Two Questions

HOMILY NOTES

FR. TERRY RYAN, CSP

MARK 1: 21-28

JANUARY 28, 2018

What made Jesus change his lifestyle and work so dramatically, going from small town carpenter, to a renowned teacher and healer?  I suspect that he might have asked the two questions that each of us need to ask if we want to become all God made us to be.  What questions?  Both questions are asked of God.  First question: “Who are you?”  The second question will not be asked until an intimate relationship is developed from the answer to the first question.  The catechism will tell you who God is, but that does not seem to build a sufficient relationship to transform your life to its fullest.  It is an answer for the mind, but not for the heart.  

Jesus realized that his God was one of unconditional love, compassion and forgiveness.  Jesus felt a oneness with his God, who was not up in the clouds, but in Jesus’ very essence of his being.  He and God were one in Love.  God is Love.  With that, Jesus can ask the second question.  This question is never asked by anyone who has merely a catechism answer as to the first question.  Second question for Jesus: “What do you want of me?”  In other words, how do I live out this relationship of Love?  This got Jesus out of the carpentry business and into his more central purpose as an incarnate, human being.  Jesus was going to express publicly, this love union he has with the God he calls “Father.”  

Well, now for us.  “The Kingdom of God is in your midst,” says Jesus.  Where might that be?  In each one of us, but it will stay hidden and unexpressed, unless we ask the two questions, and get beyond the catechism.  If we don’t have an in-depth relationship with God, as did Jesus, we won’t get beyond our egos which are always asking, “What is in this for me?”  If your prayer life is a series of negotiating with God the heavenly gatekeeper, to keep us out of hell and get into heaven, the kingdom of God will be rather mute and hidden as Jesus expressed it.  So the first thing God may want of you is to get those evil spirits driven from you.  Like what? Try selfishness, sloth, envy, lust, false-pride and self-pity.  Jesus never whined.