DOORS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this  5thTuesday after Easter  is, “Doors.”

I’m sure we’ve all thought about doors as an image or a metaphor from time to time. There certainly are poems, but is there a homily behind the image of a door?

When you hear the word, “Doors!” – what hits you? The rock group from the second half of the 1960’s – Jim Morrison etc. “The Doors”? I never listened to them – but I did like some of Bob Dylan and the Beatles’ songs. But I was more a Simon and Garfunkel listener. They didn’t have as hard a sound.

What thoughts, what images, what stories, what fantasies, what possibilities are on the other side of the door?

Today’s first reading closes with this sentence which triggered the title and theme for this homily: “And when they arrived [Paul and Barnabas in Antioch], they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.” [Acts 14:27]

DOORS

In gift shops around the world have you seen those big paper posters to buy – rolled up – but when opened up – they are “The Doors of Dublin” or “The Doors of Paris” or “The Doors of Amsterdam”? They even have, “The Doors of Buffalo” and they are very interesting.

And these posters show 20 or 36 doors – or lots of doors – often beautifully painted – rich dark red or blue or yellow or glossy black – with expensive looking shiny brass door knobs or door openers.

The poster for “The Doors of Paris” – show 110 doors. Interesting. What’s behind those doors? Who’s behind those doors?

SOME HOMEWORK FOR YOU TO DO

Get a piece of paper and draw 10, 20 or 30 doors.

If you can’t draw, just take an 8 ½ by 11 piece of paper – and draw boxes and put on the bottom or top: “The Doors of My Life.”

Then write in the boxes or on the doors you drew – words like, “4th grade classroom” – “Front door Elon College”, or “Maryland” – the door to a bar where you met your spouse – a wrong door, a right door – a door that was slammed in your face or the place of a job you turned down or walked away from – or the front gate of Paris Island.

If you’re on a roll, you might come up with 20, 30, 40 doors. If you want to put them in order of importance or significance, do that.

Talk to each other! Get another’s take on your life. Surprise! The other might say, “I never knew that about you and here we are married for 14 years now.” Or have the other guess the most significant doors of your life. And we might say, “I didn’t know you thought that way or wondered that way about me.” Ask others about the doors of their life.

Doors – an interesting topic to open up. Doors: a great metaphor.

GRAHAM GREEN

Graham Green – in the first chapter of his 1940 novel, The Power and the Glory, wrote, “There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.”

That’s an intriguing observation. Is it true? I suspect on first instance people would go “ho hum” or “not something I ever thought about”. Yet, on second thought, I would think it has a lot of mysterious possibilities for wonderings. If you were asked point blank to jot down 3 key turning points in your childhood, what would they be?

Notice the word “key” as in the key that opens a door.

So who knows what people would answer to what they thought was a key moment in their childhood – that opened up for them – the future – and it came pouring in?

Someone might say it was the moment that my father walked in the door when I was 8 years old and he announced that he got this great job in Minneapolis and we moved and our life was changed.

Another might say, “It was when we visited my cousins' house in Wilmington, Delaware, one summer and my cousin, whom I really didn’t know, was playing a guitar down the basement – and I opened up the door and went down there and he let me try his guitar. That was the moment. When I got home I asked my dad if I could get a guitar and he said, ‘Sure, if you pay for it – so start saving.’ My dad knew from experience with me that I was a fad person – and nothing ever lasted. Well, I was determined to prove him wrong. I saved and saved till the day came when we walked to the music store on Main Street. When we walked in that front door – I knew music was my future and it was – starting from that day when I heard my cousin playing a guitar.”

It could be a door called death, divorce or disaster. Doors ….

For me it was a priest who opened up our grammar school classroom door – OLPH Brooklyn, NY – and gave us a talk about his work in Brazil. He showed us pictures of priests wearing pith helmets on horseback. He talked about his work with great excitement and asked, “Is there anyone in this classroom who would be interested in being a Redemptorist Missionary in Brazil?” I raised my hand.

I never got to Brazil – but we had horses in our major seminary and I got to shovel horse manure morning and evening – one week every month – for six years. It was great training for speaking in public.

MADELINE ALBRIGHT

In a commencement address a few years back – some May day – on some university campus, Madeline Albright said to the graduating class, “Remember: it’s not who you know. It’s whom you know.”

I read her address – but that’s the only thing I remembered – probably because there are a few grammatical things I never get straight. Who or whom? Affect or effect?

