HOMILY for July 22, 2018: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

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16^thSunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Terranova Hermitage 

July 22, 2018

The Challenge of Belief, Hope and Love 

(Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato 

 

Why Follow?

Why did so many people follow and gather around Jesus? 

Today’s Gospel says that there were so many people that Jesus and his apostles did not even have time to get a bite to eat at the local carry out. 

I think that the answer to the question of “Why?” takes us back to the basics.

What comes across to me is that these people believe in, hope in, and love Jesus – the basics: faith, hope, and love. 

Here is why I say that.

To Believe, Hope and Love 

These folks in the Gospel have nothing and no one in their life experience to believe in. They are ordinary, hard-working people, trying to keep body and soul together.

Historical evidence also indicates that they are made to feel like second-class, even low-class by the higher-ups. They have so often been disappointed and let down by the leaders in their society and religion. 

So, they are open to believe in a God who is intervening into their world, in the way that Jesus is talking about. They are open, perhaps even eager to believe in Jesus, who seems so wise and compassionate.

These crowds gathering around him also have nothing to hope for.  Fifteen percent of their children die at birth, 60% before they are teens, and their life expectancy is 35 years.

They work hard on farms and live under the occupation of the Roman army.  They see no future for themselves or their country.

So, they are attracted by the hope Jesus is offering them, namely, that the meek will inherit the land and that their sorrows will be turned into joy.  Yes, they are more than willing to hope in Jesus.

These individuals also need to feel the warmth and tenderness of love. They are so tired of not being treated with respect.

They do not feel valued or wanted.  Their sense of self-esteem has hit bottom.

Little wonder they are attracted to a young man who tells them that every hair on their head is counted and valued by God and that God loves them no matter what.  

So the crowds are moved to love Jesus in return. 

Today’s Challenge with That

I’m wondering if, in some ways, today hasn’t become even more challenging to follow Jesus than it was then. 

Today, perhaps all the knowledge and having it just a click away makes having faith more difficult. Every day we are discovering something new in the universe, in medicine and in technology. 

We may become skeptical about anything that cannot be proven scientifically, making belief in God and in Jesus superfluous.

In our times, we may also have less of a need to hope.  We get immersed in the latest smart phone or flat screen TV or whatever it is that glitters or attracts our attention. 

We may simply live for today and have no real vision for the future so we’re less inclined to place our hope in God and in Jesus.

Finally, today we may be a bit foggy or unclear about love. We’re prone to give up on the commitment that is involved in loving, especially when the grass, as they say, seems greener on the other side.

We may also see love as just giving things and not ourselves and our time to our children and others, making us less inclined to love God and Jesus.

Our Choice to Believe, Hope, and Love

In the face of all these present day, concrete applications we might ask,“Is possible or even appealing for us to believe, to hope in, and to love God?”

To make a case for responding “Yes!” to the question we can say that science does not give us all the answers to the mysteries of life, that the really big questions of life and death remain a mystery. Admitting that, we are more inclined to say yes to a belief in God and Jesus.

When we look at the problems in life and in our world and sense that we are not fully in control, we can respond “Yes!” to the reasonableness to hope in God and Jesus.

And when we remember that all human beings have a longing for unconditional love, again we can respond with a full-throated “Yes!” to the love God in Jesus is offering us.

Even in our scientific, consumerist, and material-oriented culture it is possible and even attractive to believe, to hope in, and to love God.  

This is both the invitation and the challenge that placed before us in today’s Gospel. 

HOMILY for July 15, 2018: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

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15^thSunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

St. Mark’s Church, Fallston / 9:00 & 11:00

July 15, 2018

Becoming Disciples 

By Nicholas “Kioko” Amato 

Introduction

Last week I returned from being part of a medical mission trip to Kenya, East Africa, with five members of Nativity parish in Timonium.

Our first day in the little Kenyan village of Kiu, we were welcomed by 500 children and adult members of the Kamba Tribe. We were given bracelets (demo)and Kamba names. Henceforth, I was to known as Kioko, a word meaning “morning.”

As part of our preparation to go, we attended six sessions at Nativity and went on a retreat together.

A big point that kept getting repeated was that we were going to Africa to empower people rather than give them things; we were going to Africa in order to build relationships rather than “fix” things. 

Power Given (Readings)

I mention this mission experience because today’s readings also speak of a mission to which each of us, as a disciple of Jesus, is called.

IN THE FIRST READING we hear Amos saying, “I was no prophet …. I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamore trees.”

Yet, notice that the lord takes him from his flock and says to him, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”

The idea here is that even in the humblest of jobs and the most menial labor, we’re taken by God to prophesy to God’s people. That is, we’re to offer them a word of consolation, call them to care for the common good, and do good to those who have less, materially.

THE SECOND READING declares that it is,“God the Father who chose us in Jesus, before the foundation of the world, to be holy.”

