Insights from Fr. Dan: September 26

Homily from Sunday September 26th – 26th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

The Holy Spirit has gathered us here to ponder difficult questions. “Who belongs to Christ and who should be excluded”? Jesus offers a straight forward answer. “Anyone who is not against us is for us”. Jesus’ words deserve repeating. Anyone who is not against us is for us. They can be hard words to live by.

The readings for today’s liturgy invite us to become more aware and appreciative of the Spirit of God at work in others, even those we least expect.

Jesus states this same principal even more strongly in John’s gospel. “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold”. Apparently Jesus did not limit his friends to a close circle of followers – and neither should we. Jesus welcomed as a friend any person who does the most menial deed as an act of Love.

(The best Vitamin for a Christian is Vitamin “B1”)

Remember his description of the great judgement? He numbers among his friends those who had given a drink of water to the thirsty, given clothing to those in need, bread to the hungry and shelter to the homeless. Jesus said: just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family you did it to me.

Jesus is definitely a friend, but like any friend he wants our friendship in return, that is, he wants us to be helpers and healers as he is for us.

As for the other parts of the gospel’s basic message – after the hand cutting and eye plucking – comes a radical decision. That is what the bottom line is. Decide! Cut away anything that prevents you from a radical decision for Christ. And that is pretty much this morning’s Gospel message.

This is a very famous picture – probably reproduced many times, the picture of Jesus standing outside a door. There is no knocker or bell and no handle on the outside. The idea is that Jesus stands there and knocks but there is no way for him to enter unless someone opens the door on the other side.

The picture is called “the light of the world” and it’s in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. This is a very busy and commercial area of London with heavy traffic and the picture got quite dirty and was sent to be restored. When it was taken out of its frame they saw something no one had ever seen hidden underneath the moulding (Forgive me, Lord Jesus, that I kept you waiting for so long.)