21st September 2008
I can remember one day in primary school being awarded a gold card for no reason at all. The teacher was in the habit of rewarding pupils who did well in academic work or in sporting prowess and handed out these gold cards to be presented to the principal and then were stamped with the school seal and then they were brought home in triumph. However I was neither academic nor sporting at the time so this gold card came totally out of the blue. So in my view I certainly did not think I deserved it but was glad to receive it all the same. Today gospel reading may strike us as being very unfair, indeed in a work place situation the trade union official may well be summoned. However, this gospel is not really about employment law or even fairness, it is primarily about the generosity of God whose thoughts and ways are so far removed from ours.
As human beings our natural inclination is towards justice, and generally we treat others as we would like them to treat us. Indeed when someone wrongs us we find it so hard to forgive and move on. But God is not like that, he treats the saint and the sinner in the same way. Jesus came not for the virtuous, but for the sinner. He shed his blood for all people so that sins may be forgiven. He was over generous and not mean spirited as we can be. Think of the miracles he performed, a super abundance of wine at the Marriage Feast of Cana, the need to collect the scraps from his feeding of the five thousand with the five loaves and two fish. Think of how he dealt with the woman caught in adultery who was about to be stoned. He did not throw a stone but told her that her sins were forgiven and go and sin no more. To the good thief hanging beside him on the cross, he promised not only forgiveness but a place that very day with him in paradise. Yes our God is so generous and forgiving; slow to anger and abounding in love.
The children today in school earn an act of sorrow in which they ask God to help them to live like Jesus. We would do well to ask God for that same grace. To live like Jesus is not easy, because it means that we transcend our weaknesses and our prejudices, it means that we treat one another well not just because we want them to do the same to us. It means also that we stop looking over our shoulders at other people who perhaps have more luck that we have in life. It means that we cease from thinking that God allows the good and the just to suffer and that he lets the wicked get away with all sorts and appear to inherit the earth. To be a disciple is to follow. Let us resolve to do that as best we can. Amen.
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Homilies Archive
2009 HOMILIES
25th December 2008
Christmas
21st December 2008
14th December 2008
8th December 2008
Immaculate Conception
7th December 2008
2nd Sunday of Advent
30th November 2008
1st Sunday of Advent
23rd November 2008
Christ the King
16th November 2008
2nd November 2008
All Souls
1st November 2008
All Saints
26th October 2008
12th October 2008
5th October 2008
28th September 2008
21st September 2008
14th September 2008
7th September 2008
7th September 2008
31st August 2008
24th August 2008
17th August 2008
15th August 2008
Assumption
10th August 2008
3rd August 2008
20th July 2008
13th July 2008
29th June 2008
22nd June 2008
1st June 2008
23rd March 2008
Easter Sunday
22nd March 2008
Easter Vigil
2nd March 2008
24th February 2008
17th February 2008
10th February 2008
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