Homily: 10th Week of Ordinary Time - Friday - Treasure in Earthen Vessels

Both readings today point to the preciousness of the new life we receive from God.  At Baptism, we are washed clean of original sin and made members of the Church, but also, new life is breathed into the soul, sanctifying grace fills the soul, the grace that makes a soul holy and pleasing to God.

This new life is a treasure, it’s invaluable; it can’t be bought, it can’t be obtained through human means, it was purchased for us by the blood of the spotless lamb.  it is the treasure that allows us, as Paul says to be “perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed”

Paul says this treasure is contained an earthen vessel—think of a fragile clay pot.  He refers here to our bodies, our mortal flesh.  That we still have this tendency to make choices which are contrary to the life of grace.  Our Lord says it another way in the Gospels—the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

To protect the life of grace, we need to be vigilant and proactive against the tendencies of the flesh.  In the Gospel Our Lord uses hyperbole to explain that we need to go to serious measures to avoid sin and the near occasion of sin.  Hyperbole is an extreme illustration to prove a point, and our Lord proves his point, he says, “if your eye causes you to sin, cut it out, if your hand causes you to sin, cut it out.”

Meaning, discipleship involves eliminating sin and the near occasion of sin from our life.  This is not easy in the 21^st century, with sin around every corner, it’s as hard as well…cutting off your hand if it causes you to sin.  But it is crucial.  The Lord explains here too what is at stake…fiery Gahenna—hell. 

Our Lord gives a hard teaching today.  But with a serious challenge also comes serious help.  Saint Paul tells the Romans, “where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more.”  The help we need in this troubled troubled age is here. 

Though we are weak and fragile and bombarded with so many temptations, through prayer, and the sacraments, and meditation upon God’s word, we can cooperate with God’s grace, to reject the empty promises of the age, and give witness to the transforming, life-giving power of Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.