Homily, February 19, 2023

As preached by Sister Cecelia

Holy Wisdom Church

Isaiah 58:1-11, 1 John 4:11-18, Matthew 25:31-46

The parable in the gospel this morning has been explained in many ways. Some of the explanations are easily seen; some are much more subtle. I’m sure Jesus did not have anything against goats! But he is trying to warn those who chose evil over good that there are consequences for our actions, both good and bad.

How do we explain or understand that the people gathered there in the parable did not know that they had either responded with love for others or had chosen to ignore the needs of others? It is possible that one just responds to the situation and does not think that it is Jesus being helped or not being helped.

What thoughts would help us be aware of what we are doing and why we might do it—or not?

Become aware. But aware of what? In the free world, an emphasis is developing in our consciousness that we are all one. We are all united in creation. God is the Creator of all that is. God is Trinity, and as Jesus is the face of God, we know that it is a benevolent universe. God is not someone to be afraid of but is on our side, like the Good Shepherd or the Father of the Prodigal Son. If we want to make a difference in this life, seeking our personal perfection is not the goal to aim for, but investing time in learning how to walk intimately with Jesus—in union with the Divine Creator—is our goal.

To grow in our love and knowledge, it is imperative to schedule consistent time in our life to be in God’s presence. Do everything to clear the path of any barriers that stand in the way of taking time to build a deeper relationship with Jesus. Jesus does not ask us to do more for him; he has asked us to be more with him.

An important step to be more with him is to be a person who has let go of the illusion that love flows effortlessly from our fervent warm emotions. Love is much more a choice than an emotion. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross is not accompanied by an exhilarating sensation. The stress and anxiety of Jesus’ coming passion caused him to sweat blood. Love is other focused. When we love, we order our thoughts, words, and actions to what is in the best interests of the other. Loving others therefore can be difficult and demanding. Allowing God to give us an accepting heart toward others is recognizing that love is a choice instead of an emotion.

God calls us to use the gifts we have been given for the benefit of others to bring about God’s kingdom on earth. Food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing those who have none, caring for the sick and the weak, helping those in prison, and doing what we can to bring peace and understanding to the world—these actions are what we do when we are more with Jesus. We are with Jesus when we remind ourselves that Jesus is within us. Eventually we will begin to see Jesus in the other. As we walk with Jesus, we become more authentic and more truly humble. When coming to grips with who I am, as accurately as possible in a clear-eyed appraisal of myself, I become more truly humble—that is, knowing myself, with my weaknesses and my strength, with my abilities and my liabilities. From the rejected people we meet in society to our acquaintances and our family, God calls us to love. This love is a decision that we express by accepting others, sacrificially doing both small and heroic acts for them, using our God-entrusted gifts for their benefit, and praying for them. As we grow closer to Christ, his love fills our heart and spills over into every relationship in our life. What helps us to be honest, sincere, and accepting of others and not judgmental, anxious, and afraid? Walking with Jesus, our God.

Christ is in our midst

 

 

 

 

 

  

Sermon 185 February 12, 2023 Lk 15:11-32, 1Jn 3:7-20, Jr 3:12b-15,19-22

As preached by Brother Luke
Holy Wisdom Church



In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.



I'm a fan of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas. They were written as satires on 19th century Victorian society, and they were widely popular, particularly in the English speaking world. H.M.S. Pinafore and The Mikado are just two examples. Their popularity continued well into the 20th century. I'm not sure if that still holds today. W. S. Gilbert was the author of the stories, the lyricist, and Arthur Sullivan the composer of the music. But Sullivan also wrote other music, most of it forgotten today. Even in his day, he didn't want to be known just for the comic operas. It just so happens, early in his career, he wrote an oratorio: The Prodigal Son. It is also a favorite of mine and I usually listen to a recording of it this time of year. Curiously, in retelling the story, he left out the part about the elder son. It didn't really hurt the integrity of the musical composition, but it does miss an important lesson in the parable.

Ludolph of Saxony, a 14th century Carthusian monk, wrote a massive Life of Jesus Christ which I am currently plowing through. He uses all the available commentaries at his disposal, including patristic writings and medieval spiritual writers. So I skipped ahead to the chapter on the Prodigal Son to see how this parable was explained. It is way too detailed to fit into a brief homily. However, when discussing the brothers, Ludolph first refers to the elder brother as a metaphor of the Jewish people who worshipped "the one God by keeping the law." Then, from a different perspective, he sees the elder brother as "a Christian who perseveres in righteousness, although in a half-hearted way."

The elder brother is a challenge to us. Maybe even more so as we enter the Lenten season. If keeping the law and righteousness are not enough to secure salvation, then, as the disciples asked Jesus about the wealthy, who can be saved? In Jesus' times, and in ours as well, people admire the rich and famous and presume the upright will earn God's favor. And yet, the image of the father in the parable shows us something else. Not that the qualities of righteousness are bad, the father commends the elder son for his steadfastness. The missing element is the content of his heart.

The younger son who squandered his inheritance, when forced by circumstance to face his fallen state, repents and in humility returns to his father and confesses his waywardness as a sin against his generous father. The father accepts his son back, as if from the dead, and restores him to his place of honor in the household. The elder son's indignation at all of this prompts his father to appeal to him through his heart. The father never rejects what the elder son has done but rather seeks to draw from him compassion for the one who was lost but now is found. The younger son's heart has changed, but the elder son's heart has not. The elder son is like the pharisee we heard about last Sunday. He looks down on his wayward younger brother, presuming him unworthy of forgiveness.

God's love for us is not earned, it is freely given. And even more, when our sins are forgiven, the slate is wiped clean. That is the story of the younger son. His restoration is resurrection. The elder son cannot see beyond the law. However, his righteousness stands untempered by love or compassion. Righteousness without a pure heart is like faith without good works. The one without the other misses the point.

The weeks leading up to Lent prepare us for that special season. They are showing us that the frame of mind we need to profit from this season requires both work on ourselves and compassion towards others. This is the journey we enter in Great Lent.



Glory be to Jesus Christ!