Father Rick Bolte's Homily

B:26th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

As most of you probably have heard, Pope Benedict has name this year the year of the priest. Partially because of that, there has been a good bit of writing about the ordained priesthood and how it is different than the priesthood of the people. There’s been concern expressed that the two have become blurred and it is not clear who the ordained priest is. (I always say it’s the guy in the colored dress standing in front at church on Sundays).

Those here who remember the pre-Vatican II church will recall that most Catholics approached Mass as what Catholics were supposed to do along with financially supporting the church. The priests and sisters were the ones who were left with the actual work of the church. Some of this attitude still remains in the church. Some people still have some of this idea and complain that Mass is too boring: the homilies don’t speak to them, the sound system didn’t work well, or someone nearby distracted them with their behavior. They wonder why they should come to Mass since they don’t get anything out of it. This is very understandable if what you are primarily expecting is private prayer time or personal inspiration.

In our first reading from the Book of Numbers, we see Moses sharing his spirit with the seventy elders.  When Joshua complains, Moses asserts that it would be great if everyone shared in God’s Spirit. This sharing in God’s Spirit is why at our baptism we are anointed as priest, prophet and king like Christ. We all share in the Spirit by our baptism. Infused with this Spirit we are called to bring the presence of Christ to the world in which we live. We live not for ourselves but we have a mission according to God’s will. 

This has profound influence on our approach to Mass. We begin by recognizing how we, despite even our best efforts, have not shared the fruits of the Spirit with others throughout the week. In the Penitential Rite we acknowledge our limits and sin and beg for God’s mercy. This is not just about individual sin but the larger sin as we fail in the ministry Christ gave us toward each other. After whatever challenge or support we hear from God’s word in the readings and homily, we again are to choose to give ourselves as Christ to all God’s people. At the offertory the bread and wine, representing our lives, is placed upon the altar. We pray that our offering of ourselves, limited as it is, may be acceptable to God. In the Eucharistic Prayer we call upon the Spirit to transform us to become one with the presence of Christ. This is the presence we receive in Communion. Christ becomes one with us as the host is consumed and become an inseparable part of our body. At the end of the Mass we are sent into the world united with Christ to be God’s presence to all we meet. Our primary mission, as members of the lay priesthood, is to the community of the world. We are God’s presence transforming the world into the kingdom of God.

This mission to the world is why Jesus says in today’s gospel that John should not try to stop someone driving out demons in Jesus’ name even though he is not of their company. While the ordained priesthood is focused on the Catholic community, the Catholic community has the greater responsibility of bringing the world into unity with Christ. We come to Mass not so much for ourselves but for our ministry. Through Mass we celebrate our unity with Christ and, as if getting our batteries recharges, we go forth reinvigorated for our mission. Let us not embrace our oneness with Christ as we are renewed in our ministry.