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Homily, 10th Sunday (year B) ●● 2024 June 9 ●● ●
[__01__] Do you know when to stop? Sometimes, I don't know when to stop or slow down. For example: my 1st speeding ticket
On the 1 hand, going out that day, I knew the speed
limit and that there was police officer regularly parked about a mile from our
house. I was pulled over for 43 mph in a 25-zone. Suddenly, I was no longer
innocent. I also felt afraid as the police officer walked toward my car. There
was now something on my record, though it wasn’t a terribly serious offense. I
was horrified that I had broken the law and, even worse, gotten caught. I
didn’t know when to stop or slow down.
Sin and sinfulness can be like that. How do you know
when to stop? How do you know when to slow down? This is why we have
commandments. They define certain LIMITS – and speed limits. They are not speed
traps or sting operations.
They guide us, reminding us to check our actions and
intentions. What is your attitude toward the law and the commandments and their
purpose? God's law is said to be written in our hearts, as mentioned in
Hebrews: “I will put my laws in their minds and write them upon their hearts. I
will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
In Genesis, God’s law was initially not written down
but told to Adam and Eve, inscribed on their hearts. They had no reason to fear
the law and could have avoided sin by adhering to it. Adam and Eve were given
one law—not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil—not because they
were bad, but because they were good. Similarly, our laws and commandments
serve to protect and guide us.
When we fall into sin, we often create
justifications or stories, even if we don’t share them with others. I remember
rushing to pick up a friend at the train station when I got the ticket. I
didn’t tell that to the officer, knowing it wouldn’t help.
QUESTION
– are commandments really necessary? Here is the thing:
Without
commandments, there would be no personal freedom or choice. Commandments and
laws define our freedom rather than restrict it. Some commandments we might
think are irrelevant to us. Some commandments seem too “out there” too “extreme”.
Consider:
6th , “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” This might seem unnecessary
if we've been faithful, but it’s not only about staying within the boundaries
and limits of a proper relationship.
It’s about the foundations of morality in
marriage and family, reminding us that God is the author and designer of love.
Love is more than an emotion; it’s a commitment designed by God to nourish us
physically and spiritually. When we are nourished in love, we feel satisfied;
when we are starved of love, we feel unsatisfied – both physically and
spiritually.
The
commandment against adultery is not merely about physical or emotional
relationships between men and women but about affirming the sanctity of
marriage and family. It underscores that God created affection and love to be
shared within the bounds of holy matrimony.
It is not true to say that “Love is Love”,
rather “God is Love”
The commandment against adultery also speaks to
everyone, married or single. It calls for chastity and purity, which are
expressions of God's desire for marriage as a sacred union. This commandment
applies to everyone, not just those in consecrated life – those such as priest
or nun or sister or brother who have taken vows to the Church.
[][][][] Chastity and purity applies to those of us who are
not married – to young people, single people – who are dating and trying to
find a future spouse.
The
commandment about “adultery” is expressing God’s desire for marriage as the
definitive and solemn gift of men and women to each other (CCC 2391)
Also,
marriage is meant to be the way in which children are brought into this world
in a united couple relationship.
Sometimes, it does not work out this way. There are countless dedicated
single fathers and single mothers around us. God bless them for their ability
to carry out both parenting roles. They need our prayers and support.
Yet,
the couple relationship is created and consecrated in marriage as the way in
which children are born into the world naturally.
Now,
it is important to note that we can and do love others unconditionally. What
does this mean? This means we love our children – or siblings – simply for who
they are – NOT -- for what they do. A man loves his wife and a wife her husband
for the same reason.
Your
child does not earn your love and cannot lose your love.
Yet,
this commandment about chastity and purity does ask us at times to correct and
teach others about God’s plan for our lives.
To correct and teach – e.g. – if someone is not living a chaste life
outside marriage, if someone is in a same-sex relationship.
These
situations call for speaking the truth in love.
Regarding same-sex attraction, the Catholic Catechism CCC reminds us
that every sign of unjust discrimination must be avoided. These persons – all
persons – are called to fulfill God’s will,
while our “existence” fulfills God’s will, not all of our actions do. Not
all relationships fulfill God’s will.
Sometimes,
we get ahead of ourselves. [][][][]
The
commandment to live with a pure heart also involves countless daily acts of
compassion and service, like doing the laundry, helping someone in need, and
doing dishes, scrubbing the bathroom.
The
fall of Adam and Eve is a warning about human pride and fear. We all need to
consider our pride and seek spiritual direction. Examination of conscience,
confession, and absolution help us know ourselves better in Christ. Jesus is
our true physician and healer. Just as God sought Adam in the garden, Jesus
seeks us out. He will find us, and in finding us, we will find him.
Ultimately, laws and commandments are about living
in harmony with God and respecting ourselves and others. They guide us in our
relationships and daily lives, helping us to stay true to God’s plan.
The
experience of getting a speeding ticket ruined my day. I could have just
accepted the consequence and moved on, but my ego made it difficult. Taking
responsibility for one's actions doesn’t mean being harsh on oneself but
acknowledging our need for God’s grace. I got ahead of myself in
self-recrimination. God’s plan for us is not based on labeling us as criminals,
but rather as acknowledging our weaknesses and need for his help.
On this journey, Jesus
the Way, the Truth and the Life and he goes ahead of us.
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