Seventeenth Sunday In Ordinary Time
(Click here for readings)Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened…”
Just recently, the Holy Father gently knocked on the closed door of our Catholic youth and they responded. They opened the door to him. Three million of them opened their door to him.
This morning, the Holy Father celebrated Mass on a small strip of beach in Brazil. Millions of Catholics and non-Catholics converged to celebrate life in Christ Jesus. What were they celebrating? The power of faith, of hope and of love. What are they seeking? The truth, whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
No wonder the beach was filled with an ocean of humanity! They were celebrating and seeking the priceless pearl: the God that is with us and above us.
The Holy Father then challenged them to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19).
Today, unfortunately, there are too many young souls that are missing three very important pieces in the puzzle of life: faith, hope and love. Actually, the more I think about it, they are missing those pieces that make the puzzle of life worth putting together! They’re missing out on all the fun of it. What’s the fun of it??? I’ll tell you what it is.
To explain the “why” of the beautiful beaches of Copacabana as simply the result of wind and water wearing down on rocks would be to miss the fun of it. Why was the beach formed? For the fun of it! So that we could walk on it – barefoot - and mix the sand between our toes, and make castles out of it.
To explain the “why” of liquid water as the result of two elements coming together would be to miss out on all the fun of it. Why was water made? To splash my friends with it; to swim in it; to surf on it; to get wet from it; to enjoy it.
To explain the roundness of the moon as simply the result of gravity is to miss out on all the fun of it; that is, the suspense created by it; the werewolves and vampires bound to it. But most importantly, for the joy that comes from staring at it while lying down underneath a blanket next to the woman of your dreams.
The problem with those who have lost faith, hope and love in God is not that they cannot imagine things, it’s that they cannot envision a world created just for them, and not in spite of them.
I’m so grateful to God for giving us a round moon and Mars a really ugly moon (Phobos). Maybe Mars deserved it for being the god of War. Divine comedy!
I feel so sorry for those who don’t see it, who don't get it, and have a hard time seeing Him in all of it!
Let’s do what the Holy Father asked us to do. Let’s help others put the pieces of their life together.
You've inspired, and very rarely frustrated, me for a long time, Fr. Alfonse. But never have you so perfectly refuted Richard Dawkins. I had to comment. Well done Father!
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