+ The first reading for Mass today
from
the First Letter of St. Peter is a brief summary of what love God the Father
has for us, humanity that at one point was doomed to eternal separation from
him, and eternal death. But from the moment of that First Sin, God wanted to
give his human creations HOPE, and imperishable hope, based on the death and
resurrection of his own Son (the Word, made flesh), so that the possibility of
eternal life, and bliss and happiness could be the lot of anyone who wants it.
This itself is an astonishing statement really, who would not want it? who
would want eternal loss and unquenchable suffering? Well, apparently some do,
and will – because of God’s highest gift to mankind: free will, freedom of
choice.
The Father who loves us first
and always, with an unconditioned and irrevocable love, wants us to likewise,
choose him – he doesn’t want to force us into a relationship with him. He trust
us that much, that we will choose him – and be filled with joy as children
forever.
The price we pay however, is
to face a life of making good and bad choices as our fallen human nature sometimes
gets in the way of our beset of intentions. And the bad choice that we and
others make can bring on all sorts of trials and tribulations, from family
disruptions, to major world wars and conflicts. And yet it is only by making
right and good, just and merciful decisions that we can counter this relentless
trend in the real world.
We remember today, Memorial
Day, all those who put their lives on the line, and many of them lost them,
defending these noble, just and true values and principles: the highest of
which is to protect human freedom, in our own country and those of our allies
and friends, or any who are in trouble.
The gospel passage talks about
the rich young man who followed all the commandments of God, but was seeking
still a higher goal – response to a higher calling: well, he got the calling
from Jesus literally: “follow me” but if you want the pure stuff, the gold
stuff, the highest experience possible of it here on earth – and in the next –
get rid of your possessions, give the proceeds to the poor and then come follow
me. This young man – just wasn’t ready to do that. And so he went away sad.
But I think we sell this
generous and devoted young man short – if we assume that he never did come to his senses – and then
do what Jesus asked – much like the Prodigal Son – and he did prioritize his
values rightly, got rid of a lot of stuff that was really not essential and
worthy of his spiritual quest – and then adopt a fully engaged almost monastic
– specialized – kind of lifestyle – seeking God’s face – being led the God’s
Son himself.
We can and ought to do the
same things. Our fallen soldiers, men and women, gave their lives not so that
we could have everything our little heart’s desire, and the heck with everyone
else, freedom is not license – freedom is actually freedom-for, freedom for
choosing what is right and good, truthful, beautiful just and peaceful – the
rest is a myth – but a myth that could take down civilization if left
unchecked.
May we choose rightly this
Memorial Day – live in HOPE – for ourselves, our families and all strangers we
meet each day. We are all interconnected in this great pilgrimage of life – we
are all going the same direction, whether we know it or not – let’s know it
then, and choose it, love it and live it!
Amen.
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