26th Sunday in Ordinary Time @ St. Apollinaris Church

HOMILY - 26TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
SEPTEMBER 25, 2016
10:30 AM, 12:00 PM ORDINARY FORM MASSES

James Sherley was an English dramatist of the early 17th century. Born in 1596, he was said to have been “the last of a great race, all of whom spoke nearly the same language and had a set of moral feelings and notions in common.” He wrote plays from 1625 until 1642 – when Parliament outlawed the performance of stage plays.

He was born in 1596 in London, and studied at Oxford; eventually receiving his B.A. from Cambridge. After receiving his M.A., he served as an Anglican minister until his conversion to Catholicism around 1623.

His work spans 10 volumes, among which is the poem Death the Leveller. It begins:

The glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against Fate;
Death lays his icy hand on kings:

He speaks of the tumbling down of crown and scepter, and the how even the strong must admit their weakness before death. Neither might nor earthly glory survive death, but

Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet and blossom in their dust.

So ends his poem.

Today is the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time, and again we hear from the prophet Amos in the First Reading. We are skipping around in the book. Last week we heard of the reasons for God’s judgment on the people, and today we rewind two chapters and hear the prophet’s lamentations against the indulgent. In the preceding verses Amos also laments the willfully ignorant and the indifferent, and goes on to cry out against those who are impudent.

This is not an essay in dialectic materialism … between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” Rather it is speaking against “having too much” and intentionally neglecting the duties toward ones neighbor.

But even more so, it is a warning against putting one’s trust in this world and the things of this world … to the point of putting our faith in material things and placing them before our duty to both God and neighbor. It is not a condemnation of wealth, but rather is a condemnation of the worship of it.

In the Gospel from St. Luke, we hear the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man. In this world, the rich man, like the Pharisees, gave lip-service to God, but in his heart placed his trust in wealth and possessions. Lazarus, on the other hand, had nothing to distract his heart from God, and considering that he only received kindness from the local canine population, came to rely on God.
In the afterlife, Lazarus receives the benefits of his spiritual investments. Faith in God has eternal rewards, while faith in the world leaves one not only bankrupt in the next life, but also in a world of hurt.

St. Paul provides some guidance in the Epistle from the First Letter to Saint Timothy.

One phrase, however, is excised from our reading. Timothy is admonished not only to pursue deeds of righteousness, but is admonished to “avoid” worldliness and materialism. In some translations this is rendered as “flee” … that is: run away!

Paul acknowledges that this is not always possible, but that we must “compete” … or in some translations “fight” with our own inclinations to choose the right thing and orient our hearts and minds on the things of heaven.

And we are to do this by our “pursuit” of righteousness – that is, a right relationship based in justice with God and neighbor. Again, “pursue” can also be translated as “follow,” which gives us the three-part formula: flee, fight, and follow.

Of course, if we read just beyond where today’s reading ended, there is a fourth part which is to be faithful,

to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share,/ thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life.

Indeed, it is difficult to live in the world but not of the world, but death comes, in many cases, too soon. We must be flee the inclinations, fight the temptations, follow Christ, and be faithful to the Gospel. And in this we can be assured of an eternal reward.

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, let us pray for clarity of mind and heart, so that we might always be in right relationship with both God and neighbor. Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the source and summit of our Faith … with the firm intention and knowledge that we are made, not for this place … but for eternity.

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