Bishop J. Peter Sartain delivered this homily during the Mass for Life Jan. 22 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.
“All our life is a preparation for the present moment,” writes Msgr. Massimo Camisasca. What a powerful and startling statement. Camisasca is implying that the present moment — each present moment — is full of powerful, life-changing possibilities, for which God has prepared us through what has come before. Yesterday was preparation for today, today is preparation for tomorrow, and tomorrow for the next day. All our life is a preparation for the present moment, so full of promise, so full of the presence of God.
Today’s readings provide the truth behind Camisasca’s statement. Jesus says, “This is the time of fulfillment.” We are to respond now. And tomorrow we are to respond now. And 10 years from now we are to respond now. This is the time of fulfillment: it is in the opportunity of each moment of our lives that we follow the call of the Gospel.
Everywhere he looked, Jesus saw people carrying the same spark of life, the same hope, the same need. One day he began preaching, “this is the time of fulfillment.” When he saw Peter, Andrew, James and John, he summoned them on the spot. And they responded on the spot, abandoning their nets and their trade.
On the other hand, perhaps the book of Jonah reflects our usual attitude about responding to God’s call. When God first told Jonah to preach repentance to the infamous Ninevites, Jonah was so frightened by the prospect that he fled to Joppa and bought passage on a ship headed to Tarshish, far away from the Lord. But there was a terrible storm at sea; and when the ship’s crew realized that the storm was brewing because their passenger was fleeing from God, they threw him overboard. The storm ceased, and all converted to the one true God — on the spot. God then sent the big fish that swallowed Jonah, and not surprisingly, he came to his senses. The fish spit Jonah up on the shore, and that is where today’s reading begins.
As we have just heard, Jonah was shocked at how quickly and easily the Ninevites responded to him, repenting in sackcloth and ashes. With a touch of humor, the book of Jonah adds that the king of Nineveh decreed that even the animals should put on sackcloth! Jonah had been reluctant to preach to the Ninevites because he was prejudiced against them, and privately he preferred that they not receive God’s mercy. Much to his surprise and dismay, he learned that God’s mercy was greater than he ever imagined. Jonah could not see beyond his own prejudice, but as soon as he responded to God’s call, the Ninevites immediately took heed and repented. Jonah had a very short-sighted view of both the Ninevites and the mercy and love of God.
The Scriptures remind us that we are to keep our sharpest focus on the present moment. It’s as if they are saying, “All your life is a preparation for the present moment. Don’t worry about tomorrow; change now. And if you have to change again tomorrow, don’t worry; there will be another now tomorrow.”
If we can see each moment as an opportunity to put the gospel into practice, we will quickly learn four important lessons:
First, doing our best to follow the gospel at the present moment, and again tomorrow when tomorrow’s moment comes, we will be living life’s goal of close friendship with God — because we will be willing to respond to him at every moment.
Second, doing our best to follow the Gospel at the present moment, we will inspire others to follow along with us, even those of whom we would not have expected any change, even those against whom we secretly hold prejudice. The present moment is an opportunity for all to change our hearts and lives.
Third, we must reverence every person we meet each day, because God does. God breathes life into us at conception — the first moment of our lives — and he cherishes each life from that moment forward, for from the moment of conception every life is destined to be one with him eternally. At every moment he is waiting for every person to turn to him.
Fourth, we must never underestimate the power of truth, which comes from God. Lovingly, consistently, faithfully, respectfully proclaiming the truth, we will see as Jonah did the wonder of his power to change lives; and we will feel, as Jesus’ first disciples did, the compelling power of his call. The slow but sure success we are seeing in the pro-life movement is evidence of this success. Yesterday’s progress was a preparation for today’s, and today is a preparation for tomorrow. We must not be discouraged, because God is at work at every moment. The way we are responding now is making a difference.
We are God’s instruments, and through Jesus’ word of salvation he is bringing all creation close to himself. All he asks is our response now, on the spot, immediately, in this place, today, among the people with whom we live and work. The Gospel of Life is not a goal to be reached some day; it is a way of life for you and me to live now.
Do you have an intention for Bishop Sartain’s prayer? If so, send it to him at Bishop Sartain’s Prayer List, Diocese of Little Rock, 2500 North Tyler St., P.O. Box 7239, Little Rock, AR 72217.
