Homily: A Life Given Away
I saw a quote the other day that is often attributed to Pablo Picasso and it reminded me of today’s readings:
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
All of us have been given something. We have gifts, talents, experiences, opportunities. God has placed something in each of us that is meant not simply for ourselves, but for others.
Jeremiah discovered that.
God had called him to be a prophet, and there were days when Jeremiah wished God had chosen somebody else. His calling brought him criticism, rejection, and suffering.
Jeremiah had had enough, so he said, "I'm done, I won't talk about God anymore."
The problem for Jeremiah is he can’t stop. Its like a fish trying to stop being a fish, or a bird to stop being a bird. They can’t.
Jeremiah feels like the Word of God is burning inside him, it's like a fire that's growing stronger every minute. It's deep in his heart and it's spreading to his bones; he can't keep it locked up, it's bursting to get out.
Jeremiah had discovered his gift, and he realized that he had to give it away.
This is what today’s Gospel is all about.
Jesus tells his disciples that he is going to Jerusalem, where suffering and the cross are waiting for him. Peter objects. He wants to protect Jesus.
Jesus knows something that hasn’t yet clicked with Peter.
A life spent protecting itself at all costs eventually becomes a very small life.
Jesus says:
“Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Jesus isn't saying that life has to be unhappy. What he's saying is that the best part of life is when we stop thinking just about what we can get, and start thinking about what we can give. When we focus on giving, that's when we find the most joy. He wants us to know that it's not all about what's in it for us, but about how we can make a difference in the world. And that's where real happiness comes from. This is what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Most of the time, giving our lives away happens in very ordinary ways.
A parent gives time and love to a child.
A teacher gives knowledge and patience to students.
A friend sits and listens.
We make someone laugh.
We volunteer for an afternoon.
Someone visits a person who is lonely.
A monk or sister gives themselves through prayer, community, hospitality, and service.
We give away our time, our compassion, our forgiveness, our talents, and our love.
Something wonderful happens.
The more we give ourselves away in love, the more we discover who we really are.
This is one of the great paradoxes of the Gospel.
We find our lives by giving them away.
That is exactly what Jesus does.
Jesus shares everything that God has given to him. He gives us his words, his kindness, his forgiveness, his love, and his body and blood. In the end, he even gives us his life.
The cross, which looks like the loss of everything, becomes the doorway to resurrection.
This is what makes today's Gospel so incredibly uplifting, not gloomy or sad.
Jesus is telling us where life can be found.
God has given each of us a gift. Maybe you know exactly what yours is. Maybe you are still discovering it.
But whatever God has placed within you, don't keep it to yourself.
Give it away. In doing so you sometimes will find great joy, but more often than not you will find contentment and peace!
The Christian life is not about gloom and doom. It’s not about rules and trying to control the world and everyone who lives in it.
The Christian life is to be lived as HE lived.
In a few moments we will continue our celebration with the breaking of bread. Jesus says to us:
“This is my Body, given for you.” "This is my blood, poured out for you."
We receive Christ, who gives himself completely to us, and then we go out and give ourselves to each other.
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
“Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
When we give our lives away in love, that is when we truly find them.
- Fr. Adam Patras, OSB