THE CROSS
IS VERY SIMPLE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 22 Monday in Ordinary Time is, “The Cross is Very Simple.”

We get it. We get the cross. It’s life.

And the cross cuts across our life every day.

That’s one reason why we have a cross in every church – in this church – big time big.

TODAY’S READINGS

In today’s first reading from First Corinthians 2: 1-5, we have one of Paul’s recurring themes and most basic messages: “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”

We’re told to dress for success. We’re told to stress our strengths in our resumes. Paul talks about his negatives: his weaknesses and his trembling – as well as Jesus’ weaknesses.

Paradoxically, weakness is the power of God.

God is totally weak in the face of free will. Lucifer walked out. Adam and Eve chose the forbidden fruit – and lost the idyllic life of the garden. Cain killed Abel. And the story repeats itself.

Yet if we freely choose God – then life has its greatest meaning and it’s greatest love – and as we walk down its roads, there stand the crosses.

Love isn’t love if the other isn’t free. That’s what makes it so wonderful as well as so painful. The other can say “no” with words or body language by heading for the door or looking at his or her watch and saying, “I gotta go” – or break our heart.

In today’s gospel from Luke 4: 16-30 all is fine. Jesus gives his inaugural address and in the next 3 minutes they want to kill him – by hurling him off the top of a hill.

THE CROSS

We’ve all experienced the cross.

It’s not a cross word puzzle. We get it.

I choose to do this – to go this way – and the other chooses to go that way. We find ourselves at cross purposes.

It’s as simple as that.

We are in Giant’s or Graul’s supermarket and someone cuts right in front of us to get ahead of us on the line and we groan inwardly. And then the person has 3 items that need to be price checked – and then they have problems with their check – and we let out in inward Giant Growl.

It happens in traffic, in church – someone is in our bench – or in our families.

It’s my way or the highway. It’s your way and I think it’s the wrong way.

It happens in every home – in every church – in every organization. It’s always something. It’s the cross.

CONCLUSION

It kills us every time – but every time that we get it – we have an opportunity to grow.

How many people have learned the great prayers of Jesus on the cross: “Why God why?” and then “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.” and then, “Into your hands I hand over my spirit.”

MORTON'S  LAW

Quote for the Day - August 30,  2010


"You heard of Murphy's Law. I follow Morton's Law - taking everything with a grain of salt."


Someone. Good advice, because as Morton's advertising slogan puts it: "When it rains, it pours."

SOMETIMES YOU NEVER KNOW
WHOM YOU’RE SITTING NEXT TO!

INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Sometimes You Never Know Whom You’re Sitting Next To!”

In church, on a plane, in a bus, in a waiting room ….

I’m not sure about this, but I’m figuring it’s about 10 times a year that Jesus comes down and just sits there somewhere and watches what’s going on.

He loves doing it – but sometimes it doesn’t work out – but most of the time, 99 out of 100 times, he’s not really noticed.

Sometimes he sits there in one of those benches in the Mall. Sometimes he takes a seat at the airport – picks up a loose newspaper sitting there on an empty chair – and reads a bit – but most of the time the newspaper is just a cover – one of his many disguises and props – so that he can just sit somewhere and listen – just to see what’s happening – in the here and now – in the ins and outs of life on planet earth.

Oh – and sometimes he slips into churches, synagogues, mosques or what have you. Sometimes he’s homeless – a bum – sitting on a sidewalk till the police or a store keeper tells him to move on. 99 out of 100 times he’s anonymous – but sometimes people wonder. Sometimes you never know whom you’re sitting next to!

JUST LAST WEEK

Just last week he was sitting in downtown Annapolis. He loved it when he saw a grandfather – better when he saw a grandfather’s face – as he was spending a few hours with his granddaughter – who ran and hugged him every time she saw a dog going by. Grandpa thought, “We have to get you a nice dog – so you won’t be so scared of wow wows.”

This old guy knew lots of people at the bottom of Main Street. Everyone stopped and talked to him. He loved it because it was a chance to introduce to them his granddaughter Rose – Rose Emily – named after both her grandmothers.

Jesus was background – heavy duty background – nobody noticed him listening and watching – loving it when the old guy took his little Rose Emily for ice cream – giving him a chance – of course – to get some for himself. His daughter whom he lived with after the love of his life, his wife Emily, died – was a tough cookie. She did not allow him cookies, ice cream, donuts, anything with sugar in it – for the past 10 years – since he got diabetes. He knew her strict regimen kept him healthy – but he smiled as he got his one scoop of ice cream in a sugar cone – butter almond ice cream – his favorite – saying to himself, “Good thing my doctor said that I’m allowed to cheat every once and a while.”

