Author: admin

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A long Gospel means a short homily! 

Stay tuned.

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Hurricane Dorian.

Hurricane Dorian was the most destructive hurricane in the history of the Bahamas.

70,000 people are homeless, tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed, and hundreds remain unaccounted for.

Where is God?

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God was in the rescue boats who went searching for survivors perched on their rooftops.

God is in the volunteers organizing disaster relief.

God is in the heart of every Bahamian who believes in life after Dorian.

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In the Gospel, Jesus gives us three parables of disaster – none of which God prevents.

A sheep strays from the flock; a coin is lost; a son abandons his family.

Again, where is God when disaster strikes?

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God is in the shepherd who seeks out his lost sheep. 

God is in the woman who meticulously searches for her lost coin.

God is in the merciful father who welcomes his son home.

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It’s a difficult truth – God doesn’t prevent disaster from happening in our world.

Whether we’ve been recently diagnosed with cancer, lost our job, or found ourselves stuck in a hurricane, hard times happen to every one one of us, which can lead many of us to question:

“Where is God?”

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The answer is quite simple – and yet – quite challenging. 

God is in you.

God is in me.

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As Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth, the light of the world.” You and I are charged with doing the Lord’s work of healing here on earth.

It isn’t always easy to act like the Lord; it rarely is – especially at home, at school, and at work, places where we interact with the same people day after day.

But the Lord is with us – God is in us.

So whether in the Bahamas or right here at home, who is one person you know in need?

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Be a first responder.

Be the Lord’s loving presence for them this week.

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If you have ever played a video game, then you know that there is always a series of levels.

The first level is the easiest, and the final level is the most difficult. Sometimes it takes multiple tries before you succeed in beating that final level.

But if you do, then you have mastered the game.

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In a similar way, if Christianity were likened to a video game, then today’s Gospel would be the final level: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

If you can do this, then you’ve mastered Christianity.

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This is a particularly tough message on the heels of September 11^th.

But just as mastering a video game takes repeated attempts, it can take a lifetime – if not more – to forgive those who’ve hurt us the deepest.

But, as Jesus himself says, “Nothing is impossible for God.”

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May the Lord fill us with every ounce of love and strength we need to continue our attempt at mastering Christianity, something we can only do through him.

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Pope Francis said recently, “People will not follow ‘Christian parrots,’ those who talk about our faith, but do not live it.”

What people are looking for is an authentic witness, someone who not only speaks about Jesus; but also lives like him.

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This will be the challenge for the Twelve Apostles, called by Jesus in today’s Gospel.

Over the next three years, they must learn not only how to speak about Jesus; but also how to live like him.

To some extent, the credibility of the Gospel message will depend upon it. People will not follow them if they’re “Christian parrots,” or we might say, hypocrites.

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This is the same challenge we face today. Jesus has called all of us to follow him – it’s why we’re here.

But how can we act a little more like him?

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Perhaps it means being even more generous, more forgiving, more patient or less judgmental.

Anything but a “Christian parrot.”