Tag archieven: kingdom of God

Beneficial encounter in the community

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Sermon on the 4th Sunday of the year. January 28, 2024 Tiel

It is certainly one of the most difficult things to bear that people like ourselves, fellow human beings, are mentally confused, cannot lead a normal life and that we, fellow human beings, cannot do anything about it – not even they themselves – and are powerless . It is quite something that in our time and in our part of the world we no longer see “confused persons” as possessed by the devil as in the time of Jesus. Nowadays, when dealing with people who are not themselves, all the emphasis is on continuing to see them as human beings. Fellow man. And that we also act accordingly by not excluding them, but treating them respectfully and fairly. We may sometimes have a hard time with them. But they have it much harder. And even though we cannot always follow them, we can surround them with compassion, and love them like ourselves.
The people of Jesus’ day believed that anyone who behaved abnormally was the victim of an evil spirit, or of the devil himself 1). One could try to exorcise such a person with all kinds of bizarre rituals, but that often makes the mentally ill even more anxious and confused. Humanly speaking, there was no way to prevent it. The event in the synagogue of Capernaum is therefore very exciting for everyone. There appears to be a mentally ill person among those present in the large synagogue of that place. When Jesus proclaimed his doctrine of the kingdom of God in that house of prayer, everyone was deeply impressed. What Jesus said and the way he said it was so new and so special and so refreshing, everyone was touched in a way that only a God could do. Wasn’t the new Moses here speaking to them?2) The confused man cannot hide his feelings like the other attendees who, even deeply impressed, keep a low profile and behave normally. He shouts: “Jesus of Nazareth, what have you got to do with us? You have come to destroy us. I know who You are, the Holy One of God.” This is very exciting. The man speaks in the plural: “You have come to ruin us.” Who are these us? All the people present? Yes, if Jesus really comes from God, who can stand up to him? Have not all men every reason to fear? If God reveals Himself, who can exist, imperfect, shallow,, unclean people that we are? Who is actually ‘normal’ from God’s point of view? Isn’t each of us at a loss when it comes down to it? And what do the other people think. The ordinary people. The normal people?
See, that’s where a little devil gets his chance, because indeed a normal person will be happy when he sees that a confused person can live healthy and freely again and can dispose of himself. “Be silent, and come away from him.” Jesus spoke very calmly. But to us, so-called normal people, a little devil whispers to us: “This Jesus has power over unclean spirits, so he is their boss. They obey him because he is their superior.” People were not only impressed by Jesus’ proclamation, but there was also an opinion among them that there was something wrong wit Jezus himself. From the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, a separation of spirits takes place: on the one hand all those who believe in him as the Savior, that prophet who came into the world from God, and on the other hand those who are suspicious and rejecting, who see him as an instrument of the devil. “For who can do anything other than what no human being can do: free a human being from the prison of confusion and miscommunication and give him back to himself?”
The name of Jesus is able to change people from tormented people to free people. His presence in our world and in our lives as the living Lord is beneficial and comforting. But he works among us through his Spirit, without fuss and boasting, without incantations and rituals. He invites us through his word to imitate him in paying attention to our confused fellow human beings. They are extra vulnerable. They are easily misunderstood and overlooked. There is much more talk about them than with them, which alone is enough to get completely confused. A society that has no place for confused and confusing people is itself confused and confusing. Not normal but abnormal. Let us as churches and religious communities be places where people who cannot express themselves well can also come into their own. Time and patience and modesty will make us true fellow human beings in their eyes. In this way we may also encounter Jesus in the eyes of the other person damaged by mental illness. And shock of recognition. A cry of liberation. A sigh of relief. A lasting wonder. Amen

Martin Los

lessons of the eucharist of this fourth regular Sunday:
Gospel:
1) Gospel: Markus 1:12-28
2) First reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Foto: Ruine van de synagoge in Kapernaum

The plank and the mote

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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