Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz - 04/25/21 Inclusive Love/Exclusive Claim

Episode Date: April 26, 2021

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter. Inclusive means neither passive nor permissive. To be included is an incredible gift. To be inclusive is powerful. It means more than being “welcome”, it means being radically open and desperately fighting to bring people in. The Church is as inclusive as God’s love. And yet, Jesus is also exclusive in His claim. Jesus has made an exclusive claim about Himself. And if this is true, Jesus has an exclusive claim on us. Mass Readings from April 25, 2021: Acts 4:8-12 Psalms 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 291 John 3:1-2 John 10:11-18

So in my family, there's six siblings. I'm one of six, and I love them all. There's three boys, three girls, two, they're two oldest, they're two girls, then my older brother than me, and then a younger sister and a younger brother, and they're all great. But in the last couple weeks, I've been reflecting on my older brother a lot. I'm not sure why exactly, but he's 20 months older than me, so he's two years ahead of me in school.

And so when I was a freshman, he was a junior in high school, and when I was a sophomore, he was a senior. See how that went? It was great. But I remember when my older sisters graduated and they left, so they used to boss us around and tell us what to do. And I remember on Friday nights, I'm kind of an introvert. When I say kind of, I mean a serious introvert.

And so on a Friday night, when everyone else is gone, man, my ideal thing would be, I'm going downstairs. I'm going to sit in front of the TV. There's no one to tell me to change the channel or to watch something else. I get to do whatever I want. My brother would come down. I remember this. As a freshman, he would come down as a junior and he would say,

hey, what are you doing tonight? And I'd be like, uh, this? He says, no, you're not. you're coming out with me and my friends. Like, no, I don't want to. He's like, get up off your butt. You're coming out with me and my friends. And my older brother made me come out with him.

We'd drive around, you know, we'd hang out, we'd redecorate people's front lawns. We became excellent toilet paper artists. I mean, that was as bad as a guy, just toilet paper, because that's just, you know, a good rain washes it away. My dad, our dad would have killed us and we did anything more than toilet paper. But he would just make a claim.

He would say, guys, to his friends, he'd say, to his friends, he'd say, my brother's coming with us. That's it. He just claimed me and say, my brother's coming with us, get over it, and they had to, which was awesome. He was kind of the boss. But the point is, not only that he would claim me, the point is, my older brother, he didn't have to,

but he would always, he would always include me. And I just think that made a huge difference in my life. That actually, I literally believe I would not be the same person that I am right now if my brother hadn't done such an incredible effort, made such an incredible effort to make a claim on me and always, always include me. Because it's powerful, isn't it? To be included is so powerful.

And it's such a gift to be the one including, to be inclusive. That's a huge gift. To be inclusive. Here's the thought. I'm willing to bet that one word that people don't often associate with the Catholic Church is the word inclusive. I know, risky. I get it, but that's how I live.

I'm on the edge. Because a lot of times we think, well, no, you know, to be inclusive is to be open and to be tolerant, to be welcoming, and those aren't always, those aren't necessarily the words that we typically associate with the church, even though, even though, like, the word Catholic means universal, even though there's literally no more inclusive church that's on the face of the planet because the church, Catholic Church exists in every nation, in every country, every single race, every language virtually, every ethnicity, everyone belongs.

Catholic means universal. But on the other hand, we think, well, no, but the Catholic Church must be closed. And yet, throughout the whole Bible, we get this clear proclamation that God's love is inclusive. What I mean by that is, 1 Timothy chapter 2, verse 4, it says this. It says, God desires that all be saved. God's love is massively inclusive. God desires that all be saved. So what does it mean like actually, what does it actually mean to be inclusive?

I think it's important for us to understand what it doesn't mean. What doesn't it mean to be inclusive? What does inclusive not mean? inclusive means neither passive nor permissive. So if someone's inclusive, it doesn't mean that they're passive. If someone's inclusive, it doesn't mean that they're permissive. Because we said it at the beginning of mass, right? Is that the church, some churches or some people, whoever, some groups of people that say, you know, all are welcome, that's fine, that's nice, that's okay, but that's not inclusive.