After the ice cream – after wiping Rose Emily’s face of sticky ice cream – Jesus watched him take Rose over and up to the playground near the bottom of Newman Street and put her on the swings – and he pushed and pushed her – and she loved her grandpa as she swung between heaven and earth.

He relaxed as well – thinking all the time, “It’s the grandkids who make it all worth while – then they too – like our kids – after they started growing up – will start to disappear. It’s tough getting old – with no one really interested in hearing my war stories – but it’s been a good life – a good life so far.” And then he whispered a prayer to the wind, “Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.” Wow would he have been surprised if he heard Jesus standing there off to the side answering, “Thank you, Joe. Thank you.”

He looked at his watch – and headed up Newman Street to St. Mary’s and the two of them walked into the dark afternoon St. Mary’s Church and Rose Emily sat there in the 15th bench on the left side aisle with her grandpa. He told her once, “This is where grandma and I always sat.” And as he sat there she saw him wipe away some tears – and instinctively – she would take his hand. Sometimes, you never know whom you’re sitting next to.

And then the two headed for the St. Mary’s Parking Lot and then the drive home. Jesus saw all this and said, “Good. Life is good.”

JUST LAST YEAR

Just last year Jesus decided to take a flight from Toronto to Miami. He had never done that before. Where he got a Passport and a Driver’s License and a Credit Card, I don’t know the answer to those questions.

Anyway it was a new and wonderful experience for him. He was given a window seat and this big enormous overweight guy came in and sat next to him – 22 A and 22 B.

The big guy overflowed into 22 A - Jesus’ seat – and Jesus found that interesting. In his day in Israel and Nazareth, people were shorter and thinner.

For the first hour of the flight, the guy said nothing. Sometimes you never know whom you’re sitting next to. The big guy tried the radio, his laptop, a Sudoku book, and then offered Jesus the pretzels and peanuts snack he took but didn’t eat.

The peanuts and pretzels started up a conversation – beginning with the usual, “Where are you from?” Jesus said, “Paradise – a great place! – but I grew up in Israel.”

The big guy said he was from Toronto and was heading to Miami for some business – and then he’d be heading home.

Small talk led to be bigger talk – but slowly. Some people make better confessions on planes to total strangers than in church – and say things they never tell their spouse or clergy.

Jim – his name was Jim – told Jesus – without knowing who Jesus was - that his marriage and family were splitting at the seams – and it was his fault. He wasn’t cheating on his wife – his college sweetheart, but it was neglect – overeating, overworking, over forgetting her and the kids “It’s all my fault. All my fault.” He leaned on those words and became quiet.

There was something about Jesus that got people talking – about the deepest things. He even got into religion. “This got me back to church. I’m a Catholic.” He added, “I assume you’re Jewish, right?” Then he continued without waiting for Jesus’ answer, “I had fallen away from my religion and I guess my marriage after 7 years. I read an article recently that it’s those 7’s that are dangerous in marriage: 7, 14, 21 and 28. We’re about to hit 14.”

Jesus just listened. The man noticed there was no wedding ring on Jesus’ hand. Jesus noticed that Jim was twisting his wedding ring around and around and even took it off once during the first two hours of their flight.

Jim then continued, “I’ve been thinking during all these business trips – maybe I got to get another job – maybe I – we – should get some marriage counseling. My wife has been suggesting it for years now. But jobs are tough to get – I have to stick with this one – with our three kids and all our bills.

“I don’t know. I just don’t know at times.”

And Jim went on and on – about his life – growing up with an alcoholic dad – and his mom and dad divorced – and how he made some big mistakes before he married and how his wife saved him – and how he had fallen into some unhealthy patterns – overeating and no exercise – and couch potatoing it at times – and neglecting their kids – and on and on and on.

Sometimes you never know whom you’re sitting next to.

CONCLUSION

As I began, I’m figuring it’s about 10 times a year that Jesus comes down and does this. He just sits there somewhere and watches what’s going on.

