Some
time ago I was talking to a friend of mine in my home-town of Galway
and we were discussing how much our society has changed. She was
saying how it is acceptable now to be just about anything, but not
Catholic and I think she is right. If you try to live as a Catholic
it will cost you, and the Lord said it would. He was very clear about
it.
Today’s
readings are all about this. They are saying that following the way
of Jesus Christ comes at a price. The early Christians were known as
followers of ‘the Way’. Strange as it may seem, I think it can be
a very good thing when it becomes more difficult, because sometimes
it is only when you feel a bit of persecution that you begin to think
about what you believe in and why you believe it. That is very
healthy.
In
the first reading the prophet Jeremiah is having a bad day. He is
complaining about how difficult it is for him to be God’s spokesman
and how much persecution it has brought him. He has had enough and he
wants to quit. In fact he reminds me of being a priest. It can cause
you a lot of grief and you meet a lot of people who turn their back
on you, or are openly hostile to you, just as Jeremiah experienced.
However, God continually encourages us to keep going, to speak about
him and it is as Jeremiah said, like a burning fire within which is
irresistible. I always find it consoling to remember that many of the
great figures in the Bible also wanted to quit. The prophet Elijah
after working an extraordinary miracle, is now running for his life
as the queen wants to kill him and he sits down in the desert and
says, ‘Lord I’ve had enough. Take my life. I wish I was dead.’
Sometimes
people ask me why I became a priest and did I not want to get
married? Of course I did, but just like in the reading, the call of
God was stronger. It is hard to resist and it is like a burning fire
inside. The strength of God is what keeps pushing me on, pushing all
of us on.
Jesus
spoke harshly to Peter, when Peter objected to the fact that Jesus
was going to be arrested and killed. I’m quite sure any of us would
have too, but the reason Jesus was so harsh with him was because
Peter wanted what seemed easier. Our world will usually suggest what
seems easier, but it is not always the right thing to do or a good
thing to do. The Lord will take us in ways that we would sometimes
rather not follow. So why bother to follow them? Because the
way of Jesus Christ is the way that leads to life. It can be hard,
yes, but it is so worthwhile. It is the pearl of great price, which
is worth giving up everything for.
The
world around can offer us many attractive things and some of them
very nice indeed, but it cannot offer us a life after this one. Only
God can offer that. ‘What then will a person gain if he wins the
whole world, but ruins his life?’ And so Jesus tells us not to be
afraid of it, not to be afraid of being different, or following a way
that is not always acceptable.
St.
Paul says ‘Do not model yourselves on the world around you, but let
your behaviour change.’ We cannot follow the way of the world and
the way of Jesus at the same time, because the two are radically
different. But how can we follow this way if it is so
difficult? The answer is, by relying on the Lord himself.
That’s where we get our strength from. That’s why Jesus taught us
to pray, that’s why he gave himself to us in the Eucharist. That’s
why he invites us to come together every Sunday to listen to his
words speaking to us and encouraging us, to build us up. I have
always found that it is the people who really live their faith who
are least disturbed by things going on in the world. They have an
inner strength that that they get from their relationship with God,
and that is there for all of us if we want it. I’m sure many of you
experience this already. The Lord gives us everything we need,
everything. All we have to do is reach out our hand and accept it.
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