My friends, the 1^st reading from Isaiah today has an interesting line; “Up” [!]  I’ve added an exclamation point to the word so as to say, it is imperative that if we say we are “Christians,” that we “get up,” “show up,” and do our part. 

   I also like the image that if we work with God, that same God will “fix [us too] like a peg in a sure spot,” as God promised to do for Eliakim!  Evidently, the previous king wasn’t up to the job, so God, through the prophet, sent Eliakim. 

   This 1^st reading from Isaiah the prophet and the gospel reading from Matthew who records the prophet Jesus’ words, have, you probably noticed, similar content:  “When he opens, no one will shut, when he shuts, no one will open,” says Isaiah, and Jesus affirms with, “whatever you declare bound on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you declare loosed on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 

   As you all know, a couple of weeks ago, I was interviewing for the upcoming documentary on women priests, and one of Kay Hannahan’s questions for me was about the hierarchy’s reasoning for refusing to ordain women to the priesthood.  Part of that story goes back to Pope John Paul II’s 1994 apostolic letter, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, which basically said that the Church has no authority to ordain women, and that this is to be “definitively held” by all believers.  The reason for this ruling, “definitively held” was that he knew he couldn’t declare it “infallible,” or never being wrong, as the sensus fidelium, or the “will of the people” was not with him, which is one of the stipulations for infallible declarations. 

   So, my friends, according to the prophets, Isaiah and Jesus, the hierarchy has all the authority they need to ordain women! What they do not have is the will to do so! But you all know that and I just want to keep it before us. 

   So, moving forward, let’s address that somewhat “elephantish” question in the living room of our hearts.  I say this question lies within our hearts because being a true Christian is truly an experiment in loving, and we know that “loving” comes from the heart.  The question, who do you say that Jesus is,  we will put on hold for now. 

   In a book of a decade ago, shared with me recently by a friend, The Four Vision Quests of Jesus, by Steven Charleston, he makes this compelling statement: “Christians cheating and oppressing Christians is the sub-text of most of the story between Native Americans and white people during the 19^th Century.” End quote.  White people forced Christianity upon Native Americans and then proceeded to model anything but Christian values in dealing with them. 

   So, when we try and answer that seemingly “easy” question as I suggested it is in the bulletin, of who Jesus is for us, we must deal with the responsibility that comes with our answer.  If we believe that Jesus was just a “nice guy” then perhaps our response doesn’t hold as much importance as if we were to agree with Mary Magdala and Peter that “Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ.”

   We might also want to consider in answering this question if like Isaiah, we truly believe that God is with us in some mystical way.  Or, as in the 2^nd reading today from Romans, do we believe as does Paul, who can’t it seems really get his “mind” around who God really is, as he talks about God’s wisdom as “deep,” God’s judgments as “inscrutable” – impossible to understand, “God’s ways as unsearchable,” and concludes with a question, “who knows the mind of God? 

   Paul perhaps needs to come at this question through his heart as the “heart is wiser,” it has been said.  If we come at this question of who Jesus was/is as Jesus did for himself, coming to know the point of his life with us, we discover that Jesus, whom we believe to be God, has loved us immensely, in an “over the top way,” it has been said.  We know this to be true through Jesus’ beautiful stories of the Good Shepherd and the Prodigal, delineating the ends that our God, in fact, would go to save even one of us, and in forgiving whatever misdeeds need forgiving, along with Jesus being accustomed to naming God his loving Abba/parent. 

   Earlier I said that we need to be careful in answering Jesus’ question because our answer necessarily carries a responsibility in what comes next, especially if we say that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ.

   Looking to our present day in this country; this past week we learned that our country is $40 trillion in debt, and there has been much talk about how we as a country are operating to have made that so. 

   Again, referencing the afore-mentioned book, The Four Vision Quests of Jesus, Charleston speaks of individuality versus individualism.  Individuality speaks about the individual gifts that each person brings to the world to share, and Native peoples uplift this concept, whereas individualism tends to be about the individual alone – in other words, “it’s all about me!”

   It has been said by Jesus, and modeled by him, and repeated throughout our religious and spiritual history by many others, that our lives as Christians can never be just about us.  Whenever there is a question of the most noble thing to do in Church or state, love must take over – in other words, we need to get out of our heads and into our hearts!

