Grounded and Moving

Homily for Saturday of the Twenty Second Week of Ordinary Time
1st Saturday Pro-Life Mass

An awful lot can happen in the course of just one week's time. This past week was no different, from Church circles to political circles to family circles, a lot happens in just one week.

The same could be said of Jesus' time and there is ample evidence for that in the Gospels that have been offered to us this week.

This week, we've been following Jesus in St. Luke's Gospel, from the beginning of his public ministry in Nazareth (Luke 4) to today's Gospel in Luke 6. Jesus is clearly on the move and so too are the hearts of those who encounter him. This week, Jesus has been greeted with amazement, wonder and faith, but also with contempt, offence and hostility. A lot is happening in just 2 chapters.

Of course, that is no surprise, for when the Lord is present, there is always a lot happening, for the presence of the Lord always evokes a movement.

St. Paul, speaks of this movement and what type of movement should be happening in the life of Jesus' disciples. He tells us that the presence of Christ has moved us from alienated and hostile minds to holiness without blemish, irreproachable before our God and Father, living witnesses of Jesus Christ. I suppose that you and I find ourselves somewhere in the middle of this movement, if you're anything like me, you still have a ways to go.

But no fear, for St. Paul, thanks be to God, outlines the way for us. He says, we must persevere in faith, be firmly grounded and stable, not shifting from the Hope of the Gospel. And in theese words, the irony of the Christian life is revealed. Namely that thru, stable grounding, we are moved! Moved in deeper faith, hope and love in Jesus our Lord!

My friends, there is nothing more grounded, more moving than the cross of Jesus. And it is before that cross, on that cross, and thru that cross that we are moved, we are transformed, we become true witness of the Gospel.

All of us today will experience that cross of the Lord, in some way, shape or form. Make no mistake, we will encounter the cross. It may be at home, with our families, in our own hearts, temptation, or surroundings. A number of us will encounter it as we stand before the Planned Parenthood, abortion clinic. There in a most tangible and palpable way, we will encounter the cross and we will be moved.

For me, when praying in front of an abortion clinic, I'm often moved to throw-up, moved to cry, moved to anger, moved to confusion and moved to experience at times the seeming impotence of faith, hope and love. All right there in front of the cross. And yet, it is precisely there, in contemplating that reality of the Cross, in experiencing that modern day Calvary Evil, that we must allow the movements within to activate the power of good, to activate a deeper faith, hope and love, theese transforming Gifts of God thru which we become witnesses for the world.

Such a powerful, grounded witness of faith, hope and love can and does change the world. And it is this witness which is needed most today. Togethere then, we pray, Lord, make me a witness of the Gospel, grounded in hope, grounded by the cross of Jesus. Make me a witness like Mary, a peaceful, powerful witness of the Gospel. Jesus help me to be your living witness today.