Beloved Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
Through the readings of the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we learn about God with us, and we pray about God’s ways, which are not our ways. It is a conundrum that God is with us, and yet His ways are as high as the heavens are above the earth. God is present with each one as we receive Jesus the Eucharist. Yet, His Presence is not of this earth and to that we are called to live all our days.
The prophet Isaiah tell us that God is generous in forgiving. Let us start there! We are invited to bring God’s Presence to the people with whom we encounter by offering His loving generosity and forgiving one another. This is an understanding of God’s mercy, wholly offered and not withdrawn if we fail again. This understanding does not mean that we don’t see ourselves, or those with whom we live, take leave of God. But it is our opportunity to draw near to God and as St. Paul exhorts, “conduct ourselves in a way worthy of the Gospel of Christ” (Phil 1:27).
In the Gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus tells us that God’s love is not like anything we can imagine on this earth. He talks about a love that is not judgmental; one that is understanding and generous. We can very well relate to the parable Jesus speaks as He talks about a businessperson whose compensation to workers is not “the norm.” He debunks the expectations of those who worked a full day and seeing others who worked less receive a full day’s wage, believe they also should receive a greater wage for the hours they worked.
Jesus speaks about the businessperson’s generosity, which is not required to follow any rule for compensation. This can be likened to our ministry, through Catholic Charities of Central Florida or your parish pantries, where you offer food to those who “did not work for it” and give as generously as you are able. What other examples might you realize within your own daily living? Think about a friend whose physical or mental capacity is different from yours, and you help him or her with transportation or guide your child to help him or her with homework. A neighbor’s grass may need to be cut and as you cut your own, you also help with the neighbor’s yardwork. It can be as simple as saying “thank you” to your mother, father, brother, sister, friend for being a part of your family. In each of these situations, you do not expect any return. You offer God’s goodness out of His matchless love.
We are also called to listen to God’s voice, to continue our pilgrimage to heaven. We can become lackadaisical or complacent in our relationship with God. We receive Jesus the Eucharist and tout ourselves for participating in the celebration of Mass; yet we fail to participate as God’s chosen and holy ones throughout the week. The sustenance we receive is to bring us closer to God; so that by our thought, word and deed, we truly bring God’s Presence to one another. If we falter in our faithfulness, others will also. We are a community of faith and as we lead others to God, we can also break that relationship. Gossip, boasting, providing poorly for those with whom we live, or not protecting a life within the womb, are ways in which we leave God, and the effect of our leaving can yield a schism in the lives of others.
As Jesus tells us in His parable, “The last shall be first and the first last.” God’s tenderness is ever unfolding. As we return to Him, He will receive each one. He calls us, compels us through the Eucharist, to receive each one — for only He will determine who is truly worthy.
I invite you to join me and participate in the celebration of the annual Blue Mass noon, Tuesday, Sept. 29, at St. James Cathedral, 215 N. Orange Ave. in downtown Orlando. During the celebration of the Blue Mass, we honor our first responders, those whose daily living is given to protect God’s people from harm and to offer safety to the poor and vulnerable. Their humble service brings forth God’s kindness.