Door question: whom do you know who has opened up doors for you in this life?

My nephew Gerard was out of work for about a year. He sent out over 100 resumes. Nothing worked. He goes to a party – meets a guy he used to work with on Wall Street in New York who asks, “Gerard, where are you working now?” “Oh, I’m out of work!” “Oh, okay, here’s my card. Drop in and see me Monday morning.” He’s been working there ever since.

DOORS: OPEN OR CLOSED?

If you had one of those 8 ½ by 11 inch laminated signs – that hang on doors – with a chain or a string on it – one side saying, “Open” and the other side saying, “Closed” – which side would better describe you: open or closed? Which side do you show to your family?

THE DOOR CALLED “FAITH”

You’re here this morning. You walked through these doors?

In the first reading Paul and Barnabas reported to the Christian community at Antioch all the doors God had opened up for them – especially the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Who opened up the doors of faith for you?

Yesterday we had in our parish two weddings, a baptism, a funeral, and two large first communion Masses.

People walked through our doorways – maybe for the first time in years – maybe for the first time in a week. What were they thinking when they sat there at these key life moments?

Today’s gospel – and many of the gospels for Sundays after Easter take place in the Upper Room. It was the place Jesus met for his Last Supper with his disciples. It was the place whose doors were locked shut after Jesus was killed – and Jesus appeared in the midst of his disciples and he said to them, "Peace".

In the scriptures we discover that doors go two ways. We enter into rooms where God is and sometimes God– Father, Son and Holy Spirit - enter into our rooms. Sometimes we knock on Jesus’ door; sometimes Jesus knocks on our door.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says we have inside of us an inner room. I always found that image fascinating. An inner room – somewhere inside of this mystery called “me”. What does that room look like? Empty? Clean? Cobwebs? Well used? Locked? [Cf. Matthew 6:6]

C.S. Lewis in his writings – talks about the secret door – in the back of the wardrobe – that if opened, leads to mysterious places.

Lewis Carroll in his story of Alice in Wonderland talks about the mysterious hole Alice falls into and leads her to mysterious places deep down inside her life.

Today’s second reading has God coming down to us – and creating a new heavens and a new earth . God comes down and recreates the earthly city into the New Jerusalem – the new earth. He wipes away every tear. There will be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain – for the old order has passed away. Isn't that close to a line in a Bob Dylan song? And the one on the throne says, “Behold I make all things new.” [Check my Quote of the Day for tomorrow, May 3, 2010]

Am I open or close to new life – to a marriage with God - to an amazing relationship with God?

Imaging going through life and never opening up the door of our soul? The door to our inner room?

Imagine never going into that mysterious, wonderful room, where we can sit with Jesus and talk about life to – where he feeds us – where he washes our feet?

Knock on that door!

CONCLUSION

Let me close with a short mysterious poem by Emily Dickinson. It’s called, # 49 – and was written around 1858.

“I never lost as much but twice,
And that was in the sod.
Twice have I stood a beggar
Before the door of God.”

Angels – twice descending
Reimbursed my store –
Burglar! Banker! – Father!
I am poor once more.”

When I read this, I can picture myself standing before the door of God. What do I need? What am I begging God for today?

MAYBE  I'M  WRONG

Quote for the Day

THE SAD TALE OF MR. MEARS

There was a man who had a clock,
His name was Matthew Mears;
And every day he wound that clock
For eight and twenty years.

And then one day he found that clock
An eight-day clock to be;
And a madder man than Matthew Mears
You would not wish to see.



Anonymous

Picture: A longcase clock with a pine case, c. 1790, by Thomas Ross of Hull. The two keyholes on either side of the dial show this to be an eight-day clock.

LONG  RUN  ROMANCE

Quote for the Day - May 1, 2010


“Will you love me in December as you do in May?”




Song by James J. Walker, [1881-1946], Beau James, [Mayor of New York 1926-1932]. It was set to music in 1905 by Ernest R. Ball [1878-1927]. Perhaps the thought came from words by John Alexander Joyce [1842-1915] who wrote, “I shall love you in December / With the love I gave in May.” Question and Answer, stanza 8. (The picture of Jimmy Walker is from 1926 - when he was mayor of New York City.

APRIL 

Quote for the Day


"April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain."



