GRACE GAUGE:
FULL, HALF FULL, EMPTY?
FULL, HALF FULL, EMPTY?
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Grace Gauge: Full, Half Full, Empty?”
When I was reading today’s gospel, the words, “Hail, full of grace!” hit me.
Mary is greeted by the angel Gabriel with those words.
GAS GAUGE
The title of my homily is, “Grace Gauge: Full, Half Full, Empty?”
When I was reading today’s gospel, the words, “Hail, full of grace!” hit me.
Mary is greeted by the angel Gabriel with those words.
GAS GAUGE
Then for some reason, probably the word “full”, I thought of the image of the gas gauge in every car. We look at it from time to time – and we say, “Ooops, I need to stop and get some gas.” And if we forget, modern cars do the “ooops” for us with the sound, “bing, bing, bing” or whatever our car does to warn us, “You need to get some gas.”
Then I said to myself, “Would it be far fetched to ask in a sermon, ‘When it comes to grace am I full, half full or half empty, or empty of grace?’”
When it comes to spirituality, I’ve heard people say, “I’m running on empty.” Or I’ve heard people say, “I need God more – grace more – prayer more – more meaning - in my life.”
So let me ask that question: “When it comes to grace am I full, half full or half empty, or empty of grace – or somewhere in between?”
GRACE
I assume it would be helpful to describe “grace”.
It’s not something – like fuel – but it could be described that way in a way. I say that because “grace” has so many meanings.
What fuels us? And in the second half of this homily, I’m going to ask, “What fools us?”
What is grace?
Grace is holiness.
Grace is being pleasing to both God and others.
Then I said to myself, “Would it be far fetched to ask in a sermon, ‘When it comes to grace am I full, half full or half empty, or empty of grace?’”
When it comes to spirituality, I’ve heard people say, “I’m running on empty.” Or I’ve heard people say, “I need God more – grace more – prayer more – more meaning - in my life.”
So let me ask that question: “When it comes to grace am I full, half full or half empty, or empty of grace – or somewhere in between?”
GRACE
I assume it would be helpful to describe “grace”.
It’s not something – like fuel – but it could be described that way in a way. I say that because “grace” has so many meanings.
What fuels us? And in the second half of this homily, I’m going to ask, “What fools us?”
What is grace?
Grace is holiness.
Grace is being pleasing to both God and others.
Grace is ease and smoothness in movement – like a figure skater or a star athlete.
Grace means being calm and comfortable with oneself.
Grace means knowing God loves me. I am loved and lovable.
Grace means gift.
Grace means being grateful.
Grace means accomplished.
Grace means acceptance.
Grace means exempt – privileged.
Grace means being kind, compassionate, considerate, thoughtful.
Grace means these and much more.
So if I have these qualities, I might be described as graceful – full of grace – or somewhat graceful.
In today’s gospel text from Luke, what seems most powerful for me is the message, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you!" These are the opening words of the Hail Mary prayer which we say over and over again. I love the sound of the Greek word “kecharitomene” – “favored one” or "graced one".
MARY
When we walk into a crowded room – say at a Christmas party or a family Christmas celebration, let’s be honest, there’s that one person we are so happy to see – our favored one.
When God looks at us human beings, he sees Mary. She’s the most highly favored one and God chooses her to be the Mother of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Gabriel’s message scares this young woman. This greeting troubled her. So the angel says, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
God looked at human beings and was especially pleased with Mary.
The Catholic Church has stressed the importance of Mary in the story all through the years.
We see this in millions of statues, paintings, prayers and devotions.
The story does not stop with Mary. It starts with Mary – but Mary with her Jewish roots and story.
Grace means being calm and comfortable with oneself.
Grace means knowing God loves me. I am loved and lovable.
Grace means gift.
Grace means being grateful.
Grace means accomplished.
Grace means acceptance.
Grace means exempt – privileged.
Grace means being kind, compassionate, considerate, thoughtful.
Grace means these and much more.
So if I have these qualities, I might be described as graceful – full of grace – or somewhat graceful.
In today’s gospel text from Luke, what seems most powerful for me is the message, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you!" These are the opening words of the Hail Mary prayer which we say over and over again. I love the sound of the Greek word “kecharitomene” – “favored one” or "graced one".
MARY
When we walk into a crowded room – say at a Christmas party or a family Christmas celebration, let’s be honest, there’s that one person we are so happy to see – our favored one.
When God looks at us human beings, he sees Mary. She’s the most highly favored one and God chooses her to be the Mother of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Gabriel’s message scares this young woman. This greeting troubled her. So the angel says, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
God looked at human beings and was especially pleased with Mary.
The Catholic Church has stressed the importance of Mary in the story all through the years.
We see this in millions of statues, paintings, prayers and devotions.
The story does not stop with Mary. It starts with Mary – but Mary with her Jewish roots and story.
The story then becomes the Christ story – the one whom Mary brings into our world.
