February 21, 2010 at Saint Mark Church in Norman, OK
Deuteronomy 26: 4-10 + Psalm 91 + Romans 10: 8-13 + Luke 4: 1-13
Something will happen this afternoon at 32nd and North Western in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Oklahoma City. It is a ritual that profoundly expresses the nature of our church. Adult Candidates for Confirmation seeking full communion with the Catholic Church and Catechumens from all over the western half of this state will present themselves to the Archbishop in his Cathedral Church. There he will welcome them one by one and then proclaim them to be one with us in faith.
It is a rite that marks the strongest and most clear distinction between Roman Catholicism and other Christian communions because we are one church who assemble around one Bishop who is the vicar of Peter’s successor in the city of Rome where Peter exercised his threefold ministry of teaching, sanctifying, and leading the Christians. We are not separate congregations scattered around who vaguely relate to one another by creed or confession when we need to and then act independently when it is more convenient.
Every year on the First Sunday of Lent, this rite takes place unseen to most of you unless you are a sponsor or a convert. Every year on the Tuesday of Holy Week, another Rite takes place with the whole church assembled for the Mass of Chrism when those holy oils are blessed and then divided among all the churches for use during the year with Anointing of the Sick, Baptism, and Confirmation. The presence of those oils there at the Baptistry is a visible reminder that we are part of one Church with one Bishop.
Every year after Easter, the Archbishop comes to this parish church as he does all the others to Confirm in Faith the young people we present to him as examples of faithful lives and service. I do not exercise that rite, the Archbishop does, because we are one church. Every time a couple comes to be married at Saint Mark or any other Catholic Church, the Archbishop is notified formally, and by a special document authorizes a local pastor to witness a Marriage in the name of the Church.
Every year in February we do something that expresses our faith and our commitment to this Church to which St Mark Parish belongs. It is a profession of faith and an acknowledgement that we believe that we belong, and that we are responsible for more than the parish of Saint Mark. It should be a matter of pride and of faith to accept a share in the responsibility for the support of the larger church, and for this reason, I present to you with no regret nor hesitation the envelopes and brochures you find now in the hymnal racks of your pew.
It is February and it is time to either renew your commitments made in the past, or for the first time to recognize what is your responsibility. Every week, you support the ministry of Saint Mark Parish with all its services, programs and administrative costs with insurance and utilities and repairs.
Every year, we do the same for the larger church, and now it is time.
If your circumstances make it impossible to do so this week, use the pledge card to do so later.
If your circumstances make it impossible to do as much as you did last year, do it anyway and see if God will make provide an opportunity to make up the difference. If you did nothing last year, this is the time to re consider why you fail to contribute to your church when God expects it. If you fill out the contribution portion of the brochure today, give it to me after Mass. If you take it home for use later; bring it next week or the week after and add it to your offering.
The brochure lists very clearly the principal ministries you will be supporting. Everyone one of them affects and strengthens those same ministries here at home. Without the support of the Archdiocesan offices, we would be left without great resources, information, and leadership. I trust every one of you to make certain that the larger church continues to provide what is needed for continuing the work of Christ Jesus.
In the desert of today’s Gospel, the temptations in each instance boil down to one thing: “Go it alone.” or “Do your own thing.” or “Take care of number 1” The temptations are subtle suggestions that Jesus should consider being someone other than what he is. He calls himself “Son of Man”. The Devil calls him “Son of God.” In both the first and third temptations, Jesus must decide whether he will save himself from suffering and death because he has the power to do so. The question then arises, does he use his power for himself or not? That is the root meaning of these tests. Luke ends by saying that Satan leaves Jesus for a “time”.
A final test is yet to come in Jerusalem while hanging on a cross when he will be tempted three times again to use his power to save himself. This is the still the test we all must face as followers of Jesus today.
Our culture offers endless possibilities for remaking ourselves with the priority on personal fulfillment and material success; but this not what we were created to be.We are not alone, isolated individuals. When Genesis says: He created them male and female – it means we were created into community and relationship. When one person eats an apple, all are affected by that decision. What we do and what we fail to do has consequences on others. This is how we live as Church and how we work together in a larger community than Saint Mark Parish or Norman, Oklahoma. Think of this please when you consider whether or not to pick up and use that envelope.