XIX “C”
Luke
12, 32-48 & Hebrews 11: 1-2, 8-19
“Much will be required of the person entrusted
with much, and still more will be demanded of the person
entrusted with more.”
I have no doubt
that God will require a great deal of me; I have been given so much. I know
that I have to give much, just because I have so much to give. It would be
impossible for me to count the blessings God has given me, and now knowing that
in one week I will be leaving St. Alphonsus in Minneapolis I am counting the
blessings that I have received here from all of you. The simply truth, I am
deeply blessed. I think of the many blessings that I have received from all of you the good people of St. Alphonsus. I am aware that the house I live in, the food I eat, the car I drive, they are all gifts that you have given me indirectly through your generosity. I think of the joy that I shared with you, the celebrations and good times we have had together. I think of the love and kindness that you have shared with me. I think of the pies you have sent and of course I am grateful that I have a better football team that all of you too. But most importantly, I think of your faith, The faith that we have shared together.
Today’s second Reading speaks of faith defining it: “Faith is the realization of what is
hoped for and evidence of things
not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested.” Hebrews 11,1 The author continues on naming our
ancestors in the faith: Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Jacob. I thought of the
faith that you have shared with me over these years, in my mind I have been
nameing you and thanking God for your faith.
The
eleventh chapter of the letter to the Hebrews is sometimes called “the roll call
of the heroes of faith.” Yet, strictly speaking, the Bible knows no heroes, the
great figures of salvation history are brought forth, not for their heroism,
but for their “faith,” which, is closely linked with hope.Faith is taking God at his word when he makes promises for the future. Thus, the Old Testament figures become examples for us the new Israel, in our journey of faith.
So I have thought of the great examples of faith that so many of you have shared with me here at St. Alphonsus. I thought of this building here, a building which many of you had a part in building, or paying down its debt. I thought of the faith of countless volunteers, the faith of sacraments that I celebrated here. Most especially the sacrament of reconciliation. What a great example of faith, when you come before to admit your sinfulness and believe that Jesus has given me the power to forgive your sins.
Abraham was an immigrant. When he recieved his call from God it was a call to leave his homeland. A call to leave what he knew, his home and his land, his customs and language, everything familiar to journey to the promised land. Many of you are immigrants, but most especially at 10:30 and 12:30 our church will be filled with immigrants.
To my immigrant brothers and sisters I want to say thank you. There is no way that you could have left your homeland and come here to this country if you weren’t people of faith. You remind us that we too are pilgrims on a journey and this is not the promise land.
But I also want to say something to my fellow Americans. Those of you like me who were born here. You have shown to me an incredible example of faith these past four years. When I reflect on the language demonizing immigrants in our country. When I think of the young man Oscar Alberto and his daughter who died just a month ago crossing into the US, the terrorism in El Paso just a week ago and the 680 families that were separated in Mississippi this past Wednesday, you show me, you show to the world an incredible example of faith. Your willingness to not only recieve the “other” but to let them know that there are our brothers and sisters. This is only done with faith.
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