It continues, “In him we have been redeemed by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.”

And as if that’s not enough, it continues: “In him we were also chosen … so that we might exist for the praise of his glory.

That’s a lot of blessings to take in. Just think: You have been chosen before the world began; you’re been forgiven your sins; you’ve been destined to give God glory through how you live your life.

THEN THE GOSPEL spells out what how our lives are to be led. We see Jesus summoning the 12 and sending them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits and all sorts of evil and darkness.

So, we are all, in a very real sense, called and empowered to join others in being missionaries, disciples, followers of Jesus.

Power Released (NCR)

So you might ask, “How is this power as a disciple of Jesus to be released in me?”

In our training to go to Kenya, we learned of three very ordinary, concrete things that each of us could do, things that would act as sort of ignition switch (gesture)or springboards (gesture)for this power, this grace of God, to be released in us.

The first was to have NO EXPECTATIONS. The second was to move out of our COMFORT ZONE, and the third was to REMAIN FLEXIBLE.

Adhering to those three practices would unleash God’s grace in us. It was quite a promise!

Power Applied

For me, in going on the mission, NO EXPECTATIONS meant I would not expect to be appreciated, though I was. I’d have easy plane connections from London to Nairobi, which they weren’t, and that, everything would run smoothly, which it didn’t.

For us in the “mission” of our home, neighborhood or work, our expectation might be that we’d feel appreciated by your boss, or the traffic to your destination would have no detours or construction, or our day would run according to plan. 

“Fat chance you say,” yet, without expectations, there’s no disappointment when things do go awry. 

For me, going on mission, moving out of my COMFORT ZONE included the daily cold shower, the fear of getting malaria or typhoid, eating the food of another culture

For us in the “mission” of our home, neighborhood or work environment, moving out of our “comfort zone” might be breaking your routine to help someone out, or not being able to relax after work in order to spend some time with your kids or grandkids. 

                 

Finally, for me, going on the mission, REMAINING FLEXIBLE would come to mean our car breaking down twice, awaiting a new driver because our first one became ill, or finding it difficult to eat lunch because too many sick people still needed to be seen.

For us in the “mission” of our home, neighborhood or work, “flexibility” might be someone getting sick and needing our attention, having to postpone a vacation, or rearrange your schedule. 

Conclusion

Given the readings, let us think of today as a challenge to be a deeper more impactful disciple of Jesus. 

You have been given tools to lay hold of God’s grace already within you: (1) No expectations, (2) Move out of your comfort zone, and (3) Be flexible. 

Your ministry, your work, awaits you at home, in your neighborhood, workplace, and even at the community pool.

HOMILY for July 8, 2018: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

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14^thSunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Terranova Hermitage

July 8, 2018

Power Made Perfect

By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato 

Weakness and Strength 

“When I am weak, then I am strong.”

These are the last words in today’s passage from Saint Paul. “When I am weak, then I am strong.”

Just think about this. The idea here is counter-intuitive.

At least privately, when we feel weak in some way, we don’t see ourselves as strong. This would be contradictory.

This idea is also counter-cultural. We pride ourselves on being strong.

We often see any weakness as a deficiency. We want to project at least an appearance of strength.

Paul’s Weakness

So, what does Paul mean here?

“When I am weak, then I am strong.”To understand this, we have to look back to something that he says earlier in the passage.

Paul says: “[A] thorn in the flesh was given to me.”He repeatedly asks God to remove this “thorn in the flesh,” but it was not removed.

Paul never tells us what this was. Some speculate that the “thorn in the flesh” was a physical ailment, disability, or speech impediment.

Or maybe it was an emotional problem or maybe a moral fault. We just don’t know what it was.

Our Weakness

We do know, if we think about it, we do know that we all have some “thorn in the flesh.”

We all have some weakness that we wish God would remove from us. Maybe it is physical pain – like migraine headaches or arthritis in our joints.

Or maybe it is an emotional problem – like depression. Or maybe it is a moral fault – like getting angry and flying off the handle all the time. 

Mine was — hard to believe today — the fear of speaking in public. I just wasn’t able to. My throat would dry up, my windpipe would constrict. I’d be crippled emotionally to go on.

My bet is that we all have some weakness. We all have some “thorn in the flesh,” to use Paul’s expression.     

Weakness and Power 

Now God gives Paul an insight into this “thorn,” this weakness, and this is the key to the entire passage.

God says: “Power is made perfect in weakness.”“Power is made perfect in weakness.”

This is a great and, I mean greatinsight. The idea here is that each of us has a certain amount of “power”.

By “power”I mean that each of us has a certain amount of self-sufficiency and a certain amount of influence over others. The insight that God gives Paul is that our “thorn in the flesh,”our weakness, whatever it is, can lead us to use our power much better.

