Saturday word, 20 Oct 18

28^th Saturday of the Year (20 Oct 2018)
Eph 1. 15-23; Ps 8; Lk 12. 8-12

Homily of Fr. Paul Panaretos, S.J. during Full Spiritual Exercises
Letting Our Futures Emerge

How did Jesus mean his words: blasphemes against the Holy Spirit? To answer I’ll use an already and a not yet: an already and a not yet in the drama of Luke’s gospel. We approach well Jesus’ words we already heard by recognizing a tendency. Our ever-present penchant to define and categorize leads many to twist Jesus’ words and have Jesus say what satisfies us. Jesus did not emphasize the second commandment that forbids abuse of God’s name. Nor have humanly imagined worst-case behaviours—actions named in attempts to define blasphemes against the Holy Spirit—captured the heart of Jesus’ words. They continue his support for his disciples not to fear.¹ Why did Jesus encourage not to fear?

Events had taken an ominous turn. After Jesus had spoken truth to the religious professionals—cleansing outside does not get to one’s inner self—they grew terribly hostile and lay in wait to ensnare him.² Hunters immediately can appreciate the premeditation and planning involved; all of us can appreciate deeper involvement intensified their hostility. Jesus was aware of possible outcomes: persecution; arrest; death for him—and any who walked with him. My friends, do not fear, emphasized God’s caring protection.

Rightly so: Jesus knew spiritual forces contended not only human ones. In saner, more modest moments we share Jesus’ realism. We know, for example, brute force against another has an origin that eludes our grasp: the human heart. Hearts suffer unseen though real cyclones that swirl and lash long before tongues lacerate, fists beat, fingers fire weapons or groups plunder from others and the earth what groups do not need. Such spiritual forces vie in us as much now as in Jesus’ day.³

Fear is the spiritual force Jesus addressed. A not yet in the gospel-drama gives it a face. You’ll recall it: a certain servant girl looked at [Peter] intently and said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “…I do not know him!”⁴ Peter denied Jesus before others! Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. Peter’s forgiveness was a visitation: risen Jesus rejoined Peter, and he welcomed Jesus. Every storm in Peter’s heart—regret, shock, guilt, sorrow, pain—did not hinder Jesus returning to Peter and calming his heart-storms. Peter did not reject Jesus’ loyal, loving friendship. Outright rejection, totally refusing God’s love blasphemes against Holy Spirit.

To welcome risen Jesus is to be taught by the Holy Spirit! Learning is not only speech; we also learn silently. Healing is silent. We learn silently when we welcome Holy Spirit to heal our hearts; healed hearts move us to welcome and not resist.

Risen Jesus is ever at the doors of our hearts.5 Refusing him entry is anyone’s choice; it seems a choice not easy to complete. St. Paul, once breathing threat and murder against the disciples of risen Jesus⁶ discovered Jesus so near to him he could not recognize who touched and beckoned him or how. Logic and sense were useless; he ceased resisting.  

Let’s close with another already and a not yet. If something is lodged in your heart, ask Peter and Paul to present you to risen Jesus to breathe Holy Spirit on you. Welcome Holy Spirit to soothe you. What will yet happen no one can predict. Rely on count-less testimonies that Holy Spirit dislodges blocks, opens long-closed hearts, melts the frozen, warms the chill, heals our wounds, renews strength; waters dryness and washes away residues of guilt⁷ we never knew we lugged. We’re perfectly poised to begin to let Holy Spirit’s |not yet for us| emerge as our already.

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1. Luke 12.1-7, yesterday’s gospel selection. Fear appears 4 times in 2 verses.
2. Luke 11.53.
3. Colossians 2.8, 20. 
4. Luke 22.56-57.
5. Revelation 3.20.
6. Acts 9.1.
7. Based on the still sung prayer; its earliest form is in 11^th Century manuscripts.

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Wiki-images: by Mahargg Jesus teaching his disciples CC BY-SA 3.0; Healing Light, detail PD-US