WEAPONS  OF  CHOICE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 5th Friday in Lent  is, “Weapons of Choice.”

That theme - that reality - hit me when I read  the first sentence in today’s first reading and the first sentence in today’s gospel.

The first reading from Jeremiah begins, “I hear the whisperings of many. Terror on every side! Let us denounce him.”

Whisperings. Announcing denouncements against someone can be very strong weapons.  In Jeremiah’s case he says, “All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. ‘Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take vengeance on him.’”

The gospel from John begins, “The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.”

When I was in Israel in January of 2000, I notice the rocks - especially in the more desert like south. Rock, stones, that can break lots of bones.

We have all seen enough TV riots - with people picking up anything they can pick up and throw - rocks and water bottles and soda cans and signs and barriers at the police or whoever.

The title of my homily is, “Weapons of Choice.”

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

When I meet with couples who are planning on getting married, we go through a Pre-Marriage Survey. It’s a 165 questions.  One question I ask off the paper is, “What is your weapon of choice?”

Couples look at me weird when I ask that - and I have found out it’s a good question.  I have found out that most people are unaware of their weapon of choice.

It could be silence. It could be cursing and yelling back at the other. It could be talking behind the other’s back. It could be passive aggression. It could be sleeping on the couch. It could actually be throwing things.

I don’t know what the statistics are for 100 police phone calls: how many are domestic violence?

Someone recently robbed two things from St. Mary’s church building: the tabernacle key and a Roman Missal - just like the one here on our altar.

“Let’s go to the video tape,” as Warner Wolf the TV sports announcer used to put it.

Ann Marie - in our office - went to our surveillance cameras and sure enough - they have excellent cameras   - there was a guy walking around the church - going into the sacristy - going into the safe - and walking out the church with the sacramentary book or Roman Missal - and seeing someone putting it under his jacket.

He has since been arrested. I don’t know what they have recovered.

Question: if your house - if the places you enter - if your car - was bugged - what would we see? What would we hear?

Next week is Palm Sunday and Good Friday.

Every person has their Palm Sunday Parade - when we’re honored - whether it’s going down the aisle getting married - whether it’s our birthday or anniversary or a good day - when we’re getting good press - then there are our Good, or better, our Bad Fridays, when we are crucified.

I hold that one of the central messages of the cross is this: “Hello, this is what we do to one another.”

Someone hurts us and we get back by whispering, gossip, silence or passive aggression. We sabotage another. We crucify one another.

CONCLUSION: JESUS’ MESSAGE

Jesus has many messages  about all this.

He tells us to go the extra mile. He tells us to turn the other cheek.  He tells us to answer evil with good. He tells us from the cross, “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.”

The world answers aggression with aggression - bombing - what have you.

How do we answer behavior in others that we don’t accept?

Christ tells us what to do - and he shows us how to do it.