ANOINTING

INTRODUCTION

The title of  my  homily for this 2^nd Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Anointing.”

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Here in today’s first reading from the First Book of Samuel 16: 1-13, Samuel is told to “fill your horn with oil” and  anoint as king - the one I have chosen to take over after Saul’s death.

I remember attending an evening lecture by a rabbi in New York City. It was all about David. The speaker gave example after example, how descendent and followers of  David - gave him great press in the Jewish Bible - which we call the Old Testament. The main thought from this rabbi in his talk was: the power of the pen in rewriting history.

Today’s story is great storytelling.  I love the question: “Are these all the sons you have?”  I can hear the brothers standing there saying, “What are we chopped liver?”

In today’s reading we hear all about how kings were anointed in Saul and David’s time. Part of the ceremony was an anointing with oil.

And this practice of anointing will flow into our scriptures, the New Testament, when the authors want to present Jesus  as the new David.  Notice Bethlehem in today’s first reading from the first Book of Samuel.

CHRIST MEANS ANOINTED

And we know that Christ means the Christened One - the Anointed One.

And we know that at our baptism - our Christening - oil is used  - not just water. In baptism, we are anointed two times with oil. Then there is another anointing at our confirmation in our faith.

THE STUFF OF CEREMONY

We know that as humans we are ceremony people.

We kiss babies. We baptize babies. We shake hands, bow or hug when we meet. We have symbolic ways of swearing someone in as president or mayor or head of the Elks or Knights of Columbus.

We have all been at ceremonies where set gestures and behaviors take place. We’ve seen presidents sworn - one hand raised, one hand on a Bible - as well as some in a jury room.

OIL FOR EXAMPLE

And if we think about it, symbols and gestures need to fit what they symbolize - with what's going on - with what's taking place.

Think about oil: what it is, what it does.

Oil helps machines work better.

Oil is also healing agent.

Go into any CVS store and you’ll see all kinds of hand creams, lip balm, oils for healing. Our hands get chapped during this cold weather and we go to that section of the store for something with oil and the healing magic in it.

I’m sure they find some kind of oil on the hands and feet of these bodies from 5000 BC in frozen tundras of northern Norway or Siberia.

As priest it means a lot to me to visit someone who is sick and anoint them.

But like receiving Communion or doing a funeral or a wedding, a religious ceremony that uses oil, the oil has to fit the reality of being touched and anointed.

CONCLUSION

In other words, as we heard in today's first reading, what is going on must be more than appearance, but from the heart. As we heard in today's gospel, we don't do things to enhance and to keep some law, but we do what brings new life. Amen.