13th Sunday after Pentecost 11.9.11
The story of the Ten Lepers challenges us to make sure we are not one of the nine who never came back to give thanks.
The ‘nine’ symbolise that part of the human race (probably nine tenths would be a fair estimate) which does not have much time for God.
If God has any purpose in the minds of such people He is there to fix their problems and once He has done that He can go back into recess. And if He does not fix the problems then He is guilty of letting them down!
How important it is for us to have the right attitude towards Almighty God. We have difficulty with this because we find His ways so mysterious, and so much is beyond our understanding.
It will help us to get onto the right wavelength with God if we can focus on what He wants to happen; on what He regards as important.
When God looks at human affairs what is He looking for?
While we are likely to be thinking about money, health, our houses, our cars, our football team, our social life etc etc, God is thinking about our souls, about whether we are in union with Him or not.
God values the things we value, where possible, but His main point is Salvation. That is the big one for Him. We are here on this earth to know, love, and serve God. We are preparing for heaven.
So we see that can be operating at different levels. Take the question of ‘being good’, holiness of life. How much of our attention goes on trying to become better people in terms of being kind, generous, merciful - as against making more money, or getting a better house and the like?
We might dismiss goodness as more or less looking after itself. It is something I could switch on if needed. But God regards this question as the most important.
So we can be at cross purposes with God. We wonder why He does not give us the things we ask for, while He wonders why we ask for the wrong things.
In the midst of all the confusion comes the real God seeking to direct us.
All He wants is for people to take Him seriously; and He will pour down lots more blessings on us if we do that, even the lesser blessings that we worry so much about now.
But if we put those lesser things before Him He might take them from us or withhold them when we ask for them - because if we deny Him we are denying the whole purpose of our existence.
We have to be like the one leper who did see further than his physical health to the state of his soul; who did see that it was necessary to worship God and thank Him.
It is not so hard to see this. It is a common experience in this life for people who have it all in terms of money and power still to feel an emptiness inside, a lack of purpose in their lives.
In our own lives we know that when we do something good, something that requires some sort of self-sacrifice – that action will bring more satisfaction than merely enjoying some physical or material experience.
We honour people in our history who have given themselves for others, not those who have been self-indulgent. We do not erect statues for people who have looked out only for themselves.
When we take the larger spiritual view we discover that we are grateful – grateful not just for this or that blessing but for the whole scheme of things. We can see past individual disappointments to the greatest good – union with God, now and in eternity.
Deo Gratias!
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
12th Sunday after Pentecost 4 Sep 2011 Sermon
12th Sunday after Pentecost 4.9.11 Loving neighbours
There was a story during the week of a pensioner in New Zealand found in his apartment, having been dead for a year. Stories like that do emerge with some frequency.
The mayor of the place where the man lived said that people should take more notice of their neighbours. It may not be easy to do that.
In our current society there is a high value put on privacy and more and more places have big fences around them, and one cannot even reach the front door, but has to speak through an intercom at an outer gate.
For all the modern ways we have to communicate there is an increasing isolation and alienation in our societies.
So we come to today’s parable of the Good Samaritan. Who is our neighbour? Anyone and everyone; specifically whoever is near us at any given moment.
The Gospel actually demands more of us than just keeping a check on our neighbour to see if he is still alive.
It is a good thing to feed a hungry man, or to shelter a homeless one. But Christian obligation goes further than that.
We are to see other people in spiritual terms: to see that each person has a soul to be saved; that he is made in the image of God. If possible we will bring him not just physical care, not just friendship, but bring him the faith.
If we look at another person and try to assess what he needs? Maybe he looks down and out, lonely, sick... or maybe he looks prosperous and happy, well-fed. In either case, or any case, every person needs to know God, needs to be in union with Him.
And we do what we can to enable that to happen. It is no easy matter. It is not just problems of privacy and difficulty of communication that apply, but present day assumptions about ‘imposing’ our religion on others.
I am not saying we must go about preaching to our neighbours, but at least to be aware that faith is always what people need even if they don't know it, or even if they would actively deny it.
Whether we can reach them or not is another matter, but the basic need remains in place.
At least if we know it we will see people in a new light.
