Homily, 11-18-14; Monday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time:
We can reflect on how well rooted are we in our faith? Our responsorial psalm says that he who delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night, is like a tree planted near running water. It will stand firm and produce much fruit. But the wicked are blown away like chaff and vanish forever.
The need to stand firm in our faith is echoed in our reading from the Book of Revelation as God gives instruction to the Church in Ephesus. He tells them that although they have suffered much for Jesus’ name, they have lost the love they had at first. It’s an accusation that I can relate to—not the suffering part, but the loss of expressed love. It’s exciting when we first have a conversion, or a reversion. It’s easy to be on fire with our faith. But sometimes, while the fire doesn’t go out, it can become more like a little flicker. How many times have I seen new Catholics on fire for their new-found faith at the Easter Vigil when they come into the Church. And then, a year later, they no longer attend Mass regularly. Not because they are wicked, but because they are complacent, they are blown away like chaff and some vanish forever.
The Lord compliments the Ephesians for standing up against imposters and for their willingness to endure suffering for His name. They are staying true to doctrine, but that is not enough because they have lost the zeal to love God and neighbor. In some ways they have kept the content of the faith but not the spirit of the faith. It is a trap that we can easily fall into as well. We can follow all rules and be the moral and liturgical police, but fail to do it out of love of God and neighbor.
Just like in a marriage where we have to work to keep love alive, we have to be vigilant to keep our faith alive, to do the works we did at first as God tells the Ephesians. We cannot become complacent. We must try to keep alive that spark that we had when we first made our commitment to follow Jesus.