30th Sunday Year A, 2017. A realhomilie from Fr Kevin Walsh Sydney Australia. Committed wholesomeness – the core of true love!

30th Sunday Year A, 2017. A realhomilie from Fr Kevin Walsh
Sydney Australia.
Committed wholesomeness – the core of true love!

First Reading: Exodus 22:20-26. Psalm: Ps 17:2-4. 47. 51 Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40

In today’s Gospel, it is interesting to see that the two commandments Jesus puts before us actually sum up the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mt.Sinai. If we love God, we will not have false Gods, and we will then keep His day Holy. If we love our neighbours, we will honour our parents. We will not steal, kill, tell lies, or covet our neighbour’s wife or husband. In another part of the Gospel, Jesus asks one of the leaders what are the most important commandments, and he gives the same answer as we have in today’s gospel. There was yet another time when Jesus was asked what the law said, and he quoted these commandments, and went on to say, ‘but I say to you, you should love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you….’ At the last Supper he said, “A new commandment I give you; you must love one another as I love you.” But there is something else which for me is the great icon of love, and that is getting on the knees and washing the feet of the Disciples. In this action we can see, reverence, humility and complete trust……these are the some of the fundamental foundations of true covenant love. God is the Bridegroom, we are the Bride!

Let’s be clear about COVENANT LOVE. God initiated Marriage with us, His people. You might need a strong Coffee or Tea, to deal with this next section, but in the climate of today, re same sex marriage, we will come to see that the word MARRIAGE has only one meaning: God as groom, we as His Bride. Man as man, and woman as woman! That’s it! MARRIAGE from its very essence has its Genesis in this context alone! It is therefore incongruent to use the word MARRIAGE between a man and a man, and a woman and a woman. Same sex relationships can only be called a PARTNERSHIP at best!

‘Covenant and love’
‘Covenant’ provides the background for both the first reading and gospel. The reading from Exodus is part of ‘The Covenant Code’ (Exodus 20:22 – 23:33) which scholars identify as the oldest collection of laws in the Bible. In Exodus 19 God makes a covenant with the Hebrews. A covenant is a standard instrument of international diplomacy by which kings established formal ties. The most important features of covenants were exclusive loyalty and the obligations that the lesser king owed the greater. The obligations required by the biblical covenant begin with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-21) which are followed by ‘The Covenant Code,’ a wide ranging collection of laws, all understood to be required by Israel’s covenant with God. In this Sunday’s excerpt the Lord reminds the people of their bitter experience of oppression in Egypt. In effect, God says, ‘You didn’t like being oppressed: don’t oppress others’ (see Exodus 22:20). This is the inverse of the second great commandment, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ (Leviticus 19:18). In the same way that God delivered the Hebrews when they were oppressed, God will deliver the poor who are badly treated. In both cases God’s motivation is the same: ‘I am compassionate’ (22:26)

Jesus’ quote from Deuteronomy 6:5 (= Matthew 22:37) is a succinct summary of the Book of Deuteronomy which, in its final form, is structured as a standard covenant. The requirement to ‘love’ was ‘boiler-plate’ language in covenants. It meant not affection or emotional commitment but exclusive loyalty to the king. Deuteronomy uses this language to reinforce its core teaching: Israel shall serve no other god but The Lord God – Adonai. Idolatry – worshiping other gods – was the most serious breach of the covenant and triggered the harshest sanctions; conversely, ‘loving the Lord’ guaranteed blessing and prosperity. The command to ‘love God and neighbour’ was thus was a summary of the people’s covenant identity. But more: Jesus says the ‘the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments’ (Matthew 22:40). More than embodying covenantal obligations, the command to love summarises God’s entire self-revelation in both the Law and in the Prophets.

Let’s take the message of the Gospel closer to home. It would seem that one of the most difficult places to live Christianity is at home in our Kitchen, lounge room, dining room, and computer room. It is much easier to have opinions, and be concerned about injustices in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and in South East Asia. We really must live our Christianity on the ‘home front’. I remember my Mum and Dad telling me and my sister that Charity begins at home! So true isn’t it? If we foster forgiveness at home, it flows out from the family to others. The same goes with having time for one another where this can actually happen. Or do we let Computer Games, Twitter, Facebook and surfing the net and internet chat rooms, swallow up the precious time of being together as family? Avoidance of each other at home, by taking off to our room, shutting the door, can be an icon for…’Leave me alone with my friends…..this can cause barriers in listening to each other and sharing with each other. That can be the hard part!

