THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost 9 September 2012

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

In this life we often experience mystically or symbolically things that will take place on higher levels. The physical death that we see so very often in this life should waken our consciences to the terrible reality of the death of soul that takes place with the commission of mortal sin. The beauty and wonders of this life should excite within us a burning desire for the eternal beauty and wonder of eternal life in heaven. The pain, agony, and misery in this life should turn our thoughts to the suffering of the damned in hell or to the poor souls in Purgatory.

The occurrence in today’s gospel turns our thoughts to the Resurrection. It is interesting to note that the gospel tells us that Jesus had mercy on the widow mother (not so much the dead man). The dead man was given another chance in life, not because he deserved it, but rather because his mother’s misery touched the heart of God. Very often we receive a resurrection of sorts when we return from our sins to the life of grace. At this moment of our spiritual joy it would be good for us to recall the passages in today’s gospel. We who were dead in sin have done nothing to deserve or merit this grace. It is due to the prayers and sacrifices of others that God has had compassion on us and restored spiritual life to us so that we may begin again.

It is easy to become overwhelmed with the joy of clearing our consciences and forget to give thanks and praise to God; but perhaps even more often we forget to show our appreciation to those who truly love us and have seen us lost in the depths of sin and poured out their hearts to God in prayers and sacrifices on our behalf! More often than not we will discover that the saints in Heaven are there because of the prayers and sacrifices of others. The tears, prayers, and sacrifices of mothers and fathers greatly touch the heart of God. St. Augustine attributes his conversion to the merits of his sainted mother. If it were not for the constant prayers and tears of St. Monica, there never would have been a St. Augustine.

Pastors also as spiritual fathers often pray and sacrifice for their spiritual children and every penitent should realize the gratitude that they owe to their confessors and pastors. We also have religious orders dedicated to lives of prayer and sacrifice and have obtained many graces for sinners which will only be known in heaven. This listing of our spiritual benefactors that we owe so much gratitude to, will not be complete unless we also include our guardian angels, patron saints, other saints to whom we may have some spiritual tie to as well as relatives and loved ones who also may be interceding for us from eternity.

Returning to St. Augustine we learn that it is a duty for parents to offer these prayers and sacrifices for their children, and if they should fail in this their own salvation falls into jeopardy. This duty to pray and sacrifice for one another also applies to spiritual parents and in general to each and every one of us. We are all called upon to love one another and to be our brother’s keeper. We must seek and work for the salvation of all of God’s children. It is true that not all will be saved and perhaps even that it will only be a few, but if we neglect to love, pray and sacrifice for these souls we see going astray we may be found lacking on the day of judgment. To love our neighbor as we love ourselves implies that we pray and offer sacrifices for them as we would for ourselves. It may be that our greatest joy in heaven will be in the souls united with us to God in Heaven through the merits we have gained for them.

If we can think of no one personally that we should be praying and sacrificing for we can always make a general offering and prayer for sinners. A beautiful practice is to place all the merits of these prayers and sacrifices in the hands of our Blessed Mother, entrusting her to apply or distribute according to her good pleasure. Mary as our most loving and concerned mother, knows best where and how to make use of all our good works and prayers. Jesus could not refuse to show His mercy and kindness to the widow mother in today’s gospel, so much the more will He be inclined to show His mercy and kindness towards all whose cause His mother takes in hand.

May we always be grateful for the grace of penance and the restoration to spiritual life that has been merited for us by others, and let us never forget to do the same for each other.