (cf Is 45,1 and 4-6). From the rising to the setting of the sun. God is the greatest, unrivalled by a long way.

To think that the entire universe comes from one God. We say in the Nicene Creed that we believe in one God, not just God but one God. It is important to say that because it means we believe in no other god. Do not have false gods before Me, says the second commandment. ‘I am a jealous God’ says the Lord (Ex 20,5).

One God is more than enough because He can do everything; and again, all the world is His. (cf Ex 19,5-8).

When we see God's creative power and its diversity, we get some idea of His grandeur.

There is nothing He cannot do. He is far and away above and beyond us; but not so far as to be out of our reach in terms of prayer and sacrament, getting to know his will and presenting him our problems.

We may have a fear in a pluralistic age that we will offend other religions if we assert the truth of our own. But God wants to be made known. The great missionaries like St Paul and St Francis Xavier did not hold back. It is to everyone’s advantage to have the most accurate knowledge possible about the one true God.

He does not need our praise but he does want it. And it does us a great deal of good if we express these things to God, because it cleanses us from false gods and false ways. We become immersed in truth.

And it helps us to live our lives the right way up.

God can see that we damage ourselves when we turn to false gods. It is not out of vanity that He insists on being known, but to help us find the right path.

There are other ways of rejecting God besides pursuing false gods. The biggest problem in our society would be apathy, and just not taking anything seriously in the spiritual line.

We are offered a comfortable vagueness that relieves pressure on us to behave according to any particular way. There is probably something out there but we don’t really know, nor can we know.

There are many obstacles, but there has been considerable success in the Church’s missionary effort. Many have converted over the centuries, and this is great news. God will make Himself known if people seek Him out

We say the creed without fear, and without conditions – such as, we believe in one god, but only when things are going well!

We may not be greatly confident in our faith but we can work on that. The solution lies in developing the true faith not taking up a false one.

The Creed can be a prayer – Lord, help me overcome my doubts and fears. Help me to live in the right way; help others with their doubts and fears, and offer them the certainty of the faith.

Finally it will all fall into place for us: And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one. (Zech 14,9)

 

 

 

 

 

 

28th Sunday of Ordinary time (A) 15 October 2023 Sermon

28th Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 15 October 2023 Every tear will be wiped away

The recent massacre in Israel and its flow-on effects are presently in the news. (Hamas attack 7 October 2023).

There is much grief and anger surrounding these events. We can look at them from a Christian perspective.

In the first reading (Is 25,6-10) we hear the promise from God that the ‘mourning veil’ will be removed.

That God will act to restore what has been lost, and to bring justice where it has been denied.

This is not only for Israel and not only now. Always in our sad world there is trouble. Always and everywhere. We need some consoling, certainly.

God is promising to give us that consolation we seek, not just in words but physical reality.

He will wipe away every tear from our eyes.

There are two ways we can understand this:

One way is to see these passages referring to the end of time – the second Coming of Christ, the Last Judgment, the resurrection of all the dead.

Think how many people have been murdered, massacred, suffered genocide, and other injustices such as slavery, torture, rape. Not one sparrow falls to the ground without our heavenly Father knowing it (Mt 10,29)– so what about all the people, many of them defenceless children?

The last days are a major part of our belief but so much outside our experience that we have trouble forming any clear picture of it. We know one thing for certain, that the innocent will be compensated for their sufferings - injustices set right, dignity restored for all those shamefully treated. Those whose lives were cut short will have life restored.

The tears shed by them and on their behalf will be wiped away.

This much is for the long term. God will fulfil these promises but we do not know when.

We can also see these promises in a more immediate sense and some of it right now.

When people convert to Christ they are immediately happy. The close experience of God will do much to take away the pains that otherwise press upon us.

If we have come to faith and baptism we can draw consolation directly from Christ, crucified and risen.

At any time God can intervene in His own creation and give us some extra grace to call us back to the right path.

