Sunday, June 19, 2022

Whom are you following? (Corpus Christi, 2022-06-19, Father's Day)

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2022-06-19 –  Corpus Christi

●● Genesis 14:18-20  ●  Psalm 110 ● 1 Corinthians 11:23-26  ●  + Luke 9:11b-17 ●●

TITLE: Whom are you following? [ [][][v.3][][] ]       

[_01_]   Right now in the Gospel, the crowds are drawn to and following Jesus because of his known ability to do miracles to heal. And in the Gospel Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fish and to feed a crowd of more than 5,000  people.

Do you and I not also follow and seek out those with the best reputation, who are famous, who do well?

Just as an example, right now, if you're following sports and the sport of golf, golf is that sport with drivers and putters, and golf balls and fairways and greens and Tiger Woods, etc.

There's a golf tournament taking place in Massachusetts, and my sister and brother in law got tickets to attend the practice round.

Earlier this week they brought their children with them. And at the practice round, you can easily get close to some of the famous players. They went to the US Open in Brookline, Massachusetts to get close to the famous players. Earlier this week, they got so close to a player during a practice round that he agreed to take a photograph with the family. His name is Brooks Koepka. A few years ago, Brooks Koepka won this particular tournament, he was the # 1 golfer in the world.

So it was thrilling for them to get a photo with a golf champion. That's why people follow.

The people are following and going after Jesus because they see something valuable and victorious in Him. Jesus is on the rise. He is doing miracles. He's healing people. He's feeding us, freeing them from evil spirits. He's even the underdog competitor who stands up to the highly favored Pharisees and scribes.

And in the multiplication of the loaves, we see that Jesus is on top of the world on top of the rankings on top of the mountain, if they had phones, they would have taken selfies with our Savior.

Are people however, only interested in Jesus because of his potential energy and potential power ? Sometimes that's what happens-  we only go after somebody because of potential energy or power or material things.

One of the reasons my sister and family went to the US Open Golf Tournament was to get close to famous player.

Now, by the way, right now – the with tournament nearly over, Brooks Koepka is in 40th place. Still, being in 40th place is good because he's playing against very good competition,

So, such a photo is a treasure because it signifies something of power and value. Even if Brooks Koepka isn't having his best day.

Jesus gives us something something even better than an image something even better than a photograph or a trophy.

He gives us His body and blood so that we can become like him and draw strength from his sacrifice.

As an analogy, consider what mothers and fathers are called to. Today is Father's Day. What did your mothers and fathers did for you as a child, what you as a mother or father are still called to do for your child.

Mothers and fathers don't simply help their children simply by material gifts of food or money, or even by saying yes to every request. Fathers and mothers pass things down to their children also by teaching them discipline by teaching them right from wrong by teaching them about love. Some of these lessons are not always materially satisfying. Some of these lessons are hard to learn. In some cases, we may have no photo or anything on paper, but rather by learning from our mothers and fathers, we take them into our bodies, our mothers and fathers gave us our bodies. And we recognize that the body and life our father and mother gave us lives on in us. Jesus also gives us his body and blood so that he might live on and endure in you and in me

        As an analogy …

Brooks Koepka did not become a great golfer because his teacher handed him anything…but because his teachers and coaches gave him an environment in which to thrive.. both to fall down and get up again.

        Parents give their children a great gift not just by the material gift of a home, but by giving them a place where they can fall and get back up again and so that the parents can foster the initiative of their children.

        Parents also do not educate their children to follow the parents’ “law” but the the law of God.

        And…while sports such as golf and basketball  or soccer or baseball ..or any competitive endeavor may be thrilling to the parent and to the child, sports are really just a way for us to realize that our greatest victory is in love for God and neighbor and in laying down our lives as Jesus did.

        He is the person and more than a personality or image.   We are called to follow Him.  [][]end[][] ]  

 


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