Homily: Twenty-seventh Wednesday of Ordinary Time
Twenty-seventh Wednesday of Ordinary Time (Jonah 4:11)
Someone once compared our lives to a piece of pottery. When we have a piece of pottery, we can look at it from a distance and it may look beautiful. But if we pick it up and look at it closely, we will see all the cracks and where all the paint is worn away. If we look at it under a magnifying glass, we will see even more cracks. The pot is not as perfect, but it is still nice looking from afar.
We look at our own lives closely all the time because we are living in our own skins minute to minute. We notice every little thing that goes on. We have a lot of irritants that annoy us. We also are aware of mistakes that we make. The lives we lead can seem overwhelming at times.
But if others are watching us then they may not be aware of all the little failures we have. Friends and acquaintances probably think that we are doing well and living a good life. We can conclude from this that too much navel gazing is not necessarily a good thing.
What does God see. God is our friend and God is always looking at the larger picture. God is a loving parent who does scrutinize our lives criticizing everything, but God wants to be affirming and supportive.
In today’s reading Jonah gets mad when a gourd plant dies that is giving him shade. He is more concerned about the gourd plant than about a whole city that has been spared from destruction. He is so caught up in his own agenda that he loses all perspective. God points this absurdity out to Jonah. Jonah must reorient his way of thinking.
Can we step back and look at our lives in light of the big picture? How would a change in perspective affect our mood?
Reflection Questions:
- Am I hard on myself? Why is that?
- Do I think God is disappointed in me? Does God have a positive view of how I live my life?
Dear Parishioners,
The pet blessing was a success today. We had about 35 dogs and 450 children. Peace and tranquility reined believe it or not. We had about 10 Labradors, one great Dane, Burmese Mountain Dog poodle mixes, a corgi and many others great and small. I am sure St. Francis would have been happy that his brothers and sisters were taken care of.
This seems to be a good way to begin Respect Life month. We are all aware of the way we are changing our planet. When God’s creatures struggle it is not a good sign for human beings. Several species have become extinct in recent days.
Truly we need to be good stewards of our world. Hopefully, our pet blessing is a practical reminder that we understand that.
May Our Lady and All the Angels and Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark