Being Christian is Risky Business

BEING CHRISTIAN IS RISKY BUSINESS
Homily for the Third Sunday of Lent Year A
​Presented at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Albany, NY    

    Did you ever wonder what Jesus did for fun? It seems like he was always working. What did he do in his spare time? Did he play any games? Did he joke around with his friends? Did he make people laugh? The Gospel of Thomas reports that, as a young boy, Jesus liked to play tricks on his friends.
    I have often wondered if Jesus was a creative thinker. He must have had a wild imagination. How else could he preach about water that gives life, eternal life? What motivated him to promote peace, justice, loving kindness for everyone? 
    The overarching theme in the gospels is that Jesus, while working miracles, was always on the run. He ate with sinners, he healed on the sabbath, he was comfortable with strangers and even the devil. It seemed like he almost enjoyed going out of his way to deliver a his message of peace and hope.
    Todays gospel (John 4:5-42) is a good example. That most scripture scholars question if the story ever happened, does not really matter. It is, after all, an enticing tale. Two strangers meeting at an historic well. Neither one was supposed to be there alone with the other. In fact, Jesus told his disciples not to enter any town of the Samaritans (Matt 10:5). So why did he go there? What was his agenda?
    Inside this intriguing and familiar story is a new awakening for both Jesus and the woman, Philomena by name. Traditionally the commentary says Jesus changed the woman’s heart by offering her living water. However, Philomena also changed his heart.  Clearly, Jesus is causing a what social scientists today would call a cultural subversion. With this story the evangelist John was promoting new roles for women in his community. What a great idea on International Women’s Day — the celebration of women’s gifts and achievements!
    Jesus grew in his confidence that his promise of peace and justice was essential in the lives of all people including enemies. The woman in this story wanted a piece of that promise. She wanted to “draw water from the well of the kingdom of God.”
    Philomena (the name means “strongly beloved”) learned quickly, however, that to find peace and harmony in her life would demand a personal transformation — like being cleansed in fresh water, being raised up from a pure stream to new life. By drinking deeply of living water she would no longer be spiritually dehydrated.
    Jesus gave Philomena a gentle nudge and she accepted his challenge with open arms. He saw in her not an enemy nor an immoral woman. No, he saw someone who, if given a chance could become who she really was. Isn’t that what we want for one another? A chance to be who we are truly meant to be in the world without fear of retribution or unwarranted criminal investigation or unjust incarceration.
    I look at Jesus and his mission through the lens of a creative process that is used by many imagineers — composers, writers, poets, designers, educators, social workers — those who think outside the box in order to create something brand new and exciting that will support spiritual and psychological well-being.
    Jesus was an imagineer. He saw things in new ways as he grew in his understanding of his purpose in life. It was a slow learning curve for Jesus but that’s the way it works with God. We have to let God’s calling come to us. We won’t win if we try to control God's endgame. In the Book of Exodus (Ex 17:3-7) the Israelites did not like God’s plan for them. That was a mistake.
    When Jesus discovered who he was to be he was emboldened by his mission. He went about carrying out God’s plan for humanity.  In doing so, Jesus was not afraid to challenge the status quo especially rulers of his time. He disturbed them by reminding them of their pretentious behavior, their cruel actions against others, their disregard for human rights, their pursuits of possessions, and their vengeful conduct towards those who resisted their power.
    Jesus often looked at his followers to see who was willing to take risks to preach his brand of religion. He established a network of eager influencers to join his campaign. These would be people he could count on to spread the gospel. That missionary band grew with time. Philomena was among them.
    The new archbishop of New York, Ronald Hicks, in his inaugural sermon said “the church doesn’t exist as a club that serves its own members. It exists for the mission” He said: We are called to be missionary disciples who go out and make [other] disciples.”    
    Networking with one another is a helpful strategy as we grieve over what is happening in our country and throughout the world. Together we can carry vessels of living water at times when we wonder even if hope alone is a sufficient strategy. In the Letter to the Romans (Rom: 5:1-2,5-8) Paul wrote hope does not disappoint. But it is hard to have hope in times like these. 
    Two weeks ago, in his homily, Fr. John Kirwin said Lent was like a rite of passage. We should take advantage of what it is being offered to us, he said. It is an invitation to explore who we are called to be. 
    Traditionally, Lent is a season for giving things up and taking things on. Today we find it to be a time of initiation, reconciliation and renewal; a time also for each of us to find out who we are really called to be, to see life in new ways, to bridge traditions with new visions, and to challenge the status quo to right the wrongs in society. In doing so we realize that being Christian today is risky business.