Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz - 10/13/19 The Hardest Step: The First Step

Episode Date: October 14, 2019

Homily from the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. You just have to start. The first step is the most difficult…but it is also the most important. Mass Readings from October 13, 2019: 2 Kings 5:14-17 Psalms 98:1-42 Timothy 2:8-13 Luke 17:11-19 Download the Homily Study

So years ago, basically, I think in 1860s, this man was born, his name was Matthew Talbot. Matthew Talbot was born in Ireland, and he was born poor in Ireland. And essentially back then, if you were born poor in Ireland, you saved poor in Ireland. And Matthew Talbot, his family was so destitute. He went to work full-time at 11 years old. That was it. He was out of school, and he didn't even learn how to read as a kid. He just had to work.

And so he was an unskilled laborer from when he was a 11 years. 11 years old until he died when he was about 65 years old, he died. It's been that entire time just going and getting up every morning and working really, really hard in backbreaking labor. And so basically really quickly, when he was in his early teens, he realized that if this is my life, then, like, what's the use? So he did what the grownups were doing around him. He took, they'd get paid every day, and he'd take the money that he got paid every day.

And rather than to go home, he just went to the pub. and really quickly, he became enslaved to alcohol. He still worked really hard, but he just, he got to the point where he could not get to the end of the day. He could not keep his money. He wanted to keep his money, but he couldn't keep his money until one day after work, they didn't pay him for whatever reason he didn't get paid that day. And so he just stood outside the pub. He was a summer day. He stood outside the pub, and he just asked all the drinking buddies, hey, buy me a drink.

And no one would buy him to drink. All these guys that he would spend hours with. He'd go into the night just like, just reveling, party and whatever it is with them. And when he couldn't buy his own drink, not one of them would buy him a drink. And he came to his senses and he just had this idea of like this, like, what am I doing? I mean, this was the conviction he had. Like, something has to change. Like, this is no longer an option.

I can't live like this. And he decided in that moment to basically take the hardest, make the hardest step of his life, make the hardest decision of his life. I don't know if you've ever been in that situation with anything. Maybe it's alcohol, maybe it's something else. Well, you just realize you're looking at your life, you're like, okay, something has to change here. This, I cannot go on like this.

Like, I am stuck unless I do something. Unless I do something, this is my life. This is, it's over. I don't know if you've ever, again, if you've ever felt like that. Sometimes it's a relationship where you just like, I realize, I see where this is going. This can't happen. Like this cannot keep going on.

I have to do something. Maybe it's the semester. Like, right? Like, here you are in the middle of the semester, pretty much, almost mid-time. terms, and you're like, okay, I realize this, I can't, this is can't happen. I can't live the next half of the semester, like I live the first half of the semester, something has to change.

Maybe it is work. We just realized that I'm stuck, I need to make a choice. I mean, it really could be anything, even health, where you're just looking at yourself going, okay, if I keep living the way I'm living, I will not be living very long. And you get to this plate, whatever, where you're going, you get to this place, You get to this plane, wherever it is, you get to this point where you're just like, I just can't. I can't do this anymore.

Something has to change. And this is the thing that if you've ever had that happen to before, you realize, okay, something has to change, but what? You're right? Like, how do I move? Because there's one thing, it's one thing to realize, okay, something has to change. There's one thing to realize I can't do this anymore. It's a whole other thing to know what to do next.

Because what to do next, realizing it is kind of easy, really. The what to do next is the hardest step. That next step is the hardest step. So we decided to do when we finished the Are You Saved series last week. And we have another one starting in like three weeks. So we have a time for like a two-part mini series. We call it double shot, a little double shot homily series. And basically it's about this, it's about the hardest step.

Because if you haven't yet, you're going to get to that place where it's like, okay, I need to move. And this hardest step, this series, this double-shot series, it's about, okay, when you know you need to move, when you know that things need to change, but it seems impossible. Because when it seems impossible, the hardest step is actually really, really simple. The hardest step is the first step. When things seem impossible, but you know they need to change. The hardest step is the first step.

