A sermon on Mark 12:28-34

By Fr. Mike Paraniuk
St. Mary Catholic Church
St. Benignus Catholic Church 
St. Mary Queen of Heaven
and Holy Trinity Catholic Church

One of the more difficult struggles parents face is to get their child to sleep in their own bed. There is the story of a little girl whose parents were weening her from sleeping in mom and dad's bed.

They made for her a beautiful bedroom decorated with wallpaper of Snow White and Minnie Mouse. Stuffed toys of Elmo from the Muppets, a pink Care Bear and Petey the Grey Raccoon were strewn about her room. (My favorite stuffed toy is Dracula the Vampire Bear). 

Mom and Dad prayed bedtime prayers before tucking her gently to bed, gave her a kiss and turned on a night light. The little girl closed her eyes to begin a peaceful sleep.

Fifteen minutes later, they heard muffled crying. The father goes to her room to see what the problem is. The girl blurts out, "Daddy I'm scared." 

He says, "Don't be afraid. God loves you. He is here to protect you. You are not alone." 

She replies, "I know that daddy." 

He asks, "Then what's the problem?" 

With tears running down her cheeks, she says, "I need someone with me who has skin."

Have you ever heard the phrase "I have skin in this game?" It means someone has a personal investment in a person or situation. 

God has a personal investment in His humans whom He created. God was deeply angry that the Devil tempted Adam and Eve to separate themselves and all humans from Him. God lost His children. He was committed to get His kids back. In this situation, God did the thing He had to do to defeat Satan. 

God sent His Son to take on human skin. Hebrews 2:14 says, "Because God’s children are human beings – made of flesh and blood – the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death." God literally put His skin in the battle against Satan. 

God loved us with all His Heart, His Mind, His Divine soul and strength. 

You can confidently call on God to be with you because He is someone who has His "skin in your game." God is not a bystander who lets you face your trials alone. God cares deeply about what happens in your life. He put His most valuable gift on the line for you. "The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us." (John 1:14.) 

How do I make a return of my love for God?

Jesus reveals the Great Commandments from God:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, 
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.

The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:30-31.)
 
How do you love God and neighbor? God wants you to put your "skin in His game." God calls you to use your flesh to reveal His Love to a suffering world. You show love for God when you give your body to God to take away the suffering of those who hunger for food and starve for love. 

St. Teresa of Avila wrote a beautiful poem, entitled "Christ Has No Hands But Our’s:"

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours.

This is how you love God. 

Blessings...Fr. Mike.