This is not too far fetched. After all Jesus sat at a well one noon and met a woman who came there for water – and she had no idea who this stranger sitting there was – and once they started talking - that day that stranger sitting there changed her life – and according to John she was the first evangelist – good news spreader – just like Mary. (1)

And there was that day he sat there in the vestibule of the temple – just sitting there watching all the folks go by. Then he abruptly said to his disciples, “Psst. See that poor widow who just went by? She snook two copper coins in the poor box – and she gave more than all these big shots who are putting their big loud coins in – with much show. Surprise. She put in more than all the rest." (2)
And then there was those meals Jesus went to. You heard about the one in today’s gospel story from Luke. It was on a Sabbath and he went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.
Everyone sat there observing him carefully. And Luke with great humor then adds, “Jesus was also observing – noticing how everyone wanted a front seat.” (3)
Then Jesus told a parable about someone who was invited to a wedding banquet – took a front seat and then someone with more prestige or clout came in and the host had to go to the guy up front and tell him he had to sit in the back, because someone more distinguished just arrived – and the guy in front had to go to the back – much to his embarrassment.

Then Jesus gave the real zinger: when you throw a lunch or a dinner, invite the poor and the crippled, the lame and the blind, and then surprise – we think they are those other people – downtown on Main Street or the back streets, but surprise! we discover and then laugh when we realize, we’re the poor and the crippled, the lame and the blind, and he has invited us to his dinner – to be here at his table today.

Surprise!

Sometimes you never know whom you’re you sitting next to!

(1) Cf. John 4: 5-42 and then John 2: 1-12

(2) Cf. Luke 21: 1-4; Mark 12: 41-44; John 8:20

(3) Cf. Luke 14: 1, 7-14; Matthew 23:5-12; Mark 12: 38-40

A GOOD SERMON 
IS ONE THAT I 
CAN APPLY TO 
MY NEIGHBOR

Quote for the Day - August 29. 2010


"The average man's idea of a good sermon is one that goes over his head - and hits one of his neighbors."


Journeyman Barber

MERCY  OF  GOD 

Quote for the Day - feast of St. Augustine - August 28, 2010

"The mercy of God (may be found) between the bridge and the stream."

St. Augustine [354-430], Confessions, said of a man falling into a river.

WONDER  AND  WORSHIP 

Quote of the Day - August 27, 2010


"Wonder is the basis of worship."

Thomas Carlyle [1795-1881] in Sartor Resartus [1883-1834], I, Chapter 10

RUMOR - GOSSIP

Quote for the Day August 26, 2010


"Trying to squash a rumor is like trying to unbong a bong."


Adaption from an anonymous quote: "Trying to squash a rumor is like trying to unring a bell."

OUTSIDE – INSIDE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 21 Wednesday in Ordinary Time is, “Outside-Inside”. “Extos” and “entos” in Greek – as found in today’s gospel. (1)
Somewhere along the line Jesus began reflecting upon the reality of outside-inside.

Outside is what you see; inside is what is hidden.

We go by the outside of a hundred homes each day. We know what’s inside our front door. There’s a message there for those who reflect upon that reality in their inner room.

Outside-inside – as basic as up and down, east and west, north and south, surface and underneath, on the table and under the table.

WHAT TRIGGERED THE THOUGHT FOR JESUS?

What triggered Jesus’ reflections on this theme?

Was it his work as a carpenter – that a house from the outside could look firm – has a good foundation – has strong beams – but once you check it out – get into its inners – one could find out whether it was built on rock or sand – and whether the beams were still solid – or had rotted because of termites or what have you. (2)

Or was it simply a chair that looked strong till Jesus sat on it?

Or was it people – the best dressed person – or the person with the big house or chariot – who was a mess as a person – once you got to know that person – and the poorest person – a widow with two coins – in the temple who might be the most beautiful person in the temple? (3)
Was it the person who practiced or the person who preached?

If I had to guess where Jesus learned this, I would think it was eyes. Jesus somewhere along the line discovered human eyes – the window to a person’s soul – one’s inner room – one’s reality. I think Jesus looked into a lot of people’s eyes. (4)

Did Jesus as a teenager – or young adult see the Pharisees and the Scribes and catch one of them eye to eye? Did some Pharisee or Scribe come into Joseph’s carpenter shop and Jesus looked at their stiff posture or nose in the air – or credentials on their sleeves? Did the scribe or the Pharisee then look down because somehow they knew this kid could see right through them? (5)

HOW ABOUT US?

When did we learn about outside-inside?

Was it a marriage that fell apart? Was it someone at work who we thought the world of – and surprise – they did something that crushed them – their family – as well as us? Was it a priest – who was all show – but we didn’t know it till he blew it – and looking back we say, “Oh my God, I caught glimpses of that!”

It looked like heaven – but hell burned below.

INSIDE

We come to Mass – to come inside not only ourselves – but also our God – and we do this together.

We come to Mass – to invite Jesus into our inner room – where dirty socks are tossed in the corner – and they are musty and messy. (6)

Ooops – Jesus image is much more pungent – and stinky.