T. S. Eliot [1888-1965], The Waste Land [1922]. I, The Burial of the Dead
Today is the last day of April. Is April the cruelest month for you?

A GOOD TEACHER

Quote for the Day -- April 29, 2010

"A good teacher is one who helps you become who you feel yourself to be. A good teacher is also one who says something you won't understand until 10 years later."

Julius Lester, "College Teachers," Quest, September, 1981

DON'T TELL US 
WHAT YOU HAVE BEGUN!
SHOW US WHAT YOU
FINISHED!

Quote for the Day


"The great majority of men are bundles of beginnings."




Ralph Waldo Emerson [1803-1882]
And women too!

A  GOOD  GUY

Quote of the Day  April 27,  2010

A TOWN'S TRIBUTE TO ITS FRIEND

The other day in Emporia [Kansas], the longest funeral procession that has formed in ten years followed the Rev. John Jones three long miles in the hot July sun out to Dry Creek Cemetery. Now, a funeral procession may mean little or much. When a rich and powerful man dies, the people play politics and attend his funeral for various reasons. But here was the body of a meek, gentle little old man - a man "without purse of scrip." It won't take twenty minutes to settle his estate in probate court. He was a preacher of the gospel - but preachers have been buried before this in Emporia without much show of sorrow.

The reason so many people lined up behind the hearse that held the kind old man's mortality was simple: they loved him. He devoted his life to helping people. In a very simple way, without money or worldly power, he gave of the gentleness of his heart to all around him .... When others gave money - which was of their store - he gave prayers and hard work and an inspiring courage. He helped. In his sphere he was a power. And so when he lay down to sleep hundreds of friends trudged out to bid him good-by with moist and with cramped throats to wish him sweet slumber."

William Allen White [1868-1944] - American newspaper editor and politician.

RANDOM  ACTS 
OF KINDNESS 

Quote of the Day April 26, 2010


"Do good by stealth and blush to find it fame."


Alexander Pope [1688-1744]

OH, OKAY
NOW I KNOW

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Teen Mass for this 4th Sunday after Easter – C – is, “Oh, Okay, Now I Know.”

PHONE CALLS

How many times have we had the following experience?

We get a phone call and we recognize the voice, but we don’t know who it is, who is calling? We’re trying to figure it out – but the answer is not coming. It can be frustrating.

The person calling didn’t introduce himself or herself at the beginning of the call. They take it for granted we recognize their voice and who they are.

They know who we are, because they are the one who is calling.

Finally we have to ask, “Wait a minute, I have to ask a very important question, who is this?” Or, “I embarrassed to ask, but just who is this calling?”

Then the person – surprised – says, “Oh, this is Sue or Tim or Jack or Jill.”

And we go, “Oh, Okay, now I know….”

And then it becomes a different conversation.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

How many times have we had the following experience?

We’re walking in Borders or Best Buy or in some store or somewhere and we hear music. We hear a beat – a rhythm – some background music – and we say to ourselves, “I know that beat. I know that tune? What is it?” But we can’t come up with a name. And we keep trying – keep listening trying to “Name that tune!”

Last Friday evening I was visiting this home and three people played some music: piano, guitar, then piano again. When the host started to play some piano pieces and I knew none of the pieces – and the same thing happened with the two earlier players. The host played some classical music pieces. But then he played a piece that I recognized. It was the music from The Sting – a movie I loved. It was a Scott Joplin piece and because he loves Tango pieces – he transformed or whatever the verb is – the Scott Joplin piece by adding some Tango rhythms into it. Interesting.

I said to myself, “Oh, okay, now I know!”

PREMISE OR POINT

Here’s a premise. Just like the phone call, just like musical pieces, the more time we spend with a person, the more we remember their voice and their rhythms – their beat – what they are off on – what they are about.

More time – more know.

Common sense – common experience.

FIRST READING

Now a jump to today’s readings. This is a homily – a reflection on the readings at a particular Mass.

In this first reading Paul and Barnabas are preaching to a group of Jewish people. They are telling them that Jesus is background and background music for Jewish scriptures. They are playing that tune. They are trying to point out how Jewish Jesus is and how he fits into Jewish songs and psalms, prophecies and hopes.

The crowd rejects Paul and Barnabas.

If we knew Hebrew and Aramaic – if we knew the sounds and words of these languages – and then we heard the Gospels in Aramaic we would hear similar patterns, rhythms and sounds. Jesus grew up with the Jewish scriptures. We hear that when we hear him quoting Isaiah – the Psalms – and various other pieces of Jewish Scripture. The words of the Jewish scriptures had become flesh in him.

