Homily for the Sixth Sunday of Easter
(May 13, 2007)
Story:
A mother took her six-year old son into a doctor’s crowded waiting
room. He began to ask her all kind of questions—why this? and how does
such and such work? etc In
half an hour he had managed to cover just about every subject known to
humanity. To the wonder of the others there this mother answered every
question carefully and patiently.
Then they had a question: How does she stand this relentless
questioning and remain so patient.
But when
he asked his next question: “Why doesn’t God get tired and just
stop?-- those listening got their answer to their question, in this
patient mother’s response: “Because”, she replied after a moments
thought, “God is love and love never gets tired.”
I think it an unrealistic expectation to think that a mother will
never get tired or that she would never have to quit or at least
take a break from answering questions of her inquisitive child.
But we know
that God never quits --God
just keeps giving and giving
Jesus gave all he had – he poured himself out in love for others
God never gets tired of our hungers and struggles.
God never quits loving the church no matter what we do or fail to do.
Jesus continued to be with the church as it went through radical
transitions
From
walking with Jesus in the flesh to encountering the Risen Christ
From having the
Risen Christ appear and speak with them to his going up to Heaven
And then being overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
From cowering
in fear, to going out boldly proclaiming their love of Christ.
When Jesus left this earth, he was not quitting.
Rather he promised to still be with us in the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father sends.
Whatever transitions the church goes through, God never gives up on us
Whether we
are talking about the Crusades or
the Inquistion; the Birth
Control controversy
Or the sexual abuse scandal,
dramatic growth in numbers or
the current decline in
attendance
God never quits. Jesus
Christ will always be with us.
Jesus sends his Holy Spirit to show us his love and to guide us.
Because God is love and Love never gives up.
Just as Jesus will never give up on us, when we truly love
someone we never give up on them. Even
if a loving mother or father has
to take a break from their child’s questions,
or have to take a break from your child for a little while
or even find it best to have someone else adopt and care for your child
your love will never quit -- you
will never give up on someone you love.
Because Jesus has shown us that true love never quits.
Concl: Because we are
sinners, most of us will at some time in life fail to love enough, and
we will quit loving as much as we should. But we know that God will
never give up on us; never quit. Because
he loves us Jesus is still here with us no matter what comes.
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