MOTIVE?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 21^st Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Motive?”

“Motive” with a question mark.

Motive?

WHOLE GAGGLE

There is a whole gaggle - a whole flock - of possible motives going on in the air - in any given situation.

When we are watching or reading a mystery or a detective novel or TV show, the program often starts with a murder. NCIS has the formula down perfect. The opening scene is always a murder or killing - and hints are given if we catch them - who’s the bad guy - or gal - usually guy.

In the back of our mind as well as the NCIS team is the question: motive.

Get that, get the killer.

What are the basic motives?  Revenge, money, fear, anger?

What are the basic motives going on in life?

How about: to impress, to protect, hunger, thirst, to be loved, to be understood?

How about to be recognized, to prove to myself and those around me, I worthwhile, I’m worth something, I’m here, I’m smart, I’m not stupid?

Then there are the twists in motives: to be bad and to prove it or to prove that my parents were right, that  I’ll never amount to nothing, I do nothing.

TODAY’S PSALM RESPONSE

Today’s Psalm Response is classic Biblical Psychology. “You have searched me and you know me, Lord.” From Psalm 139.

O Lord, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar.

“You have searched me and you know me, Lord.”

“Even, before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know the whole of it. Behind me and before, you hem me in and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too lofty for me to attain.”

“You have searched me and you know me, Lord.”

Yet - hopefully - we’ll calmly work with the Lord  - and walk with the Lord - when it comes to motives - and that we get to know ourselves - especially our urges to be a better self.

At some point, hopefully,  we also move from judging others as a way to avoid walking and talking with ourselves. Jesus said that best when he talked about seeing specks in our sister or brother’s eye and miss the plank in our own eye.  

I assume the plan is to walk with the Lord - when it comes to judging motives. Here’s where humility and humble prayer comes into our motives - and understandings - hopefully…. as we grow into goodness, niceness, greatness and grace.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Today’s first reading from 1^st Thessalonian from the year 50 or 51 - the earliest New Testament document - deals with Paul’s visit to two cities. [Cf. 2:1-8]

Philippi gave him grief and rejection. They gave him bad mouth.

Thessalonika gave him joy and acceptance. They gave him good mouth, good words.

Save guy - different reactions.  I’m sure this has happened to us. We’ve been there - when it comes to how we are accepted or rejected by family members or co-workers,

TODAY’S GOSPEL

In today’s gospel from Matthew 23: 23-26 - Jesus goes after the Pharisees. Once more they are being picky, picky, picky - off on the tiny and not being aware of the big things we should be off on: mercy and fidelity.

I assume the Pharisee inside us has the motive to look good - and keep the focus on the other guy - to make him or her look bad.

Don’t we want to hide our bad. Don’t people dump everything in the closet or  the bedroom - when guests are coming. We clean the outside of the cup and dish - in hopes nobody looks inside where it’s dirty and where there are our disasters.

Keeping up appearances is our program - whereas we should calmly investigate and do the forensics on our own  motives and pray for Jesus to help us to clean up our closets - basements - and inner rooms - so that charity and good news will come out of our mouths and being.

CONCLUSION

As today’s first reading ends, let us pray to be determined to share with each other not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved we have become to each other.