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08 Jul 2018 - Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Sometimes we get the impression that Jesus is plain unstoppable. Angels wait on him in the desert. Wind and sea obey him. He walks on water when it suits him. Demons cut and run at his command. He can invite 5,000 friends over and not worry about having enough food. He preaches the Sermon on the Mount without note cards. To Jesus, even death is just another door to pass through on the way to bigger and better life. And until he is good and ready to open that door, no mob can lay hands on him. He just calmly walks through them and is on his way. Jesus seems to be in charge every step of the way, from the choosing of his first followers to the surrender of his will when his hour finally arrives. Nobody outwits him, and no secret is hidden from him. So is there anything Jesus can’t do? You betcha. Jesus can’t overcome the absence of faith. It would be contrary to the divine gift of humanity’s free will for Jesus to force wholeness on anyone. Jesus can break the laws of physics and biology like bread sticks, and even a select number of Torah regulations like those governing the Sabbath and uncleanness, if he so chooses. But he can’t do a workaround when it comes to the matter of faith. If you and I don’t trust him, then that’s that. The prophet and the Spirit The gift of prophecy is a fine thing to receive. Spirit enters into a man or a woman and all heaven breaks loose in oracles and signs and marvelous happenings. Also, some less than marvelous episodes like drought and famine and leprosy and destruction—the prophetic spirit has to work both sides of the street. But Ezekiel soon learns what every prophet must: that all the Spirit in the world is not necessarily going to soften the hardened heart. Breaking open that heart is not the prophet’s job, in the end. Whether the people heed or resist, the proclamation must be delivered and the possibility of redemption extended. End of responsibility, insofar as the prophet is concerned. And if Nineveh won’t answer the door, that’s their problem. But sometimes, unexpectedly and rather spectacularly, they will. Think Zacchaeus, the good thief, Saint Paul, and Saint Augustine, for starters. Sometimes all it takes to unlock the human heart is to find the right key. So God remains the God of Second Chances. Cain gets a mark that preserves his life. Abraham is forgiven his lies and David his adultery and murderous cover-up. After sin, life goes on because it’s only in the midst of life that there’s hope of redemption. It’s up to the individual sinner whether that second chance is going to be a fresh start or a reprise. Taking offense Many people resist change because it comes with a price tag attached. Sometimes the cost is merely pride, but it can also include the surrendering of habits, the ditching of companions, dissolving the unequal yoke, forking over money, or forgiving your enemies. When Jesus came and preached in his hometown, the thing required of his friends and neighbors was to let go of envy. One of their own had surpassed them, and people generally don’t take kindly to that sort of thing. It’s always easier for us to put others down than to look up to them. So Jesus, a hero and healer everywhere he went, was viewed as a show-off and charlatan in Nazareth. He still managed to cure a few sick folk, because the sick can’t afford to snub an opportunity for hope and help. But those without obvious needs did not extend their faith to him, or even offer him the benefit of the doubt. Nazareth, ironically, remains the low point in Jesus’ ministry from Galilee to Jerusalem. They knew him too well to see who he was. Maybe Paul had the right idea not setting up his preaching tent in Tarsus, and Peter was wise not to establish post-Easter headquarters back in Capernaum. Soliciting the faith of a stranger is tough enough. Best leave the conversion of your family to a suitable out-of-towner. Wrestling down the contradictions After Nazareth, if not before, Jesus had to embrace the reality of certain limitations. Not everyone who listened to him would hear. Not everyone who shouted Hosanna would be around in a week. Even one of the twelve apostles would betray him in time. No one gets around the freedom of humanity to say no—not even if you’re the Son of God. Paul, too, had to wrestle with the incongruities, from within and without. He knew he wasn’t the Christian he wanted to be, and he knew his human weakness was an obstacle at times. But he, mystic that he was, gained the understanding that his very weakness could become a tool placed in God’s hands. God can use anything—brokenness, sinfulness, and failure—if faithfully surrendered to divine purposes. Once again, it’s a matter of free will. Are we willing to give over our miserable failings to God as well, or just our righteousness? Applying the Word Faith first It’s curious that the stuff of least value to us is usually what we cling to most possessively: the secret of our pettiness, our arrogance, and the rottenness at the center of our hearts. The angel of Satan that pummels us inside and out, by any other name, is a creature telling us unwelcome truths about ourselves. Why not listen, admit who we are, and hand over that person—envy, orneriness, and all—to the God who sees all anyway? We have nothing to gain from hiding our true selves away, and so much potential transformation ahead by traveling honestly. It takes more trust in God to admit we are sinners than to insist we are the good guys. But only the one who comes forward for the healing gets it. Related scripture links Jesus does marvels: Mark 1:13, 21-28; 4:35-41; 6:34-44, 45-52; Matt. 5:1-7:29; Luke 4:29-30 The prophet’s responsibility: Ezek. 3:17-21 Nineveh: See the Book of Jonah Great turnarounds: Luke 19:1-10; 23:39-43; Acts 9:1-19 Women prophets: Exod. 15:20-21; Judg. 4:1-5:31; 2 Kings 22:8-20; Isa. 8:3; Luke 2:36-38; Acts 21:8-9 Catechism links Omnipotence: CCC 268-274; 1508 Sickness and faith: CCC 1500-1510