Looking at the Reading from the Book of Exodus and the Gospel of Matthew today, we certainly do not need a degree in Theology to understand its meaning. It is clear, simple and to the point, but alone we can find it very difficult. Together, and in Christ, we can work at it. However, it must be a continuous personal and community effort, which will make Christ known, and loved. Let us pray: ‘Come, Spirit, breath, and power of God. Enter my heart, and generate within me the heart of Jesus. Let his love, forgiveness, and service flow through me to others. Amen.’

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS: POINTS TO PONDER ‘Lord, what are you saying to me through your Holy Word today?’
1. A special relationship between God and his people was created with Abraham and Moses. This relationship was two-way. God would look after and guide his people. God’s people would listen to and obey certain ‘laws’. The first 5 books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) express what is required by both parties to live this ‘Covenant’. Today’s reading explores the ‘covenant code’ and what social behaviors are required by God. Aliens (foreigners), widows and orphans have no protection of family or friends. But God loves them. We are to love, include and provide for them. Who are the equivalent of aliens, widows and orphans today? Are you living in ‘covenant-love’ with them?

2. Jewish people were not to demand interest. They developed the practice of a ‘pledge’ to ensure repayment. As a safe-guard God stated a poor person was not to go cold at night without his ‘cloak’. Certain measures were in place to protect the dignity of the poor. How could you relate this to today?

3. Jesus is again forced into an argument with religious leaders. Pharisees decide to attack Jesus’ knowledge of the ‘Laws’. Jewish people had summarized all the laws of the first 5 books of the Old Testament into 613 laws. All were to be observed. Some were interpreted as ‘heavy – very important’ and some were thought of as ‘light – not as important’. Surprisingly, Jesus took a heavy law and a light law and said they were intimately linked. Love God AND Neighbour. Jewish people interpreted ‘neighbour’ as fellow Israelites. Jesus’ teaching pushed ‘neighbour’ to include everyone. Everyone is to be treated as belonging to ‘yourself’ – as family! How does your love get ‘limited’? Why? Who gets excluded? Can you glimpse the heart of the gospel in this brief statement?

4. A common criticism of the prophets in the Old Testament was that love of God was celebrated in the temple with sacrifices and gifts – Sunday worship. But it stopped there! They cried: what God wants is ‘mercy, not sacrifices’. Christianity is not lived on Sunday alone. How could you show more clearly a Sunday AND Monday discipleship?

5. What is one action that you will do to ‘live-the-word’ this week?

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION……….
Leader: We rejoice in the love of God made known to us in Jesus Christ. Let us pray that God will strengthen us in faith and send us as messengers to share Christ’s love with all in need.

For the church and its leaders, for Francis our Pope and N. our Bishop, that they may preach the word in truth and inspire us by their example of service, we pray to the Lord: LORD, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US.

For the whole Body of Christ, all the baptised everywhere, that we live the message of the Gospel and when we fail, rejoice in the gift of forgiveness, we pray to the Lord: LORD, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US.

For leaders of nations, cities, and states, that a spirit of wisdom, charity and justice may prevail and that their decisions strengthen the common good, we pray to the Lord: LORD, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US.

For those who are dear to us but are not present among us, that we may hold them in our heart and mind and that they may be surrounded by Christ’s loving care, we pray to the Lord: LORD, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US.

For the sick, that they may be comforted in their suffering, and for all who care for them, that they may be agents of the healing and life-giving Holy Spirit, we pray to the Lord: LORD, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US.

For the gift of creation, that we may use its resources rightly and be wise stewards of its abundance, we pray to the Lord: LORD, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US.

Leader: Gracious and loving God, may our lives bear witness to the mercy and grace made known in your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen

Fr Kevin Walsh

Email: kevin.w3@bigpond.com Web:https://realhomilies.wordpress.com/