We have just had the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima, and that was definitely a special intervention by God.

We hope the human race responds to such signs, even if a little late, and we can see some of those promised consolations in our own time.

It is worth the long wait we have had, and may still have. Such outcomes are worth waiting for; but many get distracted and confused and they abandon the faith thus weakening themselves and the whole Church.

We need the discipline of a St Paul who can thrive on full stomach or empty (Ph 4,12). He can take any which way. Following that example we battle on through the hard times and eventually it will be always easy.

Though there are many difficulties we still never give up. Never means never.

Whether we succeed or fail in the short term we are pursuing the only sane course. The victory is assured, but we need to draw upon it more confidently.

Getting back to the Middle East crisis, we can help dissolve the hatred so that swords are turned in ploughshares (Is 2,4).

Words are not enough; missiles do not help; only full union with Christ will do it. We ask Him to make His presence felt and to resolve the current trouble and all the others.

To wipe away the tears from our eyes.

 

27th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A) 8 October 2023 Sermon

27^th Sunday Ordinary time (A) 8 October 2023 Do not worry

There is no need to worry, from today’s second reading (Ph 4,6-9).

It depends a bit on what we mean by worry. We can take it to mean unnecessary anxiety about something.

Some things require what looks like worry, though we might call it ‘concern’.

Trust in God does not mean we ignore serious matters. If we have a fire or a flood chasing us we have to be concerned by that. It would be irresponsible to ignore a situation where we need to take some course of action, eg to warn people of danger.

An informed and charitable concern would be a good thing in that case, and is something that is required of us.

If there is anything you need pray for it (second reading continued).

Prayer will bring God's healing and transforming power into operation. Sometimes it will be a miracle as He overrides His own laws of nature; most times it will be just the smooth and normal running of events.

A lot of our prayer is asking that things don’t go wrong. That will help too.

So for example, with bushfires we pray for people who are in trouble with a fire, but we also pray for the fires not to start.

God will bring all the elements together, especially when we ask Him to intervene.

The first rule is: Don’t panic! We cultivate an awareness of God's presence and closeness.

Each time we escape some trouble we can record that one for future reassurance.

Yet one more time God has come to our assistance. We reaffirm God's goodness and power constantly - which is one reason why we repeat prayers.

If anyone asks why do you say the same things over and over, it is because we need God's protective power operating at all times. Prayer could be seen in the same light of necessity as we need to breathe, or we need our hearts to keep beating.

It is good to trust God but we cannot manipulate Him, or put Him to the test. For example, by driving recklessly, expecting God to cover my mistakes.

The instruction not to worry applies also to the whole Church. As the Church we face many crises, and trust the Lord to get us through, to cross the Red Sea.

What makes trust possible is the quality of those in whom we place that trust.

When we speak of God, or Our Lady, or the saints, we will find no deception there, and total goodwill on their part towards us.

They will not let us down. God may have other plans in mind than we have, but taking the overall view we trust His holy will, and are prepared to go along with it.

We do not abandon God because we think He has abandoned us.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Rom 11,33) ) We cannot understand all His ways but we can learn at least the main points He wants us to know.

He wants us to trust, but also to ask for what we need. This is so that we will articulate our faith and thus come to a clearer understanding of our position.

If we could know that the amount we pray and the intensity of our prayer actually changes things, more people would be praying than is usually the case.

We have it in our power to change what happens next - to make something good happen, or prevent something bad. We may not know what it is we are influencing but the influence will be real all the same.

Far from worrying we go onto the front foot; we turn every situation to victory. Thanks be to God for looking after us so well!

26th Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 1 October 2023 Sermon

26^th Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 1 October 2023 Freedom of choice

Two sons give different responses. One says he will not but then reconsiders; the other says he will but does not (Mt 21, 28-32).

The one who does obey, albeit after a delay, is the one for us to follow.

Delay is not recommended but God in His infinite mercy allows some leeway there.

