Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
There is something that I have preached about in passing which today I want to make the theme of my homily. “Don’t live a good and holy life because you want to be saved; live a good and holy life because you ARE saved!” The theme is inspired by today’s gospel reading where Jesus says, “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do'" (Lk 17:10).
Here are three practical implications:
What are we obliged to do?
We are obliged to live a good, virtuous, and holy life that stems from the imitation of Christ. In the language of our parish, we are obliged to “Think like Jesus, talk like Jesus, and act like Jesus.” And why is this our obligation? This is our obligation because we belong to Christ. We are a people baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. We are signed and marked by the sign of the cross. We belong to God. We are God’s own possession; God’s own people. We are obliged to live good, virtuous, and holy lives because Christ died for us. Our salvation has already been accomplished. We have already been redeemed. We are heaven’s citizens. Our names are already in the book. We live good, virtuous, and holy lives not because we want to be saved, but rather, because we are already saved. And when we meet God face-to-face, we will say, “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do."
FEAR versus FAITH.
I must admit, and let me confess, it is very hard to overcome the thinking that our good deeds will save us. There is a huge part of me that feels very good when I do good deeds. Somehow, I want God to remember my goodness. I want God to remember my good deeds because at the end of my life, I want my good deeds to outweigh my sins. This kind of thinking is led by FEAR. It means that we are afraid of what awaits us in eternity. There is another way – to be led by FAITH. This means that we already know that heaven awaits us. We can never earn our redemption simply by good deeds. Rather, our redemption is an act of unconditional love by God. We do not have to prove anything to God. All that Christ is asking us to do is live out our redemption instead of living for our redemption. All that Christ is asking is that we are led by FAITH in our destiny rather than the FEAR of our destiny. This means that we pray, and celebrate Mass each Sunday, and live in faith, hope, and charity not because we yearn for God’s love, but rather, because we are consumed by God’s unfathomable love. This means that we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, cloth the naked, and visit those in prison not because we want to be saved but rather because we are consumed by Heaven’s love.
Lord Increase Our Faith
Since, I am inviting us to be led by FAITH rather than FEAR, let us talk about faith. Today’s gospel reading begins with the apostles saying to Jesus, “Lord increase our faith!” The original text reads “Lord, add faith to us.” The parallel passage in Matthew’s gospel (Mt 17:20), comes after the disciples failed to exorcise the possessed. Luke on the other hand gives us no particular reason for this request. I am sure each one of us for one reason or another can say to Jesus, “add faith to us.” How do we “increase our faith”? How can Christ “add to our faith”? My answer is simple. Begin small. Begin small. The best way to shift/change our way of thinking from FEAR to FAITH is to begin small. One act at a time and one virtue at a time, let us live out our redemption. One act at a time and one virtue at a time, let us do it out of love rather than fear. Let us live good, virtuous, righteous, and holy lives because we love Jesus. Let our prayer and worship be an act of love rather than an act of fear. Then when we meet God face-to-face, we can say, “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do."
Why did we go for Mass this weekend? Is it because we want to be saved or because we are saved? May the love of Christ we experience at his Mass be an assurance of our eternal destiny. May it lead to live in faith, hope and love. Amen.
- Fr. Satish Joseph