This is my homily for yesterday, the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C. The readings for yesterday are here.
We’re a diverse community here at St. Edna. It has taken me a while to figure that out. Over the years, as I have gotten to know our faith community, I have grown to appreciate that our parishioners come from many different backgrounds, and different countries, and different continents. We don’t all look the same here, we don’t all talk the same, and we don’t all have the same history and experiences.
If you really want to appreciate how diverse we are here, try being a Eucharistic Minister. Our Eucharistic Ministers come face to face with each individual person who comes forward to receive communion. Seeing the different faces, even hearing the different ways people say, “Amen”, has brought home to me how diverse we really are. Different languages, different ethnicities, different colors, different ages, different genders, different orientations - we've diverse!
But even though we’re different from one another here, we’re united, too. And that unity is beautiful. Our unity in diversity reminds me of our great country’s motto, E pluribus unum: Out of many, one. I sometimes think it would be good for Americans to recall that motto and what it means: that we are to be united, not divided, in our diversity. These times can feel too much like a time of division in our country.
Here at St. Edna, our unity isn’t a national unity. It’s a different and more profound sort of unity: it’s unity in Jesus. That’s a unity that cuts across national boundaries and different languages and racial identities. Whatever our history, whatever our demographics, whatever it is that divides us here on earth, we’re all welcome at the Lord’s Table, here at St. Edna.
[Hold up a parish bulletin] Our parish mission statement tries to articulate this unity. Our parish mission statement is printed on the front cover of our parish bulletin every week. I'll read it to you now: it says, “St. Edna Catholic Community desires to live as a reflection of who Christ calls us to be by welcoming all in Charity, Justice and Hope. This is our mission.”
“…by welcoming all…” - did you catch that phrase? By welcoming all. How well that fits today’s Gospel reading, which also is about welcoming all. Jesus surely ruffled the feathers of some of the folks he spoke to that day. He said, “people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.” That isn’t what the people in Jesus’s time and place expected. They thought of the Lord as their God. People from other places, like Rome and Greece and Egypt, had their own gods. The idea was: the Lord is our God; other nations have other gods; and thus, religion becomes just another dimension of earthly separation and division.
Today, Jesus corrects that view. We might say that, in today’s Gospel passage, Jesus was teaching his listeners, and us, to think of belief in God the other way around: the Lord doesn’t belong to us; we belong to him. And we’re not the only ones who belong to him: everyone on earth belongs to him. And everyone on earth is welcome to come into his kingdom – if they can get through the narrow gate.
The narrow gate is a bit of a paradox, isn’t it: it’s so narrow that it’s hard for us to squeeze through. Yet it’s so wide that everyone on the planet, everyone who ever lived or will live, is welcome to enter through it, into God’s kingdom.
This gate, and this kingdom, are not just offered to us, whoever “Us” happens to be – our tribe, our nationality, our race, our orientation, and so on. If we define “Us” in such a way that we’re not including everyone, then it’s not the gate that’s being too narrow: it’s us, our preconceptions, our prejudices, that are too narrow. Because God’s salvation, through Jesus, is on offer to everyone – even people we don’t like, even people we might despise, even people from whom we’re divided. And that should give us something to think about. Maybe the people we dislike are no worse than us. After all, God made all of us. And we know that everything and everyone God makes is good. It says so, in the very first chapter of the bible: Genesis chapter 1. Maybe all of us, despite our differences, are radically equal in God’s eyes.
[Point to the crucifix] Look up there - do you see Jesus up there on the cross? His arms are spread wide. His very act of dying for us had him spreading his arms wide. His dying gesture is a gesture of invitation, and welcome, and embrace. There’s that paradox of the narrow gate again: the way to squeeze through the narrow gate is not to make ourselves smaller and close up on ourselves, but to spread our arms wide, as Jesus does, and embrace an “Us” that includes everyone.
That narrow gate. Edward Foley, a Capuchin priest and professor emeritus at Catholic Theological Union, says about today's Gospel passage, “Jesus is the true narrow gate through which we must pass.” Jesus is the true narrow gate. It turns out that the narrow gate is not a thing, it’s a person: none other than the person of Jesus. Fr. Foley surely is right, because Jesus himself tells us the very same thing in John’s Gospel, in the Good Shepherd discourse, when he says, “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved”. Jesus is the gate. He is himself the entryway to God’s kingdom. Yes, he’s our guide, and yes, he’s the porter who opens the gate for us, but it’s even more intimate than that: he’s the very gateway. We must go through him. It’s as if we must become one with Jesus.
That brings us back to the communion line. Jesus has given us a sacramental way to achieve union with him. We call it communion. It’s Jesus’s body and blood, which for us are the very bread of life. We become one with him by consuming his body and blood.
