My friends, as a way to perhaps give us focus today, I would like to share a few thoughts from a new book by Jesuit Cardinal Michael Czerny and Father Christian Barone reviewed by Michael Sean Winters of the National Catholic Reporter (NCR).  The book is entitled, Siblings All, Signs of the Times. 

   This review caught my attention because the book lays out well, I believe, the dichotomy of religious teaching being raised up, first, by Pope Francis and alternatively by the National Council of Catholic Bishops in our country, and our own bishop, Robert Barron, here in the Winona/Rochester diocese, being a prime example. 

   The title, Siblings All, really says it all, when speaking of Francis’ approach to our blessed world of so many ways to express human belief in God.  The authors of this book on Francis’ approach, quote his work, Fratelli Tutti, meaning, “Siblings All” in the most inclusive sense, saying [that our call as Christians, followers of Jesus], refers to “being good” [no exceptions] as opposed to simply, “doing good.” 

   A clear example of what Francis asks of us, but that wasn’t demonstrated at the recent Eucharistic Congress, held in Mankato, billed by Bishop Barron and others as a way to re-energize “fallen-away” Catholics, and bring them once again, “back to Church.” 

    From the agenda for the day’s event, it was clear that much attention was given to rituals left behind when Pope John XXIII, “opened windows and doors” at the Second Vatican Council, and basically asked Catholic followers of Jesus, “to go deeper,” update old practices and move more into our world, becoming, in fact, “eucharistic people.” 

   Up until this Spirit-led council, Catholics, for the most part, kept their faith to themselves, and even when missionaries went out to “evangelize,” it was on their terms.  It went something like this, “We have the truth and we have come to share that truth with you, so that you can be saved.” 

   The centerpiece of our diocese’s Eucharistic Congress was to instill again the “importance” of the Eucharist, the Body, and Blood of Christ on the altar.  That’s it!  No connection made to the world, and all the manifestations of that Eucharist, in our world, in so many suffering people. Pope Francis teaches that our faith doesn’t just call us “to do good things,” but in fact, “to be good” [!]

   Apparently, part of the Eucharistic Congress’ day, uplifting the true body and blood, as real flesh, and real blood on the altar, along with the opportunity to pray the rosary, and go to confession, was the assembling of “lunch bags” by the young people in attendance to give to the needy.

   I believe Francis would say, “some doing good” happened here, but taking a stance “for being good” probably didn’t happen.  “Being good,” (the next level) would have asked this group of assembled Catholics to speak truth to power in the world, about the disparity between the rich and the poor—this is what our brother Jesus was always about, and we must be too! Granted, we may get “crucified” in some way, but that is our calling as it was his. 

   Pope Paul VI is quoted in this book too, saying, “We should be seeking the abundant more, that signals that God is at work.”  If we are truly attempting “to be good,” and not just, “doing good things,” –which in and of itself, isn’t bad, then we must make the connections in our personal lives to those in our greater world.  Catholic Christians in this day and age must connect what we do here, each week, at the table, with the inequality, injustice, and many times, lack of love we see in our world; in the poor, in women, in our LGBTQ+ sisters and brothers, and in our transgender youth and their families.  Followers of our brother Jesus don’t deny medical care to transgender youth and compassion to their families as they did this past week, at the meeting of our national bishops.  I would say, they not only failed in “being good,” but in “doing good” as well. 

   Looking at today’s Scriptures, the prophet Jeremiah speaks the truth that we in the present day need to hear on a regular basis from our bishops, unlike our own who is caught up in “feel-good” rituals that do little to alleviate any suffering in our world.  Jeremiah “sings” praise to our God, who has “rescued the life of the poor.”  The prophets, which also include Jesus, always “noticed,” and “listened” to the poor, and disadvantaged—we, along with our “so-called” leaders must do the same.  Remember, as Paul VI said, “this is how we know that God is at work” [!]

   The psalmist today knew that God acted with “great kindness,” as we prayed. And we see this confirmed in Matthew’s gospel where we read that we can basically be assured of our God’s love and care for us because our God so loves, “even the sparrows.” 

   Unfortunately, Paul, in his letter to the Romans is “stuck” in the language of “sin and being rescued,” rather than the over-the-top love, mercy and kindness of our God. God always gives us another chance because God understands that we are “human,” meaning that we are not “perfect,” or in other words, we don’t always get it right.  As long as we are willing “to try again,” we get that chance. And if you don’t believe that, re-read the story of the Prodigal. 

   Paul needs to move past the fact that, “sin has entered the world,” and concentrate more on the 2^nd part of his message— “grace abounds for all.”  This is what is happening in the story of the Prodigal.  This kid has been awful, but trusts that he can have another chance, when he returns home.  And what happens? The loving parent runs to meet him, enfolding him in arms of love.  In my mind, rhetoric in the past or present about, “being a sinful people” is more about controlling us than anything else. 

   A piece of Matthew’s gospel that I proclaimed today for us seems to have some harshness about us “acknowledging Jesus before others,” and if we don’t, “Jesus will not acknowledge us before God.”  I would like to suggest that Jesus is once again calling forth, as Pope Francis has, that we not only “do good things,” but that we “become good.” 

   Acknowledging Jesus in our world isn’t about proclaiming, “Jesus is Lord,” but more so about seeing, hearing, listening to, and loving, the Jesus disguised in our sisters and brothers that we share life with, on this planet.  And Jesus lovingly says to us, “Be not afraid.”  Amen? Amen!