April 21, 2002

Father Owen's Homilies

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 21, 2002

A couple of years ago when I was stationed in Effingham, I tried for some time to find out how much was owed on an Internet bill. It turned out to be a very frustrating experience. The first call led to recorded routines like, “If you want our long distance service punch #1. Or “If you wish to inquire about switching to your provider to our services, punch #2.” After a very short while I wanted to reach through the phone and punch that blasted machine. It took a long time to get a live voice. Finally after nearly four hours I got a straight answer from a very kindly black woman.

The first words of the Rule of St. Benedict are, “Listen my child to the guidance of the Master and bend the ear of your heart.” To whom do we listen? What voice captures our attention? From the multiplicity of sounds around us, which do we select to focus on? Whose advice do we follow? Whose voice will convince us to give up our lives because we love someone or some cause? Do we listen to the still, small voice of our conscience? Do we even listen to someone else? Do we have our hands over our ears? The people who were going to stone Stephen did that. Try it! All you can hear is the sound of your own voice! Do we listen only to ourselves? Do we listen to the voice that cries out for my wants, that I save my time?

We may do the above and sometimes live in a small and narrow world of “Me.” But we also do listen to the “voice of the Lord inviting us” as St. Benedict says. Yes, sometimes the words of the Lord “Cut us to the heart” as the first reading puts it. Lots and lots of times we listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd who will protect, lead us, and often speak the words that “Cut.” They are challenging words which will move us to act and speak perhaps contrary to all around us. The Lord speaks in our prayer, our Bible reading, when we eat his flesh and drink his blood, in and out of Church, in and out of season. Will we bend the ear of our heard to what, in the long and short run, is a life of loving others? Will we listen to the voice that says, “The more you give away, the more you have? The choice is ours.