Fr Kevin Kilgore

(Jeremiah 20: 10-13: “I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.”

But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, For he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked “!)

***

We can all relate to Jeremiah, one of the great prophets of the Old Testament.

He never had it easy. His faith was constantly tested.

When he was first chosen by God, Jeremiah was young and idealistic. In fact, he cried out with delight, “When I read your words, I devoured them! They became my joy and the happiness of my heart!”

He was ready to save the world.

But some years into his ministry, this same man complained to God: “You duped me, O LORD!” You’ve made me a fool. Jeremiah had one simple mission: to lead Israel to repentance. A message nobody wanted to hear.

His ministry caused him to lose everything, even his closest friends. Remember their words towards him in our first reading, “Terror! Terror on every side! Let us denounce him!”

Jeremiah was betrayed. He must have been heartbroken.

But even in this dark and difficult hour, he calls upon God his, “mighty champion.”

***

Anyone who journeys with God will feel the highs and lows of faith, like Jeremiah. You may feel close to God on your wedding day, after giving birth to a child, or even having a small prayer answered.

Or you may feel distant from Him after losing a loved one, struggling through a lukewarm marriage, or even having a hard day at work.

Wherever we may be on our faith journey, our challenge is to be like Jeremiah, remembering that God our “mighty champion” is with us. As we sang in the Responsorial Psalm:

“I love you, O LORD, my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer… In my distress I called upon the LORD…[and] he heard my voice” (Psalm 18:2 – 7).

The same God who strengthened Jeremiah is with us. He will hear every prayer we offer him this day.

(Gospel: Amen, amen, I say to you,  unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me,  and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

“I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
‘Father, save me from this hour’?
But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name.” John 12:20-33)

***

In my time at Mount Virgin, I have preached on Disney movies like Coco, Frozen, and Beauty and the Beast. But today I’d like to go a little more old school. Who’s heard of the classic movie series, Rocky, staring Sylvester Stallone?

The four-part series tells the story of Rocky Balboa, an amateur boxer from Philadelphia, who becomes the reigning world heavyweight champion.

In the fourth and final movie, Rocky leaves his boxing career behind until his friend, Apollo Creed, is killed in a boxing match against a brutal Soviet boxer named Ivan Drago.

Risking everything, Rocky returns to the ring for the fight of his life. He wants to take on Drago himself. But if he’s going to win, then Rocky must give up all worldly comforts, training his mind and body for combat.

Drago is doing the same.

Every moment counts.

***

In a similar way, Jesus has been preparing himself for the fight of his life. But his opponent is even stronger; it’s the devil himself. Now Jesus is ready to enter Jerusalem, where he will be put on trial, crowned with thorns, and nailed to a cross.

For a brief moment in time, it will look like a total knock out, as if the devil has won.

But Jesus warns his disciples not to be fooled. He must die before he can rise again.

As he says in the Gospel, “It is for this purpose that I came” (John 12:27). He came to save us from that sting of everlasting death.

In fact, he’s spent the last three years of his life preparing his disciples for this truth. They’ve watched him preach and win over crowds, cast out demons, heal the sick, and forgive those caught in sin.

And now the hour has come for him to perform his greatest miracle of all. Jesus will be driven into the ground like a grain of wheat; and three days later, he will rise.

He urges his disciples to see that the same thing will happen to them. One day they, too, will be driven into the ground like a grain of wheat; they, too, will die. But if they remain faithful to him, then they will be raised from the dead, just like Jesus.

All he asks of them is to use the time they have left wisely and spread the Good News. They must die to themselves, even in small ways, offering their lives for the good of others.

So must we.

***

Am I satisfied with the way I’ve lived my life?

Like Jesus, have I prepared myself for the “hour” of my death?

Or do I need to make some changes?

***

Do I need to let go of that grudge or forgive someone who’s hurt me?

Should I pray more, study my faith, and share that faith more openly with others?

Should I spend more quality time with my family and friends and less time at work, less time playing video games, or less time on Facebook and social media?

Or, even more simply, can I die to myself in little ways by being quicker to return phone calls, text messages, emails, and writing thank you notes?

How can I use my time on earth wisely, for the benefit of others? It is limited, after all.

***

Jesus lived his life with purpose. He made each day count.

He served. He healed. He forgave. He laughed. He loved.

And so must we.

“Jesus moved about within Galilee; he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him” (John 7:1).

Jesus knows his death is coming, so he tries to do as much good as he can before it happens. For now, he stays within Galilee, where his Word is bearing fruit. He wants to make as many disciples as possible before his humiliating death.

Those who believe in his words before his death will certainly rejoice in what happens afterwards. Stay tuned.

***

But what about us? Death will come for us all. How do we react to this truth? Do we try to ignore our mortality and simply find pleasure in each day? Or, like Jesus, do we try to do as much good for others as possible?

How do we want to be remembered?

If we follow the difficult and humbling path of Christ, if we seek the benefit of others and not our own, then we will be remembered by others with love; even more, we will receive the reward of eternal life.

As Jesus himself says, “Where I am, there also will my servant be” (John 12:26). Follow him. And get ready to rejoice.