We, like everyone else, are tempted to be caught up in the rat race of modern life; to regard other people as just so many black ants that can be in the way of where we are trying to go.
It is so easy to be impersonal towards large numbers of people in all directions. Yet, if we pause to reflect we realize that every other person is just like we are.
Think of yourself and all your fears, hopes, joys, sorrows, achievements, disappointments - and then think that every other person you see has the same things, more or less.
We are all the same; all in the same boat with these things.
We learn to see ‘others’ as subjects not just objects.
Each person is a subject, a centre of many thoughts and desires; above all a soul that God Himself wants to win.
When we realize this we cannot be indifferent to any other person. We don't have time to get to know everyone but we can at least wish them well on the way to salvation.
We offer our prayers, sufferings, everything to help others on their way, as we hope they will do for us. So we develop and express our communal identity in the Church, truly the Body of Christ.
All the while, not neglecting the basic practical charity of looking out for each other.
Nobody will be left dead and alone if we live like this. We will know each other’s value.
There was a story during the week of a pensioner in New Zealand found in his apartment, having been dead for a year. Stories like that do emerge with some frequency.
The mayor of the place where the man lived said that people should take more notice of their neighbours. It may not be easy to do that.
In our current society there is a high value put on privacy and more and more places have big fences around them, and one cannot even reach the front door, but has to speak through an intercom at an outer gate.
For all the modern ways we have to communicate there is an increasing isolation and alienation in our societies.
So we come to today’s parable of the Good Samaritan. Who is our neighbour? Anyone and everyone; specifically whoever is near us at any given moment.
The Gospel actually demands more of us than just keeping a check on our neighbour to see if he is still alive.
It is a good thing to feed a hungry man, or to shelter a homeless one. But Christian obligation goes further than that.
We are to see other people in spiritual terms: to see that each person has a soul to be saved; that he is made in the image of God. If possible we will bring him not just physical care, not just friendship, but bring him the faith.
If we look at another person and try to assess what he needs? Maybe he looks down and out, lonely, sick... or maybe he looks prosperous and happy, well-fed. In either case, or any case, every person needs to know God, needs to be in union with Him.
And we do what we can to enable that to happen. It is no easy matter. It is not just problems of privacy and difficulty of communication that apply, but present day assumptions about ‘imposing’ our religion on others.
I am not saying we must go about preaching to our neighbours, but at least to be aware that faith is always what people need even if they don't know it, or even if they would actively deny it.
Whether we can reach them or not is another matter, but the basic need remains in place.
At least if we know it we will see people in a new light.
We, like everyone else, are tempted to be caught up in the rat race of modern life; to regard other people as just so many black ants that can be in the way of where we are trying to go.
It is so easy to be impersonal towards large numbers of people in all directions. Yet, if we pause to reflect we realize that every other person is just like we are.
Think of yourself and all your fears, hopes, joys, sorrows, achievements, disappointments - and then think that every other person you see has the same things, more or less.
We are all the same; all in the same boat with these things.
We learn to see ‘others’ as subjects not just objects.
Each person is a subject, a centre of many thoughts and desires; above all a soul that God Himself wants to win.
When we realize this we cannot be indifferent to any other person. We don't have time to get to know everyone but we can at least wish them well on the way to salvation.
We offer our prayers, sufferings, everything to help others on their way, as we hope they will do for us. So we develop and express our communal identity in the Church, truly the Body of Christ.
All the while, not neglecting the basic practical charity of looking out for each other.
Nobody will be left dead and alone if we live like this. We will know each other’s value.
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
11th Sunday after Pentecost 28 Aug 2011 Sermon
11th Sunday after Pentecost 28.8.11 Healing the deaf
Why did Our Lord have to groan in the process of working this miracle? Healing deafness, if it were just a biological matter would be very easy for Our Lord. But the deafness that He really wants to heal is the obstinacy of the human heart, whereby people do not want to hear the truth.
All of us, who possess the Gospel, know the frustration of trying to convey the message to people who do not want to hear it. It could be a parent trying to tell children, or a teacher trying to tell students... if only you knew, if only you would listen... but often the resistance goes on.
