TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
AUGUST 16, 2020
MAY THE PEOPLE PRAISE THEE O GOD? MAY ALL THE PEOPLE PRAISE THEE?
A FEW YEARS AGO IN A LETTER ON THE EUCHARIST POPE JOHN PAUL II SPOKE OF THE CHURCH OF THE EUCHARIST. HE SPOKE OF THE AMAZEMENT THAT SHOULD FILL THE CHURCH ASSEMBLY WHENEVER WE CELEBRATE THE EUCHARIST.
MOSES WAS FILLED WITH AMAZEMENT WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THE LIVING GOD WAS PRESENT IN THE BURNING BUSH. MOSES WAS SO OVERWHELMED WITH GOD’S PRESENCE THAT HE WAS CONSUMED WITH A DESIRE TO WORSHIP THE LIVING GOD. HIS ENTIRE MISSION IN THE DESERT FOR 40 YEARS WAS TO IMPRESS ON THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL THAT GOD WAS PRESENT AND THAT THEY WERE TO WORSHIP HIM.
THEY SAW THE SHEKINHA, THE GLORIOUS PRESENCE OF GOD ALWAYS BEFORE THEM—THEY WERE PROTECTED BY THAT PRESENCE THROUGH THE CLOUD BY DAY AND THE PILLAR OF FIRE BY NIGHT THAT HUNG OVER THE CAMP IN THE DESERT.
WORSHIP IS IMPORTANT TO GOD. HE CHOSE AN ENTIRE TRIBE OF ISRAEL, THE TRIBE OF LEVI, TO BE IN CHARGE OF WORSHIP. THE PRIESTS WERE CHOSEN FROM THE TRIBE OF LEVI. THE OTHER ELEVEN TRIBES WERE TO SUPPORT THE TRIBE OF LEVI.
IN THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY AND THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS WE READ THE BLUE PRINTS OF HOW GOD WANTS TO BE WORSHIPPED. THERE ARE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE BUILDING OF THE TABERNACLE, THE TENT, THE SACRED VESSELS, THE VESTMENTS, THE ALTARS OF SACRIFICE, THE ARC OF THE COVENANT, AND FINALLY THE MAGNIFICENT TEMPLE OF SOLOMON IN JERUSALEM.
IN THE GOSPEL TODAY THERE IS A FASCINATING ENCOUNTER BETWEEN JESUS AND THE CANAANITE WOMAN THAT MEETING OF JESUS WITH THE GENTILE WOMAN SHOWS HOW UNIVERSAL THE CONCEPT OF WORSHIP IS. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT THIS WOMAN KNELT DOWN BEFORE JESUS AND CALLED HIM LORD. THIS WAS AN ACT OF WORSHIP. JESUS PRAISED HER FAITH AND HEALED HER DAUGHTER.
IT IS A REALITY OF LIFE THAT A PERSON CAN RISE NO HIGHER THAN WHAT HE WORSHIPS. IF WE WORSHIP MATERIAL IDOLS WE WILL NEVER RISE TO ANYTHING HIGHER THAN MATERIAL IDOLS. ANYONE WHO DOES NOT WORSHIP GOD AND HIM ONLY WILL FAIL TO REACH THE HIGHEST AND GREATEST IN LIFE BECAUSE THE TRUE GOD IS SUPREME OVER ALL.
WHEN A HUMAN BEING ALLOWS GOD TO BE GOD WHAT HAPPENS? SUDDENLY HE DISCOVERS THAT THERE IS A SOURCE OF PERFECT TRUTH, PERFECT GOODNESS AND PERFECT BEAUTY. IT IS A REALITY OF LIFE THAT A PERSON CAN RISE NO HIGHER THAN WHAT HE WORSHIPS.
ON APRIL 12, 1961, 27 YEAR OLD SOVIET COSMONAUT AND AIR FORCE TEST PILOT YURI GAGARIN BECAME THE FIRST MAN EVER TO GO INTO SPACE.
AFTER THE SPACE FLIGHT THE OFFICIAL ATHEIST SOVIET PROPAGANDA MACHINE ANNOUNCED THAT GAGARIN HAD SAID: I LOOKED AND LOOKED AND LOOKED, BUT I DIDN’T SEE GOD. BUT THAT WAS A LIE. HE NEVER SAID THAT. PREMIER NIKITA KRUSCHEV, AN AVOWED ATHEIST, HAD ORDERED THE STORY.