It's not complicated. It's really simple. So in the Old Testament reading today, we have the story of Neiman, right? So I don't know if you know anything about Neiman because we didn't really hear a bunch about his backstory. We just heard that he got healed of leprosy. Go Naiman. But his story is that Naaman was the number one general

of the kingdom of Aram. So he was number two in the whole kingdom up of the Aramians. He had everything. He had power. He had success. I mean, he would go into battle, and he would win. All he did was win, win, win, no matter what. And you guys, I listen to the hits.

You don't think I do, but back in 2007. Sorry, now the whole lyrics went to every. my head, every hand goes up and they stay there. Okay, anyways, he had everything. He had, you guys know that song, right? I mean, that's just, okay, back to our story. Naman, he had power, he had success, he had influence,

he had money, he had fame, he had people's respect, and he also had leprosy. Which meant that no matter how much more money or how much more fame, how much more respect, or how much more success, he had, it didn't matter because he had a death sentence on his head. That he was about to lose

everything. And this servant girl, she was Jewish, he actually kidnapped her. He was not a great guy. He had kidnapped this Israelite girl. And she says, actually, there's a holy man in my homeland. His name is Elisha. And he can heal you. So Neiman goes to the king of Aram. And he says, there's this holy man there. So the king's like, get down there. I need you. I want you to be healed. And so Neiman shows up. And Elisha says, okay, here's what you're going to do. You're going to go to the Jordan River and you're going to bathe in it seven times in a row. And Neiman says that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Because Neiman comes from up in Syria where there's like nice rivers.

If you've ever been to Israel, the Jordan River is basically a ditch. I know we're like, oh, but Jesus got baptized there. Yeah, that's like the one cool thing that happened. Otherwise, it's the muddiest little trickle of a creek and it's just like, it's nothing. So Neiman's like, are you kidding? Just jump in this water seven times. That is, it's too easy. And here's the thing.

This is the first step for us. Oftentimes the first step is really, really simple, but we make it more complicated. We like to complicate the first step because if it's complicated enough, then I have permission and have an excuse for why I'm not taking that first step. So like, okay, I need to get fit, I'm going to get healthy. And so, what am I going to do? I need to buy one of those Peloton bikes, right? Those indoor trainers, and so they are really expensive, and so I'm going to save up my money.

I need to form a budget first. Then I'm going to have the thing because I'm going to get the console that has like the personal training thing. And Maria, she's my favorite trainer. But I can't be there yet. And also I need to place the store. apartment does not enough room. I can't exercise. I can't exercise because they don't have a Peloton bike. Okay, do you have a bicycle? Because that still works, right? Or a walk around the block. That could maybe do the trick. Or someone says, I want to start eating healthy,

but whole foods is, it's so far away and it's so expensive, I just can't start eating healthy. How about the simple step of not buying Cheetos the next time? Like, it's really simple. Even the relationship stuff about when it comes to like, okay, I don't want to date this person anymore, but it's just, it's midterms. I don't want to say. tell him now and so-and-so's, you know, his great aunt is really sick. So making it really complicated, just, you know what? Here's a little rule of thumb. When it comes to relationship stuff, when you know it's over, you need to let them know

that it's over. That one's for free. But here's the thing is because what did we do? We make it so complicated because then complication becomes the excuse for actually taking action. But it's simple. It's just take the first step. Or we don't just want it to be complicated.

We want it to be a guarantee. So maybe I could say, okay, so if I go into the water, for sure, do you promise that I'm going to be healed? We want certainty in this whole kind of situation. But here's the problem. Part of taking the first step, one of the reasons why the first step is so difficult is because it means moving before you know for sure. One of the things that makes the first step so difficult because you have to take the

step before you actually know for sure. Did you notice that both in the Old Testament reading and in the gospel? today, that all 11 total lepers, they don't get healed until after they move. It says that he was healed after he responded to the word of the man of God. Jesus in the gospel today, he says, go show yourselves to the priests. And it says, as they were on their way, they were healed. So oftentimes, what we want, we want God to show up, reveal himself, okay, now I'll believe you.

