No one gets left behind (Sunday homily)

 These readings cast light on the broader idea of justice

as the Bible talks about justice. 

We also sometimes call this “social justice.”

Now, the core principle of justice is, 

as St. Thomas Aquinas said, 

based on Aristotle: “To each his or her due.”

But there is another value that intersects with this:

And that is the principle of solidarity.

To state that simply: that means, we are all in this together.

Let me illustrate with a story from when I was a seminarian.

I was in Fort Wayne, Indiana for the summer, 

taking part in a program in the inner-city, 

organizing a “day camp” for children 

in the roughest neighborhoods of the city. 

Three Lutheran churches were providing a place 

for these children to get out of the house and off the streets.

So, we had various activities and sometimes an outing – 

Including, one day, to a park that was about ½ mile away.

We had about 30 children from 6 to 13 years old.

There were several adult leaders,

One was a college student named Ann.

She was in a wheelchair.

She managed fine on her own, 

except where there wasn’t a ramp cut into the curb.

And you know what happened with the children:

Some were racing ahead far ahead, 

and that meant we adults had to put the brakes on.

And we told them: “we’re going to the park, but we’re going together. 

We don’t leave anyone behind.”

That’s the principle of solidarity.

Now, there are some obvious applications.

Some people have physical or other disabilities.

Those of us who don’t need walkers or wheelchairs 

may not even realize how much of a barrier a step or a curb can be.

Some of our facilities are more accessible than others;

And some of the fixes are easier than others.

I am aware, for example, of the need 

for auto-open buttons at our entrances, 

and for wider doors in some places.

Yes, these ideas have lots of applications, including in public policy. 

My task here is not to recommend any particular proposal;

Only to invite you to ask yourself: how do we apply this?

Because the real insight I had 

when I was with those children in Fort Wayne was this: 

they weren’t even noticing that Ann, in her wheelchair, 

and other, smaller children, were being left behind.

That’s the first conversion moment: 

look around, see who’s being left behind!

In this Gospel passage, our Lord Jesus adds another layer.

The question of what do people deserve?

The Pharisee was convinced he deserved God’s favor.

And: he really may have been more moral than the tax collector.

Think about that: what if, instead of “Pharisee and tax collector,” 

we were talking about, “Prayerful Grandma and a pornographer”?

And now, I’ve made every grandma mad at me!

The point is, for each and every one of us, it is God’s gift!

If Mother Theresa were here, and we’d say, wow, Mother Theresa!

She’s a saint! Right: and you know what she’d say:

I didn’t deserve anything. I became a saint because of God’s gifts!

Back to the Pharisee. 

Let’s suppose he really was more holy, more virtuous. 

He’s probably who we’d rather have living next door!

But how do you think Jesus would have reacted 

had the Pharisee said this in his prayer:

“Oh God, thank you for the graces you gave me.

This tax collector is my brother. What can I do for him?

I don’t want to leave him behind”?