Dear Friends, sorry for the lateness of today’s homily, but I was part of a celebration in Rochester to welcome 7 new Cojourners–lay associates with the Franciscan Sisters there. One of the 7, I had the privilege to mentor. So, a bit late today…

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   My friends, as I said in the bulletin this week, Respect Life Sunday gathers together ALL life and if it doesn’t, then it should!  If truth be told though, most of us would have to admit that when we hear the title, “Respect Life Sunday,” we think of the unborn.  Now, not that we shouldn’t go there in our thinking, but our Christian life really calls us to more—so much more. 

   Our brother Jesus gives us two fine examples in today’s Gospel: (1) He is addressing the cultural view of divorce and the place of women in this less than equal arrangement. (2) Jesus is speaking of the place of children in his culture and simply says, and I paraphrase, you can’t be part of me and a greater life, beyond this world unless you become like little children. Let’s look at these two, because both are so about, “respecting life.” 

   First is the example of women:  Jesus is not addressing, “divorce,” because of law, but because of love.  This reading is not about a “black and white” ruling with no exceptions but was in response to the hypocrisy of the men asking him the question. 

   We all know from other readings and other homilies that I have shared, that women had no place in the society in which Jesus was a part, unless they were the “property” of some man, i.e., a father, or a husband.  If these entities weren’t around, in the case of death of one or the other, or both, an adult brother or son, might take the woman in. 

   So, in the case of a potential divorce from an abusive husband, the woman would think twice or more about it, and in most cases, do nothing.  Whereas the man in the same situation certainly had more power. In fact, Jesus’ purpose here in discussing divorce is to raise up the fact that men, having all the power in their society, could stipulate as cause, “Inadequacy in the Wife,” when what he might really want is someone, younger and more pleasing in whatever way, and the woman could really do nothing about it. 

   Then there is the case of children, who just like women, had no power in their society.  Imagine the disbelief within the community to hear Jesus say, “Unless you become like little children,” you can’t be part of the greater life that I have come to offer.

   So, what might Jesus be saying here?  “Becoming like children,” certainly would have to include a purity of heart—a truthfulness of feeling and expression, a sense of wonder of all that is about us in our world.  We have all had those times when children express the unadulterated truth about something that causes us to stop in our tracks and proclaim, “Out of the mouths of babes!”

   This is what Jesus seems to be asking of his, “sisters and brothers” in the flesh—that we would respect ourselves, others, and act accordingly in our lives.  Our living is not just for ourselves, but indeed, for others, and it does matter that when we are claiming, “our freedom,” we are not stepping on others’ freedom. 

   Jesus was sent by the Creator, as spoken of today in the second reading from Hebrews, to show us that we are all, mightily loved and it seemed that the only way we could really know that was through the “expressed” example of One, sent by the Creator for that very purpose.  Jesus, in other words, is such a fine example of one who truly, “respected” all of created life. 

   October is also the month when we celebrate a “Jesus-like” figure (October 4^th) who probably, more than any other human who has lived, showed us Jesus’ face in time.  Francis of Assisi is loved by many Catholics and others around the world for the simplicity of his lifestyle—a childlikeness that saw people and all of creation with joy, naming each as his, “sister and brother.”

   In the beginning of this homily, I spoke of the fact that, Respect Life Sunday is about more than, life in the womb, and went on to address how, in the Gospel Jesus speaks of the plight of women and children in his time.  Now, as we have said many times before, we don’t read the Scriptures as “nice stories” that have nothing to say to our present day.

   With that in mind, I lift up the fact that so many have lauded Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si and rightly so. His beautiful words speak to the fact, perhaps wish, that all are included in God’s love, people, and all of creation.  I, as a woman do though, still await the day that Francis can truly act on his beautiful, inclusive words, and include women in all levels of Church governance and full ministry at the altar as priests. 

   Interestingly, Francis is remembered for his very open comment when asked about the actions of gay and lesbian folks— “Who am I to judge?”  Who indeed, except for where women are concerned? Having said that though, Francis seems to be back-pedaling even with gay and lesbian folk in that he refuses to allow priests to bless their unions, naming them, as “sin.”

   Jesus, I believe, would be very pleased with the reading from Genesis, chosen for today and rewritten by the Priests for Equality, source of all our readings here at All Are One, because of how they have opened up this reading to include more than just heterosexual relationships.