If we want to be in God’s kingdom, we must unite ourselves in Jesus. We have to be so close to him that he and we become one – with one another, and with him. It’s not enough for us to think nice thoughts about Jesus. Being Jesus-adjacent doesn’t cut it. Jesus says so in today’s Gospel: the people he was among, who dined with him and in whose streets he walked, were not necessarily those who could enter through the gate. Some Jesus-adjacent people were the ones who betrayed him and put him to death. No, we must draw closer to Jesus than just being in his general vicinity. It doesn't do for us to keep a safe distance from him. We need to be so close to him that we’re united with him. Let’s offer thanks now, because in just a few minutes, that’s exactly what is going to happen.
Sola ecclesia? No way for those outside the Communion line to be anything but Jesus-adjacent and aligned with Judas and the Christ killers? Would be interesting to know how this homily flies in an evangelizing context with non- and fallen away Catholics. Seems very 1955 to me.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a good homily up to a point. But like Jean, you lost me at the communion line. I haven't been able to be in the communion line for more than two years! That has really changed my perceptions of the importance of communion for myself and therefore for others.
ReplyDeleteNow I have not changed my mind about the importance of the Eucharist. However, already for years now I have celebrated the Eucharist on a lot of feasts like the Annunciation and Transfiguration with the Orthodox because they have better celebrations. They have never offered me communion and I have never asked them. I have no problem with them theologically or personally. It is just very apparent to me that communion there is all about church politics rather than about Jesus.
I guess I now see it as being no different in our church. Communion is all about church politics and not much about our relationship to Jesus Christ. It is only about our relationships to particular Christian communities, what we think about them and what they think about us.
During the pandemic, my experience with the Orthodox has reminded me that Catholics for centuries celebrated the Eucharist while only receiving communion a few times a year. So, I have become very happy celebrating virtual Eucharists. We daily celebrate Vespers with the Monks so that actually seems to be the better community than the parish with which to celebrate the Eucharist on the Lord's Day.
I can understand that in the context of all the propaganda about Renewing the Eucharist that ending the way you did might seem natural to do. But I think that Eucharist Renewal is very flawed. It not only fails to take into account the experience of non- and fallen away Catholics, it fails to recognize that many of us who have stayed away from attending Church physically now have very different views about our former experiences even if we once were very happy about those experiences. We have just found other safer ways to follow Christ.
I understand that for many people it is not important to personally receive the Eucharist. But for many of us during the Covid lockdown it was painful to not be able to attend Mass (except virtually) and receive Communion. I was grateful that at least perpetual adoration remained open. There are a lot of things about life in bygone centuries that I am glad we don't have to put up with now. The idea that only the priest could take Communion, except rarely, or unless you were on your deathbed, is one of them. That was clericalism on steroids. It's too bad when the Eucharist gets politicized and I think we have to resist that.
ReplyDeleteJean and Jack - thank you for your comments. A reminder - referring to former Catholics as “ fallen away” implies that they met with an accident that caused a fall. But most who leave Catholicism do so for reason - they no longer accept some Catholic teachings.But a church that claims infallibility doesn’t well tolerate diversity when it comes to official teachings. Some no longer believe christian teachings. Trying to reevangelize by using fear as leverage ( which some comments in the homily imply) will not work.
ReplyDeleteI am not bothered by being called "fallen away," though "failed convert" or "dud" probably best sums up my Catholic experience. However, I'll stop using "fallen away" if it is universally offensive.
ReplyDeleteHello - just a few general comments in reply to what has been commented so far.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all: thank you! I take all these comments and critiques seriously, and all of you have given me food for thought.
Regarding my taking a "eucharistic turn" in the homily: to me, it felt like a natural step. The focus of my homily was being united in our diversity, and the Eucharist is the sacrament of our unity in Jesus. For Catholics (ideally, for all Christians), it's how we express our unity. I wasn't aiming to say anything more profound or idiosyncratic than that. I'd just add that, in the passage for last Sunday, Jesus mentions "reclining at table" in God's kingdom, and I thought there was a Eucharistic angle there, too.
Regarding the Eucharistic Renewal: it has been a big nothing-burger around here, so far. Jack, I don't know if you still keep an eye on Pray Tell, but I actually commented there a week or two ago that, until one of the posters there posted something about it, I hadn't even heard about it. In prepping this homily, it never entered my mind. FWIW.
Regarding those who feel separated from the Eucharist: I understand that the separation and even alienation are real, and may be a source of pain. I'd note that, if anyone wishes to return to the table, there is a path back - for anyone and everyone. Beyond that, I wouldn't want to give personal spiritual advice in a public forum like this one. But email me privately if anyone wants to pursue that topic.
More generally about separation from the table: Jesus wants all of us to be one - every person, every church, every denomination. Ecumenism is a great thing - when it is pursued. I don't know whether the Catholic church has lost ecumenical impetus in recent years. But I haven't heard much about it. I'm not certain how much of a priority ecumenism is for Francis, but one would think it plays to his strengths, as ecumenism is about encounter, prayer, listening, discernment and being open to the movement of the Holy Spirit. It may be possible to think of ecumenism as a particular type of synodality.
At any rate, thanks again for the comments - they are much appreciated.
Ecumenical activities among other denominations underscore the Christian unity that already exists. The RCC generally holds itself aloof from these, holding out for unity to come thru Rome only. I don't pretend to know if this is good or bad.
