23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deacon Tim’s Column
9-6-09 (23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The second reading today is from the Letter of James. This letter among New Testament writings is marked by a deep concern for social justice. By social justice is meant a how we navigate through the various social, ethnic, economic, gender and political realities which shape our lives in light of the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. When you look at the various New Testament writings, it’s evident that they form a commentary on the teachings of Jesus and are and expansion on what was expressed in the Synoptic versions of the Gospel and the Gospel as written by John. Jesus welcomed all who came to him no matter who they were or where they were from. He cared for all of them and exhorted his followers (both then and now) to do likewise. No one was rejected by Jesus. He welcomed the sick, the lame, the blind, the outcasts (tax collectors and prostitutes), the widow, the orphan and the desperately poor. No one who was marginalized was turned away. In the early Christian Community there was a certain disparity between those with wealth and those who were poor. The situation was serious enough to be addressed in several of the New Testament letters including the one quoted today from James.
Things haven’t changed a lot in the ensuing 2,000 years. There is still a huge disparity between rich and poor. Catholic social justice though demands that we take a hard look at the poor, at health care, at unemployment and immigration as well as any other areas which impact life (in other words, all life issues). James ends today’s selection with “Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?” A little later James 2: 14-17, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
While it is a highly charged topic now, it’s unconscionable that approximately 50 million Americans have no health insurance. They have no private coverage and don’t for whatever reason qualify for Medicaid. There are some hospitals which help (to the extent that they can) but many won’t because of financial concerns. How can any of us in good conscience call ourselves Christian if we fail at even the basic qualifications of looking after those who are most in need of care. With the current atmosphere so volatile regarding the area of universal health care we sometimes are left asking what the Church’s position is. An excellent source is the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops – www.usccb.org/healthcare. Perhaps surprising to some is that the position of the U.S. Catholic Bishops regarding health care reform is there must be a truly universal health policy with respect for human life and dignity; access for all with a special concern for the poor and inclusion of legal immigrants; pursuing the common good and preserving pluralism including freedom of conscience and a variety of options and restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers. (The USCCB is an excellent resource especially in the areas of Catholic Social Justice, immigration, preferential option for the poor, the just war doctrine, capital punishment as well as all other issues which impact human life.)
In the Gospel selection from Mark today Jesus cures a deaf man with a speech impediment. The people were amazed. Many in the crowd were swayed by flashy signs of God’s reign, i.e., the miracles Jesus worked. They missed the deeper meaning; they missed what these signs meant. Jesus had admonished them to stay silent about these deeds (interesting twist, he opens the ears and mouth of the man but tells the crowd to remain silent). Many in the crowd were not unlike the man who was deaf. They were lacking in the openness of mind, body and spirit which would have enabled them to accept the deeper teaching of Jesus. Let’s hope that we aren’t like the crowds in Jesus’ time, wanting the outward show but having hardened hearts and spirits, unable or unwilling to accept the teachings of Jesus.
Come Holy Spirit grant us the Spirit of Knowledge that we may know God and know ourselves and grow perfect in the image of the Saints.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com