Homily
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time B
St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas
Year of Faith
Daily Readings
For the next two weeks, the imagination of our country, and of much of the world, will of course be fixated on the election of the next president of the United States. From what I can gather, here are the qualifications that we are looking for in the next president. He must understand the US and world economy, so much so that he can make it work for every American. He must be able to create jobs from somewhere. He must be strong enough to cast fear into our enemies, and to lead the world's security, while being amiable enough to sustain and accrue allies. He must be smart enough to make objective decisions about what's good for the country, and yet humble and personable enough to connect with men and women, old and young, rich and poor. The list can and does go on and on and on. The presidency of the United States is arguably the most powerful position in the world, and so also the most scrutinized, and the expectations of this person are incredible, more than any person could possibly fill.
There is only one person who can fill the expectations we have for the presidency, and that is the God-man Jesus Christ. Yet we all know that our Lord has not chosen to reappear and to place his name on the ballot. He has entrusted the mission of raising up worthy leaders to us, assisted of course by his Holy Spirit that accompanies us always. Just because Jesus is not on the ballot, however, and no perfect candidate is available, doesn't mean that Christians can eschew politics. As Christians we are compelled to be deeply involved in politics, and to raise up leaders who have the heart and mind of Christ, leaders who will try as well as any human person can, to provide for the common good of all people, and to build up a society which mirrors the kingdom of God, a society that provides for real human flourishing and a society focused on the high dignity and destiny of man revealed by Jesus Christ. To be a Christian is not to run from the world, or to try to create a utopia apart from the world, but to tranform the world through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. That is why it is a grave sin for a Catholic not to care about politics, or to refuse to participate in politics. Not that you have to agree with all political methods, but we must be involved in raising up leaders who have the heart and mind of Christ. No one can be excused or exempt from this important responsibility, least of all Catholic Christians.
Yet because we know that only one person can fill the expectations we have for the presidency, we look ultimately to Jesus Christ and to no one else for our personal security and prosperity It is important to care deeply about politics, because they make a difference, but it is a sin to care more and to spend more time in politics than in paying attention to the salvific action of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord as King and Ruler of the Universe is doing more for the salvation of the world at every moment than any action of our president could do at any moment. This is not to take away from the importance of the presidency, it is to remind Christians that any every moment, the most important thing is to pay attention to what our Lord is doing. As Catholic Christians, the praying of the rosary or the celebration of Mass can and should be more impactful than the election of the president, for giving the time and space of our lives, and our hearts and minds, so that the Lord may accomplish his salvific work in us, gives a security and prosperity to a human person that only our Lord, and no president, can give. It is not right to misplace our hope in the presidence when our sure hope is in the Lord.
In the Lord who in the Eucharist before us is simultaneously the priest, the altar, and the lamb of sacrifice, we encounter a great high priest, a mediator, one set apart as our advocate, one who has passed through the heavens. Yet at the same time we encounter he who is truly a lamb, one who places himself at the foot of humanity, one who takes upon himself the sins of the world and becomes the slave of all. Only Jesus in the Eucharist can at once be both priest and victim. To this lamb who was slain belong power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and praise, now and forever. In the time of an election, it is wrong to try to determine who best by their own power can fulfill the unimaginable expectations we place on our president. No, in the time of an election, we turn to another leader. We pray to the leader who alone can fulfill all the longings of the human person, for in praying to him our country has the best chance to raise up and to elect leaders after his mind and heart. Amen
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time B
St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas
Year of Faith
Daily Readings
For the next two weeks, the imagination of our country, and of much of the world, will of course be fixated on the election of the next president of the United States. From what I can gather, here are the qualifications that we are looking for in the next president. He must understand the US and world economy, so much so that he can make it work for every American. He must be able to create jobs from somewhere. He must be strong enough to cast fear into our enemies, and to lead the world's security, while being amiable enough to sustain and accrue allies. He must be smart enough to make objective decisions about what's good for the country, and yet humble and personable enough to connect with men and women, old and young, rich and poor. The list can and does go on and on and on. The presidency of the United States is arguably the most powerful position in the world, and so also the most scrutinized, and the expectations of this person are incredible, more than any person could possibly fill.
There is only one person who can fill the expectations we have for the presidency, and that is the God-man Jesus Christ. Yet we all know that our Lord has not chosen to reappear and to place his name on the ballot. He has entrusted the mission of raising up worthy leaders to us, assisted of course by his Holy Spirit that accompanies us always. Just because Jesus is not on the ballot, however, and no perfect candidate is available, doesn't mean that Christians can eschew politics. As Christians we are compelled to be deeply involved in politics, and to raise up leaders who have the heart and mind of Christ, leaders who will try as well as any human person can, to provide for the common good of all people, and to build up a society which mirrors the kingdom of God, a society that provides for real human flourishing and a society focused on the high dignity and destiny of man revealed by Jesus Christ. To be a Christian is not to run from the world, or to try to create a utopia apart from the world, but to tranform the world through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. That is why it is a grave sin for a Catholic not to care about politics, or to refuse to participate in politics. Not that you have to agree with all political methods, but we must be involved in raising up leaders who have the heart and mind of Christ. No one can be excused or exempt from this important responsibility, least of all Catholic Christians.
Yet because we know that only one person can fill the expectations we have for the presidency, we look ultimately to Jesus Christ and to no one else for our personal security and prosperity It is important to care deeply about politics, because they make a difference, but it is a sin to care more and to spend more time in politics than in paying attention to the salvific action of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord as King and Ruler of the Universe is doing more for the salvation of the world at every moment than any action of our president could do at any moment. This is not to take away from the importance of the presidency, it is to remind Christians that any every moment, the most important thing is to pay attention to what our Lord is doing. As Catholic Christians, the praying of the rosary or the celebration of Mass can and should be more impactful than the election of the president, for giving the time and space of our lives, and our hearts and minds, so that the Lord may accomplish his salvific work in us, gives a security and prosperity to a human person that only our Lord, and no president, can give. It is not right to misplace our hope in the presidence when our sure hope is in the Lord.
In the Lord who in the Eucharist before us is simultaneously the priest, the altar, and the lamb of sacrifice, we encounter a great high priest, a mediator, one set apart as our advocate, one who has passed through the heavens. Yet at the same time we encounter he who is truly a lamb, one who places himself at the foot of humanity, one who takes upon himself the sins of the world and becomes the slave of all. Only Jesus in the Eucharist can at once be both priest and victim. To this lamb who was slain belong power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and praise, now and forever. In the time of an election, it is wrong to try to determine who best by their own power can fulfill the unimaginable expectations we place on our president. No, in the time of an election, we turn to another leader. We pray to the leader who alone can fulfill all the longings of the human person, for in praying to him our country has the best chance to raise up and to elect leaders after his mind and heart. Amen
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