September 29, 2013

Homily: Sunday, September 29, 2013

26TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
"WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF RELIGION?"

Please Note: Considering the extra-ordinary events of this past week, the appointment of Bishop Fabre, and the introduction of the Diocesan-wide Capital Campaign, today's homily is geared to open our horizon so as to embrace the "bigger picture" amidst our pastoral circumstances.

 Part 4 of the "Who is Jesus?" homily series will be posted mid-week. Let's keep praying for each other.


Opening Image

People tell me all time: "Fr. Mark, do you need to go to church to be a good person?" And, contrary to popular belief, the answer is, "No." No, you don't have to go to church, or believe in "religion" to be a good person.

However, that's not the point. Religion is not being about a good person. In fact, believe it or not, life is not about being a good person.

Transition to Core Message

What's the point of being married? Is it to be happy? If so, you're marriage will be about you. Your whole focus will be about you ... and when you're not happy you'll leave so that you can be happy.

Marriage is not about you and what you want. It's about an other. It's about falling in love. It's about another person. Marriage only works if two people come together as one.

And crazy things happen when you fall in love. You begin to love the things about your spouse. You begin to love the things they love.

Core Message

God wants us to fall in love with Him. That's the "point" or "purpose" of "religion" ... to help us fall in love with Jesus—with a person.

Implications of Core Message

When we fall in love with Jesus we begin to see the world the way He sees the world. We begin to love what He loves. We begin to want what He wants. We begin to think what He thinks.

Why Do We Resist the Core Message?
  1. I might get forgotten: If I "look" at God outside "my world" I am afraid that He'll forget about the deeply personal things that I hold important to me.
  2. I might loose control: At least I can manage it ... I think. Will God come through if I let go of control?
  3. I might be alone: God has so many other people to worry about. He might focus on other people's requests, not mine.
The Gift and Grace of the Core Message
  1. When we live in "our world" God is often as small as "our world"
  2. When we live in the God's "big world" God then is as big as His "big world"
  3. When we need God ... we need a "big God" not a God as small as "our world"
Conclusion

Let us be a family at Christ the Redeemer who are a people pursuing God and relationship so that we love the things that He loves.

DON'T FORGET: OREMUS THIS WEDNESDAY!


Recorded Sunday, September 29, 2013 at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Thibodaux, Louisiana. © Fr. Mark Toups, 2013
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