Instead of dirty socks, Jesus says the Pharisees are like a cemetery – nice on the outside as we drive by the graves – green cut grass – some flowers – nice clean stone. But underneath – there is death, decay and dead person’s bones.

He must have seen people as walking cemeteries. Nice outside – but dead and stink within.

WRAPPING UP – YOU GOT TO GET TO WORK

And Jesus left the carpenter shop to walk into people’s lives – and began yelling out what he yelled out at Lazarus’ grave: “Lazarus come back to life!” (7)

Last night on ABC evening news the closing piece was on a question asked in the Miss Universe Contest. A contestant was asked, “Do you have any regrets?” Or, “What was the biggest mistake of your life?” And Miss Philippines said she had no big mistakes to report – and might have moved from 1st place to 5th place by admitting nothing.

Everyone has stuff only they know about. Everyone has secrets and sins – as well as good stuff – that only they know about.

Remember the only line from the Shadow radio program: “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows."

Who knows what good flourishes in the hearts of people: God knows.

Sure – behind closed doors – in our bottom drawer – in our attic or basement – in our inside – there are mistakes. That’s the stuff we don’t want others to know. That’s normal. We have a right to privacy – but we need to know ourselves. We need to know our inside stories.

So here we are in the presence of God and each other – and we invite Jesus inside to be in communion with us again this morning. Amen.



(1) Matthew 23:27-32


(2) Matthew 7: 24-27; Ezekiel 13: 11-16


(3) Mark 12:42-43; Luke 21:2-3


(4) Matthew 6:22-23; Mark 8: 15-24; John 9


(5) Matthew 23; Luke 2: 41-50


(6) Matthew 6: 5-6


(7) John 11: 1-44

YAK, YAK, YAK, 
ABOUT  RELIGION

Quote for the Day - August 25, 2010


"The person who argues most about religion usually has the least of it."



Anononymous


Try that one on for size.

HOW YOU PICTURE GOD
IS HOW YOU PICTURE YOURSELF

Quote for the Day - August 24, 2010

"Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man."

Thomas Paine [1737-1809]

GRACE AND PEACE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 21st Monday in Ordinary Time is, “Grace and Peace.”

Today’s first reading from 2nd Thessalonians begins with Paul, Silvanus and Timothy wishing the people in the Church of Thessalonica grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A thought for us for today: to wish everyone “grace and peace”.

When you are driving or walking or looking around – look at people and wish them inwardly, “Grace and Peace.”

Wish them grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

MEANING OF THE WORDS
Grace means a lot of things. It’s very wide ranging. It basically means gift or gifted. When we say someone is graceful, we picture them as smooth, talented, gifted, doing things with ease – without effort – like an ice skater gliding across the ice – like a baseball center fielder running and catching the ball – with ease – a piece of cake – knowing we’d trip and fall and never get to the ball.

We picture Mary as “full of grace” – pregnant with God – filled with such a wonderful personality - that God chose her to be the Mother of his Son, Jesus.

Grace – “charis” in Greek – from which we have the words “charism” or “charisma”.

In theology and spirituality – it means that a person is free – free from the stress of sin and the law. [Cf. Romans chapters 5 to 7.]

Paul who was a Pharisee was graced by God – to be knocked to the ground – hit bottom – be blinded – be in the dark – till God opened his eyes to what true life, true religion, true love is.

In today’s gospel we have a portrait of the scribes and Pharisees – practicing a religion of stress, law, picky, picky, iddy, biddy, obligation, obligation.

Did Jesus say what he said in today’s gospel with a sneer or a smile? I don’t know. I would hope it was with a smile and laughter – in hopes his listeners would laugh at themselves.

Listen again to what he said to us today,

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and land
to make one convert,
and when that happens
you make him a child of Gehennatwice as much as yourselves.
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say,‘
If one swears by the temple,
it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the temple,
one is obligated.’

Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar,
it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gift on the altar,
one is obligated.’

You blind ones, which is greater,
the gift, or the altar
that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar
swears by it and all that is upon it;
one who swears by the temple
swears by it and by him
who dwells in it;
one who swears by heaven
swears by the throne of Godand by him who is seated on it.”
Once more I ask, “Did Jesus say that with a sneer or a smile, caustically or gracefully.

The second word is peace.

The Greek word is “eirene”.

The English word “irenic” – means, conducive to or operating toward peace and conciliation. We don’t use that word. We use the word, “Peace”.

