13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

What did God create us for?

Wisdom tells us “God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.”

God does not want us to die in our sin.  He did not create us to end up in the netherworld.  Rather, “God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him.”

God created us to spent eternity with him in Heaven.

What happened after that is not what God intended, “by the envy of the devil, death entered the world.”  The devil was an angel in Heaven but he was envious and wanted to rule himself.  Envy is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.   To commit mortal sin is to separate ourselves from God.  To commit mortal sin is to separate ourselves from what we are created for.  To commit mortal sin is to die.

The devil remained envious.  If he couldn’t be in Heaven and rule, then he didn’t want anyone else to be in Heaven.  Thus, he tricked Adam and Eve into sinning and has been leading people into sin ever since.

Do not despair!  God has a solution to rescue us from our sins.  He will draw us clear.  While we struggle against our enemies in this world, ultimately the victory is God’s who brings us up from the netherworld and keeps us from sin (if we let him).  For this, we cry out, “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.”  We cannot save ourselves but Jesus can.

Paul writes, “For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”

Jesus emptied himself of his divinity, becoming poor, when He became incarnate in the flesh.  In the flesh, his poverty, He died for us so that we might become rich as our sins are forgiven and we share in eternal life. 

We are to share what we have received.  We are to share what Jesus has done for us so that all may share in the spiritual riches that God provides.

We are to share in what we have been given abundantly in this world to help supply the needs of others.  This is what is pleasing to God.  In doing this, we give it all to God.

Jairus, one of the synagogue officials, came to Jesus and fell at Jesus’ feet.  Why?  Because he loved his daughter who was the point at death. Jairus handed her over to Jesus for help.  Jesus healed her.

There was the woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years.  She sought help from doctors to no avail.  When she heard of Jesus, she believed that she touched his clothes, should be cured.  She was right.  Jesus is so eager to help that grace freely flows out from him.  She fell down before Jesus in response.

Jesus emptied himself of his divinity for you.  Jesus died for your sins.  Jesus offers you the richness of eternal life.  What is your response?

Do you give everything to Jesus?  Or is there something you hold back on?  Why?  Do you not trust Jesus?

Give it all to Jesus and sing, “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.”