The folks here in the first reading reject Paul and Barnabas. They reject what Paul and Barnabas say is the word of the Lord. They reject the connecting of Jesus to their story.

So Paul and Barnabas bring their song to the Gentiles.

SECOND READING

In today’s second reading from the Book of Revelation, we have the powerful image of the Lamb. It’s a powerful image of Israel. We find it all through the Jewish scriptures. And John in this second reading is saying that Jesus is the Lamb who was sacrificed – slaughtered – just like Israel had been slaughtered – and sacrificed so often.

GOSPEL

And in the gospel, Jesus says that the sheep that are his – know his voice.

I remember hearing a talk once during which the speaker told about a Jesuit priest – who taught scriptures at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, that one summer he went to work on a ranch – a sheep ranch in Wyoming – I think it was Wyoming. The experience gave him new, fresh, understandings of what sheep and shepherds were like.

When a new born sheep is born and dropped in a field – they are very helpless. They need the shepherd. The only voice they know is the “Baa” of their mothers. Well, the shepherd goes through the fields finding the new sleep – makes sure they are all right – and they get to know the voice of the shepherd – so that when he calls – they will come running. Those of you who have a dog – know that dogs knows the sound of your voice. They come running when you call – for a treat – for a trip outside, etc. etc. etc.

CONCLUSIONS

So we come here to church to get to know the sound of Jesus – the voice of Jesus – the vision of Jesus – the music of Jesus – so that we can go out into our world be the love, music, hope, the voice of Jesus to our world.

That’s my homily. I hope you said somewhere in my homily, “Oh, Okay, I know what he’s talking about.”

VOICES AND VISIONS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 4th Sunday of Easter - C - is, “Voices and Visions.”

If you hang around religion long enough, you’ll run into people who are off on “Voices and Visions.”

It’s tricky to preach on this – because some of you sitting here might be off on voices and visions. Relax I’ve been to Lourdes and I’ve been to Chartres in France – the most famous shrine of Mary in the Western World – up until Lourdes and Fatima.

Whatever…. yesterday this is what hit me – to say a few words about voices and visions – something I’ve been thinking about for a long while now.

Just the other day I saw a lady outside of church holding a little baby and I said to this other lady who was also standing there, “Isn’t that a beautiful baby?” And this other lady says looking right at the mother and the little baby girl, “Yeah, but you know what Nostradamus says about the world ending in 2012.”

At that I was hoping the little baby girl would give her a Bronx cheer, “Pfatt!”

If you hang around religion long enough, you’ll run into people who are off on “Voices and Visions” – “Predictions and Prophecies.”

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s 3 readings triggered for me this question about voices and visions.

Today’s second reading from The Book of Revelation begins this way, “I, John, had a vision….”

Today’s gospel has Jesus saying, “My sheep hear my voice.”

If you come here to church, you’ll hear 3 readings every Sabbath and 2 readings on weekday Masses. The reader says at the end of the first and second reading, “The word of the Lord” and we all answer, “Thanks be to God.” The deacon or priest reads the Gospel and concludes by saying, “The Gospel of the Lord” and everyone answers, “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.”

By making those two responses, we are saying something very profound. In today’s first reading a whole group of people rejected Paul and Barnabas when they said they were speaking the word of God.

And there are billions of people around this world – who don’t hold what we hold – that the Bible is in a profound way – the Word of God.

PRIVATE REVELATIONS

If you hang around the Catholic Church long enough, you’ll run into people who are off on religious revelations: visions and voices.

And voices and visions sometimes fill churches and collection baskets. That’s a dig – but I’ve seen that taking place here and there.

Down through the centuries there have been many, many, many predictions about the end of the world – giving dates.

I always think that’s stupid – because dates come and go. Of course it has impact, if you give an exact date – and it’s coming soon.

Here we are in 2010. We made it past 2000 and 2001.

I loved the comment that someone made to someone in California who was worried about the world ending at midnight on January 1, 2000. “Relax it was midnight hours and hours ago in Australia and we’re still here.”

Volcanoes, hurricanes, violence and war – expect more.

