WHAT DO YOU SEE?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 29 Wednesday in Ordinary Time is, “What Do You See?”

Yesterday I went to the MVA - the Motor Vehicle Administration - off Truman Parkway to get a new driver’s license. Mine is about to expire. It was a long wait. While waiting I was seeing all that I could see - how the operation worked. After running out of seeing, I began wondering what the tough part was. There wasn’t any. I forgot if I had to answer those 10 or so questions about signs and stopping distances and school buses. Nope. But there was the eye test. I looked into machine and the lady asked me 4 times, “What do you see?” I read all the letters correctly on the bottom line and I spotted the lights along the side. Piece of cake.

The title of my homily is, “What Do You See?”

TODAY’S FIRST READING

In today’s first reading from Ephesians 3: 2-12, Paul tells us what he sees. He writes,  “When you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to human beings in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy Apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same Body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.”  Paul tells us he was next to receive that revelation.

What is Paul’s insight? Answer: there are many. It all depends on what letter you’re reading - and what section of Paul one is going through at the time.

In 1 Corinthians 12: 4-30 Paul tells us that we all have different gifts and we are called to work together - just like the different parts of the human body have to work together member with member. So too the Body of Christ.

In Romans 7: 14-25 Paul talks about the very human dilemma: we tell ourselves we’re going to do one thing and then we do the opposite. Then he asks who is going to solve this human dilemma. Who is going to help our contradictory self? Answer: Jesus Christ.

Well today he tells us that he experienced, “the inscrutable riches of Christ.”  

I understand the word “riches.” I didn’t get what the word “inscrutable” meant. So I checked out the Greek and I checked out other translations - and what I got was this:  having an experience of Christ is filled with riches - and then what adjective to use. It’s indescribable. It’s can’t be explained. We also say words like, “mysterious” -  “complex” - “hard to get at”.

The title of my homily is, “What Do You See?”

When you see Christ what is the one rich thing about him that grabs you. What insight has Paul given you?

What insight about life, what insight about Christ, what insight about people have you received from Paul?

Today Paul says the gift - the insight he got - the insight that was revealed to him is that committing myself to Christ, entering into Christ, I enter into God’s plan - God’s purpose - and I’m one with God. That should make me feel very rich - inscrutably rich.

If someone asks me, “What’s your plan?” I can answer: “I have a plan! It’s Christ.”

CONCLUSION QUESTION

Take a few moments at this mass - take a few moments today - and ask yourself: what difference does Christ make in m life? What gift does he bring me? What insight does he give me? How am I inscrutably richer because of him?

OOOOOOO

Painting on Top: San Pablo (c.1630) by Jose de Ribera [1591-1652] in Museo de Arte Ponce - Ponce Puerto Rico.

Painting in middle of the painting: San Pablo - also by Jose de Ribera