what do you have to lose?

Homily

13th Week in Ordinary Time

St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas

28 June 2020

AMDG +JMJ +m

What do I have to lose?

One of my pet peeves is when my teams play scared, when they're afraid of losing.  Nothing turns me off faster.  Especially when they have a lead and choke because they stop playing.  I'd much rather lose playing to win than to win by playing not to lose.

What do I have to lose?  That's our pivotal question for today.

For real disciples of Jesus, the answer is simple.  I have nothing to lose.  Nothing.  Nothing.  Nothing that I am not already willing to give because I love God and live only for Jesus.

St. Paul reminds me that as I disciple I'm dead.  Dead to sin.  Dead to myself.  And so alive for God in  Christ Jesus.  And this is for every disciple.  Everyone who is baptized.  Christianity does not admit of exceptions.

Which is why Jesus speaks without exception in the Gospel.  The absolute speaks absolutely.  The only way to save lives is first to lose mine.  The paradox is at the heart of what it means to be baptized, to be a disciple, to be Christian, and to be alive.

We all know the situation we face.  We are all supposed to be saving lives without asking what it means to live.  We are to preserve existence through distance, or by canceling or erasing persons and the past.  

This isn't the way.  Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  If I want to save lives I first have to offer mine!  Nothing else will work.  Nothing.  Only absolute generosity, courage and detachment will work, and they are the non-negotiables of discipleship.

I'll tell you what it looks like.  Vic Johnson is on oxygen and he is here in the front pew during the coronavirus, because he knows what it means to live.  Life is Christ.  Vic knows he has nothing - no capacity to love his family - if he does first receive the source of all that he is - the source of all life and relationship - Jesus Himself.  Life is Jesus.  Life is the Eucharist.  Vic on oxygen is the last person who should be at Mass right now.  But he knows that whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses it for Christ's sake will find it.

I have never argued against being safe or careful in the times that we are in.  And I won't now.  But let's all admit please that these can only go so far.  Being safe and careful are great for preserving life; but only courage and generosity beget life!  That's the meaning of today's Scriptures.

There is nothing God could ask of Vic that he hasn't already given.  He has nothing to lose.  He is living only the life that lies on the other side of the cross, the eternal life of the Resurrection.  Why does he do it?  Why does he life like he has nothing to lose?  

Vic loves God.  That's it.

If I truly want to save lives, especially the life of my family, I have to start by offering mine.

Jesus tells his disciples it is the only way.  

If he's right, what do I have to lose?