Homily for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time "B" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Our Tumultuous, Fragile World

 

Dear Parishioners,

Last Saturday, while I was eating dinner, I received a text from one of my friends that the former President of the United Sates, Donald J. Trump, was shot. Of course, various questions started coming to mind: Who was the shooter? How did this happen? Is He okay? Why now? Etc.

I have seen numerous videos of the incident since that time while also listening to first hand reports from those who were at the location. There are still far too many unanswered questions about this apparent lone shooter, and I have to wonder sincerely if we will ever get the true and complete story from those investigating the situation. I fear not. Let me just say that there are many, many unusual circumstances surrounding this attempted assassination as well as signs of failure by those charged with protecting the former president.

There was also a man killed in the incident and two others critically wounded. Please pray for Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief, who was shot while protecting family members. The Pennsylvania governor said he “died a hero.”

As I think about what happened last Saturday, I realize that somehow by God’s Divine Providence, the former president was saved from immediate death. There was only an inch or so difference between life and death. Violence has no place in our society, whether it is towards an elected official or some unknown person in the city streets. Extreme violence can also be hidden from the average person’s eyes such as the termination of a baby in the womb. The baby dies nonetheless, and this sadly continues to be championed as something good and a “right” in our society.

I watched the Republican National Convention (July 14-18, Milwaukee, WI) to see that the former president has returned to the spotlight and is apparently in good health. No matter what your personal feelings are towards the man, he has proven to be relentless, strong, and courageous and filled with extraordinary resilience. I continue to pray for him as well as for our current president. I also beseech the Lord on behalf of our nation, which needs much prayer, conversion and a return to Almighty God, as does the entire world.

Meanwhile, the rest of the country and the world goes about its business. The MLB All-Star Game (July 16, Arlington, TX) takes place tonight as I write this column. The National Eucharistic Congress (July 17-21, Indianapolis, IN) also begins this week. I hope to be able to view some of it whenever it is available on live-stream. Finally, the Olympics (July 26-August 11, Paris) will begin at the end of the month.

Wars continue in Ukraine and Gaza. Natural disasters such as the recent Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico will happen again. Let me remind you of some of Jesus’ words to His disciples:

See that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many. You will hear of wars and reports of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for these things must happen, but it will not yet be the end. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be famines and earthquakes from place to place. All these are the beginning of the labor pains. Then they will hand you over to persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. And then many will be led into sin; they will betray and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and deceive many; and because of the increase of evildoing, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. (Mt. 24: 4-13)

Remember, the Lord is still in charge and He expects our fidelity to Him in every circumstance.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Judgment Day and/or the End of the World!

Dear Parishioners,

Many years ago as I was walking through Times Square in New York City, a man was standing there holding a sign announcing the end of the world.  He was warning everyone of impending doom.  There was a specific date on his sign on which the end was supposed to occur.  I cannot recall that particular date now, but it really doesn’t matter.  Whatever the date was, it has since come and gone.

Just before the year 2000, I travelled with my mom to Israel.  During a part of our trip we encountered heightened security because of a number of fanatics who thought that the end was coming with Y2K.  The Israeli security troops told us that many crazed people were going to Megiddo—thought by some to be the sight of biblical Armageddon (Rev. 16:16) and were committing suicide there.  Their end came, but the end (of the world) obviously never arrived.

Subsequently, there were those who warned us to prepare for the end times on some other specific dates: May 21, 2011 or December 21, 2012.  I’m always ever-so-suspect when I saw web sites selling t-shirts and survival kits for one or the other of these occasions.

Truth be told, we should always be prepared for our own end.  Jesus warned us over and over again in parables like the Wise and Foolish Virgins (Mt. 25: 1-13).  Jesus concludes His teaching there by saying, “. . . stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” 

Today’s Gospel from St. Luke (Lk. 12: 32-48) is another prime example of being told to be ready for the Master’s return:

Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. (Lk. 12: 35-36)

From these and many other passages like them from Sacred Scripture, I know I have to be prepared and ready. Conversion, repentance for sin and vigilance are a major part of the Christian message, as are love, forgiveness, hope, Resurrection and eternal life.

Our own end will come soon enough.  Depending on our age, it could come in ten, twenty, thirty years or more.  It could come tomorrow.  It could come in an hour or less after reading this.

What do we do to prepare for our own end?  We need to live out the Gospel message in our daily lives.  We need to cling to Jesus, pray and be faithful.  And if we are doing this, then we can follow the advice of Saint John Paul II which he proclaimed repeatedly during his pontificate:  Be not afraid!

A story is told about St. Francis of Assisi who was out hoeing his garden.  When someone asked him what he would do if he were suddenly to learn that he would die before sunset that very day, he simply replied, "I would finish hoeing my garden."

Follow the Lord Jesus.  Always be spiritually prepared.

Be not afraid!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor