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.” 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Painting on top: Paolo Veronese, Healing of the Centurion's Servant, 16th Century