LORD, I AM NOT WORTHY
THAT YOU
SHOULD ENTER
UNDER MY
ROOF….
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this First Monday in Advent comes
from today’s Gospel, “Lord, I Am Not Worthy That You Should Enter Under My
Roof….”
They put that formula in those words back into our Mass a
few years back - so when we come to that moment before Communion today, let’s
say it with strong gusto.
TODAY’S GOSPEL SCENE
A centurion - a military man - in charge of 100 soldiers
- has a paralyzed servant. He hears about Jesus the Healer. He finds Jesus. He approaches
Jesus and asks him to cure his servant - from a distance - from right there -
right now.
Jesus says, “I will come and cure him.”
The centurion says he knows about authority - giving
orders - snapping fingers - and things happen
- so why can’t you simply do it now - from here - and save your steps
from going to my house? Besides that, I’m not worthy that someone like you
should enter under my roof.
Jesus is amazed at these comments. He sees that this man has faith - about how
things work - so Jesus heals the man’s servant from a distance.
Don’t we ask God from a distance to cure us - to save us
- to help us?
THE
UNWORTHINESS
The thing that hits me in this whole story is the feeling of unworthiness. It’s right there
as part of the story - part of the conversation - part of the communication
with Jesus.
There is something in us - sometimes - when we feel unworthy - out of place - out
of sorts - with certain scenes and situations and persons.
We show up at a dinner - and everyone is dressed up - and
we’re not. “Uh oh!”
People are on the road…. It’s Sunday morning. They find
out where a Catholic Church is. They go to Mass in jeans and a Ravens jersey -
and everyone in this small Southern Town - is wearing suits and dresses to
Sunday Mass. The strangers get a feeling of “Uh oh!” or “Oh no!” They feel out
of place and out of sorts.
Years ago, a
priest I know, told me he was preaching
one Sunday - in the Cathedral church in Trenton,
New Jersey, the state capital. In his sermon he spoke out against Capital
punishment which was a hot topic in the papers at the time.
There he was after Mass - on the sidewalk - shaking hands
with folks as they left church that morning. A man in a suit comes up to him -
and says, “Thanks a lot, Father with your
comments against Capital Punishment.”
The priest says, “What do you mean? Who are you?”
He says, “I’m the governor and this was one gruesome murder
case - that people on both sides are protesting about. Evidently, you’re very
aware of it.”
Then the governor says, “You also mentioned the football
Giants in your sermon this morning, do you want to go to the game next Sunday?”
“Sure,” the priest says.
“Good,” the governor says “Be at my house next Sunday at
11:00 AM for brunch and we’ll drive to the game after that.”
He shows up next Sunday at the governor’s house in his
Giants jacket and jeans. Everyone is in gowns and suits for the brunch. He told
me that he felt really stupid or out of
place in his attire.
Then after brunch they get into stretch limos in the same
outfits and head for Giants’ Stadium.
Nobody changed clothes.
They wore gowns and suits as they watched the game from the governor’s box. He said he felt dumb all
day long.
There’s something about this feeling of unworthiness - that we experience from time to time. Have we ever had a similar experience?
OF COURSE
Of course, we have. It’s part of being human.
Of course this is all about inner worthiness….
Of course this is all about inner dirtiness.
Of course this is about sinfulness - and it’s used at
every Mass when preparing for receiving communion at Mass.
As you know there is a fight going on now with some
Cardinals and the Pope about receiving communion when someone is divorced and
remarried etc. etc. etc. and how we can be more pastoral for folks who have had
disasters in their lives?
The pope wants more study and discussion on these questions.
If you read Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy
of Love, Amoris Laetitia, you know about the controversial Chapter 8.
Where are you on this question?
I’m more on the so called “liberal” side with all this.
However, I personally think it’s good for people to
hesitate before coming up to receive Holy Communion - perhaps because we’re in
the middle of a family feud and we won’t forgive a brother or a sister about
something. I sense that’s the background
of Jesus’ comment in the Gospel of Matthew when Jesus says, “If you are
bringing your offering to the altar and there remember your brother has
something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be
reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your
offering.” [Matthew 5:23-24]
That’s from Matthew - and having read the gospels over
and over again down through the years, it’s been my sense that Matthew is
stricter than Luke.
It’s my sense that some people are stricter than other
people.
I see this in struggles people have with Pope Francis.
Some want more cleanliness….
Some want a smaller - a more neater - more cleaner
Catholic Church.
Some are more understanding of sinners - than others.
Pharisees are not just in the gospels.
Where are you on all this?
A GREAT
EXAMPLE: THE PARABLE OF THE WEDDING BANQUET
A great example is the difference between Matthew and Luke
when it comes to telling the story of the wedding banquet.
A king plans a great banquet for the wedding of his son -
but the invited don’t show. So the king sends out his servants to invite
everyone you find - to the banquet - people by the roadside or people in the
back alleys.
In Matthew a guy shows up after being invited to the
banquet - out of the blue - but the king has him tossed out into the street - and
he grinds his teeth - because he didn’t go get better clothes for the banquet.
[Cf. Matthew 22: 1-14.]
When Luke has Jesus telling the parable, it’s about a man
inviting lots of people to a banquet - and the invited don’t show - so the man
tells his servants to go out to the streets and alleys - and bring in the poor,
the crippled, the blind and the lame - and fill my banquet hall. There is no mention of how they dress and how
they look. [Cf. Luke 14: 15-24]
So that’s why I say Luke seems more lenient.
When he describes the prodigal son coming home and being
hugged by his father - even though he’s dirty and smelly - hey he was working
in a pig pen - but there the father
says, “Clean him up - and get him some better sandals and robes.”
CONCLUSION
So that’s some semi-baked thoughts about this question of
unworthiness - and here we are in God’s House - this church - at this banquet.
It’s worth pondering - for both now and for hereafter.
At the age of 77 I’m thinking of the next life - more
than when I was 55.
When we die, will there be a purgatory - a cleansing - of
course that’s our Catholic teaching - but what will it be like?
I’m hoping I’ll be in paradise that very day I die. I
want to be like the Good Thief - sweaty, blood, messy, but loved enough to hear
Jesus say, “Today you’ll be with me in paradise.”
And by the way that scene is in Luke as well - Luke 23:
43. It’s not in Matthew 27: 38 - nor Mark 15: 27.
And when I come into paradise, I’m hoping Jesus will add,
“Good move, Good thief.”
Painting on top: Paolo Veronese, Healing of the Centurion's Servant, 16th Century
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Painting on top: Paolo Veronese, Healing of the Centurion's Servant, 16th Century
