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Browsing Father Michael Deering's Sunday Homilies

Stop living in the flesh … so you can live forever!

Homily originally preached July 5, 2020

by Monsignor Deering

 

Stop living in the flesh … so you can live forever!

 

We all know what the outdoor game Tug-a-war is …

where two teams grab onto opposite ends of a Rope and pull away from each other

trying to overpower the other team and make them fall down in defeat.

 

Normally this game is played at picnics or at the beach and ends with

one team getting pulled into a mud hole ... or falling face flat on the sand!

 

The only damage suffered by the losers in this game ... is perhaps …

muddying up their clothes  … and muddying up their pride.

 

Well, what you need to know … is there’s an ongoing Tug-a-war taking place

inside each and every person ...

 each and every day ...

where two invisible forces are pulling you in two different directions.

 

Do you know what these two forces are?

 

St. Paul referred to them specifically today in our Second Reading …

 as he spoke about...  the flesh and the spirit.

 

You couldn’t miss it … in the 4 verses proclaimed from Romans 8,

Paul spoke 4 times of “the flesh” ... and he spoke 6 times of “the spirit”!

 

He wants us to see that there are indeed ... powerful opposing forces

that are pulling against each other inside of us.

 

Yes, there’s a tug-a-war going on inside every person

           a battle betweenthe flesh” and “the spirit”.

 

What do these terms mean?

 

You know there are many references to “the flesh” in the New Testament

and it’s common for people to think of “the flesh”  as synonymous with

the physical body and connected with sexual sin.

 

But you know, there are only a few times where the word flesh

actually refers to the physical body … as in John 6 where Jesus says,

“You must eat my flesh to have Eternal Life.”

 

Most of the time the definite articletheis placed in front of the word “flesh” and then the word flesh has a very different meaning than the physical body.

 

 

So, what does the phrase .... “the flesh” ... mean in Scripture?

 

It refers to that part of us that is alienated from or in opposition to ... God.

 

It is that rebellious ... unruly and obstinate part ... of our inner self ...

that wants us to do our own thing ... and have things our own way!

 

It is that part of us that does not want to be told what to do

and so it rejects any guidance from the Church, the Bible and the Conscience.

 

It’s stubborn; refuses correction, and doesn’t want to have a thing to do with God. It bristles at limits and rules.

It recoils at anything that might place limits on us ...

to keep us from being the center of attention; and even the center of the universe!

 

“The flesh” hates to be under authority or

to have to yield to anything other than its own wishes and desires.

 

“The flesh” wants to be in control rather than submit to the guidance of God.

 

So it sets up its own observanceunder its own control ...

and when it meets its own demands…it declares itself righteous.

 

“The flesh” often desires something simply because it is forbidden!   

 

“The flesh” says in effect: “I will do ...  what I want to do ...

and I will decide ...if it’s right or wrong.”

 

This great misuse of freedom results in indulgence ...

     which leads not to freedom ... but to slavery to the senses and to the passions.

 

Do you recognize it?

Can you admit that this force exists … and has been acting within you?

 

Some modern Scripture translations often callthe flesh” our “sinful nature”, which is a pretty good description of what “the flesh” is!

 

In Catholic traditionthe flesh” is where concupiscence sets up shop. Concupiscence refers to the strong inclination to sin that resides in us as a result of the wound of Original Sin.   It is seeing the allure of sin … the attraction of sin.

 

If you think you’re stronger thanthe flesh”… just try to prayfor five minutes

and notice how quickly your mind wants to think of anything but praying!

 

And when you do your fasting on Fridays and during Lent

just try to stop thinking about the chocolate cookies in the kitchen, or the coffee or the coke or the cigarettes that you gave up and focus only on the work before you!

 

Not easy right?    That’s because “the fleshis raging against you!

The flesh is in a tug-a-war …  with “the spirit”!

 

The “spirit” here refers … not tothe Holy Spiritbut to … the human spirit.

 

The (human) spirit is that part of us which is open to God, which desires Him, and is drawn to Him. It’s that part of us that is attracted by goodness, truth and beauty. It yearns for completion in God and it longs to see His face.

 

Without “the spirit” we would be totally turned in on ourselves …

the tug-a-war would be over and we’d be consumed by the flesh.

 

Thankfully our spirit, when assisted by the Holy Spirit, strengthens our desire

for what is best, what is upright, what is good and what is life-giving.

 

So as you can see, the flesh and the spirit are on opposite ends of the rope …

     and they’re pulling against each otherinside you ... in a lifelong tug-a-war.

 

And so you may wonder, which one’s  going to win?

 

Well, a wise old Indian Chief had this to say when speaking to his little Grandson:

Sometimes I feel like I have two wolves fighting in my heart.

One wolf is full of selfishness and greed and laziness and lust.

The other wolf is full of goodness and kindness and helpfulness and love.”

And the little boy asked, “Grandfather … which one is going to win?”

And the wise old Chief replied,    “The one I feed!”

 

Which wolf wins?     The one I feed!

 

Even little boys know that an animal needs to be fed in order to live.

So how wise for this Indian Chief to portray good and bad feelings in the heart ...

as 2 wolves fighting each other ... with the winning wolf being the one that gets fed.

 

We all have these 2 wolves in our heart …

and the wolf that’s going to win … is the one we feed.

 

Which wolf are you feeding ...

the wolf of “the flesh” ... or ... the wolf of “the spirit”?

 

 

If you’re thinking only of yourself & your comfort

& holding your neighbor in contempt,

if you’re being lazy at home, at work or at school and doing less than your best,

if we’re lusting after power, or money or toys,

if you’re looking at pornography or participating in any sexual sin,

if you’re lying, stealing, or cheating,

then you’re feeding the wrong wolf,      and the wrong wolf is going to win!

