This homily was written in 2000 as homework for a homiletics class. Today being election day, we don't yet know the outcomes, and some may well be unknown for days, given the current climate. It is, therefore, particularly apropos. Interestingly, it's also based on the readings for this upcoming Sunday.
There’s a saying, “May you live in interesting times”. Some call it an ancient Chinese curse, and, well, how does this year stack up? Pandemic in the spring, race riots in the summer, and now, an undecided election. We certainly live in interesting times.
As we see in the Gospel, the Gerasenes lived in interesting times, too. “When they approached Jesus, they discovered the man from whom the demons had come out sitting at his feet. He was clothed and in his right mind, and they were seized with fear …. The entire population of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them because they were seized with great fear”. These people saw the result of a miracle – and they were seized with fear?
How do we react to “interesting times”?
Some react by arguing, trying to convince others of their point of view. I know I’ve been guilty of this many times over the years. But what people like me often don’t recognize is that, as humans, often there’s a strong emotional component to our decisions – even the most rational. So making a rational argument against someone’s position doesn’t convince them; it makes them more resolute. You’ll notice, in the Gospel, it doesn’t say that Jesus tried to convince them that what he did was a good thing. No. It just says, “He got into a boat and returned”.
Some respond with anger – anger at the system, anger at life. In fact, some go so far as to be mad at God. But they forget “All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose”. (Rom 8:28)
Some respond with pessimism. As far as they’re concerned, the “interesting times” is, in fact, the end of the world. Events have taken them over, and they believe there’s nothing they can do.
But there are positive reactions, too. Look at the man who was delivered. He begged Jesus to stay with him. Instead, Jesus told him to go back and tell others what happened. Instead of living in fear, he was told to live in truth. And that is what he did. He told people far and wide what Christ had done for him.
We, as Christians, cannot live in fear; and we cannot just throw Jesus out of our situation. As Pope St. John Paul II said, among his first words as pope, “Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ.”
You see, in the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord addressed the uncertainly in this life. “I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day”.
We can’t control the things life throws at us. We can’t individually control who wins this election. But we can seek God and his righteousness, and He’ll strengthen us, he’ll console us, so that we can deal with anything that comes our way. As our Epistle tells us, “For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them”.
Remember, my brothers and sisters, since your baptism shows that you’ve been called by God according to His purpose, if you love Him, this will all work for your good.
- Do not fear
- Open wide the doors for Christ
- Live in Truth!
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