INTEGRATION MORE THAN  IMITATION

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B] is, “Integration More Than Imitation.”

I’m wondering if I can pull off this homily on integration more than imitation.

Let me try. Let me try this way. I’ve deliberately made this a tiny bit shorter - just in case this is too complicated or too confusing.

FEAST OF THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER

As you know, we priests here at St. Mary’s and St. John Neumann are Redemptorists - and on the 3^rd Sunday of July - every year, we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Redeemer.

We’ve been here in Annapolis since 1853. We’ve been in the United States since 1832. We’ve been in existence since 1732. There are about 5,300 of us around the world - in 77 countries. We getting older and fewer here in the United States, Canada and most of our provinces in Europe. We are growing in Vietnam, India, the Philippines, Poland, South America, Africa, Korea, Indonesia, etc.

We started out in the Kingdom of Naples in Italy. Our founder was a lawyer named Alphonsus de Liguori. After a disastrous loss in a law suit - because of a bribery on the other side or a mistake on his part, Alphonsus gives it all up and decides to become a priest. At the age of 30 he is ordained as a diocesan priest in Naples. All this caused much anger in his father, who had big plans for his oldest son.

For the next six years he worked mainly as a preacher. He exhausted himself. To recover, he  went on vacation to the Amalfi Coast - a great place to recover. While there someone tells him that there are goat herders and poor people up there in the hills whom no priest visits or cares about. He checks them out.

He knows  there are lots of priests in the Kingdom of Naples - but very few priests who want to work in the hills and small villages and with the migrant shepherds.

He gets the dream to be the one to do just that. He talks over his vision with some priests and friends. They agree to meet on November 9, 1732 in Scala, Italy - a tiny village just above the city of Amalfi - to start a new group in the Church. It’s the Feast of the Most Holy Savior, Jesus Christ - so that becomes the name of the group.

Most of the original cast of characters drop out, but Alphonsus does not give up his dream. He spends his time gathering a community of priests and brothers while preaching parish missions to the poor. They do this year after year after year - with the dream of getting approval with the local bishops and then with the Pope.

It isn’t till February 25, 1749 that Rome - with Benedict XIV - as pope - that the Congregation of the Holy Savior is approved. However, since there already was a group with that name - those doing the approval in Rome changed our name to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. In Latin that’s Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris - C.Ss.R. for short - like S.J., stands for the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits.

IMITATION NOT INTEGRATION

In the papers and the rule and the documents that Alphonsus sent to Rome with two of his priests, Rome didn’t get a key idea of Alphonsus: integration with Christ - not imitation of Christ.

To get our rule approved different folks in Rome made changes in the text that Alphonsus had drawn up. They said that, “The aim of the Institute of the Most Holy Redeemer is to bring secular priests together who will live in community and apply themselves to imitating the virtues and example of our Redeemer Jesus Christ especially  through preaching the Word of God to the poor.”

In that statement of purpose, the word imitation is stressed: Redemptorists are to imitate the virtues of Jesus Christ.

In preparing this homily yesterday, I noticed in a book on the life of Alphonsus - entitled, St. Alphonsus Liguori - Tireless Worker  for the Most Abandoned by Theodule Rey-Mermet, a distinction was made between imitation and integration. I do hope you get the distinction - otherwise this sermon flops.

Let me give the whole quote from that book - because that is where I got the theme for this homily: “Concerning the aim of Institutes, the overriding attitude of the time was this: ‘Every institute has two goals: The first is the sanctification of its members, and the second is the sanctification of the people and the good of the Church.’ ‘No,’ Liguori had said, ‘[our goal is] not a “mixed” contemplative-active life, but a Christian life, in the style of Saint Paul: “Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me" [Galatians  2:20]. I live Christ the Redeemer if I am a Redemptorist.’ It was a question of integration and not of imitation. The bureaucratic minds could not comprehend this simple idea formulated by Alphonsus but inspired by the Holy Spirit. So Alphonsus accepted this text backed by the pope’s authority, more than thankful that approval had been granted; but the word imitation is to be found nowhere in the letter he addressed to his sons.” [1] [2]

WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

We know the difference between imitation and integration.

In the beginning we imitate. In time, we integrate.

So in learning the piano or how to play baseball or lacrosse or to dance or to play bridge, we watch another and then we imitate them. We go through the motions.

In time, if we buy what we’re imitating, it becomes us. It becomes second nature. That’s integration.

In 1969 I was assigned to a retreat house to do high school retreats. So I showed up a few days early to watch a priest named Eddie do a high school retreat. Then I took over. It took me a few years to really figure out how to give a high school retreat. I imitated what  this other priest named Eddie did, but in time I was on my own - with another priest.

I would assume that people who enter our R.C.I. A. program come to Mass and the sessions - and then start imitating being a Catholic at first - but in time it becomes them.

I would assume that marriage works the same way. People go through the motions of what people who live together do - imitating their parents - and what they saw others do - but hopefully the relationship deepens and becomes real.

SO TOO WITH CHRIST

So too with Christ.

We say prayers;  then we pray prayers; then we move into communion with God - and for us Christians - in and through and with Jesus Christ.

We say that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer or what have you. All words - till we get them into our bones and into our being.

If we get this, then we start to get what St. Paul is saying in many of  these second readings at Sunday Mass - much of the year.

We preachers pass over Paul a lot - well I know I do - because he can be heady and difficult - but St. Alphonsus doesn’t. He gets Paul.

For example, in today’s second reading from Ephesians, Paul is telling us that we have been blessed in Christ, chosen in Christ, before the foundation of the world. [Cf. Ephesians 1: 3-14]

That’s profound. Every person - every person is known by God. Every person is on God’s radar screen. Every person is known by name by God. Every person has been redeemed  by the Blood of Jesus. Redemptorists want to spread that message to everyone - especially those who are missing out on experiencing this Good News - because no one sees them as valuable folks. 

In the deepest marriages - a couple realize - even though - we are incomplete people - weak at times - strong at times - sick at times - healthy at times - rich at times - poor at times - we strengthen each other - we grow together - we were meant for each other. That’s integration.

If we get these profound realities, if we integrate these blessings, these graces, these riches, then we can rise as redeemed people.

CONCLUSION

This integration is what Alphonsus called those who followed him to hear, experience, and then bring to other folks, especially those who feel abandoned by God and others, especially those who feel all alone - the poor me’s of the planet. The Redemptorist preaches: "You are  known and loved by Jesus Christ! God can grow you - redeem you - and bring you into the deepest depths of God." 


Ooops. I forgot to mention that our motto is: "Copiosa apud eum redemption." It's from Psalm 130: 7: "With him there is fullness of redemption."

OOOOOOOOO

Picture on top: St. Alphonsus de Liguori [1696-1787]

[1] Confer pages 439-440  in Theodule Rey-Memmet, St. Alphonsus Liguori - Tireless Worker for the Most Abandoned, Translated from the Second French Edition by Jehanne-Marie Marchesi, English Edition prepared by the Staff of Liguori Publications, New City Press, 206 Skillman Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211.

[2]  When Alphonsus uses the word "sons" he is not referring to having his own children, he didn't, but to members of his Redemptorist Community.