I am late in posting this: this is the homily I preached this past Sunday, January 26, which was the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C, and also designated by Pope Francis as Sunday of the Word of God. That Sunday's readings are here.
In case you’re wondering why I made that extended tour around the church with the Book of the Gospels, while the cantor sang multiple verses of the Gospel acclamation, it’s because today is the Sunday of the Word of God. A few years ago, Pope Francis directed that the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, which is today, be celebrated as Sunday of the Word of God. It’s a day when we honor the sacred Word that has been given to us by God.
The Word of God comes in many forms: myth, law, prophets, wisdom, apocalyptic, psalms, Gospels, epistles – God has spoken to us in many times and in many ways through the ages. We owe a great debt to those, like the author of Luke’s Gospel, who collected, recorded and edited these holy words so faithfully; and a great debt to God’s Chosen People and the Church which have been stewards of God’s Word through the ages. And now it is our turn to be good stewards, to pass God’s word in its integrity and power to our own children and grandchildren.
God’s Word is not just words on page. They are living words – words of power. They are words that can change lives, and have changed lives. God’s word has the power to console us when we are grieving, to cast light when we are in the darkness of despair, to offer courage and support when we are frightened, to calm and soothe us when we are angry. God’s word offers wisdom when we do foolish things in our lives.
But most importantly of all: it is through God’s word that God reveals himself to us: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We get to know God through his sacred Word.
Jesus of Nazareth is so closely associated with God’s Word that it is impossible to speak of one without the other. So immersed was he in sacred scripture that at the age of 12 he amazed the teachers and doctors in the Temple. In today’s Gospel passage, we also learn that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s Word – he is the Messiah, the one whom God promised through his prophets from long before.
We believers even acknowledge that The Word of God is Jesus’s very identity: the first verse of John’s Gospel states, “In the beginning was the Word” – that is, Jesus – “and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. So Jesus was immersed in the Word; he is the fulfillment of the Word; and he is the Word.
Because he is the Word, it follows that, when the word of God is proclaimed in the assembly of the faithful, as it was just proclaimed here, Jesus becomes present in that proclamation. Isn’t that wonderful?
It should be pretty clear that one of the very best ways to get to know Jesus is to get to know the Word – that is, the Holy Bible. One way to appreciate this is to ask yourself, “What is my favorite bible story about Jesus?” Is it the story of the Prodigal Son? People who have been through periods in their life when they’ve turned away from God tend to love that story. Or is it the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus? Or is it the story of the Good Samaritan? All of us can be the Good Samaritan, reaching beyond the boundaries of nationality or religion or race or gender or economic or citizenship status to show love and mercy to strangers in trouble whom we encounter along the way. Or is it the story of the Good Thief, hanging on the cross beside Jesus, who will be with him in paradise that very day? Or is it the story of Doubting Thomas? Or perhaps it’s some other story about Jesus.
I have a portable microphone here. I’m going to crawl out on a limb here, and ask some of you to come forward to tell us what your favorite Bible story about Jesus is. It could be one I just named, or it could be a different story. It could be a story with Mary in it – it just needs to be in the Bible. Who would like to offer their favorite story?
(Allow people in the pews to share their favorite Bible stories about Jesus).
These Bible stories about Jesus have touched people’s hearts, and changed their lives, for 2,000+ years. We love these stories because they reveal something true about Jesus: that he is able to come into our lives and save us from sin and death. All of these stories have been Good News for the poor. All of us are poor if we don’t have Jesus in our lives; that’s a poverty I wouldn’t wish on anyone. And all of us can be rich in the currency that counts in God’s kingdom: that is, to know and love Jesus. So let’s make ourselves rich by continuing to get to know Jesus more and more through the Word of God.
Of course we had the same Gospel reading but didn't do the formal acclamation and procession. That was a nice idea for people to give their favorite Jesus story. Though I think that would have caused some sighs and eye rolls here because the priests tend to go on quite a long time with their homilies, and usually miss some off-ramps! The deacons have an informal suggested limit of ten minutes.
ReplyDeleteI always think of this particular Gospel reading in connection with the third Luminous mystery of the rosary.
Good homily!
ReplyDeleteThe Word can also offer corrective for your own behavior. IRL, I am undemonstrative and stingy with encouragement, so Jesus offering last words of comfort to the Good Thief when he had nothing else to give has always been a rebuke to my own behavior.
Participating in my cancer group and offering info and sometimes encouragement of an astringent sort has helped open me up a bit. At least I don't have to hug anybody!
One of my favorite Jesus stories is the one where he was asleep in the boat and a storm came up, and he calmed the sea. I always remember when Pope Francis used that reading for the Urbi et Orbi talk he gave at the start of the pandemic. He was standing alone at twilight in the rain.
ReplyDeleteI don’t relate well to many scripture passages because of my doubting Thomas mind. ( I do like that one. It makes me feel better to know that even an apostle could doubt). My favorite is The Prodigal Son though. Because the father forgave the son, ordered a feast, and ran out to welcome him home ( with a hug. Unlike Jean, I need hugs) BEFORE the son had “confessed” his sins (and said three Hail Marys). God forgives us and absolves us (no need for a human being in a Roman collar) because God knows what is in our hearts, minds, and souls. I do repent my sins, but it’s hard not to repeat them sometimes . I am very judgmental towards MAGA folk, including Catholic bishops, priests, and people in the pews, friends and family.
ReplyDeleteAssuming there is a God, the parable of the Prodigal Son is very comforting to me. I also very much like Henri Nouwen’s book on it, based on his reflections on the Rembrandt painting in the Hermitage in St Petersburg, Russia. (The Return of the Prodigal Son). I Choose to believe, but it’s a struggle. Jesus frequently says that someone’s faith has saved them, or cured them. Those stories worry me because I can’t simply summon up a strong faith as do most of you here. I choose to believe even when I think it’s all wishful thinking.
I always took it to mean that the person had to have enough faith to approach Jesus in the first place. And sometimes it was a friend or family member who had the faith to approach Jesus on their behalf. Such as Jairus for his daughter, or the guys who cut a hole in the roof to lower their paralytic friend down. That not only took faith, but chutzpah.
DeleteThe Prodigal Son always seemed to me to be an example of forgiveness without a grudge. One of the Church Ladies loved to talk about how she could not accept that the son didn't have any punishment. I understood his regret as his punishment and salvation, but she thought that was stoopid.
DeleteJean, I agree with you. It’s a story about God’s unconditional love.
DeleteJim did any of the congregation accept the invitation and the microphone? If so, what did they say?
ReplyDeleteYes- I preached at two masses, and permitted three persons at each mass to share their favorite story, and offer a brief explanation. As you might expect, when I issued the invitation, at first there was a silene, which I chose not to interpret as stony :-) at both masses, it was a music minister who broke the ice and spoke up. Once the first person spoke, others were willing to do so.
DeleteNobody actually approached the mic; they just spoke up from their pews, and I repeated their words into my mic to ensure everyone could hear.
Interestingly, of the six responses, three mentioned the wedding at Cana as their favorite, for three different reasons. That story had been the Gospel reading pretty recently, so maybe it was top of mind. But I think people really are attracted to the story, too.
Another person said the multiplication of the loaves and fishes was her favorite story. Another mentioned the curing of the centurion's servant, because she likes the line, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and I shall be healed."
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