Readings: http://www.usccb.org/nab/081008.shtml

Homily

Today we will be taking up the national collection for the Retirement Fund for our religious sisters and brothers, the nuns and the religious brothers who have served us well these many years, and who now in justice seek appropriate retirement care as they advance in age. As I’ve often said, many of our collections are taken up in charity. This one we take up in justice. It’s pay back time for that we have received from those who sought so little of us.

The nuns who taught you in school, the nuns who cared for you in the hospital or who held your aged parents in their arms as they approached death, the nuns who served in your parishes. They’re older now. And they are in need of our care. Our guests and visitors may have already participated in this collection in their home parishes. It doesn’t’ matter where you gave, only that you gave generously.

Today’s gospel gives us an interesting insight into the importance of these wonderful men and women in our lives.

"Lord, if it is really you, let me come to you," said Peter. "Come," Jesus replied. So Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water towards Jesus.

I love this story. You see, we easily focus on Peter’s failure. There goes Peter, we say, he blew it again. When will he ever get it right. And it’s true, Peter literally ends up in the drink.

But that’s not the point. The point is, all Peter wanted was to come to the Lord. That’s all. Peter wanted to be in the arms of Jesus. More to the point, Peter stepped out of the boat. He made the move toward Jesus. He risked going into the unknown, onto the waters of chaos. Peter moved toward Jesus.

What I really like about this story is that Peter got what he wanted. He didn’t want to walk on water. He wanted to be in the arms of Jesus. Sure he failed. No, he didn’t succeed at getting himself to Jesus. But he did get what he wanted. He took the first step, he got out of the boat, and he ended up in the arms of Jesus.

What I really like is not that Peter failed. But that despite his failure, or maybe even because of it, Jesus was there. Jesus took him in his arms. Jesus brought Peter to himself. That’s what I really like. All because Peter risked getting out of the boat.

That’s what the life of our religious are really all about. They, like Peter, want to be in the arms of Jesus. And, like Peter, they will risk everything to get there. Their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience are the moral equivalent of getting out of the boat. They literally give up everything to get to Jesus.

And, like Peter, there is some faltering and failing. But their unswerving desire brings them closer to the Lord than you or I will ever dream of.

But here’s the other interesting thing. If the Gospel of Mark is to be believed, Jesus had no intention of getting into the boat. He was planning to pass the disciples by. But Matthew tells us that, given Peter’s faltering, and his unswerving efforts to reach Jesus, Jesus brings him safely into the boat and calms the storm. In a sense, the other disciples benefited from Peter’s outrageous determination to come to the Lord. Because of his audacious decision to come to Jesus, Jesus came to them. \

And that’s our reality too. If the nuns and brothers who have touched our lives had not given themselves so fully to the task of knowing the Lord, where would we be today. When they got into the boat of our lives and touched us, they brought the Lord with them.

And deep down inside, we know it. Oh we may joke about knuckles wrapped with a ruler, and veils dipped in ink wells and "Yes Sister" replies, but we know, that’s the Catholic code, the badge of Catholic honor that really says, I was touched by the nuns in my life, I am proud of my Catholic life. It’s doubtful that the rulers, or the inkwells or the patent leather shoes ever existed in our own lives. But the love, the care, the profound commitment of service that these men and women showed to us is not.

So, it’s time to give thanks. Thanks to those who helped to shape our faith so profoundly. It’s time to say thanks by helping them in their need as they have helped us in ours.