(Was a) Deacon's Blog

“What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

My brothers and sisters from Sacred Heart and St. Mary Our Lady of Czestochowa and Sacred Heart of Jesus – Holy Cross:

What is your concept of doing the works of God?

I imagine that our being here, in church, quickly jumps to mind. Being in church is certainly a work of God. Praying to Him, worshiping Him, thanking Him, receiving Him, are our duty and most certainly a work of God.

I also imagine that our reason for being here tonight is right in the forefront of our minds.

After all, tomorrow we will gather around tables big and small, some holding twenty-six pound turkeys and some holding only a small turkey breast.

Somewhere near the beginning of our feast we will calm the children, get grandma out of the kitchen, bow our heads, and in some special way say thank you to God.

Our thanks may be focused on some recent event, a promotion, recovery from an illness, reconciliation with a loved one, or it may be more long term, a thanksgiving for love, family, friends, success. Some might even go so far as to give thanks for a lesson learned from suffering.

Whatever the reason, we can say yes, being thankful, that’s doing the work of God.

When we come to church, especially around this time of year, we may contribute a few extra dollars to help the needy, or for disaster relief. We may bring a bag of canned goods for the food pantry, or for those lovingly prepared Thanksgiving baskets that will suddenly appear on the doorstep of those who may be loosing hope.

Certainly our charity is the work of God.

The young among us will be anxiously awaiting Santa in tomorrow’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Seeing him their minds will turn toward their Christmas list.

Drawing an analogy, perhaps we should turn our minds to our Christian list. How have I done the works of God?

Giving thanks, check; In church, check; Beatitudes, check; Ten Commandments, check; Charitable, check. It goes on.

When they asked:

“What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

—¨Jesus told them:

“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

When we ask, Jesus says the same:

“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

In response both they and we are left to ask this question:

“Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform? —¨

My brothers and sisters,

Those asking in that day, and we, have received only one sign.

The cross.

Hmmm, not something for Thanksgiving eve. A little tough before the turkey. Something a little more Good Friday-ish. But that’s it. The cross.

We are here to give thanks on the eve of a national holiday. We gather ecumenically, brothers and sisters, similar in certain ways yet distinct in others; gathered to attest to this: we share in the cross.

We are changed, transformed, because of that cross. We are changed, transformed, because we believe in Him whom He has sent.

All the dross of the world, the things big and small that we will mark with thanks are quite secondary to the fact that the thankfulness of Christians is completely centered on Jesus Christ. Him whom He has sent.

The very fact that God came down among us to give us this sign is enough for us. Because of this cross we believe in Him.

Believing in Him we are transformed, and one day we will be transfigured.

Jesus told us:

Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:—¨he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

What must we do? Today we must pause to give thanks. I am thankful for Jesus Christ in whom I believe. I am thankful for the sign of the cross which I received in baptism. I am thankful that I have been transformed and regenerated in the cross. I am thankful for the foundation that has been set for me in the Holy Church. I am thankful that the sign given to me holds the promise of eternal life with God in heaven.

My friends,

—[T]he bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.—

Doing the work of God is simple, believe in Jesus Christ. Carrying out that belief, living it is much harder.

So first, let us say: Thank you God for this bread, the bread that is Jesus Christ. The bread that is His Holy Church, The bread that gives us eternal life.

Then let us say: Lord, give us the strength to live in complete unity with You and Your cross.

“Lord, give us this bread always.” —¨

Amen.

Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,—¨
so that you might imitate us.

Let’s focus today on imitating Christ and his Apostles. Let’s focus on doing what St. Paul asks, that we follow his model.

St. Paul, writing to the Thessalonians holds himself out as a model for their lives.

Paul took Jesus’ words seriously and wanted his readers to do so as well.

By the time Paul had written these letters he had already faced some stiff opposition.

The Jewish communities were out to get him. The secular authorities were watchful.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians during his second missionary journey, sometime around the year 50. He would have one more missionary journey before his final return to Jerusalem in 58. From that point onward he would be subjected to trial and remanded to Rome for a final trial, being martyred in 67.

Facing all that, Paul didn’t prepare his defense. Rather he listened to Jesus:

I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking—¨
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.

Even on his journey to Rome as a prisoner, Paul brought people to the faith. Paul stayed focused on his mission.

Brothers and sisters,

In the span of thirty-four years Jesus’ work and words, the Christian faith, had spread from Jerusalem, throughout Asia Minor and to Europe. Rome and Athens had heard the name of Jesus.

Stephen and James had been martyred.

While all this was occurring, everything Jesus said would occur happened as well: wars and insurrections, earthquakes, famines, plagues, and awesome sights and mighty signs from the sky.

So thinking of Paul’s behavior, his model, and his instruction to the Churches we should ask ourselves: Was Paul and the Church concerned about the things that were going on in the world? The things Jesus said would happen around and to His followers?

The simple answer is no.

Of course there were those in the Churches who looked to the skies, at governments, at the signs and thought – as well as preached – that the end was at hand. They tried to lead people astray by focusing on the signs rather than on their job. Their job – bringing all to heaven through Jesus Christ.

Paul had to do a lot of letter writing to correct those false prophets; to take the focus off the signs and put it back on Jesus.

The Church, and all those in union with Her ignored the signs, the blowing of the winds which change each day. Instead, the Church kept its sole focus on getting its eternal work done.

This is key for us as Christians.

Jesus told us to render onto Caesar. He did not instruct us to care about which Caesar was in charge.

We know that taxes will come and go. Wars will come and go. Terrorists will come and go. Presidents and town councils will come and go. We could live in an Islamic state, a secular state, a communist state, or under a dictator. Regardless of the government, of the policy, or of the —threat level—, it is incumbent upon us to witness one message. Salvation is through Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ message is not one of travail or of pain. In mentioning the things that would occur Jesus was not acting as a soothsayer. His key message is this:

—You will be hated by all because of my name,—¨
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.—¨
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

The facts and circumstance of the world are quite secondary to the state of our eternal soul, and the accomplishment of our mission. Our lives are secured in the promise of heaven.

By imitating Jesus and His apostles, by following the lesson Paul teaches we clearly recognize that fact.

My friends,

In his letter to the Ephesians Paul clearly states:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.

We worship, adore and proclaim God, and by our baptism we are joined to proclaiming our hope. Paul further tells us:

And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,
some pastors and teachers,
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ

Therefore, I tell you, do not look to the skies in wonder, with worry or trepidation. Do not look to politicians, the government, or soothsayers for salvation. Do not worry. God is with us. Instead get to work. We have been equipped. Build up the Body of Christ.

Amen.