Homily for Monday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time - St. Gregory the Great!

For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/090307.shtml

Popes Leo and Gregory are the only 2 popes to date in history who have earned the title ‘the Great.’ Many of us who have been inspired by the pontificate of John Paul II are already calling John Paul ‘the Great.’ Time will tell if the name will stick in the heart of the Church. Certainly his reputation for holiness is widespread, and his canonization is expected by many. There are those also, who think his contributions to theology, especially in the area of the theology of the body, are as monumental as were the works of Augustine and Aquinas. Again, time will tell. I for one am rooting that through the intercession of St. Gregory the Great, John Paul II will reach sainthood quickly and be known as John Paul II the Great! It gives me great joy on this memorial of St. Gregory to think that the impact St. Gregory had on the Church of the 6th Century was perhaps even greater than the impact of the papacy of John Paul II on our modern age. What a great pope Gregory must have been!
In today’s Gospel, familiarity breeds contempt. To be a disciple of Jesus, one must have a childlike faith, and be ready to see and to hear and to understand new things. Those in the synagogue at Nazareth are impressed with Jesus at some level, but they are more interested in His entertaining them and in testing the limits of his power than in allowing Him to convert their hearts to the kingdom of God. Isn’t it true that we tend to see the flaws and the intractable annoying habits of those close to us more than we see their ability to change? And yet Jesus hopes that as we draw in deeper communion with each other, we are able not simply to see the limitations of people but to see how God is at work in their lives. We are not to be focused on people’s inability to change, but are to celebrate with them the changes they are able to make. Change is hard. Seeing people differently, especially those closest to us, is hard! Yet we must do it! For being human is not being born to make mistakes. We should not be skeptical of those whom we think lack the power to change themselves, for in handing their lives over to Jesus, and trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit, we know all things are possible for them. Yes, we may not change as fast as we want, but we should not transfer any of our frustrations to someone else. Instead, we are to celebrate that for those who hand their lives to Jesus, all things are new!