Speak Lord Your servant is listening... as Samuel said to God, we must say in our time. That we be habitually attuned to the sound of His voice, in whatever form it might come. That we will be able instinctively to discern what is truly the word of God from what is false, from the voice of the world.
Before it demands anything of us, the word of God is Promise. He tells of His great love for us, and demonstrates through miracle that He is faithful to His people in every generation.
He instructs us that we can securely base our lives on His will; and if we do that He will bless us in abundance.
This is where one breakdown occurs. We do not believe the Promise. We launch into other lifestyles because we think that God is inactive or indifferent.
Then we come to the word of Command. God tells us to do certain things and avoid doing certain other things.
We fear this word too, because we fear the loss of freedom involved. We do not want to be restricted in our behaviour. We see the commands of God as a burden or a nuisance.
So we block out His word. We switch off the ears.
In all this God tries to heal us: to help us listen with the right attitude so that the words once again impact upon us. He heals us of the accumulated distortions of the years of our own lives and the centuries of the human race.
He wants to heal the abuse of the freedom, without taking away the freedom. To heal us of all the falsehood we have taken in over the years. False values, false logic.
For example, the arguments today over moral matters. People support euthanasia, or homosexual marriage.
They will say things like: a thing is ok if enough people think it is ok. So the newspapers hold a poll and if say 60% say yes to euthanasia then it must be alright. But where does that leave the voice of God? Or the objective value of human life which cannot be determined in a poll?
Or where, if they define homosexual behaviour as simply a preference does that leave the objective nature of man and woman – as written in out nature by God Himself?
So there is a lot of deafness around - false thinking - and it all compounds with one error paving the way for another.
Our Lord wants to heal our deafness. It requires unlearning all the errors we have picked up. It requires that we re-establish the basic principles involved.
We are here now with ears pinned back, wanting to hear the truth, willing to change anything.
First, may the Promise of the Lord sink deep within us: that we can be reassured of His unending love for us. We do not have to hide from Him.
Then, that we can hear His words of command, not as a burden but as a liberation. They are based on our true nature, so we will never feel more ourselves than when obeying this word from God.
Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.
Why did Our Lord have to groan in the process of working this miracle? Healing deafness, if it were just a biological matter would be very easy for Our Lord. But the deafness that He really wants to heal is the obstinacy of the human heart, whereby people do not want to hear the truth.
All of us, who possess the Gospel, know the frustration of trying to convey the message to people who do not want to hear it. It could be a parent trying to tell children, or a teacher trying to tell students... if only you knew, if only you would listen... but often the resistance goes on.
Speak Lord Your servant is listening... as Samuel said to God, we must say in our time. That we be habitually attuned to the sound of His voice, in whatever form it might come. That we will be able instinctively to discern what is truly the word of God from what is false, from the voice of the world.
Before it demands anything of us, the word of God is Promise. He tells of His great love for us, and demonstrates through miracle that He is faithful to His people in every generation.
He instructs us that we can securely base our lives on His will; and if we do that He will bless us in abundance.
This is where one breakdown occurs. We do not believe the Promise. We launch into other lifestyles because we think that God is inactive or indifferent.
Then we come to the word of Command. God tells us to do certain things and avoid doing certain other things.
We fear this word too, because we fear the loss of freedom involved. We do not want to be restricted in our behaviour. We see the commands of God as a burden or a nuisance.
So we block out His word. We switch off the ears.
In all this God tries to heal us: to help us listen with the right attitude so that the words once again impact upon us. He heals us of the accumulated distortions of the years of our own lives and the centuries of the human race.
He wants to heal the abuse of the freedom, without taking away the freedom. To heal us of all the falsehood we have taken in over the years. False values, false logic.
For example, the arguments today over moral matters. People support euthanasia, or homosexual marriage.
They will say things like: a thing is ok if enough people think it is ok. So the newspapers hold a poll and if say 60% say yes to euthanasia then it must be alright. But where does that leave the voice of God? Or the objective value of human life which cannot be determined in a poll?
Or where, if they define homosexual behaviour as simply a preference does that leave the objective nature of man and woman – as written in out nature by God Himself?
So there is a lot of deafness around - false thinking - and it all compounds with one error paving the way for another.
