HOMILY LENT WEEK 02 01 – Year II
Giving and Receiving – Gospel Karma:
Optional Memorial of St. Frances of Rome
(Dan 9:3-10; Ps 79; Lk 6:36-38)
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The last line of today’s gospel (the measure we give is the measure we get) seems like a throw-away line, but in a homily for today, Ron Rolheiser pointed out the importance of this line.
Every world religion has either a law of karma, or something akin to it. That line from the gospel is Jesus’ version of karma, which teaches that what we put out is what we will get in return.
As Ron puts it, what we exhale into the world is what we will eventually inhale back again. This is true on all levels – physical, personal, spiritual. Physically, when we cut down too many trees, cause pollution and create conditions that produce too much carbon monoxide, we will start to breathe in carbon monoxide.
This is a kind of inviolable moral rule of the universe. No one is exempt from submitting to it – no one gets away with anything in this world. The gospel is more or less Jesus spelling out how it works personally and spiritually – be merciful and we will experience mercy; forgive and we will experience forgiveness, do not judge and we will not be judged.
We can flip the gospel around to bring out its content more forcefully: be merciless and we won’t receive mercy; judge and we will be judged; refuse to forgive and we will not receive forgiveness, be niggardly and we won’t receive anything in return.
These readings are a reminder that we need both forgiveness of our sins, and deliverance from our defects of character. Actually, the measure we give could be our guilt and shame, our sin and sinfulness – the more humble and honest in admitting these, coming to God for forgiveness and healing, the more compassion, mercy and forgiveness we receive.
In today’s first reading, the prophet Daniel admits the infidelity and disobedience of the people and mentions their guilt and shame as a result. The Old Testament is full of the negative consequences of the infidelity of the chosen people to God’s covenant will – the exile and destruction of the temple being extreme examples.
Daniel, however, tips things the other way as he affirms that God is compassion and forgiveness. It is probably his experience of God working in his life that gives him so much trust in God – after all, he was saved from lions and favored by a pagan king. Certainly, this resonates with Pope Francis’ humble admission that he also is a sinner.
The psalm echoes Daniel’s sentiments – asking God not to deal with us as our sins deserve and uttering a sincere prayer for forgiveness and deliverance. This reflects the nature of God the Messiah would reveal – a God who redeems and sanctifies, forgives and heals. It also resonates with the theme of the mercy of God that Pope Francis highlighted by a calling for a year of mercy.
While those who take the bible too literally can run into trouble, there is here one line that I think we can’t take literally enough: do not judge and we will not be judged. How easy it is for us to think of ourselves as right and everyone who disagrees with us wrong, judge them and discount them. This is calling us to truly “walk in someone else’s moccasins” before we make any hasty judgements regarding them.
A story I included in my first book Drumming From Within recounts an incident in which I found myself judging a young woman from Montreal Lake whom I happened to see at a house party that I dropped in on to support the wife of an alcoholic husband. Initially I resented the fact that she was living with someone in our community, until I stopped on the way out to talk to her, learned a bit of her horrific past and realized that “there but for the grace of God go I.”
St. Frances of Rome, whom we honor today, is a great example for us. Happily married, the death of her two sons taught her compassion for others. She took food to the poor, and visited the sick and the need in their homes to care for them. She gathered other women, mainly widows and young women who lived a life of prayer and cared for others, and founded a community of Benedictine Oblates. When her husband died, she joined their community. She died in 1440 and was declared a saint in 1608. She is patron of widows. What is striking in this description of her ministry is “they lived a life of prayer and cared for others” – contemplation and action. She is a wonderful model for us.
The Eucharist is God’s amazing gift to us, sinful as we are – a source of God’s unconditional love that is meant to empower us to live the words of Jesus in today’s gospel – to be merciful as he is; to not judge; to forgive and to give generously.
And it will all be given back to us, full measure and flowing over.
It is a beautiful homily and teachings in giving and receiving . We should try not to judge others for who they are. Oh, this person looks poor, they are so homeless and they have no education. I recently heard many stories people who are wealthy and have a better life then to criticize and judge people for their appearance, being poor, homeless and people with disabilities . Some cultures also abuse girls and females because they are no better than men. If we treat these people poorly and badly ; you receive bad karma couple years later. The negative things will happen to you ; you might end up begging people to help you. There was a story a mother in law treating her daughter in law because of her appearance . she looked poor and lack of Education . The mother in law will make her do all the chores and treating her like a maid. Her son is working to provide money for the family and she would just laid back and rest because she is wealthy . In return , when her son lost his job and her daughter in law moved out of the house because she can’t take it anymore. The mother in law and son became beggars because they lost their home with no money . Years later, her daughter in law was successful and she was a manager of designer company . Some how They end meeting each other again , the former mother in law begging for her help because they are poor. Her mother in law confronted her how she treat her so badly and poorly. God is punishing the mother and her son for treating daughter in law so badly. But, she agreed to help because no matter what she was her mother in law and she used to love her son dearly.
When we are doing good things to people ; then we are doing it to God. We should spend time supporting and offer ourselves to the poor and unfortunate people. We can also help the sick by providing food, wipes, sanitizers , toiletries , etc. because they cannot buy it themselves. If we can spend time with these people, God send us his blessing and healing for us. So, we should experience God’s unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness when we receive the communion. It will be all given back to us , full measures . Amen. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanks for the beautiful lessons about judging people and criticizing people. We should be feeling the shame for our actions and being sinfulness. I agree with the stories . Gracias! Merci! Bishop Sylvain Lavoie. 😊😊❤️❤️😇😇🙏🏻🙏🏻💞💞😍