   It is interesting to note that in their translation of this text, we don’t have, “genders” until after the “earth creature” is put to sleep.  Additionally, the derivation of the word, “a-dam” is, “earth creature” and not a name, “Adam” for the male creature created by the male God. And when “genders” are introduced, we see that each is given a choice, which indicates that there could be another choice as well. 

   It is this sensitive writing that finally opens up this Scripture for our gay brothers and sisters, for truly, “It is not good for the “earth creature” to be alone.” 

   So, my friends, bringing together all these thoughts and readings, we could say that the theme within this Respect Life Sunday is really about, “relationships” and how we deal with our world.  Not only must we respect life in its beginnings, but all through life—to the very end.

   We must make sure that we respect life in the hungry, the poor, the uneducated, the homeless, those who are lonely, those persecuted for the color of their skin, their gender, whom they love, those seeking asylum and so on, doing our part to make these situations better. 

   We also cannot live our lives from the standpoint of who has “the power,” but must be open to sharing all that we have.  This still tends to be a very patriarchal world in Church, for sure, but in State too.  Women must operate out of a whole different set of rules than men do.

   In Church this is all too obvious, and I have already lifted up this truth in today’s homily.  In State, women still lag behind men in comparable pay for comparable work.  Across the professions, women make 84% of what men do and at this rate they would have to work 42 days more to be equal to men in wages. And colored women and those of other nationalities have even lower percentages of equality to men with regard to wages.  Over the 25 years that I have tracked this inequality—women have made gains.  My question is, “Why has it taken so long,” if we truly, “respect” life?

   Regardless of whether you like Hilary Clinton, when she ran for president in 2016, it was clear that she was held to a different standard than the man she ran against, or we might say, any man she would have challenged. Rather than lifting up her lifetime of earned credentials for that position, news commentators often spoke about what she was wearing or discounted her for the “sins” of her husband. 

   Hillary’s part to play in breaking, “the glass ceiling” seems to have been to shine a bright light on this kind of discrimination so as to make it easier for up-coming women who want to serve our country. 

   Ah, yes, Respect Life Sunday—we should indeed respect life, but in all it’s many-faceted ways!  Amen? Amen!  

   My friends, as I said in the bulletin, this week’s readings are all about being, “prophets,” here and now!  Prophesy is the work of us all—followers of our brother, Jesus.  We can’t wait for someone else to do this great work but must see the work of speaking truth-to-power, Church or State, to any and all who are dealing out injustice in this world, as our own. 

   Additionally, to be clearer; we can’t see the work of the prophet as an extraordinary, once, or twice in a lifetime event, but for the true believer in Jesus, the Christ, closer to, an everyday event.  In other words, the ability and strength to be a prophet comes with our confirmations and should be practiced whenever the need arises.  Further, we must always be ready! 

   James, always short and to the point was and is truly acting in the role of the prophet in today’s 2^nd reading.  He was taking issue with the rich who apparently saw no one’s needs, except for their own and says definitively: “Weep and howl for the miseries that are coming to you.”  Whether “the miseries” come in this life or the next, he doesn’t say.  My take would be that one’s life will always go better, be happier when it is shared with others.  The top 1% in our country are at present being asked to pay their fair share in taxes to support those with so much less. Unfortunately, many are objecting!

   Eldad and Medad, in the 1^st reading today from Numbers were ready when the Spirit overshadowed them, calling them to preach what they had heard.  We see the interesting “dilemma” that arises for the people that Moses had gathered for God to share the Spirit with. Hearing that two other elders were preaching, who hadn’t been part of their select group, Joshua objects.  Moses needs to remind him and the others, that they haven’t been chosen to preach for themselves, or for Moses, but that the gift to preach, is given for the benefit of others.  Moses tells them— “If only all of God’s people were prophets!” 

   Too many times my friends, we shy away from speaking the words of justice for all—love, care, and concern for the downtrodden, a place at the table where all are welcome, because we have our eyes on what is not the most important issue—following protocol, the law—whatever it might be. 

   This failure to do what God is calling forth from us reminds me of my early days in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)—training to become a chaplain.  A wonderful supervisor, mentor, and friend, Southern Baptist minister, Mark Hart, in my training program gave me some fine advice during a time when I was grieving the fact that the Catholic church would not affirm me, or any women as called by God to minister to God’s people at the altar.

