HOMILY FOR 8TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (SUNDAY BEFORE LENT)


BEGINNING ASH WEDNESDAY WE WILL SPEND THE NEXT QUARTER OF THE YEAR EITHER GETTING READY FOR EASTER OR CELEBRATING EASTER.  THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT EASTER IS THE GREAT SOLEMNITY OF THE CHURCH’S YEAR.  IN FACT, IT IS WHY WE ARE CHRISTIANS AND NOT SOMETHING ELSE.


THE FIRST PART IS TO GET PREPARED FOR EASTER.  JUST HOW SHOULD WE PREPARE?

WELL, ON ASH WED. AS THE ASHES ARE PLACED ON OUR FOREHEADS, WE WILL BE REMINDED TO REDIRECT OUR WAY OF LIFE AWAY FROM WHAT IS NOT IMPORTANT AND WHAT IS TRANSITORY TO WHAT IS IMPORTANT AND ETERNAL.  AS WE GO TO GET ASHES PLACED ON OUR FOREHEADS, ONE OF THE ADMONISHMENTS THAT WE COULD HEAR IS TO TURN AWAY FROM SIN AND BE FAITHFUL TO THE GOSPEL.  THAT TWO-PART MOVEMENT, THE TURNING AWAY AND THE TURNING TOWARD, IS THE WHOLE THEME OF LENT.


IT IS A TIME OF RENEWAL.  IN FACT THE WORD LENT ITSELF COMES FROM AN OLD ANGLO-SAXON WORD MEANING SPRING, THE TIME OF RENEWAL.  IN THE EARLY CHURCH LENT DEVELOPED AS A TIME FOR THOSE COMING INTO THE CHURCH TO TURN AWAY FROM THEIR OLD LIVES TO A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST.  PEOPLE WHO HAD SINNED BACK THEN JUST COULDN’T GO TO CONFESSION BUT WERE ASKED TO DO PUBLIC PENANCE (SACKCLOTH AND ASHES) IN THE WEEKS BEFORE EASTER AS THEY PREPARED TO RENEW THEIR LIFE WITH CHRIST AT THE EASTER MASSES.


THE PRACTICES OF LENT TODAY ARE DESIGNED TO HELP US RENEW OUR LIVES AND BE READY FOR THE REJOICING AT EASTER WHEN CHRIST RISES FROM THE DEAD.


IF YOU LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AT ALL THE READINGS FOR BOTH THE DAILY AND SUNDAY MASSES OF LENT, THEY ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS:  THE FIRST PART (ABOUT 3.5 WEEKS WORTH) STRESSES REPENTANCE AND A TURNING AWAY FROM THINGS THAT DISTRACT US FROM WHAT IS IMPORTANT; THE SECOND HALF TELLS US TO TURN TO JESUS WHO WILL BE OUR HEALER AND LIFE-GIVER.  THOSE DIVISIONS IN THE READINGS REFLECT THAT DUAL THEME OF LENT THAT WE WILL HEAR ON ASH WEDNESDAY, TURN AWAY FROM SIN AND TURN TO THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
IN THE FIRST HALF OF LENT, THE READINGS EMPHASIS ETHICAL CONVERSION, “TURN AWAY FROM SIN” AND ALL THE READINGS STRESS THAT CONVERSION.


-WE ARE ASKED TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF COMPUNCTION, THAT’S THAT NAGGING FEELING THAT WE HAVE NOT LIVED UP TO THE GOSPEL BECAUSE WE ARE TOO CONCERNED WITH OURSELVES AND THE WORLD OR IN OTHER WORDS TO REALIZE ‘OOPS I MESSED UP’.


-COMPUNCTION RELATED TO PUNCTURE—PUNCTURE OUR OVER-INFLATED EGOS, AND TO PUNCTURE OUR SELF-DECEIT.  LET’S GET BACK TO THE REAL REALITY IS THE MESSAGE OF THIS FIRST PART OF LENT.


-IN THE CHURCH’S PRAYER, THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS, THE OT READINGS FOR THE PAST WEEK ARE PREPARING US FOR LENT AND TALK ABOUT THE VANITY OF VANITIES, OUR FOOLISH BELIEF (VANITY) THAT THE THINGS OF THE WORLD (VANITIES) ARE WHAT ARE OF ULTIMATE IMPORTANCE.
 
IN THE GOSPEL OF ASH WEDNESDAY, JESUS TELLS US HOW TO REDIRECT OUR THINKING AND OVERCOME THAT VANITY OF VANITIES:  HE SAYS PRAYER, FASTING AND ALMSGIVING


-THE PRAYER PART IS ESSENTIAL, OF COURSE, WE NEED TO ASK THE LORD FOR THE FORGIVENESS THAT OUR REPENTANCE FOR BEING SO MISDIRECTED POINTS US TO.


