Challenged by Jesus: Homily for Sunday, August 24, 2025

When was the last time you found a teaching of Jesus to be a challenge? When did you find the gospel difficult because it challenged you to consider a gospel teaching in a different light because it was not your position? Readings for Today.

Challenged by Jesus

The verses in today’s gospel from Jesus are stark and challenging. “After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from. And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’”

See, I would like to think that I know Jesus. I would like to think that I was in a place where Jesus spoke and taught me and others. Today’s readings cause me to think: When was the last time I felt challenged by Jesus? When did I last have to admit to myself (and more importantly to Jesus) that I needed the discipline of the Lord that is mentioned in the second reading by Saint Paul? 

Time and again we read the gospels and find Jesus cautioning us about how those in times past failed to listen to the prophets. How people in times past even killed the prophets. They failed to develop an openness to the challenges the prophets issued. 

Think of the ways in which we talk to each other. How often do we see people disagree with each other by resorting to insults. We see people call each other ignorant at best and stupid at worst. In areas where we used to admit that people disagree with us, we now resort to calling people we disagree with as evil. 

Is this the gospel approach? Do we find ourselves placing more faith in politics than in God? Do we automatically assume that our beliefs and opinions are better than the Church?

How often do we conclude that Jesus teaches that we should treat others as we wish to be treated? How often do we hear people justify a position because Jesus was only about love? Can we just as easily recognize that Jesus also challenged people?

It is important for all of us to remember that we must in our lives find ourselves ready to submit to Jesus. That in seeking the truth, we must maintain a certain humility. For example, do we disregard the teaching of the Church simply because it challenges our opinion? 

Let me cite an example. While I do not hear it as much today as I used to, I always found it interesting to hear some appeal to Vatican II to question a practice in the Church or some Church teaching. I would ask people sometimes to show where exactly in the documents of Vatican II did the Church articulate the position they were appealing to.

Notice I have not mentioned any specific issue here. This is intentional. I am seeking to appeal to the ideas mentioned in today’s readings. And I am seeking to think about the ways in which I am challenged in my faith.

When was the last time you found a teaching of Jesus to be a challenge? When did you find the gospel difficult because it challenged you to consider a gospel teaching in a different light because it was not your position? 

There are numerous instances in the bible, in the gospels when an appeal to what seems reasonable, thinking only in human terms, is not what Jesus tells us in terms of faith. Times in the Old Testament where leaders are challenged to trust in God even though trust in what humans can do on their own seems like it might be a better solution using reason.

Love your enemies. Pray for your persecutors. Go, sell what you have and give to the poor. Enter through the narrow gate. These are just a few of the challenging gospel verses to consider.

If we cannot identify times when a gospel verse was one we had a hard time accepting a gospel verse, then perhaps we were not hearing Jesus, but we were hearing only ourselves. If we are not careful, we can find ourselves increasingly living in a silo where we only are exposed to those with whom we agree.

How often do we even find ourselves listening to different points of view. How often do we read theological points of view different than our own?  Do we give priority to the teaching of the Church over our own ideas? Do we believe the promise of Jesus always to be with the Church? To believe Jesus when he tells Peter the gates of hell will not prevail?

“Do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.” Endure your trials as “discipline.”” 

Today we are challenged to listen to Jesus even when we do not find ourselves liking what he says. We are implored to make room in our hearts for Jesus even when we would rather not. 

Saint Paul gives us the helpful attitude to help us to do this. “At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.”

For me, I know I need to remember that the end goal is not about being right. It is about so prioritizing my relationship with God that I live with God forever in heaven.

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