HOMILY WEEK 22 01 – Year II
The Dark Side of Belief:
Optional Memorial of Blessed André Grasset
(1 Cor 2:1-5; Ps 119; Lk 4:16-30)
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Today’s gospel ends in a brutal, shocking manner, as the religious townsfolk of Nazareth are suddenly enraged and want to kill Jesus! What are we to make of this?
The readings today challenge us to look at the quality of our own faith in Jesus – has it moved beyond belief to trusting surrender, or are we stuck at a superficial religiosity?
St. Paul, in the first reading, sets the stage for us. His encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus changed his whole belief system – from a zealous Jew to a man passionately in love with Jesus as Crucified Messiah and Risen Lord. So much so when it comes to trying to explain the mystery of God, all Paul wants to talk about is Christ crucified, and the power of his Spirit at work in those who truly trust in him.
In the gospel, Jesus tells his own people he is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah – he is the one anointed by the Holy Spirit to bring good news to the humble, release those in need of healing and liberation, give sight to the blind, both physical and personal, set the oppressed free – the addicted and those treated unjustly, and to proclaim a year of favor, a fresh start, a whole new world order.
There is a pattern in our lives. Belief in God is meant to lead to a more personal faith in Jesus, that in turn is meant to lead to complete trust in him and his teachings, that finally is meant to lead to surrendering our lives and wills into his hands.
The consistent pattern in the lives of the Chosen people was just the opposite. From the time of the Mosaic covenant through the desert period and the centuries following, they were always unfaithful to that intimate covenant relationship with God, and put their trust in the false gods of possessions and pleasure, prestige and fame, power and control. Their belief never grew into faith, trust and surrender. In fact, it hardened into stubborn self-righteousness and resistance to the deeper meaning of the Law which was love over duty, and relationship over external observance.
It should not surprise us, then, that this initial interchange between Jesus and the people of his home town would end in a desire to kill him, which would be the outcome of his life anyway – crucifixion at the hands of the religious leaders and the Romans.
When Jesus pointed out their infidelity through the healing of gentiles, he pricked their bubble of infidelity, named it for them, and instead of humble repentance and change, they reacted with hostility, hatred and rage. This is very similar to the reaction to whistle-blowers today, as was discussed on the CBC program Go Public recently. Those who dare to speak up about an injustice in the workplace often find themselves ostracized and isolated, seen as trouble-makers, and even lose their jobs, as others may agree with them, but are afraid to associate with them lest something adverse happens to them too. The bottom line today, as it was in Nazareth that day, is so often money, position and power.
Blessed André Grasset, whom we honor today, was born in Montreal inn 1758. His family had come to Quebec in 1749, but they returned to France after the Battle of Quebec. Ordained a priest, André was serving at the cathedral in Sens when the French Revolution began. Refusing to sign the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, he and many other priests and religious were imprisoned in 1792 and martyred. As one of a group of 190 martyrs, André was beatified in 1926. The following year a college in his name was opened in Montreal.
The Eucharist is grounded in the selfless of love of Jesus crucified for us, made present through Word and Sacrament through the power of the Holy Spirit. May our celebration deepen our faith in Jesus to become complete trust in him and empower us to surrender our will and lives to him, as he did to the Father.