I did notice that the name, "Irene" – means – peaceful – that Irena was the goddess of peace in Greek mythology.

CONCLUSION

So a prayer for each day – and a wish for all people: grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

STUPID STUBBORNNESS
- STUCK IN THE MIND 

Quote for the Day - August 23,  2010


"The greatest danger against
which most men have warned us
is that which comes from communicating
intellectual secrets to minds
become subservient to the authority
of an inveterate habit,
for such is the power
of a long-lasting observance,
that most men prefer death
to giving up their way of life."


Nicholas of Cusa [1401-1464], De Docta Ignorantia (Learned Ignorance)

SOMETIMES, IT DOESN’T
MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE
WHAT I THINK!

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Sometimes, It Doesn’t Make Any Difference What I Think!”

That’s the thought that hit me as I read today’s readings – and then came a secondary thought: it’s rather pessimistic to say that. Sorry.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings are scary readings. At least – as I read them – I felt a scare in them. Would my scary feelings make a difference to anyone else? What was your take – when you heard them – or are you somewhere else on a hot and humid Sunday moving towards the end of August – back to school – end of vacations – etc.? Did the question of End of the World – or End Times hit you as you heard these readings for today?

The first reading from Isaiah 66 – has a vision we often hear about in the scriptures. It’s the vision of End Times: what it’s going to be like when it’s all over – and God comes to Jerusalem – to his holy mountain – to gather with all his people from all times.

The question that hit me is from the old spiritual hymn, “When the saints come marching in … will I be in their number?”

Isaiah pictures the locals there – as well as people coming in carts and chariots, on horses and mules and camels – from all over the known world at the time. Some commentators conject that Tarshish might be in Spain – because they think the word has to do with mining – and there is some archeological evidence of that name with mining in Spain from that time. How about the names of these other places in today’s first reading? Imagine saying when asked, “Where are you from?”, “I’m from Put, Lud, Mosoch, Tubal or Javan?” How about the comment that people will be invited to God’s holy mountain – even though they never heard of God’s fame – or seen his glory? What are God’s criteria for making it? Or are there criteria for being saved?

Question: will I be in their number? Will I make it?

Other texts have other visions of other places for End Times – but most visions have a gathering – in some place.

Question: will I be in their number?

That’s scary.

And what hits me is this: it’s not my decision. It’s God’s decision.

The title of my homily is, “Sometimes It Doesn’t Make Any Difference What I Think!”

The second reading from Hebrews says that God disciplines us – as a parent disciplines a child.

Sometimes I wonder if God does that – or does life do that to us? We age. We droop and get weak knees as the writer of Hebrews puts it.

That theme of God being active in what happens in our life is certainly in scriptures – because people certainly picture God helping some people more than he seems to help other people – and that God seems to send more suffering to some people than he does to others. I have trouble with that way of thinking. I’m off on fairness.

However, “Sometimes, It Doesn’t Make Any Difference What I Think!”

And other people say, “Who said life is fair?”

How does God think? How does God work? How does God do? What is God like?

The title of my homily is, “Sometimes, It Doesn’t Make Any Difference What I Think.”

But it’s today’s gospel that really scares me.

After I die, I don’t want to hear the words Jesus uses in today’s gospel, “I do not know where you are from.”

And hearing that we might say what those in today's gospel say, “We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.”

And the Lord will say to us, “I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!”

I hope I won’t hear that.

I do good stuff – and I do evil stuff. I help and I hurt. I compliment others and I gossip about others. What about all I don’t do – my sins of omission. Uh oh!

The title of my homily is, “Sometimes, It Doesn’t Make Any Difference What I Think.”

LIFE EXPERIENCES

How does life work?

Not everyone makes the team – or gets a part in the play.

Not everyone gets into the college of their choice.

Not everyone gets the job – and some people lose their job.

Not everyone gets their electricity back after a storm as fast as we do here on Duke of Gloucester Street compared to other areas of the county.

Not everyone has the math gene – or the drawing gene – or the ability to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" – or the ability to play the piano or a guitar.

Not everyone makes the threescore number of years of life – and ten more if we’re lucky – that’s 70 – as Psalm 90:10 puts it.

Sometimes it rains on our parade or our picnic or our wedding day.

Sometimes it doesn’t make any difference what I think – or what I say – or what my opinion is.

Sometimes life’s a bummer. Sometimes it’s a blast.

Sometimes our kids mess up – their marriages go sour – or they drink away their lives.

And sometimes everything is wonderful – life is a bowl of delicious grapes and there are no pits.

WHO WILL BE SAVED?

