Homily for 17th Sunday of OT-B (2012)


OUR FIRST READING FORESHADOWS JESUS FEEDING THE 5000 IN TODAY’S GOSPEL AND THAT GOSPEL IS ITSELF A FORSHADOWING OF OUR RELIANCE ON THE INEXHAUSTIBLE RICHES OF THE EUCHARIST—THE ULTIMATE MEAL.


THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT PRONOUNCED BY JESUS IS TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART, MIND AND SOUL AND OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELF.  THOSE TWO CONJOINED COMMANDMENTS HAVE THEIR ROOT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, THE FIRST PART IN DEUTERONOMY AND THE SECOND IN LEVITICUS.  JESUS’ GENIUS WAS TO SEE THAT THEY ARE INDEED ONE.  WE CANNOT LOVE GOD WITHOUT LOVING THOSE OTHERS CREATED IN HIS IMAGE AND WE CANNOT LOVE OTHERS FULLY WITHOUT SEEING THE MARK OF GOD IN THEM.


I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT EACH SECTION OF THOSE COMMANDMENTS.  WE ARE FIRST TOLD TO LOVE GOD BUT LOVE HAS MANY DIMENSIONS OR WAYS OF EXPRESSING ITSELF AND GOD MAKES ALL OF THEM AVAILABLE TO US.


WE CAN LOVE SOMETHING INTELLECTUALLY AND WHEN WE GAZE AT CREATION GOD ALLOWS OUR MINDS TO MARVEL AT THE BEAUTY AND INTRICACY OF IT ALL.  THEN WE LOVE GOD FOR HIS BENEFICIENCE IN GIVING US SUCH A GIFT.


WE CAN LOVE WITH OUR EMOTIONS AND HEART AND, WHEN WE CONTEMPLATE A CRUCIFIX AND MARVEL AT THE LOVE IT SYMBOLIZES, OUR NATURAL IMPULSE IS TO RETURN THAT LOVE FROM THE DEPTHS OF OUR HEARTS.  SUCH A STRONG AND SELF-SACRIFICING LOVE ON GOD’S PART ELICITS THE RESPONSE OF LOVE IN OUR OWN HEARTS.


BUT SOMEHOW INTELLECTUAL AND EMOTIONAL LOVE LEAVE OUR COMMUNION WITH GOD INCOMPLETE.  FOR EXAMPLE IN MARRIAGE, OUR MINDS AND EMOTIONS ARE ENGAGED BY OUR SPOUSE, BUT THAT IS NOT THE COMPLETE EXPRESSION OF OUR LOVE.  ONE PART OF US, ONE VERY IMPORTANT PART, HAS NOT YET BEEN ENGAGED IN THE EXPRESSION OF OUR LOVE FOR OUR SPOUSE AND THAT IS OUR BODIES.  INTELLECTUAL AND EMOTIONAL COMMUNION SEEK THE FINAL PIECE OF LOVE’S EXPRESSION IN OUR PHYSICAL COMMUNION WITH OUR SPOUSE.


WE ARE BOTH SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL CREATURES AND THE LOVE EXPRESSED BY SUCH A CREATURE MUST INVOLVE BOTH OF THOSE ATTRIBUTES IN ORDER TO BE FULLY SATISFYING.

GOD RECOGNIZES THIS TOO.  HE KNOWS THAT OUR LOVE FOR HIM AND HIS FOR US CAN ONLY BE FULLY SATISFIED WHEN IT INCLUDES NOT ONLY OUR INTELLECTUAL AND EMOTIONAL NATURES BUT ALSO OUR PHYSICAL NATURE.  HE SATISFIED HIS LOVE FOR US BY THE INCARNATION WHEN GOD’S SON TOOK ON OUR PHYSICAL NATURE.  HE ALSO MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO TAKE ON HIS NATURE BY INSTITUTING THE HOLY EUCHARIST, HOLY COMMUNION WITH GOD, WHERE WE PHYSICALLY MEET THE DIVINE MADE FLESH AND BLOOD.


