25th Sunday in Ordinary Time - September 23, 2018 (Deacon Jim Thill)

 

The 5 Sundays of September…in the 2nd reading from St. James…

                                   we are provided us with an amazing series of right things to do:

    1st… “Be doers of the word.”

    2nd… “Show no partiality.”

    3rd… “May our faith be evident in our works.”

    4th… TODAY “Cultivate peace.”

    5th… “The right use of our time, talent, and treasure.”

 

Do we have the “presence of mind?”

    -the presence of mind can be defined as “the ability to do or say the right thing.”

        -can also be understood as knowing in our mind the right thing to do

             and therefore able to do the right thing.

 For example…going way back in my life…

    -we were expecting our first child.

       -he decided it was time to make his grand entrance.

          -Sandy and I were with my mom and dad.

             -Sandy called her doctor who told her to get to the hospital as soon as possible

                                                                                                    and he would meet her there.

                -I had never done this before and I was a nervous wreck…

                                               I didn’t know if I was on foot or horseback.so to speak.

                    -Sandy on the other hand was calm, cool, and collected.

                        -I think my dad was concerned whether I could drive or even find the hospital…

                                                                so he asked us, “Do you want me to go with you?”

                           -I said, “No. I’ll just take Sandy.”

                                -I was really, really nervous but I had the presence of mind to know

                                                                                            I needed to take Sandy.

Do we have the “presence of mind?”

    -knowing in our mind the right thing to do and therefore able to do the right thing.

 

In Scripture today we hear we are to “Cultivate Peace.”

    and we hear just how we can do that.

 

GOSPEL:   (Mark 9:30-37)

   -the disciples have been arguing who among them was the greatest.

       -when asked what they were arguing about…they remain silent.

            usually they have things to say…but now the cat has there tongue so to speak.

   -Jesus tells them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be last of all and the servant of all.

        -when we are servants…when we have a servant attitude…

                              when we have a servant heart…we cultivate peace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

READING 1:   (Wisdom: 2:12, 17-20)

   -the wicked demand a testing of the son of God to prove his gentleness and peace.

       -now gentleness and peace can be relatively easy when times are good.

         -gentleness and peace can be more difficult in the not so good times.

   -what makes gentleness and peace shine brightly and give glory to God

                                                                       is the not so good times.

 

   -whenever we allow our gentleness and peace to shine brightly…

         in the good times and the not so good times…we cultivate peace.

 

READING 2:   (James 3:16-4:3)

   -I heard a preacher say, “Heaven’s first law is order.”

       -in another words in heaven evening is in good order…everything is right and just.

   -James tells us to avoid all that causes disorder…

                                                         and gives us a long list of things that breed disorder.

  -James calls us to cultivate peace.

       -how do we cultivate anything…flowers…vegetables…even grass?

          -we plant seed…we control weeds…we water…we fertilize…and we harvest.

 

   -so when we plant the seeds of love and truth with our words and actions…

        -when we control the weeds of disorder James speaks of…

             -when we are agents of the water of God’s grace…

                  -when we fertilize with prayer…reading scripture…activity in the Church…

                      -when we serve with servant hearts

                          -we will harvest peace.

                             -in these ways we cultivate peace.

 Then we will have the presence of mind…to know in our minds…believe in our hearts…

      live with our lives…the things of God…and thereby live as missionary disciples…

           CULTIVATING PEACE.