Homily Sunday 26th Week in Ordinary Time, Cycle B.
      1st Reading: Numbers 11:25-29 – Would that all the people of the Lord were Prophets.
      2nd Reading: James 5: 1-6 – You have live on earth in luxury & pleasure
      Gospel: Mark 9:38-43. 45, 47-48 – If any of you lead these little ones into sin, it would be better

The revelations about sinful and also criminal actions by Shepherds within the Church, over the last couple of months has left me troubled in spirit. The reports that have been coming out about those who were charged with the care of their flock have caused confusion, disappointment, and anger, lots of anger.

Tuesday evening, we had a listening session here in the Church with Bishop Parker and Msgr. Hannon here representing Archbishop Lori along with many of the priests and Deacons from the Frederick area. And I must tell you I walked out of this church deeply saddened by the level of pain and hurt expressed by so many who have been deeply wounded. I left this church feeling the anger of so many who have been let down by those in whom they had placed their trust to shepherd, to guide, and to care for them. I also witnessed a lot of anger which in some cases was masking the pain, while others were angry because they didn’t know how else to feel. So I walked out of this church wondering, what do I do? What do I say to those who have been so deeply injured physically and spiritually? What do I say to those whose faith has been shaken or to those who have already made the decision to leave the church? As all of this was going through my mind, I suddenly remembered that I had to preach on this weekend’s scriptures. And I have to tell you that it feels like the Lord has been shouting at me since the first time I read them a couple of weeks ago. But it’s not just this weekend’s scriptures. It seems like most of the Scripture over the last few months have been speaking to the current situation in the Church but it also feels like they have been speaking to me as well. So, when I read the Gospel for today, where Jesus says "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. When I read that, I looked up at the ceiling and said, “really Lord?” This is what you want me to preach on? It was obvious to me that this reading was calling bishops, priests, and deacons to accountability or at least to reflect on how well we are fulfilling the call we accepted at Holy Orders? And while this is true, the scriptures are saying so much more and they are saying it to all of you. It is saying it to all of us.

You see many of us when we hear the scriptures, particularly the ones that criticize those in leadership like the Pharisees, and Sadducees, or others in positions of power we may think that Jesus is speaking only to them. And yes the Lord is speaking to them in a powerful way because of the oaths they have taken. But the scriptures are like a mirror and when we hear them we should also be looking at ourselves. When we hear them, we should be saying, “Lord what are you saying to me? How do these words relate to me?” And today’s readings are no different.

In the first reading from the Book of Numbers, Moses has prayed over seventy elders as Yahweh commanded, so that they could receive the spirit and assume some of the responsibility for leading His people. As it turns out, two of those selected weren’t there during the prayer of commissioning, but the spirit fell on them anyway. And when the others heard these two prophesying they were offended. Those who were anointed or prayed over were offended that someone else might be called to do what they were charged to do. They had an elitist attitude that God’s spirit only fell on them and that they had a special privilege. And while we may think that this scripture is directed at bishops, priests, and deacons, we are challenged to think about how we too might at times have an elitist attitude regarding our faith. Whether we admit it or not, there are those today who believe if you are not Catholic, you are somehow deficient in God’s grace and therefore can’t speak the truth of the Gospel.

Then in the 2nd reading James is calling out the rich, those in high positions who have lived a life of luxury but have not taken care of those who harvested their fields. These are feelings I heard expressed last Tuesday night. And while these are valid and righteous feelings, again we must ask ourselves, is James speaking to us as well? Is there anything about James’s words that makes us cringe or at least uncomfortable?

Then in the Gospel, again the Apostles are upset because someone else is daring to perform the work that Jesus gave them to do? So Jesus calls them on it, and explains that what’s important is that his words and His love are being accurately proclaimed not necessarily whose doing it. But He also goes on to say that anyone who leads another astray, causing them to sin; or causing them harm, they are looking at a fate far worse than their physical death. And again, it would seem logical that the Lord is directing His words in particular to those in positions of authority in the Church. But He is not speaking just to them but to all the faithful. He is speaking to you and to me because by our baptismal call, we are commissioned to bring others to Christ. We are called to be the voice, the hands, the feet, the heart of Christ for others. So we need to ask ourselves, how am I representing Jesus to others? Am I accurately sharing with them the teachings of Jesus Christ, not the teaching of any particular Bishop, but of Jesus Christ? Because if I am not, if you are not, then we too can lead others astray, and maybe even into sin? We too are accountable for the souls of others.

So what do we tell those whose faith is shaken? What do we tell those who at one time were attracted to the Catholic Church, but now, maybe not so much? What do Ruth Huffer and Mia Marcellino who are on mission with Net Evangelization Teams; what do they tell those high schoolers they will be ministering to around the country?

We tell them the truth. The sacraments of Jesus Christ are still the sacraments which provide nourishment, grace, and healing. We tell them that Jesus is every bit as present, body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Eucharist today as before. We tell them that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and that the Holy Spirit is still guiding the Church despite the efforts of people inside and outside the Church to bring it down. And because Jesus is still the head, we can trust that all who have had a hand in inflicting grave harm and suffering on the body of Christ, will be brought to accountability.

Jesus will not let his Church fall, but He has at times in the past, and seems to be doing so today; He does allow His Church to suffer, to be brought low, and to go through a period of penance and purification.

Our job is to continue to bring the love of Christ and the truth of his teaching to anyone and everyone He calls us to. But we will not be able to do this if we ourselves do not pray daily, and receive the Sacraments. We will not be able to do this if we don study our faith and know what it teaches and why. We will not be able to do this if we allow the anger and the disappointment to keep us from reaching out to others with the love of Christ. The Lord will sort out this mess in time. We just need to remain faithful for we too are accountable; for our own souls and the souls of others. The Lord will not abandon us. In fact He is speaking to us more loudly and more clearly than perhaps at any other time in our lives. We just need to listen, to learn, and to love and trust that the Lord sort this mess out.