Today’s gospel has the very scary dialogue. “Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few people be saved?’”

I don’t know your take on that – but that’s also a scary question.

Here in Luke we hear Jesus say, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate!”

Then he talks about locked doors – and people knocking on the door yelling, “Lord, open the door for us.”

And the Lord replies, “I don’t know where you are from.”

Then Luke – who is off on forgiveness and mercy – and kindness – has Jesus saying, “Depart from me, all you evildoers!”

Then comes the wailing and grinding of teeth message – a message that I never liked.

“Sometimes, It Doesn’t Make Any Difference What I Think!”

And Luke ends today’s gospel text saying that the evildoers will see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God – along with people from the east and the west, the north and the south – and they are all at this big banquet – this big table in the kingdom of God.

I want to be in their number!

I want to be seated at that table.

I want to make it.

IS THERE A KEY?

So I guess a key question is: Is there a key?

Banging on the door might not work – but Jesus says to do that in another gospel text. [Cf. Luke 11:5-11; Matthew 7:7]
But is there a key to that door – God’s door?

Going through today’s readings there are two keys: don’t be an evil doer and enter by the narrow gate.

Going through other scripture readings we have the great text in Matthew – do good to everyone. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the imprisoned, etc. etc. etc. and if we do that we’ll hear Jesus say, “Welcome to the banquet!” [Cf. Matthew 25: 31-46] We have all the great texts that tell us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. [Cf. Luke 10: 25-37; Matthew 22:34-40]

St. Alphonsus, who founded our order, the Redemptorists, had periods in his life of big time scrupulosity and worry, said the key is prayer.

He said, “Pray and you’ll be saved; don’t pray and you’ll be lost.”

The more I have thought about that basic message the more it makes sense to me.

It leaves everything up to God – but it also gives me something to do along with loving God and neighbor. I can pray. I can tell God, I can yell to God, “Help!”

We can also try to sneak in the backdoor – with some help from Mary – Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Isn’t that why so many churches are named after Mary, the Mother of Jesus. We all want every advantage we can get.

CONCLUSION: MONKEY IN THE WELL

I don’t know how to end this – because we’re dealing here with heavy duty stuff. I’m also not sure if you wanted to put any of this on your plate this morning to chew upon and digest – and some of this stuff has more gristle in it than easy to chew meat.

So let me close with the story of the monkey in the well – a story that has always helped me on this question of salvation.

A tiny monkey fell down a dry well and started screaming for his or her mother. The mother hears the screaming and comes to the edge of the well and looks down and sees her kid.

She reaches down and can’t reach her kid – so she starts grunting – with signals for the little one to reach up and grab her arm.

The little one does and is saved.

So we need God to save us – but we have to do our part. We have to reach up our tiny hand and grasp the powerful hands of Our God.

It’s like the saying, “Pray for potatoes – but pick up a shovel.”

Do something!

So it does make a difference – however big, however small, on how I think and especially how I act with all this. Amen.

EVER HAVE A DOUBT?

Quote of the Day - August 22, 2010


"Materialists and madmen never have doubts."


Gilbert K. Chesterton [1874-1936], Orthodoxy

ON  BEING  RELIGIOUS 

Quote for the Day - August 21,  2010


"Some people make a cloak out of the smallest piece of religion."


Anonymous

TITLES AND TASSELS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 20th Saturday in Ordinary Time is, “Titles and Tassels.”

With today’s gospel reading we move into a very tough chapter of the gospel of Matthew – Chapter 23 - when Jesus challenges the Pharisees and the scribes big time – especially because of their externalism.

They were off titles and tassels. They were off on self worship – rather than being in on God.

Being a priest now for 45 years, I’ve learned the awful truth of what Jesus learned in his 20’s or earlier – people can get trapped in the iddy biddy game – and be in the game for the title and the tassels, the uniform, the vestments and the collar – the outside of the chalice (1) – the words – the externals.

Prayer is not the words, the number of prayers, the babble – as Jesus called rambling on and on prayer – but the connection, the communion, the being with Our Father – the listening – the quiet in one’s inner room – or those escapes to the mountains and gardens and our hidden places of prayer.

As the Psalm puts it: “Be still and know that I am your God.” (2)
As James puts it in his Letter, “Nobody must imagine that he is religious while he still goes on deceiving himself and not keeping control over his tongue; anyone who does this has the wrong idea of religion. Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.” (3)

TODAY’S READINGS

Ezekiel in today’s first reading – 43:1-7ab, is saying the temple is the place to be overwhelmed with God – God’s presence – God’s glory. The scribes and the Pharisees saw the temple as the place to be seen – to be noticed.

