Sermon, 12th Sunday

 


TWELFTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME 


According to St. Paul, the gift outweighs the transgression (see Rom. 5:15-21). In this case, he is contrasting the Calvary-effect with the Eden-effect. What took place in Eden could be seen as a setback. Meanwhile, Calvary could be understood as a form of “jackpot.”  Something will be lost as a result of the Eden-effect. Conversely, something will be gained through the effect brought about on Calvary. Paul maintains that, proportionally speaking, the gain surpasses the loss. 


By way of analogy, let’s look back on the 1986 World Series. Game six began to sway in the direction of the Red Sox, thanks to a throwing error committed by Mets 3rd baseman Ray Knight. The Mets, however, staged a late rally and managed to force a decisive seventh game. Knight would come through, in that final game, by hitting the go-ahead home-run, putting his team over the top. You could say that what he provided in game seven more than made up for the faulty execution featured in game six. He earned a demerit in game six; then redemption would follow in game seven. 


For Ray Knight, redemption would be spelled out in lowercase letters. In other words, it’s redemption with a lowercase “r.”  For those of us who belong to Christ, we get the privilege of using an uppercase “R.”  We’re talking here about Redemption in the fullest sense of the term. What does this in turn mean for you, if you are among the redeemed? Does it mean smooth sailing? Will life be free and easy? Will it be a rose garden? Not necessarily. We need look no further than this passage from the prophet Jeremiah. He’s struggling through a period of extended adversity. But he keeps reminding himself: The Lord is with me (20:11). 


He’s focusing upon a blessing that so often goes overlooked. We could call it the blessing of Divine Accompaniment. Why should this matter? Simply take account of the fact that life is difficult. No matter what your station, there will be a measure of adversity, a measure of turbulence. You can face it with the benefit of Divine Accompaniment. Or you can grind your way forward, relying strictly upon your own resources. The difficulties will present themselves, whatever choice you make. Jeremiah’s choice stands before us, like a beacon: I’d rather face the inevitable challenges WITH the benefit of Divine Companionship, than try to face them without the benefit of Divine Companionship. 

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