Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Galatians 5:18-25

Brothers and sisters:
If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are obvious:
immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry,
sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy,
outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness,
dissensions, factions, occasions of envy,
drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.
I warn you, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh
with its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. 

The Word of the Lord.

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There’s a Native American story commonly referred to as, “The Tale of Two Wolves.” 

One day, the chief sat his grandson down and began teaching him about the difference between good and evil.

“There is a terrible fight happening inside each of us,” the chief began. “It’s a fight between two wolves. One is evil, feeding off of things like hatred, rivalry, jealousy, selfishness, and greed.” 

(All of the things which Saint Paul mentions in our first reading.)

“The other wolf feeds on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, and self-control.”

After a moment of silence, the boy looked at his grandfather curiously and asked, “Then which wolf wins?”

The chief replied, “The one you feed.”

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It’s a simple lesson, which many of us have heard before. But Paul reminds us today just how difficult – yet important – it is to feed that good wolf within.

“For those who belong to Christ Jesus,” he says, “have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.”

So, what might that mean for us?

Maybe we are facing an important decision and need to be reminded to feed that good wolf.

Maybe we are struggling to preserve a relationship and need to feed that good wolf.

Maybe we are trying to overcome temptation and need to feed that good wolf.

Perhaps we are simply trying to grow in our relationship with God. 

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“Which wolf wins?” the young boy inquired.

The one you feed.

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Image credits: (1) LinkedIn, Tale of Two Wolves (2) Grace Life Bible Church (3) Bible App

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Gospel: Luke 11:37-41

After Jesus had spoken,
a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.
He entered and reclined at table to eat.
The Pharisee was amazed to see
that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees!
Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,
inside you are filled with plunder and evil.
You fools!
Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
But as to what is within, give alms,
and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Three brothers met for their annual steak dinner. As the conversation started flowing, so did the expensive red wine, a Caymus Cabernet.

Next came the appetizers – bacon wrapped scallops, crab cakes, and a large Caesar salad – followed by three T-bone steaks, espresso, and tiramisu.

When the check came, the first brother saw the total, winced, and said somewhat jokingly, “How generous, brothers! I’ll pray for you in thanksgiving.”

The second brother said, “Yeah, and I’ll fast for you in the morning.”

But the third brother extended his hand and said, “Give me the check.”

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Which of the three made the biggest sacrifice?

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The one who paid the check.

While prayer and fasting are important spiritual practices, almsgiving may be the most important – and difficult – if we follow Mother Teresa’s advice, “Give until it hurts.”

Which does not necessarily mean pick up the next check at dinner, but give anonymously to a person or cause in need. 

“Give until it hurts.”

Doing so is a balm for the soul, capable of saving even the religious authorities of Jesus’ day whom he indicted in today’s Gospel as being “filled with plunder and evil.”

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Pray.

Fast.

Give alms.

But give until it hurts.

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Image credits: (1) woodforestpc.org (2) Fogo de Chao, Thetravel.com (3) AZ Quotes.com

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Luke 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment 
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation 
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

The Word of the Lord.

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Ninevah served as the ancient capital of the Assyrian Empire, located in modern-day Iraq. The Assyrians were known for their brutality, invading foreign nations by force, including taking over northern Israel in the 8^th century BC.

Thus, the Jews – including the prophet Jonah – held a deep-seeded hatred for them. The Ninevites were not only their enemies; they were also seen as enemies of the God.

This is why Jonah was so reluctant to enter their capital city, urging its residents to repent.

But to his absolute surprise – and chagrin? –  they did. 

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Why was Jonah such an effective instrument of God’s will?

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He had nothing to gain.

He traveled a great distance and risked his life, even spending three days and three nights in the belly of a whale, in order to share this divine message with his enemies. When they heard his voice, the Ninevites realized Jonah had no reason to lie.

And wisely, they repented.

We see the same dynamic at work in the Acts of the Apostles. 

Imagine Saint Peter preaching his first public sermon at Pentecost. Speaking before the same crowds who called for Christ’s death, he proclaims, “This man killed, using lawless men to crucify him But God raised him up!”

Peter risked his life to tell this truth – as did every other Apostle. Each of them preferred death to denying Christ.

Here we find the key to authentic Christian witness. We are called to live in this world in a way that doesn’t make sense… unless God exists. 

Namely, love our enemies, pray for those who persecute you, and labor for the salvation of all, even to the point of risking your life.

So, what might that look like for me today?

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Image credits: (1) Words for the Heart, WordPress (2) The Story of Jonah, Willow Creek Community Church (3) Prayables