It can take many years for some people to bring their lives under God's authority, even when they know they should have acted sooner.

Ultimately, God wants every person in the world to be united with Him, as child of the Father, disciple of the Son. There are a lot of people in the world, but the same principle applies to all.

Being in union with God will mean that we have to obey Him when He commands or forbids something. And this we can find daunting.

Whereas the alternative is to do as we please, without reference to God or any other restraints which might be in place.

This latter way is appealing because it offers instant happiness without requiring restraint or discipline. There will be an account rendered, however!

It really comes to a battle of viewpoints - short term versus long term. In the short term the way of sin looks good; in the long term the way of God is much more rewarding.

Whether sooner or later we must put our lot with God; there is no salvation anywhere else.

In the parable the two sons have only one choice to make. In life we have hundreds of occasions to decide good or evil. If we are conscious of the choice we can ensure we are moving towards God rather than away from Him.

Why is it so hard to see all this? It is because of previous sin which has warped our capacity to judge. Sin darkens the mind and weakens the will.

We either do not see what is right (intellect) or lack the desire to carry it out (will).

Humans are complicated because we have rationality, the ability to reflect on our actions, and on such things as the meaning of life. We have free will, a privilege shared only with angels of all God's creation.

With God's help we can exercise the free will towards the better alternatives.

The best outcome is where we obey God, we do His will, yet it is because we want to, not because we have to. We realize how good God is to us, and embrace His will for us.

The command to children: Eat your vegetables first, before dessert – this is what it comes to. One can come to like vegetables, and so one can come to ‘like’ God's commands – because they are good for us!

Now we have union between two minds, two hearts.

With full freedom we do the best thing, and this as a matter of habit.

Meanwhile God's grace will go to work on all the people who hold out against Him, who refuse to recognize or obey Him.

He reaches some and not others. We hope for a time when conversions flow more quickly than at present. And we pray that people who are not so clear will see things in a new light and make that happy change for the better.

What we are at the point of death decides our eternal destiny. We can do a lot of things to make that moment as it should be. Prayer, Sacraments, Good works, Penance.

All the time we are learning what it means to be a disciple of Christ; trusting that He will lead us to the right way of seeing things.

That we have a choice increases our glory and gives glory to God.

Yes, Lord, we say, and we do.

 

 

 

25th Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 24 Sep 2023 Sermon

25^th Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 24 Sep 2023 Working for God

Working for God means doing or enduring, or being whatever He wants from us in any particular situation.

It is a very flexible reality as there are many different aspects to it.

We do what God wants from us in all sorts of ways. It would include long-term things like being faithful in marriage, working (as in career), and short-term things as they arise, like helping a sick person, feeding the hungry.

The earlier we start in life, and the more enthusiastically we embrace the idea, the more ‘work’ we can achieve.

The parable of the labourers in the vineyard (Mt 20,1-16) shows us that one can start serving the Lord at any point of life.

On one reading the parable might sound like the latecomers had the best deal because they had only a little bit of work to do, and the rest of their time was their own.

They were fortunate indeed to achieve salvation in time before death, but more fortunate still are those who discover early in life the need to live life under God's providence.

The early starters get the best of both worlds - the chance to serve God here on earth, and the joy of eternal life.

This would be the position of many of us here. We have been turning up to Mass and other events for most or all of our lives. Because it is work it requires a certain discipline and perseverance. However it is the best way to live, because it brings us close to God in the present and the future.

If we seek the Lord while He is to be found (first reading, Is 55,6) it is better if we find Him early.

The work that God requires from us is sometimes hard work, but we do not allow  ourselves to be bitter at what adversities we encounter.

If we are on course for that ‘one denarius’, that possession of eternal life, then we are in the right lane.

All our disappointments will be washed away by the infinite mercy of God.

This is our main way of coping with grief, which is a shorter-term suffering, eventually assumed into a much longer-term happiness.

