Homily - 19th Ordinary Sunday (Year A)

19^th Ordinary Sunday ( Year A)

First Reading: 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a             Second Reading: Romans 9:1-5               Gospel Reading: Matthew 14: 22-33

“LORD, LET US SEE YOUR KINDNESS, AND GRANT US YOUR SALVATION.”

There is a story told about a young man and an old preacher. The young man had lost his job and didn’t know which way to turn. So he went to see the old preacher. Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, “I've begged God to say something to help me. Tell me, Preacher, why doesn't God answer?” The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply – something so hushed, it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room. “What did you say?” he asked. The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So, the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair. “Sorry,” he said. “I still didn't hear you.” With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. “God sometimes whispers,” he said, “so that we will move closer to hear Him.” This time the young man heard and he understood.

We all want God's voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our problem. But God's is the still, small voice… the gentle whisper. Perhaps there's a reason. Nothing draws human focus quite like a whisper. God's whisper means I must stop my ranting and move close to Him, until my head is bent together with His. Then, as I listen, I will find my answer. Better still, I find myself closer to God.

Today is the 19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Scripture Readings of today speak of God's kindness and His saving presence amidst trials and afflictions. In the First Reading from the 1^st Book of the Kings, we hear about the Prophet Elijah's encounter with God. The prophet Elijah is running for his life from the death threats of Jezebel, King Ahab's wife for he killed all her priests of Baal on Mount Carmel. He has taken shelter in a cave in Mt. Horeb (Sinai), God's mountain. There Elijah recognizes God who appears in a tiny whispering sound, and who comes to help him when he is struggling against the storms in his life. In the Second Reading from his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul is overwhelmed with sorrow for the rejection of the Gospel of Christ by the chosen people Israel. However, by recalling God’s irrevocable gifts to Israel, his faith is strengthened. In the Gospel Reading from St. Matthew, we see that the disciples are caught in the midst of a storm. Jesus comes to them walking on water. He tells the frightened disciples to have no fear. Peter wants to walk on water too, but is too afraid of the storm to do. He asks his master to save him. Jesus tells him to place his trust in him. Finally, when they got into the boat, the wind died down.

“THEN THERE WAS A TINY WHISPERING SOUND ...”

In the 1^st Reading of today from the 1st Book of Kings, we hear about Elijah's encounter with God. Elijah has hidden himself in a cave in Mt. Horeb (Sinai), God's mountain, for the fear of being killed by Zezebel, King Ahab's wife, for he killed all her priests of Baal on Mount Carmel. The Prophet Elijah is a man of God and a defender of faith. There a voice tells him to go and present himself on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord would be passing by. Elijah goes and waits for the awe inspiring presence of God. As he must have expected, there was a huge wind that threw boulders around like pebbles. But Elijah, the prophet of supreme faith, did not sense the presence of God in the mighty wind. Then there was an earthquake; but Elijah's faith told him that the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then followed fire; but again Elijah's faith told him that the Lord was not in the fire. Then there was a tiny whispering sound, and Elijah hid his face, for it was the voice of God which was more powerful than wind, earthquake or fire. That voice was the voice of faith, enabling him to recognize God, who comes to help him when he is struggling against the storms in his life.

The heart of the story is its description of how God’s presence is known. Rather than the cosmic displays viz. wind, earthquake and fire, that have been a standard feature of the manifestation of God’s presence, it is revealed in 'a tiny whispering sound,' an enigmatic phrase which indicates the paradox of something heard within silence. The nature of the Prophet Elijah's encounter with God opens up a whole new understanding of how the Divine presence may be experienced and known.

“LORD, SAVE ME!”:

In the Gospel Reading of today from St. Matthew's Gospel, which is the continuation of the Last Sunday's Reading, we see how the disciples recognize God in Jesus in the midst of storm. After the miraculous feeding of five thousand, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. He then went to the mountain to pray. It was Jesus who always experienced God in the silence of his heart and always united himself with God through prayer, and especially in the storms of his life.

a) Storm in the sea:

The story now switches back to the disciples. They are far out on the lake by now and we see them struggling against a storm in the sea, being tossed about by its strong waves. They are there in the lake without Jesus. It is quite clear that here we are seeing a picture of the early Church itself, represented by the disciples in their fragile boat surrounded by hostile winds and waves. It was a common experience of the Church during its first centuries. It was a difficult situation filled with much fear and anxiety.

b) “It is a ghost!”