Our Lord wants to heal our deafness. It requires unlearning all the errors we have picked up. It requires that we re-establish the basic principles involved.
We are here now with ears pinned back, wanting to hear the truth, willing to change anything.
First, may the Promise of the Lord sink deep within us: that we can be reassured of His unending love for us. We do not have to hide from Him.
Then, that we can hear His words of command, not as a burden but as a liberation. They are based on our true nature, so we will never feel more ourselves than when obeying this word from God.
Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
10th Sunday after Pentecost 21 Aug 2011 Sermon
10th Sunday after Pentecost 21.8.11 Reasons for hope
Take any large city and put 100,000 people into the main square. They could go on a rampage of destruction like the London riots, or they could go on a display of peace and goodwill, like in today’s World Youth Day finale in Madrid.
People are capable of both good and evil and we are not sure ourselves which way the general trend will go.
There is good in us but also bad: like two conflicting principles the two forces battle it out for supremacy. Sometimes one wins; sometimes the other.
The current WYD event will be interpreted differently by Catholics. Some will see it as a great sign of hope. Others will be more sceptical and say that once all the atmosphere has dissipated things will go back the way they were.
We cannot be naively optimistic in our assessment of human nature. We know there is a big difference between hugging a stranger in the euphoria of a big event and actually translating that sentiment into daily practice.
Yet whether or not people in general, or one person in particular, will improve – though it is an open question, it is not simply pot luck, a toss of the coin.
If we hit on the right formula we can make a spiritual improvement in our lives a certain result. We can guarantee we will become better people.
What is the formula? Union with God. People united with God are good and will do good things; no other way can we make sure progress.
We must be people who are humble enough to remember their origins (like today’s publican of the Gospel.)
He offered no fancy speeches, no bribes or inducements – he merely brought himself and cast himself down at the Lord’s feet.
It was genuine contrition, from the heart, and that is where its value comes from. Of all things that God asks of us it is this. If we cannot please Him in all things we can at least be genuinely sorry that we have not done so.
So, asking for mercy is the first prayer we need to make. Once we are forgiven we can then move on to other things.
If we remain humble we are always well placed to recover at any point if we have slipped and to reach greater heights if we have held firm.
God is not averse to using a bit of showmanship to get His point across. After all, consider some of the miracles He has worked in human history: such as with the Israelites in ancient times, the early Church in the time of the Apostles, and in the last century with appearances from Our Lady.WYD is just another spectacle, in one sense, but no less compelling for that.
But in the end no amount of signs and wonders can make a person humble unless the person himself consents.
This is where each of us (and we can only do this for ourselves) has to make the same prayer as the publican, if not in the same words, at least in the same sincerity.
This simple act will unlock great spiritual power.
So we can have hope for the human race and it is not just a toss of the coin. But it does depend on the individual response of millions of Christians, so it is a very sensitive business and could go in all directions at the same time.
At least we know what we have to do: Be contrite. That is the first thing and the building block for all else.
Take any large city and put 100,000 people into the main square. They could go on a rampage of destruction like the London riots, or they could go on a display of peace and goodwill, like in today’s World Youth Day finale in Madrid.
People are capable of both good and evil and we are not sure ourselves which way the general trend will go.
There is good in us but also bad: like two conflicting principles the two forces battle it out for supremacy. Sometimes one wins; sometimes the other.
The current WYD event will be interpreted differently by Catholics. Some will see it as a great sign of hope. Others will be more sceptical and say that once all the atmosphere has dissipated things will go back the way they were.
We cannot be naively optimistic in our assessment of human nature. We know there is a big difference between hugging a stranger in the euphoria of a big event and actually translating that sentiment into daily practice.
Yet whether or not people in general, or one person in particular, will improve – though it is an open question, it is not simply pot luck, a toss of the coin.
If we hit on the right formula we can make a spiritual improvement in our lives a certain result. We can guarantee we will become better people.
What is the formula? Union with God. People united with God are good and will do good things; no other way can we make sure progress.
We must be people who are humble enough to remember their origins (like today’s publican of the Gospel.)
He offered no fancy speeches, no bribes or inducements – he merely brought himself and cast himself down at the Lord’s feet.
