How do you get to heaven? I need 3 volunteers to demonstrate [I give one a 2x4 wooded beam, and another 2x4 to the other two volunteers. I ask the one to hold the beam vertically.]
Some would say that it only about our relationship with God. [Point to the wooden beam standing vertically up and down] Let’s say that the bottom of this beam is us and the top is God. Now obviously God is not just up in the sky; God is everywhere but for this homily think of God as up there. I call this the vertical notion of spirituality. It is about:
-praising God; thanking God
-improving my prayer life
-acknowledging my sins and my need to repent
-trusting God
-turning my life over to Christ (or as Jesus said in the verses just before today’s gospel
we need to “be born from heaven.”)
Another route to heaven is what I call the horizontal notion of spirituality. [Have the two other volunteers hold the wood beam horizontally, but separated from the vertical beam] It means:
-helping others
-helping the poor and marginalized
-acts of charity
-working for justice among all people
Now both of these are good. It is not about choosing one over the other. It is not either this one or that one . . . it is both of them together. [Have volunteers come together and hold the beams in the form of a cross].
Today we celebrate the feast of the Exultation of the Cross. Exultation means “lifting up.” So we lift up the cross. Why? Because the intersection of where these two beams come together is the place of where our sins are forgiven AND we are given new life.
Our relationship with God is essential. [Pointing to the vertical beam] Each of us, personally, must come to recognize that we sin . . . but as the gospel just said, God so loved the world so that we who believes will gain heaven. We know this love in many ways but especially through the scriptures and through the sacraments.
And it is because of this love that we are sent to make the world better. We are invited to work for justice and to do acts of charity. Pope Benedict, in his letter called “God Is Love” wrote “the Church cannot neglect acts (works) of charity any more than she can neglect the word and the sacraments.
Both beams are important!
Which means we all need to keep working on our relationship with God: talk to God, receive the Eucharist, come to reconciliation so that you can receive God’s grace of forgiveness.
And we are invited, not to stay focused on ourselves only, but to make the world a better place.
We have 7 themes of Catholic Social Teaching. A copy of these was given as an insert in our big Rural Life Celebration with Bishop Don on August 17. Here are the seven themes:
Life and Dignity of the Human Person
Call to Family, Community, and Participation
Rights and Responsibilities
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
Solidarity
Care for God’s Creation
We have extra copies of these themes at the entrance for you to take.
The list means our Church is serious about the horizontal portion of the cross. Our salvation is not just about “me and God” but also includes how we each try to make the world better.
It means: awareness, prayer AND action.
For example, volunteering in the Church
working to stop Domestic Violence (the Church has a document called
“When I Call For Help”
helping with our programs like Family Promise which begins Sunday
or the Fall Fest (look at the front cover of the Bulletin) We want
you all to attend, and also put some time in helping. What makes
our parish so great is the way many of you volunteer, but we still
have some openings to fill.
it means giving money to the Church and other causes.
Look in the bulletin that was handed to you. You will see an insert about the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Look on the very top. There is a quote from Pope Benedict, “Never tire of working for a more just world, marked by greater solidarity.” And look at last paragraph on the front page, “CCHD (Catholic Campaign for Human Development) is the official domestic anti-poverty agency of the Catholic bishops in the United States.” We are asked to donate to them with the envelopes also inserted.
So how do you get to heaven? Perhaps a better question is “What aspects of both beams do you need to improve upon/”