Homily Twenty-first Sunday of the Year C - Sunday, August 25, 2019
First reading. Isaiah 66:18-21
Responsible Psalm. Psalm 116:1-2. "Go out to all the world, and tell the good news"
Second reading. Hebrews 12:5-7,11-13
Gospel. Luke 13:22-30
First reading. Isaiah 66:18-21
Responsible Psalm. Psalm 116:1-2. "Go out to all the world, and tell the good news"
Second reading. Hebrews 12:5-7,11-13
Gospel. Luke 13:22-30
Photo by Luca Florio on Unsplash
++++
Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers, and reflections for the Twenty-first Sunday of the Year C - Sunday, August 25, 2019, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/21c-faith-hope-and-love-ep-174/s-ltwZu (EPISODE: 174)
+++++
Prologue: Can we say with great confidence: I am a member of the Christian Faith, and I also know and love Jesus. It is so important that these two statements can be said. Since, the readings this weekend make it clear that paper membership of a group is not enough - we have to Know the Shepherd and hold his values and show that in our actions and attitudes. On the Last day, the Lord will judge us not by how well we can recite the list of ten commandments and other rules of the Church, The Lord will judge us on how we loved, as he loved. He will welcome those he recognises as his beloved children by the fruits of their lives. Its a sobering message but as we deepen our understanding and knowledge of the person of Jesus, his gracious love and compassion is what brings us home to him.
___
I remember once when I was at university, (back around 1986 I think it was), well before mobile phones .. And, for some reason which I can no longer remember, I needed to make a phone call to someone and I didn't have any coins for the public phone, nor much cash for that matter. .... It was rather urgent to contact this person, is all I recall, and so I decided to use the reverse-charges request through the operator.. (wow has technology changed now)... By the way, this involved an Operator, (a real live person, not a computer voice, who would dial the number while you listened on the line.. they would then say to the person being called...... "a reverse charges call from a Mr Paul Kelly... will you accept the call?"..... and I could hear the person on the other end (whom I was trying to contact), saying... "no" and the call then cuts out... that was that. I felt very flat and frustrated. I was disappointed, to say the least... the one time I had used this facility and the person declined it... If they had accepted I would have explained the reason... Clearly, the person didn't recognise me or couldn't work out the connection so they declined... very deflating.
That is a bit like the readings today... except you are trying to get through to someone you know really well and whom you assume they know you really well too.. only for them to say.. "sorry I don't know you!!" Wow. What a shocker !!!
I wonder what it would be like for me to be knocking on Heaven's doors and saying "let me in, Lord, Its me! Look I have the badge and the membership card"… only to hear God say in reply: 'I am sorry! Who are you? ...I don't know you! And I don't know where you come from! you must have the wrong door."
That, for anyone, would be devastating .....… and terrible!
Who we truly are, includes how we live and act. How we respond to God's invitation to be disciples is essential. Everyone is invited to respond to God's invitation as well. We are warned not to become complacent. Our Lord also warns us not to become elitist. We are not to become people who exclude others.
We gain entry into the Kingdom not by our badge of membership alone, but by being recognisable as a disciple of Christ by our love and faithfulness to God's message, and by being true friends of Jesus … in action as well as in name…. Knowing Jesus and being known by Jesus….. in our lives and choices….
So, this is the unsettling message of today's Gospel.
The people listening to Jesus' parable (his own people, - The people of Israel), would have been very concerned by his message and they would say what is on the lips of the people in the parable.
The people are really saying words to the effect of this: "But, we ate with you, we heard your teaching! We are your fellow People of Israel. We are the Chosen People of God. We have Abraham as our Father and the Prophets as our divine inheritance. We are the saved people, and the privileged people of God's promise."
The shocking reply would be too awful to contemplate: "Sorry, I don't know you and I do not know where you come from!" What does he mean 'I don't know where you come from???????" They come from his own PEOPLE, but this is clearly not enough, according to Jesus.
People from other nations and cultures, who are not part of the chosen people, are welcomed into God's family and God's house ahead of those who have gotten cosy and self-satisfied in the presumption that their place in God's house is assured by simply being a member of a group. Jesus is warning all who follow him that a place in God's house is offered to all who actually respond to his values and teachings and to his invitation, irrespective of their background and culture or membership.
It is a sobering reminder to us all that we need to be constantly open to God's surprising wisdom and teachings. We must never fall for the trap of thinking that we have gotten the message and that we having nothing more or new to learn about God's ways.
Jesus, throughout the Gospels, constantly has to teach his disciples that they have an enormous amount to learn, (a lifetime and beyond to learn), about God's ways and God's wisdom. Anyone who thinks they have already arrived at the fullness of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, anyone who thinks they are living out the perfect example of what a follower of Jesus should be, ought to be very humble and very careful.
