Homily Notes 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time
26th Sunday of Ordinary Time-“Whose Life is Important?”
Sex, money, religion, politics, moral questions……what is the list of topics that we avoid in everyday conversations. We usually talk about the weather, perhaps sports…..we keep things light in social situations. We steer away from the topics just mentioned. Maybe that is wise. But how much do we lose by doing that. Maybe we say, “Well, I am not going to change anybody’s mind.” Or, maybe we don’t want our own mind to change.
Religious leaders quiz Jesus several times in the gospels. We hear it said that they were trying to trap him. Subjects like death and taxes are two topics they try to pin Jesus down about. And then we have the curious story we read today. The chief priests come to Jesus to try to trip him up in front of the people, regarding, his moral authority. Probably, they were more concerned about their own authority. Whenever anyone disagrees with what we think the quickest way to attack them is to say that they do not know what they are talking about. We denigrate their intellect.
Jesus did what Jesus often does he answers a question with a question. Did John the Baptist have moral authority? If the chief priests said yes, they would give another under educated man status. If they answered no they would be attacking John the Baptist, a popular martyr for the Jewish Cause. The leaders remain silent. Because of politics they remained silent. The religious leaders also did want to change their way of thinking.
Someone changing their way of thinking. A person open to new information. In our polarized world that seems so rare. Somehow it is thought virtue lies in unbending firm positions. Many people believe that having a conversion of heart is only valid if that brings people to the way of thinking that we agree to.
Today, we begin respect life month. Life issues are another topic that we all avoid. Why? Because it seems like people have all made up our mind. Consequently, very little seems to get done. When changes do happen, they come about in such a way that makes people seem to retreat more and more into camps that seldom dialogue with each other.
When we start to talk with another about respecting life some of questions seem like the trick questions Jesus was asked to deal with. For instance, someone might ask another person which life issue is the most important on? If we get a certain answer, this can shut down the dialogue right away. If a person says that ending all war is the preeminent issue of our day. We might think that they have no sympathy for pro-life issues that touch individuals in day to day life like euthanasia, abortion. If a person answers that protecting life in the womb is more important than any other issue then we assume they have little sympathy for those who will die through capital punishment. Labels are attached after we question each other. We draw conclusions about other pro-life people. Meanwhile those who are the enemies of life continue to push their agenda. Life becomes less and less precious, unless it is my life or the life of the people I know.
The truth of the matter is that most people have very nuanced positions on life issues. Our church teaches that we should have a consistent ethic of life. We remember this morning Pope Benedict the XVI’s words:
“God’s love does not differentiate between the newly conceived
Infant still in their mother’s womb and the child or young person,
or the adult and the elderly person. God does not distinguish
between them because he sees an impression of his own image
and likeness (Gn 1:26) in each one.”
Life is the first good received from God and is fundamental to all
others; to guarantee the right to life for all….is the duty on which the future of humanity depends.”
A Taoist story is told about a man traveling in a boat on a large lake. It is late at night and there is a dense fog. The man noticed another boat coming right at him. He yelled at the boat, but it continued toward him. He cursed at the person in the boat calling him the worst names imaginable. The boat kept coming. It was within a few yards when the man notice that the boat was empty. He easily steered around the empty craft.
The message of Jesus. The message of the little story is that sometimes we jump to conclusions about others. We also assume that we have no more to learn. We can further believe that not one ever changes their minds. Or to change one’s mind is a horrible thing.
We all have room to grow when it comes to respecting life. If admit that, we are not far from the kingdom of Jesus.