HOMILY WEEK 28 01 – Yr I

Memorial: St. Marguerite d’Youville

(Rm 1:1-7; Ps 98; LK 11:29-32)

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In 1976, while heading home after an old-timer’s hockey game, I came across a fatal accident. A head-on collision had occurred between a drunk driver and a pickup truck of local youth. The latter was pinned in his vehicle on the highway, while the still warm body of the young man was in his truck in the ditch. I prayed for him while others tried to rescue the trapped driver, and the injured waited for an ambulance to arrive. I could not have left that scene without trying to help. Ron Rolheiser OMI would say that I was “consecrated” by that event, and that all other plans that I had for that evening necessarily had to wait.

St. Paul, in the first reading, proclaims very much the same reality. He has been consecrated, set apart, not by an accident, but by the unique, historic, life-changing resurrection of Jesus from death to an entirely new and unprecedented life. His encounter with the crucified-risen Lord on the road to Damascus transformed his whole belief system and his life. He would and could never be the same.

By our baptism, what applies to St. Paul, also applies to us, very much like coming upon an accident. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead through the power of the Holy Spirit calls to be apostles set apart for the gospel of God, to bring about the obedience of faith among all people.

The other readings flesh out that mandate that we have been given. The psalm proclaims that the Lord has made known his salvation, has revealed his vindication, the victory of our God – the resurrection of Jesus to new life.

Jesus, addressing a resistant and unbelieving crowd in the gospel, speaks of a sign of Jonah, who was in the belly of a whale for three days – a clear inference to his own liminal time in the tomb from Good Friday to his resurrection to new life on Easter Sunday.

So, the resurrection of Jesus consecrates us, sets us apart, to bring the whole world to the obedience of faith. There is a faith pattern that is at work here. It all begins with belief in the resurrection. That leads to a more personal faith in Jesus, that in turn leads to placing our complete and total trust in him, that in turn leads to the “obedience of faith,” to surrender our lives and wills over to him – the commitment to do his will and not our own will, as Jesus always sought to do only the Father’s will.

Step 3 of the 12 Step program puts it well: “Made a decision to turn my life and my will over to the care of God I understand God.” As we will all die eventually, perhaps the real challenge is to surrender now, to turn over our will to the Father, which is to anticipate our death, to “die before we die,” the truest sign of faith.

Jesus then adds another telling quality to a life of faith in him – repentance: “The people of Nineveh repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here.”

So, repentance naturally accompanies faith in Jesus, along the line of this saying, “The stronger the sun, the more clearly we see our shadow.” Repentance is metanoia, putting on our highest mind, changing our ways, receiving the unconditional love of God through forgiveness of all our sins, opening ourselves up to receiving the healing of our sinfulness (defects of character like painful emotions, negative attitudes and even our addictions), and resolving to do only God’s will in our lives. That is what is called theosis, divinization, renewal, transformation – becoming more and more Christ-like.

That is what the readings are calling us to today. And we have a model to follow – St. Marguerite d’Youville, whose memorial we celebrate today. Marie-Marguerite Dufrost de Lejemmerais was born at Varennes, Quebec, on October 15, 1701. Following the death of her father in 1708, Marguerite’s family lived in poverty. Thanks to generous relatives, Marguerite was able to study at the Ursuline Convent in Quebec for two years. When she returned home, she taught her five younger brothers and sisters.

In 1722, she married Francois d’Youville, who proved to be a selfish and indifferent husband, involved in illegal liquor trading. When Francois died eight years later, he left Marguerite with two children (four infants had died) and enormous debts. When she had overcome her financial difficulties, Marguerite rented a house in Montreal in 1737 where she and three companions, the first Grey Nuns, sheltered needy women. For several years, the four were slandered and persecuted, accused of being drunkards and prostitutes.

In 1747, Marguerite was given charge of the colony’s general hospital which was deep in debt. Trusting in Providence, she worked hard and saved the hospital. In 1765, fire destroyed the hospital but she rebuilt it within four years. Following a brief illness, she died on December 23, 1771. Marguerite was declared blessed in 1959 and on December 9, 1990, the first Canadian-born saint.

The Eucharist is or greatest prayer and a wonderful way to celebrate our faith in the resurrection. We believe that the crucified-risen victim is present in each of us, in the Word that is proclaimed, and in the event of the Eucharist that makes present that unconditional love Jesus revealed to us on the cross.

May our celebration today, consecrate and set us apart in even deeper ways, to go out and proclaim this good news of the victory and vindication of Jesus, and bring all others to this obedience of faith.