ENGLISH 
ESPAÑOL 
God loves us like a mother loves her children
Homily by Fr. Robert Chiesa, SJ
8th Sunday Ordinary Time [A] at 12 Noon Mass
St. Ignatius Church, Tokyo
I think today’s first reading sets the tone for our reflection on the scripture passages. Zion refers to Jerusalem, the central biblical point of the whole nation of Israel. It was a time of great depression and anxiety. They felt abandoned by God and cried out, “The Lord has forsaken me. My Lord has forgotten me.” Now that’s something we are all tempted to say whenever we face great disappointment, disillusion, or tragedy in our life. “Where is God in all this?” But Isaiah the prophet, speaking for God, says, “Can a mother forget her infant and be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” Here we have an astounding image of God, who is as concerned for us as a mother for her children. We may feel abandoned and want to cry out “Where is God in all this? My child has been hit by a truck. A landslide has washed away my house. My job has been replaced with a robot.”
Jesus says, “Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap. They gather nothing into barns. Look at the lilies of the field. They do not work or spin. God feeds the birds and clothes the flowers. Are not you more important than the birds and the flowers?” God is our Father. He does not forget us. He comes to us through the consolation and help that we provide for one another. Refuge centers and food handouts are provided for people fleeing from natural disasters. Services are provided for the homeless. And when we have suffered the tragic and irreparable loss of a loved one, God mourns with us through the relatives and friends that offer comfort and consolation, and God provides for us through their generosity.
Jesus does not say, “Stop working to provide food and clothes and a home for your family.” No, but he warns us not to become a slave of wealth and material goods. The more we have, the more we tend to count on our own ability to get and keep what we think we need. We all know about Imelda’s shoes, and Diana’s gowns, and the gold-plated bathrooms of the wealthy. No, Jesus does not tell us to stop working but to stop worrying. He does not tell us to stop working to provide for our family and serve society. He tells us not to worry about getting and piling up more than we really need, not to become a slave of what we own, but to be ready to share what we have.
Pope Francis says that serving God and seeking the kingdom of heaven implies a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable development of our common home. We are to become devoted disciples who trust that God loves us like a mother loves her children and that we will have everything we need as long as we are willing to share what we’ve got. In the Old Testament, farmers were told not to reap their fields so completely that nothing would be left for the widow and the orphan. Today some restaurants make their leftovers available for the homeless. There are many ways in which we can share what we have with others—not only material goods, but a good word, a kind look, and a helping hand.
Wednesday of this week is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent is a time to work at something in our life that needs to change. But it is also a time to realize that the power to bring about change comes from the Lord. St Paul was upset about the divisions in his community of Christians in Corinth and the bad name he was getting from enemies. But he had done what he could and left all judgment in the hands of God. He resolved to remain a faithful servant of Christ, not worrying about fame or the future.
The Lord does not forget us, but we tend to forget the Lord. During Lent, let’s remind ourselves to take time to recall the presence of God in our life. Take those empty moments of the day—those moments when you are waiting for an elevator or for a traffic light to change. Use those empty moments to recall that you are loved and not forgotten by your heavenly Father. And ask yourself: What can I do to help God provide for the needs of the needy? How can I share with others the gifts I have received? And ask God to bless your family, your co-workers, and the people that annoy you.
