March 13, 2022 (Second Sunday in Lent)
/by Fr. Xavier Lavagetto, O.P.
[This is the text composed by the homilist prior to delivering the homily.]
What is there in today’s readings that speaks to this time of war, national divisiveness, disregard of the planet, and untimely Stanford deaths? What has Abraham’s grisly action and God’s pledge have to do with us during all this pain?
Abraham cuts the animals in two and outlines a path with blood and pieces. That was one way a contract was made in the ancient world; a covenant was literally “cut”. Together the participants walked the bloody path. … Thus be it done to me if I should break this covenant! … Thus be it done to me!”… Now that’s serious!
Did you note that “the smoking fire pot [with, Hebrew] a flaming torch passed between these pieces”? … Two should have made the pledge with that deadly walk, but here only God. Abraham observes while God pledges himself to Abraham and his descendants.
Abraham just didn’t believe something; he believed God, or rather he entrusted his life to God. He would answer God’s call. … But why was Abraham called at all?
In Genesis 1, God created a world that was tov meod, very good. He will delight in his creation in Sabbath rest. Did you notice that God he makes what he prohibits, an image of himself? … God creates us in his “image and likeness, male and female he created them.” … He blesses them because their freedom makes for an uncertain future. Will the man and the woman, and their descendants, … will you and I …, accept the call to be God’s image-and-likeness-bearing people?
Genesis 3 isn’t finished before they try to steal the divine likeness they already were given. In their action, goodness is marred, a wounded world ensues. Sadly, we continually ratify and that sin by ours. Thus Genesis 4 through 11 is an avalanche of violence and evil. … What is God to do to get back his good creation? … Destroy and begin again? …The Flood stories proves that a futile plan. God has a mushugana idea, a crazy plan to recapture and renew his creation.
His calls Abraham: “Go from your country … to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”
Abraham, and Israel in him, were to be a healing of the wound of sin and a light to the gentiles. God wants his good creation restored; he wants to refashion us all to be a God-image bearing humanity that heals and restores. … Did you know that you, with Judaism, are on a mission from God?
Time and time again we’ve proven false, yet God remain faithful. He came in person to begin the process of renewal. But your healing and being light must be freely chosen and intentionally lived. God can do everything except this, he can’t make your decision to love for you.
It is not enough to simply “not mess up.” Washing sins away doesn’t go far enough because it doesn’t repair and renew. More is needed; divine life has to be poured back in and shared.
You’ve been grafted onto Abraham and Israel. Your mission is to heal and be an inviting light in the darkness. God wants his good creation back; he wants you to be God’s image-bearing people.
God takes the initiative in Jesus. He just didn’t die to wash sins away; he fills you … if you allow, if you allow … with his divine life. Take eat…, Take, drink … Jesus is saying “become one with me.”
We read from Paul’s letter to Philippi, our citizenship (our politeuma) is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you notice the direction? … Most hear the opposite of what Paul says. … It is not our going to Christ, it is Christ coming here.
Background helps. Philippi was a city of Italian immigrants, their citizenship or better yet their politeuma, their city and commonwealth was Rome. Their goal was not to return to Rome, but to bring and be Rome in Philippi. Your politeuma, your commonwealth is heaven, and your job is not to get to heaven but to bring heaven to earth. …. Isn’t that what you are praying in every Our Father?
Paul doesn’t want escape but engagement: Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, stand firm in the Lord in the way, … Stand firm in the Jesus way.
When you live the Jesus way, you become Jesus’ image-bearing people, and his reign begins to appear in you. It’s fullness comes at the end, but it must begin now if it to come.
We heard that Moses and Elijah “appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, literally his exodus) which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” This is journey is for your liberation. During this time, we walk with Jesus on his exodus journey not just to Jerusalem and death, but to resurrection and life.
Living the Jesus way leads to liberation and begins the process of new creation. God wishes to be “all in all.” You’re part of Abraham’s vocation and Jesus’ rescue mission.
What’s the bottom line?
God wants back his good creation; are you willing to be healing of the wound of sin and a light to the peoples?
When you entrust yourself to God by living the Jesus way you become God’s image-bearing people, giving us a glimpse of God’s kingdom of love loving in you.
The Father still tell us: “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” … His transfiguration just doesn’t happen in Jesus; it becomes a dynamism unleashed in you.
We want God to fix our problems but being rescued doesn’t fix me. I was talking to a former parishioner. She assured me that if everyone prayed, world hunger would end. …O, really? … That’s a two-fer: (1) She got to feel super pious and (2) she gets out of doing Jesus’ work of being a peace maker, a justice advocate, a mercy bringer, a planet healer, a comfort bearer, a truth seeker, a witness bearer. God pledges himself to you if you accept his mission.
But what if I am the one in need? …. The only way to walk out of our darkness is to walk his way and be his light for others. No one of us can do it alone. Will you let God act in you, … with you … and through you. God needs willing hearts and people need a God filled you. Will you be God’s Gospel good news for them? You are needed! Will you say yes!
