HOMILY WEEK 28 02 – Year II
Genuine Faith Expressed Through Selfless Love:
Optional Memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila)
(Gal 5:1-6; Ps 119; Lk 11:37-41)
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“For freedom Christ has set us free” and “Give for alms those things that are within.”
These two quotes from the readings today focus our attention on this message: our faith in Christ, to be real and genuine, must express itself through heartfelt love, and freedom from any slavish dependence on external factors for our dignity and self-worth.
St. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, is very direct in his teaching that Jesus has truly set us free from any need to justify ourselves, try to save ourselves or make ourselves holy. As he asserts boldly, all that really matters is that we express our faith in Jesus Christ by selfless, even unconditional love.
The gospel is a perfect fit for that strong message from Paul, as we see Jesus actually taking great liberty and neglecting to “wash his hands” which was an important ritual requirement to the Orthodox Jews of his day. The Pharisee, quite understandably, was amazed and I would think even shocked and scandalized that Jesus, of all people, would blatantly ignore that cultic ritual.
The reason he did becomes quite clear as Jesus uses that gesture to point out to his host that the Pharisees outwardly observe many rules and laws, but inside are full of painful emotions like anger, jealousy and insecurity, as well as negative attitudes like false pride, stubborn self-will and self-righteousness, plus addiction to possession, prestige and power. So, what is more important, looking good by washing one’s hands, or making the painful, humble inner journey into one’s self to deal with one’s own faults and failings, which no one, including ourselves, ever finds easy to do?
Things Hidden is the title of a book on spirituality written by Richard Rohr OFM. It could be the title of this homily, as we are invited to make that most challenging journey of all, from our heads to our hearts, to greater self-awareness and to a deeper discernment of what should be in our hearts that we could give as alms, things such as: genuine solid faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior; an awareness of being beloved sons and daughters of God, as Henri Nouwen claims; a corresponding sincere spirit of repentance and sorrow for our sins, like Peter when he first met Jesus; a spirit of humility that is able to accept ourselves as we are, as well as a spirit of simplicity and patience. Are not these “things hidden” precisely the opposite of the externalism and hypocrisy that so characterized the Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus’ day?
Today the Church honours St. Teresa of Jesus who had to deal with perhaps the opposite religious problem in her day, religious laxity. Teresa was born in Avila, Spain, on Mar 28, 1515. Of the many women who exercised leadership roles in the Church, Teresa must surely be considered among the greatest. When she entered the Carmelite convent, some thought Teresa was a spoiled young woman with an unremarkable prayer life, but she soon advanced in prayer and the spiritual life, experiencing visions and hearing voices. Dissatisfied with the laxity she perceived among the religious, she determined to institute reforms and established St Joseph’s Convent where enclosure and a strict rule prevailed. With the assistance of Peter of Alcantara and John of the Cross, she became a reformer and succeeded in founding the reformed (Discalced) Carmelite order of nuns and friars.
There was much resistance and pushback from even her own order. After the chapter in 1575 and for the next five years, every effort was made to destroy Teresa’s reforms and many of her followers (including John of the Cross) were imprisoned and cruelly treated. At length, in 1580 and with the support of King Philip II, the Discalced Carmelites were made independent, and St. Teresa was able to found more new convents.
Teresa wrote several works considered classics of spiritual literature, including The Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle. A great mystic and strong, intelligent and active leader, Theresa was canonized in 1622 and in 1970 became the first woman to be declared a Doctor of the Church. She is patron of Spain. She died, worn out by her efforts, on October 15, 1582.
The Eucharist is our 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 making present to us the unconditional love Jesus revealed on the cross.
May our celebration today, consecrate and set us apart in even deeper ways, to go out and express our faith in Jesus through acts of selfless love.
