Homily

What a great Gospel to read every year just before the start of the fast. It covers almost every Lenten thing. First it talks about forgiving others as well as being forgiven ourselves by the absolution of our heavenly Father. Then it talks about fasting; and notice it doesn't say, "If you fast," but "when you fast." So I do want to encourage you all to forgive those whom you may not have already forgiven, and then use the time of the weeks ahead as an opportunity to go to confession. You don't have to wait until Palm Sunday, no kidding! And the law today only requires two days of strict fasting, but I really want to encourage you all to do as much fasting as possible during this holy season. Make a plan that will suit your purpose and your situation. Someone recently mentioned that there are a number of Mardi Gras celebrations in the U.S. every year, but they have lost their original meaning because very few of the participants fast the next day. These celebrations, torn away from their original spiritual meaning, have largely turned into giant drinking parties and, at least in New Orleans, an opportunity for women to expose themselves in public as part of a display of public license. (And as a quick aside, can I mention that nearly every sacred celebration that shed its spiritual nature ends up being turned into something either totally apart from faith, but more often even against the faith. Look what's happened to marriage in the last 50 years.)

Now a third Lenten theme, giving alms, or taking care of your neighbor, is not mentioned in today's Gospel, but we heard it very clearly in last week's Gospel concerning the separation of the sheep and the goats, based on their charity.

The last pointer in today's reading from Matthew is not specifically about one of the four pillars of Lent but it provides us with a purpose for why we might take prayer, repentance, almsgiving and fasting to be serious parts of our lives. Now you may have noticed there are a lot of commercials on TV that deal with money. Save money on your car insurance, save money on buying a car, save money for your retirement, and don't forget perhaps one of the most popular and oft repeated catch phrases when it comes to saving money on your credit cards: "What's in your wallet?" Money is a factor in all our lives and saving, in a good way, can be a very helpful thing. Jesus warns us today, however that there is another kind of savings that is much more important, indeed one can say infinitely, eternally more important than saving money on cars, insurance, or investing funds for retirement.

Perhaps He would pose the question today by asking, "What's in your spiritual wallet?" What are we building up in virtue? How much are we spreading out the grace of God? Are we making our lives more rich in Christ, and are we enlightening the lives of others?

It costs us nothing to receive the gift of God's own divine life, even though the price that was paid on Calvary is beyond our ability to comprehend. It costs us nothing to receive absolution and forgiveness of our sins. The Body and Blood of Christ are given to us freely. We do not pay to receive the grace and gifts of the Lord. There is no admission charge for eternal life. These, and many other gracious gifts of God not only come to us for free there is no amount of money in the world that could ever buy them at any price because they are most precious things we could ever hope to receive. People will travel the world to see the most beautiful palaces, the great works of art, the most expensive homes and gardens, and yet each one of us has access to the most beautiful, the most precious, the most outstanding riches that are even beyond our ability to comprehend.

I know that I have a perception problem. Now I think I know the value of a dollar, and I think I can do a good job of comparing prices to get the best deal. But it is much harder for me to grasp the value of all that has been given to me by the Lord. It's not that I don't see value in them, because I surely do, or I wouldn't be standing here before you now. The priesthood is not the gateway to riches and wealth, my dear friends. They never told us that in the seminary. And yet I have the privilege to administer, to be the instrument that delivers the most extraordinarily expensive gifts anyone could ever receive.

I know my perception is not nearly as good as it should be because while I appreciate the goods that have been given to me, and the goods I am asked to deliver to others, I do not appreciate them nearly as much as I should because too many times I am valuing the goods of this world over the good things of God, I find my life more involved with things that will perish as though somehow they will always be mine. Just like we sang in the Kontakion a few Sundays ago, like the prodigal son, I have squandered the riches my heavenly Father has given me. Too often I have neglected them, not cared for them, not invested them, not appreciated them, and I have focused myself way too much on living in what many people would call "the real world" rather than properly acknowledging my citizenship in the Kingdom of God. I live too much as though this is my home, when in fact I am an alien and a foreigner who only is here for a short time, while my real home is in heaven.

There are a lot of realities that I have to deal with in this world every day, just as we all do. But I welcome the time of the Fast because I can use it as an opportunity to change my perception about what is valuable, important and truly worth of my time and attention and labor. I want to use this time to grow in my understanding and appreciation of the richness of life that has been offered to me, and to draw closer to the Christ Who provides it for me. I've wasted too much time—now is the time to focus on my true wealth and see it for what it is. Now is the time to become richer, this is the season for wealth and investment not only for ourselves but for others as we care for and share with them; not only for this life but for the hope of our heavenly home. Indeed, this Lent may we become so full of desire for the Lord our God that we become cleanly rich.