IN THE EUCHARIST, FORSHADOWED BY THE FEEDING OF THE 5000 IN TODAY’S GOSPEL, WE FULLY MEET GOD USING ALL OUR FACULTIES: OUR MINDS, OUR HEARTS AND OUR BODIES.  HOLY COMMUNION, THE EUCHARIST, IS THE ULTIMATE WAY TO BE IN COMMUNION WITH GOD, THE ULTIMATE WAY TO SATISFY THE FIRST PART OF THAT DOUBLE COMMANDMENT, THE COMMAND TO LOVE GOD.


THE SECOND PART OF THE COMMANDMENT IS TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES.  THE LATIN WORD FOR SUCH LOVE IS CARITAS, FROM WHICH COMES OUR WORD CHARITY.  AND THIS COMMANDMENT TO LOVE OTHERS AS OURSELVES IS THE SOURCE OF THE CHURCH’S CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES, ACTIVITIES WHICH HAVE BEEN THE SUBJECT OF MUCH NEWS RECENTLY IN RELATION TO THE HEALTH CARE ACT.


WHAT IS HAPPENING IS BASICALLY THIS.  THE HEALTH CARE ACT MANDATES THAT EMPLOYERS PROVIDE HEALTH COVERAGE FOR THEIR WORKERS AND THAT HEALTH COVERAGE MUST INCLUDE CONTRACEPTIVE SERVICES, ABORTIFACIENTS AND STERILIZATION COVERAGE.  SUCH PRACTICES ARE, OF COURSE, AGAINST THE TEACHINGS OF OUR CHURCH AND HAVE BEEN SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY.


THERE IS A FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE EXCEPTION THAT WOULD ALLOW CHURCHES THEMSELVES TO AVOID HAVING TO PROVE SUCH SERVICES, BUT THE EXCEPTION IS VERY NARROWLY DRAWN.  BASICALLY ONLY THE CHURCH’S VERY BASIC ACTIVITIES AND PERSONNEL WOULD BE ALLOWED THE FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE EXEMPTION.


THE CHURCHES CHARITIABLE ACTIVITIES WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED THE FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE EXEMPTION.    THIS MEANS THAT CATHOLIC HOSPITALS, ADOPTION SERVICES, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, CATHOLIC UNIVERSITIES, AND ALL OUR PROGRAMS THAT SERVE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE THOSE CONTRACEPTION, ABORTIFACIENT AND STERILIZATION SERVICES EVEN THOUGH SUCH ACTIVITIES ARE IMMORAL.


THE GOVERNMENT’S POSITION IS THAT CHARITABLE SERVICES ARE NOT RELIGIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT A RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE HEALTH CARE ACT.  AND HERE IS THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM FOR US CATHOLICS AND OTHER DENOMINATIONS WHO ARE HEAVILY ENGAGED IN CHARITABLE WORKS.


THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION HAS TWO CLAUSES THAT DEAL WITH RELIGION: ONE BASICALLY SAYS THERE WILL BE NO “OFFICIAL” OR GOVERNMENT-FAVORED RELIGION WHILE THE OTHER SAYS THAT ALL WILL ENJOY THE FREE EXERCISE OF THEIR RELIGION.  THAT IS CALLED THE FREE EXERCISE CLAUSE AND IT IS THERE THAT THE PROBLEM ARISES.


GOVERNMENT HAS BASICALLY DECIDED THAT CHARITY IS NOT PART AND PARCEL OF OUR RELIGION.  FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN A CATHOLIC HOSPITAL TREATS A NON-CATHOLIC OR A CATHOLIC HOMELESS SHELTER PROVIDES FOOD FOR A NON-CATHOLIC, THE HOSPITAL AND SHELTER ARE NOT OPERATING AS RELIGIONS.


IN SHORT, GOVERNMENT IS DECIDING WHAT IS PART OF OUR RELIGION AND WHAT IS NOT.  PHRASED ANOTHER WAY, THE GOVERNMENT IS DECIDING WHAT’S RELIGIOUS AND WHAT’S NOT.  THE LAST TIME I LOOKED THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT OVERFLOWING WITH THEOLOGIANS AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES OF FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY.


