[Good Morning: Welcome to the Rose Parvis scholarship
ceremony. Today 33 sophmores entered into the group. It’s quite an honor. One has to have a 4 point average - plus a series of other
“have to”s - for all 4 years at St. Mary’s High School. The key word this morning is “Scholarship.”
Last week in the Washington Post and
in the New York Times I noticed
announcements for this year’s winners of the Pulitzer Prizes for Journalism.
Putting both together last night, I wrote this fictional story for this morning's ceremony. It’s
called, “Scholarship!”]
SCHOLARSHIP
It was her first Pulitzer Prize.
She stood there on the shiny wooden stage floor - waiting
for someone in a suit to finish his introduction of her. He told of her gifts and
skills as a newspaper reporter. He spoke a few quotes and quips. He got a few
smiles and two laughs - in his introduction to this award to this woman.
She heard nothing.
She was a bit nervous. This was quite an award for any
newspaper or news magazine writer and reporter.
She remembered her first ballpoint pen. It could do what the
big people could do with a ballpoint pen: make marks and letters on a pad or
piece of paper. Her first word was not cat or dog - but owl. OWL - in big
capital letters.
Next came hawk and robin and rooster.
In fact - in the second grade - she wrote her first little
book: The Rowdy Rooster - who roared and cleared his throat every night at midnight
- instead of every morning at dawn.
She stood there remembering writing a paper in Middle School
with 2 friends about people who messed up parking lots with dumping paper
and wrappers and Styrofoam containers. The 3 became nicknamed "the Neat Nicks" and got made
fun of - but some kids heard the message and kept the parking lot and rest
rooms neater.
She stood there remembering her paper in H.S. about verbal
bullying in the kind of nick names kids gave kids.
She remembered in College writing a paper pushing for better
medical benefits for the college maintenance workers.
She stood there thinking she was well prepared for her job
as reporter for the Times - Dispatch.
Finally it was her turn to walk to the podium and get her
Pulitzer Prize.All clapped especially
her family. She thanked God and her parents - but especially two high school
English teachers - who pushed her to write and to use her talents for a better
world.
She thanked her editor for pushing her to do her research in
nursing homes in the Midwest - and how the county ones - were not doing their
job.
That Sunday she stayed in church a few extra minutes to once
more thank God and a whole list of teachers in elementary, middle, high school,
university and grad school.She
especially remember Mrs. Lopez who loved to say, “Detailed Research and Scholarship - definitely make the difference every time.”
After being handed her Pulitzer Prize award, someone gave her a dozen roses. It was a
first. She remembered envying the Home Coming Queen in high school getting a
dozen roses and all those kids who were handed roses by family after being in a
play. Finally! She joined their ranks. And she raised her roses and her Pulitzer prize high in the air. ______________________________________ FROM 2017
Top-Notch Students are proving High School is a stepping stone for things to come!
St. Mary’s Parvis Scholar Program confers recognition and honor upon the most intellectually promising Christian leaders of St. Mary’s High School.
This program is reserved for select sophomores who demonstrate steadfast commitment to academic excellence and Christian values.
Named in honor of St. Mary’s Teacher of the Year 1991-1992, the Parvis Scholar Program was established to honor the work of Rosemary Annette Parvis, Social Studies department chair and teacher. Following graduation ceremonies on May 23, 1992, the St. Mary’s community suffered the tragic loss of Rose Parvis in an automobile accident. She was an extraordinary woman: a loving wife, a compassionate and caring mother, a consummate academic, a passionate and dedicated teacher. She was a quiet leader and a constant model of the Christian values which she lived each day.
