15th Sunday in OT

15^th Sunday in OT, Year C

(an adaptation of Bp Mylo’s reflection on the same Gospel)

1. A priest entered a convent and saw an 84-year old nun cleaning the floor of the lobby with a mop. The priest told her, “Sister, you work too much. You’re too old for that job. Give that work to the younger nuns. Don’t make life very difficult for you.” The nun seriously replied, “Heaven is not cheap, you know.”

2. In today's Gospel, we hear a very telling exchange between Jesus and the man: “Lord, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” – Love God, love your neighbor. – “Who is my neighbor?” – Parable of the Good Samaritan

3. The example of Mother Teresa of Calcutta inspires us. When Mo. Teresa started her work with the dying destitute she was in desperate need of a place in which to care for them. Local authorities in Calcutta offered her section of the temple of their goddess Kali, which, though originally intended for the temporary housing of pilgrims, had become a hangout for thieves, drug addicts, and pimps. When the news circulated that the temple was being run by a woman and a foreigner, and that she was trying to convert the poor to Christianity, groups of people protested at the city hall. Others went to the nearest police station to demand that the woman be evicted. The police commissioner promised to do just that, but wanted first to personally check things out. When the police commissioner went to see Mother Teresa, she was caring for a poor sick man, putting potassium permanganate on the wounds from which worms were crawling out. The stench was unbearable. Mother Teresa treated the police commissioner with respect and offered to show him about. He answered that he preferred to look around on his own. When he came out, he met some of the people who had complained about Mother Teresa and said, “I give you my word that I would throw this woman out here, and I would like to keep it. But before I do so, you will have to get your mothers and sisters to do what she does. I make that as the only condition for exercising my authority.”

4. Mother Teresa was among those very much fulfilled in life. She and her sisters lived in poverty, and with the poor, helping the sick and the dying, caring for the least in society. But they are most happy and fulfilled. And surely, she was not only fulfilled and happy here, she is most fulfilled and happy now in heaven.

5. Life, both here in the world and in the world to come, is a gift from God. But to live authentically a fulfilling life here on earth, and to accept the gift of eternal life, we have to accept and live the command of Jesus to love.

6. Loving is not only a feeling, but a lived emotion – a choice to really love. Often, the demands are difficult.

a. To be ready to take on unexpected tasks, to accept being disturbed

b. To become involved, and to accept the risk, and be ready to take on one’s share of trouble

7. Heaven is not cheap you know.