Word to the Wise
Sunday, July 12, 2009 - Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
[Amos 7:12-15; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13]Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.......
Some years ago, I preached a parish mission at a parish in Mississippi. At one of the services, I noticed two young men in shirt and tie come in and sit in the back pew. I knew right away who they were, and probably many of you would have, as well. They were the young Mormon missionaries. We see them often on bicycle, always formally dressed (and always male - hmmmm....like us?)and always in pairs. The pastor was sitting next to me and I leaned over to him and said, "Are they who I think they are?" He just smiled. The two attended the reception after the service and I had a chance to speak with them. They told me they were curious about Catholic preaching, so they came. These young people give up two years of their lives to do this work. Their example is one I wish I could have instilled in my parishioners whom I trained to go out one Saturday to visit homes in the parish and find out "who was out there!" They came back with interesting stories and a desire never to do this again!!!! The first scripture for this Sunday is about a reluctant prophet (most of them are) named Amos. He states plainly that he had no background for the job and really no desire to do it, but God called him. Jesus summoned the Twelve and sent them out! Pope Benedict XVI, in his just-released new encyclical, CHARITY IN THE TRUTH (Caritas in veritate), makes a simple but profound statement: A vocation is a call that requires a free and responsible answer. (#17) It seems to me that God's very presence in us as baptized Christians at the very least implies we should be asking ourselves if we do anything to share that graced presence with others. Perhaps, like me, getting on a bicycle and riding around the neighborhood may be a bit more risky than necessary, but can we at least go next door or invite others to join us on Sunday? In doing so, we will be giving a "free and responsible answer" to the gift of faith. AMEN
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