3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C

This week I attended a moving presentation celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.  It was a wonderful celebration with singing, dancing, speeches and some presentations by young students from the Rochester City Schools. I was particularly struck by a group of young students who sang "I wanna be a church ."  To this phrase they added many things – like - I wanna be a church where all are fed and no one goes hungry, I wanna be a church where all are family and no one is beaten or abused.  I wanna be a church where all have a safe place to live. I wanna be a church....... and they went on with their hopes and dreams.  Their presentation, their words had so much power!  –
I ask you  - how do we wanna be a church?
 
As we consider how we want to be church, our readings today provide a powerful reminder that one way God calls us to be church is by proclaiming God’s Word. And the spoken Word has power!  Each week, when we come to Mass, w e  e come to hear and proclaim the word of God!    We are all called to be engaged,  to fully participate at Mass! God’s word is not just spoken by the priest or deacon, it is proclaimed by all believers, a chorus of many voices, one church - one voice, God’s living word!  God’s word speaks directly to our hearts, it is active in our lives.  And if we allow it, this word will change our hearts, and our lives. It makes us a better and stronger , church, a church can change our world!
 
In the first reading we hear Ezra speaking to the exiles in Jerusalem, exiles who returned from captivity in Babylon. In their return from Babylon, the exiles knew that God was calling them to change.  Calling them to hear His word and live out that word once more!  On hearing  Ezra speak, they were changed, they understood that they were at a threshold, a turning point.  This realization is seen in their reaction to Ezra and God's word by weeping.
 
Their weeping is understandable!  Who could blame them? Everything around them had changed and was far different from what they or God wanted it to be. Jerusalem lay in ruins.  The temple was destroyed, their lives were upended.  God called them to change, to listen to His voice to rebuild their lives and their community, to restore who they were meant to be. Might this sound like just what our world needs right now?
In each age God calls his people to change; to turn away from fear and despair, and draw near.  Are we a church that is willing to change?
 
In very much the same vein as the first reading, in the Gospel, we find Jesus who is returning to Galilee after being baptized by John, and then going into the desert to discern God’s mission.  He returns “in the power of the Spirit,” as Luke says, and the Spirit brings him back to his home town of Nazareth.
Jesus, like Ezra, he takes up a scroll, containing the book of Isaiah. He reads a passage saying, the Spirit of the Lord has sent him to: “bring glad tidings to the poor,  …  to let the oppressed go free,” to proclaim a time of favor from the Lord. This is what exactly what Ezra had proclaimed four centuries earlier.  And like the people of Ezra's time they were facing a time of change,  they were indeed at a turning point,.  However,  those in the synagogue were unaware of this turning point, and unaware of the importance of the moment that was occurring in their presence.  Jesus, God's Son, the living Word was standing in their midst!  Jesus like Ezra was calling God's people back. However, they didn’t understand this when Jesus spoke: "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
 
Today, our world and our church are at a turning point as well!  We have so many challenges that we face as a church and a society.  So many people are living in poverty. There is so much violence and hate in our world, our environment is being abused and many governments are not caring for their people. 

We are indeed at a turning point.  God is calling us, He is truly with us.  God wants so much for us!  If we only turn and listen to Him. Today God is calling us to action and prayer! He calls us to be not afraid, to use our gifts which he has given us, to have hope. We indeed are a people of hope!  Despite the darkness around us there is light!  There are also many hopeful signs of God's living word active and alive in our lives, and our world.  Here at St. Joseph’s our Christ Life process has touched many lives. It has helped foster a deeper relationship with God in many of those who have participated. It has emboldened many to reach out beyond their comfort zone to use their gifts in the service of the Lord. ChristLife helps us be an evangelizing church, a church that cares. Do we wanna be a church that draws more people to Jesus?

Penfield Hope has also touched many lives in our community. It has provided a caring place, a place where those in need can be listened to.  Where they can find assistance, support and experience prayer together. Despite the darkness that surrounds us, there is light!  We need to take heart that God provides this light in the darkness. Do we wanna be a church that meets the needs of the poor?
 
In our second reading, Paul's analogy of our human body, and our church as the living body of Christ is powerful!  Each of us is made by God, and everyone is unique!  Together our diversity makes us part of the fullness of the body of Christ.  Just as our bodies , are made up of many diverse parts and make one body, so the church is made up of all people and make one church!  We are one in the Lord. We must recognize that diversity strengthens rather than weakens the body and strengthens the church. Through baptism we all become the body of Christ.  Together we are called collectively to use the diverse gifts that God has given us.  Sometimes this is can be messy and hard, but necessary.  We are called to respect one another in our differences and understand that all have a purpose in our church and in our world!  Do we wanna be a church that embraces diversity and all are welcomed and supported?
 
So I ask once more:
 
How do you wanna be church??  This is a difficult question!  It makes me wonder, just how the church, and our world might be different, if we truly thought of ourselves as church?  A church who are  truly the people of God, A church who speaks fearlessly the living Word of God.  
 
Let us not be silent, let us be not afraid!  Let us be church, an awakened and vibrant Church!  Let us allow God's word to pour out of us!
 
I conclude with a Quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:
 
" Our lives begin to end   the day we become silent about things that matter."