21st Sunday Formed for God

In our parish there are quite a few good athletes: marathoners, High School volleyball; weightlifters. There are also some great musicians, aside from the obvious. None of them just showed up and started running and lifting, or playing. They all started off with the basics; they learned technique and form, built up strength, built up skills. Then they made teams, won races, they played or sang beautifully.

Religious, those Priests, Nuns, Deacons, Brothers, we go through formation. We are not merely educated but formed. We go through years of study, examine our hearts and minds; we share and reflect on God and all that entails. Then we come to a point of commitment. Formation does not end at ordination or at final vows. Religious, if we wish to be of good service, will constantly work on our formation. We do so to remain open to the mystery of God in the life of the church.

In a few weeks we and many parishes in our diocese begin another round of Religious Education for children and teens. Yet it is not just about education, it too is about formation. Children and teens begin and continue the growth they will need; not only to be people of faith but also hopefully, fully formed persons, well balanced persons. And this formation never ends…we will offer Adult Faith Formation for those beyond High School; so that all of us can continue to grow.

Over the past years or so, I have read and heard this comment: our modern western society has lost touch with a sense of the supernatural, the divine, the “magic” of this world. We have lost a sense of deeper meaning to all that goes on.

This has a detriment to us; because when we lose that sense of mystery, that sense of awe, that sense of something larger than ourselves. We diminish this life and are in turn diminished. Life becomes simply material, matter only, mechanistic: even Love becomes merely a chemical reaction.

How do we as Catholics, as Christians, as disciples of Jesus keep a sense of God?

St. Peter, by the time this Gospel passage has occurred, has seen and experienced a LOT with Jesus. Even within a short time before this passage Jesus has fed a group of 5000 people, walked on water, cured a Canaanite woman’s daughter of a demon, fed another 4000 people, argued with Religious leaders. Peter has spent time with Jesus, watching him, listening to him, responding to him…Peter has been formed.

And this formation of Peter has set the stage for him to become open to God speaking to him. Peter has his revelation of Jesus truly as the Son of God. This did not happen at his first calling, but only after the ground-work had been laid.

And Peter’s formation never ended. He will continue it, even failing spectacularly at times; yet he will also be formed in forgiveness by Jesus. Peter will go on to lead the disciples; they will all continue their formation. They will hearken to Jesus’ life and words, and they will make decisions to grow the community. Peter will receive a vision that he grasps is God’s invitation to the Gentiles. He will work to spread the message to those around him and himself do miracles. He will ultimately sense the need to go to Rome and there he will be martyred.

This is the Church. Jesus came so that we can all experience God the Father, and experience the love, the revelation, the wisdom of God. Jesus guides us on this: but we must follow and let ourselves be formed.

We must allow ourselves to grow in our education for sure; this is important otherwise we risk ourselves bending God to fit our ways: this is what racists and nationalists, and abusers do.

We must also allow ourselves to grow in our understanding of forgiveness, compassion, generosity, mercy, humility, and of course self-giving. In our experience of Jesus Christ.

If we want to experience the divine in this world, to see God present in our lives and the lives of others, we need to be prepared for it.

If we want to be amazed at how wonderful life can be, even amid the hurt and suffering; then we need to be prepared for it.