August 13, 2022

Reflection

THE  CROSS

The cross is the visible symbol for Christians.

It's a good one - visible for miles when on top of a church - and visible up close on the wall of a bedroom or inside a church.

4 points: North, East, South, West.

2 roads that intersect - and at each intersection we can go 3 ways - and even a 4th way - if we want to go back.

The Cross: Catholics put a figure of Christ on it - usually the suffering Christ - but sometimes it's the Risen Christ. Protestants often keep the cross body free - sometimes making the narrative: He is Risen.

Crosses: we see them everywhere - in cemeteries, above churches, around necks.

Crosses: we make the sign of the cross upon entering and leaving a church - and at different times during our ceremonies. We ask Christ to strengthen our minds, our shoulders and our gut.

Crosses - so basic - wood nailed together - to build a table or a chair -but also to make something for the purpose of execution.

The Cross: did Christ know if he went to Jerusalem, they would crucify him there?

Could he have stayed up north and not go south to Jerusalem?

Why risks dying at 33?

The cross challenges us to decide what we stand for - what we proclaim - even if that means we will be crucified.

The cross challenges us to think about why people  would want Christ out of the way.

Why would we want Christ out of the way?

There are people who drive us crazy.

There are people we describe as "Bad!" and we want them out of the way. We want them to disappear.

There are people who are so "Good!" and we also  want them out of the way.

Christ is the Way. 

Christ's way is the Way of the Cross.  

Too often we   are  asking, "Is there another way to do all this?"

 August  13, 2022

Thought for Today

"Playing 'Bop' is like scrabble with all the vowels missing."

Duke Ellington [1899-1974]

Look magazine August 10, 1954

August 12, 2022

Reflection 

OUCH!

My niece and Godchild, Patty, says, "Ouch" when someone says something that is insensitive or when they put their foot in their mouth.

The first time I heard her do this, I sort of heard it, but I really didn't catch it.

The second time I heard her say, her "Ouch!" - I sort of got it - but I needed to process it.

The third time I heard her say, "Ouch!" - I got it.

Now when I hear someone say something "Stupid!" from the pulpit or while eating together or in a conversation, I find myself saying, "Ouch!"

Two nights ago I was watching a re-run of the movie, As Good As It Gets. Melvin, played by Jack Nicholson, got an "Ouch!" out of me about 8 times.

He goes to a restaurant with Carol Connelly - played by Helen Hunt. She's wearing a red dress. He's wearing a blue shirt - no tie, no jacket.  The maitre de says to Melvin, "You need a tie and jacket in this restaurant." Then he adds to Melvin, "No  problem. We have lots of them in a closet here for this situation."

He gets Melvin a tie and a jacket.

Knowing Melvin's personality Carol asks, "It was surely dry cleaned?" 

The maitre de answers, "Probably not!"

Melvin says to Carol, "Stay here. I'll be right back."

He goes across the street to a store  and buys a new jacket and tie,

About to sit down Melvin says, "I don't get it. They make the guy wear a suit jacket and a tie and they let you in with a house dress."

He said something like that and I heard Carol say with her face, "Ouch!"

That did it. She walked out of the restaurant.

Life has lots of situations - that cause many an Ouch!"

We need to learn from our insensitive comments. When hurt we need to forgive and find the right moment to let the other hear our "Ouch!"

August 12,  2022

Thought for Today

"I feel a feeling which I feel you all feel."

George Ridding [1828-1904]     

in a sermon in the London Mission, 1885;     

in G.W.R. Russell Collections 

and Recollections [1898] ch. 29

August 11, 2022

Reflection

VIGNETTES

Thirty-second scenes or vignettes are happening all the time.

I just happen to

be watching another channel too many times.

A child waves from out  side window of a car - as we are both stopped - parallel to each other - waiting for the red light to change to green- and then both cars move along - going our separate ways.

I pass a pug dog on the street. I'm thinking about McDonald's just up the street. I don't stop to comment about his pugness.  Yet he keeps on walking along on the sidewalk of my mind - as I keep on walking along the sidewalk of my mind - as     I keep walking up the street - with memories of Peppy - a pug I knew - who recently died.

