Not a Show, But a Sacrifice

Jesus said, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.” -John 14:13

As Christians, as lovers of Christ, this statement should be something we reflect on regularly and seek to live more deeply as we grow in our life with Christ. Jesus said, “Whoever loves me will keep my word.” This is an invitation to examine our conscience daily, asking, “Have I done God’s will today? Have I kept His word?” There’s no need to beat ourselves up, but it’s important that we honestly ask, “How have my words and actions affected those I encountered today?” Did I help draw others closer to the Lord by keeping His word and sharing my faith with them–or did I push them farther away by trying to impress them with my knowledge or holiness? Did I share my faith in Christ, either by word or action, bountifully and with joy–or was it hidden or diminished because of a sour or unfriendly attitude? Did I live my faith by giving others a smile, a hand, or a listening ear–or did I ignore or pass by someone who I knew needed the gentle touch of Jesus? Today, did I give my time, talent, and treasure to God and neighbor cheerfully–or did I just give out of obligation? 

Both of our readings today give us insights into how God expects us to live our lives as baptized Christians, as children of God and brothers and sisters to Christ. Our first reading tells us that if we sow bountifully, we will reap bountifully, and that we should do so cheerfully (not counting the cost), for God loves a cheerful giver. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us, “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people will see them.” He tells us that in practicing the Faith, we shouldn’t “toot our own horn” as the hypocrites do. We shouldn’t fast or pray [merely] in order to impress others, but we should live our faith in humility and surrender to God. We’ve all known or seen people who live their faith in a way in which it’s really more about them than about God. They give only sparingly and practice the faith in ways intended to make others think they are holy. This is not how God wants us to share in His life of love.

Most of you know that I grew up going to the Baptist church. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying this is how all Baptists live their faith. In fact, most of my family is still Baptist or a similar evangelical denomination. But I observed a lot of this as a young person in the Baptist church. On the other hand, I am also not saying that all Catholics live their faith as they should; we, of course, are prone to these mistakes as well. However, one of the primary things that drew me to the Catholic Church was the humility, sincerity, and reverence I observed in the Mass and the authentic respect and love I was shown when I (as a Baptist) attended. 

When I was seventeen, I started dating a Catholic girl from Abbott and going to Mass with her. That girl, today, is my wife Carolyn. The first time I stepped through the doors of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Abbott, I noticed it was very different from the Baptist church where I had been raised. The people were sitting or kneeling in silence, praying. That was very strange to me because at my Baptist church, before the service, people were talking loud, laughing, and visiting. It felt like a social gathering. The service consisted of a lot of singing, some Scripture, and a long sermon. It would be fair to say that in many ways, there was a lot of what you might call “entertainment value” in the service. You came to church for yourself, expecting to be moved. And if you didn’t get a warm fuzzy [feeling], you went away a little disappointed, like you didn’t go to church at all, because you didn’t “feel” like you encountered God. 

The Mass was the complete opposite. I learned that the Mass is not a show (or entertainment), but a sacrifice. It’s a participation in the once for all sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, and the people are there not necessarily for themselves, but for God, to offer their worship to Him. I learned that the reason the people were prayerful and reverent was because Jesus was there, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, in the Eucharist. All of these things were concepts I had never even heard of before. 

Jesus said, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and will come to him.” Today’s readings are a great reminder that Jesus is the Word, and that He gave us a Church through which He gave us the Mass as a way to encounter Him personally (yes, through Spirit and Word, but most importantly, in the Eucharist so that we may be filled with Jesus Himself, Love Personified, the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings). Anything else, while not a bad thing for those who don’t know the difference, is in reality just a cheap imitation compared to the sanctifying grace God showers down on us when we receive Him through the simplicity and humility of God in the Mass.

Amen.