Homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. (Luke 18:1)

This week, on our television screens, has played out a most extraordinary story, a most inspiring event. So often we see and hear about disasters and tragedies, scandals and cruelties, wars and conflicts. 

Yet this week has been refreshingly different. On our screens we have witnessed from Chile the amazing sight of 33 miners, who had been sealed deep underground for many weeks, being rescued and reunited with their families. It has been a moment of joy and triumph. A tremendous feat of engineering which has inspired the Chilean people to great celebrations of their patriotism. 

Here in the Potteries it is a situation we can feel for perhaps even more deeply than others. Though ours were mines for coal with now only a few marks on our landscape to remind us of them, and theirs still working mines for copper, our communities, parents and grandparents, painfully experienced the dangers of extracting minerals from deep in the earth. 

On New Years’ Day 1942 - in perhaps the most shocking of many events - this city lost 57 men and boys in an explosion at Sneyd Colliery. In 2010 we can rejoice that 33 men’s lives were saved in Chile. 

And alongside the obvious jubilation and the fervent patriotism of those saved and their families, friends and colleagues,  it was striking to notice how many fell to their knees and praised God for the answer to their prayers. Their courage - in maintaining hope and optimism despite being trapped deep underground - was striking and impressive. 

We are only too aware that often our prayers do not get answered in the way we wish. We know very well that optimism can be dashed with tragedy. But not always. Not of necessity. 

These people, thrown together by chance and circumstance,  Imprisoned deep with a long and bleak outlook ahead of them, They kept the faith. They did not lose heart. And eventually, finally, after toil and anguish, with trust in the skill of men and the unfailing love of God, they emerged triumpant from their temporary tombs, like ones risen from the dead. 

Homily for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Your faith has saved you. (Luke 17:19)

 

I have to confess being slightly puzzled by this miracle. What exactly are we meant to learnt from it? 

 

Is it perhaps about the importance of saying thank you and expressing our gratitude to God? 

 

Or is it rather about the faith of the outsider, the Samaritan, and the lack of faith of those who should have known better? 

 

Or it perhaps about the importance of faith in the miracles of Jesus?

 

Or is it even, perhaps about the unity of different races and ethnic groups? 

 

But there’s a problem with all these ideas. Though Jesus told the faithful, grateful Samaritan, “your faith has saved you”, the other 9, who showed little gratitude either to Jesus or by visiting priests, who seemed have less faith than the foreigner, who appear to turn their backs on the Samaritan, these nine are healed too. Any point we might want to draw from the story seems contradicted by this fact. 

 

So perhaps the message actually is this: God gives to good and bad, rich and poor, Jew and Samaritan alike. He deserves our gratitude, but gives whether he receives it or not. And so should we. It the fundamental principle of Christian charity. As Christians we do not care for others because they are good, or faithful. We do not care for other people because they too are Christians and overlook those who are not. We care because God cares, and our charity is for Christian and atheist, Mulsim and Hindu, European and Asian. We do not seek faith or conversion as the fruit of our charity - because our charity is already the fruit of God’s infinite love. 

Homily for the 30th Sunday of the Year

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’ (Luke 18:13)

This is a wonderful tale, which proves beyond all doubt that Jesus has a mischievous sense of humour. He pokes fun at the pompous Pharisee - several of whom would gave been amongst his congregation. This is not angry or bitter sarcasm, but a gentle poking of fun, bringing right down to solid earth those who have such a high opinion of themselves.

But the story isn't only poking fun. It is also, when we turn to the tax collector, poignant and sad. Here a wretched and despised man - usually no doubt the butt of many a joke or insult, wrestles with his own inadequacy and failure. He knows his life has gone wrong. He is aware of his sins and failings. And he comes before God, sorry and broken.

So what is the difference between these men? It is not their faith, because both are found at prayer in Temple. It is not their poverty or riches, because both would have been quite wealthy people. It is not age or education either.

No. The difference is that one knows his need of God, and the other does not. One is aware of his failings, while the other is aware only of the failings of others. One can name his sins, while the other can name only sinners.

One is full of contrition, while the other is blinded by pride.

