Twenty Third Sunday September 9, 2007

Wisdom 9:13-18 Psalm: 90 Philemon 9-17 Luke 14 : 25-33

Give me a wise heart

1. If you want to build a Tower, if you want to attack a neighboring King. Two unlikely experiences in your life and mine. And yet, they are stories to make us think. If I have a project, I first must check whether I have a) the time b) the money, c) the ability - otherwise it is doomed for failure. Having ascertained these, I must make a decision, Jesus tells me.

Each Sunday, I have the opportunity to reflect on my life just like the person in the Gospel would build a tower.

as a priest: I must be a man of prayer, compassion, centered on Jesus, and you.

as parents: you provide food, clothing, shelter for your family and a full life

as students: it your class, your parents, you friends, your God.

You and I must make a choice, a decision. It is not a matter of guessing what is behind Door #1, or Door #2 or Door #3.

2. Story: A man inherited $5 million. But he had to receive it in South America , either in Chile or Brazil. He chose Brazil. If he had chosen Chile he would have had land which was rich in Gold, Uranium or Silver. In Brazil, he had rich coffee beans. However, there was a blight, and he lost all his money. He had to chose between returning to New York or Boston. He thought of the crime in NY, so he chose Boston. When he arrived at the airport, he found that the plane to NY was a beautiful 747, with red carpet and all the accessories. The plane to Boston, was an old DC-10 which took hours to load and it was going via Peru. During the interminable flight, he was so sick, he asked the pilot to give him a parachute he was going to risk a jump. The pilot gave him the best looking parachute. He jumped and the chute opened only to find the chute material had been in shred eaten by moths. So he prayed: St. Francis help me. Suddenly a hand came from the skies and gripped him. And a voice was heard : St. Francis Xavier or St. Francis of Assisi?

3. When it comes to following Jesus, it is not a guessing game. You want to follow me then you pick up your cross daily. But Jesus has walked the path before you and you will not go alone. You just have to hold on to hands of Jesus. Jesus tells us that there will choices that will made in following Jesus. There will be Family and friends, there will be possessions.

St. Ignatius of Loyola tells us that none of these are bad, but none of them are in themselves good. They have all to be view under the “LENSES” of - is it for the Greater Glory of God. If they are then walk or journey with them, if they are not, they are to be left alone. Once again the story of Building a Tower, or raising an Army.

4. And so in RESPONSE we say: Lord teach me so that I might have a wise heart. The wise heart is

not knowing your multiplication tables

not knowing the capitals of all the Provinces in Canada

not knowing Nuclear physics

but rather a wise heart is one that chose right over wrong, one that is compassionate, one that asks for what we need, one that is satisfied with what we have, one that can rejoice with the good fortunes of others.

5. In our second letter, although he does not use a “Wise Heart”, Paul writes to his friend Philemon to ask him to forgive the runaway slave: Onesimus. Paul writes with respect, with a personal touch, and with a pleading heart. He respects Philemon’s right to choose, the only pressure is the pressure of love and friendship. Paul does not make any comment on the morality of Slavery. He was writing at a time, when Slavery was a way of life, like Smoking is today. He simply counts on the generosity and good nature of a friend.

Jesus invites us to follow him. The choice is ours. We walk through life with family and possessions. As long as Family encourage you in your choice and determination to follow the Lord, they should be embraced and loved. As long as you own the possessions, and these material things do not possess you, use them for the Greater Glory of God.