Homily 31st Sunday Ordinary time
Franklin Fong, OFM
Last Sunday we heard that religious faith asks us to be honest and humble before our God. But does our faith view of ourselves, while asking us to admit our sinfulness, support our sense of worth? The answer in today’s readings is a resounding YES !
The first reading from the book of Wisdom tells us that even though we might be viewed as a grain or a drop of morning dew, we have the best reasons to believe in our worth, God would not have made what he does not love. That love of God is seen as mercy!
The Psalm 145 praises God for his mercy upon his creatures.
The second reading tells us about God’s mercy in the coming of Jesus to satisfy us and share his glory. Moreover, God mercifully forgives whatever would cause us to depreciate ourselves.
The Gospel verses from Luke clearly states that no one is excluded from God’s loving care. The beautiful example of how Zacchaeus is treated by Jesus, we can appreciate better now how anyone can begin again!
Zacchaeus is that little big man who likes to think better of himself and decides on a change of heart and lifestyle. In time he comes to realize that it’s not so much that he who seeks Jesus, as it is that because of Jesus’s mercy that Jesus seeks HIM ! Jesus even invites himself to Zacchaeus’ home for dinner. When Zacchaeus realizes that Jesus wants to come to his home, Zacchaeus welcomes him with JOY ! So, is our response to Jesus’ desire to be with us, one of gratitude and joy ?
The clear point is that we must be worth very much if God seeks us out when we are lost, God believes in us. God acts through us. There is no doubt then, that we should believe in ourselves and our personal worth.
The first lesson Zacchaeus gives is that he wants to get a better view of Jesus, and so climbs a tree ! This is saying to us today in 2022 how have we gone beyond routine Catholic practices to “see” or to EXPERIENCE Jesus ?
A second lesson that Zacchaeus gives us is that now overflowing
with gratitude and joy of his deepening relationship with God, he becomes very concerned about any wrongs he may have done in the past and about the needs of the poor. He is willing to give back several times over whatever he may have cheated others as a tax collector. And he is willing to give a 50% tithe of his personal fortune to the poor.
How has your faith brought you to consider new ministries or new ways of witnessing to God’s love in your world? A truly religious person is aware of being searched out by God. We must in turn learn how to respond gratefully and joyously to God’s love in our life choices and to search out the needs of others!
Our Catholic faith community must offer avenues for happy encounters with God and his people.
• Faith communities must be sources of renewal.
• Faith communities must facilitate our conversion.
• Faith communities must help us practice charity and justice.
So take some time in the coming week to reflect on the demands of Christian living in 2022 in the Bay Area. Just where are we in our Christian lifestyles? Is there any area of our faith journey that needs clarification or new efforts? Is there any example of something which fosters our faith journey which is uniquely found in our Chinese Catholic Community?
So brothers and sisters of the Chinese Catholic Community
that is the Good NEWs for this 31st Sunday of Ordinary Time.
Alleluia Alleluia !
Fr. Fong
(中文翻譯.原文以英文為準.)
常年期三十一主日
鄺神父主日道理中譯本
讀經一: 智慧篇 11:22-12:2
讀經二: 得撒洛尼後書 1:11-2:2
路加福音 19: 1-10
上週日，我們聽說宗教信仰要求我們在天主面前誠實謙卑。但是，我們的信仰要求我們承認自己的罪過的同時，是否支持我們是有價值的呢？今天讀經給的答案是肯定的！
讀經一智慧篇告訴我們，即使我們可能被視為只是一粒麥籽或一滴朝露，我們有最好的理由相信我們的價值，因為凡天主不喜愛的，祂不會去創造。天主的愛可視作慈悲！
聖詠145 歌頌天主對祂的受造物的慈悲。
讀經二告訴我們天主在耶穌再來時的仁慈，使我們得以成全並分享祂的光榮。此外，天主仁慈地寬恕任何會導致我們貶低自己的事情。
路加福音清楚地表明，沒有人被排除在天主的愛護之外。耶穌如何對待匝凱，在這美麗的例子中，我們可以更好地欣賞到任何人怎樣重新開始！
這一短小精幹的匝凱，由於想改善自己，決意改變心態和生活方式。慢慢地，他意識到，與其說是他在尋找耶穌，不如說是耶穌出於慈悲，是祂在尋找他！耶穌甚至自我邀請去匝凱家吃晚飯。當匝凱意識到耶穌想來他家時，他高興地歡迎祂！那麼，耶穌渴望與我們同在，我們的回應，是不是應該是感恩和喜樂？
明確的一點是，既然天主在當我們迷失時會尋找我們，我們必定是寶貴的。天主相信我們，且天主在我們身上行事。毫無疑問，我們應該相信自己，我們是有價值的。
匝凱給的第一個教訓是，他想更好地目睹耶穌，所以他爬上一棵樹！這在 2022 年的今天，對我們說的是，我們如何超越常規的天主教習俗來“看到”或體驗耶穌？
匝凱給我們的第二個教訓，就是他與天主的關係加深了就充滿感激和喜悅，變得非常關懷已前做過的壞事，以及窮人的需要。他作為稅吏時可能欺騙他人多少，他都願意多倍償還。他也願意將個人財產的 50% 施捨給窮人。
你的信仰如何使你去考慮，以新的服務或新的方式來在你的周邊見證天主的愛？一個真正虔誠的人會意識到被天主尋找。反過來，我們必須學習在我們的生活選擇中，如何感恩和快樂地回應天主的愛，並探尋別人的需要！
我們的天主教信仰團體必須提供與天主和祂的子民幸福相遇的途徑。
• 信仰團體必須是更新的源泉。
• 信仰團體必須促進我們的轉變。
• 信仰團體必須幫助我們實踐慈善和正義。
因此，在接下來的一週里花點時間思考一下 2022 年基督徒在灣區的生活需求。我們在基督徒的生活方式中處於什麼位置？我們的信仰之旅是否有任何領域需要澄清或新的努力？唯獨於我們華人天主教團體中有什麼例子，是可以促進這信仰之旅呢？
所以華人天主教會的兄弟姐妹們, 這是常年期第 31 主日的好消息。
亞肋路亞 亞肋路亞！
