- Last Sunday's "summary" of the homily is in the Library ->
- The Scriptures for this coming Sunday are at USCCB.org ->
- I am preaching at the 5:30pm Saturday Mass and 12:30pm Sunday Mass
I titled this "whew" because of my conclusion about these scriptures ...that is, that faith,believing is hard work! Please don't misunderstand - I know that faith is a gift but the living by faith takes a lot of work, effort, zeal, perseverance. The scriptures this week will not leave this topic of "faith" alone.
In the last two weeks I have been preaching on faith (because the scriptures demanded it). You may recall the first week it was "deficient, inefficient, sufficient and ultimately efficient faith". Then last week it was the "how" of growing in our faith with "humility, opportunity, obedience, and re-orientation of life." Well, this week it seems that the whole enterprise of "living in faith" is revealed as a lot of work. We are fighting an up hill battle in the world - which rejects faith (and God Himself)
The first reading clearly shows us that the effort of a community of faith is a battle and it'scomplicated. If we, like the people of God are to live our faith "efficiently" (meaning that it accomplishes through us what God desires in the world) then it is going to take the effort of all of us to win the battle. Some actually fight (soldiers) using the weapons of hope, love, justice, charity, kindness, mercy, compassion, generosity, etc. Some of us pray(Moses), supporting those in the daily battle. And then there are those who support those who pray (Aaron and Hur) by our social, material, enthusiastic support.
Prayer and the work of faith cannot be separated, but living faith in the world is a battle and it takes a lot of intention, a lot of effort, and a lot of cooperation among the members of the household of God. It is not about us individually - believing that we are lost. It is about us communally, organic interdependence, relying upon each person's role and gift (waon) to get the job done, win the battle, keep the faith. Whew!
2 comments:
Ok, we all have faith. Belief is sort of secondary. Anyone can say they believe, but without action nothing will happen. I believe that my fire will start, but until I feed it, it won't. I can go to mass every day or on Sunday, but until I extend my hand or welcome someone I am not continuing my faith. Believing is not hard work. Every day we see people, students, families rising above adversity. It is really easy and safe to just have faith and believe, but there are other people who need to share and to know that they are not alone. This is not exactly what I wanted to say, so I welcome your response.
The first idea that came to my mind after reading Fr. Ed's germinal thinking was the "Chilean Miners" and their ordeal.The miners were Down in a Dark and Dangerous place and Daily for some time (the 4 D's that Fr. Ed did mention in a homily sometime ago when talking about his grandfather, a miner)
Seems by the reportings that several of them
had no personal understanding of God's love
- no practicing Christians -
No doubt God exits in their hearts but they had no a convincing idea o it, perhaps lack of faith.
It took the community of just 33 relying in each other and doing a tremendous work together
to rise again from this Down, Dark, and Dangerous tomb.
Jesus was there with them, the youngest men claimed " we are not 33 we are 34" This is Faith! The Faith of this young men was contagious. They all ended reading and holding very close a small Bible they requested.
They prayed, they needed God, they renewed their Faith.
A good example of a little community working together for the glory of God! Gitana
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