OFF ON:
THE WITHIN

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 5^th Wednesday in Ordinary Time is, “Off On: The Within.”

Jesus was off on many things.  Every once and a while it would be worth it to sit by oneself and ask, “What was Jesus off on?”

It would also be worth while to reflect on what people are off on.

We’re all off on various things: neatness, exactness, The Golden Rule, be calm, relax, be kind, no gossip, be on time.

If you have the courage, ask those who know you, one to one, “What do you see me being off on?”

Be ready for surprises.

On some things others know us better than we know ourselves.

You’ve heard us priests here at St. Mary’s. You know what we’re off on by now. People sit there at homily time and ask, “Okay, what’s he saying today?” You listen and then you say, “Okay today he’s off on …………….”

JESUS

Back to Jesus …. What was Jesus off on?

Sacrifice. Humility. Freedom. Truth. Love God with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength - and love your neighbor as yourself. Visit the sick. Feed the hungry. Don’t block children from your life - they’ll show you what the kingdom of God is like. Don’t throw stones. Go the extra mile. Turn the other cheek. Put an end to any string of violence by stuffing it - even if it kills you. Don’t throw rocks. Forgive 70 x 7 times. Give your body. Give your blood. Give your time. Give your life for others. Etc. etc. etc.

WHAT IS JESUS OFF ON TODAY

When we hear the gospel for the day [Mark 7: 24-30], we can ask, “Okay, what is Jesus off on today?” 

That’s how I prepare a homily.  I read the gospel and ask that question. Or I read the first reading and ask, “What’s this reading getting at?”

Yet I know: just as two people looked out prison bars, one saw mud the other saw stars. So I know: two people read a bible text. One sees mud the other sees stars.

I quoted that “Two people looked out prison bars….” quote yesterday to a lady I was talking to and asked her which person was she like. She had been seeing mostly negative things in her family. She paused and said, “I see stars in the muddy puddle!” Then she laughed a great laugh. Then she smiled a great smile.

So what I hear Jesus off on today is the importance of the within.

GO WITHIN

Go within.

You’ve heard the quote: "A journey of 1,000 miles begins with that first step."

Sometimes the longest journey is the journey within.

That’s where we can meet the real me.

Bringing in today’s first reading [1 Kings 10:1-10] - we can ask who was the real Solomon? Who was the real Queen of Sheba? In today’s first reading, Sheba arrives with lots of gifts and lots of praise.  Don’t we hesitate when someone is pouring on the cream and covering us with butter. When someone gives us all kinds of praise and all kinds of gifts, don’t we wonder:  what does this person really want? What are they after?  And the writer of this first reading today accolades Solomon to death. Who was he really? Ask his wife? Smile. First Kings 11: 4 says he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Did anyone really know the real Solomon or the real Sheba?

The real Jesus seems to be off on the inner room stuff. Who am I when I’m alone?  Who am I when I’m in my tabernacle? Who am I when I’m on my own cross - and nobody else is down below or next to me on either side on my Calvary.

CONCLUSION

I learned from St. Alphonsus - in that aloneness - invite Jesus into our inner room - or enter into that inner room of Jesus.

And surprise what happens next. Alphonsus, who could be very testy at times or all scruples at times discovered the love of Jesus Christ - to love Jesus and feel his love for us. The Introduction to his classic 1768 book: The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ, with this statement which I end my homily with: “The whole sanctity and perfection of a soul consists in loving Jesus Christ, our God, our sovereign good, and our Redeemer.”