When I thought and prayed about today’s readings, two bullet points came to mind. The first is that we are spiritual men and women and boys and girls.
The second is that we have a Savior who has come to set us free from the power of evil and redeem us.
To the first point, you may have had a conversation with someone who says they don’t go to church, but they’re “spiritual.” On one hand, you might feel badly that they are not connected to their parish or yours…and all that it offers. But there’s reason for hope.
The Spiritual and The Natural Man
For, as Saint Paul reminds us, “…the natural man does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually.”
He continues, “The one who is spiritual, however, can judge everything….”
Now, keep in mind that Paul was a natural man before he was knocked off his horse, blinded, and then heard and accepted the voice of Jesus.
We, too, were natural beings: infants, children, or adults—until, at our Baptism, we received the Holy Spirit. That moment changed everything.
When I said there is hope for the person who says they are “spiritual and not religious,” it is because they are open to the work of the Holy Spirit…just as we are called to be. They do not simply see things through a secular lens and deny God’s existence and work in our lives. (But there is a disconnect between their faith and participation in the Church of Jesus Christ.)
Jesus Teaches Through Action
Everyone who says they are spiritual has their own story, but they are like the people in today’s gospel who go to listen to Jesus; His action in their lives can bring about a great change.
Before Jesus made the short journey to Capernaum, He was in Nazareth. There, the emphasis was on His Words. Today, we’d say that He presented His Mission Statement, which stated that He’d come to set captives free from the power of evil.
It was in Capernaum that Jesus’ words were fulfilled through casting out the demon from the man in the synagogue. In Nazareth, Jesus helps us understand that He has come to save us and set us free. In Capernaum, there is a strengthening of this revelation that He is our Messiah and how He will save us through setting us free from the power of evil.
To one degree or another, we all face temptations to give in to doing what is wrong and sinful. When Jesus spoke in Nazareth they drove Him away by their lack of faith. But in Capernaum, they tried to keep Him in their community.
My brothers and sisters, as we seek to live lives that are seen through the spiritual lens of the Holy Spirit, may we pray for and lead our family members, friends, and neighbors to join us in worship, reception of the Sacraments, and community of our parishes. May we, guided by the Holy Spirit, bring them closer to Jesus and His Mystical Body, the Church.
Saint Gregory the Great….pray for us!
- Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this afternoon. You can view the Mass (and Rosary) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
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