Homily -
33rd Sunday -
Year C,
Buzzword -
The Present
Moment!
- Most people
set themselves
to get the most
out of life; and
yet, many remain
disappointed
with their
efforts as they
look back on so
many lost
opportunities.
Whatever may be
said about our
everyday
achievements,
today's readings
give a clear
message not to
be caught short
on the day of
judgment.
Malachy
3:19-20
- The Israelites
have not had it
easy. To lift
their drooping
spirits, the
Prophet Malachy
tells them that
the day of the
Lord will come,
as surely as the
sun rises in the
morning, and
justice will be
done equally to
good and evil
people.
2
Thessalonians
3:7-12 -
At this point in
history, the
expectation of
the second
coming of Christ
was wide spread
in the Christian
community and,
with it, the end
of the world.
Paul argues that
this should not
be an excuse to
sit and do
nothing, and he
offers his own
behaviour as an
example to be
followed.
Luke 21: 5-19
- "One
day at a time"
would appear to
sum up the
Lord's advice to
those who are
concerned by the
rumours
concerning the
destruction of
Jerusalem and
the end of the
world. One thing
certain is that
those who become
his disciples
will experience
hardship and
opposition; such
trials, however,
will count in
eternity.
Point 1:
- Going back to
my opening
statement that
,despite early
hopes and
aspirations,
many people
remain
disappointed
with living;
and, as they
remain on the
periphery of
life, it is
worth while
identifying some
of the reasons
why this is so.
As always, many
reasons can be
given to explain
why people don't
seem to have
much to show for
their efforts.
There are those
who, because of
past failure,
become unsure
and negative in
their approach -
a sort of, 'once
burnt, twice
shy' approach.
There are others
who glamorise
the past,
transforming it
into a golden
age and so
neglect the
challenge of the
present. Other
spend their
lives waiting
for the big
opportunity to
make a start,
and it never
happens! There
are some who,
from the human
point of view,
are simply born
losers; but not,
necessarily,
from God's point
of view.
Whichever group
we look at, one
thing in common
appears - all
groups are
neglecting the
present moment.
Point 2:
For a short
time - five
years - I served
as part-time
Chaplain with
the Royal
Australian Air
force, and, for
fifteen years as
auxiliary
Chaplain to the
US Navy Base at
Exmouth. In that
time, I came
into contact
with a variety
of "leaders".
There were those
who were all
"spit and
polish" more
concerned with
appearances than
performance;
others were
thoughtful,
caring men who
recognised that
they needed to
concern
themselves with
the conditions
of living off
base as much as
on base for
their troops and
their families.
Then there was
one known to all
and sundry as "Gonna"!
He was always
going to do
things, but
rarely did.
Conclusion:
I
suppose, in a
way, there is a
little bit of "Gonna"
in most of us.
Either we spend
our time
clinging to past
achievement or
daydreaming
about future
exploits and,
either way, the
present passes
us by. I would
like to have a
dollar for every
time my parents
reminded me -
"There's no time
like the
present" or "The
road to hell is
paved with good
intentions"! And
if we take the
broad view of
life presented
to us by
religion - that
we have been
created in the
image of God to
know, love and
serve Him on
earth to be
happy with Him
in heaven - and
if we also take
time to look at
the instructions
given to us by
Christ on how to
know, love and
serve, we will
find as many
warnings about
neglecting
opportunities
for good as we
find
condemnation for
evil behaviour.
In other words,
sins of omission
rank equally, if
not more so,
with sins of
commission in
achieving our
eternal destiny.
We must learn
the value of the
present moment
and to recognise
the
opportunities it
offers, if we
are to achieve
ultimate success
in life. This is
true whether our
goals be
material or
spiritual.
Scriptural
reference We
must work the
works of him who
sent me while it
is day; night is
coming when no
one can work.
:"[John 9:4]