Homily Year C Week 20

 Year C Sunday Week 24 Homily 

There are some powerful stories in today’s  Gospel, some so strong that just hearing as little as two words will remind us of the whole story . For example the "Good Samaritan " and in today's Gospel the " Prodigal Son ". Just those two descriptors and we all instantly know the  story, and already have a sense of the message that arise from each. 

These stories have value even today  in our secular society and have meaning ,to even the unchurched, as a  suggestion on how to live their lives. They open doors for us, to reach out to the unchurched.

For the churched and unchurched alike, we understand readily that the message is that we are called to minister to those that have left us, for whatever reason and hope that the lost ( as we see them) might return one day. So  let's start by drilling  into the “Word” , but first I am going to ask you to consider this Gospel more reflectively. 

For me that comes through putting myself into the story, finding a character in the story I can relate too, or even sometimes trying to become an observer in the story , to travel back two thousand years and hear the reading like it's the first time it was ever told. To hear the words of Jesus From Jesus himself as if they were being said for the first time.

In today's gospel I can see myself in almost all of the main characters roles . I have often been that fallen son,   

who is so focused on my own needs, that all others are unimportant. 

I was blessed to marry a wonderful women, Jocelyn. It seems to me she spent a great deal of our lives together , 39 years, in guiding me to be a better man, a better father and a man who in spite of his selfishness and hunger for worldly things, became more aware of the needs of others and helped me go from being a corporate climber to being a better father and more concerned by the needs of others. I even became a better son and honoured my father in the last five years of his life at vets memorial by visiting him daily. 

Sometimes I can be the elder son, upset that even though I have worked hard to be faithful, I get jealous of those who have strayed and now have returned and been made a big deal of. Certainly during my corporate career I would look carefully at the success of others and measured it against my own journey. 

I have to say that Jesus is a great story teller. Think about the introduction of  today's Gospel where he tells us of the Shepherd leaving the ninety nine  in the wilderness , to go searching for the one lost sheep. Have you ever thought about this, does it make sense?  Is this what you would do? Wouldn't you protect the 99 first. You can imagine that those who first heard this story would have been shocked and listened more carefully to what Christ was really try to tell them/us , to wait his explanation for this apparent irresponsible  act. Certainly the story of the prodigal son opened their eyes to the significance of this task. The task of bringing the lost back to Christ. 

He was telling them and us that there are many who have lost their way, and yet may still be saved. Think of the challenge we face in the secular world. We live in a world where you can buy most everything from your living room with the tap of a computer key. We live in a world that tells us the we are important, that in fact we can achieve anything we set our hearts to. We live in a world that tells us that we are completely in charge of our lives, when we have children, when and how we should die, a world where we are judged not by the quality of our character but rather by how we are dressed, what we drive, where we live and what we do for work. Many of us have spent our lives self identifying on the basis of what we do. 

I know that I did, if you had met me thirty  years ago and asked me about myself, my self-worth was based on what I did, what my title was and how many people reported to me. How much I made, the clothes I wore, and the car I drove.

Christ on the other hand does not judge us by these worldly measures, but rather by how we love, how we care for others, how we give of our time, talent and treasure to helping him to expand the Kingdom of God.

We are called by him  to live in both worlds, one foot in the secular and one foot in the Kingdom.  If you listen to Jesus' teachings he speaks often of being a good citizen, to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and render unto God that which is God's. 

Jocelyn was a nurse for nearly 40 years working in Geriatrics or as she called it God's waiting room . In that time she accompanied hundreds of people as they died . She told me that she had never heard anyone wishing that they had spent more time in  the office.

If we are going to invite our friends, family and those we care for, to come back to church for the sake of their eternal sounds  we need to prepare. After all if we invite guests to our home we don't make them make their room and cook for us. This gospel reminds us that we need to invite and celebrate their redemption. So we are invited to to first invite and as importantly to get his ready  for them.

                                                                                       

 I know you have heard of the theme of stewardship, stewardship of time, talent and treasure. Over the year I will speak to all three,  but for today I will talk about the stewardship of talent.  In baptism we were all called to be Prophet , Priest and King. So Stewardship of talent is.      

nothing less than you and I responding to the needs of the world to build up his kingdom. I call upon each of you to consider how you will undertake this role in the church. 

There are many ministries and enough for everyone, no matter your life situation. For those who are infirm and unable to do more, you are challenged to be our  new consecrated. You can pray for us all, for the parish each day and that we will fulfill His mission to build the Kingdom. Prayer is one of the most Christian things we can do, but you who take on this role will bring us God's assistance and help us to face the challenge of the evil one. The closer we become like that city on a hill that Christ calls us to, more the evil one  will challenge us, the more he will divide us . So your prayers are and will be important!

Amongst you, their are many gifts that will enable you to be coworkers in the vineyard. There is a need always for; lectors, for extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, for the ministry of care to help visit the ill, at home or the hospital , or in nearby nursing homes, to bring the Eucharist, but sometimes just a ministry of presence to those who are alone. Their are those who can help in preparing food for funeral receptions, those who can assist us in developing a funeral ministry of care that can bring the lonely and grieving to an understanding of gods' love, Prayer teams for those seeking it. There is a need for Cathecists, for youth ministry, for drivers, for making food for the ill at home, or those who have just had a child. There is room to support discipleship groups (adult formation )either in a leader or support role. There is room for both youth and adult altar servers, sacristans, the altar guild to dress and care for the sanctuary. There are many things both within the church and outside of our buildings that we will need help with.  Especially as we turn more outward to the world and become less focused on ourselves. Remember the great commission calls for us to be missionary disciples to go out into all the world and make disciples.

My understanding of a parish is that we are made up of a community of communities. We come together in many 

ways; prayer, service, supporting those at the margin, learning, bible studies and so much more.  Some groups that are formal to the church and some that occur organically from their own grouping making up their own community.

What is important is that all activities are held against the standard of  our mission. We must respond to Christ's message. Whatever we are called to, one thing we know is that this growth and this missional  approach happens most in in-engaged parishes. 

An engaged parish is measured by only a few key measures one of which are ; attendance at mass, participation in Church activities, regular financial support, and interestingly whether you have a best friend found in the church. The standard in most organizations is that         

twenty percent of the people undertake eighty percent  of the activities. This  means that we as church , burn-out people in our service . 

We need to change that, so that over a few years we can  see eighty  percent  of the people living the mission of Christ. There will always be newcomers in a growing community that will not be ready yet , so we will never get to 100 percent and it will likely take some time to get to this lofty goal of 80 percent  .  So thanks to those who are already so engaged, but I challenge the rest of you. I ask that you spend the next few weeks figuring out what you will undertake for your parish. 

The next time I am with you I am going to ask you to share your commitment with a member of staff or of Parish council so that we can begin our ministry together. Stand up and stand forward as we together, grow our community and travel along the journey of becoming missionary disciples, in an increasingly engaged parish.   

Now a commercial message but one that it important to our role as missionary disciples. You will notice a poster in the back of the church promoting Alpha. If you have not participated in Alpha yet,  join us at the "come and see" if you have attended, invite a friend instead. Alpha is not a catechism it is an experience that  brings the lost to the church, and often the faithful to a deeper prayer filled relationship with Christ. Please consider this opportunity. I will speak more of this in two weeks