“The camera is an instrument that teaches people to see without a camera.”
Dorothea Lange
June 19, 2019
GIVE GOD THE GLORY
NOT ONESELF
The title of my homily for this Wednesday in the 11th Week in Ordinary time is, “Give God the Glory, Not Oneself.”
This will be a one minute homily.
“Give God the Glory, Not Oneself.”
We’ve all seen the following while watching a baseball,
football or basketball game. An athlete makes a great catch or play and raises
his or her index finger to the sky - to give God the Glory.
This the message that Jesus is giving in today’s gospel -
Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18
“Give God the Glory, Not Oneself.”
I am trying to remember a scene from a novel about a
Boston politician.He went to Mass every
Sunday. He would come down the main aisle - always one minute late - genuflect
up front - near the 3rd of 4th row - reach into his
pocket - for his rosary - which would fall
onto the floor - to the notice of everyone.
He wasn’t doing all this for God’s glory - but for
himself.
“Give God the Glory, Not Oneself.”
That’s what Jesus is getting at in today’s gospel and we
get that message.
“Even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by
drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to
us by the awful grace of God.”
“Moral formation is not like learning math. It’s more
cumulative; it’s inverse.In a
sin-drenched world it’s precisely through the sin and ensuing repentance that
moral formation happens.That’s why we
try not to judge people by what they did in their worst moment, but by how they
respond to their worse moment.That’s
why we are forgiving of 15-year-olds, because they haven’t disgraced themselves
enough to have earned maturity.”
Thought for today: “One day I asked my father for find me a master who could guide me in my studies of
Kabbalah. ‘You are too young for
that. Maimomides tells us that one must
be thirsty before venturing into the world of mysticism, a world fraught with
peril. First you must study the basic
studies, those you are able to comprehend."
“Having served on various committees, I have drawn up a list
of rules.Never arrive on time; this
stamps you as a beginner.Don’t say
anything until the meeting is half over; this stamps you as being wise.Be as vague as possible; this avoids
irritating the others. When in doubt, suggest that a subcommittee be
appointed;this will make you popular;
it’s what everyone is waiting for.”
