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08 September 2013 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Princeton, NJ
Certainly on most peoples mind is the ensuing debate over US military intervention in Syria – all
the while we continue to be shown the faces of the children affected by chemical weapons. Last
month we heard Jesus saying: “Do not think that I have come to establish peace on Earth - from
now on households will be divided.” Then just now we heard from Luke’s Gospel where Jesus
addresses his followers and tells them in order to be a disciple of his, you must hate your mother,
father, wife, children, brothers and sisters…and even your own life. Sounds like a great deal of
hate for one weekend and what seems to be a confusing message from Christ.
But what we are actually hearing is Jesus using the literary form of hyperbole. He is making a
statement to evoke strong feelings and a strong impression in order to create emphasis. And it was
an effective tool that Jesus actually used often. For example: “When you give to the needy, do not
let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matt. 6:3); “It is easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Matt. 19:24); The
kingdom of God “is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it
grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches” (Luke 13:19).
Indeed, Jesus was a very effective rabbi and an incredible orator of his time. He sought to grab
the attention of the great crowds that were following him. And 2,000 years later he is looking to
grab the attention of all of us today. So while Matthew in his Gospel actually softened the
language to say that “Whoever loves their father and mother more than me.” Luke chose the
Greek word meaning hate – he wanted the readers to take notice of the core message. And the
message is fairly straightforward: it is not easy to be a disciple and it requires one to let go of the
addictions they hold on to.
Wait – addictions? Yep – and we all have them. Back in 1988 psychiatrist and spiritual counselor
Dr. Gerald May wrote an incredible book called, Addiction & Grace. He begins his book by
pointing out that all of us each have our own addictions – things that we do because we are
compelled to do them versus freely choosing to do them. Certainly some of the addictions that
quickly come to mind are: eating, drinking, gambling, sex and drugs. But from the experiences of
his own practice, he points out many others including things such as: coffee, candy, computers,
reading, gossiping, sleep and yes - even friends and family. Addiction comes in all shapes and
sizes.
Recently I was speaking with a group of students who go to my alma mater, the University of
Scranton, and they were telling me about a weekend college silent retreat they went on last
semester. Yep – sixty college kids and all were promising to be silent for three days. And when
they first gathered, they all agreed that the silence they were looking for included no use of
phones. They wanted real silence. So they piled all of their devices in the center of the room and
left them there for the weekend. And they shared with me how hard it was the first day to not pick
up the phone to call or text. Some even felt the phantom vibration on their hips, thinking that they
phone was vibrating. But on the second day they felt this new sense of freedom…like a burden
lifted off their shoulders which allowed them to experience God in a way that was not opened to
1 Deacon Jim Knipper

them with their addictive daily routines. They learned that effective discipleship requires us to
create free and open spaces in order to be open to God’s grace.
So it is no surprise that time and time again Jesus gives powerful and unequivocal restatements of
the necessity of relinquishing attachments in order to love God and to love each other. Statements
such as, “No one can serve two masters.” Or “You cannot love both God and money.” And of
course today’s admonition of hating your family members.
Jesus’s teachings on addictions are numerous and relentless. For we are called to follow the two
greatest commandments (to love God and one another) and to relinquish unhealthy attachments
to possessions, occupations and family with no thought of tomorrow, no worries about food and
clothing and to become like little children: open, receptive and full of awe. All this so that we divert
our attention away from our personal attachments and focus our attention on God – allowing us to
die to who we think we are and be reborn to who really are.
But this type of liberation and transformation does come solely on our own efforts, but comes
through the gift of grace…leading us to prayer, both individual and communal. In his book Gerald
May said, “Grace is always a present possibility for individuals, but its flow comes to fullness
through community.” It is the reason we come together each Sunday to pray, worship and support
each other.
It is also one reason why the Pope called for the world to unite yesterday for a “day of fasting and
prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and across the entire world." I do not claim to be
anything of an expert on foreign affairs. But I know that using chemical weapons on civilians,
including children cannot be tolerated – society tried that once before. At the same time I am not
sure that unilateral US military action will bring a satisfactory resolution to a civil war in another
country. What I do know is that this Syrian conflict has killed an estimated 110,000 people since it
erupted in March 2011, and the United Nations estimates two million refugees have fled the
country.
But whether you are personally for or against military action, I hope you found some time
yesterday to skip a meal or two….or to perhaps find some quiet time to be open for prayer for
peace. For this is really what today’s gospel is all about. It is our obligation and commitment to
discipleship. And as the gospel reminds us, part of the requirement is to carry our cross daily, to
shed our attachments and to follow Christ. And as the world, once again, is finding out -
sometimes that requires a great deal of pain and courage.
So don’t let Jesus’ exaggerated talk of hating one’s family members throw you for a loop. It was
to get your attention and I hope it did. Rather focus on what discipleship means to you, in your
life, where you are today. And then be responsible for taking the action needed in order to seek
the grace that dwells within you. And if you respond to that grace, that love, that indwelling, then
you will we doing all that you can to love God and love your neighbor – even those neighbors in a
warring country, so far, far away.
2 Deacon Jim Knipper

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Homily: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C 2013

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Homily: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C 2013