Homilies
Twenty–eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 15, 2006
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What’s the Meaning?
Today’s readings for the Mass of the Twenty–eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time teach us that the Word of God is like a surgeon’s scalpel: it heals by cutting.
In the first reading, we hear the voice of a man who has already recovered from the operation. This man has been totally transformed by “the spirit of wisdom.” The Holy Spirit is communicating the Word of God to him in the depths of his being. For this man, nothing of the “old man” remains. He has eyes only for things of God. Nothing else interests him—not the world, not himself, nothing. He is in love with Wisdom and captivated by her radiance: “All good things came to me along with her, and in her hands uncounted wealth.”
But in the Epistle we are given the hard teaching that accepting the Word of God has its downside. The word of God is a living and active thing that will pierce to the depths of our being, dividing soul from spirit, joints from marrow. We have all spent a lifetime building up facades to hide our true character, but if we truly accept the word of God, our true character will be exposed. The Word will penetrate even to the innermost “intentions of the heart.” All will be laid bare.
In the Gospel today, we see a clear example of this. An exuberant young man runs up to Jesus and asks how he might acquire eternal life. After some almost playful questioning, Jesus begins the work of dividing soul from spirit. He invites the man to join him and live among his innermost circle of friends. Jesus, however, adds one stipulation: the man must walk away from all his wealth—family, houses, fields. Immediately, the man becomes sad. As much as he truly desires eternal life, he cannot bring himself to let go of his possessions. Grieving, the man walks away from Jesus.
Jesus then turns around to his disciples and says: “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
The metaphor is a good one, for the camel is used as a pack animal to carry the possessions of wealthy travelers. The “eye of a needle” is the gate in Jerusalem called Needle's Eye. It was strategically built such that a camel could pass through only if it unloaded its luggage and then crawled through on its knees. The point Jesus is making is obvious: if you wish to enter into eternal life, you must unburden yourself of your attachments and walk with humility.
Jesus even goes so far as to say that it is impossible for man to enter the kingdom of God. But then he adds the reassuring words: “But with God all things are possible.”
What’s the Message?
The message in today’s readings is a difficult one. We like to think that once we receive the word of God into our hearts, all will be well. But, in a certain sense, our troubles are just beginning. Why? Because the word of God is far far different from any other words we might hear. The word of God is imbued with the Holy Spirit and is therefore an active and living reality. The word of God is so full of truth and goodness and beauty that ugly things like lies and facades and disordered appetites cannot bear to exist in its company. This is what the Saint Paul means when he says that the word of God “pierces until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow.” For, as the Psalm says: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!” (Ps. 139:23)
The story of the rich man today who walked away from Jesus applies to all of us—poor and rich alike. For we all have things of which we refuse to let go. We, therefore, do not totally accept the word of God, as Jesus says, “for my sake and the sake of the good news.” No, instead we try to accept it for our own sakes. We try to manipulate it and fit it in to our warped character. We foolishly try to make it conform to us rather than humbly conforming to it. Then when we profess to be followers of Jesus, we lie. “He who says ‘I know him’ but disobeys his commandments is a liar,” says Saint John. (1 Jn. 2:4)
Whatever the case may be—whether the thing we love more than God is heroin or coffee, lustful fantasies or gossiping—when we refuse to detach ourselves from something which the word of God demands we cut away, we ourselves are cut away from God. Like the rich young man, we end up choosing to walk away from Jesus. “Ye cannot serve God and mammon,” sayeth the Lord. (Lk. 16:13) In a real way, it is we choose to go to hell. (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church par. 1037)
What’s the Response?
The first response to make to these readings is to reflect how in particular they apply to us. To what am I attached? What’s keeping me from walking with the Word the way Saint Francis walked with Word?
In the Twelve–step Program for recovering alcoholics, the first and major step for the person is to stand up in front of everyone and introduce himself: “Hello, I’m Bob Jones, and I’m and alcoholic.” After this everyone claps and welcomes him.
We ourselves must admit that we have serious problems. We must come to face the enemies from within, for these are the only things keeping us from walking with Jesus and his intimate circle of friends.
To face these enemies within, we must implore Gods help. With the Psalmist, therefore we can pray:
O that thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God,
and that men of blood would depart from me,
men who maliciously defy thee,
who lift themselves up against thee for evil!
Do I not hate them that hate thee, O LORD?
And do I not loathe them that rise up against thee?
I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
(Psalm 139:17-24)
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Contribution by Brother Anthony Myers
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