HOMILY – 31^ST SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME 2006

FURMAN UNIVERSITY – GREENVILLE, SC

NOVEMBER 5, 2006 – 8:30PM

May the Lord give us His peace.

This isn’t the “promised land!”  Supreme example,  You are not far from it.

This isn’t the “promised land!”  Moses dealt with his people as they experienced exile, hunger, despair and doubt that God was leading at all.  Hear them shout at him in frustration, “This isn’t the promised land!  AND! Perhaps YOU aren’t the promised one to lead us!

We travel like them.  We experience all that, we hunger for justice as we experience the sentence that Saddam Hussein will be hanged for his offenses, we hunger for justice as we read that Iran will now come to talks about nuclear weaponry.  We hunger for fairness in a lot of places personally too – can’t I get a break!?  We are exiled from a life we hope to have one day, we doubt anyone is good really, and we get so confused in despair that we don’t even shout anymore.  Life can be rough. 

Enter Moses, Jesus, You.  The carriers of hope come from God.  They have a connection, a confidence and a certainty.  They believe and live from trust and hope and bring it.  Stay true and things will work out.  Keep God and His will in front.  Take heart that God is God and that is why He is called God.  No this isn’t the promised land – but we are on the way.

Supreme example.  Jesus, our high priest is supreme example.  Duh.

Yet can I honestly say I look to Him for the way?  Paul says to the Hebrews, ‘He is able to save those who approach God through Him.  He offered one sacrifice for all when He offered Himself.  He has been made perfect forever.”  Can I say I go to God through Jesus’ way?  Selflessness, sacrificial giving, generosity, healing presence, justice bringer.  Is that me?

His example, like any good example is to be followed.  We lose no dignity in following.  In fact we gain it for making a wise choice in who to follow.  Next time you are at BoJangles and you order supremes, may you get a box of Eucharist.

You are not far from it.  When the scribe said “You are right in saying ‘He is the ONE and there is no other One that He and to love Him with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more that ALL burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  Jesus replied, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”  You are not far from it when you understand that.

Understand what?  That all the little reverences, the self denials that produce no fruit in me or in you are nothing compared to a genuine love of God and giving to your neighbor.  Bam!  Now that’s a box of supremes.

Yet life is full of what?  Deadlines, tests, projects, appointments.

To forget what God has appointed us for is death, and He came that we might have life.  How awful for us to miss it.