DeleteNot looking to you or others here for private spiritual direction but thanks for the general offer. We all know that the way back is thru Confession, and that that requires a change of heart and intention and desire to live by the rules.
I admire those who can do that, and I understand those who feel it's too much.
"We all know that the way back is thru Confession"
DeleteNot always.
I admire people, like you, who have the courage of their convictions.
It's not a matter of conviction or courage but fear. I'm not going to approach the real presence of God Almighty as if I were a Catholic in good stead.
DeleteGod may forgive humble sinners who dither around thinking things to pieces and trying to salvage something out of the ruins. If that makes us Judases, so be it. The RCC has enough imagination to conceive of a redeemed Judas.
But I doubt that God is quite as merciful toward the arrogant who rationalize their behavior and pretend to be in a state of grace. God sees through that.
Jean, why do you think God requires people to be Catholics in good standing? Do you believe that all others are damned?
DeleteI don't.
DeleteThen why do you think that you have to be a Catholic in good stead to not fear approaching God. I’m confused about what you mean.
DeleteI don't want to argue about this, Anne. But if you really simply don't understand:
DeleteTheir house, their rules.
To use a crude analogy, it isn't a sin to wipe your nose on your sleeve. But if someone has asked you not to do it in their home and you do it anyway, with out regard for their feelings or customs, that is a sin against hospitality.
I’m not arguing, I’m trying to understand what you are saying. You follow the rules of Catholicism because you think that you must since you are an active Catholic. I can understand that. But I don’t see what it had to do with being fearful of meeting God. I don’t think God is overly concerned about whether or not people kept the rules set up by the human beings who run religions ( any of the world’s many religions). I think that God looks at how people treated other people, how they treat all of Creation. Based on what you write here, you would probably pass with flying colors.
DeleteBut apparently you think God will reject you if you don’t follow every Catholic Church rule? Am I understanding this right?
I will add this - when I say that former Catholics don’t fall away, they make a choice, that can include those whose choice is to simply no longer participate in mass because it’s a pain in the neck, to those who leave because they don’t accept the teachings and the rules, to those who are atheist etc. . Staying would make them feel hypocritical. That’s part of the reason I left. I don’t accept some teachings and rules - I think they are wrong and I think that some cause tangible harm to people - and staying anyway would feel hypocritical. I don’t fear meeting God, but if I stayed, I might.
DeleteI don't really understand what you're asking or why you want to know. I feel badgered to admit or confess something.
DeleteJean the problem with “ fallen away” is that it implies that the former catholic did not make a choice. Leaving the church always involves a choice of some kids The term is pejorative because it implies that the person who made a choice to walk away from the RCC is mindless. As far as I can determine from your comments, you are still an active Catholic, unlike me.
ReplyDeleteOK, I won't say it on here any more.
DeleteJim, you cling to the church as an exclusive, country club mentality. If people don’t “ pay their dues” as you understand them, then too bad. They won’t make it through that narrow gate. You see it through the lens of limiting entrance to orthodox belief. I think that God looks at how people of all religions and none love one another, not belief or following the “right” rituals of a particular denomination in Christianity.
ReplyDeleteThe point of a country club is to provide an oasis from the riff-raff, however they were/are identified; at various points in American history, country club rules have indicated the riff-raff has consisted of Blacks, Jews, women, and/or poor people. If my homily doesn't indicate to you that I'm advocating the opposite of that sort of exclusion, then I've failed as a writer (and maybe as a homilist).
DeleteI’m not referring to race, culture, or demographic attributes. Your homily implies that Jesus presides over an exclusive club of people who qualify to be in the communion line at St Edna’s. It implies that way through the “ narrow gate” - entrance into the country club - is baptism in the RCC and participation in the RCC Eucharist. It implies that those who are not Catholic Christians , not “ unified » with Jesus through eating and drinking the « body and blood » of Jesus as defined by the RCC cannot make it through the narrow gate, which is Jesus. This understanding excludes billions of God’s children.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think the church is well-served by observing the humility not to speculate on the "status" of those in other churches and denominations. If anything, Catholics should cling with hope to the teachings of Vatican II that there are many bonds which connect us, and we really are, in some way, still in communion with one another, even if not fully. I didn't make any comments about folks in other churches/denominations in my homily. I think you're reading things into it which are not there.
DeleteExactly. That is the problem. Your homily ignored the reality of the world, implying that only Catholics in the communion line can become one with Jesus. There are other ways, yet you refuse to acknowledge them. You could teach, along with Vatican II, that God has provided a way for ALL to enter Gods kingdom. The Catholic way is one of them. And for Catholics, participation in the Eucharist is one. But Jesus’s open arms seek to embrace the whole world, not just a subset.
DeleteWell, I can't cover *everything* in nine minutes :-). The homily was about something other than what you're talking about here. Maybe someday I'll have an occasion to give a homily on some of these ecumenical considerations.
DeleteNine minutes - good job!
Delete