   This is not to say that we don’t need laws and rules both in Church and state – rules and laws are in place when we might not choose to do the right thing naturally.  But, in the end, the “law” to love supersedes all the others when we may not know what the right thing is.  It would seem that if individuality – everyone’s gifts were used for the good of all were more routinely practiced, as opposed to, individualism, all about me, this horrendous debt could be eliminated, immigration could be humanely addressed and more.

   To make this idea even a bit more clear; a few recent examples:

• In a public radio interview this past week with ministers from a couple different religious backgrounds, Jewish and Christian, they were talking about the need for a moral conversation in our country, and they stated that such a conversation, in their view, would blend well with the whole concept of a democratic nation. Both ministers were women.
• Within the above discussion, one of the ministers mentioned a “prayer” offered by Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth before sending troops into Venezuela last January to oust Nicolas Maduro, the then sitting president. This so-called prayer consisted of asked for help from God that their weapons would be guided by great precision and accuracy, and that these troops would be protected completely from harm.  The minister sharing the story asked how Hegseth could reconcile his “prayer” with the concept of a God who looks on each person equally and loves each one.

• A new book out this past year by John Fuglesang, entitled, Separation of Church and Hate is instructive here, I think.
• Not to overstress the point, but I think it is significant to lift up the fact that the ministers in question here are women.  In all the talk from day to day about “how to end the war”  with Iran, or Israel with Gaza, and what is best for all the people involved, striving as diligently for peace as we do for war, seldom makes it into the discussion.

   So, my friends, we are back to that “elephantish” question upon our hearts:  “who do we say Jesus is for us?” If we prayed with the psalmist today in #138, we heard that one, being “grateful for all that God has done” for “constant love and forgiveness,” for answering [our] “call,” realizing that God always gives something – perhaps the strength to endure whatever comes… If we believe that Jesus – God incarnate is our Messiah – and, in Christ, big enough for all, then our next steps are clear – we must act as our Native American friends, sharing our individual gifts for all – realizing as they do, how interdependent we all are, and that we must, simply must rise above the hate so prevalent in our world today, putting on peace and love for a change! Amen? Amen!

   My friends, these are interesting readings coming off of a very busy week for me, beginning on Monday and Tuesday with interviewing and filming for the documentary on women priests.  One can hardly talk about this blind-sighted vision of our hierarchical church men to deny the equal calls of women from our inclusive God, to priesthood along with men without experiencing justifiable anger.  And that extends to all the ways in Church and society that women are made to feel, “less than” their brothers, and all the harm that is done to women as a result. More on that later. 

   But one does wonder what the real problem is when so many of God’s people go unserved because of a stated “shortage” of candidates for the priesthood.  This truly is a case of not seeing a bigger, more beautiful picture including married men, women, and people of all genders and lifestyles as candidates – God calls all of these! 

   I believe perhaps that for too many men, clerical and lay within our beloved Church, there is a real aversion to women, and their goodness and giftedness for the People of God.  I offer a current example of this:  In the August 18-27 edition of the National Catholic Reporter (NCR), Karen Park pens an article entitled, “Where Vance (V.P. of U.S.) and Barron fall short on Catholicism.”  This was an hour-long discussion between a “newbie” Catholic and a bishop of many years.

   I would just like to zero in on their discussion about women, or better said, their “lack of discussion.”  Anyone who has read any of the writings of our Winona/Rochester, Minnesota bishop, Robert Barron, knows the truth of what Karen Park states within this article:  “During Barron and Vance’s hour-long discussion, Catholicism emerges solely as a tradition of intellectual and philosophical ideas.   Augustine, Aquinas and Rene Girard are all extolled , but Catholicism is not only a philosophical system.  It is a lived tradition sustained by the sacramental imagination…”

   She continues, and I paraphrase, they did not talk at all about relics, rituals, pilgrimages … “or the … material and communal practices through which Catholics encounter the holy.”  “ Absent too, are the holy and brilliant women of the Catholic tradition” … in their world, “there would seem to be no Teresa of Avila, no Dorothy Day, no Hildegard of Bingen, no Julian of Norwich …”  Except for a minor mention of Jesus’ mother, Mary, nothing significant is said with regard to the courageous, patient, faith-filled woman that she was and model to follow.  For that matter, no mention is made of Jesus at all! 

   That brings us, after a rather long opening to todays’ Scriptures:  If we were to pick a theme; “justice coupled with mercy,” says it well, I feel.

