​Father Chris – TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY ORD TIME 2021 – Homily

“The True Christian”

As perhaps proud, perfectionist, even wilful adults, do we not sometimes get into trouble because we were too stubborn to ask for help or insisted on our own way.


After our 3rd Celebration of First Holy Communion I was thinking how much the little ones will soon experience this adult behaviour themselves: like when I was young, visiting my grandparents, and my grandmother would make cheese whiz sandwiches with chicken soup for us while we watched I Love Lucy over lunch.


“Ricki, I don’t think we’re going the right way. This doesn’t look anything like Disneyland. Let’s stop and ask someone for directions.”
“There’s no need for that, Lucy. I’m doing exactly what the map tells me.”
“But we’re on a dirt road with crocodiles beside it! … And they look hungry!”


Or another episode, “Lucy, we don’t need to redecorate. My boss doesn’t care about what our house looks like. He just wants food on his plate.”
“That may be so, Ricki, but his wife will certainly care.”


Pride, perfectionism, and stubbornness. I learned what all three looked like, and unfortunately it taught many of us well. The benefits of valuing practical advice and accepting helpful guidance from others would come a bit later.


Jesus gives us some very practical advice and guidance today about how to be a ’true’ Christian by focusing on three things: 1. how wrongful exclusivity is; 2. how God can reward even the smallest of good works; 3. and how we can be our worst enemy by sabotaging in various ways our opportunity for a life of eternal bliss.


1. Exclusivity: There was a time when our Faith was considered the only ‘true’ Faith and the only way to God. My parents’ generation often had scuffles on the way to school between the Protestant and Catholic youth because of this. Sadly, remnants of this still carry-on in Ireland. But all we had to do was recall Christ’s words from Mark today, telling us not to discredit others for their attempts to heal and support others, especially in his name, because Christianity is love itself, in fact, the practice of love in word and action within any cultural or religious context.


2. Rewards: This leads us to how anyone can offer such good works in the practice of love, love which is the extension of God or God himself, and that God rewards anyone who exercises such good will and loving activity in any way he wishes.


So, Jesus warns us never to judge others, especially those who do good works in the name of Love which is God and of Jesus himself. Again, judgement is in the hands of God, not human beings. Look at the good works done behind the scenes by many people we do not even know on both sides of the many fences involved in the release of the two ‘Michaels’ – Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. Were they all Catholics or Christians? We have no idea, but God does, and God will decide whether to reward in his own way the love shown by those ending this long, prolonged, stressful political situation, a nightmare for the families and loved ones.
After all the anger and bitterness, confusion and demands made, it was a joy to see peace after this terrible situation was suddenly resolved in a matter of hours. People in general put away their negativity and focused on the smiles seen on both sides of these political fences. How quickly the God of Love can come amongst us.


3. Jesus doesn’t chastise us as much as he warns us that creating stumbling blocks for others, be it through gossip or creating scandal which affects others, will lead us down a dark path. Considering the terrible wrongs done to children, we must be especially careful to heed Christ’s warnings of the grim results which await us on judgement day. Also, the harm we do ourselves is of great concern. The most dangerous enemy is not outside us. The most dangerous enemy is the enemy within.


We want to avoid the ‘hell’ Jesus speaks of, using the extreme metaphors and exaggerated manner of public speaking common to his time. Jesus was clearly thinking of Gehenna, a place with a morbid history of infant sacrifice, later for disposing of all manner of waste and refuse, a place of constant fire and smoke.


How do we do that? By not practicing our Faith as an exclusive club. By not judging the goodness of others. By doing good works, however small or insignificant. By loving God, others and ourselves in thought and action. Or simply ask ourselves: Do I choose this or to do this, or do I sacrifice it for something much, much more valuable – an eternal life of everlasting peace, joy, love and happiness?


– Rev Fr Christopher Tracey, Saint Joseph Parish, Saugeen Shores, Ontario