14th Sunday Homily - The Burden of Being Human

“Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with Joy to the rock who saves us…” 

This is the starting line of Ps 95, a prayer of joy and a prayer of humility. Those who pray the Liturgy of the Hours will be familiar with it, as it is the first prayer of the day. 

A great friend of mine does not enjoy science fiction. Any movie or tv show that even has a hint of it, she will not go see nor watch. Yet, many of the best shows and movies contain a theme that she actually enjoys: what does it mean to be human and alive?

For us Sci-Fi geeks, Spock, Data, 7 of 9 were all trying to figure out what it means to be human.  The brilliant movie “Arrival” explores humanity and the meaning of love.

To be honest, almost all good literature, art, cinema explores the meaning of humanity; even country music.

Jesus Christ, truly human, fully human and, as we also believe as Christians, fully divine. The fullness of both, within one person.  Jesus Christ reveals all that God is.  And, all that humanity is and can be.

In Christ, we find our meaning. In Christ we find our true selves.

Turns out, being human means seeing the good in others and letting others see good in us, and then working together to bring forth that goodness.  We call that love by the way by the way.

Turns out being truest of selves means treating all others with mercy, respect, dignity, kindness, compassion, generosity; healing and forgiving.  Turns out also, and this may be the hardest part of us, that being human means that we work with God, but we are NOT God. This is often where we fail the most. Being ourselves means being humble.  

All those who are protesting for their rights to be treated equally, with justice...well they are simply following Jesus’ way.  All those out there speaking up for the dignity of the unborn and those on death row, yup, being human.  All those young adults struggling in relationships, trying to make sense of their lives; searching for that joy….being human.

It's marvelous, because it happens right here and now. This is no hero’s journey to some foreign land, nor going to Dagobah, nor fighting some monster...it happens in whatever place and time we live in.   It is how we deal with sickness in our family. It is how we wrestle with a broken heart. It's how we struggle to provide for our families.  

At the very core of our being we are Children of God. The burden is to live that out in the context of our lives. The joy comes from experiencing it, and knowing that nothing takes it away.  

Sometimes I wonder if we over-complicate our faith? Laying burdens on ourselves and others, when it could be much simpler.  Sometimes I think we make it harder because we forget ourselves and try to make ourselves God, in control of all.  

But as Psalm 95 also says “..today listen to the voice of the Lord, do not grow stubborn as your ancestors did…”