The Parvis Scholar Program is governed by an academic committee which reviews applications and selects students to be named Parvis Scholar nominees. Those students who are selected will receive singular distinction as Parvis Scholars—an honor these students will carry throughout their years at St. Mary’s. Recognized Parvis Scholars, selected on the basis of both merit and potential, as well as academic achievement and Christian leadership ability, will demonstrate the principles which Rose Parvis espoused and which are an inherent part of the philosophy of a St. Mary’s education. Upon graduation, these students will have:
Sustained a grade point average of 4.0 or above
Demonstrated Christian commitment over a four-year career at St. Mary’s
Illustrated service to the St. Mary’s High School community and to the community at large through leadership in co-curricular and social arenas
Attained acceptance to an institute of higher learning to further pursue a professional career
"Each of our St. Mary's High School Parvis Inductees for 2017 earned a cumulative GPA of 4.0 or above following the first semester of the sophomore year. Each has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to Gospel values and a dedication to serving others. These sophomores employ the gifts of faith, scholarship, sensitivity, compassion, and inclusion. They are leaders in their class and in their school." Stated Chris Morgan, Assistant Principal for Academics. This year we are honored to have 19 sophomore inductees, 14 of which came from our St. Mary’s elementary school. This is a tremendous compliment of the great work our lower school is doing to advance our students in academic excellence. This year’s inductees are Eleanor Aherne, Maggie Aumiller, Mary Byrne, Aidan Doud, Alayna Everhart, Elizabeth Gilman, Elizabeth Harris, Peter Lynch, Trevor Martinez, Thomas Mollen, Ashlyn Odenwald, Alyssa Pasta, Bryce Pfundstein, William Rogers, Spira Rosseau, Charles Ruland, Rylei Smith, Jacob Tribull and Robert Daniel Wilson.
The title of my homily for this Tuesday of the Third Week of
Easter is, “What’s Your Take On Anger.”
I got thatquestion
and issue to think about from today’s first reading. [Cf. Acts 7: 51 to 8: 1a]
The crowd gets infuriated when Stephen tells them off.
He says, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart
and ears, you always oppose the Holy Spirit, you are just like your ancestors.”
Hearing this they throw him out of town and begin to stone
him to death.
HOW MANY TIMES IN OUR LIFE HAVE WE SEEN THAT SCENE
How many times have we seen that same scene?
Saul - who becomes Paul - saw it and wow did he take a lot
out of it, but it took him time.
My earliestmemory of
anger was as a little boy walking along 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. We
were goingby a gas station and two
mechanics are screaming at each other - and one guy throws a metal tire wrench
- the solid one piece ones - in the shape of a plus sign or a cross - at the
other guy and misses him.I can still
hear the clang of that sound on macadam or cement all these years - and my shoulders
still jerk back and up when I remember that moment.
Little kids hear anger and screaming and it effects and
affects them.
I never could get affect and effect correct - and cheat and
say, “It’s often both.”
We have all seen couples, parents, kids, angry, screaming
and yelling at each other.
What’s your take on anger?
What are your memories of anger?
What are the angry scenes - on stage - in the auditorium of your
mind and memory?
TYPES OF ANGER
We don’t have to define anger or look the word up in the
dictionary. We know what anger is.
But I think it’s smart to think of types of anger.
There’s good anger and there’s bad anger.
Everyone who comes to church has heard that Jesus got angry
at the money changers in the temple - and threw a tantrum at the crowd.
So sometimes anger is good and justified. We should get
angry at those who abuse children - or anyone.
Do you get angry at those who dump on the earth or empty
outtheir car garbage onto the parking
lot or gas station floor - especially when there’s a big plastic can a few feet
away.A couple of times I’ve said, “Hey
you just dropped this.” It couldbe a McDonald’swrapper of a Burger King big chocolate shake
cup. If they don’t go back and pick it
up - that means I have to do that.”
I remember reading about a sociological study and experiment
in New Orleans or Nashville or somewhere. During the night for a week -
including a weekend -they cleaned a
street totally and then measured and weighed the amount of wrappers and garbage
that night. Then then they planted garbage on the street and measured the
amount that night. Lesson: clean streets, parks, rest rooms, stay cleaner, the
cleaner they are.
