My friends, as always, our intent here, each week is to be in line with the Catholic church universal in its choice of readings, even when we may not always agree with the message being put forth, and it then becomes, “a teachable moment,” to address. With that in mind, I would call attention to the gospel choice from John today in the raising of Lazarus from the dead.
Those of you who have attended our Mary Magdala celebrations on the farm the past few years will recognize that the gospel as written and used today is in error. The raising of Lazarus is correct, but the prophetic words in this version spoken by Martha are really taken “out of Mary’s mouth” and put into Martha’s! In the past few years new exegesis has been uncovered showing that some “toying” with this text was done to downplay the prophetic words of Mary – the same words spoken by Peter, that indeed, “Jesus is the Christ!” Being that this homily is going in a different direction, I felt it was best to use the text as written, and we will address this other issue at our summer Mary Magdala celebration – I merely wanted you to know that I hadn’t forgotten.
Today’s readings, if we are looking for a theme, are about “living in the Spirit,” and of course, that begs the question, what are those things in our human lives that keep us from “living in the Spirit,” or simply put, “being our best?”
Do we try to keep a balance between law and love in our daily actions? In other words, are we regularly more faithful to the law to obey, or the law to love? It comes down to the heart over the head.
On the national/international stage, Pope Leo XIV gives us two examples: one positive, one not so positive on living out of our hearts rather than our heads. In a positive, prophetic tone, Leo has courageously addressed the current administration in Washington around the issues of migration, the war in Iran, and the lack of diplomacy in working with other world leaders. This takes much strength of character and grace to take on an administration touting many Catholic individuals and challenging them to better than they are doing.
The less than positive example of Pope Leo’s ministry in the Church comes from Catholic Renewal International (CCRI), who are challenging the pope about, “gathering the bishops to discuss, ‘in the Spirit,’ without inviting the people as less than “synodal.” They are basically telling the pontiff, “The world is changing and if the hierarchy continues to turn a deaf ear, this Church will become less and less relevant.” On the issue of making rulings “on the family,” CCRI states that it is simply wrong to not involve the people and hear their stories.
Now, my friends, I lift up these two examples of Pope Leo doing what his baptism and role call him to, and where he isn’t doing what he should, because we the people should be able to look to our leaders for, “the way to go.”
And you might ask, how do we know that any particular action that we witness another doing, or we consider doing ourselves is about, “what is best,” from the “heart” primarily, as opposed to simply the “head?” Somewhere along my own journey toward “what is best” – what is true, what is good, I came upon the statement, “if it is from God, there will be peace.” Those words have served me well throughout my life. And this isn’t to say that our decision to act in a certain way will be free from fear – because we may more times than not, have to stand alone in this “good action” – but all in all, there should be peace.
At the beginning of this homily I said today’s readings are basically about, “living in the Spirit.” Ezekiel tells us quite succinctly that [God] “will put [God’s] breath in [us and we] will live.” Paul, in his letter to the Romans confirms this fact, and I paraphrase, the Spirit of God is with us, making all things new.
My friends, each year during Lent, our true task is to remember that our God loved us so much so as to send us our brother Jesus to very simply, “show us the way” – nothing more, nothing less. Unfortunately, too many within our Church hierarchy and that of other Christian denominations attempt still, to confuse us with messages of, “God sending Jesus to die the ignominious death on the cross, as if to make up for our failings as humans.
I believe that at one time in our sacred, and holy history, this reason was enough for most of us, and it enabled us to “beat our breasts” for 40 days with no complaints. With modern exegesis, we learned that in holding onto such a small “theology” we missed a much more expansive and better one – once again, our God simply loved us – does love us, and Jesus was all about, “giving us that good example” in living – in loving, to follow.
Jesus left us his Spirit so that we would never feel alone, or without the strength when we try “to be our best,” and especially, when no one stands with us. I am presently reading one of Diana Butler Bass’ books, A People’s History of Christianity, and I will conclude today with the words of an early father of the Church, Clement of Alexandria who lived during the late 2nd and early 3rd Centuries: “ The Logos [or word] of God (the way the 2nd person of the Trinity was often spoken of) had become [human] so that [we] might learn how a [human] may become God.”
Clement and others lifted up this message because they wanted to stress, “human capacities [for good] rather than consigning humanity to an endless cycle of evil that can only be escaped.” Jesus, in his humanity said the same, and showed us all what we are capable of.
May we each, in the remaining days of Lent, see our God as one who has and will continue to love us in an over-the-top way. Amen? Amen!
All Are One Church 