It was genuine contrition, from the heart, and that is where its value comes from. Of all things that God asks of us it is this. If we cannot please Him in all things we can at least be genuinely sorry that we have not done so.
So, asking for mercy is the first prayer we need to make. Once we are forgiven we can then move on to other things.
If we remain humble we are always well placed to recover at any point if we have slipped and to reach greater heights if we have held firm.
God is not averse to using a bit of showmanship to get His point across. After all, consider some of the miracles He has worked in human history: such as with the Israelites in ancient times, the early Church in the time of the Apostles, and in the last century with appearances from Our Lady.WYD is just another spectacle, in one sense, but no less compelling for that.
But in the end no amount of signs and wonders can make a person humble unless the person himself consents.
This is where each of us (and we can only do this for ourselves) has to make the same prayer as the publican, if not in the same words, at least in the same sincerity.
This simple act will unlock great spiritual power.
So we can have hope for the human race and it is not just a toss of the coin. But it does depend on the individual response of millions of Christians, so it is a very sensitive business and could go in all directions at the same time.
At least we know what we have to do: Be contrite. That is the first thing and the building block for all else.
9th Sunday after Pentecost 14 Aug 2011 Sermon
9th Sunday after Pentecost 14.8.11 Society in tatters
‘English society in tatters’ read the newspaper billboard. It was referring to the riots during the past week. It implied that England was finished - certainly an exaggeration!
But at another level, less visible, their society may be in tatters after all. What about all the other problems? Even if there is no violence on the streets we still have alienation, divorce, abortion, drugs, suicide, etc etc.
And why do we have all these things? Some would say because we have economic inequality, the haves and the have-nots. Or racial troubles. These may be a factor.
But a more basic reason still is that English society, and all ‘western’ society does not sufficiently honour and obey the laws of God.
Any society, any group of people that breaks God’s laws - there will be disorder.
Cf epistle.
Why is it only when it spills onto the streets do we see it as a crisis? It is a crisis when in a quiet suburb people quietly drive up in their cars and walk into an abortion centre and have their babies killed. But that is seen as ‘normal’. So normal that the people who protest about this are considered the troublemakers.
The Gospel today refers to the impending destruction of Jerusalem, an event which did happen forty years after the time of Our Lord. The Jews, like everyone else, reacted to visible crises. When there was an actual invasion or a plague they would start repenting.
In the epistle a different generation of Jews were punished for turning to ‘forbidden things’, false gods. The punishment is sometimes quicker in coming than others but some sort of disorder must result whenever a people turns from the true God.
We might have control of the streets, but not of the underlying things. They are much harder to control. No amount of police on the streets will make people love one another, or worship the one true God. Maybe we need more priests on the street! Maybe not.
We certainly need more ‘religion’ on the street, if we understand that to mean genuine religion, the true faith: Not preaching, but everyone doing the will of God, on the streets, in homes and business places and everywhere. No lying, stealing, blaspheming, sexual aberrations etc.
This is what we need if we are going to get those ‘tatters’ back to shape, to restore a whole and healthy society.
Many would howl in protest that religion is the very last thing we want. It just makes people feel guilty, they would say. This is to look at the human side only.
With some justification people have trouble trusting priests and preachers. Most messiahs are false, after all. Only one can be true, and we know who that is.
His rule is not oppressive. We are never tempted beyond what we can bear, (Epistle). Everything He would tell us to do or not do is manageable and would bring happiness.
The streets would be safe and so would every other place. The peace of Christ would reign there.
In the meantime, if we can't fix our society the next best thing is to atone for it. Lord, please don't wipe us out. Give us more time (as the prophets of old would intercede.)
A holding action may be the best we can do at the moment.
We can avert chastisements by sincere repentance. Even a few can save many.
We don’t have to wait till there is an army at the gate or gangs on the street before we start praying. If we get in early enough these things will not happen at all.
Lord, have mercy!
‘English society in tatters’ read the newspaper billboard. It was referring to the riots during the past week. It implied that England was finished - certainly an exaggeration!
But at another level, less visible, their society may be in tatters after all. What about all the other problems? Even if there is no violence on the streets we still have alienation, divorce, abortion, drugs, suicide, etc etc.
