Sunday Homily, January 1, 2017
Readings:
Numbers 67, 22-27, The Lord bless you and keep you.
Psalm 67, May God bless us in his mercy
Galatians 4, 4-7, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts.
Luke 2, 16-21, The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God.
Genevieve, are you the little girl in the red dress who stole the whole show at our Christmas Eve celebration??
First reading: God blesses people in countless ways. Today’s reading from the Book of Numbers is a priestly blessing given first to Moses by words that come to him from the Lord.
Second reading, Galatians 4:4-7: God sent his Son to redeem us so that we can become God’s adopted sons.
Brandon says, "Welcome in, Everybody. Yep, she is the girl in the red dress."
Gospel reading, Matthew 25: 31-46:
John gave me permission to switch gospel readings. What you are missing is a small part of a metaphorical story about Mary, an angel, shepherds and the baby Jesus.
You might recall 15 or 20 years ago that the Liturgy of the Word, for each of the A, B, and C cycles on New Year’s Day, had as its gospel Matthew’s parable of The Last Judgment. I imagine that its purpose was to encourage parishioners to incorporate some of its teaching into their New Year’s resolutions.
Alison, you know that the kids all love your home made communion bread and want more than one.
But I want you for a moment to think about where we live. When we go shopping, to work, or to a movie or local restaurant, to Whole Foods or Target, it isn’t really clear to us if there is, for example, an orphan or a widow in our midst who needs our help.
Simply put, we choose to support with taxes and contributions, governmental agencies and nonprofits, to provide food and drink to the hungry and thirsty and stranger twenty miles south of us. The fact is, whether we realize it or not, we distance ourselves from the needy.
Clear the way, Folks, here come Mike the Coffee Man.
The meaning to today’s parable is this: When we distance ourselves from the needy, we distance ourselves from God.
I placed myself in the following scenario: I was in one of the poorer parts of South Dallas, around seven in the evening, in front of a drug store where I had gone to pick up some cough medicine.
Aiden with his grandparents, John & Jean O'Donnell.
When I got out of the car and pushed the button to lock all of its doors, I immediately noticed, about two yards from the entrance of the store a stranger, at least to me. He was homeless, for he was wearing too many clothes, unshaven, had dark hair and complexion, and he was finishing the last drink of water that he would get from a small plastic bottle.
Learning: Big brother teaching little sister how to work a water fountain.
He was looking right at me, and I at him. As I approached him he addressed me in a language I did not know or understand. Searching his face I sought his eyes and noticed a bit of a smile as he ran his fingers through his hair. He reached to open the door for me. What should I do?
Mike ready to share his ideas in his homily.
In a split second I heard the question from the unrighteous in today’s parable, ‘When was it that we saw you a stranger and did not welcome you?’
Offertory, Cheryl, Carrie, & Paul.
Would I have responded with a joyful smile? Would I have embraced him with his perfume of sweat? Would I have kissed him on his forehead, taking hold of his arm to have him enter with me? Would I have asked the people in the store if anyone knew his language so that I could find out why he was there and what he needed? Would I have invited him to my home, offered him the opportunity to take a shower, laid out something for him to wear as I washed his clothes and prepared something for him to eat?
Brandon, our Candle Lighter of The Week.
Jesus, an itinerant preacher, had a dark complexion and nowhere to rest his head. Was he present to me here and now? The Lord in our parable was hungry, thirsty, a stranger longing for a visit. Yes, every encounter we have with another is meant to be a holy encounter.
Our School gorilla (know any other school with a pet gorilla at the door to the cafeteria?) says he is happy to see us back in the cafeteria after being in the gym for Christmas Eve.
When we name the other person God, we name ourselves. We verify our name, the body of Christ in the world.