A New Vision of Community in the World
Homily for the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Before I begin this morning, I feel compelled to tell you that much of what I have to say today is taken from Pope Francis’ recent encyclical Fratelli Tutti. Our General Minister and the Provincial Ministers of the U.S. Provinces encouraged us to preach today on both the Scripture for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time as well as the Holy Father’s timely reflections.
In the first reading today, two different groups of people are held up for consideration; firstly, stangers and aliens (people who are of a different ethnic origin than the Jews), and secondly, widows, orphans and the poor.
Pope Francis writes extensively about these groups of people in his encyclical: When the dignity of the human person is respected, and his or her rights recognized and guaranteed, creativity and interdependence thrive, and the creativity of the human personality is released through actions that further the common good. . . However, in some host countries, migration causes fear and alarm, often fomented and exploited for political purposes. This can lead to a xenophobic mentality, as people close in on themselves, and it needs to be addressed decisively”. Migrants are not seen as entitled like others to participate in the life of society, and it is forgotten that they possess the same intrinsic dignity as any person. No one will ever openly deny that they are human beings, yet in practice, by our decisions and the way we treat them, we can show that we consider them less worthy, less important, less human. For Christians, this way of thinking and acting is unacceptable, since it sets certain political preferences above deep convictions of our faith: the inalienable dignity of each human person regardless of origin, race or religion, and the supreme law of fraternal love.
In his First Letter to the Thessalonians, St. Paul praises the people because they have become models for all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. The specific reason that St. Paul accords them this accolade is because of the hospitality that this community has displayed in welcoming others to their community, hospitality that was born of their faith in the Gospel that St. Paul preached to them. Indeed, they displayed the kind of hospitality toward aliens which the Holy Father calls for in this encyclical. He writes: Faith has untold power to inspire and sustain our respect for others, for believers come to know that God loves every man and woman with infinite love and “thereby confers infinite dignity” upon all humanity. We likewise believe that Christ shed his blood for each of us and that no one is beyond the scope of his universal love. The ultimate source of that love is the very life of the triune God.
The Gospel for this Sunday is St. Matthew’s story about the scholar of the Law who questions Jesus about the commandments. Love of God and love of neighbor are held up as the heart of the Covenantal relationship between God and the people. In the encyclical, Pope Francis reflects upon these commandments using the Parable of the Good Samaritan. He writes: Love is more than just a series of benevolent actions. Those actions have their source in a union increasingly directed towards others, considering them of value, worthy, pleasing and beautiful apart from their physical or moral appearances. Our love for others, for who they are, moves us to seek the best for their lives. Love also impels us towards universal communion. No one can mature or find fulfilment by withdrawing from others. By its very nature, love calls for growth in openness and the ability to accept others as part of a continuing adventure that makes every periphery converge in a greater sense of mutual belonging. As Jesus told us: “You are all brothers.” True charity is capable of incorporating all these elements in its concern for others. In the case of personal encounters, including those involving a distant or forgotten brother or sister, it can do so by employing all the resources that the institutions of an organized, free and creative society are capable of generating. Even the Good Samaritan, for example, needed to have a nearby inn that could provide the help that he was personally unable to offer. Love of neighbor is concrete and squanders none of the resources needed to bring about historical change that can benefit the poor and disadvantaged.
These are just a few and very brief reflections on the encyclical letter which is presented to us during a pandemic and a political season that is working to create even greater divisions among us. The Holy Father has much more to say about these issues. We are all encouraged to become familiar with what might just be one of the most important encyclical letters of our time. It is readily available on line for free.
Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator
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