Twenty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Mt. 18:15-20) “The Church, Our Conscience.”
Twenty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Mt. 18:15-20) “The Church, Our Conscience.”
Forgiveness is a topic that Jesus talked about often. When we hear a story of forgiveness inspired by Jesus, we can’t help but be humbled.
Matt Swatzell was driving home one morning in Dacula, Georgia after a 24-hour shift as a firefighter. He had only 30 minutes of sleep during his shift. He was four miles from home when he fell asleep at the wheel. He veered into oncoming traffic and ran into a car driven by thirty-year-old June Fitzgerald. She was pregnant and her 19-month-old daughter Faith was riding with her. June was killed instantly in the crash, Faith survived.
Matt was charged with a felony. He was facing harsh penalties. But June’s husband Erik stepped in. He was a Protestant pastor. He was very upset by the death of his wife. He was very angry as we might imagine. His church held a prayer service for June shortly after her death. A young woman came to Erik. She said I think we should pray for the man who killed your wife. He must feel terrible. Matt was touched deeply by this. As he said, Jesus teaches that we are forgiven only in as much as we are willing to forgive.
Erik went to Matt’s court appearance. When given a chance to speak he asked that Matt be treated leniently. When the legal issues were settled the two men met by accident at a grocery store where they decided to have coffee together. The men began a relationship. Erik counseled Matt when he got married. He helped Matt seek psychological help to deal with the guilt he felt because of the accident. Out of tragedy has come a new understanding on both men’s part about what it means to forgive.
Jesus speaks of forgiveness in the Gospel today. The passage does not necessarily sound like Jesus. The Gospel outlines a step-by-step process of forgiveness. If someone offends a follower of Jesus, they are first to meet with the perpetrator alone. If forgiveness is not achieved in that way, they are to take another person with them to try to mend the quarrel. If that doesn’t work, then they are to involve the Christian community in order to bring healing. If the person who is in the wrong refuses to forgive or refuses to change then they are to be treated as a tax collector.
What does that mean? Are we to push people out of our life if we can’t achieve reconciliation. From what we know of Jesus we would have to say he wouldn’t do that. Jesus forgave tax collectors and other hard public sinners. He won them over with his humility, with his acceptance. Jesus would probably say is that if we can’t achieve the forgiveness that we desire we need to double down or at least let the other person know that the door is open when they are ready to reconcile.
Where do we polish the skills necessary to forgive as Jesus did. We might find a clue in the story of Erik Fitzgerld. The Genesis of Pastor Erick’s ability to forgive Matt (the man who killed his wife) started with a challenge from the Christian community. The church is supposed to bring about healing and reconciliation. If the church didn’t exist where would the wisdom of Jesus originate?
Today, we have an opportunity to support the church in its mission. Our Diocesan church is having its Annual Diocesan Appeal. Today is the kickoff. The monies raised will support the ministries of the Diocese of Peoria. The diocese educates priests and deacons. It owns a retreat house. The diocese has an office of Catholic charities. Diocesan ministries are outlined in the brochure you received in the mail and that you can find at the door.
Now I ask you to pass the cards down at the end of the pews. If you received a card in the mail and have sent it back, I thank you. If you haven’t received a card in the mail, please fill one out now. You can put your basic information on the front. On the back there are options for giving. If you want to take the card home with you today, please do so, fill out the information and bring it back next week and drop it in the collection. If you want to make a gift today, fill out the card, put it in an envelope and drop it in the collection. The goal this year for Sacred Heart is $105,000. We need your help to make it. Anything that we collect over goal comes back to the parish. Any amount that we are short, must be made up from parish savings.
No one needs to tell us that church communities are struggling right now. Many churches have closed. Religion’s influence is waning. We need to seriously reflect on whether the world is going to be a better place with less organized religion. The church is the Body of Christ, the physical manifestation of a divine reality. We need your charity today so Christ’s ministry will prosper.
Reflection Questions:
How does the church challenge me to become more like Christ? How do I respond to the challenges?
Am I concerned that less people see religious practice as important? What might I do about it?
Dear Parishioners,
Our parish was started by Belgium immigrants. A few elderly parishioners remember when the preaching at Sacred Heart was done in Flemish. Many more remember Flemish parents, grand parents and great grand parents who attended Sacred Heart long ago. These immigrants were fleeing economic hardship in Europe in order to find new opportunity in the United States. I remember how my grandfather had to leave his home because his father did not have the resources to feed his five children. My grandfather began to work in construction and in factories until he could begin farming. He had dreams and he found the security that he needed in the United States.
Hispanic parishioners have been a part of Sacred Heart for many years. We don’t acknowledge that reality as much. A new committee has started at Sacred Heart for Hispanic ministry. The group will be sponsoring one of their first events on Sunday, September 17th. There will be a breakfast after morning Masses featuring Mexican food. This is one of the first events the Hispanic ministry committee has sponsored. There will be no charge for the food. Everyone is invited.
Sacred Heart is known as a parish that welcomes others. Let’s enjoy this celebration of one of the ethnic groups of our parish.
May Our Lay pray for us,
Fr. Mark