Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C 2022

Title

The idols of our faith and a forgiving God

Outline

This week I have been listening to evangelical history

I am largely listening to history I lived through

What I see is how certain political stances and America itself were “baptized” and set up as idols

And I see how certain readings of the Bible were used to vilify many faithful Christians who refused to go along

While some of this is my personal repentance for long ago, the same dangers are present for Catholics - we see both the danger and the hope in the text.

In Exodus we read of a people, who had recently endorsed the covenant with God, breaking it

They concretized the unseen God in a form similar to Ba’al saying that this is the deity (God is plural so since one calf is there, while translations read plural gods, their intention was the God who had saved them) who brought them up from Egypt.

That was bad news that except for Moses’ intercession would have resulted in destruction, but God forgave them, although their repentance proved short-lived and the cycle will go on until the final destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

In Timothy we hear Paul confessing that in his religious commitment he had sinned but that God’s grace had transformed him

He was indeed a Torah-true Jew (according to his understanding of Torah) trying to purify the people so as to defeat the Romans (his party would lead the eventual revolt against Rome). Our version of Torah will result in Jewish nationalism succeeding.

Jesus had a different interpretation of Torah, a different view of who he was, and a different method of salvation - forgive enemies and commit to him - and God’s rejection could be seen in that he was killed by the Romans rather than killing Romans. Stephen was a similar danger to Jewish life.

But rather than destroying Paul, God intervened in his life and transformed him, the depth and genuineness of his conversion being clear in his later life story. That is God’s method - deep conversion to him personally - if we will let him.

Finally we have Jesus’ story of the two brothers

The one brother obviously goes far from the father, but, hoping only for limited forgiveness, repents and returns only to discover full forgiveness and a place in the father’s house.

The other brother does what he thinks is his father’s will but does not love the father. The father has to go out to offer him forgiveness, for he does not think he needs it, and we are left with him not-yet-repentant and outside the father’s house.

The prostitutes and tax collectors and gentiles did indeed come into the father’s house while those who thought they had Judaism right were left out. It is about relationship with the Father, not about religious purity.

So, Sisters, we have three scenes, any of which we could repeat

We have those who set up their faith in God in their own image (although eventually they would supplement it with other images) wanting something more concrete than a relationship with a living, mysterious person.

We the one who obviously turned his back on God, whom others thought was totally lost, but who ends up forgiven and celebrated within the father’s house

We have two whose interpretations of the father’s or God’s will had become their God, their path to success - for Paul this included Jewish nationalism - who discover that they are outside the father’s house or, in Paul’s case, actively fighting against God.

In all these cases God shows mercy to them and goes out of his way to rescue them, but not all receive that mercy - some feel no need for it, some give it temporary acceptance, and Paul and the younger son embrace deep repentance and change of life.

Where might we set up our very faith as an idol or our ethical rules? Where might we think we are inside, but are really outside? Where might the Father have come out or be coming out to us? And have we accepted that mercy with repentance?

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 9-11-2022: Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Exodus 32:7–11, 13–14

7 Then the LORD said to Moses: Go down at once because your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly. 8 They have quickly turned aside from the way I commanded them, making for themselves a molten calf and bowing down to it, sacrificing to it and crying out, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!” 9 I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are, continued the LORD to Moses. 10 Let me alone, then, that my anger may burn against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.

11 But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying, “Why, O LORD, should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a strong hand?

13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’ ” 14 So the LORD changed his mind about the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.

Catholic Daily Readings 9-11-2022: Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Luke 15:18

18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

PSALM

Psalm 51:3–4, 12–13, 17, 19

3 Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love;

in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions.

4 Thoroughly wash away my guilt;

and from my sin cleanse me.

12 A clean heart create for me, God;

renew within me a steadfast spirit.

13 Do not drive me from before your face,

nor take from me your holy spirit.

17 Lord, you will open my lips;

and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

19 My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;

a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.

Catholic Daily Readings 9-11-2022: Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND READING

1 Timothy 1:12–17

12 I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. 13 I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. 14 Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. 16 But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. 17 To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Catholic Daily Readings 9-11-2022: Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

2 Corinthians 5:19

19 namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

GOSPEL

Option A

Luke 15:1–32

1 The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, 2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So to them he addressed this parable. 4 “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

8 “Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ 10 In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

11 Then he said, “A man had two sons, 12 and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. 13 After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. 14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. 17 Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.” ’ 20 So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22 But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. 25 Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 27 The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. 30 But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ 31 He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 32 But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 9-11-2022: Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2022 | ORDINARY TIME

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR C | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Exodus 32:7–11, 13–14

Response Luke 15:18

Psalm Psalm 51:3–4, 12–13, 17, 19

Second Reading 1 Timothy 1:12–17

Gospel Acclamation 2 Corinthians 5:19

Gospel Luke 15:1–32 or Luke 15:1–10

GREEN