Predictions of the end of the world – expect more – but it’s my take to say, “Don’t believe them – unless someone says that the sun is going to run out of fuel 5 to 8 billion years from now – or whatever scientists figure out.” We know that by just watching a fire in our fire place fade or the battery in a cell phone running out – till we recharge it. So when the sun runs out of fuel, this world will end – but folks might be on a dozen other planets. There’s a lot of future ahead of us.

I spent 8 and ½ years before I was stationed in Annapolis, preaching all over the country – and let me tell you – it’s my experience that people are fascinated by religious revelations. I also spent 14 years of my life working in two different retreat houses – and people would ask from time to time about books that claimed to be voices and visions from God or the Blessed Mother.

To be transparent, to be P.C. correct, I have to announce that I’m a skeptic when it comes to private revelations.

To be priest, I’ll say that the Church is very, very hesitant to approve private revelations. The Church also has announced non-approval of revelations that people claim – voices from Mary and Jesus – and who have you.

So if someone pushes some of this stuff on you, do what I was hoping that little baby would do to the Nostradamus lady, “Pfatt!” Or just say, “Interesting – and ooops I’m late for an appointment.”

If you want to know more about this stuff – and if you’re a Google Doodler on your computer – just type in, “Private Revelations” or “End of the World Predictions.” And if you’re retired, you won’t run out of stuff on private revelations.

Just know that the basic position of the Catholic Church is that you don’t have to accept private revelations. That statement is well documented – and has been publicized many times.

THE SCRIPTURES

Next pinch yourself – for being a Catholic. When it comes to the Bible we have wonderful teachings. And the Bible is filled with voices and visions.

It took us a long time and a lot of struggle to get to where we are today when it comes to how we understand the Bible – and there will be more growth in years to come.

The best thing I like is that we are not fundamentalists.

Today’s second reading from The Book of Revelation has been a great source for many interpretations and conjectures. If you want to know more about The Book of Revelation – take courses – and do your homework.

Now we made mistakes. When scholars at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century said that The Pentateuch, the first 5 books of the Bible, were not written by one person, Moses, the Catholic Church criticized such scholars – even when some of them were heavy duty specialists like Pere Marie Joseph Lagrange – a Dominican priest who taught and wrote from the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem. The scholars said there are various authors and voices in Genesis and the next four books. It’s like a scholar saying, “If I picked up a play by Shakespeare and another play by Arthur Miller, or a story by Hemingway and a story by Dickens, I can tell these are different writers.”

So someone like Pere Lagrange – after a lot of study and research – said such things about The Book of Genesis and from 1902 till 1938, he was labeled “suspicious”. In 1912 he was exiled.

By now many Catholics have heard about the 4 schools of writers in The Book of Genesis. It’s a theory – but to many it makes some sense – and we understand the Adam and Eve stories, etc. a lot better.

Years ago we priests hesitated to say something like this from the pulpit – because folks who had different assumptions about the Bible would make an inner, “Uh oh!” But Catholics for the past 50 or so years have read and attended Bible classes and talks and heard preachers from time to time go from these different premises. And folks instead of saying, “Uh oh!” would say, “Oh okay, that makes sense.”

And it helped very much when Pope Pius XII in 1943 came out with his liberating encyclical on the Bible, Divino Afflante Spiritu. Pere Lagrange didn’t live long enough to see this.

And then we have development in The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation [Dei Verbum] by the Second Vatican Council on November 18, 1965.

When I see people pushing or reading private revelations – especially in prayer groups, I say to myself, “I wish they would read the Bible and the Documents of Vatican II instead.” I wish they would use the many excellent commentaries on the Bible, like “The New Jerome Biblical Commentary”. I would add, there are very few – if any - scholarly commentaries on private revelations.

HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD

In Thomas Szasz’ book, The Second Sin, [1973] which I found fascinating and challenging, the several times I’ve read it, he says, “If you talk to God, you are praying; if God talks to you, you have schizophrenia. If the dead talk to you, you are a spiritualist; if God talks to you, you are a schizophrenic.”

Today’s gospel begins, “Jesus said, ‘My sheep hear my voice ….”

Have you ever heard Jesus speak to you? Have you ever had a God experience?

Andrew Greeley – in his work as a sociologist – said that many people have had God or Jesus experiences. I’ve had a few – but I don’t make them Gospel.