   Mark said to me one day when we were discussing this, “Kathy, you don’t need anyone’s permission, i.e., the Catholic hierarchy, to do what God is calling you to do!”  I believe today that such affirming words as this enabled me 15 years later, after the fact, to pursue ordination to the priesthood within the Roman Catholic Womenpriests because the call was about so much more than a church law that said that I couldn’t!  So, for me, there was never any fear of what I might lose by saying, “yes” to God. 

   Jesus, our brother, had to deal with this same issue that Moses had, with his apostles objecting to others outside their select group of believers preaching what the Spirit had given them.  Jesus simply says, “If they aren’t against us, then they are with us!”  Jesus is always widening the circle, not making it smaller!

   My good friend and soulmate from my convent days, Mary Ann Sinclair, has said of it, “The road is wide!”  In other words, there are many ways to God, and we should never discourage any of them. Mary Ann is also a fine artist and made for me a wall hanging to proclaim this very concept. (For those reading this on-line, you can go to our website, http://www.allareonechurch.org to view this hanging). For those in front of me, that hanging is behind me.  Because the “road is [indeed] wide,” my friends, our community, All Are One is open to Catholics, yes, but to all other faith backgrounds as well, who want to gather and pray with us.  That is also why I open the homily time to all of you because I realize that the wisdom of the Spirit comes to each of us—me, as well as you. 

   So, does this kind of thinking simplify our lives?  No, it doesn’t, but it does make life, incredibly more rich.  Three years ago, when I preached on these Scriptures, I included the wisdom of a writer for the National Catholic Reporter, (NCR), Miriam Williams, and her advice bears repeating:

   In a piece entitled, A Strong Faith Can Handle the Test of Startling Questions, she is responding primarily to religious evangelicals and other conservatives who want to have their faith all laid out for them—do this, do that and you’re saved! Williams writes that [she] “believes a strong faith can handle the test of ‘tough meat’ (my apologies to my vegetarian friends) when it comes in the form of startling questions.

 What if God sees nothing wrong with women delivering the Gospel?  What if homosexuality isn’t a sin? What if it is, but God has enough grace to cover it? What if the Bible is literary, but not literal?”   She goes on, “I chew, I listen for God in the bites.  I digest.  I am energized and satisfied, even as I wonder how much longer so many people will feel full on theology that starves them.” 

   My friends, our lives as Jesus’ followers call us “to go deeper” as mystic, Hildegard of Bingen is known for encouraging.  We must move beyond the political, the seemingly religious, the pious, the law, in all its coldness and respond from our hearts as Jesus did.  We must look for the truth in these troubling times, not in rhetoric, but in actions of goodness, kindness, compassion—devoid of arrogance and self-centeredness—deep enough to realize that when I look into the face of another, suffering due to something that I believe or have done; I can see my own face, and in all of that, the face of God. 

   Being “prophets” my friends in a world so big and so diverse—so seemingly more divided than any time that I can remember in my 71 years, calls for us to be big-hearted people.  People are across the board with political, religious, and cultural views, but at the end of the day, the faith of any of us, as humans, does call us to simply do the “loving thing” –that is bigger than whether we agree politically, religiously, or in any other way.

   A personal example came to me, fresh and open as I wrote this homily.  I have three brothers, all followers of the former president, so you know that we do not agree on much politically.  None of them came to my ordination, so not much in common religiously, either.  But just this week, one brother’s oldest daughter tested positive for COVID, unvaccinated, and by week’s end, had to be taken to the E.R. with low oxygen levels.  Luckily, my brother and his wife are vaccinated, but could not convince their three children and spouses to do so.  Maybe now, that may change.

   So, even though this angers me, because it didn’t need to happen, my response can’t be a “political” one, but a “heart” one.  How as a parent would I feel? What would I as a parent in that situation need to hear? Love, of course! 

   As we struggle friends to live as Jesus did, in our world; we realize, as a friend reminded me recently—love is always, the hardest lesson.  Our brother Jesus minces no words in today’s gospel when he addresses leading others astray— “better to have a millstone hung around your neck and thrown into the sea” [!]

   All this can at times sound so hard to do, but what gives me hope and strength each day is the knowledge that Jesus always has my back— “I will be with you all days…,” he said.  Amen? Amen!