The Pharisee believes his goodness comes from his own efforts, while the tax collector knows that it is only the grace of God which can send him home in peace.

Homily for the Assumption of Our Lady

From this day forward all generations will call me blessed (Luke 1:48)

 

There’s something about Mary

This was a film made many years ago. It had nothing to do with the Catholic faith, nor indeed with Our Lady, but it’s a great title. There is something about Mary. 

She is mentioned only on selected occasions in the Gospels, and we know very few of her words, yet she has dominated the art, the music and the faith of the world for centuries. She has sometimes been the centre of disputes amongst Christians, but she has also been at the heart of the inspiration and devotion of so many. Catholics and Orthodox unite in calling her Mother of God. Protestant Christians recognise her importance in the Christian story. Even the Koran devotes several chapters to her. 

There’s certainly something about her. 

This week some of us have been in Lourdes, the most famous shrine of Our Lady in the world, a place where she is said to have appeared to a young girl, Bernadette, just over 150 years ago. 

About six million people make a pilgrimage there every year. Why? 

There’s something about the place. Something about the Lady. 

And what is it? 

We could put it in theological terms, and say that she has a crucial role in the story of salvation, she is the closest human person to Our Lord himself in this life and the next, she most certainly dwells with God. That, in a nutshell, is more or less what is meant by the Assumption, which we celebrate today. 

But we could also put it in a more human, personal way. Mary is always about meeting, about encounter: look at the Gospels - the Annunciation, when she is greeted by the angel; the Visitation, when she greets her cousin Elisabeth; the Crucifixion, when Jesus greets her from the Cross; the day of Pentecost, then and after, when she prays with the Apostles ... and Lourdes and elsewhere, when she greets Bernadette and others. 

Mary is special because she meets us and we meet her - in special places and in our prayers. She is one of us, she is with us, and she dwells in the heart of her Son, as he dwells in her heart. 

Through her heaven came down to earth - and with her we share the life of heaven. 

Homily / Sermon for the 17th Sunday of the Year (C)

Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. (Luke 11:9)

So does God always answer prayer?

It is a fair question. When we are facing a difficult operation, or a worrying procedure; when a family member is undergoing tests or treatment; when there are disputes at work and someone is being bullied or treated unfairly: we might wonder.
We pray earnestly for world peace, for health and happiness; we offer masses and rosaries and novenas for our children, our grand-children; we pray for vocations, for the poor, for those who suffer from natural disasters: does God hear?
Sometimes it seems that the greedy do best, that dishonesty pays, that the good suffer. Is it really true that God hears and answers all our prayers?
There is of course a simple response to this difficult question: that God’s answers are not our answers, that his will is not our will: “Your will, not mine be done” said Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. And his answer may be Yes - of course. It may be No - this is not my will for you. It may be Not Yet - be patient. All this is certainly true, but perhaps a bit too simple
Perhaps, instead, we are making the wrong petition, or asking the wrong question.
Rather than ask - does God answer prayers, perhaps we should ask, Why do people pray in the first place?
You see, if you think God isn’t there - or it he is he can’t help - you really have to explain why so many people still pray. If prayers don’t get answered, then why do so many people still pray. And why do those who suffer most pray most - and those whose life is most comfortable, pray least?
This question we can answer.
God is not Santa Claus, to whom we send our requests. He is not one of the old deities of the Ancient World, who might be bribed by sacrifice or flattery.
Our petitions come from a much deeper need than just selfish concerns - remember that Jesus said to James and John, “Do you know what you are asking for”
Our yearning to pray comes not so much from our desire for this and that, the shopping list of prayers or petitions, but because we want to bring our whole life to him, our joys and our anxieties, or wishes for ourselves and our cares for others.
It is because we do not feel whole that we come to him for wholeness.
When we pray, we are praying with Jesus on the cross. We are joined with his suffering and his saving. And being in communion with him gives us a deeper satisfaction than the answering of any individual petition.
His love is strength and comfort and courage. His sacrifice is our hope and our salvation. In this life and the next.
That is what we really are asking for, that is what we truly seek: and he opens the door for us.