tvc.dsj.org | January 22, 2019
SPIRITUALITY
By Father Brendan McGuire
Pastor of Holy Spirit Parish, San Jose, and Vicar General for
Special Projects, Diocese of San Jose. Email him at [email protected].
Today. Today
January 27, 2019
“Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing”
Three years ago, we opened our Church to 15 women experiencing homeless-
ness. ne of the first nights, had dinner with our guests to welcome them.
sat down with them and I wondered what would I say? We had surrounded
them with so many people that they were somewhat overwhelmed. I sat and
just listened. And they talked. And they talked. And it was good. And what
they said was so raw, so hard to hear and yet it was what they really needed to
say. I didn’t need to say anything. I just needed to listen. I suspect they hadn’t
had anyone to listen to them for a long time. That is one of the struggles of
homelessness; you have no one to talk with; nobody is prepared to listen to
your story.
In that moment, I realized that today that scripture passage was being ful-
filled right efore me. This is what we ought to e doing as a arish. thought
how powerful it is that we as a church had chosen to do this. Our ministry is
simply to be present to them; to acknowledge that they matter in God’s eyes.
Maybe they can begin to believe that God loves them and there are other people
who could love them too.
When we are surrounded by so many people in our lives who love us and
care for us, we sometimes forget that the greatest thing that we can do for
each other is to simply be present to one another; without the TV; without the
phones; without even the newspaper. Just simply be present to one another.
Today’s Gospel is the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. In Luke’s Gospel,
he is always full of the spirit and he says he is anointed to bring glad tidings
to the poor; to bring liberty to captives; to bring healing to all.
Today this scri ture assage is fulfilled in your hearing. Today you and
I are Christ. We are the ones, today, to bring glad tidings to the poor. Paul’s
letter to the Corinthians says we are the living Body of Christ. If Christ is to
work in this world, it is because of our hands and our feet.
When we celebrate at the Eucharist, we become what we receive. We become
that Body of Christ to others, the Body broken for others; the Blood poured
out for others. It is today that we are called to be present to one another; to
our families; to our friends; and most especially the broken, the needy, the
homeless today.
11
Sunday Homilies
The Greatest Is Love
February 3, 2019
“At present, we see indistinctly, as in a mirror …then later we will see fully and clearly.”
Recently, I went to a play. I cannot remember all the characters but there was
a doctor, a king, a lawyer and a philosopher. After the play, they actors were all
outside, greeting the audience dressed as regular men and women. We knew that
the lawyer was not really a lawyer and he didn’t know anything about the law. The
doctor clearly had no healing skills. As for the king, he had no kingly qualities at all.
And the philospher knew nothing about philosphy. They knew there was a stage
and they acted really well on it.
Life is like that stage. We have a role to play but, in the end, let’s not fool ourselves,
we are all the same when we go before the Lord. We are still a man or a woman made
in od’s image. ll of the other stuff as aul says, asses away and only one thing
remains – love! How well we have loved is what matters. That will be our singular
tool at judgment day. Not how well we have earned money. Not how well we have
advanced in our careers. But how well we have loved in this life.
Sometimes love is complex; sometimes love is just really simple. The 15 women
experiencing homelessness whom we have living in our Church this month just
need to be loved. I understand that we do have roles to play on the stage of life and
they are not insignificant. e do have a role to lay in our family a role to lay in
our o , etc. est we thin that they have any final im act at the end, remem er,
there is nothing we take with us. No amount of money. No titles. All that goes with
us is our love; how well we have loved whoever the Lord put in our lives and for
each of us that is different.
hen we see a homeless erson differently, then we see all of life differently.
When we see with those eyes of faith it is very profound. It is not just eyes of faith
or eyes of hope; it is eyes of love that we want to share.
Over the next few weeks, we will be talking about the Annual Diocesan Appeal
at every parish throughout the diocese. In this appeal called, Hand In Hand In
Ministry, we will re ect on the fact that our local iocese rings eo le together
from all walks of life through a variety of ministries and services to work together
in Christ to do God’s work of justice, mercy, outreach and formation. I hope that you
consider giving a ledge. f you are not financially a le to do so, lease ray not ust
for the success of the campaign but that we all look with eyes of faith; that we know
this life is a life – a stage life if you would – and that we are all equal in God’s eyes.
There are three great things remain: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of those is love.
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