THE RUSSIAN JOURNALIST ANTON PERVUSHIN WAS A CLOSE FRIEND OF YURI GAGARIN. IN HIS BOOK, “180 MINUTES THAT CHANGED THE WORLD” THE JOURNALIST CONFIRMED THAT GAGARIN HAD NEVER UTTERED THE INFAMOUS PHRASE ABOUT NOT SEEING GOD IN SPACE.
ANTON PERVUSHIN SAID, “IN FACT, GAGARIN SHOULD BE REMEMBERED FOR COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORDS. I ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YURI GAGARIN SAID: ‘AN ASTRONAUT CANNOT BE SUSPENDED IN SPACE AND NOT HAVE GOD IN HIS MIND AND IN HIS HEART.’”
THE FORMER PREMIER OF THE SOVIET REPUBLIC, NIKITA KRUSCHEV WAS CONVINCED THAT RELIGION WAS VANISHING FROM THE WORLD. HE BELIEVED THAT IN HIS LIFETIME HE WOULD SHAKE HANDS WITH THE LAST ORTHODOX PRIEST.
NIKITA KRUSCHEV IS DEAD AND TODAY ORTHODOX PRIESTS REGULARLY SPRINKLE HOLY WATER ON RUSSIAN SPACE ROCKETS AHEAD OF LIFTOFF.
MAYBE THE LEADERS IN RUSSIA ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THAT A PERSON CAN RISE NO HIGHER THAN WHAT HE WORSHIPS. PERHAPS THE LEADERS RUSSIA ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW AND WESTERN CIVILIZATION CANNOT BE SO EASILY CANCELLED.
MOSES SAID TO THE PEOPLE IN THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY, IF YOUR HEART TURNS AWAY AND YOU DO NOT OBEY, BUT ARE LED ASTRAY AND BOW DOWN TO OTHER GODS AND SERVE THEM, I TELL YOU TODAY THAT YOU WILL CERTAINLY PERISH; I CALL HEAVEN AND EARTH TODAY TO WITNESS AGAINST YOU:
IS HEAVEN WITNESSING AGAINST US TODAY BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF WORSHIP? IS HEAVEN WITNESSING AGAINST US TODAY BECAUSE OF HOW WE ARE PROFANING THE SABBATH?
MOSES KNEW HUMAN NATURE. HE KNEW THAT PEOPLE WILL WORSHIP SOMETHING. IF THEY DID NOT WORSHIP THE ONE TRUE GOD THEY WOULD WORSHIP A FALSE GOD.
WHEN THE COMMUNIST PARTY IN THE SOVIET UNION ELIMINATED THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS IT DID NOT ELIMINATE ITS OWN RITUALS AND SYMBOLS. IT FLOODED THE SCHOOLS AND MEDIA WITH ANTI-RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS, AND INTRODUCED A BELIEF SYSTEM CALLED "SCIENTIFIC ATHEISM”. SCIENTIFIC ATHEISM HAD ITS OWN RITUALS, PROMISES AND PROSELYTIZERS.
THE COMMUNIST PARTY DESTROYED CHURCHES, SYNAGOGUES, AND MOSQUES. IN 1985 ONLY 7000 OF 50,000 CHURCHES REMAINED. THE COMMUNIST PARTY RIDICULED, HARASSED, INCARCERATED AND EXECUTED RELIGIOUS LEADERS.
PSALM 115 TELLS US THAT WORSHIPPING ANYTHING LESS THAN GOD DOES NOT ENABLE US TO RISE ABOVE BEING MERELY HUMAN. O ISRAEL, TRUST IN THE LORD; HE IS THEIR HELP AND SHIELD.
THE WOMAN IN THE GOSPEL TRUSTED IN THE LORD. SHE BELIEVED THAT JESUS WAS SOMETHING MORE THAN HUMAN. SHE KNELT DOWN AND WORSHIPPED HIM.
KNEELING IS MORE THAN A GESTURE. IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL ACT OF FAITH. KNEELING IS A STRONG EXPRESSION ABOUT WHO STANDS AT THE CENTER OF ONE’S LIFE AND WHO STANDS AT THE CENTER OF ALL CREATION. WHEN THE KNEES ACT IN RESPONSE TO A HEART THAT LOVES CHRIST, THERE IS UNLEASHED A FORCE SO STRONG IT CAN CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF YOUR LIFE.
