28th Sunday Ordinary Time 13 October 2024 Sermon

28^th Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 13 October 2024  Challenge

I prayed and wisdom was given me (Wis 7,7). Wisdom to know what to do with everything else.

If wisdom is sorting out desires, then God must be our first desire.

God may be hard to know but He is the deepest object of our desire.

If we get a taste of the Lord (Taste and see Ps 34 (33),8) we will find it a delight to discover Him.

There are two false trails we could take.

One is to doubt God's promises to us, of such things as heavenly reward, and from today’s Gospel, manifold return on what we give up for the Kingdom.

The other is to doubt that God asks any more of us than a general compliance with a few commands here and there, not exerting ourselves in the pursuit of a holy life.

The rich young man of today’s Gospel was succumbing to the second temptation, a watering down of what true discipleship requires.

He was too attached to his riches, when he should have been attached to Jesus Christ.

So it can be for us, that we fear losing what we have, and are not sure if there is compensation for that. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Not with God.

Remember those quiz shows where you could either take the prize and go, or come back next time to get bigger prizes – but if you come back you might lose the lot!

As disciples of Our Lord we are very much in the category of ‘coming back next week’, always striving for more – more knowledge of God, more compliance with His will, more expectation of a joyful result.

We risk loss of some earthly securities, but we have the main treasure, the central point of the whole operation – the gaining of Heaven.

We can settle too easily for too little. We might settle for just a few earthly possessions, like money, health, friends, career etc, length of life, and say that is enough.

If we have those things, thanks be to God, but we do not stop there. We strive for higher things.

We need more belief in what we believe! We doubt God, not His existence, but His providence.

Jeus came to give us so much more than a few earthly assets. And He came for a lot more than telling us to be just more or less the same as everyone else.

It is easier to go along with the flow, but rarely the right course.

We take the path of serious resistance (not least resistance). We do not follow the ways of the world.

We take the demands of the faith seriously, eg if your eye should cause you to sin, pluck it out  (Mt 18,9). If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. (Lk 14,26).

We don’t have to be a St Paul with shipwrecks and floggings etc (2 Cor 11,23ff).

God knows what we are capable of, each one to his own capacity.

We can take it with small steps; we gradually grow in faith and readiness to commit. If we read the signs as we go, we will grow in confidence and understanding – this is what wisdom does. We start to see things the right way up.

We do the small things but we don’t think that either the promises or the demands are small-scale. There is a great deal more, and we are discovering it.

We must  ‘come back next week’… to seek bigger prizes!

27th Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 6 October 2024 Sermon

27^th Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 6 October 2024  Marriage

When God created Adam and then Eve, He joined them together in marriage. It was the first marriage, and the first thing that happened in what was now a society.

Why was marriage so important to God and why is it still so important, that God and His Church have detailed so much about it?

Marriage is given to the human race by God as a way of sharing in His life and love, and of coming to understand Him more deeply.

We can see this from different aspects of marriage.

1) Covenant love. As God gave Himself for the human race (most notably with Jesus dying for us) - husband and wife give themselves to and for each other.

There is a dying to self in marriage as each partner gives to the other.

Whenever this happens the love of Christ for His Church is activated and many blessings follow.

2) Fidelity. As God is faithful to His people, even if they are not faithful to Him, so husband and wife promise to be true to each other. Ideally, this promise is made regardless of the other partner’s attitude.

I will be faithful to you even if you are not faithful to me (imitating and drawing upon God’s fidelity, cf Hosea, and other passages.) God loves and forgives, far in excess of what we can give to Him. Mercy is a strong illustration of this.

3) Permanence. God is faithful forever. His fidelity lasts not only till death but beyond. It stretches across millennia. Compared with that a life together of 50-60 years is not so demanding. That is all that is asked of married couples. True love endures. The promise to be together till death is a reminder of God’s greater promise to be with us always.

4) Children. God loves to create, to give life, to share what He has with His children.

Parents have the power, the privilege, and the joy of  sharing in the creation of their own children. As they freely decide to have children they share in both the power to create and the love which makes that creation desirable.

All of these elements reveal and enable humans to participate in God’s love.

True, they are not always achieved in every marriage. Love can be lacking. We can take rather than give.

Fidelity and Permanence can be sacrificed if there is too much of a self-seeking attitude at work.

Children can be seen as a burden not a gift.

But the best outcomes are worth striving for, as they carry so much good effect.

God never fails from His side of the covenant, and His covenant love keeps married people and all people going. He will provide help for all who need it.

We all benefit from God’s great love for us, and need to participate in that love.

