HOLDING UP 

YOUR SCRIPTURE TEXT

The title of my homily for this Wednesday in the Second Week of Easter  is, “Holding Up Your Scripture Text.”

I like today’s gospel, because it gets to an idea I like to push: “What is your favorite scripture text?”

I mention this idea a couple of times every year. In fact, I mentioned my favorite Bible text within the last two weeks in a homily.

My favorite Bible quote is: Galatians 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens and in this way you fulfill the law of Christ.”

For many Protestants, a favorite Bible text is the opening sentence in today’s gospel reading from John 3: 16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

SIGNS

I am sure you noticed people at sporting events holding up a sign, John 3:16

At the last game two weeks ago in March Madness, the NCAA Basketball Finals, someone had a key seat, first row, behind the basket, with a sign with the word and number: John 3: 16.  At football games they are behind the goal post - so as to be seen at field goat or extra point attempts.

I assume that is well planned - and well financed and organized.

It’s a key theme in Protestant Theology: being saved - by placing my whole life and existence in Jesus’ hands.

The message is clear: Jesus saves us. Behind the Protestant stress on this text, I assume as a Catholic, it’s also a warning. You’re not saved by works, but by Jesus. Martin Luther didn’t like what he was seeing: preachers stressing indulgences, giving, donations, money, as ways of being saved. They can help, but Jesus Christ  saves us.

The  Catholic position is: if you have faith it will show up in works: like loving one’s neighbor.  We could then add: what about Matthew 25: 14-30  when it comes to being saved and saving and helping others. “I was hungry, thirsty, sick, in prison and you came to my aid. Come into the kingdom.”

YOUR SIGN

I would like to stress the question: if you could be in front of 100 million people with a sign that had one scripture text, what text would you choose?

Pick a text that sums up your religion - your faith - your greatest values in life.

It could be, “Father forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing” - and you might pick that because your kids or your spouse hurt you - big time and you have learned to forgive - to avoid spending the rest of your life hurting, angry, regretting. Of still with forgiveness: “Forgive 70 times 7 times.”

Or it could be go the extra mile. Or turn the other cheek. Or This is my body, this is my blood, I’m giving my life for you.

Or it could be, “My Lord and my God” or “”God is love.” or it could be, “Love one another as I have loved you.”

TATTOO

Would you get a tattoo of a text and put it on your arm or leg or what or where have you.

CONCLUSION: BIBLE

I like to push two ways of being a Bible person - two ways of having a Biblical faith.

One would be to know the whole book - the number of books, the geography, the characters of the Bible.

Secondly, the other way is to go by texts.  Get one down. then another. then another - one version would be to grasp just one text - like John 3: 16 and try that one for 6 months.

One good trick, you’ve heard me say this before, use a rosary for a text.

Go with 10 times - using just 10 beads.