Homily: Twenty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time

Homily: Twenty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time (Mk 7:1-8) “What is Inside Counts”

            Diet. Our diet is a major concern for us, isn’t it? We know we must watch what we put in our mouth to be healthy. When we have a physical, we scan the results of our blood work. Is our cholesterol in order? What about our blood sugar? We worry about what goes into our body. We should.

                Diet is also a matter that affects our religious lives. The three great religions all have dietary laws. Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan. Jews always refrain from eating pork. Roman Catholics do not eat meat on the Fridays of Lent.

                As religious people we watch each other to see if we are keeping the rules. If a Catholic Church would offer a steak dinner on a Friday in Lent, we would probably all be appalled. But if a Catholic Church would cancel its Friday night meal for the homeless during Lent, we might shrug our shoulders saying, “I guess they just didn’t have enough help.” Which situation would disappoint Jesus more?

                Jesus always was concerned about the core of the law. He wasn’t troubled by the secondary aspects of religious practice. At the crux of Jewish religious law was one fundamental teaching. “You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart mind and soul and you are to love your neighbor as yourself.” The Jewish ideas about fasting, abstaining and cleansing oneself before eating had developed over time as an expression of reverence for God. Jews believe that the food they ate was a gift from God. Famine was always a possibility in the ancient world. The Jews knew what it was to be hungry. For that reason, they tried to remind themselves every time they ate that their food was God’s gift.

                But secondary considerations often become primary for religious people. The externals can become the measure of another person’s faith. Arguments can result between believers over unimportant rites and rituals. When that happens what is most important can be forgotten. What do we believe in the depths of our soul? Situations happen outside of us that we cannot control. Some of these things make us happy. Others are distressing. But values deep within us can sustain us.

                We have had something that has happened in our community the past few weeks that has been distressing for many people. We have had job losses. Workers who thought they had security lost it, seemingly overnight. On this Labor Day weekend we remember them. This is a change in the cities we live in. Jesus’ words about ethics hit home. What happens outside a person does not dictate who we are. What is inside a person determines their self-worth.

                We could say that what has affected our friends and neighbors has caused an economic crisis. We could also say losing a job can cause a psychological crisis, but would we look at what has occurred as a spiritual crisis? Our faith tells us it is.

                When we have a predicament like losing a job in our life negative spiritual movements begin to gnaw at us. We can have two destructive feelings that erupt. One feeling is a sense of despair. A voice within keeps asking, “Will I ever get another job?” Another voice is the voice that causes a person to question their self-worth. The voice is the voice of deceit. We begin to doubt our abilities, our goodness, the love of God. The prince of lies attacks us.

                How do we combat the negative spirits that are swirling around us? We try to tap into the Holy Spirit. We react with energy. We show resolve. I have talked with people throughout the years who have lost their jobs in the prime of life. I have been humbled when people say, “I will be all right. I have my resume out. I know what I can do.”  Such people know the truth of who they are inside. Also, they know that God loves and values them. Truly the Holy Spirit is at work in them. When we need to start over, we must do so with energy and resolve. If there is a helping hand extended to us that can make a big difference as well.

                On this Labor Day weekend it would behoove us to look around us asking who is hurting among us right now? Who faces a job loss? An experience like that is devastating. Can we lift others up in this tough economic time. Maybe we can offer an encouraging word. We might even be able to offer a lead on a job for those who are looking. Goodness can flow out of us that reassures those who are struggling. Because that is the core of who we are. We are the followers of Christ who love others as we love ourselves.

Reflection Questions:

1.    What are the values I hold dear? Do I always remember them?

2.   Have I ever lost a job? How did I react?

 Dear Parishioners,

             Today we begin the Annual Diocesan Appeal. You probably received a mailing about this appeal this week. This is the major fund-raising effort of the Diocese of Peoria for the year. The monies collected support the ministries of the diocese

            The Diocese uses the money to support works like the Sacre Coeur Retreat House, the diaconate program, renewal programs, Catholic Charities and to pay salaries and benefits for diocesan employees.

            The goal for Sacred Heart this year is $95,000. Any amount we receive over the goal could be used to reduce the debt on the Damien Center which now is about $225,000. It would be nice to pay off this debt so we can stop paying interest and use all our monies to support our local ministries.

            Please consider prayerfully what you can give.

            May our Lady pray for us,

            Fr. Mark

P.S. The weekend of September 7th and 8th we begin our Religious Education programs for children. We will have Children’s liturgy of the Word during 9:15 a.m. Mass and classes for children in grade school after Mass. I encourage all families who are not in our Catholic Schools to register.