The story is Jesus – just as every mother and father know that the story is not them: it’s their children and on and on and on – and they are honored to be parents – bringers of new gifts to our world.
Mary is not God. God is God.
Pictures and statues are not Mary – just as pictures of our parents or kids on a book shelf or in our wallet or cell phone are not them. They just remind us of them.
And we don’t worship Mary. We honor Mary. We worship God. And for us Christians, when we say, “God” we’re moving into the Trinity – our great mysterious understanding of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
When Catholics miss who Mary is, we might have overreactions. We saw this in the Protestant Reformation when Mary was disgraced – thrown out of the life of so many Christians – because some Catholics stopped at Mary – and missed that Christ is the Savior – the Lord.
Mary is the one who brings Christ to the World.
Mary is the one who said at Cana, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Mary is the “Servant of the Lord”.
Mary is the one who was there in the background of the story – to support Jesus the Savior – as well as the growing Church.
Okay, now what?
PART TWO OF THIS SERMON – MY LIFE: FULL OF WHAT?
Let me now ask my opening question in a different way?
Looking at my life – what fills me?
Looking at my life – what am I full of?
I choose the words I’m using on purpose.
Here is where my gas gauge metaphor breaks down. We put one thing in our gas tank: gas. Of course it has additives – this and that – but basically we call it gas – or diesel fuel or battery power in these newer hybrid cars.
We put into ourselves – many things – and if we look at our life, we are full of this and that at different times in our life.
The story is Jesus – just as every mother and father know that the story is not them: it’s their children and on and on and on – and they are honored to be parents – bringers of new gifts to our world.
Mary is not God. God is God.
Pictures and statues are not Mary – just as pictures of our parents or kids on a book shelf or in our wallet or cell phone are not them. They just remind us of them.
And we don’t worship Mary. We honor Mary. We worship God. And for us Christians, when we say, “God” we’re moving into the Trinity – our great mysterious understanding of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
When Catholics miss who Mary is, we might have overreactions. We saw this in the Protestant Reformation when Mary was disgraced – thrown out of the life of so many Christians – because some Catholics stopped at Mary – and missed that Christ is the Savior – the Lord.
Mary is the one who brings Christ to the World.
Mary is the one who said at Cana, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Mary is the “Servant of the Lord”.
Mary is the one who was there in the background of the story – to support Jesus the Savior – as well as the growing Church.
Okay, now what?
PART TWO OF THIS SERMON – MY LIFE: FULL OF WHAT?
Let me now ask my opening question in a different way?
Looking at my life – what fills me?
Looking at my life – what am I full of?
I choose the words I’m using on purpose.
Here is where my gas gauge metaphor breaks down. We put one thing in our gas tank: gas. Of course it has additives – this and that – but basically we call it gas – or diesel fuel or battery power in these newer hybrid cars.
We put into ourselves – many things – and if we look at our life, we are full of this and that at different times in our life.
What is fueling me? What is fooling me?
What are the good energies of my life? What are the foolish things I’m chasing?
These are key questions I'm asking in this sermon.
As little children we are full of mom and dad. We are full of being fed and being noticed. We are full of the need for protection and security and we scream to get these things.
So the little child needs to be held by their mom and dad - to hear those heartbeats, to see those faces, to smell those scents that are so familiar. They want food – comfort – security – love.
We change. We grow.
The child starts becoming full of the world around them. He or she slowly wanders from mom and dad. What’s in the bottom drawer? The child wants to get at the piano and anything and everything. They are full of the world. Sticks and lipsticks. Jump ropes and soccer balls. Sky. Ocean. Water. Shiny amazing faucets – you twist them and out comes water. Amazing. Cell phones. Cars. Sharks. Blue Angel toy planes. Dolls. Wheels. Dogs. Cats. They move from being full of parents to being filled with their surroundings.
We change. We become full of ourselves – our bodies – feelings, emotions, worries about zits and changes and questions.
We change. We become full of others – school – sports – music – drama – fun.
We become full of worry: worry about relationships – love – highs and lows with parents and siblings – and other boys and girls. We worry about being admired and being mired in the pain of being dropped – and we become full of why others do what they do.
Then we become full of college – school – the future – jobs – making money – and on and on and on.
As little children we are full of mom and dad. We are full of being fed and being noticed. We are full of the need for protection and security and we scream to get these things.
So the little child needs to be held by their mom and dad - to hear those heartbeats, to see those faces, to smell those scents that are so familiar. They want food – comfort – security – love.
We change. We grow.
The child starts becoming full of the world around them. He or she slowly wanders from mom and dad. What’s in the bottom drawer? The child wants to get at the piano and anything and everything. They are full of the world. Sticks and lipsticks. Jump ropes and soccer balls. Sky. Ocean. Water. Shiny amazing faucets – you twist them and out comes water. Amazing. Cell phones. Cars. Sharks. Blue Angel toy planes. Dolls. Wheels. Dogs. Cats. They move from being full of parents to being filled with their surroundings.
