Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Homily)

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Homily)

September 13, 2015 11:00 am  · Deacon Rick Nevins

Homilies, Ordinary Time

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I have a little bit of a confession to make. Don't worry it is nothing scandalous. I am a bit of an introvert. It's difficult for me to step into different situations, to meet new people, to mingle. Especially with people I don't already know. It's my nature. Unless I am already comfortable, or maybe there is an urgent need, I tend to sit back and watch, observe before I make any statements or before I take any action. Along with that, it also bothered me that when I meet someone new, the question that's normally asked is, "What do you do?" As if what somebody does for a living somehow determines who a person is. It has always bothered me.

The expected response is, I am a mechanic, or I am a lawyer, I am a plumber, or I am a law enforcement officer. How I am tempted to reply is "What do I do? I follow Christ in his church. I strive to live a virtuous life through frequent reception of the sacraments and staying close to God in prayer. I try to help alleviate the suffering of others through corporal and spiritual act of mercy and fight injustice by staying informed and engaged in my community. Unfortunately I am a sinner, I fail from time to time. But by God's grace and His mercy, I get up and I try again. What about you? What do you do?