Now I'll act. But how it works is we act, and God shows up. It's not the other way around. But when you act, then you know. That's what Damon says. He says, now I know. Now I know there is no God in the world other than the God of Israel. But you don't know that until after you moved.

So again, we want it to be complicated, so we have an excuse. We want it to be guaranteed. But here's the other thing. How do I know? How do I know what the first step is? How do I know for sure what that next step is? And so often we're stopped by the idea or actually, to stop by the myth that there's only one's possible step.

Maybe I'll say it like this. Like when it comes to your life, like what's God's big purpose for your life? What's the plan for your life? We believe this myth of that there's only one. We believe that there's this myth that like just find that one passion, that one purpose, that one thing. And if you find the right one, you will have no problems and no sadness

and no issues for the rest of your life. That is the reason they call it a myth is because it's baloney. I mean, that's the reality. There's, God has so many purposes for your life. There are so many different paths that he actually is saying, go ahead and take them. There are so many first steps that you could take that would honor him.

There's not just one. You know, I know that there's something like, you know Stephen Covey, you wrote the book, Seven Habits for Highly Effective People, really good. One of the habits is begin with the end in mind, right? Begin with, like, where do you want to go? Where do you want to be at the end of this whole thing? That's wonderful. That's really great.

It's really had a vision for like where this first step will lead you, But there's another author called John Acuff, and John Acuff said, yes, I agree with Stephen Covey. Begin with the end in mind, but you don't have to begin with the end in stone. You don't have to absolutely know for sure where you'll end up. That's one of the reasons, and one of the reasons is because you can be wrong. Like the first step, it can be the wrong step. The hardest step, the first step. It can often be the wrong step.

That's why you, that's why I don't like the term leap of faith. Don't leap. leaping is for stupid people. Don't be stupid people. Take a step of faith. Because, again, some people are like, okay, so you want me to take a leap of faith, Father, you're telling me I should quit my job

or drop out of school and start my own business. That's what you're saying. No. That is not the takeaway from this night's mass. That is not what I'm saying. I'm saying that if there's that next step, you know something needs to change. Take the hardest step, the first step.

But have a plan. Like, don't quit your job until you have another one lined up. That's just otherwise it's foolishness. because you might not be right. Like that first step might not be right, but you will be moving. It might be the wrong step, but at least you'll be on your way.

That's why, G.K. Chesterton, Chesterton was, he was a convert to Catholicism after he was an atheist for a year, about 100 years ago. And one of the things he said, he said, anything worth doing is worth doing poorly at first. That if there is actually anything in your life that's worth doing, like go ahead, make a mistake with it.

Why not mess up? Because if it's worth doing, it's worth taking the wrong. If the first step is worth taking, then it's worth taking the wrong first step. Because someone who says, well, I don't know what that first step is, I'm telling you do. Because it might not be in a relationship. It might not be with school. It might not be with work. Might not be with all the things I'm saying.

But really when it comes down to it, all of us, every single person who's at mass tonight, you realize this truth that you're made for more than you were actually living. You're made for more of a relationship with God than you actually are. Here's what I believe about you all of us here at Mass tonight. I believe that you're a mass tonight because you want a relationship with God that is actually better than the one you currently have. I think every one of us right now, when it comes down to it, we want a relation with God.

We want to know God more than we currently do. We want to walk with Him and we have this dynamic relationship with Him better than we actually. Imagine this. Imagine if the state of your and my relationship, just don't your, just let this be about you. Imagine if your relationship with God right now was just freeze-framed, and that was the kind of depth that you had for the rest of your life. No worse, but no better. Would that be enough for you?

