26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Numbers 11:25-29
Psalm 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14 (9a)
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:38-43, 44, 47-48
September 29, 2024
Sometimes we find ourselves putting a lot of effort into worldly things. Sometimes it is because of the sins of greed and/or pride.
Why? What good does it do us?
As James writes, “Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded.” What good does it do us?
We need not store up earthly treasure for the “last days.” Rather, we do well to seek the treasures of our faith.
When we seek earthly treasure for ourselves, we may take (knowingly or unknowingly) from others what is their due. They may cry out to the Lord who will respond with justice.
We need to examine our consciences to see how we have behaved.
We need to ask ourselves if we have caused others to sin, for we will punished if we cause others to sin.
We also need to ask ourselves what causes us to sin.
If our hand causes, Jesus advises us to cut it off. If our foot or our eyes cause us to sin, we should cut them off.
It may sound gruesome but we do well to get rid of whatever causes our sins. However, while we might use our hands, feet, and eyes when we sin, they are not what causes us to sin.
We do well to ask the Lord to help us recognize our sins and what leads us to sin.
In the days of the Exodus, the Lord had put his spirit on Moses and then shared that spirit with seventy elders.
At Pentecost, the Lord shared the Holy Spirit with all his disciples. We receive that same Holy Spirit in our Baptism. We do well to let the Holy Spirit guide us in knowing our sins and what we need to change to stop sinning.
We also do well to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our decision making. For instance, in a few weeks we have the opportunity to cast our vote in the election. Is your faith put of your decision-making process for your vote?
For instance, on the New York State Ballot this year is a proposal to amend our state constitution to include things contrary to our faith. Starting in today’s bulletin, you can read a series of articles I wrote regarding this proposal and our faith (see https://renewaloffaith.org/bulletin-series-on-nys-proposal-one).
We do well to examine our individual consciences to know (and then confess) our sins. We also do well to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our future actions.
We do well as a community of faith to do the same. We need to ask God to guide our parishes, to help us recognize our weaknesses and our strengths.
This is why we are working on a plan for a future. As I have said before, we don’t seek to create our own (human) plan. We seek to discern what God’s plan for us is.
As we do this, we already had one listening session and we have one more today at 11:15 in our Parish Center at St. Mary’s. The Holy Spirit can speak through you to express concerns on what we have been doing and ideas for the future.
The Holy Spirit has given us each different gifts. As you ask the Holy Spirit to help you reflect on your own hopes and concerns for our parishes. We seek not just for ideas of what we should do but who can help.
Is the Holy Spirit asking you to help put an idea(s) into action?
Or perhaps you have an idea but lack the gifts to execute it. Is there someone in our parishes that you know that may have the right gifts? Let the Holy Spirit work through you.
I invite everyone who didn’t attend the first listening session to come over after Mass. I know you might want to get something to eat or drink. We will have some baked goods as well as coffee and some other drinks to tide you over.