We change. We become full of ourselves – our bodies – feelings, emotions, worries about zits and changes and questions.
We change. We become full of others – school – sports – music – drama – fun.
We become full of worry: worry about relationships – love – highs and lows with parents and siblings – and other boys and girls. We worry about being admired and being mired in the pain of being dropped – and we become full of why others do what they do.
Then we become full of college – school – the future – jobs – making money – and on and on and on.
At some point we become full of another. If it leads to marriage, the honeymoon lasts 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or more years depending upon all sorts of twists and turns in our story.
Then, if we are blessed with children, if we become full of children, we fill in our time nurturing them. We worry about earning and having enough money to give them a good home, a good life, a safe neighborhood, good schools and vacations and coaching and this and that.
At times we discover we're empty. There was no bing, bing, bing sound. We missed the warning signals. Our spouse gets caught up in the kids or their work or this and that – and we do the same. And sometimes there are mistakes. Or the kids are not listening and we feel more empty. Or we lose our job and we feel panic. What now? Sometimes we begin to understand what our parents went through when they were in the situation we are in now.
Somewhere along the line we realize the great value of friendships. It's a blessing when we realize it’s our spouse. Sometimes this doesn’t happen till the kids are gone. Sometimes our spouse is our best friend for a whole lifetime - lasting our whole marriage. It’s real and keeps on getting better. Sometimes it doesn’t last and we feel loneliness and angst.
And sometimes we get religious stuff. Sometimes we hear God or an angel say, "Hi" or "Hail!" Sometimes we hear, "Do not be afraid."
At times we discover we're empty. There was no bing, bing, bing sound. We missed the warning signals. Our spouse gets caught up in the kids or their work or this and that – and we do the same. And sometimes there are mistakes. Or the kids are not listening and we feel more empty. Or we lose our job and we feel panic. What now? Sometimes we begin to understand what our parents went through when they were in the situation we are in now.
Somewhere along the line we realize the great value of friendships. It's a blessing when we realize it’s our spouse. Sometimes this doesn’t happen till the kids are gone. Sometimes our spouse is our best friend for a whole lifetime - lasting our whole marriage. It’s real and keeps on getting better. Sometimes it doesn’t last and we feel loneliness and angst.
And sometimes we get religious stuff. Sometimes we hear God or an angel say, "Hi" or "Hail!" Sometimes we hear, "Do not be afraid."
So there are God moments. It might be a vacation moment at the beach on an early summer morning when all the family are still sleeping and the ocean water is pounding the shore. We are overwhelmed with how our life makes sense. Or it might be making breakfast for the family – and all are in their jammies and all laughing. It’s might be a wedding or it might be a funeral. It might be a great Thanksgiving dinner. It might be a Christmas morning – or it might be just looking at a late December afternoon – with the light so different and so sideways.
Sometimes we get sick. We have cancer or need a heart operation. We feel so empty. We're scared. Or we might feel so ready for "Whatever." Whatever the reaction, we find ourselves praying in a new way for the first time in our lives.
Sometimes we get sick. We have cancer or need a heart operation. We feel so empty. We're scared. Or we might feel so ready for "Whatever." Whatever the reaction, we find ourselves praying in a new way for the first time in our lives.
Sometimes we are just sitting there and the movie of our life is playing on our inner screen and we realize, we are full of grace and we brought Christ to two out of the four of our kids – and maybe these other two will come around one of these years.
Hey Christmas is coming.
And we rejoice because we feel full of grace, gifts, blessings, so many unplanned things inside our being. And we get it –and we start making Christmas morning children souns, "Woo!" "Wow!" "Cool!" "No way!" "Oh my God, great!"
CONCLUSION
For David in the first reading, he only realizes the need for God – and a temple for God, when he’s settled in – and his enemies are gone.
For Christians, sometimes the Christmas story makes sense. It’s a great grace, a great gift, when we realize that Christ is born in a barn full of you know what – to tell us that Christ can be born in the messy mess of this person called me – when I full of so many straws and weird barn like sounds.
So once more, what does your grace gauge say: full, half full or half empty or empty?
And we rejoice because we feel full of grace, gifts, blessings, so many unplanned things inside our being. And we get it –and we start making Christmas morning children souns, "Woo!" "Wow!" "Cool!" "No way!" "Oh my God, great!"
CONCLUSION
For David in the first reading, he only realizes the need for God – and a temple for God, when he’s settled in – and his enemies are gone.
For Christians, sometimes the Christmas story makes sense. It’s a great grace, a great gift, when we realize that Christ is born in a barn full of you know what – to tell us that Christ can be born in the messy mess of this person called me – when I full of so many straws and weird barn like sounds.
So once more, what does your grace gauge say: full, half full or half empty or empty?
1 comment:
Very thought-provoking. Thank you and I so appreciate your using the common, ordinary to elucidate the extraordinary, divine. In this way, you are a brilliant preacher- full of grace! Merry Christmas and keep feeding us, Fr. Andy... we're as thirsty as the gas tank.
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