Fr Jack SJ MD: Standing at the Foot of the Cross: Homily for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 66:10-14c

Psalm 66: 1-3,4-5,6-7, 16, 20

Gal 6:14-18

Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

The reading from Galatians consists of the last four verses of the letter.

As such, it functions as a summary of Paul’s message. The reading begins with the well known statement:

“But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,

through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.”

In just a few words Paul described the radical change brought about by Jesus’ crucifixion: change in the universe, change in the world, change in Paul himself, and, one hopes, change in us who responded to Jesus' summons: "Follow me."

Paul’s sentiments are neither surprising nor out of step with his other writings.

The verse recalls Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians where he wrote: “I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships,

persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The late Jesuit scripture scholar Fr. Stanley Marrow frequently reminded

students at Weston Jesuit School of Theology--he had to because they continually forgot--that Paul’s theology began at the foot of the cross and no where else. We must always recall that our lives as Christians is lived

at the foot of the cross, the shameful, insulting, degrading and scandal causing

instrument of Jesus' death.

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius begin at the foot of the cross. In the first exercise of the first week one is given the instruction: “Imagine Christ our Lord

suspended on the cross before you, and converse with Him in a colloquy. . . .

Reflect on yourself and ask: What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ” What ought I to do for Christ?”

We are born as Christians at the foot of the cross, not at the feet of the Risen Jesus, not at the entry to the empty tomb. We are born as Christians at the foot of the cross, not gazing up at Jesus as he ascends, not standing alongside Jesus

as he heals the sick, nor sitting next to Jesus as he repeats the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount.

We are born at the foot of the cross on which Jesus hung in agony, the cross on which he was an embarrassment to those who followed him. It was his same Jesus who sent the disciples out on missionwith detailed instructions on dress, baggage, accommodations, how to comport themselves in the towns and homes in which they stayed. He also instructed them in what to do if they were rejected

or their message was ridiculed. Accommodating their message to conform with message of those who ridiculed it was not among the options. Some things must remain non-negotiable.

There is an endearing quality in the group's reactions as they returned

from their mission. “ . . . rejoicing and amazed that even the demons were subject to them because of Jesus’ name.”

Healing another is exhilarating no matter if one is a junior medical student on his or her first rotation, or a white-haired physician with decades of experience.

The description of the return of the seventy-two suggests a group of medical students returning from their first day on the wards, babbling on and on to each other about what they saw, did, and learned.

Would the disciples have acted differently, or been less effective, had they known that the one to whose name demons were subject, the one from whom they received their mission, was going to die the shameful death reserved for the lowest of criminals? We know that their behavior when Jesus was crucified

was less than admirable. Would they have been disillusioned had they known what was to come? Would they have preferred a Jesus who was a political-social activist, a military liberator from Roman domination, or the kind of all around nice guy who never challenged their assumptions about their own goodness and and for whom anything was acceptable if it could be framed in the language of love?

We cannot afford to be ashamed of Jesus’ death on the cross and all that grew from it. We cannot minimize the horror of that death. We cannot replace the reality of Jesus' death with something more palatable to modern or post-modern sensibilities.

It is the crucified Jesus who is the center of the mystery of faith.

It is in the name of the crucified Jesus that the Church preaches,

It is under the sign of the crucified Jesus that the Church heals the sick,

comforts the sorrowing, ministers to the poor, and absolves us of our sins.

If we remain at the foot of the cross asking the three questions from the colloquy:

What have I done for Christ?

What am I doing for Christ?

What ought I to do for Christ?

we can proclaim with the psalmist:

"Hear now, all you who fear God,

while I declare what he has done for me. . . ."

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Over the past months I have been going through thousands of photos as I move everything from a collection of USB drives, one of which is on its last legs, to a solid state drive that has a much larger capacity and a much smaller footprint such that it resides in a pouch glued to the laptop. I can pull out the program to edit whenever needed. The photos below are from 13 years ago. I took them during the eight-day retreat I made at St. Joseph Abbey in Spencer. The retreat ended two days before I pronounced solemn vows in the Society of Jesus on 1 October 2013. It was a perfect retreat. Indeed, it is unlikely I will ever make another retreat there. No way could I recapture the perfection of all its dimensions. I go out to visit two of the monks who have been friends for decades but I no longer need to stay over.

The Salve window. It is lit from behind so that it is visible in the winter dark. Compline is sung at Spencer at about 7:30 PM. Well after dark in New England after DST ends.