28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

God’s power!

INTRO: QUESTION: What are we supposed to learn today?

– sell everything?
– follow the commandments?
– be careful of being wealthy?
–
Who is the MAIN CHARACTER?

– The RICH guy?
– Jesus?
– Disciples?
– Children?

A lot of times the expectation in MOVIES, BOOKS, TV, is that typically we “learn something” from the MAIN CHARACTER, right??? Sooooooooo, who is the main character?

I believe the MAIN CHARACTER in this weekend’s Gospel is none of the expected choices, but:

GOD’S POWER for nothing is impossible for God.

Let me explain why God’s Power is our main character….

Scripture stories are meant to lead us, inspire us, teach us, and guide us. They are meant for THE CHURCH. They are meant for THE COMMUNITY. MOSTLY, they were written to begin a community! And form its members!

God wants us formed in the knowledge that ……
HE NEVER GIVES UP ON US,
Even when we give up on Him. God has POWER to get us! All things are possible for GOD! And God wants all of us to possess eternal life.

You see, “the man’s face fell and he went away very sad”. We are all left with the thought…OKAY he is a goner…no eternal life for him. He’s too wealthy. He holds his possession dearer to his heart. He will never GET INTO HEAVEN!!!

No No NO… be careful not to think too literally.

I do not believe that THIS is the end of the story for the RICH MAN. I believe in God’s power to CHANGE US from looking away from Him (as the man did) to looking at God for ways to follow HIM!!!!
“ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE FOR GOD”

Yes, we do get BLINDED, BUSY, OCCUPIED and in a way
“walk away sad”.

Some of us get VERY headstrong
-there is no such thing as a GOD
-I do not need institutionalized religion
-the church has all these scandals

But God has his power…… It’s the power of His love.

How many times have YOU BEEN IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME? That’s GOD’S POWER.

Tell story of the dad and his daughter

A dad was walking home from work late at night. He decided to walk a NEW ROUTE….just to ….. Change up things, as he always walked to work, owning only one car, leaving the car for his wife and family during the day.

As he walked, all of a sudden he heard the muffled sounds of a struggle coming from a clump of bushes ahead of him. It was a woman being attacked. He immediately panicked, went through all the motions of
OMG what do I do? I am not athletic? Will I get hurt? Should I even get involved?
GOD’S POWER overtook and in a split second he pounced on the man and grabbed him off the woman, threw him to the sidewalk, where immediately the attacker jumped up and escaped!!
He called out to the woman…and said, “It’ll be okay…are you alright? He’s gone. You are safe.”
After a long pause the woman sobbing said,
“Dad, is that you?” And out from the clump of bushes walked his daughter Katherine.

That is the POWER OF GOD in our lives. GOD’S POWER!
God does get us….even when we turn away…with our faces falling…and we walk away sad.

So, it’s not the end of the story for that poor guy…….
Nor anyone of us or for anyone in our families.

CONCLUSION:

GOD’S POWER WILL GET YOU AND ME and so many others, for nothing is impossible for GOD!