Homily – Rev. James L. Nadeau – Sunday, October 3, 2021 – Respect Life Sunday
October1,2021
We always want to know “How far can we go!” Did you ever notice that?
If a parent gives a teenager a curfew, the first question a teenager proposes is “What if . . .”
When a teacher announces a test, the students begin to ask, “Can we use our notes? Will there be extra credit?”
When speaking casually with a police office, people ask, “How far over the speed limit will you let people go before you stop them?”
We always want to know “How far we can go and how fast can we get there?”
This is an attitude that Jesus has found absolutely repulsive. He even fusses at his listeners, referring to the Hardness of Their Hearts. They say they love God and want to follow God, but they want to know how far they can go. The Gospel of Mark says in essence, “The law of God does not give even one inch.” God created the world in perfect order and part of creation was the creation of Man and woman in equality. God made them male and female. The Pharisees were looking to see how far they could go, but Jesus gave them no room.
Today, there are some who continue to press the question, “When is life a life really worth living? They keep trying to see how far they can go with life issues.
The unborn are threatened by abortion right up to the moment they are born.
The elderly and the sick are now being told that if life is too difficult and if they feel they are being a burden, there is a simple remedy – Physician Assisted Suicide.
Do you think this will be the end? Look – 7000 years ago we were asking Jesus to stretch the limits.
The Basic Fundamental Human Rights and Dignity of a Person cannot be taken away. Once we do that, it will only be a matter of time to see how much farther we can go. There are certain rights we cannot take away. Once we start cutting down all the laws, what will we have to stand behind? Then it will only be a matter of time.
Because we humans always want to know, “How far can we go?”