In today’s psalm – Psalm 85, we have the essence of religion – the Lord.

Religion as the Psalmist sings is about kindness and truth meeting inside me – about having justice and peace kissing. Now that’s a balanced spiritual outlook – and life.

In today’s gospel – Matthew 23:1-12 – Jesus is saying that it’s about serving one another – rather than wanting others to see us as the center of attraction.

Jesus stresses humility. The Pharisees and the scribes were dressed and drenched in pride.

The title of my homily is, “Titles and Tassels.”

JESUS KEEPS US HUMBLE

Jesus kills us humble – that is if we don’t crucify him this time by silence and keeping him inside a closed Bible or a locked tabernacle.

The first time around people went after Jesus and pushed him with a cross to Calvary. The second time people simply ignore him.

We’re here to adore him in the Trinity.

So today Jesus is saying, “Don’t be in this for titles or tassels.”

Just as the old saying, “The habit doesn’t make the monk,” so too the title doesn’t make the doctor or the lawyer, rabbi or priest. The title just helps us to find out where their office is.

The doctor, the lawyer, the rabbi is as good as the doctor or the lawyer or rabbi or priest is.

HUMILITY

Today’s gospel ends with the message of humility. We read,

The greatest among you must be your servant.Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

CONCLUSION

In case my homily was all title and words with tassels, let me close with an old story I heard somewhere along the line.

A bishop came to Rome from his diocese and his country to do some business at some Vatican Office.

He gets there and the line is immensely long. He gets on line and goes crazy. He hasn’t had to wait on line for years.

Finally frustrated he walks around a bunch of people and goes to the front of the line where there is a guy in a suit sitting at a desk – who signals to people to come forward. He says, “Look I’m a bishop and I’m here to do some business. Can you let me get ahead of all these people.”
The guy at the desk says, “No. But relax bishop, I’m an archbishop.”



NOTES


(1) Luke 11:39


(2) Psalm 46:1-10


(3) James 1: 26-27

THE  LIBRARY 

IN  THE  WOODS

Quote for the Day - August 20, 2010

"You will find something more in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters."

St. Bernard [1091-1153]

GROWING  OLD  

GRACEFULLY 

Quote for the Day - August 19, 2010


"There is no such thing as old age; there is only sorrow."


Edith Wharton [1862-1937] A Backward Glance [1934], A First Word

ME OR YOU?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 20th Wednesday in Ordinary time is, “Me or You?”

Every day provides several opportunities where the choice is, “Me or You?”

Am I self centered or other centered?

Coming out of the parking lot or a parking place, coming out of church or a room or a building, the choice is often there: me or you?

TODAY’S READINGS

In today’s first reading, Ezekiel 34: 1-11, he goes after the leaders of Israel who are not in it for others – but for self.

Ezekiel message is clear: priests, shepherds, leaders, parents, all – are called to serve others not self.

In today’s psalm – Psalm 23 – we hear that the Lord is a Good Shepherd – in contrast to how Ezekiel describes so many shepherds in Israel – who are only in it for self.

Jesus reflected on this theme – because he refers to it rather clearly and rather often as well.

In today’s gospel, Matthew 20:1-16, the owner of the vineyard is concerned about people who don’t have work so as to earn their daily bread. Then when he’s quite generous with his money to those who just worked an hour or a few hours – the others are angry at his goodness and generosity to everyone.

There is a message and a challenge here for all of us: thinking of others – being concerned about others – putting others ahead of ourselves.

How many times have we heard the saying, “A person wrapped up in themselves makes a very small package.”

THE WALKING INTO A CONVERSATION SITUATION

One of life’s regular scenes is, “The Walking Into A Conversation Situation.”

We’re sitting there with a few people and someone is right in the middle of telling a story and someone walks into the room or into the scene.

There are two kinds of people: those who walk into a situation calmly and quietly and stand or sit down and catch what folks are talking about and there are those who immediately take over and turn the conversation in on themselves – or on what they want to talk about.

We just got back from a boat trip on the Danube. Three of us are on the top deck and it’s within the first hour of our trip. We found nice chairs to sit on and the scenery is spectacular. One of the three of us starts to tell a story and the other two of us are listening.

Suddenly this guy comes up the stairs onto the top deck and heads right for us and jumps into our tiny circle and starts talking – and taking over – and he tells us how he was a cab driver in New York City and how this is his first cruise. Finally he takes a breath and the other person in our tiny circle comes back to the story she is telling. This guy then immediately interrupts her and starts telling another story.

