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Sts. Joseph & Paul Catholic Church |
Homily Archives | |
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Ordinary 26 – B
I love
fall. It’s my favorite season of the year -- the smell of fall, the cool
crisp days that fall brings, the vibrant colors that drape the
landscape. Fall is breathtakingly beautiful. A couple of years ago, while walking on a sunny fall afternoon, I set out to find the perfect leaf. I searched and examined and sorted through many leaves that had fallen to the ground. I wanted to find the perfect leaf to press and save for future reflection on the cold winter days to come. I found a variety of colors: reds, oranges, yellows, some with a touch of green, and some that had already turned brown, but I couldn’t find the perfect leaf. I even climbed a tree, thinking that the imperfect leaves had already fallen to the ground, but like the others, they were not perfect either. They had blight, and holes made by insects, and broken tips. I couldn’t find a perfect leaf. I assume that because you are here, you’re a follower of Jesus. But since I am still getting to know you, I’ll just ask, “if you are a follower of Jesus, say yes!” “(YES!) “ Again, I am still getting to know you, so I wonder, are there any perfect followers of Jesus here? If you’re perfect in following Jesus, please say “yes!” Good, I still have a job! The disciples’ believed that to be a follower of Jesus, you must fit a certain mold. You had to be one of his company, and if you didn’t belong to his company, you didn’t get to play along. But Jesus was more inclusive than he was exclusive. So he told the disciples, ”everybody belongs.” Then he challenged the disciples, “if you truly wish be my follower, then you need to spend time looking at the way you live your lives because you’re not so perfect either.” This is distressing, but it’s true, I find that Christians can be the most exclusive group of people, between others and among our own. We think we are perfect, but they’re not, so they are not true followers of Jesus. Think about how we handle politics. Some people will not even talk with those who have voted on a particular ticket. Is that Christian? I know others who have strong beliefs about life issues and speak out against abortion, but they support the death penalty -- an eye for an eye. Is that Christian? It’s not a consistent life ethic. Some have an extra pair of shoes, and an extra coat and an extra shirt hanging in their closets, but they don’t think about sharing these with the poor. Is that Christian? It has been said that if you have an extra coat and you don’t share it with the person who does not have one, then you are stealing. Some Christians fight to place the 10 Commandments in a prominent location in their city. While this reflects faith in action, how much more powerful would it be if Christian lived the Commandments? If we lived them, maybe we would not need to fight about where they are placed. As Christians, we are followers of Jesus. Being a follower of Jesus calls us to be more inclusive than exclusive. Jesus tells his disciples, “if your hand, your foot, your eye causes you to sin, cut it off.” What thought, or attitude, or action, what sin…do we need to let go of to be a follower of Jesus? We are all followers of Jesus, and it is Jesus who calls us here Sunday after Sunday, with our imperfections and our sin, to the Altar of the one perfect sacrifice, where we are united and made whole. I do love fall! It is one of my favorite seasons of the year. But this fall, instead of looking for the one perfect leaf, I think I’ll just step back and look at all of the leaves together and see perfection in the big picture of God’s creation.
sdrose@bellsouth.net |
