August 29, 2018
Paulist Fr. Rich Andre preached this homily on the 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B) on August 26, 2018, at St. Austin Parish in Austin, TX. The homily is based on the day’s readings: Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18; Psalm 34; Ephesians 5:21-32; and John 6:60-69.
A special word of welcome to everyone with us for the first time this weekend. We’re glad that you’re here! St. Austin Parish is administered by the Paulist Fathers, the first religious community of Catholic priests founded in the United States.
When I meet people socially and I tell them that I’m a priest with a special devotion to St. Paul, it’s surprising how often the next thing people do is interrogate me about Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 22. “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands.” Well, guess what? That’s our second reading today. So let’s remember two things before we hear it again:
- In the preceding verse, Ephesians exhorts all people to “be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
- The most radical verse in the passage is verse 25: “Husbands, love your wives.” Because in the Greco-Roman culture, husbands did not love their wives. They were kept indoors and solely expected to produce children. Husbands loved their mistresses, not their wives.
Today’s homily will concentrate on the other readings.
Let us once again ask God to shower us and our world with mercy.
When I lead a class on the Bible, I often end the session with a discussion of the passage that we heard today from the Book of Joshua. After the Exodus, the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, the 40 years of wandering in the desert, and after the battles to reclaim the Land of Canaan, the Israelites are once again faced with a choice: will they continue to serve the LORD? The Bible is OUR story. It is filled with examples of how WE can experience God in the world today. And so I ask everyone in the Bible class: “We have to choose each and every day, too: will we continue to serve the LORD?”
In last week’s gospel passage, Jesus proclaimed that he is the Bread of Life, that people must eat his flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life. As many people walked away, Jesus did not chase after them, saying, “You misunderstood me! I only meant it in a metaphorical sense!” Instead, he allows them to go, and he asks the apostles if they want to leave, too. Jesus gives the apostles the same choice as Joshua gave the ancient Israelites: “Decide today whom you shall serve.”
It is difficult for us to believe that, by the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer, the bread and the wine we bring to the altar are somehow transformed into Christ, his body and blood, soul and divinity. And yet, this is what Christians have believed from the earliest days of Christianity. The best philosophical explanation for how this could be possible was offered by St. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century. However, we must remember that Christians held this belief for more than 1200 years before St. Thomas came on the scene. (His theory, called transubstantiation, owes a lot to Aristotle, but it also relies on a whole series of world events, including the Battle of Hastings in the year 1066. You can read Nathan Mitchell’s book, Cult and Controversy, if you want to know more about that.) Even if we have our doubts about the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist, it’s OK to receive communion at Mass. As you come forward, simply offer the prayer of the father of the epileptic boy in Mark chapter 9: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
For the past two weeks, millions of American Catholics have been shaken by the revelations that Pennsylvania bishops covered up over a thousand incidents of clergy sexually abusing minors over the past 70 years. Several people have reached out to me since then, expressing rage and frustration. “How can I stay committed to this Church?” they ask me. “How can I ever trust the bishops and priests again?” Or they pray: “I want to believe that the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit; Lord, help my unbelief!”
The Bible continues to be filled with stories that our relevant to our lives. Today is a day to prayerfully decide once again like in the times of Joshua: whom shall we serve? It is a day to imagine Jesus looking each of us in the eye, asking, “Do you also want to leave?”
Right now, a lot of Catholics are struggling with that question. But perhaps the question is what do they want to leave? Clearly, they don’t want to leave Jesus Christ. But some honestly question if membership within the Catholic Church is the right way for them to best follow Jesus Christ right now.
Some may discern it’s best for them to take some time away from the Church. But I hope and pray that a lot of us decide to stay. As more than one friend has posted on social media this week: “I ain’t leaving. I’m too stubborn, and I love this Church too much to let some rotten apples take it away from me.”
Even if some people ultimately decide to give up on the Church, I hope and pray that no one gives up on God in whatever decision they make. As the people responded to Joshua en masse: “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD for the service of other gods!” Or as Peter said to Jesus: “You have the words of everlasting life.”
My ministry, at this time of uncertainty, is to listen. If you have ever suffered sexual abuse by anyone and you don’t know where else to turn, I have plenty of tissues in my office, and we will determine what next steps – therapeutic and/or legal – are required. If you need to express your rage and grief about the abuse cover-up, I have a shoulder that you can lean on. If you need help discerning the next phase of your faith relationship with the Catholic Church, I will listen to you with unconditional regard.
It may be a time of darkness, but I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us to a future brighter than any past.