Discipleship in Christ demands of us constant vigilance, and a humble, openness of heart-and-mind, and a willingness to have our attitudes changed by God's wisdom. Jesus also seems to be inviting us to be welcoming and open to an ever-increasing group of people throughout the community and the world. just as God extends this warm welcome to everyone.
To be a follower of Jesus is to be open and always ready to be surprised and to respond in different ways to what God is doing. Being a faithful disciple of Christ also means being always alert to the dangers of taking our membership of God's family for granted and resting on our laurels. It is rather about being ready with an open mind and heart.
God will say "I KNOW you" when we have, through our lives and actions shown that we really and truly KNOW and (at least) start to comprehend the person, message and values of Jesus and his very different ways…. and live it.
++++++++++
References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
Photo by Luca Florio on Unsplash
+++
Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love, A time of Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul W. Kelly
Texts used in this programme are for the purposes of worship and prayer for listeners wherever you are.
Prayers and chants are taken from the English Translation of the Roman Missal, edition three, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy.
Scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, by the national council of Churches of Christ, USA. , //adaptations to conform with Catholic liturgical norms, © 2009, by the same.
[{selected psalms } - ***Psalm verses are (also) taken from "The Psalms: A New Translation" ©1963, The Grail (England), published by Collins.. **]
Prayers of the Faithful are adapted from Robert Borg's 1993 book " Together we pray". Published in Sydney Australia By E.J. Dwyer. (out of print).
{ "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -published 2011, Composed and Sung by Jeffrey M. Ostrowski
Featuring the….Gloria, The Creed, The Kyrie, The Mass parts, Psalms: http://www.ccwatershed.org/chabanel/ ]]] ] COPYRIGHT @ 2018 CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. www.ccwatershed.org/vatican/Ralph_Sherwin_Videos/
"Faith, Hope and Love" theme Hymn: Words, based on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, set to original music © 1996 by Paul W. Kelly.
For more details please visit http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au/
Contact us at paulwkelly68@gmail.com
Production by Kelly Enterprises Resources.
May God bless and keep you.
Twenty-first Sunday of the Year C
(Sunday, August 25, 2019)
(EPISODE: 174 )
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or// The Lord be with You)
+++++++++++++
{{May Our Lord's care, comfort you}}
My brothers and sisters, we have gathered to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, - so let us pause and reflect upon our sins, so as to rejoice in Gods loving mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are mighty God and Prince of peace. Lord have mercy// You are Son of God and the Son of Mary. Christ have mercy// You are Word made flesh, the splendour of the Father. Lord have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Memorial Acclamation
Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SUNDAYS I
Euch prayer two
Communion side. pwk: LH
++++
{my heartfelt thanks for your participation in this time of reflection, prayer, and praise. }
Go in peace. (glorifying the Lord by your life)
++++
Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers, and reflections for the Twenty-first Sunday of the Year C - Sunday, August 25, 2019, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/21c-faith-hope-and-love-ep-174/s-ltwZu (EPISODE: 174)
+++++
Prologue: Can we say with great confidence: I am a member of the Christian Faith, and I also know and love Jesus. It is so important that these two statements can be said. Since, the readings this weekend make it clear that paper membership of a group is not enough - we have to Know the Shepherd and hold his values and show that in our actions and attitudes. On the Last day, the Lord will judge us not by how well we can recite the list of ten commandments and other rules of the Church, The Lord will judge us on how we loved, as he loved. He will welcome those he recognises as his beloved children by the fruits of their lives. Its a sobering message but as we deepen our understanding and knowledge of the person of Jesus, his gracious love and compassion is what brings us home to him.
___
I remember once when I was at university, (back around 1986 I think it was), well before mobile phones .. And, for some reason which I can no longer remember, I needed to make a phone call to someone and I didn't have any coins for the public phone, nor much cash for that matter. .... It was rather urgent to contact this person, is all I recall, and so I decided to use the reverse-charges request through the operator.. (wow has technology changed now)... By the way, this involved an Operator, (a real live person, not a computer voice, who would dial the number while you listened on the line.. they would then say to the person being called...... "a reverse charges call from a Mr Paul Kelly... will you accept the call?"..... and I could hear the person on the other end (whom I was trying to contact), saying... "no" and the call then cuts out... that was that. I felt very flat and frustrated. I was disappointed, to say the least... the one time I had used this facility and the person declined it... If they had accepted I would have explained the reason... Clearly, the person didn't recognise me or couldn't work out the connection so they declined... very deflating.
That is a bit like the readings today... except you are trying to get through to someone you know really well and whom you assume they know you really well too.. only for them to say.. "sorry I don't know you!!" Wow. What a shocker !!!
I wonder what it would be like for me to be knocking on Heaven's doors and saying "let me in, Lord, Its me! Look I have the badge and the membership card"… only to hear God say in reply: 'I am sorry! Who are you? ...I don't know you! And I don't know where you come from! you must have the wrong door."
