COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 5th Tuesday in
Lent, is, “Complain, Complain, Complain.”
There’s a moment
in the Book of Numbers - today’s
first reading - where the Israelites are complaining, complaining, complaining,
against both God and Moses, “Why have
you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or
water. We are disgusted with this wretched food.”
In the history of the world, is complaining about food
the Number 1 thing people complain about?
Or is it about politicians and priests.
I don’t know. You tell you.
HORSE BUNS
A story I’ve heard a dozen times down through the years
is about 4 guys who went camping for a
week. Nobody would volunteer to do the cooking - so one guy finally agreed to
give it a try. However he said, “The first person who complains has to cook.” They he looked them all in the eye and asked,
“Do the 3 of you agree to this?”
They agreed.
Well, the meals were atrocious - really bad - and the 3 other
guys would grunt and gripe - moan and groan - but they would add, “But we’re
not complaining.”
They didn’t want to get stuck with the cooking and any
complaints about the cooking.
So he tried to make the food worse and worse, to force
one of the 3 to complain and get stuck with the cooking.
Nothing worked.
On the 4th afternoon the guy who was cooking
spotted some horse buns on the trail. When nobody was looking he retrieved them
carefully, and served them for supper - with catsup or course.
Well one guy says, “This stuff tastes like hoss manure” -
then he paused and said, “but it’s good.”
QUESTIONS
Does every person have at least one complaint?
Does every group have at least one complainer?
Will someone always say every March, “It’s too cold.” Or,
“It’s too hot in the office.” Or, “This
has to be the worse winter of all time.”
Is there someone in every parish who says, “This has to
be the worst parish in the United States - with the worse priests. Where did
they get them?” Or will there always be someone to complain about the music. Or
if there is a youth mass, will someone
always report, “The high school Mass was okay, but someone has to train these
kids to be quiet and be more disciplined in church.”
No matter what the restaurant is, will there always be
someone who will say, “Did you notice, that the waiters and waitresses at that
restaurant are the worst servers in the
world?”
CONCLUSION - A
FEW QUOTES TO WARD OFF COMPLAINERS ABOUT THIS SERMON. “DID YOU NOTICE, HE
MENTIONED HORSE BUNS IN CHURCH FROM THE PULPIT?” OR, “HE DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING OF SUBSTANCE.”
Let me conclude with a few quotes in case I didn’t make a
case for “Stop Complaining!”
“I have learned that in every
circumstance that comes my way, I can choose to respond in one of two ways: I
can whine or I can worship! And I can't worship without giving thanks. It just
isn't possible. When we choose the pathway of worship and giving thanks,
especially in the midst of difficult circumstances, there is a fragrance, a
radiance, that issues forth out of our lives to bless the Lord and others.”
[Nancy Leigh
DeMoss]
“Thinking of what
Jesus did NOT say from the cross: not a bitter, angry, unkind, whining,
profane, unnecessary word. There is none like Him!” [Nancy Leigh
DeMoss]
“A careful
blending of sarcasm, irony, and teasing, bickering has its own distinctive
cadence and rhythm and is as difficult to master as French, Spanish, or any
elective second language. Like Chinese, the fine points of bickering can be
discerned in the subtle rise and fall of the voice. If not practiced properly, bickering
can be mistaken for its less sophisticated counterpart: whining.” [Linda Sunshine]
“If you want to understand any
woman you must first ask about her mother and then listen carefully. Stories
about food show a strong connection. Wistful silences demonstrate unfinished
business. The more a daughter knows about the details of her mother's life -
without flinching or whining - the stronger the daughter.” Anita Diament
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