Homily for Tuesday, 16 December 2014– Ferial

Tuesday of the 3rd Week in Advent

Readings of the day: Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13; Psalm 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19, 23; Matthew 21:28-32

Who has the most to gain through our celebration of Advent? For whom is God’s transformation of our world; God’s readying us for the return of Jesus Christ in glory, good news?

Our readings today from Zephaniah and Matthew sound like anything but good news. Zephaniah sharply criticizes the people of a “rebellious and polluted… tyrannical city” (presumably Jerusalem). This city will be destroyed and its elites exiled. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells a strange parable about one son of a vineyard owner who refuses to work in his father’s vineyard but then agrees to go; and another son who agrees to work but then does not go.

The religious leaders of Jesus’ time, like the arrogant elites of Jerusalem to whom Zephaniah speaks, missed the key question that Zephaniah and then Jesus were asking: For whom will God’s presence among us be good news? Who will gain or lose most by God’s transformation of the world; readying of the world for the coming to fullness of God’s kingdom?

Let us frame these questions in terms of our contemporary society: Who has the most to gain or to lose in God’s readying of our world for the coming to fullness of God’s kingdom; for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ?

I am continually amazed at the depth of faith and joy of the poor, the homeless, the sick, and others in most need. For the last few months I have been presiding about every six weeks at Sunday Mass at House of Mercy. The people at the House of Mercy are grateful just for Sunday Mass; a chance to sing praise to God for the little they have. I have had this same experience in serving among the poor elsewhere, particularly in Colombia and in Windsor and Toronto, Canada among migrants and refugees.

Here at St. Kateri Parish, many of us give generously to people in need. Our Giving Tree and food baskets are examples of this. And so I am not saying that we must be materially poor or otherwise needy to gain most by God’s readying of our world for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, which we celebrate in Advent.

I am saying, though, that from my experience the poor; the homeless; the sick; those in need see most readily the joy of this Advent season; this preparation to celebrate Christmas. They and those of us who stand with them; in solidarity with those in need have the most to gain by God’s transformation of the world in preparation for Christ’s return in glory. I think this is at the heart of Zephaniah’s prophecy of the remnant who will remain to experience God’s joy of the city cleansed and rebuilt. This is at the heart of Jesus’ message: Those most in need; those of lowest social status; even the most hated, “the tax collectors and prostitutes” will see the kingdom of heaven first.

They and those who stand with them will experience God’s kingdom; Christ’s return most as good news. Are we among the people who will also welcome the fullness of God’s kingdom most as good news?