We then have a vivid picture of Jesus walking early in the morning on the sea towards the boat containing his struggling disciples in the storm. They do not recognize him. Far from feeling reassured they become even more terrified, and panic, saying, “It is a ghost.” It is a measure of their superstitious natures and, as such, a measure of the long way they have to go in exorcising such superstitions and replacing them with a genuine faith in God. One still meets a great deal of such irrational fears in people, including we Christians, today. For instance, how many of us here would be comfortable walking alone through a large empty cemetery on a dark, moonless night? Even though it would probably be a lot safer than walking down one of our city streets at such a time!

c) “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid,”

Then out of wind and wave and terror comes a comforting voice of Jesus, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” The disciples needed courage whose source was their confidence and trust in the protection of their Lord. Again, Jesus is there to protect us and take care of us and when we are in difficulty and struggle he will come to our help. As such, there is no need for fear or anxiety in spite of the apparently threatening dangers around us. We need total trust and faith in him.

d) “Lord save me!”

Peter, who often puts his feet in his mouth, does it again. He is the impulsive one but he is also the group's leader. He immediately says, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water,” and Jesus invites him to put his feet on water by saying - “come.” Peter eagerly responds, but gets sinking feeling, and cries out, “Lord, save me!” At that moment, Jesus must have been amused at the ever changeable Peter. He reproaches Peter's lack of faith, takes him by his hand and saves him. In Peter’s walk on the water and desperate grasp of Jesus' hand, we are presented here a stunning image of how important it is to reach out in faith to Jesus. Again, “Lord, save me!” is the cry, a cry echoed by Christians all down the ages who have felt that the world was ready to crush them.

e) “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

When they got into the boat, the wind died down and there was calm. Experiencing calmness in the presence of Jesus, in the midst of storm makes the disciples to recognize the presence of God in Jesus and they profess their faith in Jesus saying - “Truly, you are the Son of God.” In the dark of that stormy night, the person of Jesus is revealed as the cosmic Lord, able to subdue the forces of chaos represented by the raging sea. Here Jesus manifests his divine identity by calming the stormy waters just as in the beginning God brought order out of Chaos of the raging waters.

PAUL'S GREAT SORROW AND DEEP ANGUISH:

In the 2^nd Reading of today from St. Paul's letter to the Romans, we see St. Paul expressing his great sorrow and deep anguish for the rejection of the Gospel of Christ by God's chosen people, blessed by God beyond all other peoples of the world. They have been given the son-ship, the glory, the covenants, the law, the worship, and the promises of God. The patriarchs belong to them, and above all, it is from their race that the Christ has been born. Israel has all it needs in order to understand the word of God and to become part of Christ’s new people. Yet all that did not make them understand in seeing and acknowledging Christ as their Savior. They did not have faith in him and did not accept him as the Messiah. For St. Paul, this is the reason for an immense feeling of sadness. He was even willing to be accursed, that is, to undergo the worst possible fate, in imitation of Christ’s suffering, so that the obdurate chosen people may experience life and salvation.

CONCLUSION:

The Scripture Readings of today tell us that there is never any need for fear and anxiety, for God is always close to us. He is there stretching out his comforting and saving hand so that we may not sink in our storms of life. No matter what may be happening in and around us, his peace is there for us to share. We live in this stormy world - there are many difficulties & problems, anxieties & worries, sufferings & pains, failures & losses and so on – they threaten us and make us frightened. In the midst of them we cry for help. God does come to our help as He came to help Elijah during his stormy life; Jesus too comes to save us as he approached his disciples walking on the sea and calmed the storm. But we often fail to recognize God when He comes, because often-time He comes as we do not expect. We need to conform to God, rather than God conform to us. Today let us ask then for the gift of faith that we may be able to recognize Him in the ordinary situations of our lives, and humbly pray to Him saying, “ Lord, let us see your Kindness, and grant us your salvation.” And this is the Good News of today.

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Homily - 18th Ordinary Sunday (Year A)

18^th Ordinary Sunday (Year A)

First Reading: Isaiah 55:1-3           Second Reading: Romans 8:35, 37-39          Gospel Reading: Matthew 14:13-21

“THE HAND OF THE LORD FEEDS US; HE ANSWERS ALL OUR NEEDS.”

A story is told of a farmer whose farms were full of corn. Every morning on waking up, he prayed aloud to God that the needy would also be supplied with corn. But when anyone in need asked for a little of his corn, he would always say that he had none to spare.

One day after hearing his father pray for the poor and the needy, his little son said to him, “Father, I wish I had your corn.”

“What would you do with it?” asked the father.

The child replied, “I would answer your prayer.”

The farmer had compassion for the needy. He prayed that their needs be supplied. But his compassion was without corresponding action. It took his son to point out the in-congruence of his situation and thus his prayer.

Today is the 18^th Sunday in Ordinary Time. In one way or another, all of today’s Scripture Readings emphasize the provident goodness of God, who feeds all of creation and satisfies the desire of every living creature. In the First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Isaiah utters words of consolation to the people in exile. We hear the voice of a hospitable God who invites all to a sumptuous banquet where the hungry, the thirsty and the poor could feast freely and richly. It is an offer of abundant life as well as a call to listen to His word. The love of a nurturing God made manifest in Jesus Christ is strongly underlined in today’s Second Reading from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans. St. Paul avows that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Indeed, we conquer overwhelmingly all trials and difficulties through him who loves us. We are consoled that God is our support and strength. In the Gospel Reading from St. Matthew, Jesus miraculously feeds five thousand people in a deserted place with five loaves and two fish. He shows his great concern towards people who had left everything and stayed with him to listen to his word. “The hand of the Lord feeds us; He answers all our needs.”

Now, the most prominent characteristic of Jesus which stands out clearly in the Gospels is his compassion. He is always compassionate to the poor & the weak, to the sick & the suffering, to the sinners & the outcasts, to the hungry & the thirsty. Today's Gospel Reading, which speaks about the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, is a good example of this - Jesus is moved with pity for the crowd who followed him on foot from their towns to listen to him and who are tired & exhausted, hungry & thirsty.

On its own, the miraculous feeding of the five thousand is a marvelous account of one of the greatest and most attested to miracles, as it is recorded in all the four Gospels, and astonishingly twice in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. Certainly, each version is shaped in slightly different way according to the particular concerns of the Evangelist. We don't generally find six accounts of nothing! If one is looking for the historical evidence for a multiplication of loaves, then six accounts of it in the pages of the New Testament surely ought to be enough to satisfy him/her. Of course, different approaches are often taken in relation to these miracles to interpret them. But to put them in context is to open up a whole new layers of meaning and depth.

Today, we have the account of the event from Ch 14 of St. Matthew, but there is another account of what is essentially the same miracle in Ch 15. In today's version there are five thousand men with five loaves and two fish and in Ch 15 we find four thousand men with seven loaves and few fish. Considering today's reading in St. Matthew's context we find that Ch 14 begins with his account of the banquet at which John the Baptist was executed. This was an old-style royal banquet of the worst kind. Herod is there with his cronies enjoying the best food and drink his kingdom has to offer. There is debauchery, arrogance, rivalry and scheming; and the upshot of all this is that the head of John the Baptist is triumphantly brought in on a plate.

This paragraph ends and the next one opens with our text of today and has Jesus going to a lonely place. But finding himself followed by the throngs of people, he takes pity on them and feeds them in a miraculous meal drawn from five loaves and two fish. All are satisfied; they are fed both physically and spiritually and there was an astonishing amount left over. “The hand of the Lord feeds us; He answers all our needs.”

What a difference! St. Matthew sets these two banquets beside each other precisely in order to make this contrast between a banquet offered by a worldly, brutal & selfish king and the banquet of a loving & generous Savior to which the poor are invited. He is deliberately making a direct contrast between the values of this world and the values of the Kingdom of Heaven. Herod's squalid banquet does nothing for anyone, least of all Herod who comes out of it with a guilty conscience. All who participate in that banquet come out the worse for it; except perhaps the one reluctant guest, John the Baptist. For him it meant the crown of martyrdom. It meant the fulfillment of his role. He died knowing that he had completed his task and paved the way for the Savior of the world.

But this is not only context in which this wonderful miracle is set. If we look back into the Old Testament, we find the great prophet Elisha performing very similar thing in the 2^nd Book of the Kings. He has only twenty barley loaves, but he satisfies the hunger of one hundred men. “The hand of the Lord feeds us; He answers all our needs.”

That's looking back into the pages of the OT, but we must also look forward to the Last Supper to which the Feeding of the Five Thousand also alludes. There are clear Eucharistic references in the text – such as Jesus taking the bread, raising his eyes to heaven, blessing it, breaking it and giving it to them. So, St. Matthew is telling his audience something about their own Eucharist. This miracle is clearly therefore a foreshadowing of the Last Supper. The abundance of the twelve baskets of leftovers represents the twelve tribes of the New Israel, presided over by the twelve disciples.

The bounty of God, the great outpouring of his love, the constant nourishment that he gives us is not restricted to that lonely place by the Sea of Galilee or within that Upper Room in Jerusalem. It reaches out to us now in the sacrament we celebrate this morning and connects us to him in an unbreakable bond of love. That's why St. Paul very loudly and clearly says in the 2^nd Reading from his Letter to the Romans - “Brothers and sisters: What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or peril, or the sword? No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Again, while reflecting on the Feeding of the Five Thousand we look back to the time of Elisha and we look forward to the Last Supper and find definite resonance. But it goes still beyond this, for as with everything Christ does, it refers also to the Kingdom of Heaven, which will come into its fulness at the end of time. Jesus also compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a wedding banquet - “ The Kingdom of God may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast …,” for which all are invited. This is also what we hear in the 1^st Reading of today, taken from prophet Isaiah, where God is inviting all who are hungry and thirsty to eat and drink free of cost, even him who has no money. This is God's invitation to each one of us to His heavenly banquet. A sumptuous banquet is offered by Him - wine and milk and bread, all without cost. Here, the imagery is lavish in the extreme. “The hand of the Lord feeds us; He answers all our needs.”

In conclusion: Just as Elisha's miracle foreshadows Jesus' miracle in Galilee, which in turn foreshadows the Last Supper, the Eucharist we now celebrate, which again in turn foreshadows the Banquet of Heaven; actually not foreshadows it, but already enables us to begin participate in it. Now, partaking in the Lord’s Supper nourishes the spiritual life of the believer. Much as ordinary or material food strengthens and helps our bodies to grow, Eucharist promotes the spiritual growth begun in us at baptism. Just as we cannot hope to survive without material food, the Eucharist is necessary for our growth in the life of faith. We can see now something that can only be described as a great crescendo building up over the centuries which will come to its fulfillment on the Last Day. And this breathtaking crescendo is a tremendous up-swell of goodness, beauty, generosity and self-sacrifice. It is a wave of love that wants to catch up all of humanity and bring it to its fulfillment in God. That simple meal on the side of the lake did not simply fill the bellies of those five thousand people; it was a sign of the Kingdom of Heaven. It was a token of God's great concern and magnanimous love for us. It was a pledge of his promise to open for us the way to eternal life. “The hand of the Lord feeds us; He answers all our needs.” And this is the Good News of today.

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Homily - 17th Ordinary Sunday (Year A)

17^th Ordinary Sunday (Year A)

First Reading: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12           Second Reading: Romans 8:28-30          Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:44-52

“LORD, YOU ARE MY GREATEST TREASURE!”

A story is told of a teacher who asked a class of students, “What would you wish for if you had one wish?”

One enthusiastic student shouted out, “I would wish for a big house for my family and myself.”
Another student proudly stood up and said, “I would wish for lots of land, to plant an orchard and export fruits.”

A third student, unable to contain himself declared, “Sir, give me the latest automobile.”

Then a young chap stood up, as if possessed with all the wisdom of Solomon and said, “Sir, I would ask for a million, million dollars or more. You see, with that I could buy the house the orchard and the latest automobile!”

The teacher then called upon a shy student, sitting quietly in the back, trying to avoid attention, “And what would you wish for?”

The shy student stood up timidly and whispered, “Sir, I would ask for an eternity of time, for with that I could make the money to buy the house, the land and the automobile, and live long enough to enjoy them!” Young chad had a bad case of sickle cell. He knew he had limited time. He knew the true value of time.

