Why God won’t do something.
(09-06-2009)
There is so much rage and anger today and no matter what your political party-- there is such hatred and name calling going on. People feel helpless, but the government –present or past government is not the only contributor to the ills in our country and world. Where is our individual culpability?
Just because we want to call names and play the blame game-against Republicans, Democrats, Independents, whatever, does our responsibility for the ills in our country end there with the finger pointing name/blame? Have we rationalized our bad and sometimes immoral behavior, poor choices, and apathy by saying the other person is responsible!
And these days we can develop compassion burnout as we see so much suffering that surrounds us. We become paralyzed and apathetic. What can I do?
As people of faith, we want to help and have hope, but there are so many issues, causes, needs that we can become overwhelmed even to the point of despair.
We see family members, our neighbors, parishioners, sisters and brothers, very often suffering in silence trying to just get-by, on the brink of poverty, the working poor—families who, as a sad familiar saying goes, are only one paycheck away from becoming homeless.
It can be one of our school teachers barely making ends meet, or someone working in the fields during the day and at a restaurant busing tables at night. People who suffer in silence, often feeling they have no voice, no hope.
Of course being people of faith, it’s natural to ask why God won’t do something.
However, as we hear from Isaiah as well as from the author of our Responsorial Psalm proclaim to us “God secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, sets captives free, gives sight to the blind, raises up those that are bowed down, sustains orphans and the widowed.”
Just how does God do all of these things? You all know the answer. We are the answer. We are how God takes care of all those who suffer. God works through each of us, many times, in many ways ¾ whenever we reach out and help those who are burdened—no matter their political party, social class, race or culture.
That is exactly what Jesus gave witness to-- giving the voice for those who were burdened and offer them hope, help, and his healing love. No one was a stranger to Jesus, an alien, or foreigner, nor should anyone be to us. No, I am not promoting illegal immigration-but charitable outreach to those who are in need in our community-stop walking over bodies as if we can’t see or hear.
Community is also in our gospel for the 23rd Sunday. It was the so called “some people” who brought someone to Jesus out of their concern for the man’s suffering. They were not identified as family—but neighbors who cared enough about the man who was deaf and mute to take him to Jesus for help and healing a neighbor in need. And we are to do the same, to view the person as one in whom suffering is not the definition of their worth.
Such a person could be right here –anyone who is in some way suffering in silence feeling isolated in a parish surrounded by thousands of people yet alone and in need of comfort and support.
We can and do make a difference. But we need to do more as we hear Jesus call out to us this day: “Ephphatha” BE OPENED!” freed from the impediment of hoarding our comforts, freed from the impediment of a self-centered view of life. Free from political rhetoric, ugly name calling, blaming, and do what is right. AND we all know what right from wrong is. Be responsible for one another and live Christ.
Ephphatha, BE OPENED to hear and see where and when we can do something life-affirming in situations of difficulty, suffering and alienation ¾ the risk of association with persons whose language we do not speak, or people who cannot afford to dress as we dress.
Jesus taught us that the holiness God wants for us does not come from separation but from communion with one another--but of compassionate involvement in our suffering neighbor. He taught us that our identity as His people does not come primarily from our devotions and Mass attendance--as important as these may be,, but rather from following the Lord's way of loving service for him in others.
We hear in the Gospel those who were—good neighbors who wanted to help. And there are many good neighbors here too--those some people, include you and many more throughout our church, and community, good people who quietly labor in the service of Jesus. Yet we can and need to do more.
More begins as we come to hear the Word of God, Jesus saving message of hope, and to see Jesus fully present in the Eucharist. We are here to be opened, so that what we pray for and receive inside we share outside.
God secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, sets captives free, gives sight to the blind, raises up those that are bowed down, and sustains orphans and the widowed. God does not do all these things through anger, rage and blame, but through God’s compassion in us. Fr. Gordon
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