16th Sunday Sowing the seeds of Tolerance

Looking into our lives, past and present; were there, are there still those certain persons who mentored us? Are there those persons who affirmed us; who were with us as we royally screwed up and helped us out? Maybe it was our parents or grandparents; a teacher or coach; a priest or sister. No matter what we could have done, they remained with us.  These people are jewels. They need to be cherished. Nothing says love like keeping those who made bad mistakes in our lives; love does not judge but only lifts up.

We all have being; we are. Whether we believe we are because Cogito ergo sum; or because we experience therefore we are; or because we can touch and be touched…. We are. (Your philosophy lesson for the week). We as Catholics believe that we are, we have Being because God is; because not only has but IS BEING. We are because God loves us; God sustains us. If we were not loved by God, we would simply stop existing.

God loves us no matter what. We know this from Jesus Christ. The story of Scripture is God’s love for us; and God’s tolerance of humanity as told through the people of Israel. Because God tolerates us a LOT. Again, Jesus shows us this.

We can say that the Kingdom of Heaven is God tolerating us; tolerating our stupidity, our immaturity, our sinfulness. God sows a beautiful creation and we so weeds.

Sometimes I don’t think we really grasp this, the tolerance, the love of God for us.  God has no interest in punishment, only lifting us up. God has only patience, to let us develop and grow. The Kingdom of Heaven again is being in this tolerance, living and being grateful for this patience; for God’s love.

This is why we come together to give thanks! We celebrate Eucharist! For God’s great love, patience, tolerance for us.

Amen?!?!?!??

This tolerance, this love means that we have space to change and grow. We have the space to get back up and start again on the right path. We have the capacity to sow good things in this world.

Here is the kicker though.

As God remains loyal to us, loving of us, patient with us, tolerant of us…the best way to give thanks is to be loving, patient and tolerant of others. As God forgives us, loves us, we forgive and love others. As God sows compassion, love, mercy..then we too will need to do the same. 

Living in the Kingdom of Heaven is to love others, to believe in their goodness; it is being patient with them, tolerant of others, even those we disagree with. 

This is so needed. It seems we have little tolerance anymore, no patience. We find ourselves offended by someone and BAM we write that fast email, tweet, comment, or give that negative review online. We have become so easily offended; somebody puts pineapple on pizza and we have to attack; someone makes a comment about the SAG-AFTRA strike and we disagree and we must let the world know; somebody is not the quality of Catholic that we demand they be, and we demean them.

We try so hard to do what is right and good; to create a strong family, strong community, a strong parish and school…and there will be those persons who want to sow discord; their own anger and dysfunction; their own egos and selfishness.

A Catholic virtue remains to discern, to wait, to have patience, to watch and see how matters can play out.

Jesus gives us these parables of waiting, of patience, of watching; a parable of tolerance. Jesus teaches us that being one with God, living with God, is to be as God.

As he was and is.

Jesus teaches us that living and being wholly alive means we need humility; to discern God in this world. God may be doing something we have that will surprise us. And God maybe tolerating those persons more than we.

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