SECOND THOUGHTS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Second Thoughts.” *

We know all about second thoughts. To be human is to have second thoughts.

“I could have!” “I should have!” I wish I had….” “I wish I didn’t….” are regular sounds in our regret system.

You can be sure that presidential candidates – 10 minutes after a debate “kicking themselves” for what might have been – what was said, what wasn’t said.

Second thoughts.

Preaching – it’s always after the homily that I figure out what I was really trying to say – what I was trying to figure out. We preachers here often say it’s great to have the 4:30 at St. John Neumann or the 5:00 here at St. Mary’s on Saturday evening – because you can straighten the sermon out after you gave it – and make it better for tomorrow - hopefully.

Second thoughts.

TODAY’S GOSPEL
Today’s gospel has the son who said, “No” – who then had second thoughts. He then goes out into the vineyard and does what his father asked him to do in the first place.

The second son who said “Yes” to his father also has second thoughts. He does not go out to do what he told his father that he would do.

We are both sons.

We say, “Yes” and then do “No”.

We say, “No” and then do “Yes.”

MONDAY MORNING FLIGHT
It’s Monday morning 6:45 and Jill is driving Jack to BWI – who is about to go on a business trip to the West Coast.

They are both quiet – both moody – both in a rush – and both need more sleep.

Silence.

Finally, Jill says, “You know you shouldn’t have said that yesterday!”

Jack says, “What?”

“The comment you made in front of all those people.”

“Jill, I was only kidding.”

“Jack, you’re never kidding when it comes to saying that. That hurt. You shouldn’t have said it.”

Silence.

Jack is saying to himself, “I don’t need this. I don’t need this now.”

They arrive at the Departing Flights curb.

No kiss. No good by. Only anger – and once more the feeling of having been trapped in the confines of this metal cage called her car.

He closes the door. He doesn’t slam it – but he is saying to himself, “She does this every time. Ugggggh!”

He’s still chewing on Agita as the plane climbs to 30,000 feet.

He’s thinking. Then it hits him, “Maybe I shouldn’t have said what I said yesterday afternoon.”

Second thoughts.

He lands in Chicago and leaves a message on Jill’s cell phone. “Honey, I’m at O’Hare and you’re right. I was being stupid. I’m sorry about yesterday afternoon. I’ll call again tonight. I love you. My connecting flight to L.A. is delayed two hours.”

Second thoughts.

He stops into an airport bookstore and spots a book with the title, “The Five Languages of Apology” by Gary Chapman. He wouldn’t have noticed it – if there wasn’t what happened yesterday and this morning in the car. He pages through it. “Woo!” He buys it. He takes a seat off to the side in the waiting area. He reads that “I’m sorry!” is often not enough. He reads about 5 types of “I’m Sorry!”. He tries to figure out what the author means by the 5 languages of apology.

He reads that people need to understand that the other might have another language or understanding when it comes to forgiveness. He gets glimpses that the other might have different needs when it comes to apologizing. We need to accept responsibility for what we say and do. We need to make restitution. What will it take to recover? We need genuine repentance. We need to request forgiveness.

He remembers the old saying that talk is cheap. Talking is easy. Walking the talk is what is called for. Changes in behavior need to follow the magic two words called, “I apologize.”

Second thoughts are important – but second steps and follow up are much more important and necessary.

Monday morning quarterbacking doesn’t help change the score of yesterday’s game, but it can help next Sunday’s game – if we learn and make significant changes.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Today’s first reading from Ezekiel has the words of every child and the words of every adult who is angry with God. “Not fair! Not fair!”

And if we take time to think about life – we will hear God say to us, “You say, ‘I’m not fair.’ Let me tell you about fair. Let me tell you about your life.”

Prayer and reflection time – whether in church or in a plane 30,000 feet above the earth – or sitting in an airport waiting for a plane – or sitting alone after an argument, is often the time we think deeply about life.

Ezekiel is trying to get people to hear God say, “Take some time for some second thoughts about your life and then tell me who’s fair and who isn’t fair.”

Ezekiel is capturing the same thoughts you’ll find so powerfully in the Book of Job – when God gives Job the big picture.

And on second thought we’ll pinch ourselves – or we’ll get down on our knees and thank God for everything.

On second thought we realize we were just focusing on our mom or dad’s death or our spouse or our kid’s death – or a broken life – or a “walk out” by a spouse. On second thought we start to see a bigger picture. We see the years and years and years of blessings. We see big and the little blessings called, “Life.” We see ourselves at 9 years old sliding into home with the winning run in a Little League game or intercepting a pass in a high school football game or being selected to edit the high school year book in our junior year in h.s. and that changed our whole career track – and on and on and on. We see births of babies, camping in western North Carolina, white water rafting in West Virginia in a distant May morning and on and on and on.

Second thoughts.

SECOND READING
Today’s second reading contains what some scholars think is an early Christian hymn – from the early 50’s which St. Paul took and put into his letter to the people of Philippi.

What I hear on second thought is great theology.

Adam, the first human said, “No” to God!

Jesus, the new Adam, representing all of us who say “No” says “Yes” and becomes one of us.

Those who say, “Yes” – those who say, “Amen!” – those who say, “I do” and don’t – are still out there like the second son.

And what does Jesus do – according to this hymn?

The reading says that God has second thoughts – God – the Second Person – in God – empties himself and becomes human – and not only that – becomes our servant – and not only that – he dies for us – he is killed for us – he is killed by the “goody goods” – who think they are right.

And because Jesus, the second person, does all this, to make things right – right like God wanted creation and human beings to be in the first place – God lifts this second person out of death – and raises him – and gives him the name above all other names: Lord. Kurios!

This hymn in Philippians is estimated to go back to the year 54 AD.

It’s early theology about Christ – which we call “Christology”.

It took a long time for the early church to come up with creeds and language – lots of second thoughts – almost 400 years of talking and arguing – various heresies – lots of infighting – Church councils like Nicea in 325, Ephesus in 431 – and Chalcedon in 451 to formulate how Christ can be both human and Divine – how Jesus was the Second Adam and the Second Person in the Trinity.

Theologizing is second thoughts – lots of second thoughts.

Communication is second thoughts – lots of second thoughts.

Marriage provides the opportunity for lots of second thoughts.

Life is second thoughts.

CONCLUSION

So let’s give each other the chance to debate without playing, “Gotcha”. Let’s learn to allow for second thoughts – and apology – so that we can play this great game of life together with great joy and laughter, forgiveness and understanding. Amen.

* [Homily for 26 Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, September 27, 2008, 5 PM Saturday Evening Mass at St. Mary's]
* y in Ordinary Time, Year A, September 28, 2008]