MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
Jesus Christ speaks with the authority of God because He is God. As Christians we need to constantly remind ourselves what is the source of Sacred Scripture, The Teachings of the Church, and Sacred Tradition. These things have all of their origins from God. This can be easily forgotten when we are living in a world influenced by secularism which serves as a gateway to sin. We can see this as very evident in society today where religion, faith, and God are being minimized in favor of people trying to build upon their own vision of what life should be regardless if it is against God. There is the presence of self-justification for people’s actions if they appear to be immoral or against God. Free-thought without the influence of God is encouraged with a forceful removal of that which has its origins in God. The concept of God is casually dismissed in favor of His absence. This arguably divides God’s creation against itself and sows chaos. Where there is chaos there is an absence of God; that which creates division and discord does not come from God. In a world filled with calamity it is clear that the answer to peace, love, and prosperity has been and always will be an awareness of God.
When things are ordered correctly a better result is always realized. When things are disorganized is when bad things tend to happen. God is supposed to be set above His creation and He is supposed to be recognized within His creation. He is a part of it and cannot be separated from it. When people think they can separate God from what He created only bad things can result. Human beings are capable of great things if they are done with God. We are also capable of terrible things if God is removed from the equation. In the first Scripture Reading today God said as much when He warned, “Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it.” This was not a threat but more of a warning that those who did not listen to Him would face the consequences of their actions. I feel that we all can reflect on times in our lives when things went horribly wrong. Most likely, during those times, the advice of God and His presence was the farthest things from our minds. To live a fulfilling a life we must include God in our plans.
The Apostle Paul explains in his letter to the Corinthians how putting God first in our lives leads to less anxiety and less distraction. He presents a comparison between married people and those who have chosen a consecrated life closer to God. He did not advocate for one status above the other but instead presented a comparison between the two in this description. To become closer to God it is better to remove all earthly obstacles that just might inhibit the relationship. It is also good not to erect new obstacles by our choices. Making choices with God as the most important factor will bring about the best results and will help make our fears and anxieties to fade away. Putting God first makes us His servants and places us in the right order of things with God above all. This way of thinking also offers us solutions to everyday problems that we have and will encounter for the rest of our lives. Nothing is insurmountable with God and acknowledging this will automatically give us a new confidence. This confidence comes from God. Being distracted from God is a danger that we all should avoid. That which distracts us should be eliminated.
If we were to review a typical day in our lives, what would we find? How much time do we spend distracting ourselves through entertainment, pleasures, and frivolous things that are meant to stimulate ourselves but serve no purpose beyond that? From multi-media, sports, music, to eating and drinking, how much do we actually do which means anything except to satisfy some sort of urge in the moment? This spills over to our sexual conduct also. How much time do we spend reacting to our sexual urges that have the power to consume us? This review is not presented as a reprimand or an advocacy for removing all of these things in an extreme way. It is more to serve as a warning that all of these things can take precedence in our lives and blind us to the true joy of living that can only be discovered through experiencing God. When God’s love enters our life everything else will pale in comparison. Things built around and with God will bring about a more fulfilling life than just chasing after earthly pleasures. This goes back to Paul’s warning of putting things in the way of a relationship with God: it weakens us and causes fears, anxieties, and resentments to seep in. God does not want us to feel this way. He just wants us to experience joy and His love.
In the Gospel Reading today Jesus was teaching in the synagogue. Those present were astonished at His wisdom and the way He taught them. They were being fed mentally and spiritually. The forces which opposed Him, manifested in the form of an unclean spirit, were tortured by His presence, and were cast out. Nothing could stand up against Him. When we listen to what Jesus is saying, enter into relationship with Him, and conduct our lives under His direction we too will experience what those in the synagogue experienced that day. We will enjoy a new way of living directed by the Light of Christ where the darkness in this world will never overcome us. To build a house correctly the foundation must be solid with no cracks. Cracks lead to a compromising of the entire structure. Listening to God insures that our life will be built on a solid foundation that can withstand the strong winds of sin and temptation. What God says and how we listen will give us all the shelter we need to overcome all challenges and obstacles.
Deacon Tom
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