From another angle we can see ourselves as the late workers because we are rewarded out of all proportion for the good that we have done.

We could never, strictly speaking, inherit the kingdom of God, because all our goodness just would not be good enough.

However by the generosity of the master of the vineyard we can receive that reward anyway.

All our prayers and good works are carried out with the knowledge that essentially all of us are being overpaid - the early and the late comers.

All glory to God, who has set things up in this way for our benefit.

St Paul worked very hard in every sense of the word ‘work’. Yet he knew it was more than he deserved! For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Cor 4,17)

Taking his example may we take up our various kinds of work with enthusiasm. It will not be long before the day ends.

24th Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 17 September 2023 Sermon

24^th Sunday after Pentecost 17 September 2023 Forgiving others

The first debtor should have been grateful but apparently was not (Mt 18,28).

So he lost the lot. And the lesson is there so we do not do the same, as we might do if we do not take heed.

Unless you forgive your brother from your heart, then we suffer the same fate (Mt18,35).

When we hear that parable it seems obvious where the first servant went wrong. But as obvious as it is we find ourselves capable of the same error.

We do the same thing when we begrudge mercy to others, the same mercy that we seek for ourselves.

If I get what I need why should I begrudge others getting what they need? There is no answer to that, rationally. It is just the emotions getting involved where they should stay out.

It is one of the side-effects of sin that it will give us a mean streak, whereby we resent the good fortune of others, especially if we think it is more good fortune than we have.

As children we resent if another child has more: I have one chocolate, you have two, that is an inflammatory situation!

As adults we grow out of that? No, it becomes about salary, cars, clothes. The same problem.

In fact we should rejoice in the good fortune of others. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (Rm 12,15)

We should want others to receive everything that God wants them to have – especially the spiritual things like mercy, grace, spiritual gifts, and finally eternal life.

God wants each person to come to a certain potential. If He wants it, then we want it too. There is no time for resentment.

Of course, we do not miss out. Heaven is big enough for all who want it. And a repentant sinner is a person we can like, once they have repented.

As to forgiveness, God rejoices in granting mercy to repentant sinners. Cf the father of the Prodigal Son. He ran to meet him and lavished attention on him (Lk 15,20) So there is more joy in heaven over each sinner who repents (Lk 15,7).

In murder trials someone will call out to the accused: I hope you rot in hell. It is the wrong thing to say; we wish no one in hell. If we did wish that then we are back to the problem of the first debtor, unable to extend mercy to his fellow servant.

We can be angry with people we perceive to be in the wrong.

But we do not wish them to stay in the wrong, especially not for eternity.

God seeks to save. He never deviates from this objective.

We must remove the plank from our own eyes first (Lk 6,41-46).

The only way we could ever legitimately wish others to suffer would be that they suffer in the full realization of what they have done, and then repent.

They are not ‘getting off lightly’, as they will suffer real pain, eventually giving way to joy at being forgiven.

We may doubt that the sinner will repent. Whether they do repent or not, our attitude must be the same – that we want them to receive God's mercy.

The Church meanwhile proclaims both mercy and the quest for holiness. We always need mercy; at the same time we can always do good and do better in our grateful desire to please God.

 

 

 

23rd Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 10 September 2023 Sermon

23^rd Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 10 September 2023 Body of Christ

St Paul puts before us the image of the human body as a point of comparison for the spiritual life (1 Cor 12,12-31)

We have each one body which has many parts. Even if even one part is out of order the whole body suffers.

So it is with the Body of Christ, of which we are all a part. If even one member of the Body makes a false step there is an element of discord registered in the whole Body.

St Paul appeals to each of us to do our part in enabling the Body to proceed as it should – in expressing the will of God as He works through each of us, seeking always to embrace more members from among all the scattered sheep in the world.

The Gospel today gives a blueprint for what to do when a member of the Body is misbehaving. There is a graded response whereby the misbehaving member is given stronger correction if he has not responded already. Finally, excommunication is the last resort. (Mt 18,15-20).

