Homily for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

This past Sunday was the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, and Father's Day. I didn't preach the weekend Masses at Holy Redeemer - our permanent deacon had that responsibility this weekend - but I did share a brief thought with the congregation during the announcements.  It was basically a shortened version of the reflection that follows:

I have been very moved by the coverage of the death of Tim Russert. Clearly he was the best journalist of American politics in our lifetime, and perhaps of all time. He is appropriately being remembered for his knowledge, skill and fairness as a television journalist.

But what I find most telling, about the man, and I believe about the longings of our era, is that he is also being remembered as a father and a man of faith.

Tim Russert's admiration for his father, Big Russ, and his love for his son Luke have frequently been commented on during these days of mourning. And it has also been noted that Mr. Russert was an active Catholic, and a proud graduate of Catholic schools. What is more, his colleagues and friends have recounted that Mr. Russert saw his work as an outgrowth of his faith - a carrying of the Eucharist he received each Sunday into the world at large.

Beyond the appropriate superlatives that have been applied to his work, what greater compliments could be paid to a husband, a father, a man of faith?

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells the disciples that "the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." Certainly the Church and the world need men and women to heed this as a call to priesthood, religious life, or the permanent diaconate. But even more than that, faithful lay men and women need to hear this as an invitation to work in the vineyard of the world - bringing their faith to bear on the world of science, medicine, politics, law, business, the arts etc. etc. 

If Tim Russert's devotion to his faith and his family has moved people the way it has, imagine the good that might be accomplished for the world if more of us sought to bring our lives of faith and family from the church and the home to our places of work and study!

(For more, go visit Deacon Greg's site, where he has a wonderful round-up of quotes and links about "Why Russert Mattered.")