And that's not what we say. That's not what the church says. People are not welcome in the Catholic Church. They're invited into the Catholic Church. People are not just kind of like this open door, like, yeah, God's love is just this passive thing where if you want to enter into a relationship with him, he's okay with it, and if you don't, he's okay with it. That's okay, but that's all it is. To be actually inclusive is to be active.

It's not passive, it's actually to be invited. Here's what I mean. I know a number of couples who desperately want to be parents. I know a number of couples who are in the process or have been in the process in the course of of their lives of adopting. And I look at those parents, those couples that want to adopt, and I think, okay, that's when inclusive looks like. Here's what I mean.

Because those couples, if you've ever known anyone who's been in the process of adopting, you realize they are not passive, not in any way, shape, or form. They're not like, if anyone has any extra kids, just send them our way. No, they are pursuing kids. They are in pursuit. They're willing to stop at nothing.

They're willing to give all of their energy, all of their time, all of their money, their whole heart on the chance that there might be a child. that they can live for. We'll jump through any hoop that's in existence because they're not just welcoming. They're not even just invited. They have a heart that is willing to fight for these kids.

That's what it is to be inclusive. Again, that when people know that they're desperately wanted, that we're not indifferent, we're not passive, but we're in pursuit. Because to be inclusive is not to be passive. It's to be in pursuit. And also, it means to be radically open. to couples who are longing for kids, they're radically open. They'll say things like, you know, we don't care where the child comes from.

We don't care who their parents are. We don't care the circumstances of their conception. They are radically open. That's what it is to be inclusive, is to be in the pursuit, not passive, but also to be radically open. Because this is God as well. The whole story of the Bible, once again, this is God's story. Because he chooses, he starts the whole thing by choosing a couple.

He chooses this guy named Abraham and his wife, Sarah. And then it grows from that couple to a family, to a tribe, to a nation, to a kingdom. And we think, yeah, God has chosen the Jewish people. That seems exclusive, but it's not. Why? Because when God calls Abraham, he calls this one couple, Abraham and Sarah, and he makes a promise to them. He makes three promises, in fact. He promises that through them, they'll have descendants, that they'll have land.

And the third promise of God to Abraham and Sarah is that through them, he will bless the entire world. So God's plan starts out small, right? Starts out with this couple, but his plan is not to end with this couple. His plan is to end with the entire world because his love is not passive. His love is not permissive.

His love is inclusive. I mean, even we heard it in the gospel today, right? Jesus says this. He says, I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. Basically, he's talking to the Jews, right? And he says, I have other sheep that aren't Jewish yet. And he says, these also I must lead. and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

This whole story of the Bible is God's pursuit to include everybody. In fact, the catechism, if you ever read the catechism, it says big hunker of a book that is just a summary of everything we believe as Catholics. And one of the paragraphs says, God's love excludes no one. It goes on to say, it says, the church following the apostles teaches

that Christ died for all without exception. It says, there is not, never has been and never will be a single human being for whom Christ did not suffer. Now think about this. This is the truth of what we believe as Catholics. Everyone, everyone is meant to be included. Why? Because there is not and there never has been and never will be a single human being for whom Christ did not suffer. A single human being who is not welcome. A single human being who is not invited. There has never been a single human being who is not wanted. Ultimately, there never has been or ever will be a single human being

who has not yet been fought for by Jesus. So inclusive means neither passive nor permissive. But what is the point of being inclusive? What's the whole point of the whole thing? The point of being inclusive is to include. I know. Shocker. But the point of being inclusive is to bring someone in. What's the point of the adoption process?

What's the whole goal of the adoption process is to bring the child in to the family. Not some kind of like nice, like vague. Oh, it's nice that you're here. We like it. No, it's we found you. You are here. And now you're part of us.

In fact, Gika Chesterden, he was a Catholic convert. He was an atheist for a long time. We became a Catholic like 100 years ago. And he wrote this. He said, people were talking about how good it is to have an open mind. You need to have an open mind. And he said, yes, I agree.

He said, but the purpose of an open mind is the same as the purpose of an open mouth. is to close down on something solid. And I would say the same thing is true about the church. We'd say the church has arms wide open, but the purpose of arms that are open is the same as a mind that is open and a mouth that is open

is to close down on someone solid. So the picture of the church is not someone standing with their arms folded, and also the picture of the church is not someone standing with their arms limply at their side. You ever hug someone who doesn't hug you back? So weird. It's so weird.