   Beginning with Isaiah in the 1^st reading, his counsel is to, “do what is right, and work for justice.”  For Isaiah that seems to be about “clinging to [the] Covenant” that God made with them, because this will bring you joy…

   Paul, in his letter to the Romans speaks about disobedience versus mercy, explaining how God offers love to all, and that, unfortunately, some reject it, but others do, accept it! 

   And as we continue to ponder our theme of justice coupled with mercy, our brother Jesus, in todays’ gospel from Matthew, shows us his rather human face, and that we humans, even Jesus, are capable of much good, and at times, not so much good, and a woman reminds Jesus of it! 

   Such examples as this underscore why I can much more easily relate to Jesus in his humanness, than to a mysterious God who knows little of what I experience in life.

   Some hearers or readers of my comments today, seemingly calling Jesus to task, may be offended, but as Scripture scholar, Diane Bergant says, “If we don’t accept Jesus’ at times, shortcomings – than that minimizes the extraordinariness of those of his actions that break through the limits of his culture, his humanity – and at the same time he was open enough to break out of that limitation.”

   We, just as our brother, Jesus have that wonderful combination of spiritual and human natures and it should give us great hope knowing that, as we struggle to be our best, we have One, who stands with us and knows that struggle.  Again, as we often say, “we are spiritual people, here, having a human experience?”

   And for those who have never thought about Jesus being less than perfect, I think you would agree, that “unkindness and rudeness” are never acceptable, no matter who you are!

   Jesus, as a good Jew would have grown up learning not to talk to women in public, or with Canaanites, especially if they didn’t believe in the God of the Jews, but again, this is no excuse for his behavior, or for that of the apostles, “get rid of her,” they say!Apparently they were worried about their image, not realizing that their actions say much about who they are!  Probably a strong reason for our Church to share leadership and ministerial roles with women – providing a “check and balance” for each other. 

   You will recall that I began this homily addressing the fact that women are made to “feel less than” their male counterparts, especially in Church, but in society as well and to realize the harm that is done to women, as a result over time.  “Justice and mercy,” our theme of the readings today, do come into play here. 

   A somewhat current example, or at least one most would recognize, to look deeper into this societal and religious sin is that of Richard and Karen Carpenter – wonderful musicians, each, in their own right.  Their story was carried this past week on public television. Karen and Richard arranged and performed their own music and that of others during approximately a dozen years in the 70’s and 80’s. 

   Theirs is a bittersweet story that ended too soon due to Karen being a victim of anorexia nervosa and bulimia which ultimately took her life.  She experienced these illnesses at a time when little was known about them, but through the tragedy of her life, the world came to know the toll that these illnesses exact on those so afflicted. 

   Karen, a contemporary of mine was normal in most ways as all girls growing up when she lived, 1950-1983, but she struggled all her years trying to get the love of her mother, who for whatever reason couldn’t give it, instead doting on her big brother, Richard.

   This magical duo known as the Carpenters was a combination of a voice, Karen’s who when you heard the first note and words sung, one biographer said, “You knew it was Karen,” and of her brother, Richard who was constantly on the lookout for new material and arranged all their songs.

   We have often talked here about the fact, both in Church and state, that when half the population – men, are seen as better – superior to the other half – women, the effects can be devastating.  Karen Carpenter’ mother was no doubt a product of this kind of thinking, preferring her son to her daughter, having picked up religious and societal notions that one was better, more acceptable than the other. 

   One very telling example in Karen’s life as she and Richard began making music together, was the fact that she played the drums and she always considered that, “she was a drummer who could also sing!” And for most of her life, this was how she thought of herself, even though her voice was what distinguished this fantastic duo.

   My friends, our theme through the Scripture readings of “justice coupled with mercy” is one that in our Church and wider world is so needed today to carry on the message of our brother Jesus who came into our imperfect existence to have “that human experience” with us, striving to be his best, to show us the way, even though he couldn’t always do it either to perfection as we see in today’s gospel reading.

    He shows us rather plainly what happens when one holds on too tightly to the law, for law’s sake instead of radically choosing what is most loving as Jesus was finally able to do in today’s gospel when a Canaanite woman challenged him to choose the higher road. 

   We, my friends, as Jesus’ followers must too, more often, choose to love radically, seeing women and men equally, for their gifts, for their calls, for their personal stories – for their calls from an inclusive God who sees the diversity in gender, race, lifestyle choices, and loves it – so that women and men, little girls and little boys, from the get-go would realize their capabilities and their worth in order to live more wholesome lives.  Amen? Amen!