OFFER  NO  BRIBES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 8^th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Offer No  Bribes.”

That’s a rule - an urge  -  a challenge - in today’s first reading from Sirach.

And I’ve been trying in these weekday Masses to preach on the first reading - having done the gospels over and over again.

“Offer no bribes….”

Sirach has the Lord saying that.

Here’s the full context, the text,  “For the LORD is one who always repays, and he will give back to you sevenfold. But offer no bribes, these he does not accept! Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion. For he is a God of justice, who knows no favorites.”

Notice that message: “Offer no bribes.”  What’s that about?

Why are we here at Mass? Is there any bribery going on?  Woooh! That’s a question that hit me.

TO BE HONEST

To be honest I have never thought about trying to bribe God.”

On second thought, I’ve heard people say they are angry with God - because they said so many prayers, made so many sacrifices, and still their daughter has cancer or what have you.

How does this all work?  How does life work? How does my thinking go?  How does prayer work?

I guess these are bottom line question.

Jesus says to nag God - and keep on nagging him in the parable of the woman who drove a judge crazy till he gave her what she wanted. And Jesus advocated that. Check it out in Luke 18: 1-8.

In another saying, it’s in Matthew 7: 7-11, Jesus  says to ask, seek, and knock till God answers our prayers.  Keep knocking on God’s door.

In another parable about prayer Jesus tells about a man who has relatives snow up at night and he wants to give them something to eat - but he doesn’t have enough, so he goes next door and starts knocking on doors and yelling to windows and finally his neighbor - who has gone to bed - opens up a window and says, “It’s too late! We’re all in bed.” But his neighbor still begs - so the man gets him stuff to get rid of him.  And Jesus says to be that noisy neighbor in the night - when it comes to prayer.

LEARNINGS

One of learnings we can take from the Bible is that it has at times contrary messages.

We have messages like put down your sword and take up your sword.

Sometimes God lets happen; sometimes God wipes out.

Another message is that the message might be different than the one we’re taking. So in that passage about the woman driving the judge crazy, maybe the stress is not on manipulating the judge - but to be persistent as a mosquito looking for blood when we pray. So too in the message of keep on asking, keep on knocking on God’s door.

And we can also switch from the God vs. Us relationship to the us vs. us relationships in life. Don’t bribe others. I’m not married but in marriages does bribery go on. You clean out the garage finally, and I’m make your favorite - veal parmesan for the week. Is that bribery - or how things work? I guess clear loving communication - good give and take - would certainly be a better plan. But I’m not married - but over in the rectory I do hear at times one guy saying to another guy in jest, “Yes dear!”

So too in life’s interactions out there. Isn’t it better to be honest with each other - and wait our turn - instead of bribing our way into the restaurant - ahead of others - with a tip because we got the money or we’re a priest and we use the title  to get a better table or not get the speeding ticket. Maybe the best way is that the first should be first and the last should be last as we hear in today’s gospel.

Next, if we learn how to treat each other better in life, then we can apply that to how we treat God.  Jesus often did that. Didn’t he say, “Notice how a mother or a father takes care of their children, well that’s how God the Father treats you.

CONCLUSION

I guess the bottom line is: there probably is a better way than using bribery in our ways of doing life with God and each other. Amen.