Join us today as we celebrate Holy Communion for the Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, 2/20/22. To follow along at home, click here and print the Holy Communion Program. Text of today’s homily below.
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Homily for the Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time -- Sunday 2/20/22
Readings: 1 Sm 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23, Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13, 1 Cor 15:45-49, Lk 6:27-38
Luke 6:27-38 American Standard Version
27 But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, 28 bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you. 29 To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and from him that taketh away thy cloak withhold not thy coat also. 30 Give to every one that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 And if ye love them that love you, what thank have ye? for even sinners love those that love them. 33 And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same. 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? even sinners lend to sinners, to receive again as much. 35 But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, [h]never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. 36 Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
37 And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released: 38 give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.
Brothers and sisters, the other day I went to my twelve-year-old nephew’s basketball game with family and friends. It was at a Catholic school attached to Mary Mother of the Church Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Goochland, Virginia. And on the wall of the gymnasium at the highest point, on the most prominent wall, there was a huge crucifix. As we waited for the game to begin, a friend and a student of mine at the Heritage Self-Defense class that I teach, a young man in his twenties named Jack, wisecracked, “What’s with the giant Jesus on the wall? Is that like ‘Jesus bless this game’ or something?” And there were a few chuckles in the group.
And I didn’t say anything. Because nobody likes a pompous windbag who can’t take a joke, timing is everything, and I knew that in the right circumstances, Jack would be open to a lesson on this.
So I waited. And the following week, after I wrapped up the spiritual training portion of the class, at the very end of the session, I sensed Jack was receptive. I said, “Hey Jack, you made a joke about Jesus blessing the basketball game the other day, and I’ve been meaning to speak to that.
“Your joke got a few laughs and that’s because, well, it was kind of funny. Humor almost always diffuses tension. The joke sets up a strange or awkward situation, like ‘A horse walks into a bar...’ and the punchline resolves it. ‘…and the bartender says, “So, why the long face?”’ You perceived the tension – this happy game and above it all an image of torture and suffering – and you resolved it.
“But I just want to make sure you know that Jesus isn’t blessing the basketball game, and that’s not why an image of him was placed on the wall. Jesus blesses the poor and hungry and leads them into triumph over the tyranny of earthly desires. Jesus blesses those who weep in empathy and are despised by their fellow man for telling the truth. He does this by leading them toward the joy and love that come from doing what’s right even when it it’s unpopular and by calling them to relieve the suffering of others.
“Jesus is on the wall of the gym to remind us to see through his eyes, not through ours. He’s there to remind us that “in Christ we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).” We should look at that crucifix and see the basketball game as an opportunity to be in Christ. This is our chance to be patient and understanding with the referee, even if when his bad calls are stealing the game from our side. It’s our chance to be noble and generous whether we win or lose, and even if the other team cheats. It’s our opportunity to be at peace despite taunts and heckling. If we can’t be Christlike for an hour in the gym, how are we going to be Christlike in the wider world?
“Jesus is on the wall of the gym to remind us that the greatest man who ever lived was betrayed, falsely convicted, slandered by lies, and executed. He was perfect and look what he got. So what can we, who are far, far from perfect, expect? Even if we do our absolute best to be as Christlike as possible, there’s a good chance our reward is going to be pain, rejection, hatred and suffering.”
Brothers and sisters, our assignment isn’t to win. It’s to lose with grace.