25th Sunday of the Year : Homily / Sermon

It is sometimes said that there are two topics of conversation which should never be aired in polite company. One is politics and the other is religion. So, to bring both religion and politics together is especially dangerous.

Some recent research, published in the newspapers underlies this. While most people believe that everyone has a right to believe what they wish and practise whatever faith they wish, this is all best kept to themselves, and in particular religious leaders should not ‘meddle’ in politics.

Yet they do. In America, where Church and State are separated by the Constitution, there is much discussion of the influence of the ‘religious right’, and whether Catholics can support politicians who vote in favour of abortion.

I don’t want to get bogged down in the nitty gritty of policies, and the Church in England and Wales, while often speaking on political issues has never - so far as I can remember - supported one party against another.

So let’s look at principles, because that is what today’s Gospel helps us to do.

I have always been struck by what CS Lewis wrote about this. He was asked whether a truly Christian society would be left wing or right wing, socialist or conservative, and he answered that he believed there would be something to both please and annoy both sides. In terms of family life, individual morality and so on, the Christian society would look quite conservative, promoting marriage, children, families, the sanctity of human life. Conservative values. On the other hand, in terms of social policy, economics, education, health care, the Christian society would look quite socialist, providing generously for the weakest in society, and taxing the richest to provide equal education, health services for all. And so when the Christian votes he or she needs to put both considerations in the balance.

And so to the Gospel.

Here we have the labourers in the vineyard paid the same rate whether they worked all day or just for one hour. Now the political mind looks at that story in terms of fairness and justice. On the one hand it could be said that the parable underlines the rights of the employer, the vineyard owner, to do what he wishes with his money - to pay what he likes to whom he likes when he likes. No place for unions or regulations or a minimum wage here. But on the other hand another political mind may disagree and say that the parable underlines the need for all to be supported, everyone to receive a basic wage, all to be given a living income whether work is available or not.

Which is right? Well both and neither. The Gospel deals with political issues, but also does far more.

Political life and questions are about fairness and justice, about rights and entitlements. They are all important in their own way. The Church supports struggles for justice, the promotion and protection of human rights – the right to a living wage and the right to own property.

But the Gospel does not stop there. The Gospel is not about rights – but about responsibilities. It is not about justice and fairness, but about love. It is about doing what is right, but also about doing more than is needed.

The Good Samaritan does not only stop to help, but he takes the wounded man to the inn. The man who owed a great sum of money does not only give the debtor time to pay, but wipes out all the debt. The vineyard owner does not only find work for those seeking it – but pays them more than they are due.

The Church must challenge politicians. It must promote human life, human rights, peace and justice – but it can never be restricted to them. For God’s love is greater, more generous, than any legislator or political policy could ever be.

Fifth Sunday of Easter : Homily / Sermon

Whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself - he will perform even greater works - because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)

In some ways this statement may appear to be a little shocking. The apostles, the Church, we will do even greater works than Christ himself? Surely not?

And indeed as we believe that Christ is not only a great teacher, but also entirely free from sin, who has made the ultimate sacrifice. God Incarnate. How could we possibly do greater works than him?

And surely, Christians and non-believers over the ages have taken comfort in pointing out to us the perfect teaching and perfect life of Christ, alongside the failings and rivalries and sometimes even cruelties of those who claim his name. It is not just that he is a challenge to Christians, but is almost as if everything started to go wrong the moment after he had ascended to heaven.

And yet, here are the words of the man himself - we will do even greater works.

And think about it, and we will realise that of course it is true. He did not say we would be sinless - no, he said we could be forgiven our sins. He not say his followers would never get things wrong - no, he warned against charlatans, and he prayed for unity rather than division.

But consider what Jesus himself achieved. It may seem so little. As is often remarked, he never led any armies, or founded a nation, or even wrote a book. He never travelled more than a few miles. When he died he was deserted by his followers.

