(The following is a homily given to the Enid Catholic Community on the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 9-27-15)
The readings today made me think of two things: Coffee and candlesticks. Hopefully, by the end of this homily, you’ll understand why… but I’m not promising anything.
First: Coffee
Our first reading and our Gospel today are very closely tied, because they present a similar problem in the text. This problem is that, in each instance, prophesy is seen to take place outside of the normal perimeters of the faith.
In the Book of Numbers (Nm. 11:25-29), we see God impart his spirit upon seventy elders, in order that the burden of leadership could be lightened for Moses. This same spirit gave the seventy the
The readings today made me think of two things: Coffee and candlesticks. Hopefully, by the end of this homily, you’ll understand why… but I’m not promising anything.
First: Coffee
Our first reading and our Gospel today are very closely tied, because they present a similar problem in the text. This problem is that, in each instance, prophesy is seen to take place outside of the normal perimeters of the faith.
In the Book of Numbers (Nm. 11:25-29), we see God impart his spirit upon seventy elders, in order that the burden of leadership could be lightened for Moses. This same spirit gave the seventy the ability to prophesy. Now, for scripture, to prophesy has specific connotations. If we look at the prophets in the Old Testament, to be a prophet meant more than simple “foretelling” - that is, predicting the future. Indeed, most often, what the prophets did could be better described as a “forth-telling” – a proclamation of what is true.[1]
Because this authority was considered a gift of God, it is understandable that when Eldad and Medad, those who were not with the gathering of the other elders, began to prophesy, the community would question whether or not they really did have the authority. Joshua, the man who would take Moses’ place as leader of the Israelites, goes so far as to tell Moses to stop them. But Moses answers: “Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!” (Nm 11:29).
Then in the Gospel (Mk 9:38-48), we see a mirror image of this. The apostles see someone outside their group driving out demons in the Name of Jesus, and so try to prevent them. This authority to prophesy – to be messengers of the truth – had not been explicitly given to this outsider, and so the fear that they may lead others astray – as well as probably a tinge of jealousy – drove the apostles to react negatively. But Jesus rebukes them, saying: “There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mk 9:39-40)
As I worked on this homily, I was visiting one of my favorite Enid attractions: “Five80” Coffeehouse. Five80 is a coffee house that desires to be a place with AMAZING coffee, an inviting atmosphere, and entirely focused on telling and showing the love of Christ to ALL.”[2] Now, I could make an argument that because Five80 Coffeehouse isn’t Catholic, and so doesn’t hold to every doctrine that we do, their their authority to proclaim the Good News is questionable. I could also become jealous at the fact that we don’t have a “catholic café” here in Enid, And I could become afraid of the fact that this non-denominational coffeehouse might lead people away from the Church. I could do that, and in so doing, I could shoot myself in the foot spiritually.
“Whoever is not against us is for us,” says Our Lord today. Knowing this liberates us from the chains of scrupulosity, jealousy and fear. It allows us to see that the Good News of Jesus Christ has the true authority in this situation – an authority that transcends our petty understandings of God’s Love for the world so that it can bring healing to the greatest and the least, the saint and the sinner.
So that’s Coffee… Now, Candlesticks.
Our second reading, from the Letter of St. James, speaks to the transitory nature of this world’s riches, and the fact that what we place our hope in will decay, while that which we condemn – righteousness for the sake of the Good News – is the only thing that can save us.
There’s something odd about this reading, though, that struck me as I was trying to understand it. Specifically, it is this line: “Your wealth has rotted away,… your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you.” (Jas. 5:2,3) What struck me was the line about precious metals. One of the main reasons why silver and gold have been found to be so valuable over the eons, other than the fact that they are more rare than, say, copper or tin, is that fact that these metals do not corrode. Sure, silver can tarnish, and gold, being as soft as it is, can get marred. But they tend to stand the test of time. What typically doesn’t stand that same test, are some alloys of metals. I’m thinking in a particular way about brass.
Brass is an alloy of metals, made up of copper and zinc, and is used predominantly for decorative purposes nowadays. One of the most common ways brass is used in churches is to imitate gold – brass that is brand new produces a beautiful sheen that nicely substitutes for the much more expensive gold alternative. The unfortunate thing about brass is that it will begin to corrode very quickly if it is not maintained. That’s why, when looking at old candlesticks, if they are not cleaned regularly, they are very dull, and often show signs of oxidation.
So, to say that “your gold and silver have corroded” speaks to the fact that gold and silver were not chosen in the first place. Instead, what was chosen was the “cheaper alternative,” the immediate gratification, the veneer of riches. Spiritually speaking, we can translate this to meant that the shiny brass of our faith – that we settled for because we were not willing to pay the price for the golden truth of the Gospel – will never last the destruction of sin and suffering. It will not stand the tests and the purgation that our faith must endure in order to be refined and purified. If our faith is comparable to brass, than it is no faith at all.
Well… there you have it. Coffee and candlesticks. The first shows us the importance of cooperation within the Body of Christ; the other shows us the necessity of real and solid faith. So maybe next time we drink that cup of java or light that scented candle in the living room, maybe we can take a moment to pray for these things. Maybe we can pray for the Truth of the Gospel to awaken our souls, so that we may be transformed by the same Gospel to light up the darkness from within and without. Maybe we will fulfill that impulse in us to become prophets ourselves, bring forth the truth of Love we have experience so that all the world may see it and believe.
