Sept. 28, 2008: 26th Sunday Ordinary Time (A)
Intro
Are you a person who says yes to things but regrets later? Or, are you a person who is more likely to say no first but eventually do them later? Do you have the gift of inability to say no? Keep this in your mind as you hear today's readings.
Homily
I have never met any Daughters of Jesus who used be here serving this parish as religious sisters for decades, but I did learn one thing about them from talking to all of y'all. They had the gift of extracting 'yes' from y'all knowing that y'all had the gift of inability to say no. Isn't it true? Those of you who said 'yes' to the sisters, did you ever wish that you said 'no' instead at the time? What they asked you to do probably stretched you to the limit because you already had family and work to balance. Looking back, are you glad you said 'yes'?
These past three four weeks, our young people were probably asked to stretch to their limit. There were plenty tree limbs to be picked up outside, plenty mess in the backyard, and sleep without grumbling in no air condition. How well did you do? Did you said yes to your parents but used delay tactics to procrastinate? Parents, did you have any of your children say in the past few weeks, 'It's not fair!' For those parents here who were frustrated with their sons and daughters these past few weeks, rest assured because our young people learned their lesson. This past two weeks, a group of priests heard confession at our Catholic high schools--Redemptorist, St. Michael's, St. Joseph Academy, and Catholic High. Before confession, I asked all of the students who came to me how their storm experiences were. All of them said that it wasn't too bad even without electricity. And most of them said they were sorry to their parents because they said yes to help them clean up but procrastinated. They all repented. Praise God!
When I was assigned to St. Louis King of France last year as a deacon-intern for six months, I was asked during a staff meeting that I should be assigned to clean the two bathrooms attached to the church. Were they joking? I didn't know at the time. They said Fr. Tippy Hurst who was the pastor for umpteen years cleaned that bathroom. So the day came, I grudgingly filled the mop bucket with Mop-n-Glo and grudgingly cleaned the bathrooms. I was thinking to myself, 'What am I doing? I didn't go to seminary for six years to get a masters degree in theology to learn how to Mop-n-Glo some toilets." What was God doing with me at that time? He was teaching me a lesson. I have promised Him at my Diaconate Ordination that I would willingly become a servant of servants, to be obedient to Him, and to be humble like His Son. St. Paul tells us in our Second Reading, "Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness...he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
Whether we said 'yes' readily or resisted with a firm 'no', God teaches us a lesson in both cases. When a mother or father asks their child to do something, there is a reason why they asked. The parent might wanted to teach the child good work ethic, to learn how to clean after themselves, or learn how to be less selfish. Likewise, when God asks us for a 'yes' there is much thought behind why He asked us. In our last Sunday's First Reading in the Book of Sirach, Lord says, "As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts." We do not know why He asks us to stretch ourselves or even tackle the impossible. I had many students who came to confession asked me why God would allow their houses to be damaged and lose power. "Lord's way is not fair!" we say. In reply, Lord says the following in our First Reading, "Is it My way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?" When God asks for a 'yes,' the WWF wrestling match going inside of our heart is between "Yes, I will serve" vs "No, I will not serve."" In our Second Reading, St. Paul challenges us, "Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others." I'll leave you with St. Paul's words, "Brothers and sisters: If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking of one thing...have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus."
Are you a person who says yes to things but regrets later? Or, are you a person who is more likely to say no first but eventually do them later? Do you have the gift of inability to say no? Keep this in your mind as you hear today's readings.
Homily
I have never met any Daughters of Jesus who used be here serving this parish as religious sisters for decades, but I did learn one thing about them from talking to all of y'all. They had the gift of extracting 'yes' from y'all knowing that y'all had the gift of inability to say no. Isn't it true? Those of you who said 'yes' to the sisters, did you ever wish that you said 'no' instead at the time? What they asked you to do probably stretched you to the limit because you already had family and work to balance. Looking back, are you glad you said 'yes'?
These past three four weeks, our young people were probably asked to stretch to their limit. There were plenty tree limbs to be picked up outside, plenty mess in the backyard, and sleep without grumbling in no air condition. How well did you do? Did you said yes to your parents but used delay tactics to procrastinate? Parents, did you have any of your children say in the past few weeks, 'It's not fair!' For those parents here who were frustrated with their sons and daughters these past few weeks, rest assured because our young people learned their lesson. This past two weeks, a group of priests heard confession at our Catholic high schools--Redemptorist, St. Michael's, St. Joseph Academy, and Catholic High. Before confession, I asked all of the students who came to me how their storm experiences were. All of them said that it wasn't too bad even without electricity. And most of them said they were sorry to their parents because they said yes to help them clean up but procrastinated. They all repented. Praise God!
When I was assigned to St. Louis King of France last year as a deacon-intern for six months, I was asked during a staff meeting that I should be assigned to clean the two bathrooms attached to the church. Were they joking? I didn't know at the time. They said Fr. Tippy Hurst who was the pastor for umpteen years cleaned that bathroom. So the day came, I grudgingly filled the mop bucket with Mop-n-Glo and grudgingly cleaned the bathrooms. I was thinking to myself, 'What am I doing? I didn't go to seminary for six years to get a masters degree in theology to learn how to Mop-n-Glo some toilets." What was God doing with me at that time? He was teaching me a lesson. I have promised Him at my Diaconate Ordination that I would willingly become a servant of servants, to be obedient to Him, and to be humble like His Son. St. Paul tells us in our Second Reading, "Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness...he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
Whether we said 'yes' readily or resisted with a firm 'no', God teaches us a lesson in both cases. When a mother or father asks their child to do something, there is a reason why they asked. The parent might wanted to teach the child good work ethic, to learn how to clean after themselves, or learn how to be less selfish. Likewise, when God asks us for a 'yes' there is much thought behind why He asked us. In our last Sunday's First Reading in the Book of Sirach, Lord says, "As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts." We do not know why He asks us to stretch ourselves or even tackle the impossible. I had many students who came to confession asked me why God would allow their houses to be damaged and lose power. "Lord's way is not fair!" we say. In reply, Lord says the following in our First Reading, "Is it My way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?" When God asks for a 'yes,' the WWF wrestling match going inside of our heart is between "Yes, I will serve" vs "No, I will not serve."" In our Second Reading, St. Paul challenges us, "Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others." I'll leave you with St. Paul's words, "Brothers and sisters: If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking of one thing...have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus."
