YES!  AND  NO! 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 10^th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Yes! and No!”

St. Paul in today’s first reading from the 2^nd Letter to the Corinthians tells us that Jesus is a “Yes!”

St. Paul in today’s first reading also says that “Amen” is another word for Jesus. Amen is another word for “Yes.”

But let’s stick with “Yes” and “No” as a message for today.

Jesus stands in front of every person - looks us in the eye - and says, “Yes!”

We stand in front of Jesus - we can look him in the eye - and say “Yes” or look down at the ground from which we come and say, “No!”

TWO BASIC WORDS

As we know “Yes” and “No” are two basic words.

They are a great way to pray: saying “Yes” to God every day - saying “No” to anything opposed to God - every day.

If we listened - along with at least 20 million people in the United States - a week ago - we know that James Comey answered some questions with a simple “Yes” or “No” or “Nope”.

It’s good to be clear when speaking with each other. We all need to learn how to be brief - clear - concise where we stand with each other and with God - and especially  in what we mean.

So it’s good to hear someone say that one simple word, “Yes” when asked, “Is this what you mean?”

Next  Saturday - in the first reading - Jesus says, “Let your “Yes” mean “yes” and your” No” mean “No”.

If we heard  Paul speaking - as we heard him in today’s first reading - we heard the powerful words of Paul - as well as Silvanus and Timothy - proclaim Jesus Christ as  our Lord - as a “Yes” to us.

TODAY

So the gist - the message of my homily for today is to say back  to Jesus: “Yes”.

When we receive communion today, say, “Yes” - “Amen” - loud and clear to Jesus Christ - as the Lord of Life as the Lord of our life.

Today be careful - and very reflective when - being in communion with others in person or in our mind - answer their questions with a loud and a clear,  “Yes.” or “No.”

A FEW QUOTES

Let me conclude with a few quotes to add some salt and light to my homily.

Someone said the secret of life is to be able to say 3 words: “Yes, no and wow.”  Then they added, the words of a loser are: “If only” and “maybe”.

Erma Bombeck said, "When your mother asks, 'Do you want a piece of advice?' it is a mere formality.  It doesn't matter if you answer yes or no. You're going to get it anyway.'

"Next time you pray any kind of prayer, whether it be for the resolution of healing, or for a house, or for a car, or for a husband, or for a family conflict, or for a solution to a problem, tell Him he can say yes or no. Because in the end, you're a winner. Every time." Bo Sanchez

Patricia Reilly Giff said, "Sometimes when I visit schools, kids will interview me for the school newspaper. They ask questions and my answers tend to go on and on, and they try to write down everything I'm saying as quickly as they can. And one day, a kid holds up her hand and said, 'Do you think you could just answer 'yes' or 'no?'  Aren't kids wonderful."

Here’s a quote by Christina Stead - which I don’t get - but need to think about: "Women are outside the law; they make nothing, they say yes or no to some collections of whereases." 

David Brooks gives us this comment to ponder: “You lose the ability to say a hundred noes for the sake of one overwhelming and fulfilling yes.”

CONCLUSION

In the meanwhile I suspect most of us are like my mom. We’re at a restaurant and my mom says she’ll have a salad.  The waitress then asks, “Dressing? Do you want Russian, French or Italian?” And she says, “Yes.”