Sunday, August 30, 2020

Homily 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The great actor Jack Nicholson is remembered in part for uttering this line in the movie A Few Good Men: you can't handle the truth.

The great radio icon heard nationally Paul Harvey ended every broadcast with these words: and now you know the rest of the story.

Today Jesus gives us the full blown truth and we forever know the rest of the story.

Jesus will always tell the truth; Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

In today's Gospel we move on from what we heard last week: the confession of Peter, Jesus declaring Peter as Rock, establishing His Church and the promise that the Church will endure forever.  Now, Jesus tells his friends the rest of the story: that he must suffer greatly, be killed and on the third day be raised.  Jesus is revealing in this passage the full truth of the Father's plan of salvation.  Yet Peter, hearing with human ears rejects this idea: God forbid, not on my watch, this will not happen to you.  And then we hear Jesus reply: Get behind me Satan, you are an obstacle to me.  My goodness, from Rock to Satan and obstacle in one Gospel passage, in one week's Gospel reading.  What happened?  What did Peter do, what did he say?  It's not really complicated, it's very simple actually: Jesus must be guided by the Truth, He is the Truth and Jesus must fulfill the plan of the Father.  The fullness of Truth requires no obstacle, no human action or declaration to stand in His way.  Jesus is speaking Truth in Love, even if, on first hearing it, seems harsh.

St. Paul hints at this in today's 2nd reading: do not be conformed to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that you may discern the will of God; good, pleasing and perfect.  This is what Jesus is telling us in this Gospel do not fall in love with the truth of the world only but transform to the fullness of Truth found only in the plan and will of God the Father.  We are people of faith, we can handle the truth, we can handle the rest of the story.  And yes we can take up our cross and follow the Truth.

For a moment I want to redirect as we acknowledge this weekend the arrival of Katrina 15 years ago.  Many of us experienced this event with devastating consequences and many of us will never forgot.  Some may be living here on the Northshore and members of our parish family because you eventually moved here post Katrina.  We have come a long way since August 2005.  Despite all the devastation and even death, what I remember most is the outpouring of generosity, kindness, love and support.  I remember, once the power came back, sitting in a packed church during Mass at St. Jane and Fr. Robert asked for a show of hands of the people in the church because they could not go home, or perhaps would never go home.  Over half the hands in our church went up.  And now, 15 years later, those hands represent the growth and the many robust ministries of our parish family; and most importantly they all are our family!

A few short days ago Hurricane Laura came calling to our neighbors to the west.  The devastation in Cameron Parish and Lake Charles is overwhelming.  Bishop Provost of the Diocese of Lake Charles has reported a disaster, one that won't change in the foreseeable future.  The Bishop further reports every single parish church damaged, a few catastrophically and a major Catholic High School destroyed.  Even the Bishops of the Dioceses of Lafayette, Alexandria, and Shreveport are reporting physical damages.  Lake Charles, Lafayette, Alexandria and Shreveport were all places who came to our aid in 2005.  These places housed our family and friends, kept us fed and prayed and cared for us.  Dear friends, it's our turn.  We are ramping up efforts right now for supplies to be delivered to St. Jane Hall and to accept gifts of cash donations.  Archbishop Aymond is doing the same on an Archdiocesan level.  Catholic Charities is already up and running to support our fellow Louisiana citizens now experiencing what we experienced.  While there are many worthwhile avenues to donate in times like these please consider these efforts I've mentioned.  Remember Catholic Charities assists anyone and everyone as do the charitable arms of our Catholic dioceses.

Before there is recovery and return we all know there is the devastation and the hard work.  We are reminded then that before Resurrection there is Crucifixion, Jesus declared he would rise in today's Gospel but first there is suffering and death.

We embrace the whole truth, we embrace the rest of the story, we rise to the challenge and we restore hope to those in need because this is the will of the Father, good and pleasing and perfect.  Amen

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