 

And what happens then?          What happens if the wrong wolf wins?

 

If the wrong wolf wins, you will die.

 

St. Paul says today,         “If you live in “the flesh” you will die.”

meaning ... you will die ... to life in God.

 

And what happens if the right wolf wins?

 

St. Paul says today,         “If you live in “the spirit” you will live.”

meaning ... you will live on and on ... in God’s Holy and Eternal Spirit!

 

Our goal, our challenge is to feed the right wolf so that the right wolf wins.

 

Because, if the right wolf wins, then we win … Eternal Life!

 

So how do we feed the right wolf? 

 

We do this with discipline.

 

It takes discipline to live inthe spirit “and not live in “the flesh”.

 

That’s why we refer to “the discipline of Lent” … that time of challenge

where we ask ourselves the question, “Who’s in charge anyway?” me … or the flesh?

 

In Lent we say things like No, I’m not going to have that coke or candy or cigarette

Or Yes, I’m getting up and going to 6:45 Morning Mass!

 

This is using discipline something that’s not particularly easy … but oh so necessary!

 

Recall how Jesus said, “You must take up your cross daily and follow Me.”

 

All the while, the ruler of this world, who is Satan, is saying,

“To heck with the cross … if it feels good do it!”   you deserve it!

 

 

I remember some of the sayings in the songs of the 70’s:

“If it feels good do it … do it if it’s what you feel!”

“If you can’t be with the one you love … love the one you’re with!”

 

What the devil offers us can be very tempting, for he appeals to our selfishness and our pride.                    He makes evil look attractive.

 

But we just have to remember that Satan is our opponent,

he’s pulling on the other end of the rope

and he wants us to weaken and fall and get full of dirt!

 

So he tempts us to feed the flesh … by feeding ... our selfishness, our stubbornness, our pride, our unruly inner self … that is ... the greedy, lazy, lustful wolf!

 

Jesus, on the other hand never tempts us … He invites us!

 

And it’s this distinction that St. Paul is speaking about in our Second reading.

 

St. Paul was a master at pointing out ... the struggle ... that exists between

living in the ways of this world, which he calls “living in the flesh and

living in the ways of God, which he calls “living in the spirit.” 

 

He admits how he himself … did the things he knew he shouldn’t do

And didn’t do the things he knew he should do!

 

It’s an ongoing struggle that we need to be aware of and we need to address.

 

What does Jesus have to say? In our Gospel today, He says,

"Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”

 

Wow!    Those are attractive words when you’re in a strenuous Tug a War!

 

Notice He didn’t say, “Come to me all you who are perfect & have it all together!

If He did, who could come? None of us! We’re all broken, wounded and sinful.

 

No, Jesus said, "Come to me all you who labor and are burdened.”

Now that’s something that we can all relate to, isn’t it?

 

Is there anyone here who isn’t hurting ... and in need of help ... in some way …

mentally, physically, emotionally or spiritually?

 

We all are! And so Jesus invites all of us … to come to Him.

 

 

And what does He promise to do? He promises to refresh us, to give us the strength we need … to feed the right wolf so as to go on living in the spirit

 

Life is a strugglethe wolves in our heart are constantly at battle.

The strain inside can be likened to a “tug-a-war”.

 

If you ever played the game of tug-a-war as a kid, you’ll remember that you can only hold on so long before you tire out.

At some point your strength is gone and you just have to let go.

 

Even if you win, you need to re-gather your strength before you play again!        You can’t keep up the struggle without being refreshed.

 

And the same thing applies to the tug of war that we face every day in our hearts,   between living in the flesh and of the world, or living in the spirit and of God!

 

Which is why we gather together at least once a week to attend Holy Mass. It’s the most powerful way we accept Jesus’ invitation to come to Him to be refreshed!

 

Here at Mass, we hear the Word of God, reminding us of God’s plan and promise,

and we receive Our Lord in Holy Communion, gaining his Supernatural strength.

 

Imagine His Spirit feeding our spirit,

strengthening us for the tug-of war taking place in our hearts each day.

 

Which wolf are you going to feed? Are we indebted to either one?

 

Paul tells us today, “We are not debtors to the flesh.”

Remember that always!          Who are we debtors to?            God!

 

God is the one who created us. God is the one who redeemed us.

God is the one who brought us into His royal family at Baptism & offers us Heaven. So, we belong to God.

 

We’re indebted to Godnot to the flesh!

 

What’s the strongest drive in the human person?  the drive to live.

We want to live … we don’t want to die.

 

So we need to take Paul’s warning seriously; He says,

“If you live according to the flesh you will die;

But if … by the Spirit … you will live.”

 

 

The world around us is living in the flesh!

 

What’s the antidote?

To follow Jesus, who is the Truth and live in the Spirit.

That takes discipline!

 

That’s why the Church keeps reminding us to pray ...

pray always; pray for your enemies; pray without ceasing.

 

Prayer requires discipline … it means stopping regularly through the day...

interrupting your life in the flesh ... to strengthen your life in the spirit ...

with His spirit … the spirit of Truth.

 

Which wolf are you feeding in your life - the wolf of the flesh or the wolf of the spirit?

Remember … the wolf that you feed  ... is the wolf that will win!

 

So pray daily for the determination and the discipline to feed the right wolf

to accept Jesus’ invitation to come to Him often to be refreshed in His Spirit. 

 

For it’s only by living in the Spirit ... that we get to go on living ... forever.

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