My friends, over 25 years ago, I completed my Masters’ Degree in Pastoral Ministries at St. Mary’s University here in Winona, and I was privileged to be chosen by my class to give the reflection at our closing liturgy.  We couldn’t in those days call it “a homily” even though it was.  I reflected on the same readings that we are using today as it was at the same time in the Church Year.  Not knowing what the readings were ahead of being chosen, I marveled at how the Spirit had chosen the perfect readings and saw to it that a woman would reflect on them.

   First, we are given the wonderful reading from Isaiah today wherein he was really standing out as the prophet that he was, uplifting the feminine face of God.  The Israelites are back from exile and Isaiah wants them to know how much their God loves them, has always loved them.  What better, more endearing, and nurturing image than of a mother nursing-feeding her young—this is true intimacy, and the tenderness of the image is one that we must not miss as we strive to understand our loving God better.  

    Exegetes tell us that the word given by God in Hebrew for “comfort and compassion” is “womb.”  In other words, our God loves us as a mother loves the product of her womb.  Isaiah unfolded this image in a patriarchal culture that was about power and control, much as today.

   This image too is one to reflect on in present day when the Supreme Court has effectively taken from many women, the right to choose what is best for their bodies.  I think it is very sad that those most happy with the overturning of Roe v. Wade never mention the life of the woman making that terribly hard choice.

   So, turning back to today’s readings, I have found that in all my years as a Catholic, I have never heard any priest lift up this feminine image of God from Isaiah which would have been used at least every three years in the Cycle of Readings since the Second Vatican Council.  Could we say that it wasn’t the focus of an entirely male clergy? Most likely! But, instead, I did find myself marveling that the Spirit in her wisdom chose a woman to proclaim a message about the feminine side of our Great God.

   The Gospel reading for that liturgy as for today from Luke, speaks of the harvest being rich, but the workers few. Back 25+ years ago, knowing me, you won’t be surprised to learn that I proclaimed to my colleagues and our families that there was an easy solution for the workers being few!  Just as the Scriptures proclaimed the Feminine Face of God and Jesus’ words called for more workers for the harvest, it was clear the intent of our Loving God—it was time for our Church to affirm women in priestly ministry just as our God has always affirmed women.  As it has been said, “No one is as blind as the one who refuses to see.”

   So, my friends, coming back to the present, our Church, country and world are still inflicted with a lack of compassion, mercy, and understanding for what individuals suffer at the hands of small-minded people.  One of you shared with me this week about being saddened with the lack of compassion from the hierarchy at the closing of St. John’s and St. Casimir’s churches here in Winona.  They seem to not understand that these “houses of prayer” are so much more than buildings of stone, and bottom lines:  the places where sacraments were bestowed, spiritual lives began and ended, prayers prayed, and praise in song lifted up. 

   Many in our country, even Pope Leo, who now leads our Catholic church worldwide, are reeling over the creation of what some have named, “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” while others, the ones “reeling” have named it, “One, Big, Bad Bill” as it cuts food subsidies, medical care, and much more for the neediest while giving huge tax breaks to the rich. 

   I was pleased to hear that 20 U.S. bishops, unfortunately not our own, Bishop Barron, joined an interfaith group, and this included religious sisters’ groups, asking our Congress to carefully consider taking needed “helps” from the poorest in our country to give to the already, rich.  Pope Leo recently said, “It is the responsibility of politicians to promote and protect the common good, including by working to overcome great wealth inequality.” 

   Additionally, I believe we all as persons of faith need to pray most purposefully for our members of Congress, in both houses, to once again act from their hearts, with compassion on the values that many may have held at one time, and have now allowed “politics” to strip away.  “No one is as blind as the one who refuses to see.  Having just celebrated our nation’s birthday; this challenge seems most appropriate. 

    And for each of us my friends, I urge that we do not lose hope – continue to relentlessly do all the good you can think to do, write, call, demonstrate, and pray.  Our country, our Church, our world, never, it seems to me, in our lifetimes, needed faith-filled, compassionate, justice-oriented, and hope-filled people than now. 

   Our Scriptures today show us the universal face of our loving God, the gently feminine, nurturing face – the Creator, as well as the strong, justice-filled God represented so well in the person of our brother Jesus, and completed by the wise and comforting presence of the Spirit.  Our God, as we discussed last week, has given us all that we need to be our best selves, for ourselves, but also, for our world.  Amen? Amen!