Homily for Saturday, Week 31 of Ordinary Time

Homily for Saturday
Week 31 of Ordinary Time

Nov. 7, 2020
Phil 4: 10-19
Provincial House, New Rochelle, N.Y.

“I rejoice greatly in the Lord that … you revived your concern for me” (Phil 4: 10).

We’ve been reading from Philippians since last week.  Our passage this morning is the letter’s conclusion except for Paul’s final greetings; it’s a note of thanksgiving for that church’s gifts to him, delivered by Epaphroditus.

The church at Philippi was the 1st that Paul founded on European soil after he, Silas, Timothy, and Luke had crossed over from Asia Minor.  Paul and Silas had been beaten and imprisoned there. Now Paul’s in prison again, somewhere unspecified, perhaps in Ephesus, as he writes this letter.  The gifts that Epaphroditus brought from his congregation at Philippi may have been intended to sustain Paul in prison.  These weren’t their 1st assistance to Paul, since he speaks of their “reviving” their concern for him “at last” but having lacked an opportunity to show that concern.

Paul goes on to tell his Philippian friends that he has managed even tho he’s been in want:  “I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself, to be self-sufficient” (4:11).  He’s had lots of experience in being well provided for—usually earning his own living when staying somewhere—and in having to do without during his extensive travels on land and sea, in being warmly received here and persecuted there.  He finds his strength to deal with all situations in the power that Christ gives him (4:13).  But now he’s grateful to the Philippians for their concern, for “sharing in my distress” (4:14) even tho they themselves aren’t well off (cf. 2 Cor 8:1-5).

He goes on to credit this church so dear to him for their unique care for him, alone among all the churches that Paul had established or visited, assisting him “not only once but more than once” (4:16).  He’s most pleased that their kindness toward him “accrues to [their] account” before God; it’s the equivalent of a fragrant sacrifice and pleases God greatly.  God, for his part, “will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (4:19)—not material goods but the goods of divine favor.

Paul is expressing gratitude to his benefactors.  In Don Bosco’s lexicon, gratitude is a most important word.  He constantly voiced his gratitude to God and to Mary Help of Christians for blessings received and urged the faithful who received graces thru Mary’s intercession to express their gratitude in prayer, at least, and often enuf, with a donation.  “Every brick in the church of MHC represents a grace from her,” he attested.  He urged gratitude to God for one’s intellectual and spiritual gifts.  He expressed everlasting gratitude to his supporters like Fr. Cafasso, Fr. Borel, Pius IX, and countless benefactors.  He even thanked God for misfortunes averted, an indication of divine protection.

Don Bosco taught us to do likewise.  Those of us who had the blessing of having known Fr. Joseph Stella know that one of the keys to his prodigious ability to come up with money for Newton, East Boston, and Goshen was that he spent hours and hours writing thank-you notes to benefactors or even calling on them in person.  E.g., in one of his famous “Do you have a minute?” occasions, he had me drive him from Newton to Philadelphia (that was quite a minute!) to visit some benefactors.

Obviously, we owe our benefactors our thanks, in our prayers, and when possible with something more personal—a handwritten note, a visit, or at least an email.

Beyond our benefactors, we owe much gratitude to so many other people, as Fr. Paul said last evening—our families, our confreres, even the people to whom we minister in school or parish or the confessional (many of whom testify to us of God’s grace).

Another note that St. Paul strikes today—it’s incidental to his gratitude toward the believers at Philippi—is his detachment in the face of physical want.  Sometimes we handle physical want well, e.g., during the power outage last August.  Sometimes we’re not quite so good, e.g., when something we want from the pantry isn’t there.  Don Bosco certainly followed St. Paul:  “I know how to live in humble circumstances. . . .  I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need” (4:12).  I’ve got room for improvement there, and maybe you do too.

We’re also ready to imitate the Philippians by supplying the needs of people, whether it’s thru the mission office or an appeal from the provincial, or even little things like helping out “Homeless John.”  May the Lord receive such offerings from us as “a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice,” and bless us as well as those whom we help.

Finally, and most important, is the one verse in which Paul credits Christ for being the power in his life (4:13).  May we always bear that in mind, always turn to Christ in our needs, in our weakness, and with our gratitude.