Homily: Thursday - 31st Week in OT 2016 - "We are the circumcision"

Circumcision is mentioned briefly but prominently in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, as we heard this morning. The custom of circumcising males was an important identity marker for the ancient Hebrews—it was a sign of belonging to the God of Israel, and distinguished them from the non-circumcising nations like the Philistines and Babylonians.

The meaning of circumcision is given in Genesis chapter 17, where God instructs Abraham to circumcise himself and all his male descendants as a sign of the everlasting covenant between God and his people.

The Hebrew Scriptures would often use this idea of circumcision as a metaphor, speaking of the circumcision of the heart, the lips, and the ears. For example, before the Israelites enter the Promised Land, Moses calls them to a renewed dedication to the Lord by saying, “Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and be no longer stiff-necked”. Allowing God to “circumcise your heart”, Deuteronomy says,  will enable you to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live.

Circumcision is understood as a removal of a barrier, a renewed attentiveness and devotion to God’s Word. To circumcise the ears and lips is to remove a barrier to hearing and speaking the word of God. To circumcise the heart is to renew the barriers in your life to loving God.

So what a strange and amazing thing for Paul to say in “we, Christians, are the circumcision…we who worship through the Spirit of God…and do not trust in our flesh.” Paul is speaking of a vocation isn’t it…a vocation for Christians to help the rest of the world remove the barriers in their hearts to God…and we precisely fulfill that vocation by not putting our trust in vain, empty things.

We, who have had the barriers in our lives removed, need to help others do the same. When we are faithful to that vocation, when we help those lost in sin return to God, there is, as we heard in the Gospel, “much rejoicing in heaven.”

May the Holy Spirit continue to help us identify those parts of our minds and hearts that we do not give to God, so that we may be more effective in the work of mercy for the glory of God and salvation of souls.