A person yawns without covering their mouth - right in the middle of my sermon - and I think of Judas' question: "Is it I Lord?"

Five guys at Best Buy today are laughing - and celebrating something - very happy at their job at that moment. I'm wondering: how do this store make enough money to pay all these workers in blue shirts? I could have just celebrated their joy.

I brought Jesus to this lady today: Holy Communion. She was totally out of it. I hear her husband call her "mother" - never "Honey" or "Nancy".  I hear the same stories he has told me the last three years. I take a tiny piece of the Sacred Bread: Holy Communion.  I open her mouth with my fingers and I place the Bread carefully on her tongue. I put my hand on the top of her head and the other hand on her jaw and close her mouth.  It works. I've done this before. I stand up and walk into the bathroom and wash my hands. I'm talking all the while. I then give the rest of the tiny round Bread - Holy Communion  - 95 percent of it - to Jack her husband. They are in Holy Communion with each other. He takes the small glass of water he has ready and holds the back of her head and gives her a sip with the small glass of water in his hands. He then toasts me and drinks the rest of the water. He smiles. He knows the ritual.

An old man sees me as I come back to the rectory. He makes the money gesture of rubbing three fingers together. I open up my wallet and take out two twenties. I say,  "McDonald's" and I add, "Get a Big Mac and a chocolate shake and some fries." I add, "Come back tomorrow. The St. Vincent de Paul people will be here." I say, "I waved to you and beeped the other day when I saw you under the bridge at the end of our street and you didn't wave back." He said, "Sorry" then "Thanks" as he went off into the afternoon.

Long day so far. 6:45 Mass this morning. Breakfast with a mother and two daughters and then the vignettes of the day so far ....

 August 11,  2022

Thought for Today

"Nobody can remember more than seven of anything."

St. Robert Bellarmine:

Reason for omitting

the eight beatitudes 

from his catechism

John Bossy, Christianity

in the West 1400-1700

(1985)

 August  10, 2022

Reflection

AGREEABLE,  BUT  I  DISAGREE

When a couple get married at our church, they are given a compatibility test.

It has 150 questions.

I noticed a statement: "There are teachings of the Catholic Church that I disagree with." The person is then asked to check: "Yes," "No," or "Undecided."

I like to make a comment about that one. I say, "There are teachings of the Catholic Church that I disagree with."

It's part of my philosophy: "Be a thinking person."

Then I add, "I disagree with some things - but I don't proclaim it publically."

Then I might add: "In our 2000 year history, we have made various changes."

Every couple hopefully know they will change as spend their life together. 

Every couple with kids know they will have differing opinions about particular issues when it comes to raising kids.

So why can't people agree that we will have disagreements?

A lady came up to me last evening after the 5:30 Mass. She said she disagrees with a comment I made about Buddhism in my homily.  I had stated that there was a Buddhist philosophy - a non religious Buddhist philosophy that the Buddha aught - and then in time for many Buddhism became a religion - with various teachings and practices.

I smiled and said I disagree with you about your comments.  In fact I mentioned a book by Alread Graham entitled, Zen Catholicism.

But I added "You can disagree" and I hope I made my comments with a smile - trying to be agreeable.

 August 10, 2022

Thought for Today

"Sins  become more subtle as you grow older.  You commit sins of despair rather than lust."

Piers Paul Read

in Daily Telegraph, 

October 3, 1990

August 9, 2022

Reflection

FRAGILITY

The little guy was only 16 ounces - born August 8, 2006 - died August 8, 2006

The hospital called - a nurse named Marie - in NICU - told me this little baby wasn't going to make it. The parents would like a priest to hurry over to the hospital and baptize this baby.

I got there around 7:15 PM.

I baptized him - Brandon Robert Fox.

Then they photographed him.   They took lots of photos - to help the parents remember him - his birth - his existence - his reality.

Then they unplugged him. Four people confirmed that he died at 7:36 PM - around that time.

Then they wrapped him in a blue blanket. Five of us went to his parent's room.

They held him. They hugged him. They felt him.

More photos were taken - of a child - who lived only  a few moments of life.

Rock and roses ....

Fragility and permanence ....

