20 July 2024 - Saturday of the 15th week
Homily
In these times of "globalization" and "mundialization" -- a certain kind of globalization dominated by economics -- the gap between rich and poor nations is growing ever wider, as is the gap between rich and poor within each country.
Periodically the decision-makers -- but are they really the decision-makers? -- of the rich nations meet, and we have become accustomed to seeing these meetings accompanied by violent demonstrations, with anarchists always mingling with those who would like to show their disagreement peacefully. The whole thing often ends in the loss of life.
In the Gospel we see that Jesus himself is not exempt from such confrontations. He did not refuse verbal confrontations with the Pharisees and the Doctors of the Law. But he never responded to violence with violence. He knew that, in the end, he would be the victim of violence, but he did not desire it and avoided it as long as his hour had not come. In today's Gospel, we see that when the Pharisees were preparing for his death, while he was performing a miracle in the synagogue, he decided to withdraw to a deserted place, because his hour had not come, and the crowd of little ones followed him and he delivered them from their troubles.
This scene gives Matthew the opportunity to quote the beautiful text from Isaiah about the Servant of God, the Messiah, filled with the Spirit, who does not dispute or make his voice heard in the streets, but neither does he break the reed that is already bruised nor extinguish the wick that is still smoking, and who breaks down all frontiers, since he is the very hope of the pagan nations. This text should inspire both the 'decision-makers' locked away in their bunkers and the demonstrators in the streets. It should also inspire us, each and every one of us, in the small conflicts that often make up our daily lives.
Armand VEILLEUX