And why do we have all these things? Some would say because we have economic inequality, the haves and the have-nots. Or racial troubles. These may be a factor.
But a more basic reason still is that English society, and all ‘western’ society does not sufficiently honour and obey the laws of God.
Any society, any group of people that breaks God’s laws - there will be disorder.
Cf epistle.
Why is it only when it spills onto the streets do we see it as a crisis? It is a crisis when in a quiet suburb people quietly drive up in their cars and walk into an abortion centre and have their babies killed. But that is seen as ‘normal’. So normal that the people who protest about this are considered the troublemakers.
The Gospel today refers to the impending destruction of Jerusalem, an event which did happen forty years after the time of Our Lord. The Jews, like everyone else, reacted to visible crises. When there was an actual invasion or a plague they would start repenting.
In the epistle a different generation of Jews were punished for turning to ‘forbidden things’, false gods. The punishment is sometimes quicker in coming than others but some sort of disorder must result whenever a people turns from the true God.
We might have control of the streets, but not of the underlying things. They are much harder to control. No amount of police on the streets will make people love one another, or worship the one true God. Maybe we need more priests on the street! Maybe not.
We certainly need more ‘religion’ on the street, if we understand that to mean genuine religion, the true faith: Not preaching, but everyone doing the will of God, on the streets, in homes and business places and everywhere. No lying, stealing, blaspheming, sexual aberrations etc.
This is what we need if we are going to get those ‘tatters’ back to shape, to restore a whole and healthy society.
Many would howl in protest that religion is the very last thing we want. It just makes people feel guilty, they would say. This is to look at the human side only.
With some justification people have trouble trusting priests and preachers. Most messiahs are false, after all. Only one can be true, and we know who that is.
His rule is not oppressive. We are never tempted beyond what we can bear, (Epistle). Everything He would tell us to do or not do is manageable and would bring happiness.
The streets would be safe and so would every other place. The peace of Christ would reign there.
In the meantime, if we can't fix our society the next best thing is to atone for it. Lord, please don't wipe us out. Give us more time (as the prophets of old would intercede.)
A holding action may be the best we can do at the moment.
We can avert chastisements by sincere repentance. Even a few can save many.
We don’t have to wait till there is an army at the gate or gangs on the street before we start praying. If we get in early enough these things will not happen at all.
Lord, have mercy!
Sunday, 14 August 2011
Mass for the Assumption
Mass for the feast of the Assumption is at St Monica's, the normal time of 8am for Mondays.
There will be a sung Mass at Holy Name Church, 6.30pm.
Happy Feast Day!
There will be a sung Mass at Holy Name Church, 6.30pm.
Happy Feast Day!
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
8th Sunday after Pentecost 7 Aug 2011 Sermon
8th Sunday after Pentecost 7.8.11 Living in two worlds
The unjust steward is praised for his cleverness, not for his dishonesty. Our Lord’s point is that the criminals of the world are smart at knowing their objective and in carrying it out. He is saying that we can learn a lesson from them. If we set ourselves to be good, we need to be equally smart (wise) in knowing our objective and how to attain it.
What is our objective? To get to heaven. Our objective in this life is to make the next life! We are on earth so that we can get to heaven.
This is seen as crazy by those who think this life is the only one we have. Why sacrifice anything? Why put off to tomorrow what you can have today?
But our view is guided by divine revelation. This life on earth is merely the prologue, the introduction to a much longer and fuller life in Heaven.
Here, we are on a pilgrimage. We have no lasting city here. We are tempted to settle down and live like it is all we have; and many Christians do succumb to that temptation, forgetting all about their original destination.
But we are called back by the word of God, repeatedly reminded that we have no business here other than to further our progress towards Heaven, our real home.
It is a pilgrimage, or a race, and we should see everything in that light. We must keep the end in view. ‘End’ in both senses – in time and purpose.
We might resent all this because we want some happiness now if it can be had. We are glad at the thought of being happy after we die, but can we not be happy before death as well? This is the not unreasonable question many Christians put.
Yes we can be happy in this life, and God means us to be so, but we cannot demand unlimited happiness just yet. On a journey we cannot have all the comforts that we expect when we arrive at our destination.
