Homily #69-- Year of Mercy During Time of War (Go After the 1 & Leave 99) w/Reference to 15th Anniv. of 9/11

World Trade Center Cross

Pope Francis Hearing Confessions @ World Youth Day

Sunday, 5pm (#69c)

Sunday, 12pm (#69b)

 Sat., 5pm (#69a)

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Homilies ##65, 66, 67 and 68 were not recorded.

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HOMILY #69:

"Going After the One (Leaving the 99)-- Mercy & War"

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I

Today is the 15^th Anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001.  Those who murdered innocent human beings in the name of God mistakenly presented God as a type of vengeful God that kills those who don’t submit. 

We live in a time of tribulation where there are rumors of war, our economy is uncertain, and Christians are persecuted and martyred by the thousands.  Pope Francis called our situation a type of QUOTE “piecemeal World War III” ENDQUOTE. 

And in an interview with reporters, the Holy Father used the elements of the Church’s Just War Doctrine to comment on U.S. military intervention, QUOTE “In these cases, where there is an unjust aggression, I can only say that it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor.  I emphasize the word “stop”.  I’m not saying to drop bombs, to make war, but to stop the aggressor.  …  Stopping an unjust aggressor is licit.”  END QUOTE

Even in the face of such mass destruction of the innocent and suffering poor, Pope Francis declared a Jubilee Year of Mercy.  In his letter on the Year of Mercy Misericordiae Vultus, the Pope wrote that “Jesus is the merciful face of the Father” (no. 1).  So even in the midst of war and death, the Church still proclaims not a God of hateful vengeance but the loving Father who calls us to conversion back to Him.  The Church fights evil with goodness.  Love is stronger! 

In today’s Gospel from St. Luke, Our Lord teaches the Parable of the Lost Sheep.  Jesus leaves the 99 and goes after that one.  There are 2 main points here: (1) First, there are times when you and I are that 1 precious, dear little lost sheep.  (2) Second, there are also times when we’re not the lost sheep but you and I are the ones searching for that 1 lost sheep.

II

Let’s reflect on the first point that we are that one sheep Jesus looks for.  Notice that that one sheep is lost where?  In the desert.  This desert represents those things in our lives that make us sad: our bad choices, our sins, our mistakes, our broken family relationships, hatred and revenge, etc.  What deserts are you and I lost in?

In the First Reading from the Book of Exodus, the people were wandering where?  In the desert.  They worshipped a golden calf and were described as a stiff-necked people.  But after Moses implored God to have mercy, the Lord “relented in the punishment he threatened to inflict on his people.”

And that’s what the loving Father did with us through His Son Jesus, the new Moses.  We, too, have built our modern “golden calves.”  But when we call on Jesus as our Merciful Savior, God relents and stops eternal punishment. 

St. Paul, who persecuted and killed Christians, is a model.  In the Second Reading, he wrote to Timothy, “I am grateful to him who has strengthen me, Christ Jesus Our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry.  I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant, but I have been mercifully treated…”

And then after we convert back to God, notice that there is so much JOY over someone who repents and changes their ways.  According to St. Josemaria Escriva, Founder of Opus Dei, the Gospel of Luke is the Gospel of Mercy.  St. Josemaria says that the Gospel of Mercy describes the JOY that God has when a sinner returns.  Jesus puts the lost sheep on his shoulders with great joy and calls a party over the 1 lost sheep than the 99 righteous people.

III

This leads to the second main point: We are sometimes like Jesus seeking that one lost sheep.  And how do we become merciful like Christ?  We will be effective ministers to others when we regularly celebrate God’s mercy in the Sacraments of Reconciliation & the Eucharist. 

There’s a famous Latin phrase: Nemo dat quod non habet.  “I can’t give what I don’t have.”  If we expect to bring others to Christ and His Church, we cannot do so without Confession and filling our souls with the Body and Blood of Christ frequently.  Pope Francis wrote, QUOTE “Let us place the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the center once more…For every penitent, it will be a source of true interior peace" (MV 17).  END QUOTE

[One Catholic in the state of grace receiving Holy Communion is more powerful than all the armies of the world combined!]

We may feel that we’re not well equipped to talk about God with others, or to challenge people we know that have immoral behaviors that contradict the holy teachings of the Church, esp. within our own families.  [We may not think we have the perfect smile or dynamic charisma, or the right method of how to talk about God with others, or we may feel like we can’t talk well, or quote the Bible verses from memory.] 

But the point here is that, while those are all important and we should train ourselves to speak about God with others, we can best reach out to that one lost sheep when we ourselves are in the state of grace through Confession—no longer lost one lost sheep – and when we receive Jesus Himself in the Holy Eucharist.  We need the foundation.  Vatican II taught that the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.  No longer will it be our weak selves seeking out the lost sheep BUT it will be Christ through us going after the lost sheep.

[Pope Emeritus Benedict said that the Church’s mission to spread the Gospel moves forward every time a Catholic goes to Confession.] 

Conversion and repentance will lead to world peace.  Our Lady of Fatima, who appeared in Portugal 99 years ago, said, “If men knew what eternity is, they would do everything to change their lives.”  She also said, “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph…and there will be a period of peace,” but first we need to change our lives back to the merciful Father.

IV

So, to summarize, even with the Church and world in great tribulation, we still proclaim a loving merciful Father.  Jesus goes after the one lost sheep.  We are that lost sheep and are called to conversion, like St. Paul.  And if we are to participate making disciples of all nations, we ourselves have to first go to the sacraments.

It is then that we find peace for our lives, our families, and our world when we turn to our loving Heavenly Father who rejoices and delights in our daily conversion. 

I close with the words of today’s Responsorial Psalm, “I will rise,”  “I will rise,” “I will rise and go to my father.”

After the 10am Mass, there was an event where we prayed the holy rosary with many kids at the parish.  This was at a spot called "Mary's Garden". 

When it came time to release balloons, some balloons got stuck in the tree.  I am posting here for memory's sake.

Ave Maris, gratia plena, Dominus tecum!