I’ve found out many people have had so called “private revelations”. A few times I thought they were crazy – I didn’t use the word, “schizophrenic” – but many times I have been moved by people telling me stories and experiences they have had of God’s presence and love and voice of reassurance after a loved one died or on a vacation in the mountains or at the ocean or while sitting in the Eucharistic Chapel – or sometime in the middle of a late night moment when they looked out the window at a star filled sky.

CONCLUSION

In fact, I hold – and I hold this very strongly – that if we pray – and sit or kneel in the presence of God on a regular basis – even though one has many distractions and doubts in prayer, at times in doing this, we’ll have so called “God’s presence feelings and moments.”

Having taught spirituality for 9 years, I add that saints who write about this sometimes say, “God is more present in the dark nights of the soul than in the bright morning light of spiritual delights.”

Then I add, if we pray on a regular basis, we will see and hear God’s voice on a regular basis. We’ll hear God’s voice and see God’s presence in a baby’s looking at us in church or an old person’s smile at a 90th birthday party or and old person with a great smile sitting there at the edge of a dance floor at a wedding watching everything – or a wave from a little kid to us when there is a car next to us at a red light – or when we see the beautiful green of a piece of steamed broccoli or a bird on a branch outside our kitchen window – over and over again. We’ll hear God saying, “I’m here. Hi! I’m with you all days – even to the end of the word and we say, “Thanks be to God.”

GARDENS 

Quote of the Day:  April 25,  2010

"God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed it is the purest of human pleasures. It is the greatest refreshment to the spirits of man .... I do hold ... there ought to be gardens for all the months in the year; in which ... things of beauty may be seen in their season."

Francis Bacon [1561-1626], Of Gardens

A  TEACHER  CALLED, 
"UH  OH!"

Quote of the Day:  April  24,  2010


"A good scare is worth more ... than good advice."


Edgar Watson Howe [1853-1937] - Country Town Sayings, 1922

MY   SPACE 

Quote of the Day:  April 23, 2010


"We talk about a space race. There is a space race down here on the ground. In this race every human being is a superpower and the competition no longer stands a chance. Other species are bound to this or that patch of turf, and this planet. We feel bound to no patch of turf on Earth, bound only for the stars. We sacrifice a marsh, a bay, a park, a lake. We sacrifice a sparrow. We trade one countdown for another."



Jonathan Wiener, The Next One Hundred Years, 1990

EARTH DAY :

OPTIMIST OR PESSIMIST?

Is it worth it to promote, "Earth Day",
to remind us that every day,
we need to keep this our living room
clean and healthy? I wondered about that
as I walked down the street
this afternoon: “Today did anyone

hesitate to toss an empty
coffee cup in the street

because it was "Earth Day"?
Did anyone pick up a crushed
aluminum can against a curb –
or an empty plastic bottle?
I did – but there was too much stuff
tossed just anywhere – on street
and sidewalk. Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!

But then I spotted sparkling diamonds
of clear water on green shoots.
This made all the earth glisten

translucent green for a moment.

I rather be an optimist. I would

rather believe that words like, "Earth Day"

have an impact - like the words,

"Do I see the glass half full

or half empty?" have always

had an impact on people.

After all, "The earth is full

of the goodness of the Lord." [1]

After all, God looked at what God

created and said, "It is good." [2]

© Andy Costello, Reflection 2010

[1] Psalm 33

[2] Genesis 1

EARTH  DAY 

Earth Day Quote:  April 22, 2010

"If the earth does grow inhospitable toward human presence, it is primarily because we have lost our sense of courtesy toward the earth and its inhabitants, our sense of gratitude, our willingness to recognize the sacred character of habitat, our capacity for the awesome, for the numinous quality of every earthly reality."

Thomas Berry, C.P. [1914-2009], The Dream of the Earth, 1988

SURPRISE  ME!

Quote of the Day:  April 21,  2010


"I am not what happened to me; I am what I chose to become."


Carl Jung [1875-1961]

PROBLEM  SOLUTION 

Quote of the Day:  April  20,  2010


"There is always an easy solution to every human problem - neat, plausible and wrong."


H.L. Mencken [1880-1956]

HONESTY  IN  COMMUNICATION

Quote of the Day:  April 19, 2010

"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."

General George S. Patton [1885-1945]

ENDINGS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Endings.”

This homily for this Third Sunday after Easter is more educational and informational – than inspirational.

Since today’s gospel is the ending chapter of The Gospel of John – the theme of endings hit me.

We all know the rule: “You don’t tell others how the movie ends!”

