Homily for 12th week in ordinary time year c

When we were children, most of us heard the story of the little train that could. The little train had to get the toys over the mountain for the good children on the other side. While there may have been some hesitancy on the part of the little engine, because it had never been over the mountain, it decided it would go ahead and do this. The mantra became I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

We hear a lot of naysayers on a variety of issues these days, and many of them have come out and spouted their venom over the Orlando nightclub disaster. There have been diatribes from all sides describing what is wrong with this country and the world. We hear we need to control guns, as well as guns, don’t kill, people do. The course of boos issued in Congress after a moment of silence.

We hear today in the Gospel that Jesus knows how he will die and that there is nothing to do about it, but if you want to follow him you will need to pick up your cross and follow him on a daily basis. Do we pick up our cross and carry it or do we see others cross and belittle and berate them over the cross that they must bear? We are all called to worry about our cross so that if we carry our cross we will become an example of the people that will save the world.

Paul reminds us that we are all one by reminding those who were baptized that there exist no labels or discrimination. If you were with Christ, you were all Abrahams children and were on the way to salvation. We are being called to remind others, not just with our words, but with our actions, that all human life has an intrinsic value. This includes the unborn, the murderer, the disabled, the elderly and those who suffer significant illness. Their suffering is supposed to unite us as one to help overcome the hate that is prevalent. Many of the groups I just named can be seen as second-class citizens with no rights, but because they were born in the image and likeness of God the father they all have an intrinsic value.

We even hear in Zechariah that the Lord will pour out a load of grace and petition to mourn the one they have pierced. We are called to look after the least of these by Jesus, yet even his contemporaries had a hard time with this idea. While we may believe all of what I have said, many of us at one time or another will look at another person and determine that they are less than us just because they do not believe what we do.

Throughout history when there has been a louder and louder chorus of you are either with me or against me, we have seen some of the greatest atrocities known to man. We saw World War II began and was fought in essence because Hitler believed the only race capable of running the world was the Aryan race. We saw it again when Stalin killed so many of his countrymen simply because they disagreed with his policies, or programs. We saw it in our own country at Wounded Knee where American soldiers massacred many Native Americans.

We see it time and time again when we are told that our anger is justified and that we have a right not to respect the other person because their opinion is different than ours. The love and respect we are called on to show should have no boundaries. While we may not agree with a choice or opinion another may have, this does not give us the right to no longer love or respect them.

We have seen many times throughout the Bible where we are reminded of God’s mercy, from all of the chances that God extended to the Israelites even after they went against this mantra of love and respect. We see it in the New Testament where Jesus speaks to the woman at the well without judgment for her situation but simply reminds her the way she is called to live. We are all called to show this respect and love for each other.

While I completely understand the concept I am talking about is tough to follow in every interaction we have, I believe if I begin to practice this level of love and respect I can help more people than hurt them. I will continue to use the line the little engine does and tell myself I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

If I do this often enough over time I may be able to convert the statement to I knew I could; I knew I could. I honestly believe that during this time of people sewing discord and strife amongst entire groups of people the more individuals who begin acting with love, compassion and respect the better off our world will be.

We will start to listen to one another instead of talk over each other. By listening, we may find that a solution to these seemingly intractable issues of our time is right there in front of us, and by working together, we will be able to provide those solutions.

I know I will fail at this at times, but if I am a child of God, I know I need to pick up my cross continually and carry it to remind me of what Christ bore for me. Since I am a human failure will always be a looming prospect, but when I remind myself of Paul’s regards for labels, I will be able to carry on. In doing this, there is the possibility of finding the fountain that will purify me of sin and uncleanness.

As a father on this Father’s Day, I am asking all dads to do their best to enjoy their Father’s day and at the same time show the unequivocal love and respect, we are called to model. If we can start there, maybe, just maybe we will not need to continue talking about incidences like those in Orlando, and Boulder, and Stony Creek.