And that is not, that's not inclusive. Because the whole point of being inclusive is to include, to bring them in. Basically, it's not permissive. The purpose of being inclusive is to make a family. Basically, the church says come in and stay. Like, come in and remain. Be a part of this family. In fact, gosh, you guys, we have to understand this reality.

Is that when we say this, it's not us without you. you. That we're not us without you. That the church isn't actually the church without you. That's what it is to be inclusive because God's love is in pursuit of you, not passive, and God's love desires to possess you. It's not permissive. I mean, Jesus, how many times does he say in the gospel today? He says, they're mine. I want them to be mine. To be inclusive is not to be permissive, but to be possessive. But we have to realize this, that there's also something that's exclusive. There's also something that's exclusive.

Remember 1st Timothy 2.4. It says, God desires all to be saved. But then it goes on, it says, and to come to a knowledge of the truth. Not to come to a knowledge of your truth, or come to a knowledge of my truth, but to come to a knowledge of the truth. And we realize that Jesus makes some pretty exclusive claims about himself.

Yes, his love is inclusive, but his claims are exclusive. And Jesus' claim, what does he say? He says, in John chapter 14, he says, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. He doesn't say that I can show you the way. He doesn't say, I can give you some truth. He doesn't say, I can offer you some life. He says, I am the way. I am the truth.

I am the life. And he goes on, he says, and no one can come to the Father except through me. This is an inclusive love, but this is an exclusive claim. And so in the first reading today, in the Acts of the Apostles, when Peter gets up, and he says these big words, he says, there is no salvation given through anyone else. Is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved? That is an exclusive claim by a God who has an inclusive love. But I know that these words, sometimes these words can be really jarring for us,

especially as 21st century Westerners. We just like, ah, that seems so narrow, it seems so focused. The question isn't, is it narrow? The question is, is it focused? The question is, is it true? Is Jesus the only way to the Father? You know, it's interesting because you know people, I know people, who will say things like, well, I don't believe Jesus is God, but he was a holy person.

I don't believe Jesus was God, but he was a good prophet. I don't believe Jesus was God, but he's a great teacher, a good man. Years ago, C.S. Lewis, he said, actually, that's the one thing you can't say about Jesus. The one thing you can't say about Jesus is that he wasn't God, but was a good man. Why? Because he went around and he actually claimed to be God. So if he wasn't God, if he wasn't who he claimed to be, he was either deceived, he thought he was God and he wasn't, or he knew he wasn't God and he was lying. Those are only options for Jesus.

Either he is who he says he is, he is the Lord, or he's a liar, or he's a lunatic. So we have to look at the life of Jesus and say, okay, what did he do? Here's the crazy thing. He made this exclusive claim, and then he gave exclusive proof. This is a remark. It blows my mind.

All the gospels are filled with miracles, right? Why? Because those miracles in the Bible, are actually called signs and wonders. What do signs do? They point to something. Jesus makes an exclusive claim, and then he gives virtually impossible proof.

So Mark's Gospel chapter 2, you know the story. There's these four friends, and they have a fifth friend who is paralyzed. He's on this mat. And they tried to bring him to Jesus because Jesus is like,

zap, zap, zap, heal, all over the place. And they're trying to get into the door, but there's too many people in front of the door, so what do they do? They go up on top of the roof, they do a little remodeling, little chip and Joanna Gaines kind of action, and they lower the guy down in front of Jesus.

And what does Jesus say? Jesus looks at him, he looks at his friends, he sees their faith, and he says, to you, to the man on the mat, he says, your sins are forgiven. And the people are standing around, they say, wait, who but God can forgive sins? And Jesus is like, I know, right? He says, but to prove to you that I am who I say I am, that I have the power to forgive sins, I'll say to the man who's paralyzed, rise, pick up your mat and walk. Because this is what the signs are meant to do. When Jesus says, I'm God, the signs prove that he is who he says he is. in John chapter 11 we have these three siblings Mary Martha and their brother Lazarus and at one point Lazarus dies

and he's been dead for four days he's been in the tomb and what does Jesus say he goes to the tomb he says roll away the stone and Martha says ah Lord I can't you know Jesus he's been dead four days she says Jesus we know what dead looks like we know what dead smells like you do not want to roll away the stone and Jesus says roll away the stone and they roll away the stone and Jesus says three words and that's it He just simply says, Lazarus, come out. And the dead man comes out of the tomb.

