HOMILY – 9^TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA CATHOLIC CHURCH

JUNE 1, 2008  - 8, 10 & 12NOON MASSES

May our dear Lord Jesus give us His peace.

Phylactery factory, justified by grace,  I don’t know you.

Phylactery factory.  The Jews heard the first reading we hear today and took it literally.  God asks us to bind His Word to our wrist, put his commands like a pendant on our heads.  A phylactery was a leatherette box or pouch which contained in very small print – the commands of God.  People made beautiful phylacteries, then large ones, then larger.  So large Jesus warned about people who widened their phylacteries yet sinned in their heart.

God’s intention is to have His commandments memorized, and even more, lived as a rule of life.  God’s name is Holy – not a curse word for you to use, praise Him.  Keep one day just for God and the things of God.  There is no other God, not money, spouse, child or job.  Honor your parents.  Don’t kill.  Don’t hurt another person’s committed relationship.  Don’t steal anything.  Don’t speak any words (with which you have some uncertainty) about another person.  Don’t want your neighbor’s spouse or things.  Well, start the phylactery factory, pump these out, get everyone wearing these laws just like the WWJD bracelets!  Phylacteries everyone!

Noooo!  We don’t need a phylactery factory, we need a knowledge of,

and obedience to, God.  If we don’t know and don’t follow, then I am God, you are God.  And we won’t likely good gods, will we?  Make a wisdom wish, not a phylactery factory.  Pray to be wise and follow.

Justified by grace.  This truth, that we are justified by grace is the ultimate good news.  St. Paul says to the Romans, “All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God, but now are justified by grace through the redemption of Jesus Christ.  What God did through His Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit - justifies us.  Without Him we stay condemned.  Are we happy to be so thought of ?  Are we amazed by this grace?  Do we deserve it?  Do I?  Yet STILL Jesus brings it.  With us in mind.

It’s that great, it’s that simple.  Put THAT in your phylactery.  It’ll never be wide enough.

I don’t know you.  Can you imagine after all the grace given, and at such a price, that we would go another way?  Our way?  Frank Sinatra’s song “I did it my way” is the ultimate fool’s song.  Your way?  My way?  Fooo!

God cries.  I don’t know you.  I made you, I called you holy, I even came for you after you left me, and you walk away again?  I don’t know you.

I am not speaking these words to scare you.  They are not my words to you but His.  I speak them as He would - words to orient us.  To orient me.  I am certain that God’s way is a better way.  Once there was a time when we didn’t think and pray as we do now.  Once there was a time when we didn’t see the pain as a grace filled following, like we do now.  Jesus could then say, “I don’t know you.”  But perhaps now we have become a likeness Jesus does recognize.  Under construction we are getting there.  Watch the build, it can be messy/joyful at the same time.  It can go wrong.

How many cranes need to fall before the law is obeyed?  How many dead?

The master builder knows the material, and knows when it is warped.

Imagine a room full of beautiful phylacteries, but no law in our heart!

Feel the redemption - in the middle of our disobedience. 

Amazing Grace.  Let it have its way with you!  GIVE IN!

Would we build our house on sand?  This is no beach party Jesus calls us to, He asks us to be like rock, to build on what He has begun in us. 

He may be found to say “Hey, wait!  I know you…” 

And we may be found to reply,

“Certainly Lord, certainly, certainly, certainly Lord.”