SOME QUESTIONS:

DOWN TO THE THIRD

AND FOURTH GENERATION?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily  is, “Some Questions: Down To The Third and Fourth Generation….” 

The main thrust of this homily will be questions - as opposed to answers. 

When it comes to grandparents and great grandparents,   I have a lot of questions. How about you?

Today’s first reading from Exodus 20: 1-17 talks about punishment on past sins going down to the 3^rd and 4^th generations.  Does that really happen?

Today - July 26^th - we look at and celebrate the feast of St. Anne and St. Joachim - the grandparents of Jesus on his mother Mary’s side.

Their names are not in scriptures - but somewhere along the line - a tradition grew up that Mary’s parents were named Joachim and Anne.

We have their statues here at St. Mary’s - up there on the top  corners  of our old main altar - facing out - facing you.

What are your thoughts about Joachim and Anne?

And St. Anne’s novenas abound - and end today. I did the one at St. Anne’s in Erie, Pa. a few times.

SOME  QUESTIONS

What are your thoughts about your grandparents - and their parents and their parents?

What are your questions?

I like homilies that give me new questions.

What are your questions about your grandparents?

I only met one grandparent - my mom’s mom - but it was only on one occasion. The rest of the time she lived in Ballynahown, County Galway Ireland. She was wrinkled and wore heavy black shoes.

There is a book entitled, It Didn’t Start With You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle.

The author Mark Wolynn is not a psychologist  but he probes this question of how past stuff affects us now.

The asks the question: does past stuff from our grandparents sculpt and shape us.

I only heard someone talking about that book - but it got me thinking. Reviewers say it’s nonsense - but it will get you thinking.

Is there a psychological and emotional type DNA?

Years and years ago, long before this book, I’ve heard people say if you want to change someone you have to change their grandmother.

I’ve always heard that suicide can be intergenerational.

If we read the scriptures we know this question comes up. In the 9^th Chapter of John,   people asked Jesus about a blind man.  Who caused his blindness, his sins or his parents sins or what?  Jesus said to that one, “Neither….”  Then Jesus healed him.

Next I would add the reality of example: good and bad.

We pick up on both.

And I believe reflection on that can get us thinking the following: “I  better be giving good example.”

I believe reflection on that can also get us grateful for all the good example that has been passed on to us.

I believe that is the value of saints: people from the past - who still give us good example.

I believe that is the reason there are statues and biographies and studying history.

I believe that is the value of autobiography

I know my mother’s mother went to Boston as a young lady - made some money - loved it - got manipulated back to Ireland to get married and ended up stuck there for life.  As a result, she made it her dream to get my mother and her 3 sons to America.

So yes, those in the past had some influences on our lives.

I think that’s enough for now:  what are your questions about your past?