Daily HOMILY for August 14, 2019: Wednesday 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Cycle C

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Wednesday 19^thWeek in Ordinary Time

Washington Retreat House 

August 14, 2019 

MOSES & JESUS LEADERS PAR EXCELLENCE  ++++++++

Ø  Moses died on far side of the Jordan, but God remains w/ his people for whole of their journey

Ø  Similarly Jesus is always with his followers, even if only two or three are gathered in his name

Ø  Passing of Moses a most moving scene in the Bible

Ø  It has pathos, because the great Liberator glimpses beautiful Promised Land, but not reach it himself

Ø  Touching too, Moses cares to the end

Ø  Even though his burial place is unknown, Moses died as he lived, in a face to face contact with God

Ø  No prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses

HOW A COMMUNITY THRIVES ++++++++++++++++++

Ø  It wasn’t always easy for Moses. Dt. shows God’s people as a community where evil & virtue, death & life, loss & hope exist side by side

Ø  A proud perfectionist can’t be at home w/i this people, nor can a person without ideals and hopes

Ø  A community thrives when goodness and virtue of idealists challenges the selfishness of the others

Ø  Individually & collectively we combine good & bad

Ø  We need each other, so that each is motivated to accept responsibility to promote common good

Ø  No one can belong to J independently of others 

Ø  True, some problems can be settled quickly between the individuals concerned; others are more difficult and require someone outside the immediate circle to intervene in the cause of peace

Ø  Judgment in the church is given in a community way, not on the word of a single person but on that of “two or three witnesses” 

Ø  Jesus also wants us to pray within the communion of the church, otherwise even our best moments can degenerate into mere individualism

Ø  In contrast, “where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them”

CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  President Truman had a card on his desk in the White House declaring in bold capitals “THE BUCK STOPS HERE!”

Ø  This message would it fit nowadays on the kitchen fridge, with simple words to rouse our conscience to be of help and especially by accepting our responsibility to care for the common good

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