Homily for 27 July 2014, the 7th Sunday after Pentecost--Cooperate to Build up the Community

Homily for 27 July 2014:  Cooperate to Build Up the Community

7^th Sunday after Pentecost (Romans 15:1-7)                    (Matthew 9:27-35)

 

St Paul was the first Christian theologian, trying to explain the meaning of Christ’s life and teaching in letters to newly-established churches all around the Mediterranean.  But he didn’t do that in an academic or purely intellectual way.  He did it in a pastoral way.  He was a theologian because he was trying to help people believe, and understand what they believed, and figure out how what they believed should shape their lives.

That’s why reading the letters of St Paul is still so valuable for us, almost 2000 years later.  For example, today’s reading from the Letter to the Romans is full of practical advice, based on faith in Jesus Christ.

St Paul knew that communities are made up of people who don’t always get along.  He knew that some people have very strong ideas and are always sure that their ideas are right.  He knew that other people are less sure about things, or have confused ideas, or just need more time to think about things.  And he knew that the strong, decisive people often get impatient with those who are less sure or less strong.  He even recognized himself as one of the impatient ones.

So he advises:  “We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.”  He’s saying that the strong people should not insist on getting their way just for their own satisfaction.

He goes on to say, “Let each of us please our neighbor for the good, for building up.”  We don’t insist on having our own way, but neither do we just give in.  We have to work out among ourselves what will be best for building up the whole community, then get together to work on it.

We all know that we face this kind of problem sometimes here in St Joseph parish.  People come up with good ideas, but sometimes getting “my” idea accepted becomes more important than uniting behind the idea that’s best for the whole parish.

Neither priests nor lay people can put their personal, individual goals or needs or pride above the good of the whole community.  In fact, it is especially the priest’s job to focus on the good of the whole community.  He has to keep that always in mind and try to lead the whole community in the right direction, whether he enjoys it or not, whether it’s easy or not, whether it makes him look good or not.

As St Paul points out, Christian communities really have only one goal:  to glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Whatever we do—choir practice, coffee hour, parties, picnics, food festivals, collections, council meetings, youth group, ladies society, house blessings, baptisms, weddings, funerals—is all for the glory of God.  Having a nice church building, pulling weeds, paving the parking lot, fixing the roof, paying the bills—we do all these things so that we can come together in unity to give glory to God.

So St Paul prays that God will let us “think in harmony with one another” and Jesus Christ, and he urges us to “welcome one another, as Christ welcomed” us.  He wants us to remember that Christ welcomed us as His brothers and sisters, all loved by the same Heavenly Father.

So, beloved sisters and brothers, let us always work together in unity, cooperating to do what is best to build up our community and giving thanks and praise and glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and ever and unto ages of ages.  Amen.