Homily for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary time

Destinations, detours and getting there!   Those are but three parts of our many travels.  Just recently, my wife and I left for one of our most important trips ever; to reach Greensboro, North Carolina to meet our grandson Calvin; our first grandbaby.  Now, we know the way from Abita Springs to Greensboro, it just seemed awfully long as we anxiously wanted to see our little man.  We had all the roadmaps in the travel bag, the GPS was set and we prayed we would avoid all detours, road hazards and even bad weather; anything that would delay us getting to our ultimate destination; our destination being little Calvin!

 

Many of us have experienced just that of which I speak.  We set out on a journey and, for the most part, we find our way!  Then again, we may, from time to time be confounded by detours, road hazards and even bad weather.  Despite these obstacles, we do ultimately reach our destination.

 

As people of faith we are challenged today to acknowledge our detours and road hazards and follow the road map of Jesus to our ultimate destination: eternal life with God the Father in Heaven.

 

Mark’s Gospel continues to allow us to take this trip with Jesus and his Apostles as they travel back to Jerusalem.  We know that when this trip is over, Jesus will face his Passion, Death and then his Resurrection.  Along the way they may have encountered their own detours and road hazards, maybe even their fair share of bad weather.  But nothing, and I mean nothing, would deter Jesus from following his road map: the will of the Father.

 

Now along the way, Jesus was able to teach many lessons, to show those traveling with him the road map that leads to that glorious destination.  Today’s lesson comes because of the Apostles concerns that there were now others doing things in Jesus’ name.  Jesus tells them do not get detoured here; let them do it; it’s ok!  Sounds very similar to our 1^st reading where Joshua wanted Moses to do the same to those Joshua did not know.  No, keep the destination in mind; the end in mind if you will.  Let nothing deter you from arriving at your ultimate destination.  Jesus uses this break to talk about sin; yes, he preached about sin.  We tend to forget that no one in the Scriptures spoke more about sin, and the consequences of sin than Jesus.  Three times in today’s Gospel he mentions fiery Gehenna.  It is a metaphor for Hell.  You see Gehenna is a real place.  Gehenna was an old, dirty, filthy, burning, rotting mess of a garbage dump located outside of the city.  Gehenna was even believed to be a place of evil human sacrifice.  The mere mention of Gehenna, as Jesus does in this Gospel, would more than get the point across.

 

And the point is this: don’t end up in Gehenna, don’t end up in hell.  Don’t let the detours and road blocks of this life knock us off the path to Heaven and instead find the fires of hell.  Jesus reminds us that NOW, we must cut off and pluck out that which will keep us on the right destination.  If it is our hand or our foot that causes us to sin, cut it off.  If it is our eyes that cause us to sin, pluck it out.  That begs the question, what causes us to sin?

 

Are we addicted to that which detours us from a life following the path to eternal life with the Father?  Does our drinking, or perhaps drugs, pornography, hatred, violence, racism, gluttony, selfishness, being a mean spirited person; do these things cut us off from the right path?  Jesus tells us: cut it off, pluck it out.  Pick up the right road map, tune in the GPS, follow His teaching, call out for help and seek His mercy for it is never too late, if we follow Him!  Does our job or career prevent us from following Jesus?  Is our circle of friends really leading us down the wrong path?  Could our own family members be the road block from an eternal life spent with Jesus?  Does our politics cause us to sin?  These questions can only be answered by us as individuals, seeking the right path.  Are we equipped with the right tools?  Like our road maps and GPS, we can begin with having the Bible and the Catechism in our homes and used frequently.  We can have the Rosary on us and prayed frequently.  We can take advantage of God’s unending font of mercy in Holy Confession.  This week, right here and now, we must sit ourselves down and declare that which we need to cut off and pluck out and turn to Jesus, the only destination we should truly have!  And in this week, as we discern that which prevents us from that destination, plot out a new path, clear all road blocks, arrive at that destination that gives life and life eternally!

 

When my wife and I arrived to meet Calvin it was one of the most profound and wonderful moments of our lives.  He was our destination on that last trip to Greensboro, North Carolina.  As wonderful and as beautiful that moment was; how much more wonderful when we realize our journey, no matter how difficult, has arrived at our ultimate destination: Jesus Christ leading us home to that place of eternal joy in Heaven with God!  What a trip that will be!!