15th Sunday after TRINITY: Homily

“CLOTHED AND FED WITH JESUS”

Saint Matthew 6. 24-34

15^th Sunday after Trinity: 8 September Anno Domini 2013

Father J. Watson SSP

In The Name + of Jesus

   Fowls, lilies, masters, and Solomon…it’s just another opportunity to talk about Jesus.

   Because if all you want to talk about is you, you’re in a world of hurt—a world of hellish rot and burning dead flesh.

   You can’t be both white and black when you play chess. You can’t be fighting for both Sitting Bull and Armstrong Custer; for Rommel and Montgomery; or for Lee and McClellan. How much less can you serve in the armies of BOTH good and evil, of The Lord and of the ancient liar and murderer the devil?

   The pagan serves Satan. The heathenish non-believer is an enemy of the Truth—of Christ. It matters not how nice, agreeable and friendly the heretic or heathen is, he works full time for the enemy of good. The slave, of this master of blackness, works for and is rewarded with mammon. Mammon is the stuff of this fallen world. It may temporarily glitter like gold, or like retirement, health-care, 501Ks, IRAs, caches of silver, ammo and freeze-dried food, but like all mammon it’s nothing but manure with the master of the flies, of manure, Beelzebub, buzzing around and biting—for eternity.

  Some of you like to dress up in fine raiment, whether clothes, or simply your peacock ego, reputation and popularity. Some of you like to accumulate and consume the finest meats and wines, whether meat and wine, or whatever your appetites desire. All of you worry about these things. You worry because you’re sinners. Repent and pray for the Holy Ghost to focus you on Jesus. A pagan slave to the devil will be numbed by his opium of mammon and will stumble through a life of misery masked by medication. But you are Christian Saints, warriors of “The” Way, who through your own pain of trials and temptations, will fight the good fight of faith and repent of your attractions to mammon. Fight their alluring lies and eat and drink Jesus. Wear Jesus. Bathe in Jesus.

   But, telling you to do things, even things like praying and “repent,” and stop worrying and fretting over creature comforts that are really creature necessities, is the Law. If you had to rely on your own self-discipline and ascetic focus on Scripture, study, and prayer, you would soon fall into hypocrisy and/or despair. You will worry until the day you die. You will flirt with the sirens of mammon until you breathe your last breath.

   Thank the Lord for Jesus. Jesus is your Master who has become a slave to save you. Jesus refused to bow His knee to mammon—to Satan—so that you would be seated on thrones this morning.

   As beautiful as lilies are, as much as they give off the perfume of resurrection, they too are merely more colorful grass. Christ re-speaks His words to the Prophet Isaiah “the grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the Word of our God shall stand forever.” [Is. 40.8].  Clothes go out of fashion, tear, are stained, are out-grown, and are eaten by moths. The raiment of Jesus—your Baptismal wedding garments are imperishable.

   As important as are the fowls of the air, both the beauty and artistry of the soaring and diving eagles and falcons, as well as the delectable sustenance of the roasted duck, turkey, quail, and common chicken; they fall and are turned back to dust. Yet not even one of them falls to the ground without your heavenly Father knowing it—and your Master Jesus lamenting it—the brokenness of His original creation of life. Meat and potatoes can go bad, and are all digested and expelled nonetheless. Water and wine, beer and coffee, as quenching and delightful to the spirit as they are, never really quench to perfect satisfaction, and are also expelled. Only the Water of Life which is Christ slakes the thirst of your fear and anxiety; only the meat of His Body and Blood fills the emptiness and loneliness of life in the vale of tears. For unlike lilies and fowl, the Word of the Lord endures forever. The Christ is omnipotent and eternal, and so are His brothers and sisters whom He clothes and feeds with Himself.

   As necessary as the First Article gifts of God are for your well-being, here—under the Cross, the far, far, infinitely greater gift and gifts are the Second Article—the Body and Blood of Jesus the God/Man, given and shed for the forgiveness of sins; for salvation and life.

   This morning, for you, the Greater Solomon is present with His love and mercy, but also with His actual words of remission, peace, and family-- blessing; He is actually present with His Body and Blood. The rebuilt Holy Temple of the Trinity, the Tabernacle of Light and Life bestows Himself upon His brethren.

   The Kingdom of God (the King) and His righteousness has sought and found you. All things are now added to you by your Master of Mercy.

In The Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost