A  HA MOMENTS:

NAME THREE?

INTRODUCTION

The  title  of my homily for this first Saturday in Advent   is, “A Ha Moments: Name Three”?

I think that’s a good question:  “A Ha Moments: Name Three!”?

And if you talk life with a spouse or a family member or a good friend or friends, do that question of naming 3 “A Ha Moments” Come up with your answers. Then share your moments and your memories  with each other.

“A Ha Moments: Name Three”?

PROCESS

A suggested process could go like this: look at your life – jot down major learning moments – a ha moments -  name lots of them – there are many - and then pick your top 3 from your list.

That’s not a bad way to do this.  And you can keep on working on it – changing it, developing it - especially if doing this becomes an “A ha!”  moment in itself – or as you listen to the “Ah Hah!” moments of  others.

TODAY’S GOSPLE GIVES ONE FOR ME

Somewhere along the time line of my life I heard someone say that Jesus Christ’s main concern was not to establish a church – but to bring about the kingdom.

The speaker was saying: Jesus established the Church to bring about the kingdom.

This is the means and end question. It’s the which is which question.  Is the church the end or the means or is the church the way to the kingdom?

As Jesus says in today’s gospel, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” [ Cf. Matthew 10: 7.]

I was brought up with the stress on the Church. At some point, “A ha,”  I was being asked to wonder what is this kingdom and how do I help to make it happen? 

Wait a minute!  You’re a priest you’re supposed to make the Church happen. Nope, I’m a human. I’m a Christian and I want to be one of those who are salt and light and help the kingdom to show up in kitchens, work places, parks, family gatherings and church benches and halls.

The kingdom of God is at hand!

This makes the little people as big as the big people, the poor as important as all people and on and on and on.

It takes away the stress on pomp and circumstance, titles and seats of honor, rules and regulations,  and all that.

ST. AMBROSE

Did you notice that today is the feast of St. Ambrose?

The bishop of Milan dies and uproar and division happen. Ambrose the  provincial  governor goes to the basilica and asks for a peaceful solution. Someone screams out, “Ambrose for bishop.”

Everyone chants that scream and Ambrose – who is not baptized is baptized in a week – then confirmed that same week – and ordained that week and consecrated  bishop of Milan – all in a week.

How’s that for process?

And Ambrose  becomes a great bishop and saint – and did a lot of church things to make Milan a wonderful diocese.

Of course, this was before Canon Law as we know it. This was around the year 375 – and Ambrose  lasts till Good Friday – April 4, 397.

So a first  good “A hah” moment for me was when I heard someone say that the church is a means to building the Kingdom of God!

MY SECOND  A HA MOMENT – POLITICS FROM THE PULPIT

I learned this year – in a great a ha moment – in the big parish I was in down in Annapolis Maryland, that no matter what one says in the pulpit, the people in the benches hear what they hear in their way – and rightly so.

In a sermon I didn’t mention the president by name – but I was critical of him – because of the way he described the homes of people in the islands and in Africa.  I said I was not being political. I said I was talking morally – and we should not describe people’s homes the way the president  was  describing them.

Uh oh!  After Mass there was uproar and letters.  Some folks said I was talking politics from the pulpit. I said I wasn’t.  It doesn’t matter – some folks saw it all as politics.

I am very interested to find out what will happen in Catholic Parishes in the United States this Sunday if any priest or deacon stands up for Nancy Pelosi for saying, “I am a Catholic and I was taught not to hate.”  Then she said she prays for the president.

Up roar.

My a ha learning was that I said loud and clear that I was speaking morally and not politically – but I learned people take what they take – from their viewpoint.

Even saying what I just said can cause uproar.

I’m 80 – and a long time ago I found myself not worrying  about church stuff when I’m preaching. The call is to worry about human stuff and our church is around to speak up for human beings and their day to day life on the planet.

My second a ha moment – was that I can think what I think – but people think what they think.

THIRD A HA MOMENT

My third A Ha Moment has to do with Isaiah.

Someone said that Isaiah only gradually was beginning to see that God was more than a God of the Israelites.

I was hearing that theology and ideology can be gradual and evolutionary and developmental for folks.

So for me the goal is to evolve – to get beyond being  Catholic, Jewish, Moslem, Hindu, Atheistic, or whatever and  to be concerned about helping everyone to know and to hear that God is with us in our development - whether we believe in him or not.

Today’s first reading has Isaiah saying that God  is gracious to us and spacious to us.

CONCLUSION

That’s some homework. Come up with 3 A Ha moments and share them with your one to one connections.