The Unauthorized Homily

By Bill Dunn

A commentary on the Scripture readings from the Sunday Lectionary

(Scripture readings for Sunday, March 29th: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 5:7-9; John 12:20-33)

MOMENT OF TRUTH IS NOW

In every person’s life there are many important occasions. Each of these events can be called a moment of truth. The dictionary defines “moment of truth” as: “a critical moment or time that tests and reveals one’s true self or makes one face the truth.”

Even in our seemingly mundane existence, many important, life-changing events occur. They come in all different sizes and shapes: taking the SAT test, our wedding day, the birth of a child, a big job interview, making a presentation to the board of directors, moving to a different part of the country, receiving a pink slip after 30 years of service.

If we’re fortunate, our moments of truth are not a matter of life or death. But sometimes they are, such as when the baby stops breathing and turns blue, or a co-worker slumps to the floor with a heart attack, or when the Tuesday morning office routine is shattered by a jetliner crashing into the upper floors and there are only a few precious minutes to get out alive.

Regardless of the severity or importance of these special events, a common feeling we all experience at that moment is the sensation of NOW. We think, “It’s happening NOW. The future will be shaped by what I do NOW. The moment of truth is NOW.” (I recently read Stephen Ambrose’s excellent book “D-Day,” and after years of planning and preparation, when that momentous day finally arrived on June 6, 1944, the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people involved had a similar feeling: “Wow, it’s finally happening…NOW.”)

Whether it’s a much anticipated event, like a wedding day, the birth of a child, the invasion of France, or a sudden occurrence, like a medical emergency, a terrorist attack, a long-distance phone call bringing “bad news”—the importance of the present moment gets intensified. All of our concentration becomes focused on this day, this hour, this minute, this moment.

In the Scripture readings this week, all three readings address the most important event in the history of the world: Jesus’ bridging the gulf between sinful man and holy God by dying on the cross.

Looking forward to this event, the prophet Jeremiah wrote, “The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with [my people].” Jesus’ death and Resurrection is the New Covenant.

Looking back on the event, the letter to the Hebrews explains that by His suffering and obedience, Jesus “became the source of eternal salvation.”

Finally, in the Gospel reading, Jesus reaches His ultimate moment of truth. He says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” He then compares Himself to a grain of wheat, which must fall to the ground and die in order to produce much fruit.

After living on earth for 33 years, a span surely filled with many important events, by far THE most important moment in Jesus’ life finally arrived. Since Jesus was fully human as well as fully God during His incarnation, it’s not sacrilegious to think that He might have experienced the very human feeling of: “Wow, it’s finally happening…NOW.”

When Jesus faced His ultimate moment of truth, even though He knew it would be humiliating and excruciatingly painful, He faced it with courage and determination to do the right thing. His prayerful plea in the Garden of Gethsemane shows that He truly wished there was some other way to achieve restoration between God and man, but He did what was right, though it cost Him His life.

Hopefully we also face our important moments of truth with courage and determination to do the right thing. If we have the faith to know God is with us during our ordeals—as Jesus knew the Father was with Him during His Passion—it will often provide a level of courage we didn’t even know we had. And knowing that God is with us reduces fear, which often causes panic and hysteria, turning potentially triumphant moments of truth into disasters.

It’s been noted often recently that we live in “interesting” times. (The quotation marks indicate the word interesting really means terrifying, disastrous, dangerous, etc.) As individuals and as members of larger communities, we face important moments of truth on a regular basis. Maybe our moments of truth are a bit more severe today compared to a few years ago. But then again, maybe not, considering what our forebears had to deal with during, for example, the Civil War, the Great Depression, and World War II.

It’s important to remember that God is with us during these moments, regardless of how mild or severe the moments might be. God alone provides courage and determination so we don’t panic and instead do the right thing.

Let’s also remember that periodic moments of truth are part of the package of being alive. The gift of life is anything but boring. Speaking of moments, at this very moment, zillions of people from previous generations envy us greatly because we are alive…NOW. Across the vast time-line of history, this is our moment of truth, our moment of life. The gift of life is incredibly precious, and it’s incredibly fleeting. We must seize the moment, experience this precious gift to the fullest, and be filled with the feeling: “Wow, life is finally happening…NOW.”

©2009