My friends, the readings for this weekend from Isaiah, James and Mark speak so clearly about a God who loves us, each of us—as individuals, who wants us near, because we are dear to our God, that it is hard for me to understand why our present Church hierarchy stresses so much, the rules and regulations to be part of our Church, that often seem to be devoid of the love, the understanding, the compassion, that our brother Jesus demonstrated so beautifully as he encountered his world.  The rules and regs are an okay place to start, but we Christians should never get “stuck” there.

   This reminds me of how one enlightened man of the Church, ex-Maryknoll priest, Roy Bourgeois spoke to his brother priests after his very public support of Janice Sevre-Duszynka’s ordination in 2008, within Roman Catholic Women Priests and his ultimate ousting from the Maryknollers as a result:  “How can we men say that we are called, but deny the same calls of God to women?” It’s worth saying that not one of his fellow priests publicly supported him.

   Pope Francis, who is so good on so many issues, is “stuck” when it comes to women.  I understand that the issue of women’s ordination to the priesthood is already “off the table” of the upcoming Synod on Synodality’s agenda coming up in October. And there is talk that if women “are granted” the privilege of the diaconate, it will be different than what the men receive, or in other words, a fancy name for what they are already doing in their ministries, but with no powers to confer sacraments.  Why men of the Church are so afraid of women is really puzzling as we look at the ministry of Jesus. The hierarchical statement regarding this phenomenon goes something like, “it can’t be done, as God doesn’t call women!”  Benedictine sister, Joan Chittister answers this way, “How is it that our God who is all-great, all powerful, all wonderful, is completely undone when it comes to women?”

   Isaiah says to the people of his time and to us, “take courage—do not be afraid—God is coming to save you, the blind, those who cannot walk, and cannot speak” –[all will be healed].  Additionally, “the scorched earth” will be watered. 

   The psalmist, who could be David, or any of a dozen others given credit for writing the psalms, lets us know that our God [loves “the just and protects strangers.”]  This is good to keep in mind as we contemplate “just” ways to care for immigrants at our southern border. 

   James, in the 2^nd reading today calls us to the task, in Jesus’ footsteps, “Your faith in Jesus” must not allow favoritism, must not “lift up” and accommodate the rich, and “set aside” the poor –“ God…chose those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith.” 

   “Checking the fruits” once again, one candidate running for president this year has promised a significant tax-break to the ultra-rich, while another has promised a tax-break to the middle class.  Jesus always asks us “to check the fruits.” 

   In Mark’s gospel today, he quotes the people in Jesus’ time as being astounded, “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak” [!] Going a bit deeper into their wonder, it is always good for us to remember that our God helps “the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the lame to walk” in more that just physical ways. 

• We might hope and pray that Pope Francis’ “blindness” of mind, and perhaps heart too, would be lifted, where women are concerned in general, and more specifically in ordained ministry within our Church.
• Or that our own diocesan bishop, Robert Barron could see more clearly and not be “deaf” to the cries of his people on the topic in general of the “Body and Blood of Christ,” and more specifically, “to see” where the “body and blood” of our brother Jesus truly is, and how one should treat that “body” when finding it!

   In our struggles my friends to be our best, as we attempt walking in Jesus’ footsteps, the encouragement of the prophet, Isaiah, once again, is welcomed, “Take courage, do not be afraid.”  With the coming of our brother, Jesus, Isaiah’s message is uplifted in Jesus’ words—“I will not leave you—you are not alone.”  I am sure that each of you, along with me, have experienced times when you feel the burdens you are asked to bear are more than you can handle.  At such times there is the chance for us to grow our relationship with our loving God by simply saying, “Help me God to carry what feels too heavy.”  I always personally address my prayer to Jesus, whom I feel, in his humanity, can truly understand my need. 

   I will conclude my comments today by lifting up the tenderness displayed in the gospel story I just read about the “deaf and mute man” brought to Jesus to be cured.  Jesus takes the man aside for a personal encounter, and basically, “touches” him with love.  We should not miss this aspect of what our brother Jesus is doing in this story. 

   Earlier, I said that with this gospel, as with all Scripture, it is important to go deeper, realizing that people have not only physical ailments that need curing, but emotional and spiritual ones too! Through our faith and God’s grace, we too can “cure” as we move “with love” and care in our world. 

   One has to wonder if those on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were to move out of  love and understanding, truly trying to “see and hear,” rather than taking revenge, as both sides have committed evil—that the conflict might have more possibility of ending.

   Likewise, one has to wonder if the joy and hope coming from one side of the political scene these days, rather than the complaining and meanness from the other side might be much more advantageous and give a better chance for our nation coming together for the good of our world.  Amen? Amen!

My friends, as you know from past homilies, I always bring the present time, including the past week to my study of the Scriptures given each weekend for us to ponder.  The intention of these readings is always meant for us to look at how they affected people in the past along with applying them to our present day lives as well. I trust that through the guidance of the Spirit, even when a reading is difficult, there is something there that I am meant, “to get,” and apply to my life now. 