He's alive now. And it says, right after that, it says, because of this, many came to believe in him. Why? Because he made exclusive claims, and he gave indisputable proof. That Jesus is who he says he is. He's more than just a prophet.

He's more than just a holy person. And the resurrection, beyond anything else, the resurrection proves that this exclusive claim is absolutely true. And he wants to bring us in. He wants to include us in his life. Because Jesus has made an exclusive claim about himself. And if that's true,

then Jesus has an exclusive claim on me. Jesus has made an exclusive claim about himself. And if that's true, then he has an exclusive claim on my life and on your life. I know that at this point, some people say, They're like, yeah, but what about other religions? If Jesus is the way, the truth in the life,

what about other religions? Well, here's what the Catholic Church teaches the little caveat about other religions. The church teaches that every religion in the world has some degree of truth in it. Every religion in the world has some degree of goodness in it. In fact, even Satanism has some degree of truth in it. Because Satanists believe that Satan exists.

True. They believe he should be worshipped. False. But there's some degree. Hindus, they believe that there's more to this world than just this world. True. They believe there's millions of gods. False.

Islam. They believe that God is one. True. They don't believe in Jesus. False. Like Judaism, almost the fullest, the fullest revelation of the God before Christianity.

Have all these goodness. True. When it comes to who Jesus is, they don't believe He's God. And that's false. So fullness, everyone has some degree of truth. And we just get to be honored and give God glory

that he is, that he's allowed us to know who he is. That we actually know that this is a God with an inclusive love who makes an exclusive love who makes an exclusive claim. And I know that sometimes people are still like, yeah, but yeah, but yeah, but what about those people

who don't know Jesus? Well, what's going to happen to them? I'm glad you asked. Because the catechism says this. It's quotes the Second Vatican Council, and it says, there are those who through no fault of their own. Do not know the gospel of Christ or his church, but who nevertheless seek God with his sincere heart

and move by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through their conscience. Those two may achieve eternal. salvation. So the church says if someone, they don't know who Jesus is because of whatever, not through any fault of their own, they've not heard of Christ and rejected him, they haven't heard of the church and rejected it through no fault of their own. They don't know Christ, they don't know the church. But, but they seek God with a sincere heart, with everything they have. It's

not just kind of like you just, you don't just kind of drift into heaven. You have to still seek the Lord with all your heart. But with His grace, we hold out hope that they can still be saved. But it's always going to be through Jesus. Why? Because if he is who he says he is, if this exclusive claim is true, then he always is the, he's the only way. We have a God who has an inclusive love, but has made this exclusive claim. And this is the last thing. I know that still there's some people who would say like, but I just, I don't know that I could say yes because I don't, I still don't know what happens to those other people who aren't Catholic, other people who weren't Christian. So I can't say yes. And I would just ask, um, I don't know. I don't know. I would just ask, um,

would you leave your RSVP empty or blank just because you didn't know what other people were going to say? Like that I ought not to leave my invitation unanswered just because I didn't know what other people were going to do because they have their path, they have their lives, they have their invitations, and you and I, we have ours. And it's not a wise thing to do to leave my invitation unanswered

just because I don't know what anyone else is going to say. because God's love is inclusive. It's neither passive nor permissive, but he has made this exclusive claim on us. Jesus has made an exclusive claim that he has an exclusive claim on my life. I just think about my brother. He kept asking, kept asking. And I'm so grateful that he kept asking because I imagine if I kept saying no, at some point he would stop asking. If I said, why did you stop asking? And he could say something like, well, you just kept saying no. And so I stopped asking. I don't ever want Jesus to stop asking. His inclusive love is an unstoppable love, but I don't want to ever risk his ceasing to ask me. He makes the

invitation and he makes the claim. How could I possibly hear? Why would I possibly hear of this absolutely unstoppable inclusive love and not answer and not say yes?