From Ruins to Mission

Homily for Wednesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary TIme

We pause for a couple of days from reading from the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures and return to reading about two historical characters, Ezra and Nehemiah. These two individuals are intimately tied to the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple. The prophet Baruch is also associated with these two individuals. If we were to assign a title to cover these shorter books of the Bible, we might use the words “From Ruins to Mission.”

In the first reading, we read the story of how Nehemiah persuaded the king to send him back to Judah with the task of rebuilding the Temple of Jerusalem. King Artaxerxes appointed him to be governor of Judah. The king and queen of Persia had noticed that Nehemiah appeared depressed. Nehemiah then told them of his sadness because of the destruction of his homeland where his ancestors were buried.

Psalm 137, which depicts the sadness of the liturgical musicians and cantors of the temple, is a fitting response to the sadness which Nehemiah expresses.

In the Gospel text for today, Jesus speaks of choosing God as our priority over all other concerns. Jesus challenges would-be followers to count the cost. Comfort, family obligations, and nostalgia must not hinder the mission.

Nehemiah rebuilds the city; the Psalmist mourns its loss; Jesus calls us to leave everything behind for the Kingdom. God calls us to rebuild—not just physical structures, but hearts, communities, and lives. That rebuilding requires sorrow for what’s broken, courage to act, and radical commitment to follow Christ. The courage to act and the radical commitment that are necessary are exemplified in the life of the young, Carmelite nun, Thérèse of the Child Jesus, whose memorial we celebrate today. Although she spent her life as a contemplative, she is remembered today as the patroness of the missions.