In all this procedure the emphasis is on charity and mercy, so that the offender should not feel he has been rejected altogether. The idea is to get him back to full union with the Church (1 Cor 5,1-5).

Given the size of the Church (over a billion members) there are always going to be areas of disagreement. And some of these disagreements will be much less charitably expressed than the Gospel requires.

To which we can say, Forgive each other as soon as a quarrel starts (Col 3,13); treat each other as gently as we would hope to be treated in our turn. The golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do to you (Mt 7,12).

We should be as anxious to preserve unity in the Church as we are to have our own physical bodies have peace within.

God is always at peace with Himself and wants us to share in that state.

Unity does not mean we have to agree on everything. We must agree at least on the essential matters covered in the creeds and catechisms. We have received the faith handed down to us, and it is our task to pass it on without alteration to those who come after us.

For the rest there can be discussion, but always within the bounds of charity and wisdom.

If we ever have to correct someone we think is in error, or someone thinks we are in error, then it is especially important that we keep charity foremost.

Truth can be lost in the midst of personal animosity. One major example of that would be the behaviour of the Pharisees in dealing with Our Lord.

They came to hate Him so much, through a mixture of jealousy and rage, that they did not care if He were the true Messiah or not. They just wanted Him gone, murdered if necessary.

We can be attached to certain causes within the Church to the point that we can come to dislike, or even hate those who oppose us.

This is where we have to be careful not to create more discord than there already is by pushing too hard on our own point of view.

If it is a matter of faith and morals the Church can deal with that along the lines of Mt 18, 15-20).

If it is less important then we may have to let others go their own way, all the while maintaining charity and mutual prayer.

Let peace prevail, whereby all parties to a dispute find their point of reference in Jesus Christ, the Head of the Body, the Master of all disciples.

If we achieve a basic unity He will give us the grace to build on that, while achieving a better understanding of all the issues involved.

This is the Peace of the Lord which is offered to all who come to Mass. The peace of the Lord be with you always. Amen.

 

 

22nd Sunday Ordinary time (A) 3 September 2023 Sermon

22nd Sunday (A) 3 September 2023 The Cross

The Cross is the most identifiable symbol of Christianity. It may seem a strange choice from an advertising point of view.

In advertising the idea is to put something appealing before the public and they will be convinced enough to part with their money and take the proposed product.

In the Church we seek ‘customers’, or ‘members’. We do this more for their sake than our own, but nevertheless we do want to attract them.

So we put crucifixes everywhere, highlighting that one of the central elements of our faith is Suffering!

We do not have, for example, an image of the Resurrection, at least not one so identifiable.

The happiness is coming, but not all at once. We have a lot to learn before we are ready for the fullness of the happiness we will find in Heaven.

We have to take up the cross first, and only then do we discover the formula for happiness.

Taking up the cross means that we are prepared to suffer if thereby we can bring about a greater good.

For instance, a disciple lays down his life attempting to bring the Gospel to a new destination. He loses his life but gains it in Heaven. And his work in evangelising will help other people to find eternal life.

But most of all it is the Cross of Christ that has been the greatest sacrifice and brought about the greatest good. The Cross was necessary to put the human race back on track.

It was not sufficient for Our Lord just to give inspiring teaching and to work miracles. These achieved a lot but more was needed – there had to be Sacrifice.

To the devil: do your worst and I will show you I can triumph over you. He proved he could absorb that punishment. He was saying in effect: I can love more than you can hate.

His focus at all times was on how much good He could do us. He was not concerned for Himself. It was an act of perfect love. And it was worth it. He succeeded in what He set out to do.

His sacrifice has atoned for the sin of the world and given us all a new chance to live.

We come to life by receiving the mercy He offers us, and resolving to live according to His will.

