HOW LONG? 

SINCE CHILDHOOD!

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 7^th Monday in Ordinary Time is, “How Long? Since Childhood!”

I love Jesus’ question in today’s Gospel:  Mark 9:14-29. Jesus asks the father of the boy who has convulsions - who throws himself into fires and into the water, “How long has this been happening to him?”

The father answers, “Since childhood.” Then the father adds, “It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.”

I have been always been fascinated by this text - Mark 9:21. How long? Well, not since my childhood, but since my 20’s.  I can picture Jesus standing there - seeing this boy going into convulsions - falling to the ground - rolling around on the ground - and foaming at the mouth. I can see Jesus face - his amazement at the scene. I would be doing the same thing. I assume all of us would.

I’m sure we’ve seen scenes in restaurants - or church - or at the park - when someone has a seizure - or starts to shake.  We get scared - and sweat - maybe even shake ourselves. We panic a bit - as well as wonder - “What’s going on?”  We wonder how long has this person had this problem - this condition. And maybe they have had it since childhood.

DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN

The one verse - 21 - can stand on its own for reflection.  It can lead to seeing the human side of Jesus. It also can lead to the need for faith - and prayer - praying for people and their parents - and their care takers - who are struggling with family members who have issues or psychic troubles and tremors.

As I was preparing this little homily this morning, the question Jesus asked, “How long has this been going on?” intrigued me. That’s where the title of this homily came from: “How Long? Since Childhood!”

I have always been fascinated with people’s peculiarities - people’s particulars - people’s mannerisms - people’s patterns.

Do parents pick up on their kid’s uniqueness - and do they see their kid doing the same thing over and over and over and déjà vu again and again

How about some self examination - seeing ourselves - our patterns and idiosyncrasies?

What are the things we’re still doing that we did as kids?

I know I hated it when we got chance books in grammar school and we were expected to sell the whole book - all 10 chances - and then bring the dollar and the stubs back to school.  I hated that . If possible I tried to come up with my own dollar so as to get it done. In the seminary, we were asked to get subscriptions to our school magazine. I failed miserably at doing that. In both instances - I was amazed at kids in grammar school who could sell $70 dollars worth of raffle tickets - or 100 subscriptions to our seminary  magazine. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.  I hated that. Still do. I am very, very, very, very happy to never have been a pastor. I don’t like money raising things in parishes or what have you.

So how long have I been doing this? Since I was a kid.

I also thought about another thing I’ve been doing since I was a child. We once made a film to promote weekend retreats at the retreat house where I worked. We made the film and then I had to go out and show the film all over New Jersey - to various parish groups. I saw that movie 75 times at least and every time I saw myself on film walking down the aisle - with my feet going out wide - and I would say every time, “Oh my God, I walk funny.”  Still do. Then I saw some pictures of me as a kid. My feet point to the left and the right - not forwards. Then I saw some photographs of my dad. He too stood there with his feet shooting sideways.

So how long have I been doing this? Since I was a kid.

These are mannerisms, these are peculiarities. How about you?

QUESTIONS

Here are some questions that could possibly raise issues:

Does the person who is lazy as a kid, remain lazy for life?

Does the person who cheats in the classroom, cheat for life?

Does the person who compares herself or himself to brothers or sisters or others do that for life?

Do short people or people who feel inferior feel that way - because they were picked on for being short or what have you since they were kids?

Do people who overeat, overeat to compensate - and if they are overcompensating - is it because they were put down by parents, siblings, coaches, teaches, bullies, buddies, classmates - what have you?

CONCLUSION

Today’s gospel story is a story of hope. The boy is healed. It takes faith and prayer, but the boy is healed - by Jesus

The title of my homily is, “How Long? Since Childhood!”

When we see our patterns, when we realize our patterns, our attitudes, if they are self-destructive - we can hope for healing and years later when people who knew us back when, see a marvelous change in us, if they ask, “How long have you been so peaceful and loving?” our answer can be, “Since Christ - since my healing by Jesus Christ.”