COMPARISONS

INTRODUCTION

The title, topic, and theme of my homily for this 22   Friday in Ordinary Time  is, “Comparisons.”

A life skill we all need is, “How To Deal With Comparisons.”

It’s a life skill we need as little kids – when a brother or sister or another gets a bigger piece of cake – or a corner piece of cake with more frosting.

It’s a life skill we all need as little old people when we’re shrinking or have more wrinkles or health problems than others.

It’s a life skill we need when others are talking about their wonderful kids or grandkids – their successes, their salaries, their status in life – and our kids – well, a few of them we consider unmentionable.

Comparisons…. Comparisons …. Comparisons ….

And then there’s death…. Sometimes they are a blessing compared to other’s; sometimes they feel like a curse.

God help me learn to deal with comparisons.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s gospel- Luke 5: 33-39 - has the scribes – they’re the ones with the education – and the Pharisees – they’re the picky, picky religious perfect ones. Today they are about to nit pick on Jesus. They are comparing John the Baptist’s disciples and their disciples to his disciples. They are sliding in the innuendo that Jesus disciples are having too good a time in life – and they don’t fast and pray enough.

Comparisons…. Comparisons …. Comparisons….

So Jesus throws them a comparison right back into their talk and thinking patterns, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?”

Translation: Lighten up turkeys. Lighten up! Celebrate!

Then he says, “Okay there will be days when it’s time to fast – when the bridegroom is gone – but not now, turkeys.”

Picture a sweet wedding celebration on a Saturday in September. Then picture people showing up with Ash Wednesday ashes on. It doesn't compute. 

Then Jesus compares old cloth and new cloth – old wine and new wine – old wine skins and new wine skins.

The new is the new and the old is the old.

Sometimes one is better than the other.

Think turkeys, think.

Comparisons …. Comparisons ….  Comparison ….

I once heard a series of talks by a well-known Catholic speaker. He kept saying in talk after talk after talk that life is a battle. Every day we got to wake up and enter the battlefield.

I finally raised my hand. I asked him,  “Do you really see every day as a battle?”

He answered, “Everyday!”

So I said, “I don’t agree with you. I don’t agree with your metaphor, your comparison - and how you see life.”

I think of Father Al Rush – an old priest I used to work with – who often said, “Andy, I don’t think God wants life to be as tough, tough, tough – rough, rough, rough – as some people make it.”

COMPARISONS CAN CRUSH

Comparisons can crush. 

Comparisons can cut. 

Comparisons can also be creative.

The house next door can have a great lawn – and a good paint job – and some nice Japanese Maple Trees and hedges and flowers – and my place can be a mess. If my neighbor’s property gets me to do some yard work – getting me and my  lawns - front and back – in better shape – along with my tummy – great.

If it gets me complaining – tearing him or her or them down – then not so great.

Comparisons can crush. 

Comparisons can cut.

A priest once told me that he was standing in the back of the church – ready to proceed down the aisle for the Mass. The Cantor and Singer welcomes everyone. Then she asked everyone to silence all electronic devices. Then she said, “Our celebrant is __________” At that, hearing the priest’s name, someone said rather loud, “Oh no!”

How’s that for a comparison that cut and crushed.

LAST NIGHT – PEACE

Last night at St. John Neumann there was a service for peace.

Some lady afterwards said, “Where was everybody? How come the kids weren’t here? How come their parents weren’t here?”

I said, “Jesus said, ‘Feed the sheep. Don’t count the sheep!'”

I didn’t go much further in our at the back on the way out of church conversation – but I wondered if that was her life – always comparing what is with what isn’t. Does this cause her regular agita of the soul.

Envy is wanting what the other person has: looks, car, kids, spouse, beautiful skin, clothes, property, you name it. Underneath envy is comparisons.  Comparing myself to what another has. I want that.

It’s at the underneath of war – and world problems.

It’s at the underneath of why there is a lack of peace.

Jealousy is wanting to hold on to, protect, what I have and not wanting to lose it to another.  At the bottom of that is also comparisons. 

Envy and jealousy and comparisons – all have to be put on the table for discussion when it comes to war and peace.

CONCLUSION

Comparisons can crush and they can be creative.

In the meanwhile: the question – Am I a happy camper?

I think that’s a key life question: “Am I a happy camper?”

Be who you is, because if you be who you ain't, then you ain't who you is.

Be where you is, because if you be where you’re not, then you’re not where you is.

And one last  great secret of happiness from Thornton Wilder.

Haven’t we gone out to supper with others, who don’t enjoy their meal because our meal – on our plate looks better.

Well a character in Thornton Wilder’s play, The Skin of our Teeth, 1942, Act 1, says a line I love, “My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it’s on your plate that’s my philosophy.”

It’s also my theology.