I dislike - have a calm low degree of anger - when I’m at a
ballgame and everyone just dumps all their garbage on the ground - under their
seats - or when I see the dugout by the 7th inning.
What bothers you? What bugs you? What annoys you? What
angers you? What does your anger list look like?
So there’s good anger and bad anger and so so anger.
There’s also revelatory anger. That’s anger that tells the
person who is angry their values. If you get angry at dumpers and slobs - that should
tell you that you like neat.
For example, some people get angry at talkers in church -
before and after mass.Other people
think it’s great to see neighbors and friends greeting each other in church
before and after Mass.
For example, some people go crazy with mismanagement -
stupidity - like at the post office - when three counter people are just
standing there off to the side talking and laughing and the line is 15 deep -
and finally someone of the 3 finish a story and go over to their spot on the
counter and yell, “Next!” Good management, good service, flow in a parking lot,
etc. etc. etc. are at stake here.Then
there was the heart specialist in California - who said to his heart
patients.When you go into a bank,
always pick the longest line. When you’re 2nd in line - get off -
and go to the back of the longest line. While standing there try to recall the
names of everyone in your high school graduating class. I’ve tried that. I’ve
tried that. It works. But I don’t have
an E-ZPass and I always pick the longest toll booth.
CONCLUSION
Some people get angry at long sermons - they gotta get to
work - or they know that someone could say the same thing in 10 words or less.
For example: “Hey turkey, don’t you realize, you’regetting angry too much.: That’s 10 words.
For example, “In the end, Stephen forgives.” That’ 5 words.
April 17, 2018
Thought for today
“The heart of man is the place the devils dwell in: I feel sometimes a hell within myself.”
Sir Thomas Browne
[1605-1682],
Religio Medici
[1642]pt. 51
Monday, April 16, 2018
JOHN 6
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this Monday in the Third Week
of Easter is John 6.
We have a section of that chapter for our gospel reading
today. [Cf. John 6: 22-29]
John 6 is the bread chapter in John.
John 6 is the Eucharistic chapter in John.
All those who go to Mass - and / or visit the adoration
chapel a lot should read John 6 a lot. It has 71 verses. It’s long - and is
usually broken up.
A STARTING IMAGE
Let me begin with a cute and interesting image.
A small company with about 15 folks in the business
operations division got a new CEO. At
the first staff meeting for these 15 folks, this CEO said he would like to have
dinner with all the families of the folks working there. He thought it would be
very important not just to know those he’s working with - but also their families.
This was new. This was different.
It was this one guy’s night for the dinner. He said to
his wife. You’ll sit next to the
president. We’ll have our 5 little kids at the table as well - and I’ll serve
the meal. That should impress him.
The meal began and this guy’s wife asked the CEO if he
wanted pot roast. “Yes” - then mashed potatoes, “Yes” - then broccoli, “Yes”.
And then his wife filled the boss’ plate. Then she started cutting the CEO’s
meat - till she caught herself and got totally embarrassed and red in the face.
Well, that’s a way of tackling this 6th chapter
of John.
I would like to cut it up into 12 pieces and then do the
same for today’s small part of the 6th chapter - cutting that into 3
parts. That’s my sort of a sermon.
It’s a method of reading scripture. Just isolate, cut out
one part, and then chew on that text.
12 THEMES - 12 PIECES OF JOHN 6 TO CHEW ON AND
DIGEST
First theme or piece: The Passover. It’s mentioned here
in John 6:4, “Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near.” It would
be wise to reflect on the Passover - the Jews passing over, escaping from Egypt
into the desert and heading for the Promised Land. Christ leads us out of
slavery. It’s called the New Exodus. It’s called redemption. It’s called
salvation. His blood be upon us - our homes - our new lives.
Second theme or piece: Give What You Can Give. You can’t
give it all or do it all - or have it all.
I heard Father Matt Allman preach on this theme just last Friday to our
high school kids.
Third Theme: Step In and Step Up. Andrew, the most important apostle in the
gospels steps up from time to time and saves everything.
