Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
HOMILY
INTRO: Loneliness can be a difficult part of life. No one wants to be lonely. They say “one can be lonely even in a crowded room”! Maybe even in this crowded room?
THE REALITY……. there are people who are lonely!
Easy question…… Who were the two main characters in the Gospel story today?
JESUS
THE LEPER
Another question……In today’s Gospel was Jesus lonely?
NO, but we are sure Jesus experienced some loneliness.
How about the leper?
MOST DEFINITELY YES! He was lonely……
By virtue of the disease…lepers were exiled and set apart from the community.
What I like about this healing was
JESUS’S RESPONSE to a sad situation.
He saw, understood and responded with an affectionate heartfelt action.
He’s teaching me, he’s teaching the church, you and me, to respond to sad situations with what we can. We are to do what we can if we are presented with other people’s sad situations.
My priest friend works in a homeless shelter and tells me this wonderful story of compassion for the poor…..compassion for sad situations that others are in.
TENNIS SHOES are a BIG thing for kids, most, especially boys.
Well… one day coming in to help at the homeless center was a mom and her 10 year old son… And he struts in with these fantastic new crazy looking if you ask me expensive tennis shoes….
You all probably know what I’m talking about
And as he’s serving the poor their meal he spy’s this young kid…similar in age wearing a ragged per of shoes….
He looks down at his prized possession of his identity…..and says to his mom, Can I give that boy my tennis shoes…… And of course does so.
EVEN A CHILD CAN COMPASSIONATELY respond to a cry from the poor.
So here we are today…..LEARNING ABOUT JESUS and how he responds to the LONELY leper…the sad situation of His day and this is supposed to affect us INTO ACTION like Jesus today!
The sad situation before us ARE THE MONETARY needs used each year by CATHOLIC CHARITIES. Today, all throughout our diocese pastors are asking YOU, the faithful, to re-fill the monetary needs of CATHOLIC CHARITIES so it can operate, minister as Jesus teaches… responding to sad situations all around us.