However, we know how the Jesus story ends. Jesus dies.

But we also know the surprise: Jesus rises from the dead – and the ending never ends. That’s what we are celebrating each Easter season. We are the continuation of the story of Jesus – we are part of the ongoing story of the Risen Christ in our world.

GOSPELS
It’s interesting how the 4 gospels begin. It’s also interesting how the 4 gospels end. When we are reading the gospels, we are looking at documents that have 4 schools of thought – from 4 personalities – from 4 early communities of Christians – all trying to educate and immerse each other in the Jesus story and its implications for our lives.

Those who read scripture and pay attention to the readings, know there are differences – like the major difference between the Gospel of John and the other three gospels, Mathew, Mark and Luke. Those three together are called the Synoptic Gospels – from the Greek words: “syn” the Greek prefix for “with” – and “opticos” the Greek word for “appearance” – what we see with our eyes – that we can read Mathew, Mark and Luke with the same eye – because they borrowed from each other – and developed from each other, so they look somewhat like each other. The Gospel of John is different. It’s very unique.

Last Sunday’s gospel from John ended with these words, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.” [John 20: 30-31]

Various scholars think that was the end of The Gospel of John at one time – but then Chapter 21 was added on – to try to get a few more points in.

It’s like you’re sitting here in church – wondering when the priest is going to end his sermon. He says the words, “in conclusion” or “finally” and you say to yourself, “Aha, good, he’s about to end.” But surprise, he launches into something else – and you say, “No!”

When we were taught preaching, we were told, “Be very careful of saying, ‘finally’ unless you mean, you’re finally going to end.”

CHAPTER 21: THE SECOND ENDING CHAPTER OF JOHN

Today’s gospel reading as you noticed was long. It gives us the whole last chapter of John – all except for the ending two verses. So here are those two verses. Listen and notice if they sound familiar – as in a comparison to the ending of Chapter 20 – which I read to you a few moments ago. “This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true. There were many other things that Jesus did; if all were written down, the world itself, I suppose, would not hold all the books that would have to be written.” [John 21: 24-25]

Okay. Did anything in today’s gospel reading – grab you – for something to chew upon this week – the hope of every homily?

Here are 7 possible leads – 7 possible things to chew upon::

We were also taught in preaching classes and training – never to do this – because people start saying to themselves, “Oh my God, he’s got 4 more to go.” Two or three points are enough.

I gave the commencement address for our high school seniors in 2007 and gave 7 points – and Father Jack Kingsbury ever since has been busting me with the comment, “Good thing you didn’t do this in 1999 or 2014.”

Having said that, here are 7 quick possible leads to chew on for this week. Notice the adjective, “quick”.

1) What are you fishing for? Is fishing a metaphor for life? What am I after, desiring, wanting, hungering for in life? What am I trying to catch? Underwater is a great image of the unknown – the unseen. What have I caught so far? What am I still fishing for? What am I hoping to catch?

2) Without Jesus we catch nothing; following Jesus’ directions for life, we can catch a lot. Here in John, it’s the same scene as in the first call of the disciples – the story especially of Peter from The Gospel of Luke 5:4-10. Peter and his friends had fished all night and caught nothing. When Jesus tells them where to throw their nets, they catch nets full of fish. In Luke they get two boats filled with fish. Here in John they get 153 fish. Notice the adjective “large” – as in “large fish”. There are several theories on what the 153 stands for. This is a great move by John. It gives preachers and speculators for the past 2000 years or so to guess and give answers what the 153 symbolizes. Whatever. However the main message is: if the Christian goes it alone – expect empty nets; if the Christian – as well as the Church goes it with Christ – expect full nets.

3) Jesus likes to eat with people. We find this all through the gospels. It’s not good to be alone. It’s not good to eat alone. Company is good. Community is good. Church is good. Family is good. Friendships are good. Notice in this scene the two foods are bread and fish. When John mentions bread, it is an obvious signal. Bread is important to Jesus – who is described as the bread of life. John devotes a whole chapter to bread: Chapter 6. Also notice the word “fish”. A fish is the early Christian symbol of Christ. We’ve all seen that image on the back of cars. It means the driver of this car is Christian: he or she doesn’t beep, give wild hand gestures and he or she always gives others the right of way. “IXTHUS” is the Greek word for “fish”. Each letter of “IXTHUS” spells out a description of Jesus. “I” stands for “Jesus”. There is no “J” in Greek; “X” stands for “Christos” – the anointed one; “Th” – “theta”, one letter in Greek, stands for “Theos” the word for God in Greek; “U” standing for “uios” – “the son”, and “S” – stands for “soter” Savior in Greek. Good stuff here.

