Homily: Twelfth Tuesday of Ordinary Time
Twelfth Tuesday of Ordinary Time (Genesis 13:2, 5-18) “Is it Ever Too Late?”
Abram and Sarai are key figures in the Bible. It has been said that Abram and Sarai are our first parents rather than Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve, we might argue, were the physical parents to everyone who has ever lived. Abram and Sarai are the parents of all those who have ever had faith in the one true God.
The very names of this interesting couple give us a clue as to their importance in salvation history. Abram means “exalted father” while Sarai means “my princess” in Hebrew. After God makes his covenant with these parents of ours, he renames them Abraham which means “father of many” while God renames Sarai as Sarah which means “the princess”.
Yesterday we read how Abraham and Sarah were settling into retirement when God asked them to go on a great adventure. Abram was well into his 80’s while Sarai was said to be a little younger. I like to imagine Abram and Sarai rocking on their front porch ready to take life easy, but then God calls them to be parents of all the faithful.
We are left to ponder the question of whether any of us can retire from our obligation to follow the Spirit of God. Is there ever retirement from our faith commitments? Many times, I have asked people to serve in various capacities in parishes, sometimes the answer has been, “Well, my time has passed. Get someone younger”. I can imagine Abram and Sarai wanting to say the same thing. But they say yes to God, and it changed salvation history.
If we have our health and are still mentally sharp, why should we not do what we can for God, unless there is someone else who has more talent and more ability? We do not want to stand in the way of others. I am reminded of an old cliché, “Better to burn out than to rust out”.
Reflection Questions:
- What do I want to do in retirement? Is it good to have a noble purpose at every stage in our life?
- When will I know that it is time to let someone else take over some of my responsibilities? Is it good to do that too quickly?
Dear Parishioners,
I announced last Sunday that Father Matthew will be celebrating his 25th Anniversary of Ordination in July. We will be having an outdoor Mass on July 4; we will use that occasion to commemorate Father Matthew’s ordination.
Father Matthew has served the church in a variety of countries and has made great sacrifices. His vocation story is fascinating. If you have the time, you might ask him about it. He has been through the Ebola crisis in Liberia, and the COVID-19 pandemic here. He has also seen violent revolution in his homeland. I am glad to serve with him here at Sacred Heart.
I told him that the whole city would set off fireworks in honor of his ordination on July 4th. I only stretched the truth a little.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark