4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

If you would like to view today's Mass, "4th Sunday in Ordinary Time," please click on this link or the picture above.

Do you remember Flip Wilson? He had that comedy routine where for example, his wife who bought three dresses already that week, came home from the store with yet another new dress. He said, "how could you buy another dress?" and she replied, "I didn't want to buy this dress. The devil made me do it." And that was funny!

But today's Gospel is no laughing matter. It brings up a man possessed by an unclean spirit - the devil. The devil is the absence of goodness. And Jesus is able to rid the man of this affliction. Christ's love entered the man, and the devil was gone. Everyone was amazed.

And there is something else that is amazing to me about this Gospel. The fact that the devil said out loud that Jesus was God! Many good people, including you and I, and even the disciples, struggled to see Jesus as God. It takes faith. And the devil does this with no trouble at all?! The important difference [pause] is that the devil has no love. We do.

To me, this really drives home just how important it is for each of us to love. When we see a candle burning it is a symbol of Christ's love burning in our hearts. To fully know Jesus, to separate ourselves from what is evil, loving and serving others is required.

But isn't it hard to be loving all the time? Especially now when we are all filled with such anxiety. Will we get Covid-19? Can we get the vaccine? Anxious about the people we know who have covid-19. Anxious about people rioting and smashing things. About people not having enough food. And we keep watching the news and listening to these troubles over and over. It fills us with anxiety and it makes it hard to love. So, what can we do?

Our second reading has the answer. St. Paul, speaking for Jesus states, "I should like you to be free of anxieties." Jesus instructs us to let go of our anxieties. Doesn't want us watching it over and over again on the news. Take a deep breath and step back with Jesus from everything that is making you feel anxious.

When I was in my teens, I received a small plaque from a friend. It said, "Don't worry, don't hurry, and don't forget to smell the flowers." I think about that often. To set aside worry and the things that give us anxiety. Sometimes I think we watch the horrible stories on the news over and over again, because we think if we don't, it means that we don't care. But that is just not true! And when we think too often about our dislikes of certain people and let it keep replaying in our minds, over and over again, there is less room for love and anxiety increases.

In the bible we are told more than 365 times, that we should not worry! God wants us to worry less so we can love more!

If we want to separate ourselves from evil and drive away anxiety, maybe now is the time to set aside your worries and let the light of Christ, the love in your heart move you to help whoever you can. Give a phone call to someone who might feel isolated because of the pandemic. Offer to pick up groceries for someone you know. Put some food in our food pantry. Say a kind word to someone you think may not even deserve it. Setting aside your worries and acting on the love in your heart, Christ's light moves evil away from you.

This week let's concentrate on worrying less. The 100-year-old comedian George Burns said, "If you ask what is the single most important key to [living a long life], I would have to say it is avoiding worry. And if you didn't ask me, I'd still have to say it." When you think of George Burns and 100 candles burning on his cake, or any candle burning, be reminded of Christ's light and let others see it in the love you show them. Amen!

God's Peace,
Deacon Dave