Sermon on the 8th Sunday of the year 2022 February 27 Aloysius Church Utrecht *)

“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” **)
Dear brothers and sisters, everyone will agree with these words. We sometimes use them ourselves when it suits us. For example, if a son or daughter speaks with great affection about a possible boyfriend or girlfriend: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” we say. We often see the other blush as a confirmation
It is important to hear who speaks these words and to whom they are said. In this case it is Jesus speaking to a crowd of people who have come to him in streams. From all layers of the population. From all parts of the country. Even from across the border. These are words from the first discourse that Jesus spoke publicly to the crowd. With this speech Jesus announces the kingdom of God. He addresses them personally. He began with “Blessed are you, the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God”. This Sunday’s gospel is near the end of his public address, which we could actually call his ‘declaration of the kingdom of God’. The people have heard his words. They are invited to search for the kingdom of God als members of this kingdom. If they want to be his disciples, and begin to put his words into practice, what should they pay attention to?  That after a while among others they don’t start playing master themselves and don’t end judging each other. “Can one blind guide the other?” Following Jesus is not a profession you learn, or a trade you master over time. It’s not a pattern you can imitate. It is a lifelong learning path, the way of Jesus. With our fellow students. At a certain moment you may know all the words of Jesus by heart and you can have insight into the faith, but that does not mean that you have succeeded as a disciple. In the sense that you can now judge others. “Why do you look at the mote in your brother’s eye, and why do you not consider the beam in your own eye?”
When we judge our brother or sister, don’t we pretend to be above the other? It’s not about not being allowed to criticize each other. But very often we move from criticizing the behavior to judging the person. To put it in a current word, that is also ’transgressive behaviour’. Then we ourselves are completely wrong as if we can look into the heart of the other and as if we have stood in the shoes of the other for a moment. It is an abuse of power when we speak ill of another. You are shocked when you see on social media such as Twitter what a mud is being poured over others. Especially anonymously, of course. It harms the person and it also harms the community.
But it also harms one’s own person. Is is particularly serieus that it eventually becomes normal and we grow used to it. Therefore, Jesus warns that this behavior should never be normal among his followers, seekers en inhabitants of the kingdom of God. On the contrary. Let upbuilding, good comforting words come out of our mouths. That is a sign that our hearts are also in good shape. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks what the heart is full of’. Again, judging and slandering the other is transgressive behavior and makes us sideline ourselves.
Criticizing or disagreeing with each other is something different. Everyone sees things from their own perspective. Then it is good to listen to each other and to better understand each other’s intentions and to move forward together.
That is why Pope Francis has started the synodal process. In all parts of the Church, including in the parishes, conversations have started to listen to each other as believers, about our joy, but also about our pain regarding our faith, and the Church. If we don’t speak annoyed or angry at each other, but start by listening to each other, to each person personally, then we learn how heartwarming it is to believe and encourage each other and enrich each other. There we are again students who have been given to each other and are on the road together. “The fruits are known by the tree,” Jesus says. How nice if we listen to each other and let the good in others and in ourselves emerge in a safe atmosphere. Then we taste the kingdom of God. Then we experience the freedom of God’s children. Yes, if we really want to be disciples, if we really dare to walk with Jesus for a lifetime, then we can only grow in faith, hope and love as person and as community. The synodal process is not an end goal, but a life goal, which is achieved step by step if we only dare to be and remain real disciples. Amen

(c) Martin Los, pr
*) The sermon is in line with the Gospel of Sunday. Special attention and call to prayer for Ukraine in the introduction to the Mass, the intercessions, the Mass intention and the mission
**) Gospel of this Sunday-mass Luke 6:39-45