HAVING  THE  MIND  OF  CHIRST

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 22 Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Having the Mind of Christ.”

A FEW BIG QUESTIONS

Today’s 2 readings present a few good questions – starting with the one we heard at the end of today’s first reading from 1^st Corinthians 2: 10b-16. Paul asks: “Who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?”

Listen carefully to people. People are telling God what to do all the time. They are screaming and streaming to God counsel – and they get angry with God - when God doesn’t follow their advice – in war and in peace.

Listen carefully to people – especially ourselves. I have a question: is the most basic inner scream, “My will be done – on earth as it is in heaven?”

I sense we say the Our Father a zillion times – but still say inwardly – and down deep: “My will be done! The way I see things is the way things ought to be.”

Today’s gospel – Luke 4: 31-37 - has as its main character -  a strange screaming man in a synagogue in Capernaum. Luke describes him as a man with the spirit of any unclean demon.  He asks Jesus two questions – both of which ask: “Why are you here?”  He asks that question this way: “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?’

Then he yells, “I know who you are – the Holy One of God!”

Today’s readings are asking life’s basic questions: who, what and why?

KNOWING

We all want to know whom another is – especially those around us.

At times we want to know who God is.

At times we say, “I don’t even know who I am at times.”

Paul is saying in the first reading that there are two types of people: the pneuma people – those who live by the Spirit – and those who live only by the psuche – those who live just by natural life – as does anything that is alive, dogs, cats, gnats and hippos.

So we have a choice: to live a low life or to live a high life.

That scares me – because at times I am eating too many pretzels – being too lazy – thinking only of myself – hiding from work and others.

I know I have to pray: “Come Holy Spirit.”

I know I have to say that more than my inner sounds, inner complaints, inner gossip, inner gripe sessions.

Too often I’m muttering grumbling sounds: “Uummmm!” Or “Aaarg!” Or “Crud” or “Crap” or worse whining’s.

Not enough….  I have to listen to Christ. Not enough…. I have to have the Clean Spirit of God wake up in me and I have to say what this man in today’s gospel says, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?” Then he says something we often forget because we’re living a low level of life. He says, “I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”

CONCLUSION:

Paul – at the end of today’s first reading answers his own question about who knows the mind of God. It’s us.  “But we have the mind of Christ.”

I don’t know about you, but as already indicated in this sermon, I hesitate saying that – or praying for that.

I do pray that I be like this strange ranger in today’s gospel – who said, “I know who you are – the Holy One of God.” 

I want to know that Jesus is the holy one of God.

Luke said this character in that synagogue in Capernaum was filled with an unclean spirit.

So I suspect - when our unclean spirits mutter inner complaints and sometimes obscenities about life and others and sometimes ourselves – they can lead me to say, “At least my rumblings and grumblings know I need You Oh God  and I need Your Spirit, so that I can lead a higher life having the mind of Christ.”