PROMISES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 9^th Monday in Ordinary Time is, “Promises.”

As I’ve listened to sermons by Evangelical Christian preachers, I’ve heard them preach about “Promises.” While listening, I remember thinking to myself, “That's interesting. Promises has not been part of my tradition.”

I've noticed that the key stress is on the promises in the Bible. The centrality of a promise is in the Word of God - as found in the Bible. Basically, I hear the preacher saying or singing, “How do I know? The Bible tells me so. “How do I know Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so. That's the Promise I go by.

I know “Promises” is a theme in the scriptures. What I'm saying here is that I am not conscious that it’s part of my way of thinking. It might be, but I don’t sense it. Or maybe I use other words. And maybe I need to look at it.

How about you? Does the theme of “Promises” resonate with you?

TODAY’S FIRST READING

There it is in today’s first reading - and it is a linchpin type of message - holding key things together.

Second Peter 1: 4 says, “… he has bestowed on us precious and very great promises.”

And the promises are very great: sharing in the divine nature; and escaping from the corruption which is in the world.

Isn’t that why we’re here? We want those two promises: to share in God’s nature and not to be lead into temptation

Second Peter also says: we have to do our part. We have to make an effort to supplement our faith with virtue, knowledge, self control, endurance, devotion, mutual affection and love.

Compared to what Peter says here, I sense that Paul would stress the God side of promise more than our side of the promise. God keeps promising - even though we might not do enough on our part to be gifted with what God wants to give us.

PROMISES - TODAY'S GOSPEL

Let me get back to promises. I don’t know if I have ever preached on this theme of promises.

Looking at today’s gospel - Mark 12: 1-12, we have this parable of the Vineyard. Then we hear that Jesus can be the rock of our life - our security. We can hold onto that rock in time of trouble and struggle. Some don’t. Some people throw Jesus out of their life, out of their vineyard. I sense that most just ignore or forget or drop out of a relationship with Jesus.

Next, I took some time to think about this image of the rock or better the cornerstone of one’s life.  How strong is our life? What is the foundation of our life? Remember the promise Jesus makes at the end of his Sermon on the Mount. He stresses that if we build our house on rock - he, Christ, will be our foundation or bedrock?

The theme of Promises is right there.

When we drive across the Bay Bridge we trust that it’s legs will hold us up. Trust and promise are like two legs of a table and a bridge and a chair. The builder and the manufacturer give us a promise that they will work - that they will hold.

Thinking further about the word "promise" and images of what we trust in - what our bedrocks are, I thought about marriages and friendships and relationships. In marriage we publicly make promises to each other. In friendships and relationships we assume promises that we won’t betray each other or break secrets or talk behind the other’s back - that we'll be there for each other.


CONCLUSION

So there it is: promises.  They are the bedrocks of our life - our security.

God gives - makes - announces - his promises. 


Hopefully, we will make a mutual promise to God. This is what a covenant with another means - what a covenant with God.  Amen.