"Knowing Christ" - 21st Sunday Homily

I've mentioned before that I used to work at a bar in Bethesda called T-Bones.

Might have carded some of you.

This was back in early 90s when the Georgetown Bar scene moved to Bethesda and T-Bones was the first big hot spot.

So Friday and Saturday nights I would work the door and be of course a big bouncer type, obviously.

It's a good thing there were no fights.

pretty strict on the IDs, had to be.

And we'd have long lines a lot of those nights.

And some jokers would try and jump the line saying they knew the owner or the general manager who I would bring out to verify it.

And almost every time, like, I don't know them.

Like that, and it was embarrassing to watch them go to the back of the line.

But that's kind of the scene Jesus presents in the gospel about getting to heaven.

And there's Peter, he's a doorman.

St.

Michael is a bouncer.

He's got a history of bouncing out the troublemakers from heaven.

Probably minus out the alcohol, but who knows?

We don't know exactly.

Something to think about, talk about.

There's food or drink in heaven.

But through the narrow gates, like the door T-bones, all long line waiting to get in, and you need to know Jesus.

He says twice about getting in.

Those who won't get in, I don't know where you're from.

Which means I don't know you and I should know you based on where you're from.

Based on your tradition, your upbringing, your ancestors.

think for us Catholics,

God forbid we ever hear these catastrophic words.

It would mean that I gave you the sacraments, you were raised in them, but you didn't practice them in your life.

And what these means are, we start baptism today for young Thomas.

Thomas, how you doing everybody?

You still here?

You leave.

He's like, I gotta listen to this former bartender or doorman.

I don't think so.

Let's find a holy guy.

Starts with baptism and what the parents have brought Thomas for today is to start this relationship

with Christ.

The amazing gifts folks we have in our church is these shares, these sacraments we share in God's life, His very life.

I know we don't know the Bible very well, but the simplest story is it's God's love story for us.

Or our love story with Him.

That from the beginning, He's pursuing us.

He's seeking us.

He's out for our hearts, our love, intimacy that culminates with this life in Christ, the sacraments.

Sharing intimately.

Is there anything more intimate than union with another?

The young Thomas in about seven years or five years or so will share in Holy Communion.

We have this every Sunday.

That's what it means to know Christ.

And when he talks about those coming from the east and the west and the north and the south, he's talking about us.

There's two ways I present to you to know Christ.

The first is through this relationship.

That God has initiated from day one and always pursued us in covenant, in intimacy.

Divine Mercy is always seeking us.

The second way is through imitation.

Going back to the second reading about discipline.

with trials.

Endure your trials as discipline.

How did Jesus endure trials as discipline?

With patience.

He didn't complain.

That's one of the hardest things for us.

Everyone needs patience.

More patience.

Because we complain when suffering hits.

We're not expecting it.

We don't want it.

It hurts.

It's inconvenient.

And we feel so justified in complaining.

Let's look at Christ and be like Him to take it, which leads to meekness.

When their trials hit and people offend us or hurt us, let's forgive as He forgave and continue to forgive.

That meekness of Him, He says, I'm meek and humble of heart.

So that's the third way to imitate Him under trials or the discipline that God works in us, humility.

to accept it.

I can't change it, let me accept it.

And to repeat, regulate helps to say, thy will be done.

And Jesus did.

He humbly, meekly accepted suffering as God's will, as God's discipline.

I've heard repeatedly from parishioners in just the last few days about surrender.

Surrender.

If we surrender our will, we will have intimacy with Jesus, we will know Him, and we will hear different words, I promise you this, at Judgment.

Let us then through the narrow gate, and he'll say, well done, good and fateful servant, and to your master's joy.