He saves us by transforming us into copies of Himself. We are challenged to do as He did; to lay down our lives for others. Not on such a dramatic scale, but at least in principle to make ourselves vulnerable; willing to suffer whatever is necessary in God’s plans.

It is a strange way to set about solving a problem - to surrender one’s life!

Normally we would think of death as the most unlikely way to make progress.

To begin by saying, Here I am; you can kill me if you want – seems a strange approach.

Yet it worked. The love Jesus showed by giving up His life was so strong as to atone for all the sins of all time. It was a perfect sacrifice.

It looks like weakness but it is actually great strength. It is in this way that we use the Crucifix as a symbol of our faith. We are strong if we carry that Cross.

There is suffering yes, but a lot more besides. We can see the Cross as a doorway that, once opened, leads to a much better place, a world redeemed.

21st Sunday Year A 27 August 2023 Sermon

21st Sunday Year A 27 August 2023 Response

To be or Not to be is not the question, but Who do you say I am? That is the question that will determine where we spend eternity, so it is an important one.

It is not just who Jesus is, or what He is, but who we think He is that is vital to the process.

There has to be a response from us. He is the Saviour, but we have to want to be saved, and cooperate with the process.

We have to reply with similar words as Peter used: You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Mt 16, 16).

Peter’s response was prophetic. He was saying more than he actually knew. It was the Father who gave him these words, bringing forth a deeper answer than he would have made on his own authority.

So God can do for us, bringing forth an understanding and a courage beyond what we normally feel.

The apostles did not normally manifest that much faith, not at least before Pentecost.

They had much to learn, as do we.

The word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us.. That is God's statement. That is His side of the bargain; what are we going to do in response?

One thing we do is to remind ourselves of God's greatness, and our smallness. He is the Son of the living God. Think of the perfect humanity of Christ or the perfect holiness of the Father, and we are inspired to higher things.

Whether received or not, His identity, His mission, do not change.

No amount of human neglect can subtract anything from the power of God.

We must not try to reduce His importance.

We cannot afford to let our faith run down to some sort of partial response. We have to keep up the intensity.

We are on a pilgrimage, so we have to walk on hard ground sometimes, and overcome many adversities. We do not forget where we are going, or that this phase of our lives is not the final state. We are on the way, not there yet.

To receive God's  help we have to be willing to receive His whole revelation, not just bits and pieces here and there.

Receive the whole Christ: He is not just a teacher or philosopher or rebel, or misguided idealist,

We have to take all of Him at once. He will help us if we are humble enough to get the right understanding.

The full vision is much more exciting than the various attempts to minimise Him. There is a lot more yet that we have not seen or discovered.

The full identification of disciple with Master is the key. It is not just the external miracles that impress but the internal miracles which concern faith and related factors.

Jesus died and rose for the good of the human race, but He also wanted to deal with each individual person, to call that person to be a disciple now and a saint for eternity.

Each disciple has to repeat Peter’s confession, if not in exactly the same words, but a full affirmation of Jesus’ unique status.

He is not just this or just that. He is altogether beyond where others have tried to put Him.

We let Him lift us up to His level, rather than pull Him down to ours.

Whoever He is and whatever He is - we want to be one with Him. Once we know Him there is no alternative. But we do not need an alternative, only enough wisdom and courage to stay on course.

12th Sunday after Pentecost 19 August 2012

[One from the archives]

12th Sunday after Pentecost 19 August 2012 Good Samaritan

We sometimes hear in the news that a ‘good Samaritan’ has been assaulted or even killed as a result of his intervention in a situation, trying to help.

So there are dangers in helping out, in getting involved. Is it worth it?

Christ Himself could be considered a Good Samaritan. He intervened; He came to help out some people in trouble (the human race); and was killed for His troubles. So maybe He should have stayed ‘at home’ - in Heaven.

Was it worth His intervention? It appeared He ‘failed’ insofar as He was put to death; yet that is the very thing that saved us.