And what would our answer be, if the same question is asked to us? Can we say, “Lord, you are my greatest treasure!” ?

Today is the 17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today’s Scripture Readings continue to help us delve into the meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven and to deepen our commitment to it. They put stress on the importance of the Kingdom of Heaven and demand a personal response on our part to God and his Kingdom. In the Gospel Reading from St. Matthew, the Evangelist speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven as the greatest treasure in the life of a disciple, using the images of hidden treasure and a pearl of great price. It is with joy and assurance that one sells everything else to obtain them. There is also mention of another parable, the parable of the dragnet thrown into the sea, of the similar to one about the wheat and the darnel, and the separation process at the end of time. In the First Reading from the 1^st Book of the Kings, King Solomon, when given the opportunity by God to ask for what he wishes, prays for practical wisdom and prudence to serve God’s people with Justice. God grants him his request and more qualities to indicate their divine origin. In the Second Reading from his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul declares that, for the person who loves God, everything can be turned to good. He tells that Christ is the firstborn who is God’s most precious gift to us and God intends that we must be conformed to the image of His Son. This is God’s purpose, and this should also be our purpose in life.

THREE MORE KINGDOM PARABLES:

The Gospel Reading of today completes the 'Discourse in Parables' in which St. Matthew has collected various teachings about the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven proclaimed by Jesus. We are again presented today with three parables, each of which contributes some insight into the nature of that Kingdom. The first and second parables are closely linked in meaning but with slight differences. They are in effect saying that the Kingdom of Heaven is the most precious things in life. That is, it is through Jesus and his words that we come to know and understand what is the real meaning of life, what are the most important things in life.

a) The parable of the hidden treasure:

In the first parable, viz. the parable of the hidden treasure, Jesus compares entering the Kingdom of Heaven to a person who unexpectedly stumbles upon a hidden treasure buried in a field while tilling the soil. Forthwith, he buries it again for the field where it is hidden does not belong to him. He does not tell the owner of his discovery, but sells everything he has in order to get ownership of the field and hence of its buried treasure. The idea obviously is that when one really discovers Jesus and his vision of life everything else becomes secondary. In the service of the Kingdom of Heaven there are no half measures and in that service there is a special kind of liberating joy. It requires boldness and decisive action, a single-minded commitment of all one’s resources. It is also true that conversion to Christ as happening in such an unexpected way.

b) The parable of the pearl:

In the second parable viz. the parable of the pearl, Jesus tells of a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he finds one of great price, he also sells everything else he has in order to acquire it. This parable is similar to the first one but, in this case, it is not a laborer (a poor man) who actually is not looking for the treasure discovers the treasure in the course of his ordinary working day, but a merchant (a rich man) who purposely seeks it out. There is a need, as the Gospel constantly urges, for us to be ready whenever and however Jesus comes into our lives. Kingdom of Heaven is all-inclusive, available to rich and poor alike. Still, the merchant like the laborer must risk everything to succeed. The Reign of Jesus in our hearts is the buried treasure or the pearl of great price. It is for this that Jesus is asking us to search, and once discovered and its value fully appreciated, to sacrifice everything to possess it. And the message is clear - discipleship is open to all but entails sacrifice. Equally clear is the outcome of the disciple’s quest - a joy that exceeds imagination when he has found the only truly valuable thing in life.

c) The parable of the dragnet thrown into the sea:

This brings us to the third parable today viz. the parable of the dragnet thrown into the sea and it focuses on the ultimate judgment. Here Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a fishing net which when thrown into the sea collects all sorts of fish. The net could not and does not discriminate. It is left to the fishermen to do the dividing and the separating process. While the first and second parables speak of the total commitment and dedication which are the ideal of every follower of Christ, this third parable helps us to put our two feet firmly back on the ground. It hearkens back to last week’s parable of the wheat and the weeds that tried to explain the presence of those evil ones who seem unfit for the Kingdom. The invitation of Jesus to be part of God’s reign is open to rich and poor, good and bad; in fact, many of all sorts are collected into the community of disciples. But at the end there will be a sorting out of those who are worthless and those who have been proven valuable, and reward and punishment will be administered accordingly. But this time it is the angels who will make the judgment.

d) “Do you understand all this?”

