Today is the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
In the first reading from today’s Mass, from Sirach, we hear that “wrath and anger are hateful things yet the sinner hugs them tight.” Has there ever been a time in our existence when these words have been more true? I’m sure lots of people have thought that same thing in their own lifetime when considering the words of our first reading, and so do I. For example, here in Alabama we just observed the 60th anniversary of the bombing at the 16th street Baptist church in Birmingham that killed four little girls. That bombing was full of wrath, anger, and racism. A more recent example is the mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo last year. Of course there are many, many examples. Those things continue to exist today. Just look at the news.
I read the Chicago Tribune and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution each morning. I watch the news on a variety of TV channels. I also keep up with the news on the BBC and AP apps. I’m a citizen who attempts to stay informed about what’s going on in the world and my community, and much of what’s going on is distressing. Some believe that getting your information from a particular source will change how you see the world. While there may be shades of truth in that, more to the left, more to the right, etc, I don’t believe that turning away from these sources and finding different and “better” sources is the way to improve my view of our situation. I continue to believe we are in a bad way, but all is not lost.
As people of hope we have hope in the One who is Good. It seems a large part of the problem is our unwillingness to turn to Him and abandon ourselves to Him and His will. We want to hold back, keeping our hands on the steering wheel. We want to be forgiven but judge others and withhold our own forgiveness when it doesn’t suit us.
We need to embrace our role as little Christs making Him present in the world, angry and hateful as much of it is, but we need to get our hearts right too. It does no good to accept our role as changers of the world, making Christ present for others, if we’re causing scandal in His Church. The world needs our work and our witness to attract others. We are His hands, His feet, and His presence in this world and we all need to up our game so to speak. Loving our neighbor, regardless of who he is, how he looks, and how he or she speaks, is the fullest expression of the commandments, including the commandment to forgive as we hear about in today’s Gospel.
I cannot imagine a better way for us to renew ourselves and be that presence in the world than by receiving Him regularly in the Eucharist and spending time with Him in Adoration. To borrow a phrase from my favorite President, let’s all dedicate ourselves to the unfinished work at hand both inside ourselves and in the world.
That’s it for now. Thanks for reading.
I hope you have a great week.
Peace, Bob
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