From the death of Christ: apparent defeat but actually victory. His resurrection was a victory, but the Cross, even by itself was also a victory. A victory of Love over Indifference.

The apostles and the martyrs have followed His example. It is a Good Samaritan act to preach the gospel, to spread the faith. It is an intervention, trying to help. And it can mean death.

Arguing from a basic kind of prudence, they would have done better to have stayed at home; the apostles should have gone back to fishing.

On deeper reflection, however, we see that there is a spiritual value to certain actions, whatever their apparent consequences at the time.

Our interventions may not ‘work’ by human standards but yet still be a victory.

If our intervention is motivated by love it will have the merit of being a sacrifice, in imitation of Christ. This is the greatest kind of love, and the most powerful – to lay down one’s life for another (Jn 15,13).

The apparent object may not be achieved. For example, I could intervene to save someone who is being assaulted and I might be killed myself. Not a success. But the love that one showed in trying to solve the problem will bring spiritual benefit to the helper and others.

There is a risk element in helping another. The Church cannot offer a detailed list of what to do or not to do in each case. We need the gifts of Wisdom, Prudence, and Counsel at such times.

The general point is that we should not expect in this life to have complete personal security or comfort. We are at times going to have to sacrifice our comfort and sometimes even our safety in getting involved in the lives of others.

The driving principle is what does Christ expect of us? We are, in effect, images of Christ; trying to replicate what He did, on a much smaller scale. We would die for the truth, or to save another. Or, if not called upon to die, at least spend ourselves in the attempt.

We cannot help everyone in the world; we cannot fight every battle. But if we are filled with the Spirit of Christ unselfish behaviour will come naturally.

Worldly prudence will tell us to make sure we are safe at all times. The Gospel will say we cannot be safe at all times, or even most of the time.

We are not required to go looking for trouble, but there will be times when we do put ourselves at risk, which, even if miscalculated will not be wasted.

We can still be as wise as serpents. Otherwise we will be answering all the scam emails, giving away our bank account numbers to every stranger!

We must be cautious in general, but not to the point of wiping out all risk.

It is just as well that Jesus Christ did not stay at home. Just as well that the apostles did not go back to their previous jobs. Just as well that we are being formed in the same mind and learning to be good Samaritans in our time.

19th Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 13 August 2023 Sermon

19^th Sunday Ordinary Time (A) 13 August 2023 Courage

As one American president put it: the only thing we have to fear is fear itself (Franklin Roosevelt)

Fear does play too much of a part in our lives. It does have one useful purpose, to make us more cautious in dangerous situations.

However, in spiritual terms it tends to restrict us from the full flowering of the gifts that God has given us. We worry about many things, and often feel insecure.

We take refuge in our faith and that does help a lot, but there are still gaps in our faith whereby we are not totally convinced, or totally proof against panic, anxiety etc

We world be greatly comforted if we had Jesus with us in visible form. It is only that we cannot see Him that we doubt He is there.

If He were with us we would not be afraid of anything, even walking on water (Gospel). Yes, but He is with us!

In another boat story, Jesus rebuked the apostles for their lack of faith. (Mt 8,26) He is asking them in effect: Did you think I would let the boat sink and we all drown? Or for Peter in today’s Gospel: Why did you doubt?

He would rebuke us too, very likely, for the same reason - as we forget past blessings and treat the new problem like it is too much for us.

As the word of God puts it: Though ten thousand come against me (Ps 3,6) I will not fear. Though the stalls stand empty of cattle yet will I rejoice in the Lord (Hab 3,17)

The key is to look at the Lord, not at the problem, nor even the solution, but the Lord Himself. That is where our gaze must be.

If we could cultivate a deeper, longer and more intense relationship with Him then we are making progress.

How can we strengthen our belief so that fear no longer impedes us?

Lots of prayer is good, helping us to become more familiar with God's way of thinking. We have His word, and the writings of saints, popes, councils, etc.

We have the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. With sacraments, there is not a lot to see, but a great deal to believe!

