Homily For 11th Sunday In Ordinary Time - 2013

2 Samuel 12: 7-10, 13

Galatians 2: 16, 19-21

Luke 7: 36-8:3

We are now in liturgical season called Ordinary Time, and I think we can see a different tone in today’s Scripture readings.  During the Easter Season, and on Pentecost Sunday, we see that the readings where full of hope, love, and peace.  In today’s readings, we see that three letter word that makes all of us uncomfortable: …sin.  My feeling is that the Church, after all the celebrations of Easter, Pentecost, and Corpus Christi; when we all may be on a spiritual high; is giving us a reality check.  Yes, we are Easter people; we do believe and follow our Risen Lord.  But we are still human; we can still be tempted by sin. 

I found several definitions of sin in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Sin ”is a failure in genuine love of God and neighbor causes by perverse attachment to certain goods.” (1849)  “Sin is an offense against God…sets itself against God’s love for us and turns our hearts away from it.” (1850)

And we are all capable of committing sin; whether we are regular folks or among the bright, rich, and powerful.  We see that illustrated in today’s readings.  The first reading tells the story of King David.  David, who was one of the key figures in the history of ancient Israel.  God selected him to take over the throne of Israel from King Saul; had Solomon anoint him as King.  The hand of God was over David, protecting him, making him a powerful leader.  And after all that God had for him one would think David would acknowledge that, and obey God’s commandment.  Instead he wanted more, he wanted Bathsheba.  And he was willing to kill for her.  God, through the prophet Nathan, brings David to account for himself, to acknowledge his sin. 

In the Gospel, we read of a Pharisee, by the name of Simon, who invited Jesus to dinner.  Now the Pharisees prided themselves on keeping the Law of Moses, even to the smallest passage of the Law.  Yet, we read that he failed to extend hospitality to Jesus, which was required by Jewish custom of the times.  And he looked at the sinful woman, who came in to wash and anoint Jesus’ feet, and did not feel compassion for her, but disgust.  Jesus, very cleverly calls Simon to account for his sins.  

Yet, today’s Scriptures are not primarily about sin; but it is revealing to us the great compassion of God.  He is always ready to forgive us, no matter how great or small is the offense we may have committed.  But we, like King David, and the sinful woman, need to humbly come before the Father, and acknowledge that we have faltered in following his Son, and that we need his forgiveness and his healing.  It is for this reason that Jesus Christ gave us the Sacrament of Penance, the sacrament of Reconciliation.  Through the words of absolution pronounced by the priest, we experience what that woman experienced, the forgiveness of the Father.  And also, like that woman, we will experience the peace of Christ.

Yet, how many of us are willing to come to the sacrament of reconciliation; how many of us are denying ourselves this experience of the Father’s love.  Perhaps we need, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to reflect on the current state of our lives, examine our relationship with the Father, our families, and neighbors.  And know that whatever we realize about ourselves, our failures and sins, Jesus is there with us, ready to forgive us, ready to say, “Go in peace.”

The Cardinal and His Critics

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,” will be liable to fiery Gehenna.” (Matthew 5: 21-23)

“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6: 37)

“Nothing should upset the servant of God except sin. And no matter how another person may sin, if the servant of God lets himself become angry and disturbed because of this, [and] not because of love, he stores up guilt for himself (cf. Rm2:5). That servant of God who does not become angry or upset at anything lives justly and without anything of his own. And he is blessed who does not keep anything for himself, rendering to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s (Mt 22:21).” Admonition XI, - St. Francis of Assisi.


The Catholic blogosphere has been alive with comments about the funeral of Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, and the participation of Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap., Archbishop of Boston, at that funeral. The Cardinal has taken a lot of heat for being in attendance, and for leading the final prayers. Michael Paulson of the Boston Globe gives some of the details of this story. His Eminence has also commented on his own position concerning giving a Catholic funeral to the Senator, and what all this harsh rhetoric and comments is doing to the Church and the pro-life movement.

The Church is at its best when it shows compassion and mercy even to those who disagree with it, who may have taken positions against Church teaching. Yes, the Church has a prophetic role to play in the world and it must speak truth to power, but it must do so in such a way that does not violate Christ command to love one another. And when Jesus says love one another, he is not just talking about our friends, he is also talking about those who oppose us, who harm us. It is a spiritual work of mercy to admonish the sinner, but not with words of fire, brimstone, and damnation, but with words of concern, courtesy and respect for a fellow child of God.

Finally, it is a corporal work of mercy to bury the dead. And the Church in Boston was showing mercy to Ted Kennedy and his family, when it gave the Senator a Catholic funeral, trusting in the Father’s love and wisdom.

Photo from Boston Herald

My August Column for Secular Franciscan Fraternity Newsletter

“And loving one another with the charity of Christ, may the love you have in your hearts be shown outwardly in your deeds so that, compelled by such an example, the sisters may always grow in love of God and in charity for one another.” (Testament of St. Clare of Assisi)

“The brothers and sisters are co-responsible for the life of the fraternity to which they belong and for the SFO as the organic union of all fraternities throughout the world.

The sense of co-responsibility of the members requires personal presence, witness, prayer, and active collaboration, in accordance with each one’s situation and possible obligations for the animation of the fraternity.” (Article 30, SFO General Constitutions)

When the feast of St. Clare came around in the past, my columns usually was a reflection on what Clare can teach us about contemplation. This time I would life to reflect on what she can teach us about living in fraternity. She and her sisters had a very intense, very challenging experience of what it meant to be a fraternity, a community of Franciscans. Enclosed in a monastery, they experienced each others strengths, each others weaknesses. There must have been days when living together was full of joy and light, and other days of trials and darkness. Through it all, St. Clare was a light that guided her sisters. The early biographies of her describe her love, her compassion, her humility, her service to the community. She saw herself as servant to her sisters, was never comfortable with the title of “abbess.” Clare was a mother to the community, caring for those sisters who were ill, moderating the penances some of them may have taken on, and making sure they took care of their bodies. She was also a spiritual mother, encouraging the sisters by her words and example on how enter into the Lord’s Presence.

In our fraternity, we are called to love each other, to serve one other. We are called to bear with each others faults, and encourage the best in each other. We are to be examples to our sisters and brothers of what it means to be a Franciscan, a follower of Christ.