Homily Twenty - eighth Sunday of the Year - C 14th October, 2012
(updated)
Today, I visited the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum, in Wharf Street, (here in Maryborough). (http://www.maryboroughmuseum.org/).
What an amazing place!! It is arguably the best military museum in Australia, apart from the War Memorial in Canberra. Home to the Victoria Cross medals of Keith Payne VC OAM, and Gallipoli VC to Major Herbert James VC, and also the rare medal of the Australian Cross of Valour, the highest civilian medal, (With only 5 awardees), of Tim Britten's for the Bali Bombing in 2002. This is the only Cross of Valour anywhere in a Museum. Also, it is home to the Star of Courage medal group of James Runham.
Present at this event was the medal winners themselves…. Keith Payne, Tim Britten and James Runham. Tim is a serving Western Australian Police officer who was with the Federal Police on secondment with the United Nations when he was present in Bali at the time of the horrific Bali terrorist bombing, which is exactly ten years ago last Friday night. Tim was awarded this medal for valour because he saved several people from the fire, braving burns and exploding gas tanks, to help as many as possible.
(http://www.maryboroughmuseum.org/britten.html).
James Runham won the Star of Courage medal for his several interventions in the course of a bank robbery in Ipswich, Queensland, where he was shot at. 
(http://www.qt.com.au/news/heros-story-told-in-book-of-brave-jim-runham/922686/)
How these men survived is a miracle.
In the speeches of Both Tim and James, they both mentioned one common aspect in their different experiences… at one point, both men thought they were going to die. And their reaction, “oh well, if I am going to die I am going to go out fighting and I will not give up!” they had nothing more to lose, so they gave everything and achieved so much, and even survived…
It reminds me of the gospel.. Jesus invited the rich man to let go of everything and follow him, and then he will gain EVERYTHING. Some things hold us back, fear or attachment to things. letting go and risking everything means we have nothing to lose and nothing to stop us in the pursuit of the gospel of Jesus. So, the visit really inspired me along the lines of the gospel..
Gaining wisdom, developing discernment, having a sense of detachment from ‘material things,’ and getting our priorities and values rightly ordered, is the recurring theme in this weekend’s Scripture passages. Our values are revealed by the order of our priorities.
In this weekend’s readings we hear…..
I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I entreated, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.
‘Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, ‘There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’
It seems fitting to mention that it is really valuable for us to think about the values we hold and make decisions to be more intentional about strengthening those priorities in our daily lives. Hence, a new catchphrase I want to promote….
Make Sunday Eucharist a Priority:
As Catholics, the gathering of the People of God on Sundays (or Saturday evening Vigil) is a key aspect of our faith life. ( I realise I am preaching to the converted on this, but, it is still worth naming our values). It is so important that we give support to one another by participating in weekly Eucharist to give rightful worship to God, and gain strength from each other and give encouragement to one another. (naturally, there are people who, due to illness or frail health, are unable to be with us at Weekend Eucharist. But we keep them in our prayers and thoughts and communion ministers take communion to them with our prayers and best wishes. Those who are unable to be with us, often have expressed how dearly they would love to be able to be here and would be here if possible. Even when they are not able to be physically present, they are united with us, and continue to value the importance of the Eucharistic feast).
We here at Saint Mary’s want to stress how vital it is that we see ourselves as part of the Body of Christ, the Church, and one community which prays together and supports each other in life.
For all of us, is also equally important that belonging to a Faith community challenges and stretches us in our faith and understanding, so that we do not turn our spirituality into a cosy (or feint) copy of the powerful and enduring original Gospel message.
In this day and age there are so many competing activities, whether it be long working hours over many days in the week (for many even weekends), and sporting events and social commitments. Whilst these sporting and other activities may indeed be opportunities for family time, sometimes in some circumstances they often can be more about people racing in many different directions, hardly finding time to talk or “take time-out” together.
It could very well be that some people in our society never have a moment of stillness, silence and reflection alone or with family, from the moment they wake to the moment they go to bed.
Sporting, social and work commitments can be extraordinarily pressing upon families’ time and energies, to the point where they find they hardly have enough time for family let alone Sunday Worship. But, we will only resolve this challenge by making a resolute decision to take control of our priorities and order them rightly, so that time for God and time for our families take top priority, and not somewhere down the line. Let us continue to reflect upon this and encourage and challenge each other in this area.
This concept, of reflecting deeply on our priorities, is actually a very helpful and revealing thing in so many areas of life, (whether one is Christian or not). For example, a lot of people say they are really financially poor… and many are, in these times of economic hardship and downturn, … Some are doing it tough despite their best efforts.
Some say they simply can’t afford to send their children to a good catholic education, (but our schools all remind people that no catholic will be denied a catholic education on the grounds of financial hardship, so has this been discussed???? ….. and also, the more people who do not send their children to catholic schools, the more this takes a hit on the viability of catholic schooling for everyone. So, it has multiple knock on effects.
In wider society…. There are people suffering from poverty… but throughout the years we have often found the ones who can least afford to pay for things are often the ones who will sacrifice anything and everything to pay for things that are a priority for them…. Sadly, whilst some are truly struggling, it is also true to say that some, are actually poor because of their own priorities. Some can’t afford what is important because they have spent their budget on the extention to the poolroom, or a luxury cruise, or that expensive car they couldn’t keep their eyes off… and when they are hocked to the eyeballs they are not prepared or able to pay for really important things of abiding value and come with their hands out for everyone else to fix the problem they have made with their own unbalanced lists……
Actually poverty is not the same as “poor priorities.” And it should be named as such. And we need not collude with unrealistic priorities as it perpetuates the problem.
I am sure we have all heard a myriad of reasons and excuses by people about “this or that” reason why they don’t regularly worship. Many reflect not so much a good reason not to give God the right worship God deserves, but point to wildly differently priorities. But, like the second reading this weekend… The word of God (cuts through the excuses and reveals the real values underneath it, for we cannot hide from God’s sight….)… (God’s word) cuts like any double-edged sword ……it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts. No created thing can hide from him; everything is uncovered
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REFERENCES:
F FR. PAUL W. KELLY
