NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
OCTOBER 14/15, 2017
7:30 AM, 5:30 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES
4:00 PM (SAT) NATIONAL GUARD CAMP
9:00 AM, 12:00 NOON (EF/LATIN) HOLY FAMILY MISSION
Jack Woltz is a fictional character in the 1969 book … and 1972 movie The Godfather.
In the story, Woltz is a famous producer who refuses to cast the godson of Vito Corleone – named Johnny Fontane – in a movie role that would boost his career.
Fontane goes to his Godfather and asks him to take care of things.
The Godfather responds:
I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.I’m going to stop there out of deference to horse lovers. I’m not going to tell the rest of the story … but if you have Netflix … all 2 hours and 57 minutes is available online.
Today is the Twenty Eighth Sunday in Ordinary time.
On first glance, the story Jesus tells in the Gospel sounds an awful lot like the King is some sort of unreasonable strong man like the Godfather.
But, let’s look at this a bit more closely. How can we understand this in relation to ourselves?
In Holy Baptism, we all made promises – or promises were made on our behalf – to “Reject Satan, and all his empty works, and all his empty promises.” That is, we promised to reject sin.
How we doin’ on that?
Secondly, through the Sacrament of Penance, we have the ability to freely confess our sins in confidence, and have the graces of Baptism restored. No cost … well, maybe a few minutes in line waiting.
Yet still, probably not your favorite place to hang out.
Third, in the Sacrament of Confirmation, we were configured for mission … to live out and spread the Gospel [… or as we sometimes hear in the Liturgy “Go and announce the Gospel with your life.”]
How’s that goin’?
I’m not here to point any fingers, because I’m as much a sinner as anyone.
But, God is making you an offer, that you cannot refuse.
[As St. Paul told us in his letter to the Philippians: “God will fully supply whatever you need.”]
Baptism supplies us with the supernatural virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love. Having a hard time believing? Ask for more Faith. Don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel? Ask for more Hope. Can’t stand that person across the room? Ask for more Love.
These supernatural virtues – or theological virtues – are real … and are free for the asking.
[“God will fully supply whatever you need.”] Are you willing to humble yourself before God and ask for what you truly need?
The graces of penance are free. Yet the most arduous thing I’ve ever given for a penance is a decade of the Rosary. But that’s just because I love Our Lady, and want you to love her, too.
Now, the graces of Confirmation are scarier. And much, more powerful than we have come to expect. Confirmation has become sort of a Catholic “Eagle Scout” or sometimes it’s “graduation” from church.
But, you see, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to us to perfect our virtue. What are you good at? God wants to make you better. What do you need to work on? God wants to build on your effort.
Are you willing to humble yourself before God and ask Him for these graces to become the best version of yourself?
Heaven awaits you. [The banquet Isaiah spoke about … eight centuries before the time of Christ … nearly three thousand years ago … is a description of what awaits us all … in eternity … in heaven.]
The King – that is, God Himself – has invited you to share in His divine life through Baptism. He has given us everything we need to make it to heaven … based on our response to His grace … here on earth. Ultimately, we are invited to the banquet of Jesus Christ … in eternity forever.
This “wedding garment” that Jesus talks about in the parable … is the the interweaving of grace and works. Grace, freely supplied for our betterment through the Sacraments. And works – our efforts to be who God has called us to be; and to love both God and neighbor. It is never one sided, rather it is our personal response to God’s grace … it requires us to meet God in the middle … to love Him and to love our neighbor.
[God, indeed, will supply whatever … whatever … you need.] But it takes humility – the virtue of knowing ourselves, and knowing God, and knowing the difference – to be able to navigate the waters of mercy.
Perhaps the best way to summarize that is: God is God, and I am not.
In other words: More and more of God. Less and less of me.
And that … is counter-cultural. It doesn’t make sense in today’s 21st century logic. But this is God’s offer … This is the offer you just cannot refuse.
As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ … ask for whatever you need. And trust that God will supply whatever that is.
May we trust in God and in His divine providence … So that we might let go … and let God … and in the end … I promise … your life will be changed forever.
