2027-02-23 – 7th Sunday in ordinary
time
__
Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18 __ Psalm 103 __
1 Corinthians 3:16-23 _ +Matthew 5:38-48 _
[_01_] I’d like to reflect on the idea of
GIVING …and then, FORGIVING.
- GIVING
- FORGIVING
[_02_] This Sunday, I am just reminding you
about the archdiocesan appeal called “Shining the Light of Christ”. There is a
message in the bulletin about this.
This annual appeal is not just about
“them”, it is also about “us”. Sometimes, we see the Archdiocese of Newark as
an “administration” and “them” .. and “out there.” But it is about “us”. Why?
Because the appeal enables us as a Catholic
community to do things that we cannot do on our own.
The appeal, for example, pays for
and paid for the seminary education that I was blessed to experience and this
led to my assignment here, my arrival here as a priest in 2006 and to serve you
and serve with you since then.
So, you got me – as a priest - as
part of the appeal. Think of your donation in that regard.
The appeal also supports current
seminary education at Immaculate Conception Seminary / Seton Hall that Father
Bob Suszko is engaged in right now as vice-rector.
And, the appeal supports campus
ministry work – to ensure a Catholic presence and Catholic Newman Center at
Montclair State University and other colleges in northeast NJ, the campus
ministry work being done by Father Jim Chern at Montclair State University.
So …the appeal is not just about
“them” …it is also about “us.”
[_03_] Your family needs come first. I am
impressed by what you do to care for your children, for their safety,
education, nourishment, insurance, health care, upbringing, for their needs in
every way.
Your priorities also include family
members who have special medical needs. These must come first.
But, if you are able, you can share this
mission of the Corporal Works of Mercy by donating the appeal.
I am not asking you to give at a specific
level or specific dollar amount, but that your participation matters in the
appeal. You matter. I need you. I cannot do this without you.
Your participation matters. And I thank you
for your prayerful consideration and all you do for our church and parish and
the charities and ministries of the Archdiocese.
[_04_] I’d like to speak about FORGIVING. To
forgive.
We hear a famous phrase in the
Gospel today: “turn the other cheek”.
What does that mean: to turn the
other cheek_ ?
I’d like to define what it does not
mean. It does not mean that we are to
endure endless malice being done to us by people who are evildoers.
It does not mean putting ourselves
in harm’s way intentionally or not defending ourselves against someone doing
wrong to us.
Jesus has another command in the
Gospel that is related to “turn the other cheek” à he
says “shake the dust from your feet.” … “shake the dust from your feet.”
This is about if someone rejects you
..then just “shake the dust from your feet”, let it go.
I suggest that “turn the other
cheek” is about FORGIVENESS.
Are we willing and able - am I willing and able to FORGIVE others?
Are we able to forgive when someone
trespasses against us?
[_05_] I’d
like to give an example. This is not about a really malicious wrongdoing as you
will see. Not a malicious or wicked action, just maybe a more everyday example
of what happens in a family – in this case between a father and a child.
I am the child in this case.
I would be embarrassed to call it a
malicious wrongdoing, but I experienced it as a “trespass against me”.
You may say at the end of this ----
get over yourself, James Ferry…
[_06_] The example is this. After I finished my
academic studies…. College and university studies, then traveled for a while
after college, all of which I financed myself and then went to graduate school
with my own money.
This all took about 5 years
post-college. So, in 1993, I am finally out there looking for what is
technically called a “real job.”
What you would say was a real job. I
was living at my parent’ house, thinking about about my working “future” and my
student “past history.” I had to get a
job to get out of the past and into the present (and future) reality of working.
But, I was not too worried …a little
..not too much. My dollar-value student debt was manageable…and I had this
great plan, not a lot of debt, look for the right job on my own time.
Plus, I even had a job, but it was
really not a long-term thing, no health benefits or anything.
So, I was looking for a job.
So, every day, for many days in a
row, I would encounter my father at the dinner table and he would say to me:
“Did you get a job yet..?” and the next day:
“Did you get a job yet..?”
And, so on.
I was tired of that question. I
hated that question. My father was doing his job. But, as we say … I still
wanted to do “me” … to be “me”. But I was annoyed, and experienced this a “trespass.” (Spoiler alert: yes…I got a job and did so on
my timeline, but realized that my forgiveness should not be based on my
employment status…nor should it based on whether or not I viewed myself as in
the “right”).
“Turn the other cheek”.
I just ask – when we are called to
forgive someone, is the “forgiveness” only about “them” or is the forgiveness
not about “me” and “us.”
Is the forgiveness about the other
person is it about me?
Very easily we can turn
“forgiveness” or the withholding of forgiveness into a weapon, we use against
someone.
We say: “I will never forgive
you.” …or… “I will forgive, but I will
never forget what you did.”
That’s a weapon. And when we
withhold – hold back – forgiveness – it’s not about what you can do to even the
score with someone else, it’s really about you are doing – negatively – to
yourself.
Forgiveness is not about them, it is
about you and me.
Forgiveness is healing.
Forgiveness is not approval, it is
not excusing the other person.
Forgiveness is healing for us so
that we can move on.
Forgiveness helps us to receive
God’s love into our lives, so that we can know that we are loved and we can
love God and neighbor each day. [_fin_]
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