Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 129

...scarce do we guess the things on earth,
 and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty;
 but when things are in heaven, who can search them out?

It's almost comical that moderns believe in our human power to understand everything about our world and our life. We have built a towering babel of facts, and can process them with Artificial Intelligence, and think we know something. We have built weapons which can destroy all human life, and perhaps every living thing on the planet.

The only thing we don’t know about nuclear weapons is how to destroy them once and for all and forever. They’re like the dead rats my Mother’s cat used to bring home and place by the kitchen door, to show off his hunting prowess. "Well, ain't you something!" she would say. Does anyone suppose the Lord is amused by our nuclear weapons? 

The human comedy continues as we discover how and why the Earth’s climate has changed. We call it a crisis; but a crisis is what happens to long-neglected problems. They mature, develop, and then demand both immediate attention and an effective response. But we can do neither. Although it's a mess we've created with our own industries, we cannot muster enough concern about our overheated Earth, much less decide upon an effective response. We can, however, complain, and groan, and blame others for what they're doing or not doing; but none of that makes any difference whatsoever.  

If everyone were to start doing the right things today -- whatever they might be! -- we'd not see reassuring results for another century. But no democracy responds to a crisis for more than a few months at a time. After that we think it should be over and we're tired of it.

In today’s gospel, Jesus tells us precisely what we must do if we would be saved from the several apocalyptic crises of our time: 

If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

All four evangelists -- Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John -- agree that Jesus predicted his passion and death three times as they went to Jerusalem. And he explained what it meant on every occasion; you must die to yourself and your own interests. You must serve others and not yourself. If you do not take up your cross and follow me daily, you can forget about salvation, redemption, eternal life, and everything I ever said or did. You do not belong to me. You will have no health or well-being, no peace, and no prosperity. 

Happiness begins when we say, “Lord, I cannot save myself. Please, help me!” And then we look around to find what we should do for others, the Church, and our God. It may include, “Stop being such a nuisance to other people.” 

As a hospital chaplain I met many patients who wanted to go home but had to go to rehab or a nursing home. I sometimes suggested to those who might hear it, “God, not the doctors, is sending you to rehab or the nursing home. He wants you to be a blessing to the people who work there. Make sure you say please, and ask for anything you need. Don’t make them try to figure what you want or need; because no one has enough time to figure that out. And say thank you for everything they say and do. Learn the names of your caregivers and care about them while they care about you. If you do that, you will be a blessing to them, and not a burden. When you leave they’ll be sorry to see you go because you brought sunshine to a difficult job. 

Happiness is what we give to others. As we move from childhood to adolescence, adulthood to commitments as spouses and parents, as employers and employees, toward retirement, seniority, volunteering, and our final surrender to the Lord, we must often discover a new purpose for our lives. “What does the Lord want me to do now?” We don’t expect a heaven of useless idleness, nor do we want one on earth. 

Freedom is the gift we give to others. We might take liberties with others’ property, or time, or bodies; but we can only receive freedom. If we give freely to others, without demanding, or expecting repayment, we might receive happiness in return. We might even be content with what we have; and we’ll be rewarded with the freedom to give more. 

The Earth is overheating because we have taken too much liberty with it. Americans are trapped within their nuclear arms, handguns, assault rifles, fences, and walls because we have taken liberties with one another and expect reprisals from one another. We are the loneliest people on earth because we’re waiting for others to provide for us, and failing to provide for one another. 

Christians and Catholics know what we must do. We must give our freedom to the Lord, take up the cross of responsibility daily, and follow him to Jerusalem and Calvary. Having done that, we will know what Easter is all about.