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.