Thursday, October 27, 2011

10/30/2011 – Homily for Sunday of the 31st week in ordinary time - cycle A – Matt 23:1-12; Malachi 1:14b; 2:1-2, 8-10


      We are in the last weeks of our present liturgical year. We’re just 4 weeks away from the beginning of Advent, from a new Church year which begins on Nov 27.  Advent is not only a time when we prepare for Christmas and for the birth of Jesus into our world, but it is a penitential season where we look into our hearts in a special way to see those ways we need to turn away from sin and to receive renewal and conversion in our lives.   Today’s readings get us thinking about these themes, about how we need to repent and amend our ways, to look at those things that perhaps are eroding our faith, that are keeping us from growing in our relationship with Christ.
         The prophet Malachi spoke to the people of ancient Israel in the fifth century, just a generation or two after the Israelites returned from exile in Babylon.  At that time, the people had once again turned their backs on God.  Many had married outside of their faith and had turned to the worship of foreign idols.  Malachi is very direct in his message, in identifying the sins of the people and the sins of their priests.  The prophet tells them that it’s not enough to go through the empty motions of religious rituals if they are doing so for their own glory and to make themselves look good in the eyes of others and in the eyes of God.  Malachi prophesies that the priests will be held accountable for having strayed from their faith, for leading the people astray as well.
         Jesus is very hard on the Pharisees and the Scribes in today’s Gospel, because he saw them not only leading so many of the faithful astray, but they took the glory that was due God, and in a very sneaky and hypocritical way, turned it into their own glory.  Yet, in contrast to the scribes and Pharisees that Jesus warns us about, I bet we can all think of those who have been examples of faith for us, who truly have lived and served for the glory of God, who have led us closer to the faith rather than leading us astray.  When I was in Ecuador serving as a missionary, I saw so many priests and nuns who had left their countries from all over the world in order to serve the poor throughout this vast jungle region of South America.  I met one elderly nun from Italy – Sister Gemma – who had been there in the jungle for almost forty years.  Even though she had gone through some very difficult times, I was struck by the love, grace, and humility through which she served the Lord as a missionary.   She never drew attention to herself, she never was announcing to others how great she was.  She knew that God called her as a missionary, as his servant, so she served him simply and humbly, through patience, perseverance, and hard work.  That is so different from the message we see in the Pharisees and scribes in today’s Gospel, who follow all the laws of the faith, but who do so rigidly and dogmatically.  In flaunting the way they take the seats of honor, in drawing attention to themselves and lording their power over others, the scribes and Pharisees really are serving only themselves.
         Let us look at a very different example.  Our psalmist humbly comes before the Lord this morning, telling him: My heart is not proud, Lord.  My eyes are not haughty.  I don’t spend my time trying to accomplish great things.  I don’t not worry about those things that are too complicated or sublime for me.  Instead, the psalmist declares that he has found his peace with the Lord, that his hope is in the Lord both now and forever. 
         The Pharisees and scribes would not have understood one of the main messages St Teresa of Avila brings to us in her teachings, that love begets love, that even though we are all still truly beginners in loving in the same way that Jesus loved, we are to strive to implant this love in our hearts and to bring this love to others.  And we can bring this love to others in so many different ways, in so many creative ways, even in some fun ways.  Our parishes here in Yazoo City had a Halloween carnival that was a very important social activity for many years, but it had been a long time since we’ve had this event.  Out of love for our parish community, out of love for our children and youth, some of the ladies of our parish wanted to revive this event this year.  For many in our parish, the Halloween carnival brings back a lot of memories.  So, we look forward to having this social time together this afternoon in this revival of an old parish tradition.  If we try to be a community where Christ’s love is present, where we want to share this love with others, then that love will multiply, and be a true sign that we are living out the Gospel message in our world. 
         Just last week, we saw our own Pope Benedict using our Catholic faith to bring the message of God’s love to the world.  He convened religious leaders from all over the world to Assisi, Italy, the hometown of St Francis of Assisi, to stress the importance of all of us working together for world peace.  Pope Benedict pointed out that it had been 25 years to the day that Pope John Paul II convened the first world day prayer for peace in Assisi.  Leaders from Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, traditional African religions, and from different Protestant faiths all pledged to work toward dialogue, justice, peace, and friendship.  In a world where a lot of terrorism and violence has been perpetuated in the name of God and in the name of different religions, a world day of prayer for peace tells the world what all these faith traditions truly stand for. 
         Yes, there are a lot of things that can erode our faith, that can lead us astray, that can bring us down.  However, if we make a conscious decision of living out a faith that is more than going through the motions, then God’s love will truly be present.  

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