It canot be just my marriage; it all comes under the light of Christ’s marriage to the Church.

Fortunately, wrong attitudes can be forgiven, as God is merciful. We ask that mercy for all who need it, and for the good effects which will follow.

Jesus calls the people of His time back to one husband and one wife. And they protest, How come people of Moses’ time were allowed to have more than one spouse?

Jesus says, because you were so unteachable (Mt 19,8). God tolerated polygmaous marriages for a time, but now it is time to get serious again!

We are still trying to get this right. It is an area where there is so much resistance to trusting in God's way.

Married or not we pray for  a deeper understanding of marriage itself and for all who face difficulties.

26th Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 29 September 2024 Sermon

26^th Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 29 September 2024 One in Christ

Today is Migrant and Refugee Sunday throughout the Church.  We recall our pilgrim status as we journey through the ‘desert’ of this life striving to reach the Promised Land of Heaven.

We are right to be proud of our nation, of who we are and where we come from,  but our identifying with Christ is our strongest point of identity.

I could be other than Australian but I cannot be other than Christ-ian.

As St  Paul puts it: There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Ga 3,28). He has broken down the barriers between us.

We do not have to be the same in every way. Different cultures have different ways of doing things. But on certain fundamental points we are the same – such as striving for Heaven, trying to make this earth a slice of the heavenly Kingdom, where everyone is treated with justice and charity.

Whatever is different between us cannot be allowed to change the basic beliefs of our faith, and our identification with Christ.

Some have tried to do that with certain questions of morality, suggesting that what is forbidden in one culture might be allowable in another. For example, whether it is reasonable to insist on celibacy or chastity for people of all cultures.

With the major commands and creeds it has to be the same across the board.

This is no great difficulty if we unite ourselves with Christ. Whatever He wants we must want it too.

We find our peace in Him, and every other good quality, such as creativity, which we celebrate today.

Our cultural expressions should reflect God's goodness. Art, music and Literature sport, education, scientific research, medical care – all areas of importance would be purified and enriched by drawing from the infinite goodness of Jesus Christ.

God never stops helping us to get it right. Let us recall what He has done, as regards nationality.

God has been teaching us about all this since the day He called Abraham to begin a new race. Israel was supposed to be the vanguard, the cutting edge, showing forth what happens when people obey the one true God.

It worked sometimes but the Jews were too disobedient overall to be able to teach the other nations. So God adjusted the plan to go to the Gentiles instead - with the idea that the Jews would come back afterwards and all could be one (Rom 11,23).

Moses says (first reading): if only the whole people of the Lord were prophets… (Num 11,29)

Foreshadowing a new era when it will be normal for people to interpret events in a religious framework, not just political and economic as we have now.

As we discover God we acquire more of His gifts, and can use them to help each other.

God lets people find Him in various ways, always calling them to a deeper level.

How can we achieve justice and peace if  others do not?  There are many things we can do, but most of all if we live the way of Christ ourselves; that will at least give some direction to the surrounding society.

We have set our course for Heaven and will not be deflected from that straight course.

There is only one race of people in Heaven – the Redeemed, the People of God.

In the meantime we do everything we can to be like Christ as He opens His arms to all in need.

We pray for the day when all the people of the world are crossing the desert and no one is chasing them, because the ‘chasers’ are seeking salvation too!

 

 

25th Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 22 September 2024 Sermon

25^th Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 22 September 2024 Jealousy

Abel and Cain were brothers. They offered gifts to God. God preferred Abel’s gift to Cain’s, and Cain was jealous, from that moment resolving to take revenge on Abel.

And so the first murder is recorded in the Bible (Gen 4,1-18).

Even further back in the angelic world there was a major breach in the ranks because Lucifer was jealous that God had decided to become Man, and Lucifer saw that as a slight to himself, considering himself more deserving of God's favour than mortal man.

‘Wherever you find jealousy and ambition, you find disharmony and wicked things of every kind being done.’ (second reading, James 3,16)

Jealousy is considered bad enough to be included in two of the ten Commandments: thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife…. And goods.

Coveting means wanting something too much, and it’s the wrong thing as well.

We have many desires and ambitions; some are good, some not.

The Gospel today speaks of the apostles arguing among themselves which one is the greatest (Mk 9,34) – not likely to be the right topic. And they are suitably chastised by Our Lord

If we want to be first we must make ourselves last and servant of all Jesus teaches (Mk 9,35).

Jesus Himself lived this way. He came to serve and not be served.

He is King and Lord, but always looking out for others and their needs, not like many kings just piling up riches.

