FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

1 COR 12:7-10. MARK 6:1-6

Irish joke

Priest: please do not continue to reject Christ and his works in our life because next week, somebody in our parish will die suddenly. All were quiet and afraid. But…

Lady: laughing so hard in front of the priest

Priest: what is wrong with you, lady? It is funny that someone will die suddenly in our parish.

Lady: Father, I am sorry for your parish; I am just a visitor; I am not from this parish.

I have been enjoying playing Pickleball here, and many of you do not believe I am a beginner.

While playing pickleball, I realized that all the games had an “ending,” which is necessary to determine the game's winner and loser. The scores might determine the ending, like 9 or 11 points, and at the end of the game, we say, “Good game.” This confused me. Only winners feel good. Once the game has ended, the winners and the losers are determined. And when the game is over, the final score is secured, and there is nothing more the players can do to impact the outcome. Sometimes, we want to go back and redo things rights. But, ..

It is the same with our Christian life. There will be a time when “the game is over” for all of us. That is the moment when our lives end, and we will not be able to change anything because the scores we made in our lives are secured eternally.

Although St. Paul said in Romans 5:8 that Christ died for sinners because he loves sinners. This week's daily readings show that Jesus always hangs out with sinners and tax collectors, and many sinners converted and followed Jesus.However, in today’s Gospel, we also notice that many people rejected Christ and his mighty works among them, especially those who were close to Jesus. That is why Jesus quoted the OT: “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” The point I want to make here is that we need to be aware of the danger of continuing to reject Christ because there will be a time when a final rejection takes place.

There will be a time when the “game is over,” and we cannot change anything. We may say something like no, I do not reject Jesus publicly, so I am good. But our rejections can be in different forms. For example, God, I am sorry, but I am busy today, and I cannot go to church. I am so sorry, Jesus, but let me watch this bad movie this time, and I will go to confession later. God, I know harming or stealing things from others is wrong, but I really want it. God, I know you do not want us to gossip or speak ill of others, but I must speak it out. Jesus, you told me I have to love my neighbors, but I hate them because they are so annoying.

Every choice we make in our daily life is either accepting him or rejecting Jesus. There is no middle way. If we choose to do good, it is from Jesus, and if it is not, it is not from him. Every decision we make has consequences, and sometimes, they are eternal.

However, the good news is that until the day we say, “The game is over,” God is always willing to give us grace and work in us and with us.

What can we do? WE DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING hard; JUST OPEN YOUR HEART AND ALLOW JESUS TO WORK IN YOU. JUST ALLOW JESUS TO LOVE YOU AND PLAY A GOOD GAME WITH YOU. JESUS ALWAYS WANTS US TO WIN THE GAME MORE THAN WE WANT. HE WANTS US TO WIN THE GAME UP TO THE POINT LOSING EVERYTHING HE HAS ON THE CROSS. HE ALWAYS WANTS US TO HAVE MORE THAN WE WANT FOR OURSELVES.

But if we do not open ourselves to Jesus and his grace to work in and with us, God will not be “able to perform any mighty deeds.” Please do not wait until tomorrow. If we desire to win the game at the end, start to play with Jesus from now on, and let him be the captain of the game BECAUSE APART FROM HIM, WE CAN DO NOTHING. (John 15)

As St. Paul states in the second reading, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, ..and hardships for the sake of Christ, FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG.” St. Paul realized his weakness, and he opened for the grace of God to work perfectly in him. That is why He said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

May God strengthen us with his grace so that we do everything with the light of faith in Jesus. At the end of the game, we may say what St. Paul said: “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith” (2 Tim:7). When we win the game, we may say to Jesus, our partner, “Thank you, Jesus, for the “Good game.”

I hope we all have a good game.

May God bless us all.