THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost 14 October 2012

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

Let us consider Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel: “Unless you see signs and wonders, you do not believe.” These words were spoken to a ruler who came to Jesus for the cure of his son. At first glance there seems to be some mistake. Obviously the ruler believes in Jesus – why else would he have come to Him? 

The ruler merited this remark because he believed that Jesus had to come to his son in order to heal him. He had not yet believed that Jesus is God and that God is everywhere and all powerful. We see in the Centurion who came seeking the cure of his servant that Jesus was ready to go with Him, but the Centurion would not allow it because he believed and was humble – declaring himself unworthy to receive Jesus into his home. “Only say the word and my servant will be healed.” This Centurion merited the words of Christ that He had not found such great faith in all of Israel. 

We too often deserve the rebuke of Jesus to the ruler, because we look for the physical presence of His Churches, rather than develop the mature faith that is required in our days to understand and believe that The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. It is only necessary for God to say the word and we may receive His grace even if we are far from a physical building or even far from a true priest. Many who have had the misfortune to fall into sin allow themselves to be tormented because it may be months or even a year before they might see a true priest again to be absolved from their sins. Many poor souls seek permission to go to heretic or schismatic priests for absolution which cannot be permitted unless they are in articulo mortis (at the point of death). Seeking Sacraments outside the Church seems reasonable to them because they have been digesting a constant stream of liberal indifferentism. Doctrine has become indifferent to many in society today; truth and error must be given equal place in our “democratic” society and thoughts. The stage is ready for the One World Religion. That new religion is seen very clearly as liberal indifferentism. Everyone is okay and every belief is okay. 

What then are these unfortunate souls to do once they have fallen? The Catechism lessons are still as valid today as they were in times past. It is clearly taught that when we have the misfortune to fall into sin we should make an Act of Contrition with a sincere purpose of amendment, resolving to confess when the opportunity presents itself. We should strive to make this Act of Contrition as perfect as possible – i.e. we should be sorry for our sin because it offends God whom we love. An imperfect Act of Contrition is when we are sorry because we are afraid of the punishment that our sins bring upon us. Imperfect contrition is sufficient for the validity of the sacrament of Penance, but the perfect one is always better, and the perfect one may obtain God’s pardon for us even outside the sacrament. 

Also, we should notice that while the world would honor the son of the Ruler rather than the servant of the Centurion, Jesus chooses to do just the opposite. God honors that which the world despises and God despises that which the world honors. We should remember to see in our fellow men the image of God and honor them in this light, not judging men of rank and distinction to be better than the poor man just because the world has honored him. If we consider the rich man Dives and the poor man Lazarus we see that God places His love in those who suffer in this life rather than in those who do not suffer. The poor and humble are honored and elevated, while the rich and mighty are humbled and brought low. 

Saint Francis chose to be poor and humble and even despised by the world so that he might follow more closely in the holy poverty and humility of Christ. He unites his invitation to us with Christ’s to honor the poor and humble, and the childlike rather than the haughty rich and powerful of this world. May we never despise God’s favorite ones and always seek to become such as these are – if not poor in material things at least may we become poor in spirit and never become attached to the things of this earth. In this spiritual poverty we will find the strength to bear patiently our crosses and develop a more mature faith that will win the praise, not of men, but rather of God.