Homily for October 26, 2008
Father Tom’s Homily
30th Sunday
October 26, 2008
As we read the gospels, we join the company of Jesus and his disciples. In this way he speaks to us and we personally witness his ministry to the sick and the poor. His words and his example awaken us and deepen our faith.
There are three important questions that Jesus asks us in our gospel journey with him. The first is from the first chapter of John’s gospel when we first encounter Jesus. He asks us, “What are you looking for?” These are the very first words Jesus speaks in John’s gospel.
“What are you looking for?”
The second question is found midway through the other three gospels. Jesus asks it at Caesarea Phillippi. He says, “Who do you say that I am?”
The third important question is among the last words Jesus speaks in John’s gospel. He says, “Do you love me?”
We are asked three all-important questions. “What are you looking for.” Who am I to you?” “Do you love me?”
One question leads to the next one. They lead finally to a question about love. All theology must lead us to love, for God is Love.
Another similar question is asked in today’s gospel story. “Which is the greatest commandment?”
There had been an ongoing debate among the rabbis about the Law of Moses. In all, there were 613 laws in Torah (the Law of Moses). The debate was going on in Jesus’ time.
It was, “Which among these many commandments is the greatest commandment?”
He hear Jesus’ answer to this question in today’s gospel.
He joins two of the ancient laws into one. We are commanded to love God and our neighbor. He says, “All the laws of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
As our gospel journey with Jesus leads to a pointed question about love, so the ancient Law of Moses leads to the command to love.
When we accept the question and the command, we become true disciples of the Lord.
Jesus says it this way, “By this will everyone know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.”
There is a much more personal appeal to love in the question from Jesus than in the command from the Torah.
As children, the Jews had learned the Torah law of love from their teachers in their catechism classes at the synagogue. This commandment was part of the profession of faith that every Jew memorized and recited daily in their morning prayer.
In John’s gospel we hear the question directly from Jesus. After they had spent a night fishing in the Sea of Galilee, the apostles met Jesus on the shore where he served them breakfast. This was the third time he met with them after his resurrection.
As Jesus serves us a hearty breakfast of bread and fish that he had prepared, we notice the scars of crucifixion on his hands. It is unforgettable.
And his question, after the meal, as he stands in front of us and speaks from his heart to us is also unforgettable. He says, “Do you love me?”
How do we answer. Certainly it is with words spoken from our hearts, but it must be with more than words.
The love of God involves also the love of our neighbor. In his first epistle, John the Apostle writes, “Anyone who says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, is a liar.”
“…This is the commandment that has been given to us, that anyone who loves God must also love his neighbor.” (I John, 4:20-21)
Today’s first reading from the Book of Exodus gives us some of the laws of Moses.
These few laws single out for our love and care the most vulnerable people in the ancient world. They are foreigners who lack the protection of their family and clan, and widows and orphans who lack the protection of a husband/father.
There was no safety net for them. To get by, many had to become public beggars. They depended on the charity of others.
The opening lines of the first reading seem to be pointing at the immigrants in our midst. “You shall not molest or oppress the alien…I will hear their cry.”
It is estimated that about 25 million people in the world today are refugees (that is, in the language of the first reading, “aliens”).
Few of us molest or oppress the alien, the foreigner in person. Usually we keep our distance and ignore them.
It is the difficult teaching of the gospel that we must do more than ignore the alien and others in need. In chapter 25 of Matthew’s gospel (today’s reading is from chapter 22), there is a powerful reminder of how we are to treat the immigrant alien/the refugee.
It is the famous last judgment scene where God says to those on his right hand, “Come with me to paradise, because when I was a stranger, you gave me welcome.”
And to those on his left side, he says, “Depart from me, because when I was a stranger, you did not welcome me.”
We are reminded that to welcome those who are unnoticed and left out is to welcome Christ, who one day will welcome us into our heavenly home.
