Making the Call: Austin McDonald
The following homily was shared at our Sunday Evening Eucharist service 9/20/26.
Scripture Readings:
Old Testament (Isaiah 55:6-9)
“Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call him while he is near.
Let the scoundrel forsake his way,
and the wicked his thoughts;
let him turn to the LORD for mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.”
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18)
“The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works
The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.”
I don’t know how much old literature you have read. I’m talking about Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Bram Stoker, etc. But, whenever I’ve read books from that era, I’ve always noticed some of the diction that was used. Particularly the word “call”. Back then, “call” usually meant sending a letter or showing up at someone’s door, but it was still a very common action to call on somebody. Moving forward, nothing has really changed. We make and answer calls every day. Whether it be from family or friends, talking or texting, by attendance at a class, or clocking into a work shift, someone has called for you, and you have responded.
Now, how does that tie into Christ? Well, there are many pieces of Scripture, including two that were readings today, that involve calling to God and Christ. Furthermore, it makes sense to call to Christ to repent and confess and cry for mercy, for how else can forgiveness be given? Here in this world, you must take action and ask for forgiveness from your fellow man or fellow woman. And no matter how you call out to them, you must first acknowledge your wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness. And then, only then, they may give you that mercy. Funny, it works the same way with God. Of course, God is infinitely just and generous in forgiving, such as the first reading states. But there must be a call to God that recognizes sins of old. That is also proved through other stories in the Bible, such as Paul’s story of forgiveness, and Thomas’ unbelief after the Resurrection. Both of these men didn’t see nor believe in God’s power, and actively looked away. Yet, upon their realization and confession, God forgave them. That level of forgiveness didn’t end. God is still God, and God will still welcome you into his arms once you call out to join him.
So, story time: Those who have heard my testimony (you can read it here) may know that I was not a Christian for a large portion of my life. So, as I looked to return to the Church, one of the biggest issues I had was reestablishing my personal connection to Christ. How was I supposed to “know” God and find him? Where does that relationship start? The answer that I found was that you can simply ask God, and he manifests those conversations. Through things like prayer, community, and worship, God’s nature is demonstrated. You must simply take the action to see.
With all of that said, I would like to think that I’ve gone and wasted my breath tonight. I’ve made a big stir about calling out to God, and I hope that is redundant to you. I hope that you haven’t had the turbulence and splotchy down periods that I have. I hope that everyone in here has professed and maintains a strong faith. I hope that y’all live through Christ, as he lives through you. But, I understand that is not always the case. I know not where everyone stands in their faith, but I wish to bring this message for those who are uneasy or questioning themselves: God is there, and is happy to forgive, and happy to respond. There isn’t a phone number, or an address to reach Him, but I hope you make the call, because He will answer, and He will forgive.
Thank you, and peace be with you all.
Austin McDonald is a sophomore at Louisiana Tech majoring in mechanical engineering. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, shooting pool, and exploring Ruston. We are grateful for his wisdom, willingness to serve, and for the opportunity to know him during his time at Tech. He is also a member of this year’s Discipleship Team! We look forward to the ways the Lord will continue to pursue him!