HOMILY – 11^TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA CATHOLIC CHURCH

JUNE 15, 2008 – 8, 10, 12 NOON

May the Lord Jesus give us His peace.

Variable rates,  Helpless,  Laborers.

Variable rates.  Moses goes up the mountain, the people remain in the camp below.  Moses hears God speak, “If you keep my covenant, you shall be dear to me, my possession, my priests, a holy nation.”  If?

We have always been taught that God loves unconditionally, what is this “if?”  It seems that God has ALWAYS been making covenants, has offered relief over and over, has been present and delivered His people.

But we have responded with variable rates.

God never GAVE in variable rates.  God has been delivering, and under amazing conditions.  God has been the steady.  We get what we need from God and then forget where it came from!  We, who God wants to call royal, special, dearer than all, have been giving God variable rates of return on His investment in us.  Hmmm.  He’s an on-time God, are we?

See God pull out His pocket watch waiting for you!  Yes you.

Helpless.  It is even more amazing that God comes to us over and over while we are helpless.  Anyone else would have given up.  God gave us His Christ, our Lord Jesus, while we were still in sin.  Huh!  We get reconciled in the middle of being helpless.   Like a father close behind us as we falter on our training wheels to tipping, God comes and rights the bike.  God comes and grabs us by the seat.  We do not go down. 

We are helpless at times in knowing who we are, God’s chosen. 

We want to take off and zoom down into the busy traffic.

We go!  Zoom!  But not to doom.  Jesus saves us from self destruction.

The Father sends the Son, and it’s done.  Rescued, God looks for thanks.

Laborers.  Did you notice how God answered our prayers?  We asked God to send out laborers and God did!  We have the three summer interns, Kristine, Nicole, and a finely named young man named Patrick.

Br. Erick Lopez is doing his summer ministry with us, and soon God will show up and shine in His response by sending a 6’9” friar, Fr. Ray Selker.  Did God show up or what?  We are so blessed.  God did it again. 

How are we going to feed them all?  Hah!

Again, God has done God’s part. How about us?  Can’t out-give God.

God does so much in the hopes we understand the depth of His love.

How able God is.  Do we get  it?  Do we?  If you get it say Um hmm.

It shows up in how we offer our time, talent and treasure.

We are not helpless with God, so we make no variable rate in our return. Watch as the people come to serve with us – knowing that the Kingdom of God is not far from here.  We must be about what pleases God making a fitting return for all the good God has done for us – and in the middle of our junk.  Um hmm. Yes Lord.