18th Sunday in Ordinary Time B August 4, 2024

Fr. Rick’s Two Minute Homily for 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time B
August 4, 2024, Matthew 13: 44-46
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080424.cfm

How Do You Relate With Jesus?

If we are driving down the street and see someone wearing a blue uniform with a gun and a badge, we know it’s a police officer. If we see someone wearing a white coat and a stethoscope, we know it’s a doctor.

We know they will help us if we are in trouble or sick. We don’t even question it. Both are believable in what they can do for us. We don’t have to know anything about them, their name, where they live, if they have any children.

Any of us who have had an operation put our faith in what the surgeon can do for us. Our faith is not in his person.

We can easily make the same assent of faith in Jesus – believing what He can do for us – answering our prayers, healing someone with cancer – whatever we need, like a police officer or a doctor; Jesus can be someone who can do something for us. It is one way to see and relate with Him, but not the only way.

Of course, all of Jesus’ actions are good. But we have to shift the focus from us to Him.

The people in the gospel wanted to continue on Jesus’ dole – like the people in Moses’ time. They ate for 40 years in the desert. They drank water from a rock. They wanted to follow Him for what He could do for them. Jesus wants to give us more than stuff.

Think of faith in Jesus as a glue that binds our person to His Person. What is mine is Jesus, and what is Jesus is mine. You see where He leads us – to Communion, a Holy Communion – one body, mind, heart, and soul.

Teresa of Avila wrote in the 1500s a poem (1515–1582)

Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassionately on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.
You are His Body.

Gospel Challenge:

It is no longer His body, mind, heart, and soul, nor is it mine. It is ours – His and mine. The two become one flesh, one person. We become another Christ. That happens when we receive Holy Communion. What will happen today when we leave church?

A policeman has a badge. A doctor has a stethoscope. We are so much more.

Peace be with you.

Love Your Neighbor!

Fr. Rick Pilger, IC
pastor