IN THE EARLIEST DAYS OF THE CHURCH. IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES WE ARE TOLD THAT SAINT PETER "KNELT DOWN AND PRAYED" (9:40), AND THAT SAINT PAUL "KNELT DOWN AND PRAYED WITH THEM ALL" (20:36); WE SEE HOW THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR SAINT STEPHEN FELL TO HIS KNEES AND PRAYED THAT HIS ENEMIES BE FORGIVEN (CF. 7:60), AND WE SEE HOW THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN, PRAYED ON THEIR KNEES. (CF. 21:5)
WE GENUFLECT AS WE ENTER AND AS WE EXIT A CHURCH WHERE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IS RESERVED. WE GENUFLECT AS A REVERENT GREETING TO CHRIST, WHO IS TRULY PRESENT, BODY AND BLOOD, SOUL AND DIVINITY. THIS ACT OF GENUFLECTION TOWARD CHRIST IN THE TABERNACLE PREPARES US TO BEGIN TO PRAY AS WE ENTER THE CHURCH. THIS ACT OF REVERENCE PREPARES US TO WITNESS TO CHRIST AS WE LEAVE THE CHURCH.
MEN AND WOMEN WHO CONSCIOUSLY CHOOSE TO WORSHIP GOD GRADUALLY CONFORM TO HIS IMAGE, BECOMING INCREASINGLY LIKE HIM. A PERSON CAN RISE NO HIGHER THAN WHAT HE WORSHIPS.
ONLY WHEN MEN AND WOMEN ARE FREE TO WORSHIP WILL WE HAVE STRONG SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS LIKE CHURCHES AND SYNAGOGUES AND SOCIAL CLUBS AND CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS. ONLY WHEN MEN AND WOMEN ARE FREE TO WORSHIP WILL WE HAVE A GOVERNMENT STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT US AGAINST ANARCHY AND TYRANNY.
MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORSHIPPED THE LIVING GOD BUILT THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW THAT WE CALL WESTERN CIVILIZATION.
MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORSHIPPED THE LIVING GOD BUILT SCIENCE. THEY GAVE US THE FOUNDATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS; THEY BUILT PROSPERITY, PEACE, AND THE ARTISTIC BEAUTY OF THE MIDDLE AGES AND THE RENAISSANCE.
MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORSHIPPED THE LIVING GOD. BUILT AMERICA, ENDED SLAVERY, DEFEATED THE NAZIS AND THE COMMUNISTS, LIFTED BILLIONS FROM POVERTY, AND GAVE BILLIONS SPIRITUAL PURPOSE.
MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORSHIPPED THE LIVING GOD GAVE US THE IDEAS FOR THE MAGNA CARTA, THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION, AND MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.’S LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL.
I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING TO ALL THOSE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, YOUNG OR OLD WHO HAVE WALKED AWAY FROM THEIR CHRISTIAN FAITH AND NOW LABEL THEMSELVES AS NONES, WHEN ASKED WHAT RELIGION THEY BELONG TO.
I’M SORRY THAT THEY LIED TO YOU. THEY TOLD YOU THAT GOD DOES NOT EXIST. THEY TOLD YOU THAT HUMAN BEINGS ARE HIGHLY ORGANIZED ANIMALS WITHOUT A SPIRITUAL SOUL. NOBODY HAS PROVED THAT.
I’M SORRY THAT THEY LIED TO YOU. THEY TOLD YOU THAT GOVERNMENT DECIDES WHICH LIVES MATTER. THEY TOLD YOU THAT ALL RIGHTS COME FROM THE GOVERNMENT. THESE ARE ALL LIES. IF RIGHTS COME FROM THE GOVERNMENT THEN THE GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE THEM AWAY AS IT HAS IN EVERY COMMUNIST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
I’M SORRY THAT THEY LIED TO YOU. THEY TOLD YOU THAT THERE IS NO LIFE AFTER DEATH. THEY DON’T KNOW THAT.
I’M SORRY THAT THEY LIED TO YOU. THEY TOLD YOU THAT ALL BEHAVIOR IS MORAL. THAT MARRIAGE CAN BE REDEFINED TO MEAN WHATEVER WE WANT IT TO MEAN. THAT SEX IS PERMITTED OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE. WHO MADE THEM GOD?
I’M SORRY THAT THEY LIED TO YOU. THEY TOLD YOU THAT THIS NEW INFORMATION WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPIER. THEY DIDN’T TELL YOU THAT DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE WOULD BECOME ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH IN YOUR AGE GROUP. THEY ROBBED YOU FROM YOUR ONE OPPORTUNITY FOR HAPPINESS.
WE HAVE A CONGREGATION HERE THAT IS ABOUT TO ENTER INTO THE MOST PERFECT FORM OF WORSHIP THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN, THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS. WE ARE HAPPY WHEN YOU JOIN US IN THAT WORSHIP. WE KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE HAPPY WHEN YOU JOIN US IN THAT WORSHIP.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU.