Today is the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Today’s first reading comes from my favorite Old Testament chapter (Is 55). It’s no coincidence that this chapter is one of the reading options for the Easter Vigil. We’re told in today’s selection that “my thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your ways my ways“. Has anything ever been more true than that? We’re mostly concerned about the ways of this world; How can I get ahead at work?; What’s for lunch?; Will the bears win any games this season?; etc. God already knows the answers, and by the way fellow Bears fans, it’s not looking good. But as I said God already knows the answers and we’re frequently focused on the wrong questions.
All my examples, and much more, are OK to think about but we need to focus on higher thoughts, more eternal and meaningful thoughts, in order to align ourselves with God. Ultimately alignment with God is what we’re called to. When we stray from that we sin. In fact, one definition of sin is missing the mark, or separating ourselves from God. Fr. Jeff uses a rubber band to demonstrate this. He goes on to say that if you stray far enough from God, meaning mortal sins, we can break the connection with God.
Note the lines in the first reading that talk about the scoundrel forsaking his ways and the wicked his thoughts. That’s us. Now I admit I don’t think of you or me in those terms but it applies to us as well. Turn away from the things of this world that move us away from God and embrace things that move us closer to Him. This is very Lenten language by the way, but regardless of the Liturgical Season, it’s our message today.
Having said this I also want to make the point that there’s nothing inherently wrong with the things of this world. God made them and found them good, or very good. The problem is with our relationship with those things. That relationship gets disordered and sometimes gets in the way of the most important things, the things of God.
While I’m thinking of it I don’t know what kind of homily you heard last Sunday but the one I heard was all about forgiveness. It was excellent but, I feel, incomplete. I want to pass along one thought to go with the commandment to forgive others everything. That is the commandment, no doubt, and it can be difficult for all of us. The comment I want to add is that forgiveness does not require someone to put themselves, or people they love, back into a dangerous situation. There are people in this world who will harm you. That harm may be physical or psychological in nature. They may do it once, or more, and you are called to forgive them from your heart. What you are not required to do by the Church is to remain in dangerous situations. We have to love those people, even the ones we characterize as enemies, and certainly those we’re in, or have been, in relationship with, but sometimes, we have to love them from a distance. When we love them we pray for them, and it may mean we are praying for God to change them and how they treat others, but we do not have to do that by placing ourselves, or others we care for, in harm’s way. Forgive seventy seven times, OK, but forgiveness is an act of the will. It allows you to move on from holding that person responsible for the harm they’ve done. That’s good for all concerned. It doesn’t mean, however, that you have to continue to accept the risk that comes from some situations. I hope that all makes sense.
That’s it for now. Thanks for reading.
I hope you have a great week.
Peace, Bob
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