Homily for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
A few years ago, I received a book for Christmas called 1000 Places to See Before You Die; perhaps you’ve seen this book, which became a #1 New York Times Best Seller, or others like it. It really is a great big-picture travel book, but it is also a bit ambitious. After looking through the book, I found that I’ve only been to about a dozen of the places listed as must-sees – which leaves about 988 places to go, although I really doubt that I will ever sail along the Mekong River in Laos or stay at the Hotel la Mamounia in Morocco, two of the places listed as must-sees. But we can always dream.
What are your dreams? Catholic author and speaker Matthew Kelly encourages people to keep dream journals – lists of all of your dreams. Each year, Kelly has a dream meeting with his staff. Each person is supposed to come to that meeting with a list of 100 personal dreams, and the staff members sit around and listen to one another’s dreams. What are your dreams? Perhaps you would like to travel the world, visiting each of the sites listed in 1000 Places to See Before You Die. Or maybe one of your dreams is to have a quiet, argument-free Thanksgiving dinner for even just one year. What are your dreams?
The Sadducees in today’s gospel are trying to squash the most important vision, the most important dream that Jesus has to offer – the gift of the resurrection. As a group, the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, and so today they are trying to poke holes in what Jesus has been preaching by offering the scenario of a woman who marries seven brothers. But Jesus is quick to point out that their question does not even make sense if you really understand what resurrection is about – if you really understand that our God is the God of the living. The faith that Jesus offers us is a faith for the living, both before and after death; it is a faith that offers us resurrection, a faith that offers us the dream of heaven.
No matter how many of the 1000 Places to See Before You Die anyone actually visit, there is something better – something more – that we are each offered. What are your dreams? My first dream is to live so that I will be worthy of the gift of heaven. The other dreams are important, they certainly help us build the kingdom of God on this earth, but if we don’t dream of heaven, then this earth will surely disappoint.
4 comments:
Thanks for this great homily. We will encourage our kids to "dream big" when it comes to their faith and their life. Thanks for helping us to grow in our faith.
Bridget
Father Eric has done it again! He's given us a homily to remind us to dream. If we don't have a vision, how can we expect to truly live? To know God is to bring forth life. Living our dreams, while living a balanced Christ-centered life affords so much joy, goodness, kindness, peace, love, etc., that there will be no need for those "Thanksgiving" arguments.
Beth VDB told us of your blog...how wonderful and what a magnificent way to evangelize! Can't be present for your homily each week - but to catch up online is a wonderful treat....I know you are well and happy - joy is the ingredient so evident as I read....God is good...blessings - Sue Kern
The dream and hope of heaven has grown throughout my life and has become the major energy the last few years, and so it is good to hear how others dream a similar dream in today's hectic, materialistic culture. The Kingdom is now & yet-to-come and so we must be grounded in prayer and service to others while we wait for the ultimate dream, which is why I keep seeking & finding a community of believers here at OLPH who help each other to 'see' the dream by sharing with each other. My other 'dream' is to see that community of believers grow more and more. Thanks, Fr. Eric for 'refocusing' us again on our dream!
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