Yet he did not fail - not so much for what he did, but for what his followers did.The recording of his words, and the development of teaching based upon it. The establishment of the Church. The spread of learning across Europe and beyond. Thousands of hospitals and schools. The development of social care for the disabled and the vulnerable. The rehabilitation and education of those convicted of crime. The very concept of human rights. And the science of the "Big Bang". The abolition of slavery - first in South America by Catholic Missionaries, ever before its abolition in this country. Extraordinary artwork and music and architecture. For all its flaws and human shortcomings, the Catholic Church is the largest international organisation in the world, and the Papacy the oldest institution. The Church works with more sufferers of aids than any other non-governmental organisation in the world. There is a presence in almost every city of the world, and in this country a chaplaincy for every hospital and prison, and for many many schools.

All these have been the work of followers of Christ - those who have done and are doing even greater works.

Of course, many of these are not only the works of the Church or of the followers of Christ alone, but do not be misled into thinking that these are not the continuing works of Christ or that his works and his ministry are somehow set in the past, captured in aspic, beautiful to behold yet static and remote.

Far from it. Christ is at work today. In the Church, in you, in us. It is not that we are greater than him, of course. It is that he is so great, that risen from death, and ascended into heaven, his work continues and flourishes.

And he will do yet greater works. Through us.

 

Divine Mercy Sunday : Homily / Sermon

For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.’ (John 20:23)

This is an historic weekend, as on Sunday both John Paul II and John XXIII are raised to the altars of the Church, as they say, or are canonised, or, to put it most simply and most obviously (though least accurately) made saints.

Actually they are not being made saints at all. Though from this weekend we will call them “Saint John Paul II” and “Saint John XXIII”, what the Church does is not make them saints, but rather recognise them as saints.

In Scripture all faithful believers are saints. When St Paul writes to the churches he addresses them all as saints - “to the saints in Rome”, “the saints in Corinth”, “the saints in Ephesus”. In fact St Paul uses the word 39 times. And each time it a reference to the living. Paul never uses the word “Christian” nor indeed “Catholic” - everyone is just a saint.

But this doesn’t mean that everyone in the Church was good, or perfect. Paul’s letters to the saints often chide and rebuke them. He points to their failings, and challenges them to greater virtue.

And even though they were all saints, he tells them that are also, all of them, sinners. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” he says (Romans 3:23).

So how can they be saints, none the less?

We might say nowadays, with some good reason, that he is using the word in a different way. He does not mean “saint” in the way we, and indeed the Church uses it. But do not be too hasty, because Paul continues “they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24). They are saints, we are saints, not because they are perfect, but because they know the need of God’s grace. This is the forgiveness of sins which we hear of in today’s Gospel. This is the Divine Mercy, which gives its name to this day, the devotion which was so important to Saint John Paul II.

So the Saint is not the one who lives the perfect and blameless life. No. The Saints are the ones who know their need of the Divine Mercy. It is only by knowing our need of God’s mercy that we can receive it, but if we close our hearts and say we have no sin, then, as Saint John says “we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:7) This is what holiness means - to know our need of God.

Now when the Church recognises someone as a saint, she is telling us two things about them. That in the holiness of their lives on earth they can be an example to us, and that in the holiness they enjoy in heaven, we can call upon them for their prayers. Both of these are important. They are not just holy celebrities, the heroes of faith, story book inspirations - but they are part of what the letter to the Hebrews calls the great cloud of witnesses who encourage in the struggle of the Christian life, as an example of how a good life may be lived - and by their continuing prayers for us as we are bound together in God’s mercy.

And the Church here provides us with two saints who we knew in this life. Most of us will remember Pope John Paul II - and many of you will also recall John XXIII - good Pope John, as he was often called. We have seen them, not just on television - but in real life. They enthused us, inspired us, encouraged us, and gave us a sense of God’s presence and his love. They are certainly towering figures in our faith, and important in the life and history of the Church in recent times.

Yet they are commended to us not because they were perfect, or flawless, or always right - but because the Church recognises that the Divine Mercy shone through them in this life, and that God has perfected them in the next.