ACKNOWLEDGING CHRIST

 INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 28^th Saturday in Ordinary Time is, “Acknowledging Christ.”

ACKNOWLEDGING

We all know what it is to be acknowledged - to be recognized - to be thanked - to be welcomed to a get together -  or what have you.

We all know that MC’s have the job at banquets to point out who is present - who is responsible for organizing, contacting, putting together a dinner or what have you.

We all have been in settings when someone at the microphone uses the word “acknowledge” - when she or he says, “I want to acknowledge the great grandmother  - of the bride.  She hit  105 last week.”

We thank people who have gifted us - helped us - made our education possible.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s gospel from Luke 12: 8-12 has Jesus saying, “If you acknowledge me before others, the Son of Man will acknowledge you before  the angels of God.”

It’s definitely a “quid pro quo” - as well as it’s opposite. “If you deny me, I’ll deny you.”

Scary.

A message I got out of this is to take a moment each day to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and God - the one who gifts me with life each moment.

We do that at Daily Mass.  We can do that at daily prayer.

A message that hit me is to  think about that moment at public events when someone is acknowledged. Think about - reflect about - the human behavior of acknowledging.

To pray is to acknowledge Jesus.

To pray is to acknowledge God as  Father.

To pray is to acknowledge the Holy Spirit.

We heard this last acknowledgement about the Holy Spirit  clearly in the gospel for today. The spirit - RUAH - in Hebrew - PNEUMA - in Greek -BREATH - in English is a message we hear about in the beginning of the Bible - Genesis.  There’s a moment there when God took and formed clay and then God  breathed air, breath, the spirit, RUAH, into that first person.

That was a first moment.  I like to see  God  with us in every breath of our life. I am having breathing problems this past year - so I’m well aware of my breath. I acknowledge to God, I need help. Keep me breathing

We see athletes acknowledging God  publically all the time,  They point their index finger or all their fingers or their hand to God.  

What a great morning prayer: to acknowledge God in thanksgiving every morning.

What a great night prayer: to acknowledge God in thanksgiving every night for the day.

CONCLUSION: TODAY

Today we celebrate the life of St. Paul of the Cross who acknowledged Jesus with his life and his religious congregation the Passionists.

Today we celebrate the lives of the North American Martyrs, Saint Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf and their companions who went to the Native Americans to tell them about Jesus and how he can better our lives, our attitudes, our work, our families, our lives.

Let’s all do that today.