Homily for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

 Is 50:5-9

Ps 116:1-9

Jas 2:14-18

Mk 8:27-35

 

St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, Burkburnett, TX

St. Paul Catholic Church, Electra, TX

Christ the King Catholic Church, Iowa Park, TX

 

“Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (Jas 2:17) In our second reading, St. James has posed a couple of hypothetical questions to the fledgling Church in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. His first question was meant to prompt them in the 1^st century and now us in the 21^st century to reflect on what saving faith is. James asks us how can it possibly benefit someone if they say they have faith, but they do not put it into action? He is not saying the person actually has faith, but rather that they claim to have faith. It is quite possible for a person to mistakenly believe they are following Jesus Christ! So St. James then asks, ‘can that mistaken faith save the person?’ The obvious and easy answer to this rhetorical question is of course, no.

The true disciple, the one who has a true and living faith, has made a decision to follow Christ and to imitate him. This decision cannot be lived only interiorly, but externally as well, as evidenced by our actions. These external actions are the good works we perform in charity, moved by the faith we possess interiorly. In the Gospel, Jesus did not say ‘carry your cross for only a little way.’ He said to ‘take up our cross and follow Him’ even to the point of losing everything. Jesus' example for us in his suffering and death, and the hope and promise in His resurrection, provides us with the strength we need to carry our cross daily and manifest our faith in charitable works.

This weekend we begin our Annual Diocesan Appeal for 2022. Our goal this year as a parish is $$. That is easily achieved - I know it because I have witnessed your incredible generosity throughout the entire three months I have been blessed to be your shepherd. I also know there may be someone in the parish that could write a check for that entire amount right now. But that is not the point of stewardship. The point of stewardship is for everyone to participate and to give what you can from what God has given you. I will not ask for any particular amount from anybody. That is between you and God. I do ask that everyone participate though, because we are all part of this beautiful parish. The commitment envelopes will be mailed this week and we will have them in the pews next week. I want everyone to prayerfully ask God how they should contribute and their faith into action. Even if you cannot make a pledge of money, I want you to fill out an envelope anyway and offer your prayers for the success of this campaign.

Now – why we want this campaign to succeed: when we hit our goal this year, we become eligible for grants – this is one of the main purposes of the entire Annual Diocesan Appeal – to give operating grants to rural parishes. Folks that is us! I do not obsess about money because I know when we are faithful to the mission, God will provide. But, money is important because money funds ministry. I plan to submit a request for a substantial grant for this parish to restart the ministries in the parish that were devastated by COVID. We need to grow and meet the needs of our youth, young adults, and the families of the parish. Faithfully achieving our small goal in this campaign will be repaid many-fold and give us what we need to restart ministries in our parish. May God bless us in our endeavors to show our faith in our good works.