THE CHURCH AND OTHERS SEE THIS AS A VIOLATION OF OUR ABILITY TO EXERCISE OUR RELIGION FREELY.  USING THE GOVERNMENT’S LOGIC, JESUS’ CURE OF THE GENTILE CENTURION’S DAUGHTER WAS NOT A RELIGIOUS ACT AND THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN IS JUST A NICE STORY AND DOES NOT HAVE RELIGIOUS CONNOTATIONS.  IN FACT THE POINT OF THAT STORY IS THAT ALL ARE OUR BROTHERS AND WE HAVE TO PRACITICE CHARITY TO ALL REGARDLESS OF THEIR OWN BELIEFS.


POPE BENEDICT’S ENCYCLICALS “GOD IS LOVE” AND “CHARITY IN TRUTH” MAKE THE POINT THAT CATHOLICS ARE CALLED BY OUR GOD TO BOTH PARTICIPATE IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST AND TO ENGAGE IN CHARITY.  BOTH, THE HOLY FATHER SAYS, ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR SALVATION AND ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER IS INCOMPLETE AND MAYBE EVEN FUTILE.


THE HOLY FATHER IN THOSE ENCYCLICALS IS JUST ECHOING THAT GREAT COMMANDMENT THAT WE LOVE GOD AND OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES.  AS I SAID EARLIER, THE LOVE OF GOD DEMANDS LOVE OF NEIGHBOR AND LOVE OF NEIGHBOR DEMANDS LOVE OF GOD.  THEY ARE INSEPARABLE.


SO AT ROOT, THE REAL AND BASIC DEBATE BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND  THE GOVERNMENT IS OVER THE FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION, A CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE THAT WILL MOST LIKELY END UP BEING SETTLED IN THE COURTS. THE QUESTIONS IS CAN THE GOVERNMENT DECIDE WHAT IS RELIGIOUS AND WHAT IS NOT OR IS THAT SOLELY THE PREROGATIVE OF THE RELIGIONS THEMSELVES?  THE DECISIONS ABOUT INSURANCE PROVIDING CONTRACEPTION, ABORTIFACIENTS AND STERILIZATION DEPEND FIRST OF ALL ON THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.  IN THIS SITUATION, THAT ANSWER IS DEPENDENT ON THE ANSWER TO THE ISSUE ABOUT THE FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION.


NOW I HAVE TO CLOSE ON ANOTHER NOTE, A PERSONAL NOTE.  SINCE OUR CHILDREN HAVE LEFT HOME SOME YEARS AGO, WE HAVE HAD NO FAMILY WITHIN MILES AND MY WIFE SHEILA AND I HAVE SORELY FELT THE LACK OF FAMILY CONTACT.  SO WE HAVE DECIDED TO MOVE FROM JONESBORO AND WILL BE RELOCATING TO FLORIDA WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF RELATIVES.  IN FACT, WE WILL BE LOCATING IN THE SAME TOWN AND WITH THE SAME PEOPLE THAT SHEILA LIVED WITH WHEN SHE EMIGRATED HERE FROM IRELAND.


BOTH SHE AND I WILL CERTAINLY MISS THIS PARISH.  THE PARISH, FR. VU AND PREVIOUS PASTORS, AND ESPECIALLY YOU THE PARISHIONERS HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT PARTS IN THE DEVLOPMENT OF OUR OWN SPIRITUAL LIVES.  I KNOW THAT IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS PARISH, I WOULD NOT BE A DEACON AND WOULD NOT BE STANDING UP HERE.  YOU HAVE PROVIDED US THE GREATEST SERVICE ONE CAN PROVIDE TO ANOTHER, EXPANDING OUR RELATION TO GOD AND TO GOD’S CHURCH.


SOME HAVE WONDERED WHY THERE IS TO BE NO RECEPTION.  SHEILA AND I HAVE ASKED THAT THERE BE NO SUCH THING SINCE WE FELT THAT THE MASS IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE PLACE TO SAY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESSES.


SHEILA AND I WISH ALL GOOD THINGS FROM GOD FOR YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND FOR THE PARISH.  THIS PARISH WILL BE FOREVER IN OUR PRAYERS AND HAS BEEN FOR 28 YEARS.