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Homily for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
(July 9, 2006)

Story: When Suzie asked Flora Mae how she came to be reading the Gospel of Thomas, Flora Mae said: I really got excited when I read the DaVinci Code. They say the author got some of his ideas from this book, so I went out and got it. Suzie pressed further: Why don’t you pick up your bible and read it instead?  Flora Mae came back: I already heard all that stuff years ago. There’s a lot in the Gospel of Thomas that the church is trying to keep from us and I find it very interesting. Not boring like the same old stuff you hear in church.

I). Its interesting how some people who are the most familiar with Jesus, reject him.
A). Mark tells of a time when some of Jesus’ relatives came to take him away because they thought Jesus was out of his mind, and today we read that his own townspeople in Nazareth rejected him. They could not believe that Jesus—someone they had known all their lives could be the Christ.
B).  I wonder why many people who have gone through 8, 12 or l6 years of Catholic School,  no longer have an allegiance to Christ and his church
C). As our Pope travels to Spain trying to reinvigorate Christian faith in Europe, we must face the fact that in Spain , France and Italy , which had been known as Catholic countries, 10% or less of the people go to church. And apparently most do not have much faith in Jesus Christ.

II). It becomes obvious that just being exposed to Jesus for a long period of time does not guarantee that people will have faith in Christ as the Lord of their lives.
A). Many walked away from Jesus in his own time and many are walking away from Jesus and the church today.
None of us can take our faith for granted.
B). Most people during their 9 to l2 months in the intense RCIA process, get excited about God, Jesus and the Church, Yet across the country we find that a number of our new companions walk away within months after Easter.
C). There are also Catholics who for many years join with the Body of Christ regularly at mass, and then sadly leave to pursue other things – whether that be entertainment, sports, money                    or to find something new and exciting. 

III) There will always be people who get bored and want something new
·    Many a husband or wife, who has had a loving spouse has destroyed a good marriage because they got bored and went seeking after some one new and exciting.
·        One college professor observed that students soon become bored with their regular instructors, doze and skip classes, but flock to hear a lecture from a visiting expert, who may know less than their prof 
·        There will be those who want a new and different gospel who will be led astray by writings like the acpocraphal Gospel of Thomas, which the church l800 years ago rejected as inaccurate and theologically off the mark.

Conclusion:
How sad it is for those who have known Jesus, who is the source of life, true love and eternal happiness to walk away -- looking for something or someone new and different.                                  How ha

How happy are those who hold onto our faith that Jesus is the Lord – the Way, the Truth and the Life.