   This past week, the Redig family learned that one of our own, Eric, 55 years old, husband of our niece, Jeni, died unexpectedly of a heart attack.  When such an event happens, the universal reaction seems to be, for most folks, to realize how precious our lives are—that literally, we can be here one day, and gone the next.  My sister, by marriage, Jane, and I traveled 11 hours round trip yesterday to spend time grieving this significant loss with the family.  It bears saying that none of us is promised a long life, whatever we consider, “long,” but it is probably true to say, we think it will be longer than 55 years.

   So, to the Scriptures.  The readings given this weekend ask us to get beyond the laws—the rituals, that tend to keep us, “in our heads,” instead of, acting and responding, “from our hearts.”  In addition, the selected readings let us know that our God wants to be in relationship with us—“not power over,” but “one-with-us” –remember, Emmanuel, that gives us so much joy each year at Christmastime.  The writer of Deuteronomy, Moses, says of our God: “What other nation has a god so near to it as our God is to us when we call?”

   The psalmist in number 15 fine tunes God’s desire that we creatures strive “to do what is right,” and there is the sense that God will indeed be with us in this endeavor through God’s wonderful Spirit. 

   Keeping with the theme of always taking any rule or regulation from the Church, and “laying it on our hearts” to discover its full meaning; we see our brother Jesus today, in Mark’s gospel, lamenting over the people, whom we know he loves, from our more extensive read of the New Testament, saying, “these people honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me” –“doctrines are only human precepts,” he continues.  It seems clear from Jesus’ words here, that he wants us to ponder his words, not just give them “lip service,” and by “laying his words” smack-dab on our hearts, we will always do the most noble, and loving thing—being our best selves, even if we have to break a “man-made” rule in the process. 

   We have a reading from James the apostle today, and I always love when we do because he minces no words, “cutting to the chase,” as it were, with a message intended to move us forward: “Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you because it has the power to save you.”  And he continues, “Act on this word, because if you only, “listen…you are deceiving yourselves.”

   This makes me recall from pre-Vatican II times when practice was more about “obeying laws” then it was about having a relationship with God, and I would hear folks attending a Catholic wedding, complete with Mass on a Saturday, asking if this one counted for their Sunday obligation? My desire in these situations was to immediately react by saying, “if you don’t know the answer to that question, then perhaps you should go!”  I didn’t of course say that, but would try to help people understand that our God doesn’t want “lip service,” but “heart service.”  We might compare it to, doing a loving act for someone we say that we love and care about—it isn’t about doing something that we think we will be rewarded for one day, like heaven, but about responding in kind to Someone who has loved us from the very beginning. 

   Folks in Jesus’ time—the powers-that-be, were complaining that his apostles weren’t following the “cleanliness” rules of the Jewish faith.  He simply said to his critics, evil doesn’t come from without, but from within—we must go into our hearts “to see” what evils “harbor” there.  We humans are capable of evil, yes, but also, much good, and that lies in our hearts as well.  Jesus again, simply says, “If you have ears to hear, then listen” [!]

   This reminds me of a speech given by our 44^th president, Barack Obama, recently, at the Democratic National Convention.  And again, I lift up his words not to be in any way, “political,” but as a show of “checking the fruits.”  Barack, in my hearing was almost “imploring” the people of this country to show more of the good that we Americans are capable of, versus the evil.  He was asking us to be better “listeners” of other’s stories, especially of those we don’t agree with—the end result being perhaps that we would learn something, and in reality, get more done, together. 

   James, in today’s 2^nd reading asks us to come to the aid of “widows and orphans when they need it.” This “ask” on James’ part recalls the fact that “women and children” in Jesus’ time, on their own—hear, “no man in their lives,” were without any power to control what happened to them. 

   So, the next step for us, is to consider who are the “widows and orphans” in our present day, who may need our help? We are never left, “off the hook” where the Scriptures are involved!  We must always get past the “black and white” law that may, “tie our hands,” supposedly, and “lay that same need on our hearts,” to know what must be done.  If we do that, then the injustice that exists due to race—black versus white, gender—men versus women, sexual expression —LGBTQ+, religion—Catholic versus all others—patriarchy versus inclusion, age—old versus young, and so many other things, cannot, NOT be tolerated.  It is easy enough for us to criticize the Pharisees of old, for “not getting it,” but are we any better? 

   So my friends, bringing this discussion of law versus love full circle, let me return to the issue of grieving the loss of our family member Eric that began my homily today. The loss of someone that we may consider too young to die, lifts up for each of us the preciousness of life, and that we should never take that wonderful gift for granted.  Rather than fret over man-made laws primarily meant to keep us, “in place,” let us strive to keep the laws “in place,” being conscious of them, yes, for the good they can bring about, but not “get stuck there” –when confronted with a law devoid of love, do the most “loving thing” –this is what our brother Jesus taught us through his one precious life! Amen? Amen!