Most of us don’t know much about sin. Oh, we think we do. We think, in fact, we can get pretty good at it! But, by the standards of today’s gospel, we’re all amateurs! Now, I know some of you may be practicing, hoping for an Olympic Gold in Sinfulness, but, frankly, I think you’re out of luck! Sort of on this topic: I remember one of my seminary professors once saying to me, after I had sneaked into the Seminary long after hours, having gone with friends to the dog races, “Axe, I believe you’re actually trying to commit an original sin! Well, stop it! They’ve all been done at least once!” My droll reply was, as I slipped past him: “We’ll see!”
Why am I talking about “sin” at all, this weekend? The gospel sets us up for it. In today’s Gospel, St. Peter, by all accounts the head of the early Church, and, therefore, the erstwhile first in a long line of popes, outdid even Adam and Eve, at least in theory. Whereas Adam and Eve had done what humans do, and met the fate that humans meet, Peter had tried to dissuade Christ from the divine plan. In essence, he was trying to tempt God to give up His love for humanity, and to forsake His plan of salvation. THAT, people, takes the cake! No one can come close to that one!
And, I want you to look at how Jesus handles it. He says, “Oh, stop! You’re talking like Satan, not a pope!” I mean, if Peter had had his way, all humanity would have been abandoned to death. Hmmm....IF Christ had looked into the future, he might have conceded that Peter was talking exactly like some popes...but that’s for a different sermon! Actually, what Christ says is, “This is not how the head of the Church must think and talk. You’re not God; you can’t know what God knows, that’s not how “the Keys of the Kingdom” work. Follow me, and I’ll show you the path to life.”
THAT’S IT! Nothing else! All Jesus did when confronted with a sin greater than that of Adam was say, “Oh, think again. I’ll show you how to get that right.” Can you imagine what an Irish monsignor would have done with it?
The point I’m making is that we think we are so almighty powerful that our sins can re-direct the power of the Master of the Universe, can stop Him in His tracks and force His attention from guiding the growth of the cosmos with its galaxies and black holes, to call out for punishment of US. WE are at the Center of ALL. We need to hear Christ’s message to Peter, and we need to hear it frequently.
Does it mean we shouldn’t try? Should we just give up and sin with wild abandon? There are days I think, “Oh, why not?” But, the point of Matthew’s entire Gospel is that even on the days we feel like that, the Abiding Presence of God is with us, urging something different. Not making a big federal case of our shortcomings, but moving us on to nobler goals and higher ideals, urging us to make of our lives a benediction for the earth.
Today’s gospel shows us that Christ, the Redeemer of God, meets us where we are–in our lazy ordinary sinfulness, and in our gauche horrid sinfulness (and, let’s face it, most of us find ourselves there once or twice a lifetime or once or twice a week...depending). It is in our brokenness that He meets us to call us on to Greater heights, not to kick us while we’re down. So, on this Labor Day holiday, as we are officially putting the lazy days of summer behind us, and concentrating on new projects that will capture our imagination and our energy, let us remember that while we may not always be perfect, the God of our Heart accompanies us, always, leading us gently to do better and to be more. Let's set our sights a little higher as we move into the hectic fall start up of our activities, shall we? Let's try to be more focused and more serious about our spiritual path, about the footprints we are leaving in the sands of time.
Today, we meet our first Pope in the lowest ebb of human history, trying to tempt God off course, and we see him touched by God’s forgiving, healing love. It is my prayer for each of us that as we come to the Ancient Table of Strength in this sacred liturgy and are nourished with the Strength of God, Himself, that we will sense ourselves called beyond where we are, to lives of greater purpose and deeper meaning. And may God bless you all. +
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