"Prayer, Conscience and Humility" - 29th Sunday Homily by Deacon Ted

So this reading.

brings up emotions in us as we hear it.

Because here are the disciples, the followers of Jesus.

James and John, one of two of his closest confidants.

His inner circle, Peter, James and John.

James and John were there for the rising of the little girl from the dead.

They were there for the transfiguration.

they know exactly who Jesus is and what he's capable of.

And we think, my, how could they ask such a selfish question as to sit on the right and left of Jesus and his glory?

And I submit to you they weren't being selfish.

I submit to you that they believed in Him.

I submit to you that they trusted in Him to fulfill what they would ask for.

And I submit to you that by their asking, they showed everyone how much they believed in Him, that He was the God.

He was the Messiah.

He was the one that was going to be greatest in all of Israel and make Israel the greatest country in the world.

That's what the Messiah was to do and they believed in that.

But the other 10, the other 10 get indignant.

How could they ask him that?

And so I submit to you this.

They were just being normal.

James and John were just being like any human being driven by human desire to do more, to get more, to be more.

And the other ten were indignant because

They didn't ask first.

Think about it.

What were they upset about?

Because they asked?

Or because if Jesus said yes to James and John, those positions would be filled and they couldn't get to them.

And just for a glimmer, I can imagine Peter being right up in front going, well wait a minute!

Because it's our human nature to want more and to be more.

but it's not a divine nature.

It's not God's will for us to be selfish and to want more.

And that's why the virtue of humility is so hard for us to reach and to accomplish and to be good at.

Humility means putting ourselves in a lower position, serving others, being of service to others.

wanting more for the others than you do for yourself.

That's a position of humility.

Remember the Gospel story of the wedding and the guest who arrives and sits at the back of the room.

And the bridegroom comes up to him and says, no, my friend, please come up higher so that people could see you and know that you are close to me.

Humility put that person in the back of the room and God's love brought him forward.

We need to think about this because we are dependent on God.

It's different if we make something to want to make it better.

It's different if we make something and we want more of it.

But God made us.

God made all of us and we are His creatures.

And therefore everything we do should be for God and not for us.

And that's part of humility.

Soon we'll be asked to go to the polls.

And I ask you to think of yourself in terms of humility.

Because there's a lot of people screaming right now at you wanting your vote.

There's people who are saying, you have to vote, you got to do this, you got to do that.

And they're using words, words that are highly charged with emotion, words that they build up over the course of the year that have meaning to them and meaning behind them.

But they don't say anything.

They're just words.

But they do that because they're trying to get you to believe that you have the power in your hand.

And I submit to you in humility, it is your civic responsibility to vote.

That is what's great about a democratic society.

That is what's great about this country.

Other countries fight wars and die for that right, and you've got it.

And you should utilize it.

to the fullest.

But last week we passed out a book at the end of Mass from the Catholic Bishop of the USCCB that said, here are what we believe as Catholics.

Here's what we'd like you to guide your decision making.

Here is God's perspective of all these different issues.

And I hope you read it because it highlights.

what should be driving your decision.

And it's not words like this or that or anything else.

The Bishop said that under the banner of freedom

You should consider abortion, euphanasia, human trafficking, redefinition of marriage and gender.

Those who are lumped under this word, freedom.

But freedom under God has a different meaning.

Freedom under God is to do His will.

He is our Maker.

You are free to choose.

He gave you that choice.

and considered the issues.

Somebody once asked Pope Francis during an election cycle, what should we do?

It's very conscience And the Pope said, well, three things.

Know the issues.

Pray.

Vote your conscience.

I think that summarizes it.

Know the issues, not the buzzword.

What's the ramification of those decisions?

Pray.

Ask God to guide you.

And then vote your conscience, well formed and well educated.

There are four basic principles of Catholic social doctrine.

They are the dignity of the human person.

the common good, subsidiarity.

And I like this one the most because subsidiarity means decision making at the lowest level.

So if you have a problem with your brother, leave your gift at the altar and go make peace with your brother at the lowest level.

Two people deciding, making peace.

If you have a bigger problem,

Bring it to the family and let the domestic Church, the family, guide your decision and make peace.

And if you can't do it there, then bring it to the Church.

And with prayer and consultation together, we can find the right answer.

And the last one is solidarity, that we as Church, we as Catholics move forward

together, together as what God gave us and taught us, with our consciences well formed, and that's what we take forward.

So as Pope Francis says, know the issues pray.

Vote your conscience

and do so in humility.