Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B 2024

Title

What is our Purpose?

Outline

Many people live lives like Job’s

Job’s life had changed for the worse and very suddenly, but that brought him to reflection: “Is not life on earth a drudgery?” and yet it shoots by for “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle . . . Remember that my life is like the wind.” And he fears that “My eye will not see happiness again.” Now we can assign this to grief, but it is human fate if this life is all that one can see. There are moments of happiness, but it is all heading towards futility: before we die we will become forgotten in our profession, perhaps a burden to our family and society, and then most of us remembered as a name in family records and that only for a couple of generations. Job of course knew and in the end meets God, but he does not know life beyond death - his life beyond death was living long and having numerous descendants.

No wonder many people either distract themselves with pleasures as much as they can or pretend that their countries, projects, or businesses are an ultimate value, living in denial that they too are mortal.

Jesus introduces a different scale of value

He has preached in the synagogue with authority, not the authority of Moses or past rabbis. And he has driven out a demon, which showed that his authority extended to the unseen realm.

Then he has healed people, starting with Simon’s mother-in-law, and then the whole town. And he has driven out demons too.

But he does not try to build a movement on this; instead he prays early in the morning and then announces a preaching tour because it will embody God’s purpose: “For this purpose have I come.” And interestingly enough, he travels, preaches, and drives out demons - nothing is said of healing. It was indeed a sign, an indication of the kingdom, but the healed would die again. The preaching and the defeat of demonic bondage relate to spiritual freedom, knowing the will of God, recognizing God among us, and becoming one with him and his mission.

And so Paul lives this out

He was not trying to become a great preacher or church founder: he was simply obeying God: “an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it!” His motive was faithfulness to God, willingly fulfilling his stewardship.

This his way of living love for God was by “offer[ing] the gospel free of charge.” He had a natural right to support, financial or material, but he refused to use it, trusting that God would reward him for this - but not in this life.

What is more rather than becoming the lord of all or the master of the church, he became “the salve of all.” Why? “to win over as many as possible.” He did not flaunt his freedom among those with Jewish scruples, for instance. “I have become all things to all, to save at least some.” Thus Jesus became a Jewish laborer in semi-Gentile Galilee, traveled around without demanding fees, accepting what was offered. He does not charge for healings nor does he headline them. Instead he keeps the focus on repentance, the kingdom of God, and the destruction of evil, but not its destruction by human means, but by the conversion of people and the divine word of command. He could lay down his life, as Paul would later do his, for the sake of the mission, because he, as Paul, knew that God would resurrect him on a new plane of existence that would bring humanity into a love-union with God.

Sisters [Brothers and Sisters] these texts should give us some perspective

There is a lot that we do each day that is right and just, our duty to God and our neighbor, but it is also temporal.

Some of the books I wrote or edited are already being replaced. The seminary of which I was a founding faculty member is 48 years old, but has changed considerably and will not last forever. Former colleagues and former students have already passed away, let along my mentors. And these were all part of ministry.

It is right and proper that we do all these things, but only as we do them coram deo and at his direction do they have lasting significance. And the significance is that we are drawn deeper into the kingdom, which we have helped to extend, and that we are therefore drawn into a love relationship with God.

Think of that as you go about life [and especially if you listen to any of the political monologue in this or any other country, which often sounds more like the voice of Satan - who needs to be driven out - that the wisdom of God.] And with Jesus etched into your glasses so you see all in light of him and with God’s welcoming arms open to you at the end of your race of life, you will know how to do your real duty, how to hold this world lightly, how to speak the word that sends demons fleeing from your sphere, and how to live in repentance so that in the end your life embodies Jesus lived out in your sphere of life.