And belief is another way of knowing besides seeing.

We are able to cultivate a deeper trust simply by constantly turning to our Lord and trust must follow.

He will give us all we need.

He will guide us till we understand what to believe and what to do.

He will give us a new way of looking at reality, and with that an ability to base our decisions and attitudes on Jesus Christ.

He makes Himself known to us by degrees, and we gradually pick it up. The prophet Elijah detected God's presence in the gentle breeze. (3 K or 1 K 19,10-18). This is normally how He makes Himself known. Sometimes through more dramatic means but mostly very subtle, so quiet it can be missed.

We find ways of discerning God's presence which are not by sight.

Most of all what increases is our love for God. We come to trust Him and be ready to follow Him, even if it leads to Calvary.

Perfect love drives out fear (1 Jn 4,18)

Overcoming fear is not a technique but an experience of love. We would go through fire and water when we love enough.

We may go through our whole lives without ever seeing God or feeling His touch, or other sense experiences. But there will be a whole string of other signs and wonders, more and less spectacular and we will see that our faith arrives on time after all!

 

 

9th Sunday after Pentecost 30 July 2013 Sermon

9^th Sunday after Pentecost 21.7.13 Repentance

[I did not preach last Sunday, so here is one from the archives]

Our Lord laments that Jerusalem is about to be destroyed because its people have refused to repent of their sinful ways.

They could have turned at any point but they would not.

We could weep over just about any city with all the increasing defiance of the laws of God in our time: same-sex ‘marriage’, euthanasia, etc etc

If only the people of our time would repent it would save a lot of trouble.

There is an even worse outcome than sudden physical death, however, and that is death of the soul – mortal sin.

If Our Lord weeps for Jerusalem He feels far more pain for a lost soul.

He wants everyone to be saved, and that is a great comfort.

But we have to cooperate, somewhere along the line. We cannot presume on His mercy to save us, or others.

God is very patient, but we must not take His patience as laxity or indifference.

There will be a time when there is no time. The time we delay now is wasted when we could be building up His kingdom on earth.

There is always the temptation to delay repentance. I will get around to it some day.

But I might die suddenly. And then also, if we delay too long our hearts can become hardened and we lose the whole idea of repentance, or any desire for it.

Complacency is a huge problem. Just like the Jews of Moses’ time (epistle) and of Our Lord’s time (Gospel) our present world has lost its way. We, minority that we are, must keep God’s commands before us, and hold onto them no matter what falsehoods we encounter, nor how many people believe in those falsehoods. Further still, we must be ready to suffer and die for God’s way.

Repentance is a hard message to sell. We can appeal at different levels.

There is natural reason. The world would run better if everyone behaved.

There is the threat of temporal punishment, like floods, earthquakes etc.

There is the threat of hellfire.

There is the promise of heaven.

All of these things are true. But they can still be ignored.

To the natural reason argument: I must look out for myself. I cannot worry about society or the future.

To the threat of punishment: There is no such thing. Disasters are merely a matter of science or random events.

To the threat of hell fire: Hell is just an old superstition. There is no such place in this enlightened age.

To the promise of Heaven: they will say, either that there is no heaven or that if there is then everyone goes there, regardless.

It is very hard to get through to the modern mind because secularism has permeated to every level.

We cannot coerce repentance. It has to be a work of grace. We do what we can to prepare it, to follow up, to make it more likely.

If we can save one soul it is worth it.

We never know who is going to convert next.

We have to keep beating the drum – all at once warning against errors, the depravity of which man is capable, the consequence of sin, and the joy of repentance.

We cannot change the tune because each generation faces the same basic choice – for or against God.

We have our work cut out. Holding on to our own faith while offering it to others. Lots of prayer is required.

And part of that prayer is: Lord give us time, give us grace. Don't wipe us out just yet. Somehow move people to see what they have never seen before, and to ask for Your mercy.