Sunday, August 7, 2022

 NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Wisdom 18:6-9; Hebrews 11:1-2.8-19; Luke 12:32-48)

Often at the beginning of a gospel reading we hear, “Jesus said to his disciples.”  These disciples were not the crowd that often surrounded him.  Rather they were the people that followed him from place to place.  This group was comprised of more than the twelve apostles.  They were men and women of different classes and skills.  If they were living today, they would include you as well as me.

Because every baptized person is a disciple, Vatican II emphasized that all are called to sanctity.  Every woman and man must try to live as a child of God.  Unfortunately, many including some priests reject the call.  The prefer pleasure, prestige, of power to being a member of God’s family.

In today’s gospel Jesus sounds the call to be a saint in the form of a challenge.  He tells the people to sell their belongings and use the proceeds to help the poor.  He says that such generosity will accrue a treasure in heaven where it counts most.  Knowing their fear to undergo dispossession, he exhorts, “’Do not be afraid…’”  He assures that God will provide them the goods of the Kingdom.

We may wonder if we can live without earthly comforts.  Yes, we can at least without most of them.  I am reminded here of deaf communities.  Sometimes some of their members are informed that they can be provided hearing.  It is not unheard of that the persons reject the offer.  Evidently, they are so satisfied with their friendships among the deaf that they do not want to enter the often rude company of hearers.  If they can move forward without hearing, we can move forward without the goods that some find necessary now.

Jesus does not ask us to give up all our belongings.  It is not required that we impoverish ourselves.  He only asks that we make sacrifices for the good of those who lack true necessities. We do not have to give up our vacation.  But is it necessary that we take a cruise every year?  We do not have to sell our house.  But do we need a house in the city and one on the beach?  Perhaps so.  Everyone has to decide for himself or herself what is important.  But no one should flee the call to help the poor.

Instead of anticipating the next delivery from Amazon, Jesus would have us waiting for himself.  He makes here an incredible comparison.  We are to watch for him like a householder would watch for a robber. Are we only to wait for his definitive coming at the end of time?  No because Jesus comes to us continually.  He comes in the poor who are ready to share what little they have.  He comes in laborers who work hard even when no one is watching them.  He comes in religious sisters who are always joyful despite living a rigorous discipline for the good of their students.

In this gospel Jesus encourages the people not to worry about accepting the challenges of the gospel.  However, not all his words are affirmative.  He warns the leaders of the people to be honorable in the service they render.  For this reason, St. Dominic insisted that his friars not live in comfortable places but in austere priories. The saint, whose feast we celebrate tomorrow, gave them example of animating the people with profound reflections over the word of God.

We have spoken of the gospel without mentioning the other readings.  The second reading is especially pertinent.  The Letter to the Hebrews praises Abraham and Sarah for their faith in God’s promises.  Faith is at the beginning of the sanctity we are called to live.  But because se are human, composed of both body and soul, faith is more than an intellectual assent to invisible realities.  We believe with our bodies when we do something in conformity with our faith in God.  We believe by making sacrifices for the good of the poor.