Homily for August 16

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 Every so often I find myself behind an automobile that has on its bumper the following sign: C O E X I S T. It is often written in the following symbols:
 
I do find it fascinating to learn about other religious traditions; but I am not a fan of the “bumper sticker.” It implies to me the sentiment that either all religions are the same or that religion in general is irrelevant.

When I am preparing couples for marriage who come from different faith traditions, I encourage them to share and celebrate their differences and to hand them on to their children. The marriages of my grandparents were what we would call “mixed marriages.” My paternal grandmother was a staunch German Lutheran who married an ardent Irish Catholic. My maternal grandfather was a New England Congregationalist who married a devout Catholic (whose own grandfather converted to Catholicism after a visit to Guadalupe). Many of my parents’ closest friends were adherents of different faiths. I learned early in life to appreciate the myriad of ways in which people experience God while at the same time treasuring the rich heritage of faith handed on to me from the Roman Catholic tradition.

The Word of God today reflects the experience of our Jewish ancestors who had returned from exile among foreigners in Babylon to find their homeland inhabited by people who worshipped “other gods.” Paul described himself as devoted to the faith of Israel but as an “apostle to the Gentiles.” Jesus reflected back to his audience their won anti-foreigner prejudice when he initially hesitated to heal the Canaanite woman’s daughter. Finally, however, he praised her in these words: “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” (Matthew 15:28)

What ought our response be to the differences within our society? Should we ignore them? Might we recoil into our separate groups and keep from having anything to do with one another? Often we come to appreciate our differences by engaging together in “works of justice.” One of the more moving moments in the midst of this pandemic summer occurred on the spur of the moment. Neighbors gathered in the middle of Chevy Chase Circle and knelt for 8 minutes and fifty-six seconds on the day of the funeral of George Floyd. No words were necessary! Some years ago, the parish where I was serving had a massive used goods sale to raise funds for a mission in Haiti. While preparing for the event, a man said to me: “Don’t you just feel the love?” Similar reactions occur here every year during the “Greg Gannon Canned Food Collection.” When people come together to perform “works of justice,” relationships are formed, faith is shared, and God’s love is made manifest. Our intent is not to proselytize; but sometimes people whose faith is weak seek a more solid faith foundation. Today three individuals will embrace our faith through confirmation and First Holy Communion. At the 10:00am Mass we welcome with great joy Ingrid, Lauren, and Paul!

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Bill Foley