Am I my brother's keeper? (2011-09-04)

This is my homily for Sunday 4 September 2011. I am a Catholic chaplain in Teaneck at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) campus and for the FDU Newman Catholic Association. We celebrate Catholic Mass - during Fall and Spring semester - every Sunday Mass (7:30 p.m.) at the Interfaith Chapel, 842 River Road, Teaneck, NJ.

[__01] In the past week, we have witnessed rescues and help, especially seeing people up and down the east coast of the United States, for people affected by the hurricane ….

…and 10 years ago, the rescue and help given to the victims of the 9/11 attacks in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania.

[__02] Rescue is important. Rescue requires a risk, a sacrifice.
This is a message from the Gospel.

And, it is a message which can take us a long time to learn, that is (i.e.) , our responsibility).

In the Book of Genesis, the first two sons of Adam and Eve are Cain and Abel.
Very shortly, the question of personal responsibility emerges between these 2 sons, 2 siblings, Cain and Abel.

In jealousy, Cain takes the life of his brother. Then, the Lord comes looking for both of them, first finding Cain and asking him – where is your brother, Abel?

Cain’s answers the question with an other question, showing that Cain is protesting, avoiding responsibility in the famous expression:

Am I my brother’s keeper?

(Am I supposed to be responsible for him? Why should I worry about him?)

For those of us with younger siblings, we have asked the same question …

[__03] Am I my brother’s, my sister’s keeper? Am I called to be responsible for others?

Jesus is saying YES; and, many of us in our commitments to family, to marriage, to friendship also say YES to this.

It is not easy to do so.

Or, perhaps, it is not always obvious HOW – in what manner – we are to be our brothers’/sisters’ keepers.

[__04-PHYSICALLY …]

There are, on the one hand, physical dangers such as a house on fire, a building vulnerable to collapse, a river overflowing.

In these visible – physical dangers – we recognize the need to take care of each other.

This would be the case in Hurricane Irene (2011, east coast USA), 9/11. And other instances.

What about spiritual dangers which we see?

We may observe individuals in spiritual dangers. And we are called to pull them back, from the brink, from the edge of the canyon, the busy street.

Maybe, we see someone whose life does not have the firm foundation or direction to withstand a storm.

In the Gospel (e.g., Matthew, chapter 7), Jesus speaks about building our house on solid rock rather than sand. This enables to withstand the storm.

Sometimes, we see the person whose life is built on sand, whose lives or lifestyles lack a firm foundation.

[__05] What are some examples of this?

We see someone on shaky ground because, a person is
• Very anxious
• Very depressed
• Living dishonestly
• Living unethically

Or, we see their lives are in disarray or broken because they lack power, not electricity, but simply the power – or energy – to make the right decisions.

We admit readily that we are called to reach out to the person whose basement is flooded with water.

But, what about the person whose life is flooded with spiritual trouble, with anxiety, brokenness, sinfulness, addiction.

[__06] The Lord admits that sometimes we need the help of other people in order to throw a lifeline or a rescue boat to someone in spiritual danger.

We cannot always do it alone.

Jesus says, “where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

So, those 2 or 3 might be ..
• You and me
• You and a friend
• It could be your parents … a mother and a father try to present a united front to their children.

[__07] but, sometimes, we don’t have 2 or 3. Sometimes, it is one on one, or man to man defense, as we say on the field or playground.

We wonder at such times if we are really worthy…

And, Jesus says, at times, we may be acting as an individual. We are acting, however, with his help and grace.

At such times, we wonder, am I really worthy of helping someone else out or challenging someone ‘s behavior, someone’s addiction, someone’s dishonesty… someone’s lazinesss.

There could be various things.

We doubt that both our desires and abilities.

[__08] At such a time, we need the help of the Holy Spirit before during and after the conversation.

We need the Holy Spirit’s help to identify the right time to speak, the right person to approach.

And, we are called to speak in a way that reflects our interest in the other person’s welfare, salvation, rescue.

It’s easy to identify how the faults of another person will irritate me … but can I challenge another person to change for that person’s conversion rather than for my convenience.

[__09] Hearing Jesus’s call to be his rescue workers, we recognize that not everything is a police matter or a 9-1-1 call.

Sometimes, we are the ones to get involved, to help the other, and we know that

Christ travels with us – regardless of the result – regardless of the grade – that he is with us even until the end of the age (world). (Matthew 28:20 ) [__fin__]