I say to myself, “Uh oh, this is going to be a very small boat.”

Obviously, life doesn’t have scripts that are handed out – that we have to follow. Obviously, life on stage is mostly improvisation.

However, there are niceties – and the Golden Rule – and courtesies – and the wisdom of checking out the scene.

There are two kinds of people at a buffet table. Those who take a plate and start putting food on it immediately and those who walk around the buffet table and see everything that is on it. Then they get a plate and put on their plate what they want.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Me or You?”

I like the gospel text – the words of John the Baptist, “I must decrease. He must increase.”

I like and don’t like Jesus’ words about the grain of wheat must die and dissolve – otherwise it’s just a seed of wheat – but if it dies – it can become delicious bread.

The message is: want to be a delicious person? Zip your lips. Open your ears. Put others first. If you want to make relationships last, put the other in the relationship first.

KINDNESS ...
PASS IT ON.

Quote for the Day- August 18, 2010


"Have you had a kindness shown?
Pass it on."


Henry Burton [1840-1930] "Pass It On," stanza 1

INFLATION

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 20th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Inflation.”

It’s a word and a theme that can pull together both readings for today.

Inflate can mean to fill something up with air or gas – to make a balloon or a tire become full. Inflation can also mean to overinflate something – money or property or what have you – that it becomes over extended or over expanded – sometimes leading to a burst – as in a balloon or a tire or money or the stock market.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

In today’s first reading from Ezekiel 28:1-10, there is a burst of words attacking the king of Tyre. His name might have been Ithobal or Ithbaal II. He is king of Tyre which is doing very well financially. It had two ports and a great location. Business was booming – especially with it purple trade.

Money and power can go to someone’s head – making someone think they are a god. Everyone quotes Lord Acton’s words on this – words he wrote in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” [April 5, 1887]

That’s what Ezekiel is saying happened to this king in the city of Tyre.

Hopefully he had a mirror – a court jester – a wife and kids who could kept him human and humble.

This is a message for not just presidents and popes – but for all of us.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s gospel from Matthew 19:23-30 has this same theme – emptying oneself etc. – that is, if we want to fit through the eye of the needle – and discover Christ and his Kingdom on the other side of the eye.

Obviously, a balloon or a camel cannot fit through the eye of a needle.

Obviously, a person who knows the answer – is more apt not to hear the question.

Obviously, a person who is first on line or in the front seat – is less apt to see that there are people behind him or her.

As one reads the gospels one begins to get the feeling that the Pharisees knew it all – were inflated with their self importance – and therefore didn’t hear, understand or receive Jesus.

BOOKS

We’ve all heard the saying, “Beware of the person of one book!”

Thank you Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Paul for giving us your different takes on Jesus.

I like to pause for a moment when I walk into a library – because it’s very humbling to know there is so much I don’t know.

On our Danube trip we visited the Benedictine Monastery of Melk and we got a guided tour of their library. While most of Europe couldn’t read, this place was a center of learning. The tour guide said there were 17 rooms in the library – with over 80,000 books. The guide books said there were 12 rooms with over 100,000 books.

There are many books and many answers to many questions.

Learning, listening, we can discover our emptiness – our poverty – our ignorance – all that we don’t know – and at times we can move up from last towards first.

A CONCLUSION - NAN-IN

When I read the readings for Mass, the night before, I look to an ikon of Christ on my wall and pray, “Help! Give me an insight. Bring me closer to what you’re saying.”

I also try to remember a story I heard a long time ago.

Once upon a time during the Meiji era (1868-1912), a Japanese Zen master named a Nan-in, received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”

Then Nan-in said, “Like this cup you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

Each morning – we are like the disciples at the lake of Galilee – who were fishing and catching nothing – and Jesus calls to us from the shore – where to cast out nets – and they caught a boat load – but there was more – they went ashore and caught Jesus for a great breakfast – and caught some more great words about life and love.

Photo on top - one of the book shelves at the library at Melk, Austria

THE HURT  

FROM  INDIFFERENCE 

Quote of the Day  August 17, 2010


"There is nothing harder than the softness of indifference."


Juan Montalvo [1832-1889], Chapters Forgotten by Cervantes [1895], Epilogue

WHEN  FAITH IS GONE, 

WHEN THE FOG ROLLS IN....

August 16, 2010

Quote for the Day

"Have you seen a room from which faith has gone? ... Like a marriage from which love has gone ... And patience, patience everywhere like a fog."

Graham Green [1904-1991] The Potting Shed [1957]