Fourth Step: Remember the Fish. When you read the New
Testament, look for mention of the fish.
Christ is symbolized by the fish. It’s ICHXTHUS - I stands for Jesus.
Fifth Piece: Gather up the fragments. After all are fed, Jesus says to gather up
the fragments. We store Jesus in the
tabernacle.
Sixth Piece: The New Moses - Jesus is the Prophet. He’s
the new Moses.
Seventh Piece: The Crossing - Life is a cross the sea or
the desert.
Eight Piece: What Are You Looking For? This question appears several time in the
gospels What are we looking for? Jesus
asked the crowd: what are you looking for?
Ninth Piece: Jesus is the Bread of Life. What are you
hungering for - Regular Bread and the Eternal Bread of life.
Tenth Piece: God is Our Father - Jesus is here to lead us
to the Father.
Eleventh Piece: Want to live forever? Jesus is the food for eternal life. Eat him
and you’ll live forever.
Twelfth: The
Eucharist is a Test. Many walked away.
PART TWO: TODAY’S GOSPEL - THREE PIECES
First Piece: Two Types of Bread: regular bread and
eternal life bread. We need both.
Second Piece: We are all searchers -- Looking for,
searching for, wanting.
The title of my homily for this 3rd Sunday of Easter is, “What’s Your Take on Sin?”
Today’s second reading from the 1st Letter of St. Johnbegins this way: “My children, I am writing this to you so that you may
not commit sin.”
Isn’t that one of the top concerns for parents - that worry
about their kids - not to get messed up in sin - the bad and the ugly - and miss out on the good?
ONE OF THE 5 TOP QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK PRIESTS
One of the 5 top questions people ask priests is this:
“Father, did I commit a sin?”
When I’m asked that question, I want to say, “I don’t know. Did you?”I want to throw the ball back into their
court - which is going to be a take in this homily about sin.”
If I have time and it’s the right situation or moment, I
might say something like, “Tell me more.”And then add, “Come Holy Spirit.”
To some questions - I’m tempted to say what Jesus said when
asked by someone ina crowd: “Teacher,
tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.”Jesus said, “Friend, who set me to be a judge
or arbitrator over you?” [Luke 12:
13-14]
That’s kind of an “Ouchy” response,but there’s some truth sitting there in that response by Jesus.
Now I don’t know if there is a list somewhere of top
questions people ask priests, but I know that, “Father, did I commit a sin?”
has to be one of them.
However, I know another question people ask priests and it’s
definitely the # 1 question: “Father, does this count for Sunday Mass?”
We’re asked that at weddings - not in church - but at the
reception - after an afternoon wedding Mass. And somewhere in the attic or cellar of that
question is the worry about sin.
BACK TO THE TITLE OF MY HOMILY: WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON
SIN?
I’ll begin by saying that sometimes people think they are
committing sins - when they are not.
Then I’d say a lot of people are committing sins - and they
don’t realize it - especially sins of omission - like neglecting affirmation and
affection for the people around them.
I’d also say that if someone thinks something that is not
sinful is sinful then they don’t sin - even though they think it’s sinful.
However, having said that, I think that’s also an, “It all
depends.”
So one of my takes on sin is: “Sin is tricky stuff.”
What’s your take on sin?
Does every person have to go into the desert for 40 days -
for example Lent every year - or 40 years and do their own homework and heart
work and mind work on the reality of sin? By that I mean this: Is growing up,
is forming our own conscience, all about becoming one’s own priest - one’s own
deacon [that is, servant of one’s soul] - one’s
own judge - one’s own decider whether something is a sin or not?
I say 40 years - because I read something some 40 years ago
that went something like this: “The greatest sin is the inability to accept the otherness of the other person.”
I’ve been thinking about that statement for some 40 years
now. It comes up when I’m dealing with someone - usually a priest - [I live
with priests] - when they don’t think the way I think.
So is that the greatest sin?I don’t know.
