Surprised By Grace
by Paulist Fr. Rich Andre
July 16, 2018

Paulist Fr. Rich Andre preached this homily on the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B) on July 15, 2012, at then-Blessed John XXIII University Parish in Knoxville, TN. The homily is based on the day’s readings: Amos 7:12-15; Psalm 85; Ephesians 1:3-14; and Mark 6:7-13.

Author’s note: This homily was given seven weeks after Fr. Rich began his priestly ministry in Knoxville. It was the first weekend since long before Fr. Rich’s ordination that the pastor, Fr. Charlie Donahue, C. S. P., could take a well-deserved break.



We hear in each of our readings today of how even the most ordinary of us are called to extraordinary things as disciples. In our first reading, we hear how Amos – the first of the prophets with his own book in the Bible – was called by God from humble circumstances in the southern kingdom of Judah to go prophesy against the aristocracy in the northern kingdom of Israel. In our second reading, we hear an effusive prayer of thanksgiving, declaring that God chose each of us “before the foundation of the world.” And our gospel tells of Jesus commissioning the twelve apostles. As we prepare to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us take a moment to recognize how graced we are. God has shown his mercy upon us since before the foundation of the world!


There’s an image going around the Internet these days that appeals to Gen-Xers like me. It’s a grainy photograph of a small child flying over a steep home-made ramp on his Big Wheels tricycle. The caption reads: “The 1970s. No knee-pads, helmets, brakes, or over-cautious soccer moms. It’s just how we rolled.”

Well, I didn’t learn to ride a bike until around 1982, but not much had changed. I didn’t have any training wheels on my bike. I just had my Dad. The idea was that I could learn to balance on the bike if Dad ran along behind me, holding the back of the bike to steady me.  I didn’t think it would work. And you know what? It didn’t work out… well, at least not the way I expected.

When have you unexpectedly found yourself forced to do things that you didn’t think you were capable of doing? Perhaps you were forced to enroll in a class for which you didn’t have the proper prerequisites. Perhaps you had to assume a position at work because someone got sick or quit unexpectedly.

In the past few days, I’ve probably been handed more challenges than in the previous seven weeks combined. I’ve visited a variety of people facing tragedies in their lives. I’ve faced several other professional conundrums of which I can’t say more because of privacy issues. I presided at a wedding for the first time less than four hours ago, and I’ll probably be preparing for my first funeral in the next few days. Because two of the Paulists are out of town this weekend, I’ve been assisting at Immaculate Conception, too. And we’re planning a last-minute out-of-town retreat for the young adults group. As I drove to Park West Hospital last night for another “last rites” anointing, I wondered how in the world I could possibly get everything done.

I wonder what it was like for those first apostles of Jesus. Immediately after Jesus is rejected by the people in his home town because they can’t believe that someone seemingly ordinary like him has special wisdom, Jesus sends the apostles out to preach the same message, cure the sick, and drive out demons. How could they possibly succeed? They had little training. They were mere mortals. And they weren’t supposed to take along provisions for the journey – not even a change of clothes.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church hadn’t been written yet, and these guys didn’t know that Jesus would rise from the dead. It’s not clear if they even understood what Jesus had taught them thus far. It doesn’t sound too promising.

Well, it turns out that the apostles are able to accomplish everything Jesus asks them to do – to proclaim, to cure, to cast out demons. Just like the simple shepherd Amos was able to prophesy to the aristocrats of the northern kingdom of Israel. 

As unprepared as I’ve felt the past few days, the Holy Spirit has apparently provided. It appears as if Anthony and Marissa were successfully and legally united in matrimony today. The grace of anointing has provided balm to the sick and to the people who care for them. Immaculate Conception Parish is still standing. And those other conundrums I mentioned seem to have been resolved in successful ways.

How about you? Have you ever been surprised by the things you’ve been able to accomplish, even when you thought it was beyond your ability? That’s what we mean when speak of  “amazing grace.” As the letter to the Ephesians proclaims so beautifully, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. God chose us before the foundation of the world to lavish graces upon us.

The other thing to remember is that we’re not in this alone. Jesus sent the apostles out two by two. As for me these past few days, my Paulist brother Jerry Tully has been a great resource. Fr. Charlie’s been in contact by phone. For the wedding, I had the help of the organist, the cleaning staff, and several technical people. And if we have to plan the funeral before Charlie gets back, I know I can count on Barbara, Andrea, and Dr. Ruth to work through things with me.

But back to the story of me, my bike, and my Dad. I don’t know how many practice rides I took across the blacktop at Highlands Elementary School with my Dad behind me before my parents finally pointed out that there was no way that my 50-year-old father was able to keep up with me. He hadn’t been holding onto the bike at all. I was doing it without his physical guidance. Apparently, all I needed was the presence of my earthly father.

And sometimes, all we need to accomplish great things is an awareness of the presence of our heavenly Father. When I was in college, I read a little quote that has stuck with me: “Those who say it is impossible should get out of the way of those who are doing it.” With the graces we have received, nothing is impossible with God.