32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, B November 10, 2024
Fr. Alexander Albert St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville
Some of you probably remember that, about 15 years ago, when the priest said the words of consecration: “this is my blood… the Blood of the new and eternal covenant,” the sentence used to end with “which will be poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins.” Now, however, it ends by saying his blood will be “poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Why did the Church change the words from “all” to “many?” Does this mean the Church no longer wants to forgive everyone, but only some people? No. When the Church changes a translation, it is not about changing our teaching. It is almost always an effort to be more precise, to make things clearer, and to try to match what scripture says more correctly. So, the short answer to the question of why “many” instead of “all” is simply because that’s what it says in the bible. There are three different places where scripture uses the word “many,” and we have one of those in our second reading today.
The first instance is in Isaiah where he prophesies about the Messiah who will suffer to save God’s people. The prophet says “my servant, the just one, shall justify the many, their iniquity he shall bear.” Then there’s the gospel itself. Jesus actually said “many” at the last supper. Then there’s the letter to the Hebrews, which has been our second reading for the last few weeks. We just heard about “Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many.”
But why? Why does the bible say that only “many” are saved by Jesus and not all? Does that mean there are some people who can’t be saved? No. For one thing, there is one place in the bible that does say “all;” in St. Paul’s letter to Timothy: “Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as ransom for all.” For another thing, the word Isaiah uses in the Old Testament could also be translated “multitudes” and it was often used as a poetic expression for “the whole world.” There is no one person who cannot be saved by the blood of Jesus.
At the same time, however, human beings do have free will. God will not save someone against their will. So, while Jesus offered himself for everyone, we can’t guarantee everyone will actually accept that salvation. By saying “many,” the bible and the Church are helping us to remember that salvation isn’t guaranteed. The offer is there, but if we want to be part of the “many,” then we need to accept it. As always, the question is “how do I do that?”
Faith and Love. The answer is faith and love and we see both on display in the readings today. First, salvation must come by faith. We cannot earn salvation, we do not “deserve” to be saved. Faith is part of the gift of God that makes salvation possible. It’s worth reminding ourselves that faith is not the same thing as “agreement.” It isn’t faith to say “God exists” or “Jesus is real.” Faith is when you say that and also trust God and Jesus Christ. Faith is to take God at his word and act like it. The widow in Zarephath in our first reading is an example of the difference between mere agreement and actual faith.
She doesn’t just say “yes, God is real and you are a prophet,” she trusts the prophet when he promises a miracle of food for her and her son. And that faith saves her from starvation. It’s important to note that her faith is a response to God. She didn’t make up her own idea of what God was going to do. She didn’t just wake up and say “you know what? I’ve decided God is going to provide food for me, so I’m gonna stop trying find more.” No, she was doing her best when she was told by a prophet that God would provide in a directly miraculous way.
Faith is not willpower. It is not working ourselves up to make ourselves believe something in order to make God do what we want. It is a response to a legitimate inspiration from God. So, some prudence and caution are necessary. Just because someone on facebook promises that, if you believe, this thing will happen isn’t a good reason to believe it. Elijah was a known and proven prophet. There was reason to put faith in his word. So it is with us.
We should respond with faith to Scripture and the Church. If someone is a proven and trustworthy servant of God – someone has given us reason to believe they’re using a charism of prophecy – then yes, sometimes we can be like this widow and put our faith in the words of another person speaking on God’s behalf. Just, you know, try not to be too gullible. This is especially true when it comes to politics. Our Lord is a crucified lord, so you should always keep a healthy suspicion about prophecy and faith when it involves worldly power and success.
So to be part of the “many” who accept the salvation offered to all, we must have faith. If faith is genuine, however, it must rise up in love. Protestants sometimes accuse Catholics of thinking we earn our salvation through doing good works. No. We just know that faith is not real unless it produces love. And love? Love does good works. Love doesn’t earn salvation, but it is an essential part of accepting it through faith. And what is love? It is to will the good of the other.
Love, in this world, is also always tied to sacrifice. In Isaiah we hear: “their iniquity he shall bear.” Jesus says his “blood” is “poured out.” The letter the Hebrews says Christ was “offered to take away sins.” The widow of Zarephath in the first reading doesn’t just listen to the prophet’s promise of food, she makes the sacrificial act of love to give him what little food she had left. In the Gospel, Jesus praises the woman who trusts God enough to give her money to the temple despite having nothing to spare. What matters is not the amount they give, but their willingness to give sacrificial in whatever form they are able. It’s not always or even usually money. What matters is sacrificial love.
Salvation requires faith. Faith requires love. Love requires sacrifice. Thanks be to God, we already have the perfect sacrifice: the Eucharist. Christ’s sacrifice, offered once for all, is made present at each and every Mass. By faith, you can see he is present on the cross and raised from the dead. By love, you can take whatever you’re able to offer – great or small – and unite it to that most perfect sacrifice. By God’s grace, may those who do so be as many as possible, perhaps even the whole world.