SAYING DANGEROUS THINGS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Saying Dangerous Things.”

Have you ever said something that is dangerous - something that causes reactions - that could get you in trouble?

I guess it would begin with thinking dangerous thoughts.

A comment to make if asked such a question might be: “For example?”

Or, “Please explain?”

Or, “What do you have in mind?”

Or, “It all depends.”

PORPRAVA MILADY HORAKOVA

Where my question comes from is something I spotted last night by accident. Father Joe Krastel and I were watching the Pittsburgh Steelers - Los Angeles Chargers football game - Sunday Night Football - and the camera turned on Mike Munchak - one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ coaches. Joe asked, “Where did he play?”  I said, “Maybe Notre Dame?” Joe, who has a tremendous memory said, “I bet you it was Penn State.”

I looked it up later on and found out that he played for Penn State and then played for 10 or 11 years on the Houston Oilers and was all pro 9 times - and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was from Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Surprise I spotted off to the side on my computer - on the internet - where I looked up Mike Munchak -  one of those YouTube short videos. At times I like to look at them instead of playing computer games. It showed the image of a distinguished looking woman in a blue dress - with a white collar -  and it looked like they were leading this woman out to be hung.

Scary. I watched the whole thing. Her name was Porpora  Milada Horáková.

The short film had little sound - and the words were in Czech or some foreign language. She was hung. I had never heard of her. It lead me to look up to find out who she was - and what did she do to deserve being hung.

Milada Horáková

I was in Slovakia once on a Danube Cruise - and could have chosen Prague as a side trip  - but didn’t.  From what I learned last night I might then have seen a statue of this woman - who is now a national hero - for her stands on major issues - in the life of her country.

She was married and had one daughter.

She was arrested by the Gestapo - in standing up to the Nazi’s - and was liberated from prison by the Americans near the end of World War II.  She then stood up to the communists for years - on national policies and programs - for women and for children - and foreign policy - and use of resources - and was arrested - and condemned to be hung in Prague’s Pankrac Prison on June 27, 1950 at 5:30 A.M.

I woke up this morning still thinking about her and that scene.

HOMILY

It got me to ask the question of my homily: “Have I ever said something that is dangerous - something that causes reactions - that could get me in trouble?”

It could be prolife. It could be Peace and Justice issues. It could be many things like family fights - like telling someone - with love - about their drinking or non-care of kids or aging parents.

When I read Isaiah’s comment in today’s first reading, I thought of all this as well.

Isaiah said something that has gotten a lot of people in trouble: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.”

Haven’t we all gone down streets - like in Baltimore - where there are terrible pot holes and said, “The money we poured out for the Iraq war could fix all the streets in America or help pay teachers better - especially in inner city schools or feed the hungry and on and on and on.”

I don’t have a degree in economics nor am I an engineer nor am I million other things - but there is a call in all of us - to think - and to speak up more than we do - instead of being silent and helpless.

CONCLUSION.

The title of my homily for today is, “Saying Dangerous Things.”

I do a lot of baptisms and I’ve been to lots of confirmations - and I know the New Testament message - is oiled into babies as well as teenage skulls - that we are all called to not only be priests - all of us - as well as kings and queens - as Jesus was a king - that is a king who feeds the poor and washes feet - and cares for the sick - but we are also called to be prophets.

Jesus was also a prophet - and prophets are often yelled at - spit at - and sometimes crucified - sometimes hung.