-WHAT ABOUT THE FASTING AND THE ALMSGIVING?


-ST. AUGUSTINE TELLS US THAT THE SUREST WAY TO MAKE OUR PRAYERS FLY TO GOD IS TO GIVE THEM TWO WINGS: FASTING AND ALMSGIVING.


-THE WHOLE POINT OF BOTH OF THOSE PRACTICES IS NOT TO PUNISH OURSELVES, TO LOSE WEIGHT, TONE UP OUR BODIES OR TO GAIN AN INCOME TAX DEDUCTION FOR THE IRS; BUT IT IS TO PROVE TO OURSELVES THAT ALL THIS STUFF I THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT IS NOT SO REALLY IMPORTANT.  I CAN DO WITHOUT IT AND I’M STILL ALIVE—IN FACT MORE ALIVE THAN I WAS BEFORE.  LOBSTER AND STEAK ARE NOT AN ESSENTIAL VITAMIN; WATCHING SEINFELD RERUNS OR FRIENDS COULD GIVE WAY TO AN EFFORT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SCRIPTURE OR THE CHURCH’S SOCIAL TEACHINGS.


-IT IS REALLY AMAZING WHAT WE CAN DO WHEN WE CAN DO WITHOUT


-ALMS-GIVING IS REALLY JUST FASTING UNDER A DIFFERENT CLOAK.  I’LL FAST FROM IT; I’LL DO WITHOUT IT SO SOMEONE ELSE CAN HAVE IT.  THAT PERSON NEEDS THIS FOOD MORE THAN I DO, SO I WILL FAST FROM IT AND GIVE IT TO THEM.  THE OPPRESSED NEED MY TIME MORE THAN THE TV DOES, SO I FAST FROM TV WATCHING AND GIVE MY TIME TO THEM.


ALMSGIVING ACKNOWLEDGES THE FACT THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE AND WHOM GOD LOVES—A LITTLE MORE OF THAT PUNCTURING THAT OUR INFLATED SENSE OF SELF NEEDS.  SINCE I DON’T NEED TO SPEND MY TIME IN FRONT OF THE TV, WHY DON’T I GET INVOLVED IN SOME CHARITABLE PROJECT?  


-GOOD OPPORTUNITY=OPERATION RICE BOWL
-OPERATION RICE BOWL, THE MAJOR FUND-RAISER FOR THE CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES, PROVIDES US A WAY BOTH TO FAST AND GIVE ALMS.  TAKE THE MONETARY VALUE OF WHATEVER YOU FAST FROM AND PLACE IT IN THE RICE BOWL AS A FORM OF ALMS=GIVING.  OR TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, PUT SOMETHING IN THE BOWL AND THEN FAST FROM IT.


-SORELY NEEDED:  CRS IS ACTIVE ALL OVER THE WORLD IN BOTH VISIBLE AND LESS VISIBLE WAYS.
-AFRICA:  CRS HAS JOINED WITH 14 OTHER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE US AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO TRY TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT FOOD TO KEEP OVER 30 MILLION PEOPLE IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA FROM STARVING DUE TO POOR HARVESTS.


-JONESBORO:  OUR CHURCH KEEPS 25% OF WHAT IS RAISED FOR OUR OWN CHARITABLE OUTREACH


-CRS BIGGEST CHARITY ALONG WITH THE RED CROSS; ALSO ONE OF THE VERY HIGHEST RATED IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE EVERY DOLLAR ACTUALLY REACHES SOMEONE WHO NEEDS IT

THE FIRST ELEMENT OF LENT TELLS US TO TURN AWAY FROM WHAT THE OT WISDOM WRITER SIRACH CALLS VANITIES.  THE STRESS WAS ETHICAL CONVERSION.


THE EMPHASIS IN THE SECOND HALF OF LENT IS CHRISTOLOGICAL (DEALING WITH WHO CHRIST IS) AND TELLS US WHAT TO TURN TOWARD.  THE READINGS IN THAT SECOND HALF STRESS JESUS AS HEALER AND THE SOURCE OF WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT.


-ON THE LAST THREE SUNDAYS BEFORE PASSION SUNDAY WE WILL HEAR OF JESUS PROVIDING HEALING WATER TO THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AT THE WELL, GIVING SIGHT TO THE MAN BORN BLIND, AND LIFE TO LAZARUS.  THERE ARE THE REALITIES OF LIFE.


LENT IS A WONDERFUL SEASON ASKING US TO TURN AWAY FROM WHAT IS NOT IMPORTANT AND TURN TO WHAT IS IMPORTANT; TO TURN AWAY FROM THINGS THAT DRAIN LIFE FROM US AND TURN TO HIM WHO GIVES LIFE.
 
LET’S PRAY THAT WE RESPOND TO THE GRACE TO DO EXACTLY THAT.