So a certain discipline is required from us. Always we are being asked for restraint and self-denial. We can feel exhausted by that. The way to heaven is steep and winding while the way to hell is wide and smooth. It is hard to be always climbing and going against the tide. And we might feel a certain resentment that it is so hard. But there is consolation at hand for this feeling.
We find, as we focus our thoughts on heaven, not only does it become clearer as a destination but also the way we think about this life changes too.
We are not so grasping, so greedy, so anxious to cram every possible pleasure into a limited time. Self-restraint becomes easier because we realize that anything we deny ourselves here we will receive back a hundred-fold.
And also we find that there is happiness simply in living well, and wisely. We experience peace and tranquillity – and these are no small things.
Even non-religious people will acknowledge that to be happy within is worth more than possessions or external achievements. A poor man in his hut can be happier than the king in his palace if he has peace of mind.
If having heard all this we still feel we are being cheated of something, then we know we are not yet thinking with the mind of Christ. We are still looking through worldly eyes; analysing what it will cost in worldly terms. How much wealth, popularity power will I have to give up, to be His disciple?
Our faith is not a burden, something to be cast off like uncomfortable clothing. What a time I could have if I didn’t have to go to Mass, to pray, to worry about judgment etc. But this is to forget (once again) our final objective.
Where we hope to go is so good that it is worth any sacrifice in this life. Though, as we see, this life can be happy too, when we get in the right way of understanding it.
The unjust steward is praised for his cleverness, not for his dishonesty. Our Lord’s point is that the criminals of the world are smart at knowing their objective and in carrying it out. He is saying that we can learn a lesson from them. If we set ourselves to be good, we need to be equally smart (wise) in knowing our objective and how to attain it.
What is our objective? To get to heaven. Our objective in this life is to make the next life! We are on earth so that we can get to heaven.
This is seen as crazy by those who think this life is the only one we have. Why sacrifice anything? Why put off to tomorrow what you can have today?
But our view is guided by divine revelation. This life on earth is merely the prologue, the introduction to a much longer and fuller life in Heaven.
Here, we are on a pilgrimage. We have no lasting city here. We are tempted to settle down and live like it is all we have; and many Christians do succumb to that temptation, forgetting all about their original destination.
But we are called back by the word of God, repeatedly reminded that we have no business here other than to further our progress towards Heaven, our real home.
It is a pilgrimage, or a race, and we should see everything in that light. We must keep the end in view. ‘End’ in both senses – in time and purpose.
We might resent all this because we want some happiness now if it can be had. We are glad at the thought of being happy after we die, but can we not be happy before death as well? This is the not unreasonable question many Christians put.
Yes we can be happy in this life, and God means us to be so, but we cannot demand unlimited happiness just yet. On a journey we cannot have all the comforts that we expect when we arrive at our destination.
So a certain discipline is required from us. Always we are being asked for restraint and self-denial. We can feel exhausted by that. The way to heaven is steep and winding while the way to hell is wide and smooth. It is hard to be always climbing and going against the tide. And we might feel a certain resentment that it is so hard. But there is consolation at hand for this feeling.
We find, as we focus our thoughts on heaven, not only does it become clearer as a destination but also the way we think about this life changes too.
We are not so grasping, so greedy, so anxious to cram every possible pleasure into a limited time. Self-restraint becomes easier because we realize that anything we deny ourselves here we will receive back a hundred-fold.
And also we find that there is happiness simply in living well, and wisely. We experience peace and tranquillity – and these are no small things.
Even non-religious people will acknowledge that to be happy within is worth more than possessions or external achievements. A poor man in his hut can be happier than the king in his palace if he has peace of mind.
If having heard all this we still feel we are being cheated of something, then we know we are not yet thinking with the mind of Christ. We are still looking through worldly eyes; analysing what it will cost in worldly terms. How much wealth, popularity power will I have to give up, to be His disciple?
Our faith is not a burden, something to be cast off like uncomfortable clothing. What a time I could have if I didn’t have to go to Mass, to pray, to worry about judgment etc. But this is to forget (once again) our final objective.
Where we hope to go is so good that it is worth any sacrifice in this life. Though, as we see, this life can be happy too, when we get in the right way of understanding it.
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