At the end when Jesus asks his disciples, “Do you understand all this?” the disciples declare that they have understood what he has taught them in and through these parables. Jesus then responds with a saying that describes the calling and task of everyone who desires to be his follower in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is a matter of drawing on the rich treasury of the past, but shaping it to apply for guidance into the future. Jesus tells them that they will be like Scribes or men of learning who will have ancient and modern teaching with them to give to the hearers. The past tradition is not to be done away with, but we can never return there to live. The future requires the past for a firm foundation without which it will never be realized. This balancing act is the task of each one of us who have been instructed in the Kingdom of Heaven.

“GIVE YOUR SERVANT AN UNDERSTANDING HEART TO JUDGE YOUR PEOPLE ...”

The First Reading from the 1^st Book of Kings is clearly chosen in view of the idea that discipleship requires a person to choose the one thing that is most important of all. God’s offer to grant whatever King Solomon asks for is exceptional. On the other hand, King Solomon’s request is equally extraordinary: he eschews wealth, longevity, and power over his enemies and simply asks for what he needs to fulfill the mission entrusted to him by the Lord, viz. “An understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” In return, the Lord God lavishly promises that Solomon will be unsurpassed in wisdom among all the rulers of the earth. Moreover, He gave the other things that Solomon did not ask for. As the Bible attests Solomon governed God's people as wisely and justly as no other king had done.

Now, when we think of wisdom – it is much more than knowing a lot of things. Being endowed with wisdom is much more than being just a morally very good person. Wisdom gives an in-sight into what is truly important in life, an awareness of the meaning and purpose of living, of what really matters. It is an understanding of where our real well-being and happiness lies. That is indeed a pearl of great price, price-less in every sense of the word.

“CALLED TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON.”

Acquiring the absolute treasure entails deep sacrifice. In the Second Reading of today from his letter to the Romans, St. Paul assures the Christian community at Rome that 'all things work for good for those who love God.' He stimulates their zeal and enthusiasm in the midst of difficulties and persecution by reminding them that God’s plan of salvation, which is definitively in progress, leads to the glory that is their destiny. Called to be conformed to the image of His Son, nothing will ever happen to them that has not been foreseen by God and directed to their greater good from all eternity. God is in control of everything. The ultimate goal is to be configured to Jesus Christ, who in his paschal sacrifice, was totally glorified. If we are among the humble and obedient servants of God, those that He foreknew, then we are among those who have been called to be justified. We are among those who will be glorified in Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION:

The real or true treasure is the Kingdom of Heaven, of which Jesus speaks in the parables today. For much of the time, we are chasing false treasures, mainly money, status and pleasure. For much of the time we are locked into the past - full of nostalgia or regrets, or focused on the future - not yet achieved longings and desires, or depressing fears and anxieties. Meanwhile the enriching present passes us by and the treasure is never discovered and the really valuable pearl is never found.

Today we are asked the question, 'What is the greatest treasure in your life?' And each one of us has to to give a personal answer to it. The pursuit of the Reign of God necessitates an understanding heart. A heart filled with 'wisdom' is able to distinguish what is right from wrong, to discern what is true and absolute from the false and, above all, to make a fundamental option for God even to the point of most painful sacrifice. The wisdom that makes us understand what is pleasing in God’s eyes, also prompts us to say, “Lord, you are my greatest treasure!” And this is the Good News of today.

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Homily - 16th Ordinary Sunday (Year A)

16^th Ordinary Sunday (Year A)

First Reading: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19          Second Reading: Romans 8:26-27         Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:24-43

“LORD, YOU ARE GOOD AND FORGIVING.”

There is the story of a young lady who was a bright student. Unfortunately, she did not have assurance. Her name was Marian. She was working her way through college by cleaning dorm rooms of her fellow students. She was often annoyed by their in ability to say “Thank you” or “Please.” One day she got so disgusted and disillusioned that she was ready to quit. She went to see her professor Robert Coles. At the time she was full of “anxiety and anger.” She said, “I've been talking all of these philosophy courses and we talk about what's true, what's important, what's good. Well, how do you teach people to be good?”

