HOW  DO  YOU  MEASURE? 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for Monday in the Second Week of Lent is, “How Do You Measure?”

One of life’s most basic realities is measuring.

We spend much of our life measuring life – measuring things, experiences, as well as one another.

OUR QUESTIONS

If we did an autopsy on a brain, we would see 1 thousand questions for starters – and then thousands more. We’re asking questions all the time – many of which are an appeal to what’s good and how do we measure that?

·       What’s a good day?

·       Who’s a good person?

·       What’s a good meal?

·       What makes us happy?

·       How much should we forgive?

·       What’s a great movie?

·       What’s a great song?

·       What’s a great work of art?

·       What’s a good sermon?

·       What’s a good book?

·       What’s the best use of my time?

·       How much should I spend on a car?

·       Who’s a good doctor around here?

·       What makes a great parish?

·       What’s a good school?

·       What makes a good marriage?

·       What’s stupid?

·       Who determines ugly?

·       What’s a generous tip?

·       What determines a mortal sin – that is some              behavior or thinking that can destroy us?

And on and on and on.

TODAYS READINGS

Today’s two readings, especially today’s gospel, triggered my homily question for today: “How Do You Measure?”

I prefer today’s gospel – when it comes to measuring – how to behave, how to give, how to judge.

We think Pope Francis as someone who is user friendly. We see him as a pope who is a breath of fresh air for our church. Then we consider the pastor of our parish when we were in high school, whose name was Father Awful Stricter. Compared to Pope Francis, Father Awful was someone to avoid at all costs.

We compare both to each other and then both to Jesus in today’s gospel.

I don’t think anyone would be scared to go to Jesus for confession – or to Pope Francis.

If the Jesus in today’s gospel is the real Jesus – so too if the Jesus we meet in Luke 15 is the real Jesus,  I assume Pope Francis is like Jesus and hopefully that’s the same story for all of us.

I like Jesus’ way of measuring – that we find in today’s gospel.

Jesus must have seen some merchant in the market place. The guy was not stingy.  If you bought 5 pounds of wheat – you actually got at least 10 pounds – because he kept on pouring more and more into your sack – and pushing more and more into your request.

I wonder if he learned that’s the way to sell your stuff – and get many a satisfied customer.

As we heard in today’s gospel, in giving we receive. Give a lot and you get a lot of customers.

CONCLSUSION: TWO JOKES

I think of two jokes when I heard today’s gospel about measuring.

Both jokes are about one armed men.

Did you hear about the one armed fishermen who said he caught a fish this big? He put out one arm obviously.

Did you hear about the one armed golfer who missed a putt by this much. He put out one are to show how far he came to getting the ball into the cup.

I hear Jesus putting out one arm and saying this is how much I forgive you and love you understand you.

How do you measure a good group of people at Mass?  It’s one filled with people who laugh at my jokes.