The Bible talks about an unforgivable sin. Mark 3: 28-30
and Matthew 12:31-32 are quoted. Jesus seems to be saying, If
someone refuses the Holy Spirit when there is a question of forgiveness going
on - then they are refusing the Holy Spirit who forgives - so they are not
forgiven. It’s their own choice - done by their own free will. So it’s not God
who won’t forgive, but themselves who won’t accept forgiveness - for our own
mistakesor mistakes and sins or
trespasses against us.
Now that’s my
take on that issue of whether or not there are unforgiveable sins. There are many other takes on that issue. It’s one of those mysterious
God and self-questions.
Here’s another
issue when it comes to sin.Some 50
years ago - someone - I don’t know who the person was - told me that they don’t
bring God into the picture when they are thinking about sin - when they are
thinking about right and wrong. They said that they simply ask: is what I am
doing here or thinking here making things better or worse for how I am doing
life or how I am doing life with others.
She added - it
was a woman - but I don’tremember who:
“Too many people think sin hurts God and they don’t pay attention to how sin
hurts themselves and/or others. They seem to leave themselves out of the effects of sin.
Now that’s
numbness. Now that’s dumbness. Now I think that’s something right there that I need to think
about a lot more.
MESSES
THINGS UP
How do you define sin?
How do you describe sin?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says the following. It's somewhat different to what that someone told me 50 years ago.
“Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right
conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a
perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures
human solidarity. It has been defined as ‘an utterance, a deed, or a desire
contrary to the eternal law.’” That's # 1849 in the New Catechism
# 1850 is also very
different and much more official: “Sin is an offense against God: ‘Against you,
you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight.’Sin
sets itself against God's love for us and turns our hearts away from it. Like
the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to
become ‘like gods,’knowing and determining good and evil.
Sin is thus ‘love of oneself even to contempt of God.’In
this proud self- exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of
Jesus, which achieves our salvation.”
So is sin that and a list of things in The Baltimore Catechism which many of us were brought up with and were taught - and then become
our way of seeing and thinking - that are wrong? Yes. Like, “Thou shall not steal.”
Like, “Make sure you take care of your kids when
they are young and your parents when they are old.”
Like, “Keep your married vows!” Better, “Love one
another as I have loved you.”
Like, “Keep the Golden Rule” - don’t be doing
things to others that you hate happen to you.”
I like to call sin: the mess!
A gal I know, Patricia Livingston, wrote a whole book called: This Blessed Mess. It's an excellent read.
But when sin happens, it doesn’t feel like a blessing. It takes time to learn from our sins and our messes.
So sin is what messes things up- or keeps things messy - when beauty and unity and love shouldbe going on.
Go back to that comment I heard some 40 years ago: “The
greatest sin is the inability to acceptthe otherness of the other person.”
If we spend our time at work not accepting the personality
of a boss or co-worker or person we’re hired to serve - then our personality
can get filled with agita - and we might become nasty or a person others can’t
accept and we then bring that itchy agita onto the road or home.
Sin messes things up and messes us up.
That’s what hits God - seeing us messed up.
I think that’s part of the background Jesus saw and thought about
and cried about from the cross.Here are
all these people who yelled and spat at him.
Those nasties can anesthetizes us from being nice and decent
to each other.
How did the person who nailed Jesus to the cross treat his
kids at supper that night?Was he moody,
silent, nasty or what?
Is that why Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they don’t
know what the heck they are doing.”
CONCLUSION
We come to church - we take walks - we think while we’re
driving - and hopefully in our adult relationships - we talk to each other about
sin - what works, what doesn’t work.
These are just a few ideas about my take on sin - then there
are all those other thoughts - like sins of omission - like how we treat our
earth - our front yardsand back yards -
like how we treat our bodies - health wise - like parking in the far end of the
parking lot to get some extra walking in - and making parking easier for others - maybe older than us - likebecoming the person whom God and
others hope we become to make life on this planet that much sweeter for each
other.
