I’M  ALL  MIXED  UP

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “I’m All Mixed Up!”

There used to be a song by Elvis Presley - 1969. Billy Joel and others sang it as well. It was called, “I’m All Shook Up.”

At times we’re all mixed up.  At times we’re all shook up. We can’t slow things down to figure out what to do.  Things are happening too fast.  We’re in the mix and we can’t stop the music.

Sometimes we can.

HOW TO DEAL WITH MIX UPS - AND SHOOK UPS

If we can, the first step  is to step back. Turn off the music. Stop the spin that’s going all around - that’s mixing us up - that’s shaking us up.

We can do this if we can get away from it all. Having the ability to pause is a good skill to have.  Being able to become silent and walk away nicely - is a good skill? Knowing how to fake it and say, “Excuse me. Is there a bathroom nearby?”

Then in the privacy of  our mind - we might have time and place to sort out what’s going on around us and inside us.

Sometimes it’s smart to admit it - to say  out loud to the other or to others - but  especially to myself, “I’m all mixed up. I’m all shook up. I need space.”

It could be family stuff, church stuff, self-stuff, money stuff, politics stuff, children who are long gone stuff, what have you stuff.

Next time you have some time, take a good look at your remote. Is it a good sign that the letters on the mute button are worn off? Is it a good sign if we can mute ourselves - bite our tongue and learn now to say, “Mute!”?

That’s the first step - stepping back.

The second step is to ask what’s in the mix of the moment? Jot down one liners that are short hand for what and who’s in the mix - that’s mixing us up.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Today’s First Reading from 1^st Corinthians 5:1-8 talks about a shook up - a mixed up - early Christian Community.

Read the letter with the question: What’s going on here?

In today’s reading we find out:

·       A man is living with his father’s wife.

·       People are being expelled out of the community.

·       People are being prideful.

·       Paul pronounces judgment on someone.

·       People are boasting about inappropriate things.

Paul uses the image of baking bread. Here’s where the image of mixing hit me. He says get rid of the old yeast and become a fresh batch of dough. He says too many times we have mixed into our being the yeast of malice and wickedness - instead of sincerity and truth.      

We all have baggage.  I like that word: baggage.

Another word I like is,  triggers. What’s triggering our mess?

Another word I like in this mix is projection.

We walk through life with baggage - boxes and backpacks, memories and moments that are triggered by present events and experiences - and they are all part of our mix.

We mix experiences from our childhood and school and work into what’s happening now.

Warning: we might be unfair doing that to ourselves or another, because what’s happening now is different from what happened back then. That’s why it’s important to look at the mix and the mess we’re in.

TODAY’S GOSPEL     

As a result our mind can become like a hard fist or like the withered hand the man in today’s gospel has.

Jesus says to the man:  Stretch our your hand” and the withered hand is restored.

Here we are in church - a gathering place. If we were Jewish, this would be a synagogue.

Hear Jesus say.  “Stretch our your mind - your twisted or over laden or even withered mind and let Jesus heal us.”

Another warning: In today’s gospel those present don’t like what Jesus did.

Jesus was crucified many times before the got to Calvary.

Well, Jesus might cause in our mind and heart a resentment - because he’s naming what we do at times. Once we’re healed we can’t blame others for our own mixed up motives and patterns.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “I’m All Mixed Up!”

Hope this homily had at least one message or one image that shows some clarity or light in any thing you’re mixed up about. Amen.