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Homily for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Sept 17, 2006)

Intro: I did not see a clear connection between the 2^nd Reading and the Gospel, until I read Father John Kavanaugh’s commentary. James asks what good is your faith, if you don’t put it into practice and Jesus tells his disciples that they must do more than proclaim him as Messiah. If you  wish to come after me, you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.

     James was dealing with a church where people had a very shallow version of what faith is really all about. Apparently they thought all they had to do was claim to have faith in Jesus and that would make them into Christians. James argues that true faith in Christ demands doing good for those in need.
     Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  James does not believe there can be any true faith without doing good for others.  He taunts: Can you “Show me your faith without works?”
But I’ll tell you what – “I’ll demonstrate my faith to you from my works.” 

Mark: There is more to being a disciple, than proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah. For if I truly have faith that Jesus is my Lord, I must be willing to do something. I must be willing to follow him.
     Who is Jesus to you?  
A miracle worker? your personal healer? a sky hook who comes down to save you from trouble? 

Peter had proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, but when Jesus said that meant he would have to suffer and die, Peter resists the implication of his act of faith.  Next week we will hear while Jesus was talking about his suffering, the Apostles were arguing among themselves about who was the greatest.
    They were thinking about gaining power and success, while Jesus was showing them his Way was the Way of letting go of everything, even your very life. 

Does your Jesus include the Cross, or do you think of Jesus only in terms of solving all your problems and giving you what you want out of life?

Who is Jesus? 
Father Richard said: It took me 35 years to discover that Jesus is my friend, and that has changed the way I approach almost everything I do as a priest.
Barbara grew up fearing God as someone who kept a ledger of all her bad deeds, and so in her 20’s she turned away from God. Later on a retreat through connecting with Jesus she came to know a God of love, who helps her carry the burdens of life and reach out to her friends and family.
Shirley says: “I have discovered Jesus again and again. I see him as the person who brings us out of our darkness, speaking the Word which changes the impossible into the possible.
For Pete Jesus is always a mystery. “He is both human and God. Because Jesus is human I can talk to him Because Jesus is God he expands me.  He calls me to become and do more.

Conclusion: Notice that as each of these people grew in faith and came to understand Jesus in a new way, it had an effect on their actions.
    Once you really believe in Jesus as your Lord, he will call you to follow him
   If you have real faith in Jesus you have to do good works.