4) Reconciliation between Jesus and Peter. We know from the gospels that Peter denied Jesus 3 times – so we have the famous – “Do you love me” dialogue – when Jesus asks Peter 3 times, “Do you love me?” Was this a very early sermon someone came up with that John had to include it in his gospel? We don’t know – but preachers have loved it ever since. It’s so real. We know from our experiences with relationships – if we have betrayed or denied another – it’s no easy task for healing and recovery. It takes time and repeated returnings to the hurt – for a recovery. Anyone who cheated on a girl or boy friend or spouse knows this very well. We can’t get off the hook too easily.

5) How we are going to die. Today’s gospel has this great scene about endings right near the end of the chapter. Jesus says the obvious: when we are young, we put on our own belt and walk wherever we want to walk – but when we’re old – someone else is going to take over. Talk about nursing home experiences. I have heard people say several times, “I don’t like going to nursing homes – because it triggers all my fears and angst about my old age.” Any of us who have more and more senior moments – and more and more senior trips to the bathroom at night – have more and more wonderings about the burden of our last days. We don’t know the when and the how.

6) Follow me! John says right at the end of his gospel – what Jesus said at the beginning of the gospels, “Follow me!” Put one foot in front of the other – and follow Jesus. Or put both those feet on the stainless steel plates for one’s feet on the wheel chair and enjoy the ride – around the nursing home waving and greeting everyone – and if they wheel you outside, enjoy the flowers, the sky, the sight and sound of birds, and breathe in the fresh air. Amen.

7) Endings: We are going to die. We have an ending. Let’s hope someone gives us a great eulogy – that we caught some good stuff in our life – that we experienced love and forgiveness, and that we broke bread with others and with Jesus – often! And we died with belief in the Risen Christ. Amen.

NUTS! 
THERE ARE KNOTS!

Quote of the Day: April 18, 2010

"As a knot appears unexpectedly in a thread, so disappointment blocks the smoothness of life. If a few deft strokes can untangle the skein, life continues evenly. But if it cannot be corrected, then it must be quietly woven into the design. Thus, the finished piece can still be beautiful - even though not as perfect as planned."

Anonymous

"ARTIST, ARTIST!"

Quote of the Day:  April 17, 2010

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."

Pablo Picasso [1881-1973], Recalled on his death April 8, 1973

EVERY FAMILY

Quote for the Day: April 16, 2010


"No family can hang out the sign, 'There is nothing the matter here.'"







Chinese proverb

NO LIES,
NO HIDING 

Quote of the Day:  April 15, 2010


“Tell the truth and run.”


Mediterranean Basin Proverb

EXPERIENCE

Quote of the Day: April 14, 2010


"Judgment comes from experience and great judgment comes from bad experience."




Bob Packwood, [1932- ] U.S. Senator from Oregon, New York Times, May 30, 1986

PHOTOGRAPHS

Isn't this a great picture? Someone dropped it off in our rectory [St. Mary's Annapolis, Maryland] - along with two other pictures.

I took it out of its frame, so that I could scan it.

Surprise I found the following handwritten comment on the back of the photo: "Convention in Ashville, North Carolina, Week of July 4, 1927. Mrs. McWilliams and myself attended."

By the banner one can see it was a Catholic Daughters of America Convention.

What was that like in North Carolina in 1927? I don't know who the "myself" is. It's signed what looks like T.A. D. I'm not sure, but I'll do some further investigation. Mrs. McWilliams was a long time parishioner here at St. Mary's Parish, Annapolis, Maryland.

Take your mouse and tap, tap the picture and you'll get a bigger version of it.

Save those old photos!

INTELLIGENCE
AND IGNORANCE

Quote of the Day:  April 13, 2010


"Everyone is ignorant, only on different subjects."


Will Rogers, The Illiterate Digest, 1924

COMMUNICATION

Quote of the Day:  April 12, 2010


"What we've got here is a failure to communicate."


Frank Pierson [1925- ] who worked on the dialogue for the movie, Cool Hand Luke [1967] with Donn Pearce [1928- ] Poster on top for the movie, Cool Hand Luke.