“The answer to that question, according to the Bible, is not education but conversion. No one can truly learn to be good, for only God is perfectly good. The light of true goodness dawns only when God shines there,” she was told.

Today is the16^th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Scripture Readings of today speak about the goodness of God and his forgiving love. In the First Reading of today from the Book of Wisdom speaks of the Lord as all-powerful, merciful and just. Despite His divine power that could simply crush all evil, He permits the sinner to survive with an eye to the possibility of repentance. In the Second Reading from his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul tells that the Spirit comes to help us in our weakness and pleads to God on our behalf. He shares our 'groaning' and directs us to God when we are lost or confused. In the Gospel Jesus teaches about the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven. He tells us how the Kingdom grows and how it can be transformed from something tiny into a large entity. God the sower of good seed allows bad seed as well as good to grow till harvest time and then He will deal with good and bad on their merit.

THE LORD IS ALL-POWERFUL, MERCIFUL AND JUST:

In the First Reading of today from the Book of Wisdom, which is part of a longer commentary on the events of the Exodus, the author digresses to consider God’s treatment of sinners. Why are sinners allowed to prosper, while God’s faithful ones seem to suffer? The answer that the author gives comes from a deep meditation on the Jewish scriptures which reveal a God of mercy and compassion, 'slow to anger, abounding in kindness.' He cares about everyone, shining in righteousness and has patience towards all. Righteousness is His strength and he will not judge anyone unjustly. When some are arrogant, doubting the power of God, He shows them His strength. Through such actions, He teaches His people that the righteous must be kind. He permits the sinner to survive with an eye to the possibility of repentance. Despite the divine power that could simply crush all evil, God has been shown to be a God of 'much lenience.' The author wants us to realize that God’s power is realized through his mercy for all. Rather than condemning people out right, God seeks the ways to steer them to repentance. “Lord, you are good and forgiving.”

THE SPIRIT COMES TO HELP US IN OUR WEAKNES:

Today’s Second Reading from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans teaches us that the intercession of the Spirit is the font of strength for he intercedes according to God's will. In a distressing world that challenges our limits, the Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. He pleads to God on our behalf. He helps us 'pray as we ought,' and God who searches our hearts effectively reveals that God and the Spirit will do anything and everything to insure that we move closer and closer towards profound personal and communal experiences of the Divine Mystery! He draws us into communion with God because the Spirit himself longs with us for that day when we will know the redemption of our bodies and everything will be accomplished according to God’s will for those of us who are his holy ones.

THREE KINGDOM PARABLES:

Today’s Gospel Reading from St. Matthew is a continuation of last Sunday's Gospel Reading. We have a group of three parables that we hear today, all address the perplexing reality that Jesus and the kingdom he announced seem to tolerate the presence of moral evil. This attitude seemed scandalous to some, both in Jesus' day and in the early Christian community. The answer given to this 'problem of evil' by Jesus is that God wishes to allow the sinners time for repentance and further growth. “Lord, you are good and forgiving.” The excruciatingly gradual progress and seemingly insignificant size of the kingdom is not remarkable and in fact mirrors the natural phenomena of wheat, mustard seeds, and leaven. But all three parables promise an eschatological resolution to the dilemma, both in the fantastic growth that lies ahead and in the judgment reserved for the Lord alone in the final days.

a) “The Kingdom of Heaven”:

St. Matthew in these parables speaks consistently of the 'Kingdom of Heaven' and it could be, for some people, a misleading phrase because it seems to refer to the after-life, an other-world future existence. Kingdom of Heaven in the Gospel does not refer to a place, either here or hereafter. It is actually the reign of God, or the rule of God. It is primarily an environment, it is a set of relationships, it is a situation where God's values prevail. These values include truth, love, compassion, justice, a sense of solidarity with all other human beings, a sense of trust in other, a deep respect for the dignity of every other human person, a holistic concept of human growth and development. They are the deepest human values and aspirations as mirrored in the life of Jesus, and all these are to be seen in the light of God, who is their Ultimate Source.

b) The parable of the weeds among the wheat:

In today's Gospel reading we have three images or parables of the Kingdom at work among us. The first is the parable of the weeds among the wheat. In this parable there are two sowers, two kinds of seed, and two harvests – one good the other bad. The wheat sown in the field is understood to be good and weed sown by the enemy is bad. The landowner counseled against pulling out the weeds, lest the wheat may also be pulled out. This decision makes sense because wheat is usually planted to grow very close together. If there are weeds among them, the roots may have intertwined. It is wiser to let the weeds grow with the wheat and sort them out at harvest time. The point is that the judgment between the wheat and the weeds is not easy and hasty judgment can be disastrous. A second point is that final judgment can be made only by the owner.

