Deacon Bob’s Homily (11/28/2021)

The theme I see in today’s readings is the need to be strong in our faith, so we are always prepared for Jesus. Twice in today’s gospel Jesus says essentially the same thing:

when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads 
because your redemption is at hand.

and,

pray that you have the strength … to stand before the Son of Man.

The commentaries say that “to stand before Jesus” means to be so faithful, even in times of difficulty, that whenever He comes, we can meet Him with confidence.

One of the things that Joni and I were discussing a few days ago after Morning Prayer is how many texts in Scripture, like the end times texts that speak of trials and tribulation, and texts that plead for God to save us from our enemies, are becoming more real to us then they used to be. We just feel that our world is becoming more and more anti-Christian. A few years ago, it was a handful of bakers and florists who were tested because in their conscience they couldn’t provide their cakes or floral arrangement for gay marriages.

Today, the circle is bigger. There are at least 2 relatively new issues that are affecting many of us. One is the vaccine mandate; the other is the push to accept transgender ideology.

I don’t have time to delve into either of these issues in this homily. But I’ll be happy to talk with anyone who wants to follow up. But for now, I have to be very brief.

The vaccine is a matter of conscience. The Church teaches that we may take it, and in general if a vaccine if safe and effective, we ought to take it; but we aren’t required to take it, although if we don’t take it, we should take steps to avoid transmitting the virus to others. Some people have discerned in their conscience that they can’t take the vaccine because of the connection with aborted fetal tissue. And conscience is sacrosanct. If our conscience has been well-formed, we have to follow it. The Catechism says we hear the voice God in our conscience so to reject that little inner voice is to reject God. And for some people who lose their job, this is a big test.

[I should have added this:  This is not meant in any way to be an attack on those who were vaccinated. The Church, based on guidance from the CDF, has given us a choice and for many people, getting the vaccine was the right choice. I’m simply saying that for some, it wasn’t, and some who didn’t get vaccinated are paying a very high price for following their conscience.]

The 2^nd issue is bigger in the sense that it’s not just a matter of conscience, there is a moral requirement. The issue here is that someone we work with or someone in our school wants to be affirmed in the opposite sex of what they are, and many schools and companies are now demanding that people give their affirmation. We can’t. It would be immoral to do so. And very simply the reason is because it’s a lie and we can’t lie.

This might sound harsh and even uncaring; but there is an excellent catechesis available on this issue from Bishop Burbidge, who is the bishop of the Arlington diocese. (Link to Bishop Burbidge’s Catechesis can be accessed by clicking here). It’s excellent. Very clear, very concise and it does an excellent job of explaining the issue and showing that the Catholic response to those suffering with gender dysphoria is the way of love. I strongly recommend it. I have to confess that until recently I was not aware that the Church was so clear on the morality of this issue and this coming Tuesday I’ll be meeting with my Spiritual Director, and I have to talk with him about a potential issue that I have at work.

Shortly before Karol Wojtyla became John Paul II, he made an extraordinary statement about what he saw coming. It was 1976, at a Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia. He said the following:

“We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has gone through. I do not think that wide circles of the American society or wide circles of the Christian community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-Church, of the Gospel versus the anti-Gospel. This confrontation lies within the plans of divine Providence; it is a trial which the whole Church, … must take up and face courageously.”

A few years before that, in 1969, then Fr. Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) said something very similar. He said the Church is facing very hard times, and she is going to become much smaller, but also much more spiritual. He said

“What will remain is the Church of Jesus Christ, the Church that believes in the God who has become man and promises us life beyond death. … The future of the Church … will issue from those whose roots are deep and who live from the pure fullness of their faith. It will not issue from those who accommodate themselves … to the passing moment.”

We are being tested. We are being purified. You may not be directly affected by these issues, but you probably know someone who is, and look at the trend, especially from the cultural elites. It’s doesn’t look like it’s going to get easier for Christians any time soon. We can take comfort in the fact that God will not let us be tested beyond our strength. But it’s still a test.

And we really don’t have an option. We can’t just blow it off and go with the culture. In Mt 29, in the context of persecution, Jesus says

32 “Everyone … who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

On the positive side, as I mentioned at the very beginning, at least to some extent, we can identify more with our heroes who have gone before us.

The book of Hebrews is written for catechesis but also to encourage the Christians in Jerusalem to keep the faith in a time of persecution. In chapter 11, it goes through a whole list of O.T. Saints, everyone of whom was tested and was victorious. Then, chapter 12 opens with a beautiful image. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us give up all sin, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus.

 And for us, 2000 years later, we have all the NT saints, the martyrs, and saints through the centuries. So, there’s a great cloud of witnesses up in heaven cheering us on, just like the crowd that cheers on a runner to finish a race. I know that some of you are really in the thick of it. In my mind, you’re with them, you’re one of them, because you’re being tested like they were. Persevere! Stay with Him.

If you’re not yet being tested, use this Advent to prepare. The goal is Jesus and growing in union with Him until He becomes our life. In his letter on the new millennium JP II said this growth is totally dependent on God’s grace and is no stranger to painful purifications. But it leads to ineffable joy.

The whole time I’ve been preparing this homily I’ve been thinking of a book, or at least the title of a book, written by a Catholic Deacon named Alex Jones. He was a Pentecostal Preacher, had his own church. He gave it all up to become Catholic, and he wrote a book called “No Price too High”. That’s my prayer and everything I’ll be working for this Advent, and I hope it will be yours too.

God Bless you!