Would you say, no, I realize I need more, I want more. That if this was the status of my relationship with God from now until the day I die, it wouldn't be enough. And that's why I say, like, then you know the next step. Then you know the hardest step. You know the first step. The first step is, well, then God, how do I do that? how do I actually live with you, God, not on the borders of my life, but you, God, as the Lord of my life.

Now, sometimes they say, like, oh, well, I'll just, you know, Father, I know what you're saying. You're saying, I need to pray more. I get it, I need to pray more. But sometimes I make the decision to pray, and I just find it, I don't have the motivation. Whenever I hear someone say that, I want to punch them in the face. I don't, because I'm a good person. But what I hear people saying is like, oh, I want to, I don't, I don't want to pray if I don't feel like it. Here's the problem with that.

You'll never feel like it. Like when it comes down to it, you'll never feel like it. Because if something was easy, then you would feel like it all the time. You wouldn't have to tell yourself to do it. Motivation is not having drive or passion or feeling like it. When someone says they don't have enough motivation, what they're thinking, what I think they're saying is, I just need more zeal, I need more zest.

I need more like just energy for this. But let's break down the word. motivation if you have a motivation it means you have a motive if you have motivation it means you have a reason if you have motivation it means you have a why so I need more motivation to pray no you don't you guys you have a reason

you have a motive I don't want my life to look like it looks from this day until the day I die I need that relationship with God to look better than it looks I want it to look deeper than I want to know him more you have a motive you have reason you have a why I think the reason

why we're afraid to take the first step is because up until taking the first step and one of the reasons the first step is the hardest is because up until that first step it gets to be a wish up until we take the first step it gets to be this aspiration it gets to be this dream

it gets to be this thing I'm open to I'm open to yeah that's a nice idea I like the idea of having a closer relationship with God I like the idea of being more conformed to Jesus I like the idea of walking with him that's so great but the moment you take the first step you're actually trying.

The moment you take the first step, you're actually, things are changing. The moment you take the first step, things are really moving. And that's why it's so scary. But you guys, that's why it's also so awesome. And this is the last thing. That's why it's so awesome. Because the moment you take the first step,

everything's changing. If you're in a relationship right now, you are one step away for having an amazing relationship. If you're in class right now, like studying, not in class literally right now. If you're a student right now, you're one step away from being an excellent student. Matthew Talbot, he went home that afternoon from the pub when no one would buy him a drink. And his mom, he lived with his mom and things, something's ever changed. And his mom was really excited to see him home so early and so.

She was like, what are you doing home? And he said, I'm going to church. He said, what are you going to church for? He says, I'm going to take the pledge. Back in Ireland at the time, take the pledge, man, you took the pledge never to drink again, not to drink again. She's like, Matthew, you, Matt, I know you. Be careful if you take that step.

And he said, Mom, I know what I'm doing. It has to change. This is the step I have to take. As Matt walked to that church that night, He walked as a man of God. As Matt prayed, just started praying. What was he? He immediately, take the first step of praying,

he became a man of prayer. This guy who was enslaved to alcohol. The moment he chose, I don't have to be a slave, he became a man of freedom. That moment, the moment he took the first step is the moment he became all of those things. He didn't have to wait to become those things. The moment he took that first step, the hardest step,

he became every one of those things. And that's exactly what you and I can become as well. Where is it in your life where you're like, it has to change? It has to change. Things have to shift. I have to move. Just take that hardest step, take that first step.

And the moment you take that first step, you are taking a step of freedom. The moment you decide, okay, tomorrow, I'm going to pray. That moment you become a person of prayer. The moment you decide, you know, I'm going to walk with Jesus, you become a person who walks to Christ. The moment you decide and say, I'm going to take the hardest step, this first step, I'm no longer going to be a slave to what I'm a slave to. You become a person of freedom. and the moment you take that step and say,

this is the hardest step, but it's real, and it's my first step, I'm going to follow after Jesus. That moment, that is the moment that you're walking as a Christian, and you don't have to wait, because all it takes is the first step.