Third Sunday in Ordinary Time A.
January 23, 2011 Most Holy Trinity 5, 8,
10:30. Isaiah 8:23-9:3, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17. Matthew 4:12-23
Even the greatest, the richest and the most important among
us are not big enough to solve the world’s problems, or to keep themselves from
dying. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for they will be
filled with the kingdom
of God.” The poor
and humble have the best chance of being open to God. Therefore they are
the most likely ones to help save the world.
I would like to tell you two donkey stories. The first is a
Christmas story called the “The Little Lost Donkey,” by Dandi Mackall –much edited by me.
The Donkey tells the story:
One starry night Joseph told Mary his bride, “We are going
to Bethlehem!”
Then they asked me for a ride. “I’m sorry Mary” I said. “If I could take
you I would, but I’m afraid that we will get lost. I am not a very smart donkey
and I am sure that I will get lost and we will never find the way.” The fearful
little donkey suggested, “Maybe you should ask someone else, a horse, or even
that cow. Your neighbor has a camel, go and ask him now.” Mary said,
“Little donkey, I want you. You see I understand being afraid, I am
scared too. I am carrying a very special child so I am sure that we will be
alright.”
Before the donkey knew what was happening they were on the
road to Bethlehem.
The donkey started to get all queasy inside. He said to himself,
“I don’t know where I am” and he started to shake. The donkey could feel Mary
on his back. The night got very dark and black. The donkey’s hooves
beat out a clip, clop as they moved through the darkness. When the road
got rough the donkey shrieked, “We are lost. I knew that we would get
lost. I always get lost. I warned you not to count on me. I
am only a dumb donkey – not a smart horse.
Mary said, “I am a poor girl too and an angel spoke to
me. So I suggest little donkey that you learn how to pray!”
When the donkey looked up he sensed that he knew the
way. He started to trot straight for Bethlehem. When they got to Bethlehem there was no
place to stay, and Joseph was frantic with worry and fear. Then the
donkey began to lead the way. He went straight to the stable where
animals stay. When the baby was born the donkey looked toward the
manger. On the first Christmas day the donkey who thought of himself as
dumb seemed to know all the answers. Only later did the donkey learn that
the baby really was God and that the born-in- a-stable story would be told
forever. God chooses those who are not hung up on themselves to lead the
way – even a frightened donkey can lead the way.
“As Jesus was walking by the Sea
of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and
his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said
to them “Come follow after me and I will make you
fishers of men. At once they left their nets and followed him.”
Peter knew that he was a sinful man and he said that very clearly to Jesus. “Depart
from me for I am a sinful man.” Peter was a weak man. He denied
that he even knew Jesus at the time of his crucifixion. Peter wept over
his weakness and his cowardness. Jesus knew all this about Peter.
Yet Jesus chose sinful and weak Peter to be the leader of his Church.
Jesus prefers those who know that they are weak to those who are certain that
they are strong. When we are filled with ourselves there is no room for
God. The self-centered and the proud cause problems; they don’t solve them.
The reason that I told you the Christmas story is because I
want you to hear another story about a donkey. A retreat director told
this story about the clergy. On the first Palm Sunday Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a
donkey. As they got close to the city people started throwing palm
braches and their cloaks in the road as a sign of honor. The donkey had
walked down this road to Jerusalem
many times. All this excitement had never happened before. The
donkey started to prance and to dance making a big show of himself.
The retreat director said that the day the donkey started to prance and dance
was the day that the donkey made a real jackass out of himself because he
thought that all the excitement was about him – instead of about Jesus who was
riding on his back. There are priests and others who think that the
excitement is about them when it is really the about Jesus whom they bring.
We are called and chosen, every one of us, to bring Jesus to
the world. Some of us think that we have nothing to offer – like the
donkey in the Christmas story. Others among us think that we are the show
that people come to cheer for us, like the jackass in the Palm Sunday
story. God chose all of us, yet Jesus preferred to call poor fishermen because
the poor and the humble are most likely to be filled up with God. God
calls us. God empowers. In the end it is not about us. It is about
the grace and goodness of God working in our lives. Are we poor enough,
broken enough and humble enough to hear God’s call? Are we eager to be
surprised by God’s power showing through our lives? For a reason we do
not fully understand we have been called to merge Most Holy Trinity and Our
Lady of Grace parishes. I am not sure how to do that best. I have never merged
before. We need God’s help and we need to help one another. What is
most important is that we hear the call and respond to it. My sense
is that if we respond to the Lord’s call all will be well. Letting go of
ourselves we will find God’s way to peace and joy.
Please join me in song – I will do the first verse
alone.
Gather # 686
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save. I who made the stars of night, I will
make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the
night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my
heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have born my peoples pain.
I have wept for love of them, They
turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My word to them,
Whom shall I send?
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them,
Whom shall I send?