I know there are times for me when I am at work where I can legitimately blame someone else for a mistake, but as the manager, I am ultimately responsible. So what should I do? I will take the blame for the issue with my superior. This has led to some tense conversations with my boss. Most times the boss knows who was responsible for the mistake. I will then work with the person who made the mistake in order to ensure it does not happen again.

We all have a belief system that we carry around with us. Some of us can be easily moved from what we consider our beliefs while others may be more resistant. The times where our belief systems are called into question are inevitably times of stress. We will react to these situations in different ways depending on what level of stress we are under. If there is little to no stress then it is easy to follow through on our beliefs. As the level of stress, usually determined by the consequences, increases it can become harder to stick to our belief system.

Imagine you were with the Jews in the desert looking for a drink and could find none. They certainly began questioning the belief they had in God while they were wandering the desert. They were so upset they began to take it out on Moses, asking him why they left Egypt if they were only going to die in the desert. They showed what happens when you question or lose your moral compass. Moses sticks with his belief in God and takes the problem to him for an answer. And as asked God come through for the Israelites.

We live in a stressful time that can be a strain on our beliefs and morals. Between the political circus, we have that is the primary season, unemployment, addiction, or relationship issues our lives can seem to wander aimlessly in the desert. We are like the Samaritan woman who comes to the well at noon. Noon was not the normal time to go since the early morning hours would be much cooler. Her life was a mess as we hear in the Gospel today. She questioned Christ from this point of view, yet he never once lost site of the fact she was a person worthy of saving. It was made apparent during her conversation that she was not talking to just any Jewish man. This man was special and offering the way to everlasting life. The one catch is she had to follow his teachings and believe in him. This meant changing her belief system.

We are called to do the same today. We do however have a much larger support system to enable us along this path. We have the two millennia of church teachings, the Bible that includes the teachings of Jesus, and more importantly, we have the capacity to have him within our hearts. The Eucharist becomes the food that Jesus tells the disciples about, that will satisfy.

Our beliefs and values are brought to us by our parents as they raise us. If we were raised in a Christian household we are generally raised with the Christian values of, assist the less fortunate, come to Mass on Sunday and spend time with family. If we were raised outside a Christian family many people are still raised with the same values, though some may be different.

As we grow and move from our families the beliefs that we were raised with can be adjusted or changed completely, depending upon the people we are surrounded by. If we work for a company that shows no compassion toward those less fortunate, we may soon believe that this is not something we are called to do. If we make friends with people who party, steal, and lie or cheat to get ahead we may begin to believe this is the way to get ahead in life. Of course, if we work for a company that supports those less fortunate, or hang around with friends who believe in telling the truth and working hard we will have our beliefs strengthened.

There is a lot of this transition between beliefs especially as we move from our elementary and middle school years into our high school and beyond years. This is the time where peer pressure can have either a negative or positive impact on our beliefs. I remember when I was in high school and college that my belief system was challenged in many different ways, unfortunately for me, I was negatively affected on a number of fronts. I partied too much and was not truthful in many of the things which I did. The consequences of these actions were not at all pleasant.

Fortunately, for me as I grew older, I realized the errors in my ways and began to try and live by the Christian values I was raised with. This allowed me over time to realize that it was not just the right thing to do so I could be a decent human being. I realized that I was called to do this not just by my parents and my godparents, but from a higher authority as well.

We hear from Paul today “For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly.” I was feeling helpless and alone during the times I was living opposed to the beliefs which I was raised with. When I began to come back to church and be with my family, the light bulb went on in my head that Christ truly is present in many ways and in different people who affect our lives. This realization came from someone who was on the peripheries of belief in Christ since I figured he had forgotten all about me and wanted nothing to do with me.

I hope none of you have experienced that in your life but understand that God does care and as Christians Paul reminds us that;

“Since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.”

This call is not only so that we Christians can stake our claim to eternal life, but that we are called by this to make sure we help as many other people, Christian or otherwise, attain their claim to eternal life. The folks here for their first scrutiny this weekend are staking their claim and by doing so will work to assist others as well.

When we leave today we all have not only the capability but the responsibility to assist others along this path, and if you lose your way find a peaceful place to bring yourself back to God for he will be waiting.