HOMILY WEEK 29 03 – Year II
Live the Mystery of Faith as Servants of the Gospel – Trust, Thank and Tell:
Optional Memorial of St. John of Capistrano
(Eph 3:1-12; Is 12:2-6; Lk 12:39-48)
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“Life is mystery to be lived, not problem to be solved.”
The readings today invite us to live the mystery of faith as servants of the Gospel with trust, gratitude and a willingness to share our faith with others.
In the first reading, Paul is a prisoner for proclaiming the Gospel to the Gentiles. He focuses not on his imprisonment but on the Good News of the mystery of Christ made know by revelation, kept from humanity until now. This mystery was revealed to apostles and prophets by the Spirit; a mystery to be revealed through the Church; the mystery of our faith. We are all, Jews and Gentiles, members of the same body and sharers in the promise of Jesus Christ through the Gospel.
Paul stresses over and over his main preoccupation with the mystery of Christ. This dynamic is exemplified by Paul himself, who turns his negative reality as a prisoner, into an opportunity to spread the good news of this mystery.
The Good News is that we can be like St. Paul. In whatever situation we are in, we can be transformed from prisoners to servants; from prisoners of our situation, to servants of the Gospel. We can experience healing and transformation at a deep level, even the unconscious level, through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can encounter the Spirit of Jesus at a level of our sin and sinfulness, our addictions and personality disorders, our cognitive distortions, our bottom, our worst reality.
Jesus is here to touch, to heal, to transform, to renew us, to take us to a new and deeper relationship with our God, others, ourselves and all of creation. We can share what Paul calls the boundless riches of Christ no prison walls can keep out nor contain. All we need is humility and faith, and we move from prisoners to servants, servants of the Gospel.
You may have noticed the psalm today is not a psalm at all, but a passage from the prophet Isaiah that liturgists have adapted into a responsorial psalm for today’s celebration. In so doing, they made it possible to succinctly summarize a message for us in three words: Trust, Thank and Tell. We are to believe and trust in this mystery, thank God for it through praise and singing, and then proclaim this mystery to the whole world.
Trust or confidence is something we all need. But what is the source of our confidence? The world says it’s because of who we are and what we are capable of doing. But as Christians, we believe it’s because of who God is and what God has already done for us. Isaiah declares he is confident because his strength and courage is the Lord (12:2). And in the first reading, Paul says we have confidence through our faith in Jesus (Eph 3:12).
Our true confidence lies in knowing, deep down, we have a Father in heaven who loves us and is always with us. We can lean on God at all times, and trust that God will supply all we need. And the more we consciously express our gratitude, the more confident we will become that God always has our back.
The parable of the prudent manager in the gospel suggests we are to be trustworthy managers and stewards of this mystery – for much has been given to us – the very mystery of salvation we are in turn called to share with the world!
St. John of Capistrano
The Church today remembers St. John of Capistrano. Born at Capistrano in the Kingdom of Naples in 1386, John trained as a lawyer at the University of Perugia and became governor of that city in 1412. Imprisonment, however, prompted him to change his life. When Perugia became involved in a conflict, John was imprisoned, leading him to a period of reflection. At age 30 he joined the Friars Minor and was ordained to the priesthood. For the next 30 years he preached missions in Italy, drawing large, enthusiastic crowds. Meanwhile, he assisted Bernadine of Sienna in re-uniting the divided Franciscans.
John was frequently sent on papal diplomatic missions. While his preaching revived the faith of many, some of his methods in dealing with heretics were unfortunately harsh. In 1453 he was called to Hungary to preach a crusade against the Turks threatening to take Vienna and Rome. At the age of 70, carrying a cross rather than a sword, John led a wing of the Christian army in the Battle of Belgrade. The victory in 1456 prevented the Turks from overrunning Europe. A few months later John died of the plague. He is a patron of military chaplains.
The Eucharist is spiritual food for our transformative spiritual journey from prisoners of our own passions to servants of the Gospel, sharing in the mystery of the richness of Christ with humble trust and grateful hearts.
So remember, life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved. Live the mystery of our faith by being servants of the Gospel.
