11th Sunday OT
Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP
OLR, NOLA
St.
Paul assures the Corinthians, “We are always courageous. . .for
we walk by faith, not by sight.” I wonder if this is true. Are you
always
courageous? I'm not. I like to think that I am, but I know better. I
like to think that if push comes to shove and I am forced to defend
the faith with my life I'd do so. I'd like to think that there's no
way I would denounce the faith to save my skin, or allow myself to be
compromised in such a way that Christ would be dishonored. I'd like
to think that. And I hope you think that too. But we can't know
how brave we would be if and when the time comes to be tested. Why
then does Paul seem so sure that we are always
courageous? To walk by faith and not by sight is an act of courage;
that is, to navigate this world by trusting in God's loving care for
is precisely how our hearts are strengthen for judgment. We are
always courageous b/c it is Christ who reigns in the center of our
being, our heart. Whatever decisions we make, whatever words we
speak, whatever deeds we do, we do it all from the throne that Christ
himself occupies – the heart. It is the Christ-ruled heart that
sows those tiny mustard seeds to plant the Kingdom of God.
Notice
that Jesus picks the smallest seed to teach us about the Kingdom. He
could've chosen figs or olives or grapes. He's used grains of wheat
before in his parables, so that's an option too. But he chooses
mustard seeds. Tiny, rock-hard seeds that produce huge, hearty trees.
Trees that can survive in arid soil under a blazing sun. The Kingdom
of God is planted, nurtured, and brought to harvest by the rock-hard
faith of courageous men and women – men and women tested by
temptation and trial and found righteous by judgment. To be among
them, we need only allow Christ to rule our hearts b/c only Christ
can give us the strength necessary to both survive and thrive in this
arid world. Every saint and martyr of the Church started with a mere
mustard seed of faith, just a drop of trust in God's loving care. Now
they reign with Christ in the Kingdom, perfected and everlasting.
That's our goal as well – eternal life with the Father. And it's
ours by inheritance if we remain in the family that has adopted us.
How do we remain? We persevere in courage. We trust with everything
we have and are. We never compromise the truth of the faith. And we
love sacrificially, giving it all for the glory of God.
Paul
reminds us how it all ends, “. . .we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive [payment],
according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.” When
in doubt about whether or not you are helping to build the Kingdom,
ask yourself: “Does Christ rule my heart?” Ask yourself: “Am I
compromising the faith, or am I standing firm on the truth?” “Am
I giving in to cynicism, or am I living in hope?” “Have I given
everything I have and everything I am to Christ for him to govern?”
You are always courageous, and you will always be courageous if you
work for the Kingdom and Christ the King sits on the throne of your
heart.
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