We probably have all suffered jealousy at some point. Whenever we compare our lot with another person. He has a better car, or house, or more chocolates than I have… It can rear its head in many places. The green-eyed monster of Shakespeare.

One cure for jealousy would be to develop a team approach which rejoices in the gifts of another disciple. If someone can do something which I cannot, so much the better. If someone else is growing in faith and good works, so much the better for him and me too.

It is better, after all, to be surrounded by saints than by sinners.

This is how the Church is meant to run – that all of us, striving for holiness and for the final prize of eternal life – will encourage each other in holy competition to be and do better.

We are not worried about who is better than whom, but each one trying to improve in virtue and eliminating vices.

If jealousy is based in a fear of missing out we can reflect that God is generous with us, in creating us and then being merciful to us, despite our lapses.

It is in His nature to be generous as that is a major characteristic of charity.

He therefore asks the same from us – freely you have received, freely give (Mt 10,8).

Given that God's supply of everything is abundant we have nothing to lose by directing His blessings to others.

Heaven is big enough for all, and no one has to miss out.

A cynical man once said: it is not enough that I succeed, others must fail!

In God's order we can all succeed, and without any sense of resentment at others doing well.

And if we would stop killing each other we could find a lot more productive things to be doing.

So let us expel jealousy for ever, remembering how lucky we already are, receiving so much more than we deserve.

Thanks be to God who has created us and the whole universe to share and would give us much more besides if we demonstrated trust in Him.

24th Sunday Ordinary Time B 15 September 2024 Sermon

24^th Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 15 September 2024 Taking up the Cross

There is an Easter flavour to the readings today. And yesterday was the Feast of the Holy Cross, reminding us that the things we talk about at Easter are relevant all year.

The Cross is such a central part of our faith, that we refer to it again and again.

It is also a very mysterious reality which always invites more reflection.

Jesus did not come just to give inspiring teaching and to work miracles. These things did much good but more was needed. There had to be Sacrifice.

He had to take up His cross and make an offering of Himself, as Man, in atonement for the sins of humanity, past, present and future.

He made Himself the Lamb of God, who would replace as victims the animals that had been offered in past times. Our Lord would make a more effective sacrifice because He understood what He was doing, and could will it with all His heart and mind.

The offering thus becomes more perfect because it involves a higher degree of giving.

Jesus thus defeats the devil and loosens his hold on the world.

To give oneself into the hands of the enemy seems a strange beginning, but we see that it leads to ultimate victory.

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.

And it has released an infinite supply of grace and mercy into the world. He has given us all a new chance to live.

Then Jesus takes things to a new level. Now we have to take up our Cross and follow Him.

At first it looks easy to be a disciple of Jesus, just follow Him across the beach into the future; it all looks very promising. When we are inspired enough we can do great things and Our Lord was inspiring to be around.

But we come to realize that it takes a certain effort to follow Him. To follow Him does not just mean that we walk behind him, but that we imitate Him.

We do not imitate His masterful teaching or miracle-working but we can imitate Him in virtues such as kindness, mercy, compassion, generosity etc

Jesus had them all; we have them in some degree. We have to lock those things into our character so it is our first instinct to bring forth those qualities.

Our human nature will be changed for the better by contact with Jesus’ divine nature.

The radical newness of the call is in the interior transformation that takes place.

We have to renew every day our commitment to follow Jesus, with whatever that means according to what the day brings.

We refine it and work on it each day, like an artist touching up the picture – until we get it right; and then we keep it right.

We are not afraid of the suffering that goes with the Cross. It will be manageable and it will be brief (relatively).

Each cross is specially designed for each person.

We are willing to suffer whatever he sends; it will be manageable and we will come out much better for the experience.

We did not ask for any of this but we are glad, or will be glad that it is so arranged.

We keep doing this until He comes for us. We straggle along behind Him hoping to grow in stature as his disciples.

If we have died with Him then we shall live with Him (2 Tm 2,11). It will take longer than three days, but it will happen.

All glory to the Crucified and Risen Lord

23rd Sunday Ordinary Time B 8 September 2024 Sermon

23^rd Sunday Ordinary Time B  8 September 2024  Salvation

Every problem has its solution. If we are thirsty here is a drink, tired here is a bed, lost at sea here is a helicopter etc

Every problem has its answer and that answer could be called a form of salvation. We are saved from the problem when we find and apply the solution.

(One could refuse to take the solution which means the problem remains. It also means that one problem compounds with another and what a tangle that can be.)

Saviour is one title we have for Jesus as He comes among us. He is a walking solution. Everything about Him is good and serves to make things better than they were before.

