Homily: Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time
Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time (Independence Day) Mt. 8:23-27 “Why Be Afraid?”
Perhaps it is appropriate that we have the story of the calming of the storm on this Independence Day. We have many storms that are raging in our country at the present time. The right side of the political spectrum and the left side of the political spectrum seems to be controlling the direction our nation is heading in.
We probably would like to see some kind of reconciliation so that we can move forward as a country. Reconciliation is the Christian way. Jesus probably speaks more about forgiveness than any other topic in his preaching. Reconciliation requires compromise which is a concept that some leaders consider abhorrent.
To have compromise two things must happen. One thing that must happen is that both parties must believe that the other side wants what is best for all concerned. If we label those that we disagree with as evil, then we cannot talk to them. The second thing that must take place is that we must be ready to accept something less than what we might want. Seldom do we get everything we desire.
Jesus seldom labeled other people has evil. Many of the religious leaders who watched his ministry were driven to distraction because he applied religious law with mercy. He was able to talk to the worst sinner and to see that person as a child of God.
We might look at the story today and reflect on it as a metaphor. Do we make the storms of our life worse by taking an all or nothing approach. If we see the world as black and white and label every argument as an all or nothing proposition, then we perceive everything as a storm waiting to erupt. We then live in a state of constant dread.
Jesus did not see the storm as being as threatening as his apostles did. He was calm as he rode out the waves. Everything then quieted down.
1. Am I into all our nothing thinking? Does this cause me to fear what is next?
2. Can I see that there is more than one way to address a problem? Do people I disagree with have legitimate concerns that I may not see?
Dear Parishioners,
Remember that this Sunday we are having an outdoor Mass at 9:15 in front of Culemans Hall. Please bring your own lawn chair and tell your friends to do the same. We will bury the time capsule after the Mass and have refreshments. Hopefully, in another one hundred years someone will dig up the capsule and see what our life was like in the first quarter of the 21st century.
I hope that everyone has a happy fourth of July. There will be no post on the 5th of July because I am going to enjoy the holiday. I will be writing again on the 6th.
May Our Lady, patron of our country, pray for us,
Fr. Mark