by Most Rev. Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Presiding Bishop, United Catholic Church
As we approach the end of the church year, the readings are about the end of the world and the second coming. The gospel tells us that we don’t have any idea when it’s going to happen (and neither do those fundamentalist preachers who pretend to know). And the epistle tells us we don’t have to worry about it, because Jesus died once for our sins and nothing more is required. Listen: "By one offering, Jesus has forever perfected those who are being sanctified. Once sins have been forgiven, there is no further offering for sin."
That’s really quite an astounding statement. It means that we who have accepted Christ and been forgiven of our sins probably never have to go to confession again.
Most of the confessions I have been hearing lately have been for people who have been away from the sacraments for decades. Just two days ago, in the county jail, I heard such a confession. When it was over, I gave him absolution and communion. Today, he’s still a maximum-security prisoner, but he’s a saint. He belongs to Christ. And Christ is not going to let him go. Sure, life will continue to be a struggle for Fred, against long odds and enormous handicaps. But he can be sure of ultimate victory. "Jesus has forever perfected those who are being sanctified."
You know, being around a jail is a sobering experience. All those hundreds of young men and women, good-looking, made in the image and likeness of God. It’s so sad what life has done to them and what they have done to themselves. It reminds me of a true story I used in my very first sermon. This is the 30th anniversary of that sermon. I would like to read part of it now.
"When we look at the world, what do we see? Wars, riots, lawlessness, immorality, degradation, hatred, bigotry, white supremacy, black power, yellow peril, treason. Our young people are abandoning the morality, patriotism, and religious beliefs we have passed on to them — values of civilized man which have been preserved and developed over centuries.
"I’d like to tell you a true story of two young men who each had the opportunity, the intelligence, the home life, and the talent to become highly-respected members of their community — lawyers, generals, senators, governors — but who instead turned from society and wound up in jail.
The first of these young men, in spite of his good upbringing, was continually in trouble with the authorities for disturbing the peace. His favorite targets were religious leaders. His attacks on priests often went no further than name-calling, but at least once resulted in actual violence on church property. This was just a beginning. As time went on, he defied more and more laws. He founded an underground organization which the government considered so dangerous that it made it a federal crime to be a member. Its leaders were in and out of jail on all sorts of charges from prostitution and drug addiction to inciting to riot and conspiracy.
"The second of these young men is a member of that organization. Now I think we all recognize the right of peaceful demonstration, but have you heard about the "nude-ins"? This guy put on one of the first. His own father admitted that his son was an unprincipled thief. He was not a draft-card burner; he was a deserter!
"We have been talking about symptoms. In order to get at causes, I’d like to discuss some parallels between the lives of these two young men.
1. They both came from good families — upper middle-class, no fatherless homes, no divorce.
2. They both, according to neighbors, kept bad company.
3. They both rejected the political, social, and religious customs and practices which were their inheritance.
4. They both attracted throngs of barefoot, bearded followers.
5. They both wound up in jail at one time or another.
6. They both died with nail-holes in their hands and feet.
"They were Jesus Christ and Francis of Assisi. They were outcasts from their society. Would they be treated any better today? Are they among those we persecute and condemn?"
In reading those words from 30 years ago, I got to thinking about all those young people I saw in jail two days ago. Why are they there? What did they do? Is there a Jesus or a St. Francis among them? And even those who are notorious sinners, aren’t they the kind of people Jesus served and befriended, and healed? What can we do to serve those who are today in need? After all, we, the church, are Jesus in the world today. If he is to reach those who need him, he must do it through us.
When we sit home and watch television, we keep Jesus prisoner in our home, unable to reach those who need him.
Now maybe the jail ministry isn’t your thing. Maybe you don’t have the stomach for that. Well, there are lots of other ministries around — hospital ministries, hospice, Genesis House, Habitat for Humanity, AIDS ministries, shut-ins to visit. These are not just for priests and ministers. We can’t do it all. Every member of the church should have a ministry in addition to their primary one of evangelism.
Each one of us has to be involved in evangelism — seeking out those who need this church and telling them about it. Either that or the church dies. But although that’s necessary, it’s not enough.
It’s not enough for a church to grow. It also has to perform its function as the Body of Christ, reaching out beyond itself and serving those in need of Jesus’ healing touch. If we don’t do that, we don’t deserve to grow.
Remember Matthew, chapter 25: "I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take me in; naked, and you did not clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me. Amen I say to you, as long as you did not do it for one of these least ones, you did not do it for me." ...
"Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels."
One almost gets the feeling that Jesus is serious about this.
So the question I have for each of you is this: "What ministry, in addition to evangelism, would you like to engage in?"
Be thinking about that. I’ll be asking each of you for your answer sometime in the next week. If you don’t know, I’ll have some suggestions. It doesn’t have to be a prison ministry. It can be something in line with your interests and abilities. But it must be God’s work. And it must entail sacrifice. Ministry is not something we do in our spare time, because none of us ever have any. It is a priority.
Yes, the end of the world is coming, we know not when. But we don’t sit around waiting. God has work for us to do. Not so we can work our way into heaven. God already promises us that. "By one offering he has forever perfected those who are being sanctified." No, we do ministry because we already belong to Christ, and we are allowing him to work through us. It is an obligation as a Christian. It is also a great privilege.
What greater privilege is there than for God to use us as his instruments, to serve his people through our hands.
Let us pray.
Lord, we thank you for your saving grace, for accepting us among those you are sanctifying. We rejoice that by your one offering you have forever perfected us very imperfect creatures.
We thank you for having chosen us for ministry. We accept this privilege with humility and give ourselves to you. Make us instruments of your peace. Like St. Francis, let us console and heal and pardon in your name. As you have reached and blessed us through others in your service, let us in turn carry your compassion and mercy and grace and joy to those you want to serve through us.
Amen!
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