So, if my “thorn”or weakness is some physical issue, this can lead me to be more empathetic to a family member who is having significant back pain. If my ”thorn” or weakness is an emotional issue, it can lead me to be more understanding of a child who has ADD.

Or if my “thorn”or weakness is a moral issue, it can lead me to be less judgmental of others. These are examples of what God means in those profound words: “Power is made perfect in weakness.”

In other words, my “thorn” or weakness can have a good side to it. It can lead us to grow and be better persons.

Weakness and Divine Power

Finally, God also says: “My grace is sufficient for you.”

God is speaking here of the divine power that helps us to deal with our “thorn”or weakness. This is a great irony of our human condition.

When we feel the most broken, divine power is potentially at its greatest. Why? Because when we know our weakness, we can be most open to the presence and power of God. 

This happens because we realize that we cannot do it by ourselves. The divine power helps us to deal with our weakness.

So, when we are aware of that “thorn”or weakness, whatever it is, we can turn to the divine power of God, of Jesus Christ. Then we can experience it in dealing with it.

Conclusion

So, God says: “Power is made perfect in weakness.” And: “My grace is sufficient for you.” 

And that is why Paul asserts: “When I am weak, then I am strong.”

HOMILY for July 1, 2018: 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

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13^thSunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Terranova Hermitage

July 1, 2018

 

 

The Touch, Wholeness, and Hope of Scripture

By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato

 

A Smorgasbord

Have you ever been to one of those Amish smorgasbord restaurants up in Lancaster?

I have been to two or three of them. There are lots and lots of delicious dishes – soups, salads, meats, fish, homemade rolls, and cakes, pies, and ice cream for dessert.

It’s hard to come away without feeling full. And that’s an understatement!

Well, today’s Gospel can serve as a kind of spiritual smorgasbord. There’s lots in here to feed and satisfy us spiritually.

I have decided to pick out just three items. In a way, they are separate and distinct.

But in another way, they are all united by Jesus and our faith in him. So, let’s approach the smorgasbord and dig in! 

1.   Touch 

First, notice that the man named Jairus asks Jesus to come to his home and place his hands upon his daughter so that she may get well.

When Jesus eventually gets to the house, the daughter has died. But, Jesus touches her – takes her by the hand and heals her.

Along the way, before getting to Jairus’ home, we hear of a woman who has been suffering for years from a hemorrhage. She reaches out and touches Jesus’ cloak and feels healing in her body.

What’s going on here is the Jewish belief that physical touch can communicate God’s life and healing. We as Christians and as Catholics have the same belief.

That’s why there is some kind of touch in each of our seven sacraments. Right here in the Eucharist, the touch is the giving and receiving of the bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ.

I recommend that we approach the Eucharist in the way that Jairus and the woman in the Gospel approach Jesus. We need to come to Communion with faith that power and grace of God comes to us here.

I recommend that it would be good to have a very short, personal prayer that we pray and repeat as we come to Communion. For example, “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”

“Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”If we approach Communion with this kind of faith, then we open ourselves to experience the grace and power of Jesus, of God.

2.   Wholeness 

Now, notice that the woman with the hemorrhage feels healing.

Jesus also senses that this healing has taken place, but he still wants to see the person who touched his cloak.

And this is significant. It is the seeing – Jesus seeing this woman and this woman seeing Jesus – it is this personal encounter that leads to fuller healing.

Because of this woman’s illness, she was excluded from the community, alienated, treated as unclean. But Jesus, through the eye-to-eye contact, brings her fuller healing.

He calls her “Daughter.”He gives her a personal relationship to himself and with it, social and spiritual healing. 

Yes, Jesus gives her wholeness as a person and he wants the same full healing and wholeness for us. 

For this to happen, I recommend that we need to have that personal encounter with Jesus through a regular reading of passages from one of the Gospels. 

Let Jesus speak to you and look at you here. And, in turn, listen to Jesus and look at him. 

Over time, this will develop a personal relationship between Jesus and us. It will also bring us a wholeness, a full personal healing just as Jesus brought to this woman in the Gospel.

3. Hope

Finally, notice what I have always thought was a coincidence. 

This woman had suffered with a hemorrhage for twelve years. And the daughter of Jairus was twelve years old.

I have always thought that number twelve here was a coincidence. But, I got a new insight from my reading this past week.

The number twelve in that culture stood for completeness. So, in these two instances of illness, what is being conveyed is complete hopefulness.

Apparently, Saint Mark carefully recalls this detail to convey that no matter how hopeless something or someone seems to be, we can still turn to Jesus for help. 

There is always room for hope with Jesus.   

Conclusion

So, I have limited us to three items on this spiritual smorgasbord.

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Maybe we can remember them with these words: 1) Touch, 2) Wholeness, and 3) Hope. How easy it is to come away spiritually nourished and fully satisfied.