Sermon Tone Analysis

Title

The Present World is not our Home

Outline

The secular world has only one hope

Keeping this world going so people can have a happy life

Now how they go about it is the stuff of political wars

But whether it is the right or the left a happy life in the here and now is the goal.

Any future life is vague and not relevant to today

Christians have a different hope

We care for and seek to restore the natural world because it is God’s creation and we are only managers

We do this as worship and as witness

But ultimately we know that we have messed up the world so much by our sin that the final answer is transformation: “for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.”

Likewise we desire human flourishing in the here and now and we work for it

But we accept that the sufferings of this present life are good for us in that they enable us to shed evil and live the life of the future that does not quite fit in the now.

“if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.”

“I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.”

And part of that glory is “the redemption of our bodies”

Yet already we can experience the happiness of the future in our relationship with God

That is the message of our parables from Jesus

He takes two examples from the worlds of men and women

In each one starts with something small - a seed, some yeast

In each one ends with something useful and large - an 8 foot black mustard plan in which the birds (perhaps the gentiles) can gather or a huge bowl of bread dough that, when baked, will nourish the family

Brothers and sisters, this is true both individually and collectively

Collectively that is how the Church has grown and reached out to the world

Individually that is how the Kingdom has grown within us until it has transformed us

But the ultimate transformation is in the resurrection, and that is what we are longing for

Do not listen to the siren songs of the world that make this or that transformation within this age ultimate and the Church irrelevant

Some changes may be for the better, but check which better they are for; the only real happiness is in evaluating everything by the Kingdom of God and what hastens our growth towards it and its growth in us

Readings

FIRST READING

Romans 8:18–25

18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.

19 For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; 20 for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.

22 We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; 23 and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

24 For in hope we were saved.

Now hope that sees for itself is not hope.

For who hopes for what one sees?

25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.

RESPONSE

Psalm 126:3a

3 The LORD has done great things for us;

Oh, how happy we were!

PSALM

Psalm 126:1b–6

1 A song of ascents.

When the LORD restored the captives of Zion,

we thought we were dreaming.

2 Then our mouths were filled with laughter;

our tongues sang for joy.

Then it was said among the nations,

“The LORD had done great things for them.”

3 The LORD has done great things for us;

Oh, how happy we were!

4 Restore our captives, LORD,

like the dry stream beds of the Negeb.

5 Those who sow in tears

will reap with cries of joy.

6 Those who go forth weeping,

carrying sacks of seed,

Will return with cries of joy,

carrying their bundled sheaves.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Matthew 11:25

25 At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

GOSPEL

Luke 13:18–21

18 Then he said, “What is the kingdom of God like?

To what can I compare it?

19 It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden.

When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ‘the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.’

”

20 Again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed [in] with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

Notes

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021 | ORDINARY TIME

TUESDAY OF THE THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR 1 | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Romans 8:18–25

Response Psalm 126:3a

Psalm Psalm 126:1b–6

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 11:25

Gospel Luke 13:18–21

GREEN