Our readings today urge us to be confident and unwavering in the exercise of our faith: received by the enlightenment of our minds and hearts by the Holy Spirit of God given to us not only at Baptism and Confirmation – but every day of our lives in prayer, adoration and worship and praise given to God!
The first reading from the letter to the Hebrews reflects a period in early Church history when standing up for one's faith included "a great contest of suffering," public exposition to abuse and affliction; and a suffering like that those in prison!"
The subtle and cunning ways of the Evil One would have us "draw back and perish" – but God on the other hand would have us be "among those who have faith and will possess life – spiritually healthy lives here on earth, and everlasting life in heaven!
Each generation needs to hear this message in a way that makes them sit up and take notice: each generation needs both parables and direct explanations: parables for those best taught with stories and images, direct explanations for those of a more intellectual bent: but both delivering the same message. And so in the gospel passage today we have parables taken from agriculture and botany, as well as Jesus giving direct explanations to his disciples.
The message for this very day in history – here, now – in this Church, in this state, in the country would seem to be: don't throw away what you have been given (the great gift of faith and the tools needed to deal with life's difficult issues), pray for endurance to do the will of God (since he knows the larger picture and how everything is meant to work together for good) and receive what he has promised (periods of peace in this life, and everlasting peace and joy in heaven).
Our very faith-filter tells us – as we turn on our televisions, pick up our newspapers, surf the internet, converse with neighbors, relatives and friends, and sit in the silence of our own inner chapels and prayer spaces – that there is a great deal of objective "wrongness" going on in the world.
What parable can we tell, what direct explanation can we give that would encourage all involved to work for a common solution? Perhaps an image taken directly from the news in recent days can be a beginning: the Church is like a very large ferry boat which has come to the aid of a jetliner that has made an emergency landing in a river. All passengers made it safely to the wings and were ready for rescue, and they were rescued because they were willing to be rescued. Even the plane itself was rescued and will be as good as new one day, possibly even better. So too, the Church can help rescue a great many of people in the world who need rescuing, even though the Church itself is made up of saints and sinners– but one day it will all be completely renewed and be better than it ever has been – we all can board that plane and make that great and final flight to heaven to remain in glory forever!
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
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