When I stood there at the hospital - stood there in the presence of this premature baby - I watched the nurses unhook this baby from the life support tubes and machines. They kept it on till I got there.  I watched a nurse take a stethoscope and put it on the baby's chest - which was just a tiny bit bigger than the listening part of the stethoscope.  

Then I turned.

A doll was behind me. A big beautiful doll. Then it moved. It was another baby - alive and kicking - in this same room for some reason.

Life and death ....

When I got the call from the hospital I was just finishing up the papers for a couple wanting to get married - both 57 years of age.

At 4:10 AM - I got a call to get back to the hospital - a woman 55 years of age had just died.

Fragility.

August 9, 2022

Thought for Today 

"Nel mezzo dell cammin di nostra vita"

"Midway along the path of life."

Dante, Opening line

of Dante's Divina Commedia, 'Inferno'

 August 8, 2022

Reflection

THEME

Do you have  a theme?

Does everyone have a central issue they are off on?

Someone was describing Father Ted the other day - and they were saying something like, "He always stressed forgiveness - in his sermons - in the words of the Mass - in his off to the side remarks - in off to the side situations."

Being self-centered I wondered  if I'm easy to figure out. I also wondered if a person could't know themselves - only others.

Yesterday I had ___ in for spiritual direction and it seems that forgiveness is central to her - touching her eye ducts - touching her relationships.

So forgiveness is a central theme in some people's lives  - according to others.

So the question: do I have a central theme?

My book, Prayers in the Night, has lots of prayers in it that seem to be too gnarly and a bit too itchy.  I got that thought as I looked at my book of night prayers the other day.

And someone reviewing my book, Cries But Silent .... said my short pieces in there were too dark or problematic or something like that. I never did save that review - and there weren't too many. 

Peter Kreeft seemed to see life as a battle - and I've noticed that feeling in some conservatives.

So once more the question: Are we all off on some issue - some more than others?

I guess  Groeschel's off-handed remark should be talked about. "Tell me your favorite scripture text and I'll tell you who you are?"

On a weekend retreat right after I heard that, a guy was being abrasive, so I asked him his favorite Bible text. His quick answer: "Beware of wolves in sheep clothing."

So do I have a favorite theme?

I don't know. 

I guess they'll tell mine - what I was off on - if and when they talk about me in the funeral parlor.

 August 8, 2022

Thought for Today

"I remember my youth and the feeling that will never come back any more - the feeling that I could last for ever, outlast the sea, the earth, and all men; the deceitful feeling that lures us on to joys, to perils, to love, to vain effort - to death, the triumphant conviction of strength, the heat of life in a handful of dust, the glow in the heart that with every year grows dim, grows cold, grows small, and expires - and expires too soon, too soon - before life itself."

Joseph Conrad, Youth (1902)

 August 7, 2022

Reflection

WHAT WAS YOUR FATHER LIKE?

What  was your father like?

I was wondering if I should ask every couple I interview about marriage that question.

Does it follow that will bring that reality into their wonderings about their upcoming marriage: imitation of or reaction against?

Is their a neutral ground?

Are questions like: Oldest? Youngest? Middle? good questions to ask as well?

Or what about where their father was in his family line?

Is the oldest child more apt to become a leader, a pusher, a corrector, a boss, that is,  if there are a couple of brothers / or sisters after him?

What is a male like who is the oldest in his family and his dad was also the oldest in his family?

What if the girl is the oldest, etc.?        

Once questions for clarifications are asked, does sit then make the question irrevelent?

Or is better to simply ask a couple,, "What was your dad like? What was your mother like?

I'm the youngest son of a youngest son.

My mom was the oldest in her family. Is that why I'm asking these questions?

I've never been a boss - nor did I ever want to be one. I rather swim along unnoticed - or swim away and enjoy finding shells on a far shore - yet I don't  like to travel alone.

So the question: What was your father like" is a good ice breaker.

Questions with multiple possibilities for varying answers are called for.

Yes?

No?

Undecided?

It all depends.

August 7, 2022

Thought for Today

"If grass can grow through cement, love and find you at every time in your life."

Cher

American singer and actresss