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Homily – Sept 8, 2024 23rd Sunday (Year B) ● Isaiah 35:4-7a ● Psalm 146 ●
● James 2:1-5 ● + Mark 7:31-37 ●
[__01__] Personal
Encounter with Grace There was a miraculous healing in this Gospel (Mark
7:31-37). Jesus encountered a man unable to hear or speak, both deaf and mute. However,
while momentous, this miracle wasn’t performed in front of a large crowd, but
in a private, intimate encounter between Jesus and the man. This intimacy
teaches us something profound about the nature of God’s grace: it’s personal.
While God’s grace is proclaimed in large gatherings in churches, on sound
systems, through YouTube or TV or radio, it is also experienced deeply in personal moments.
We gather for Mass
on Saturdays and Sundays, and this communal worship is vital. It is where we turn
ourselves toward God and renew our commitment to follow Christ. But the
experience of God’s word and grace isn’t confined to the pews or limited to the
time we spend at Mass. Being at Sunday morning Mass is an essential part of our
faith journey, but it is only the beginning. A “weekday” and every day conversion
– for you and me - continues in your kitchen youir garage, your car, your work,
your school, your home.
When we come to
Mass, we don’t just come for ourselves. We come to pray for others as well—for
those sitting beside us, for those we don’t even know. The Church and the Mass
are communal experiences, where we collectively listen to God’s word and lift
our prayers for one another. This reminds us that we are part of the Body of
Christ, interconnected and interdependent.
[__02__] Hearing
the Message Clearly
Even in this
communal setting, with microphones and speakers, it is possible to miss things.
We may not always hear the full message of the Gospel.
Distractions come,
and you or I may not be fully present, tuned in. Have you ever found yourself
hearing only what you want to hear, filtering out the rest? I know I have. It’s
something to be mindful of, when it comes to listening to God’s word.
[__03__] Listening
as a Virtue
St. James gives us guidance on this matter in his
letter: “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger”
(James 1:19). Listening is a skill that requires effort and attention, but it’s
also a virtue that helps us grow in our relationship with God and with others.
[__04__] Moments of Missed Connections In
today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us the importance of listening. But have you ever
experienced a moment where you only caught part of a conversation or didn’t get
the full story? Maybe you were late to a meeting, or only half-listening to a
discussion or standing too far away.
Does this
“distance” or “disconnect” make you unsure of what to do next? This can happen
in our spiritual lives too. We might feel like we’ve missed something
important, unsure of what God is trying to say to us. But in those moments, we
can always turn to God, asking for clarity, guidance, and help in understanding.
We also need
witnesses – guides – such as our parents, friends, siblings - who can remind us of the Gospel in real
practical ways.
We live in a noisy
world, filled with distractions that make it difficult to hear God’s voice. But
God is always speaking to us, always present, always ready to help us hear His
word more clearly. And I am here, in this church, to help you with that. My
role isn’t just to share my opinion about God’s word, but to help you truly
hear it and connect with the message God has for you personally.
[__05__] Example
Let me share an example.
Recently, I was reminded that sometimes, even when I miss something initially, I
may get another opportunity to hear it, to understand it more fully.
This past
Saturday, I attended a funeral for a family member named Claudia. At the Mass,
Claudia’s children gave a eulogy, sharing lovely memories and stories about
their mother.
However, from where
I was sitting in the church, I could comprehend only half of the words and
sentences. I was disappointed that I couldn’t share in the moment, couldn’t
fully participate in the laughter and the touching remembrances. I was actively
myself smiling and pretending to hear and laugh at what was being said, but in
reality, I had missed my chance to truly hear it all.
After the funeral,
we were standing on the sidewalk outside the church – waiting to drive to the
cemetery - when something fortunate happened. I riding in the car with
Claudia’s husband, John, and their son. From the back seat, I mentioned to John
that I had heard a few tid-bits of a story in church – in the eulogy - about something
about Claudia and a minivan, but I couldn’t get the full details. John, eager
to talk, began to fill me in.
He told me that Claudia
believed in doing an act of kindness every day of her life. If she saw someone
in need, she would help, even if it was someone unknown to her and he gave
examples. In this regard, John said, he and Claudia were opposites. While he
also wanted to help people, he didn’t do so in the same outgoing, forward-thinking
way that Claudia did and for COMPLETE STRANGERS.
John then shared
the story of the minivan which was several years old. Rather than trading it in, the decided to
advertise it in the newspaper and get some money to buy their next car. A potential buyer called and rang the
doorbell.
Claudia not only
met the buyer but learned her story,
learned about her and also learned how much she really liked the van, but also
that she was a single parent and could not really afford it
A few days later,
John noticed the minivan was gone and asked Claudia how much they had sold it
for. She revealed that she hadn’t sold it at all; she had given it away to the woman
and her family
This story wasn’t
widely known among their family and friends until after Claudia’s death, but it
was part of the eulogy … part of what I could not hear on the first try.
But there I was,
hearing it directly from John, hearing it in a way that no one else in the
church had, and also realized he was the one really challenged by this action
and transaction.
Missing something,
I was given another chance to hear it—more clearly and directly than I could
have imagined from the one who had really experienced it.
[__06__] Learning
to Listen and Sacrifice
We are called to
hear God’s word and recognize that sometimes, Jesus does things differently
from how we might do them and speaks from his experience to our own. He already
planned to give up His life for us when we would likely try to save our own.
But through love, whether in family, marriage, or friendship, do we not also learn
the value of planning to lay down our lives for one another?
This may mean
doing the opposite of our own preference.
This is the
message of next Sunday’s Gospel (Mark 8:27-35) when Peter tries to reverse
Jesus’ prediction of His passion and death. Peter still has much to learn about
what it means to sacrifice himself and unite with Jesus’ mission.
Jesus also takes
Peter aside 1-on-1 not just in this instance but several other times!
It may take us
more than once, more than 7 or 77 times, to hear God’s message clearly in our
minds and hearts. But God is always speaking, always giving us another chance
to listen and understand. [end]
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