A HOMILY ON “DIGS”
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Digs!”
The question I want to ask is, “Do we do digs?”
FIRST READING
Today’s first reading from the first chapter of the First Book of Samuel triggered this question.
A man with the interesting name of Elkanah had two wives: Peninnah and Hannah.
Peninnah had sons and daughters by him; Hannah was childless.
The story teller is a good story teller – because he implies as well as makes it very clear that Elkanan favored Hannah over Peninnah.
Was being upset at not being the favorite the reason why Peninnah made digs at Hannah? The text uses the word “rival”.
The story teller makes it clear that Elkanan understands the situation – especially when Hannah refuses to eat – but just weeps. And you can hear him say to Hannah, the question that ends today’s first reading, “Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat? Why do you grieve? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
Great story!
It can trigger lots of stuff – the stuff of story telling.
What does it trigger in you?
DIGS
Well it triggered in me the question of digs.
Would anyone with lots of kids dig those who don’t have kids?
Would those who wear a size 4 dress dig those who wear a size 16 dress?
Would those who went to college dig those who have a G.E.D.?
Do tall people make digs at short people?
Do males do this to females?
Do so called, “Liberals” make digs at so called, “Conservatives” and vice versa?
What about skin color?
What about nationality?
What about size of house, car, salary?
What about accomplishments of kids?
What is the difference between digs and healthy pride and wanting to share good news?
UNSPOKEN DIGS
Then there are all of the above – but kept within – the so called sin of “Judging others”.
The title of my homily is, “Digs!”
The question I want to ask is, “Do we do digs?”
FIRST READING
Today’s first reading from the first chapter of the First Book of Samuel triggered this question.
A man with the interesting name of Elkanah had two wives: Peninnah and Hannah.
Peninnah had sons and daughters by him; Hannah was childless.
The story teller is a good story teller – because he implies as well as makes it very clear that Elkanan favored Hannah over Peninnah.
Was being upset at not being the favorite the reason why Peninnah made digs at Hannah? The text uses the word “rival”.
The story teller makes it clear that Elkanan understands the situation – especially when Hannah refuses to eat – but just weeps. And you can hear him say to Hannah, the question that ends today’s first reading, “Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat? Why do you grieve? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
Great story!
It can trigger lots of stuff – the stuff of story telling.
What does it trigger in you?
DIGS
Well it triggered in me the question of digs.
Would anyone with lots of kids dig those who don’t have kids?
Would those who wear a size 4 dress dig those who wear a size 16 dress?
Would those who went to college dig those who have a G.E.D.?
Do tall people make digs at short people?
Do males do this to females?
Do so called, “Liberals” make digs at so called, “Conservatives” and vice versa?
What about skin color?
What about nationality?
What about size of house, car, salary?
What about accomplishments of kids?
What is the difference between digs and healthy pride and wanting to share good news?
UNSPOKEN DIGS
Then there are all of the above – but kept within – the so called sin of “Judging others”.
A few questions: Do our inner digs about others slip out on our face or the tone of our words or what have you – and we don’t even know it? Does unconscious speak to unconscious loud and as real as if we were aware of it? Is communication 90% unconscious?
If any of that is true, uh oh? Maybe this is some of what Jesus had reflected upon when he gives us this inner stuff in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew: inner murder, inner adultery, inner hell, inner logs, inner fasting, inner prayer, inner thorns and thistles, figs and fruit, one's inner house being built on rock or sand.
SELF DIGS
Then I began to think about self digs, self attacks, self stabbings - doing all this stuff to ourselves.
Do we keep on digging into our inadequacies?
I'm assuming this is background stuff on the issues of inner comparisons and envy – the things that can eat us up.
CONCLUSION
Today’s gospel can wake us up – and shake us up.
It’s time to hear the call of Jesus and stop tossing our nets to catch stuff that doesn’t give life – and follow Jesus and fill our nets with the stuff that gives life.
Then I began to think about self digs, self attacks, self stabbings - doing all this stuff to ourselves.
Do we keep on digging into our inadequacies?
I'm assuming this is background stuff on the issues of inner comparisons and envy – the things that can eat us up.
CONCLUSION
Today’s gospel can wake us up – and shake us up.
It’s time to hear the call of Jesus and stop tossing our nets to catch stuff that doesn’t give life – and follow Jesus and fill our nets with the stuff that gives life.
This is a first draft homily for the First Monday in Ordinary Time, January 11, 2010. The readings are 1 Samuel 1:1-8 and Mark 1: 14-20. A couple of people asked me if I was going to put this on my blog. I haven't been putting weekday homilies on this - but when asked, I sometimes do.
1 comment:
i would like very much if this was longer and more in depth. i enjoyed it very much because it led me to prayer. Maybe a long article for us, please?
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