IN THE MIDDLE

OF THE MIX

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 30th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “In The Middle of The Mix!”

There are reflective words and images, poetry and prayer, in the middle of the mix of today’s readings.

TODAY’S FIRST READING FROM ROMANS

The first reading - Romans 8: 18-25 - talks about suffering and groaning and the labor pains of life - and in the middle of the mix of sufferings and struggles - there is revelation - and hope - and the first fruits of the Spirit.

Suffering and struggle reveal that we humans hope. Those with nasal and chest congestion and colds and coughs - hope for relief and healing. I know I do. Those who come to church to pray for children and those with cancer and crushing family stuff - hopefully find the Spirit of God in the middle of the mix of it all - as we beg God for better for us and for all. People in church are like people on a train platform looking down the tracks - looking at our watches from time to time - waiting for signals that our train is coming.

Paul here in Romans 8 talks about the earth creaking - and shaking. We had another earthquake in Turkey the other day - so too our bellies and belly aches - and brain and our head aches.

I’m not making this up to be poetic. Listen to Paul again.

          We know that all creation
           is groaning in labor pains even until now;
           and not only that, but we ourselves,
           who have the first fruits of the Spirit,
           we also groan within ourselves
           as we wait for adoption,
           the redemption of our bodies.
           For in hope we were saved.
           Now hope that sees for itself is not hope.
           For who hopes for what one sees?
           But if we hope for what we do not see,
           we wait with endurance. [Romans 8:22-25]

TODAY’S GOSPEL FROM LUKE

Today’s gospel from Luke13: 18-21 continues with two images - male and female images.

The farmer plants mustard seeds in the ground - with the hope, with the image, with the knowing that in time the mustard bush will sprout. Green in brown earth is one of nature’s flag - waving to us a hope. Then the farmer sees that plant grow and rise from the earth - and reach out for the sky. Can you see the smile on the farmer’s face as he sees the birds of the air nesting, singing and enjoying the mustard.

The woman makes bread. She mixes the dough and the yeast. She’s done it a thousand time. The bread is in the oven. She knows how life works - how long it takes to bake bread and make babies in her oven.

We humans know how long life takes. It varies of course. There are life’s horrors and surprises - tragedies and accidents. Yet at least we hope for 70 to 90 - as long as we don’t have too many things creaking and leaking and our brains can still do crossword puzzles, Sudoku’s and we can yell out the answers while watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune in our own home - and we have a smile on our face when we know the answer ahead of those on the program.

CONCLUSION

In the middle and the mix of the Mass we pray for these things.

In the middle and mix of this life - we pray, we’re grateful, we groan and gripe, we laugh, because like the mustard seed we’ll be planted in the ground knowing that’s not all there is - just like the mass of flour and dough and yeast know the heat of the oven is just part of the process. There’s bread on the rise; there will be bread on the table each morning.