He wanted to lead people to an understanding of what they most needed in life. It was not just bread, nor physical healing, but to be reconciled with God, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit; so they would be people who once walked in darkness, but now in the light (Is 9,2).

In Jesus we find the solution to each problem, and the whole big problems of where we are heading, the meaning of life, the fulfilment of our potential as children of God.

Jesus came to save us, and demonstrated His power and His general intention by working miracles; whereby people would sense that there is a better way altogether than they have been living.

So Jesus heals the blind, meaning that we can see more clearly what is good and what is not.

He heals the deaf, meaning that we can hear God's word and come to a deeper understanding of what it means for us.

He sets free from demons, meaning that we can be free from sin in all its forms. Set free to live a better life.

The biggest problem we can have is not to know God. There are people who need saving  but they may not know it;  or if they do know it they will put it off for another day.

We have to grasp the urgency of the situation, just as we would if we were in physical danger. We do not have the luxury of time; we need to be right with the Saviour around about Now!

It is not that difficult to take the spiritual relief  once we get a taste of what is available.

We can learn from the way others have responded to the offer of salvation.

We see the joy of instant conversion when someone realizes both his need and the fulfilment of that need in the one moment.

Cf  St Matthew, Zacchaeus – both tax collectors, St Paul, the Good Thief, the one leper who came back, Mary Magdalene - set free from seven demons. And others in every age.

These people could see something that can escape others. They could see the essential goodness of God, His desirability, His lovableness.

They could see the green fields instead of the usual desert (first reading, Is 35,4-7a).

We cannot rely just on human goodwill, but if we take hold of God's grace we can rise to a higher level.

Otherwise we keep floundering and despair of any improvement.

We aim for the bigger solution while we make use of smaller ones. For example, drive safely, eat the right foods, keep out of the sun etc - but most of all be a person who needs to know God.

One day within your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere (Ps 84 (83), 10). Lord, where else can we go?(Jn 6,68)

Heaven is not just a paradise full of good things, but a place to dwell for people who have seen the overall solution, that all their being is fulfilled in God.

22nd Sunday Ordinary Time B 1 September 2024 Sermon

22^nd Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 1 September 2024 Life to the full

Jesus said once: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14,6).

And He also said: I am the Bread of life (Jn 6,35).

He does not say: I have life, but I am life. God is life, and there is no trace of death or decay in Him. He does not grow old or tired; He does not  wear out with time. He is beyond time and has no beginning or end.

Out of this great abundance God came among us that we might have life and have it to the full (Jn 10,10). He invites us to Him at every possible chance and draw life from Him.

We draw life from Him through prayer and sacraments, and living a good life – spiritually and morally good.

We do have a beginning, at conception, but no end. Our souls are immortal and cannot die. What we call death is when the body stops functioning and the soul leaves the body.

We then live on in the soul; we are aware of what is happening.

We will live on in the soul until the Last Day, when the bodies of all the dead will rise again. If we are saved our bodies will be glorious and reunited with our souls from that time on.

We can become more alive through making progress in the spiritual life. When Jesus said, ‘life to the full’ He meant spiritual life. Physical life decays but spiritual life can get better and better.

Finally when all sin and imperfection have been cleared away we are ready for the glory of heavenly life.

We see that God is solicitous for the spiritual progress of each person. He is not remote, as many think, but right in our midst, guiding and correcting us in various ways.

He wants us to participate intelligently in all His workings with us. He arranges matters such that we can help bring each other to a greater degree of life. We do this by sharing in His creation of new life (children), then by evangelism, catechesis, and trying to retrieve the lost.

Can we measure how alive we are? It is what is inside us that tells.

It might be fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride and folly  (today’s Gospel Mk 7, 21-22) OR love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal 5, 22-23).

We can decide what we have inside us by going to the source of all goodness and life, and drawing the good qualities from there.

We can pray these things for others too, and it will benefit us and them when we do that.

On Fathers Day we think of those who have brought us to life, physically and spiritually.

Fathers are meant to continue their role through instructing the child into the right ways.

There comes a time when our fathers grow weak and they need our support as once we needed theirs.

We are grateful for what they did for us; now we do something for them.

For the fathers who have died we make special prayer, drawing from the infinite depths of the Sacred Heart to forgive their sins and lead them to final glory.

Thus we help them to attain life in all its fulness.

God can impart life, and create and re-create. In spite of how it sometimes looks, life is much stronger than death, and all traces of death will be removed from us.

May the Lord of life, bring us to our eternal home.