TWO CHOICES:

WHERE ARE WE GOING TO EAT?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Two Choices: Where Are We Going Out To Eat?”

How many times in our life have we asked that question, “Where are we going out to eat tonight?” It could also be breakfast or lunch.

Where are we going to eat? There are choices. There is a menu. There are options?

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s first reading from the Book of Proverbs gives the image of two places to eat: the House of Wisdom or the House of Folly.

The first place - The House of Wisdom - sounds like a Chinese Restaurant,  doesn’t it?

We are given two choices: smart or stupid, wisdom or folly?

As Robert Frosts put it, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,..”  Right or left? “and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

Today’s first reading begins, “Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns; she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine, yes, she has spread her table.”

Picture that. Here’s the place to eat. Good wine, good table, good meat, let’s eat. 

Picture the next message. “She has sent out her maidens; she calls from the heights out over the city: ‘Let whoever is simple turn in here’; to the one who lacks understanding, she says, ‘Come eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.’”

Our first reading from Proverbs ends there - but the rest of that 9^th Chapter spells out the contrast between the two choices: eating at the House of Wisdom or eating at the House of Folly. Then the rest of the Book of Proverbs provides 21 chapters of wisdom proverbs. Most are in Reader’s Digest size quips or quotes.

The title of my homily is: “Two Choices: Where Are We Going To Eat?” Obviously the hope is that we eat at the House of Wisdom.

Today’s second reading continues with that theme of choice between being wise or foolish - being sober or drunk and you know where being drunk can lead us.

Today’s gospel continues with the theme of choosing Jesus as the bread that came down from heaven. If we eat this bread, this flesh, if we drink this blood of Jesus,  we’ll be eating and drinking in Christ who gives life to this world - as well as eternal life.

As we move through these 5 Sundays of the 6^th Chapter of John, we keep on hearing there is a choice: choosing to eat Jesus or walk to away from him.

Once more the title of my homily is: “Two Choices: Where Are We Going To Eat?”

HOUSE OF WISDOM: THE CHURCH AT MASS

The 6^th Chapter of John is rich in theology. It’s rich in its message about choosing Jesus as the one who brings us wisdom and nourishment. We have in it the basic structure of our liturgy: words and food, wisdom and nourishment. We have in it the basic structure of any meal: words and food, company and communion.

How many times have we heard in the last 50 years: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist? Eat from both pulpit and table.

How many times have we heard in the past 50 years that the Mass puts us into the Upper Room, the Last Supper - as well as the sacrifice on the cross the next day - on Calvary - as well as the resurrection? There’s the sacred triduum of Holy Week: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

This is big picture stuff - so we need Sunday after Sunday, Holy Week after Holy Week, year after year to make this part of our lives.

We become what we eat. We become what we meet.

7 COLUMNS: LOOKING DEEPER - THE STRUCTURE BEHIND OUR CHOICES - THE FOUNDATIONS UNDER OUR PLANS

Today’s first reading has an intriguing comment when talking about the house of wisdom: “she has set up her seven columns.”

To have a house of wisdom - one needs to know how to build a house. The author of Proverbs talks about having 7 columns to hold up that house.  It’s wise to know what our house is made of. We know that Jesus is a carpenter and he said to build our lives on his words. They are a foundation that will help us to stand strong in the storms of life. So here in the Book of Proverbs it would be wise to see what sayings, what words, what ideas, what’s the philosophy and theology we go by.

When hiking, if we’ve ever put up a tent, we know we have to have tent poles.

If we’ve ever been in on building a house, we know we need to have poles, columns, the framework, the foundation - on which the house stands and rises.

At St. Mary’s Parish we have what is called “The 4 Pillars.” They’re listed as Spirituality, Community, Financial and Educational.  It’s a way of dividing up aspects of our parish.

We’ve heard the wisdom saying, “Divide and Conquer.” We’ve heard, “A day at a time.”  “A step at a time.” So the question: How do we see, how do we organize, how do we line up our life, our weeks, our year.

Down through the years we’ve heard people divide up how their life should be organized in various ways: "work and play" or "There’s Monday to Friday and then the weekends" or  "There’s family and friends" or "Spouse and children" or "There's vacation and then the rest of the year".

We’ve heard the great commandment: to love God with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

What is our platform? What is our plan? What are the 7 Columns - of 6 or 4 or how many that hold up our life? What are the foundation stones of our way of seeing?

I picked up a book yesterday that gave the 12 steps on the ladder of humility - which St. Bernard made key to his way of seeing and doing life.(1)   St. John Climacus had 30 steps on his ladder. AA has 12 steps. Guigo the 2^nd has 4 steps on his ladder: Scala Paradiso. Classic Christian spirituality has 3 steps: the purgative, the illuminative and then the unitive way of life.  Clean out the house. Buy new furniture. Then sit down in communion with the Lord.

Jesus talked about the Broadway and the narrow way. One way leads to life; the other way is a bummer.(2)

The Jewish and Christian scriptures - as well as the scriptures of our world - often tell to the Two Ways: this way leads to life;  this way of doing life will kill us.(3)

Question: do we have an overall way that helps us to plan our life. When we  step up to the plate - in softball or at the restaurant, do we have a plan or vision in mind?

A big priest that I know - whenever we went to a buffet type restaurant - had a plan. He would say, "You guys get a table, I'm heading for the food."

It’s obvious with you being here today - that you have the Lord Jesus and coming to Sunday Mass as a central column and foundation in your life.

CONCLUSION

Today’s readings give us a daily choice. Where do we want to eat today: the House of Wisdom or the House of Folly?

We simply have to make that a morning prayer. “Dear Lord, help me to make healthy choices today - the ones that lead me to life and love and good energy and to avoid the drainers and the killers.” And at night, to say, “Lord thank you for this moment to look at my day - and see what decisions, what  steps that brought me life and love today. Also Lord, sorry for the bad decisions, for the bad steps. That moment crushed my spirit. Sorry. Help me to do better tomorrow.”

Today’s readings tell us we’re sitting here in this big house - this big restaurant where we rest and where we dine. We’re dining here today in the House of Wisdom - being fed with words and bread, wisdom and the Body and Blood of Christ. Amen. Thank you, Lord.

NOTES

(1) St. Bernard, In the Steps of Humility, London, The Saint Anselm Press, 2001

(2)  Cf. Matthew 7: 13-14; John 10: 9-10

(3) Cf. Psalm 1; Deuteronomy 30: 15-20