Authors Alice Camille

absence of faith second chances Change Jesus returns to hometown

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Homily stories

24 Mar 2019 - Third Sunday of Lent, Cycle C

Not long ago I attended the funeral of my beloved uncle, Don. At the end of the Mass, one of his three sons, Tom, stood to give the eulogy. Tom talked about his father’s growing up in New Jersey, his migration to the Midwest to attend college, and his marriage to Mary Jane, their mother. He talked about Don’s stamp collection and his knowledge of major league baseball and college football statistics that could both bore and amaze you. Most memorably, Tom talked about his dad’s uncanny ability to be a great father although his own father had died when Don was very young. Tom told the story of a time that he and a friend were playing baseball in the backyard and Tom was sure he had hit a ball all the way to the freeway. Unfortunately, the ball fell short and instead headed right through the neighbor's picture window. The two boys ran away and Tom came home later that night to find his parents sitting in the living room. “How was your day?” they asked. “Great,” said Tom. “Is there anything you want to tell us?” “Nope.” Then Don asked, “Did you break any picture windows today?” Whoops. Don told Tom that he would go with him to apologize to the neighbor. So off they went. Tom did apologize and promised to pay for the window. When they turned to walk home, Tom felt his dad’s hand on his shoulder and knew that his dad had his back. He had a second chance.

Authors Peggy Ekerdt

second chances

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Homily stories

24 Mar 2019 - Third Sunday of Lent, Cycle C

Those ubiquitous Post-It notes we use—to mark a page, write a quick note, or place on a co-worker's desk—were a mistake. The 3M Company was trying to come up with a new kind of glue mixture and instead they created a glue that didn’t really stick. How absurd! Such a blunder! . . . What a scathingly brilliant idea! You can almost hear the creators saying, “Just give us one more chance. We know this isn’t quite right. But maybe we can make it work.” So, too, Jesus, as our advocate, says to God, just give this poor soul one more chance. Yes, there have been mistakes, but some good may come out of him or her yet. Today’s gospel is about second chances. And we all need them—at our jobs, in our families, with our friends, within our communities. Who among us is without sin? Not one of us. So what distinguishes one sinner from another? Jesus tells us it’s the level of repentance. Ask for the second, third, fourth chance you need to be productive and fruitful. Let people know you are trying. Seek help. Don’t succumb to despair. See your mistakes as golden opportunities to become that much better.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

second chances mistakes opportunities

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Homily stories

20 Mar 2022 - Third Sunday of Lent, Cycle C

Not long ago I attended the funeral of my beloved Uncle Don. At the end of the Mass, one of his three sons, Tom, stood to give the eulogy. Tom talked about his father’s growing up in New Jersey, his migration to the Midwest to attend college, and his marriage to Mary Jane, their mother. He talked about Don’s stamp collection and his knowledge of major league baseball and college football statistics that could both bore and amaze you. Most memorably, Tom talked about his dad’s uncanny ability to be a great father although his own father had died when Don was very young. Tom told the story of a time that he and a friend were playing baseball in the backyard, and Tom was sure he had hit a ball all the way to the freeway. Unfortunately, the ball fell short and instead headed right through the neighbor's picture window. The two boys ran away, and Tom came home later that night to find his parents sitting in the living room. “How was your day?” they asked. “Great,” said Tom. “Is there anything you want to tell us?” “Nope.” Then Don asked, “Did you break any picture windows today?” Whoops. Don told Tom that he would go with him to apologize to the neighbor. So off they went. Tom did apologize and promised to pay for the window. When they turned to walk home, Tom felt his dad’s hand on his shoulder and knew that his dad had his back. He had a second chance.

Authors Peggy Ekerdt

second chances fathers dads

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