That, for anyone, would be devastating .....… and terrible!
Who we truly are, includes how we live and act. How we respond to God's invitation to be disciples is essential. Everyone is invited to respond to God's invitation as well. We are warned not to become complacent. Our Lord also warns us not to become elitist. We are not to become people who exclude others.
We gain entry into the Kingdom not by our badge of membership alone, but by being recognisable as a disciple of Christ by our love and faithfulness to God's message, and by being true friends of Jesus … in action as well as in name…. Knowing Jesus and being known by Jesus….. in our lives and choices….
So, this is the unsettling message of today's Gospel.
The people listening to Jesus' parable (his own people, - The people of Israel), would have been very concerned by his message and they would say what is on the lips of the people in the parable.
The people are really saying words to the effect of this: "But, we ate with you, we heard your teaching! We are your fellow People of Israel. We are the Chosen People of God. We have Abraham as our Father and the Prophets as our divine inheritance. We are the saved people, and the privileged people of God's promise."
The shocking reply would be too awful to contemplate: "Sorry, I don't know you and I do not know where you come from!" What does he mean 'I don't know where you come from???????" They come from his own PEOPLE, but this is clearly not enough, according to Jesus.
People from other nations and cultures, who are not part of the chosen people, are welcomed into God's family and God's house ahead of those who have gotten cosy and self-satisfied in the presumption that their place in God's house is assured by simply being a member of a group. Jesus is warning all who follow him that a place in God's house is offered to all who actually respond to his values and teachings and to his invitation, irrespective of their background and culture or membership.
It is a sobering reminder to us all that we need to be constantly open to God's surprising wisdom and teachings. We must never fall for the trap of thinking that we have gotten the message and that we having nothing more or new to learn about God's ways.
Jesus, throughout the Gospels, constantly has to teach his disciples that they have an enormous amount to learn, (a lifetime and beyond to learn), about God's ways and God's wisdom. Anyone who thinks they have already arrived at the fullness of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, anyone who thinks they are living out the perfect example of what a follower of Jesus should be, ought to be very humble and very careful.
Discipleship in Christ demands of us constant vigilance, and a humble, openness of heart-and-mind, and a willingness to have our attitudes changed by God's wisdom. Jesus also seems to be inviting us to be welcoming and open to an ever-increasing group of people throughout the community and the world. just as God extends this warm welcome to everyone.
To be a follower of Jesus is to be open and always ready to be surprised and to respond in different ways to what God is doing. Being a faithful disciple of Christ also means being always alert to the dangers of taking our membership of God's family for granted and resting on our laurels. It is rather about being ready with an open mind and heart.
God will say "I KNOW you" when we have, through our lives and actions shown that we really and truly KNOW and (at least) start to comprehend the person, message and values of Jesus and his very different ways…. and live it.
++++++++++
References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
Photo by Luca Florio on Unsplash
+++
Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love, A time of Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul W. Kelly
Texts used in this programme are for the purposes of worship and prayer for listeners wherever you are.
Prayers and chants are taken from the English Translation of the Roman Missal, edition three, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy.
Scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, by the national council of Churches of Christ, USA. , //adaptations to conform with Catholic liturgical norms, © 2009, by the same.
[{selected psalms } - ***Psalm verses are (also) taken from "The Psalms: A New Translation" ©1963, The Grail (England), published by Collins.. **]
Prayers of the Faithful are adapted from Robert Borg's 1993 book " Together we pray". Published in Sydney Australia By E.J. Dwyer. (out of print).
{ "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -published 2011, Composed and Sung by Jeffrey M. Ostrowski
Featuring the….Gloria, The Creed, The Kyrie, The Mass parts, Psalms: http://www.ccwatershed.org/chabanel/ ]]] ] COPYRIGHT @ 2018 CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. www.ccwatershed.org/vatican/Ralph_Sherwin_Videos/
"Faith, Hope and Love" theme Hymn: Words, based on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, set to original music © 1996 by Paul W. Kelly.
For more details please visit http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au/
Contact us at paulwkelly68@gmail.com
Production by Kelly Enterprises Resources.
May God bless and keep you.
Twenty-first Sunday of the Year C
(Sunday, August 25, 2019)
(EPISODE: 174 )
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or// The Lord be with You)
+++++++++++++
{{May Our Lord's care, comfort you}}
My brothers and sisters, we have gathered to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, - so let us pause and reflect upon our sins, so as to rejoice in Gods loving mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are mighty God and Prince of peace. Lord have mercy// You are Son of God and the Son of Mary. Christ have mercy// You are Word made flesh, the splendour of the Father. Lord have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Memorial Acclamation
Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SUNDAYS I
Euch prayer two
Communion side. pwk: LH
++++
{my heartfelt thanks for your participation in this time of reflection, prayer, and praise. }
Go in peace. (glorifying the Lord by your life)
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