The explanation of the parable of the weeds by Jesus is clear. The wheat are the true believers, planted by Jesus, the Sower, in the world, to bear the fruits of his Spirit, so as to build his kingdom. At the same time, the devil also plants his followers as weeds among the true believers of Jesus Christ. The problem with the wheat and weeds is that both look alike in their growth stage. Their difference is only noticeable when they are fully grown. The weeds represent counterfeit believers of Christ who mislead others away from God with false teachings. In so doing, they are out to obstruct the growth of the kingdom of heaven in the world. They are out to destroy the ministry of the proclamation of the gospel by God’s people. They cause others, even true Christians, to fall into sin and do evil. This is why Jesus cautions us to be on the watch and prayerful all the time. However, God is patient and kind to them and gives them opportunity to repent. “Lord, you are good and forgiving.” The parable of the weeds among the wheat tells that the good people (true believers) and evil people (counterfeit believers) both will be living together until the end of the world. On the day of judgment God will separate the evil from the good and will real with them according to their merit.

c) The parable of the mustard seed:

The second parable is the parable of the mustard seed. The tiny mustard seed literally grew to be a tree which attracted numerous birds because they loved the little black mustard seed it produced. God's kingdom works in a similar fashion. It starts from the smallest beginnings in the hearts of men and women who are receptive to God's word but ends with extraordinarily large results. There is no attempt to explain how this happens. It works unseen and causes a transformation from within. There is nothing about it that would attract attention, wonder and admiration. It takes place in a quiet way. Such is the kingdom of heaven. Its growth is miraculous and mysterious and rooted in the things of our common experience. The challenge is always to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.

The parable also reflects on the Church established by Christ and its spectacular growth. He is predicting that while his group of followers will grow extremely large from just a small start, it will not remain pure. The parable of the mustard seed is both a prediction and a warning.

d) The parable of the yeast:

The third parable is the parable of the yeast. Here, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a small amount of yeast in a large batch of dough. Yeast is a powerful agent of change, and only a little is kneaded into the dough. Yet given time, it will spread through all the dough – its effect is comprehensive. In the same way, Jesus' domain started with twelve men, but it has spread throughout the world.

Again, the yeast makes dough rise from within. Similarly, kingdom of heaven exerts its influence from within. God first changes the heart of a person and that internal change has external manifestations.

Moreover, the yeast does its job slowly, secretly and silently, but no one can deny its effect on bread. The same true of the works of grace in our hearts. The kingdom of heaven works invisibly, its effect is evident to all.

CONCLUSION:

The Kingdom of Heaven calls us today to attain the highest ideals and greatest generosity. It calls us to be loving and forgiving. It also calls for a great measure of tolerance, patience and understanding in seeing the Kingdom become a reality. Our experience again and again confirms that, whenever we try to bring any change and reforms in any community, it is challenged. The parables remind us that in each one of us there are elements of the Kingdom and elements that are deeply opposed to it. The difference between the good and the bad does not consist in the fact that the good have no weaknesses at all or do not commit sins. Rather, the good recognize their shortcomings and sins and they work hard to slowly overcome them. For His part, God continually sends them the grace to succeed in their efforts. If we all fight the evil inside us with God's help, then from within us will proceed good deeds. Then there will be less evil in the world, less evil done by people to one another.

Finally, the co-existence of bad and good in the world is a reality we have to live with. Good and bad people are with us in Church, the workplaces and even at home. And this reveals to us the reason why Jesus came: not as Judge but as Savior. Sure, he will be our Judge, too, but later - at the Last Judgment. Meanwhile, he continues to remain ever patient and forbearing, lovingly cajoling us to follow the straight and narrow path so that we will not have ourselves condemned to eternal damnation. “Lord, you are good and forgiving.” And this is the Good News of today.

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