30th Sunday Homily - Salvation: What do we want of Jesus?
Jesus saves us. He is our salvation. This is the core of our belief.
However, what I think we can lose that powerful meaning of what salvation is; and we can think it only means “me” getting into heaven.
This Gospel clearly reveals it is not.
Salvation is an attitude, and event, a reality in the now. When experienced and lived, then completes itself in heaven.
But first is must be a reality in our lives today! In this place. Salvation is about having life and having life in the full. Salvation also is something entirely personal, not individualistic, but personal.
Jesus Christ brings to us the freedom to be engaged in living life in the full, which means living life with and for others, a life of Love.
He reveals the true path to Freedom.
This is the Good News!
I love this Gospel passage for a couple of reasons. One, it talks about how Bartimaeus’ faith has saved him, now.
Two, notice what Jesus asks before he heals him. “What do you want me to do for you?”
Jesus does not presume to know Bartimaeus’ desire. Rather he gives him the freedom to voice what he really needs so that he can be engaged in life.
What did we ask the Catechumens and Candidates at the beginning of this ceremony…”What do you want?” What do you need in Christ, so as to be free to live life fully?
These men and women are coming to the Catholic faith, to this particular community, so as to experience Jesus Christ, and to find in themselves what needs to be healed within, to find life.
Each comes, as all of us do, with our own personal stories and needs which need that healing touch.
None of us here presumes to know their stories, and none of here, I hope, will be like the crowds at the beginning and tell them (and others) to be quiet.
Catechumens will come to know about Jesus from the very beginning. They will go their way, and through this RCIA, make a journey of discovery.
They will find the love in their lives, grow, and also find what inhibits that love, open it to the Grace of God, be healed and love more.
Candidates, already baptized, will grow in their relationship with Jesus. They too journey building on a relationship, opening themselves more to that Grace in their lives.
Maybe some will recognize anger and learn how to forgive, freed from that darkness of hate.
What did we ask the Catechumens and Candidates at the beginning of this ceremony…”What do you want?” What do you need in Christ, so as to be free to live life fully?
These men and women are coming to the Catholic faith, to this particular community, so as to experience Jesus Christ, and to find in themselves what needs to be healed within, to find life.
Each comes, as all of us do, with our own personal stories and needs which need that healing touch.
None of us here presumes to know their stories, and none of here, I hope, will be like the crowds at the beginning and tell them (and others) to be quiet.
Catechumens will come to know about Jesus from the very beginning. They will go their way, and through this RCIA, make a journey of discovery.
They will find the love in their lives, grow, and also find what inhibits that love, open it to the Grace of God, be healed and love more.
Candidates, already baptized, will grow in their relationship with Jesus. They too journey building on a relationship, opening themselves more to that Grace in their lives.
Maybe some will recognize anger and learn how to forgive, freed from that darkness of hate.
Maybe some will recognize how fear has crippled them and prevented them from engaging in others, and through Jesus, understand that Love conquers all fear.Some may find themselves finding God’s love, and that it is not dependent on what they have or have not done, but simply because God is love.
Maybe some will find that a blindness to joy, to beauty, to peace is cured?
My wish, my hope is that they find it, or begin that journey of faith here at this parish.
What an awesome responsibility we have as Our Lady of the Snows, as Catholics! Our job is to NOT save these people. Our Job is not even to bring Jesus Christ to them.
Jesus is with them already and Jesus has saved them.
Our mission is to help them see Christ in their already in the lives.
Our mission is to say “Get up! Jesus is calling you!”
Our mission is to walk with them and let them walk with us as we all grow in Christ and bring to him our own personal needs, so that we, all of us can grow in life and in love.
Yet, What do we, as Catholics ask of Jesus? What do we need him to do for us?
I offer a challenge to all of us at this mass, and to all who will read this homily. That after communion to not clock out, not go from the line to the door and exit; and that even after I have processed down the aisle, to not RUSH to get out, but make ourselves available to our catechumens and our candidates, to let them ask of us “How has Jesus saved you?”
Will we accept this mission?
I offer the challenge to all of us to grasp this gospel challenge, open ourselves to deepening our connection with Jesus Christ, to truly see how we are saved in him, through him and with him.
And then follow him on the way.
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