October 02, 2016
27th Sunday Ordinary Time
Buffalo News: Psychologist offers effective way to teach teens to handle stress. First, freshmen read a short, engaging article about brain science describing how personality can change. Then they read personal stories from seniors about high school conflicts and how they are eventually able to shrug things off and move on. Finally, the freshmen are asked to write encouraging advice to younger students. Results are very promising. In one study nine months later the prevalence of depression among freshmen is 40 % percent less than in the control group. If teenagers can hold on to the long view they can weather the mortification and stress of high school. Adults do not play a role in the experiment. It is peer to peer.
St Paul in his letter to Timothy encourages the younger apostle (still peer to peer), "to stir into flame the gift of God that you received from the imposition of my hands…guard the rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within you.†Jesus responds to the request of his apostles to increase their faith by assuring them even faith the size of a mustard seed can do marvelous things. At baptism we are immersed in the waters of life and into the mystery of God. We are anointed to continue the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Jesus promises that we will do incredible things but we will always be “unprofitable†servants. We should not be looking for accolades. Jesus illustrates the point. When a servant comes in from the field, he does not take his place at the table to eat before the master but puts on an apron and serves. There are allegory colorations to the illustration. “Plowing in the field and tending sheep†is a metaphor for planting the Word of God in the world. “Waiting at table†is Eucharistic. We gather at the Lord’s Table to be nourished as a believing community and then we are sent into the world with a message of God’s mercy and salvation. We are sustained when we Break Open the Word. We are engaged in the world when we stand peacefully giving witness to the sanctity of life in the womb; through our Mercy Project and simply with Deacon Dennis collecting towels for disable persons. We do not gain our salvation. Eternal life is God’s gift to us. Both at the beginning, during and at the end of our lives it is always a matter of faith.
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26th Sunday Ordinary Time
