You will find all postings for weekdays between October 29-31 below.
Wednesday, XXX Week of Ordinary Time
(Luke 13: 22-30)
Pupils in Catholic schools used to ask many questions of religion teachers to satisfy curiosity and to waste a little time. A typical question was, “Sister, if you are killed walking to church for confession, will you go to heaven or hell?” The sisters knew how to play along and may have responded, “What do you think?” In the gospel today we meet Jesus responding as adroitly as the sisters to a tough question.
“Lord, will only a few people be saved?” someone in the crowd asks Jesus. Perhaps the Pharisees trained the questioner to think that most people are lazy, no-good hell-bounds. People today, aware of God’s mercy, might ask a question to the opposite effect, “Doesn’t God save everyone?” Even if we try to keep the faith, all of us have loved ones who ignore some of the commandments. “God surely cannot just condemn them to hell, can He?” we wonder.
Jesus sidesteps the issue. Whom the Father will save or damn is up to Him to decide. Yet Jesus seizes the opportunity to impart wisdom. “Strive to enter through the narrow gate,” he advises. He means that we must discipline ourselves to do what is right and to avoid what is wrong. There is no place among his followers for slouchers who say, “A peek at pornography or a little lie won’t hurt anyone.” Nor are we truly Christian if we consistently ignore those in need.
Some of us may still think that going to Mass on Sundays alone will win our salvation. Not so, Jesus makes clear when he says, “And you will say, `We ate and drank in your company...’ Then he will say to you, `...Depart from me, all your evil doers!’” No, Jesus expects the Mass to serve as a launching pad where we receive fuel and guidance for the pursuit of good.
Showing posts with label universal salvation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label universal salvation. Show all posts
Homilette for Monday, October 8, 2007
Monday, XXVII Week of Ordinary Time
(Jonah 1.1-2.2;11)
Americans may today recognize the city of Mosul in Iraq because of the violence that continually flares up there. But more would recognize the city by its former name, Nineveh, capital of the ancient kingdom of Assyria. In that city lies the shrine of the burial place of the prophet Jonah which many Muslims and some tourists visit. The sanctuary, however, is something of a ruse. It does not go back to anywhere near Biblical times. Even if it did, we know that the character Jonah is really a literally fiction.
Of course, this does not mean that the Bible is in error. Quite the contrary, the Book of the Prophet Jonah brilliantly reveals the will of God. It shows God’s plan to save the whole world and not just a relatively small number of Israelites. Equally significant, Jonah demonstrates how the proudest of people can repent of their sins.
The passage we read from Jonah today pictures pagan sailors (could we think of any group more hardened?) scandalized by Jonah’s disobeying God’s command and then begging God for mercy. This sentiment and action directly oppose the response of the Israelites to God during the period of the latter kings. They notoriously abandoned the Law without looking back. God takes pity on the sailors by calming the seas despite their atrocious act of human sacrifice. We should listen to the story as yet another reminder of God’s love despite our sins and His mercy always available upon sincere request.
(Jonah 1.1-2.2;11)
Americans may today recognize the city of Mosul in Iraq because of the violence that continually flares up there. But more would recognize the city by its former name, Nineveh, capital of the ancient kingdom of Assyria. In that city lies the shrine of the burial place of the prophet Jonah which many Muslims and some tourists visit. The sanctuary, however, is something of a ruse. It does not go back to anywhere near Biblical times. Even if it did, we know that the character Jonah is really a literally fiction.
Of course, this does not mean that the Bible is in error. Quite the contrary, the Book of the Prophet Jonah brilliantly reveals the will of God. It shows God’s plan to save the whole world and not just a relatively small number of Israelites. Equally significant, Jonah demonstrates how the proudest of people can repent of their sins.
The passage we read from Jonah today pictures pagan sailors (could we think of any group more hardened?) scandalized by Jonah’s disobeying God’s command and then begging God for mercy. This sentiment and action directly oppose the response of the Israelites to God during the period of the latter kings. They notoriously abandoned the Law without looking back. God takes pity on the sailors by calming the seas despite their atrocious act of human sacrifice. We should listen to the story as yet another reminder of God’s love despite our sins and His mercy always available upon sincere request.
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