Homily for Ordinary Time 15 - July 11, 2021

 

Homily for Ordinary Time 15

July 11, 2021

Sons and Daughters of the Heavenly Father

 

            Growing up, my life revolved around baseball – I played it in high school and college, and passionately followed the sport. In contrast, my dad’s hobby was woodworking – he built our deck, sheds, and renovated our house. He would often ask me for help building things, trying to spark interest in me – but all I wanted to do was play sports.

            Our divergent hobbies clashed when I was about fifteen. For my birthday, my dad gave me a box, and I was excited for what I thought was a large box of baseball cards. Imagine my surprise when I opened it to find a toolbox with a hammer and tape measure!

            Most parents want their children to follow in their footsteps. If a dad is a football addict, he will try to instill that same love in his kids. If a mom plays piano, she might encourage her kids to take up piano as well. In the same way, if we are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, then He wants us to be like Him as well – which means, He desires that we share in His holiness.

            Being adopted as sons and daughters of God – not only is that a key to understanding the second reading from Paul’s letter to Ephesians, it’s the key to understanding the whole of the Christian life. Christianity is more than just being forgiven or being a good person – it is living life with the dignity of the sons and daughters of God!

            Think about the advantages to being adopted by a great family. If you were a member of the Rockefeller family, or if your last name was Kennedy, it would probably open a lot of doors. You could get into the finest college or a swanky country club with those kinds of connections. But as Catholics, we have something better – we are related to the Creator of the entire universe. The Victor over sin and death, the Giver of all good gifts, is our Father. We become heirs to His Kingdom; we become co-rulers with Him over Heaven and earth.

            To be adopted, however, comes at a cost. It costs quite a bit to adopt a child here in the US – could be up to $40,000. But it cost God a great deal more to adopt us – it cost Him the Blood of His Son Jesus. Thus, let us not spurn so great a gift. Tragically, just as some kids want nothing to do with their parents and run away from them, some Christians want nothing to do with their Heavenly Father Who purchased their sonship at such an immense price. Let us not be like them!

            Rather, to make our Father proud, let us become like Him in holiness. I think it’s so important to interpret life through this lens – God is using every circumstance in our life to make us holy, like Him. Some people think that God’s job is to make their life easier – “God, take away this problem. God, give me an A on this test. God, let me get this new job.” Rather, our spiritual life begins when we stop asking God to make our life easier, and rather ask, “God, what are You trying to teach me through this? How are You trying to form me to become a saint? What virtues are You trying to help me develop? Lord, make me holy, like You!”

            Through baptism, we have already become the sons and daughters of our Almighty Father. Now, like any good parent, our Father is trying to make us like Himself. He Who is holy wants us to become holy, too, and is arranging every circumstance in our lives for our holiness, both the blessings and the challenges. Our job is to be docile to His leading, cooperating with His grace, so we can become fully mature in holiness, and our lives might resemble our Heavenly Father!