We
ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.
When
you think about it,
That's
a pretty pathetic attempt at claiming a real relationship.
Hey,
remember we met that time at that dinner party.
Yeah,
I used to see you teaching, even heard some of what you said.
Jesus
says he's not too impressed with that kind of relationship.
If
that's all we've got, he'll say:
I
do not know where you are from … depart from me.
He's
expecting more from us than just a vague awareness of him.
More
than just recognizing him as someone we once saw across a room
Or
passing on the street.
So
what does
he expect from us?
Of
course he expects us to love God and love our neighbor.
And
to demonstrate that through our life, through our actions.
He
expects that of everyone.
But
all of us here have been specially blessed.
Fortunately
for us, we are those to whom much has been given.
Much
in both spiritual and worldly gifts.
When
we compare the world around us
We
see that we Americans
Have
been given great freedom and security and wealth.
We
see that we Catholic Christians
Have
been given great knowledge of the Truth.
And from whom much is given, much is expected.
We're
expected to share
the gifts we've been given.
The
spiritual gifts and the worldly gifts.
All
of today's Scripture readings call us to evangelization.
Many
others have not yet heard the Good News.
The
news that there is
a God, and that He is kind and merciful.
That
He loves us as His children.
In
our first reading from Isaiah, God says
I
come to gather the nations of every language.
I
will send [messengers].
They
shall bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations
As
an offering to the Lord.
Who
might those messengers be?
Our
Psalm response repeats
Go
out to all the world and tell the Good News.
In
the Letter to the Hebrews we read that
The
Lord disciplines those he loves.
He
treats us as his children.
And,
like a good father, he teaches and disciplines us.
We
should view the trials of life as part of his discipline.
Accept
our trials, learn from them, don't seek comfort above duty.
In
the Gospel Acclamation we heard
I
am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord,
No
one comes to the Father except through me.
That's
not to say that only Catholics or only Christians can be saved.
But
that, only because of Jesus can anyone
be saved.
Without
his intervention in mankind's estrangement,
No one could be saved.
We’ve
been specially blessed.
Look
at the foundation we've received from our early years.
Most
of us were trained in the faith as children.
Our
faith was nurtured and shaped by our families and community.
We
built strong beliefs from that training.
Strong
foundations were also handed down to Jews.
Who
still have their covenant with God.
And
to the Muslims who
do
have some knowledge our one God.
And
to Buddhists and Hindus and people of every religion.
And
even to atheists.
Still
others have no foundations or weak, neglected foundations.
It
can be very difficult, maybe impossible,
For
some to overcome and reject their existing beliefs or disbeliefs.
But
others are open, even searching, for any Good News.
So
it's our duty to evangelize—to put the Truth out there.
To
help it spread so that can see it,
And
maybe choose to embrace it in this life.
Then
God—in His infinite mercy—will decide
Who
gets to share in eternal life.
Regarding
that eternal life, Jesus is asked in our Gospel,
Will
only a few people be saved?
He
doesn't answer directly.
But
he does tell us to Strive
to enter through the narrow gate.
That
Many
will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.
Yet,
at the same time, he also implies that many will
be saved.
People
will come from the east and the west
And
from the north and the south
And
will recline at table in the kingdom of God.
Throughout
the Gospels, Jesus has given us many warnings:
Many
are called but few are chosen.
The
wheat will be separated from the chaff.
The
goats from the lambs,
The
weeds from the wheat.
But
he's also given us many assurances:
Salvation
is impossible for man, but nothing is impossible for God.
The
rejoicing over finding the lost sheep and the lost coin.
The
rejoicing over the return of the prodigal son.
God
does not want even one of us to be lost.
God
favors mercy over justice.
How
do we balance all this?
We
have the Truth, we have the Good News.
But
we still have imperfect, incomplete understanding.
So
we trust in God, we put our hope in God.
And
we strive to do what Jesus tells us to do.
So
we push beyond our comfort zone
And go out to spread the Good News.
Out
to share our gifts with our brothers and sisters.
Out
to preach in the streets or to go knocking door-to-door.
Or
to simply live a visible life of good acts and quiet example.
But
where can we find our brothers and sisters?
Last
Sunday we were visited by Fr Sebastian,
A missionary from Tanzania.
He told us of the struggles and needs of his congregation.
He
and his people are our brothers and sisters.
This
week we saw a haunting photo of a dazed child,
Rescued
from the rubble in Aleppo, Syria.
He
and his people are our brothers and sisters.
And
we have plenty of brothers and sisters right here in our own country.
Our
own city, our own families.
All
people, even our own children, are our brothers and sisters in
Christ.
Before
we find ourselves knockin on Heaven's door,
Let's
build up our relationship with Jesus.
Let's
get to that sharing and that messenger work he's called us to.
Let's
give ourselves a lot more to say than:
We
ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.
