Oct. 6, 2019: 27th Sunday C
Oct. 6, 2019: 27th Sunday C
Audio Homily: https://oembed.libsyn.com/embed?item_id=11533199
Can trust and confidence in God the size of the tiniest mustard seed transform us? It’s like asking what can small drops of water ever do for us in our lives. Yet, we as Christians have all received small drops of water on our heads when we were baptized. Did it change us? You bet! We just need to be reminded of its power from time to time and put the power into action. St. Paul reminds us, “Brothers and sisters, I remind you, to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord… but bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.”
I’m going to share with you about the life of a young man named Bo. When he was eight years old, he asked his parents if he could be baptized. But his dad said, “No, you’re too young. Do you know exactly what you’re doing?” Apparently, his parents did not believe in childhood baptism. Bo waited a year and asked again, “Dad, I want to be baptized.” Rebuffed again, he persisted another year and asked again. It took two years of persistence before Bo was baptized at the age of ten. He quickly sprung into action with his new gift of baptism. In his early teens, Bo began preaching to others. He loved to sing in church, so he began to organize a church choir and taught people how to read music. Even at a young age, Bo used his faith to impact the lives of others. About a year ago, Bo called his older sister with excitement, “Guess where I’m heading, Big Sis?” His sister knew exactly where he was going, to get a tub of ice cream. For a whole week, he was on a strict soup diet after a wisdom tooth extraction. On the day he called his sister, he had received the ‘green light’ from his dentist to eat ice cream. She replied, laughing, “Count your blessings.” She was referring to their favorite hymn from their church.” Bo was the kind of person who knew how to count God’s blessings in his life. The lyrics of the hymn are:
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings ev'ry doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
Count your blessings, name them one by one.
Count your blessings, see what God has done.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened God is over all.
Count your many blessings, Angels will attend.
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.
What keeps us from counting our blessings from God and putting our faith in action? One saint said, "When people are empty of Christ, a thousand and one other things come and fill them up: jealousies, hatreds, boredom, melancholy, resentment, a worldly outlook, worldly pleasures. Try to fill your soul with Christ so that it's not empty." (St. Porphyrios) The disciples of Jesus asked, "Increase our faith." The Lord replied that if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they could even command a large mulberry tree to uproot itself. Jesus tells his disciples that if they have even a small relationship with our Heavenly Father, they could do anything, no matter how weak or fearful they may feel. While fear can overwhelm us at times, even a small amount of faith can comfort us when we are discouraged and challenge us when we are complacent. Perhaps one of the most difficult times when we are called to put our faith into action is when we are called to forgive. The verse preceding today’s gospel reading is, “If your brother wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.” When a person of faith is receptive to God’s power, all things become possible — even moving a large tree or forgiving bitter enemies.
Several hours after that joyful phone call from Bo, his sister received a shocking phone call from the hospital, that he died from a fatal gunshot wound from an off-duty police officer. As many of you have seen in the news the past few days, forgiveness from Bo’s brother and family has surprised everyone. Bo’s brother said in the courtroom to the former officer, “I want the best for you because that’s exactly what Bo would want for you. And the best would be to give your life to Christ...I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you.” Bo’s mother said, “That ten years in prison is ten years for her reflection, and for her to change her life.”
Forgiving someone is a supreme act of putting our faith into action. It does not magically reverse the loss, sorrow and hurt. However, we should remind ourselves what one drop of blood from the Cross of Jesus did for us. The drop of blood, perhaps the size of a mustard seed, saved us from our destruction. Our Lord said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” (Matt 5:43-45) Bo embraced his faith early on in life and lived his faith. We are all given the same Holy Spirit at our baptism. What we choose to do with the gift is what makes the difference. At a time when the whole family and community could easily be torn apart by this tragedy, they have chosen to count Bo’s life as a blessing and carry on the witness of faith--to love and forgive. What will it take for us to live our faith as Bo did?
As we continue through this Mass and receive the body and blood of Christ, let us ask, “Lord, increase our faith!”
Audio Homily: https://oembed.libsyn.com/embed?item_id=11533199
I’m going to share with you about the life of a young man named Bo. When he was eight years old, he asked his parents if he could be baptized. But his dad said, “No, you’re too young. Do you know exactly what you’re doing?” Apparently, his parents did not believe in childhood baptism. Bo waited a year and asked again, “Dad, I want to be baptized.” Rebuffed again, he persisted another year and asked again. It took two years of persistence before Bo was baptized at the age of ten. He quickly sprung into action with his new gift of baptism. In his early teens, Bo began preaching to others. He loved to sing in church, so he began to organize a church choir and taught people how to read music. Even at a young age, Bo used his faith to impact the lives of others. About a year ago, Bo called his older sister with excitement, “Guess where I’m heading, Big Sis?” His sister knew exactly where he was going, to get a tub of ice cream. For a whole week, he was on a strict soup diet after a wisdom tooth extraction. On the day he called his sister, he had received the ‘green light’ from his dentist to eat ice cream. She replied, laughing, “Count your blessings.” She was referring to their favorite hymn from their church.” Bo was the kind of person who knew how to count God’s blessings in his life. The lyrics of the hymn are:
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings ev'ry doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
Count your blessings, name them one by one.
Count your blessings, see what God has done.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened God is over all.
Count your many blessings, Angels will attend.
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.
What keeps us from counting our blessings from God and putting our faith in action? One saint said, "When people are empty of Christ, a thousand and one other things come and fill them up: jealousies, hatreds, boredom, melancholy, resentment, a worldly outlook, worldly pleasures. Try to fill your soul with Christ so that it's not empty." (St. Porphyrios) The disciples of Jesus asked, "Increase our faith." The Lord replied that if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they could even command a large mulberry tree to uproot itself. Jesus tells his disciples that if they have even a small relationship with our Heavenly Father, they could do anything, no matter how weak or fearful they may feel. While fear can overwhelm us at times, even a small amount of faith can comfort us when we are discouraged and challenge us when we are complacent. Perhaps one of the most difficult times when we are called to put our faith into action is when we are called to forgive. The verse preceding today’s gospel reading is, “If your brother wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.” When a person of faith is receptive to God’s power, all things become possible — even moving a large tree or forgiving bitter enemies.
Forgiving someone is a supreme act of putting our faith into action. It does not magically reverse the loss, sorrow and hurt. However, we should remind ourselves what one drop of blood from the Cross of Jesus did for us. The drop of blood, perhaps the size of a mustard seed, saved us from our destruction. Our Lord said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” (Matt 5:43-45) Bo embraced his faith early on in life and lived his faith. We are all given the same Holy Spirit at our baptism. What we choose to do with the gift is what makes the difference. At a time when the whole family and community could easily be torn apart by this tragedy, they have chosen to count Bo’s life as a blessing and carry on the witness of faith--to love and forgive. What will it take for us to live our faith as Bo did?
As we continue through this Mass and receive the body and blood of Christ, let us ask, “Lord, increase our faith!”
