CHEERING OTHERS ON
Quote for the Day - May 12, 2011
"We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by."
Attributed to Will Rogers [1879-1935]
Friday, May 13, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
PRIMARY SCRIPTURES,
PRIMARY BREAD
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 3rd Sunday after Easter is, “Primary Scriptures, Primary Bread.”
I’m going to reflect mainly on the Mass as a Meal – using today’s gospel – which is a primary New Testament text: “The Story of the Two Disciples on the Road to Emmaus.” [Read Luke 24:13-35]
Here’s a tricky sentence and a tricky thought to think about: We know this Emmaus story – and we know it well – even if we don’t know we know this story and don’t know, we know it well.
Try saying that 10 times fast.
REPEATING TODAY'S GOSPEL STORY
It’s Easter Sunday. Two of Jesus’ disciples are heading home. One’s name is Cleopas; we don’t know the other one’s name. Some suggest maybe it was his wife. We don’t know.
These two figured it’s all over. The whole dream called Jesus is dead. He and his vision died on the cross. That’s it. They are walking the 7 mile trip from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They are walking and talking about Jesus. He starts walking along with them – but they don’t recognize it’s Jesus.
He asks them what they were talking about.
Cleopas says, “Hello! Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about Jesus and his arrest and torture and killing on the cross?”
Then Jesus unfolds the whole story of Jesus from the Jewish scriptures – and they slowly get it. They are fascinated by this character. Then seeing that he seems to be going further when they arrive in Emmaus, they invite him in for some food and to stay with them.
They break bread. They recognize Jesus – the Risen Lord – in the breaking of the bread. At that Jesus vanishes from their sight.
At that they say to themselves, “Were not our hearts burning inside of us when he spoke to us on the way about the Scriptures?”
At that they rush back to Jerusalem to tell the Eleven what had just happened to them. They had heard rumors about what happened to the other disciples that morning.
TRANSITION TO THE MASS
Once more the title of my homily is, “Primary Scriptures, Primary Bread.”
This gospel story about the two disciples on their way to Emmaus is telling us exactly what the Mass is. The Mass is made up of two parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist – the Bread called Jesus. [1]
At each Mass the Word is broken up for us. It’s called, “The Homily.” At each Mass the Bread is broken up for us. At each Mass, the hope is, that we recognize Jesus in both the Word and the Bread.
It’s as primary, it’s as basic, as that: words and bread. This is a meal. We are at a sacred meal – here this morning. This is a dining room.
When I was in Catholic grammar school and learned from the Baltimore Catechism, we were taught that the 3 principal parts of the Mass were: the Offertory, the Consecration, and the Communion. [2]
We were taught that you had to get into church by at least the offertory, to fulfill your obligation of going to Sunday Mass.
Back then the readings were sparser – the homily was called a sermon – and the sermon words were often not on the readings. In its 1963 document on the Sacred Liturgy at Vatican II, the Pope and those present declared, “The treasures of the Bible are to be opened up more lavishly, so that richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God’s Word.” [3]
That has certainly been a major change in emphasis in the Roman Catholic Church – for the past 50 years.
IT’S A MEAL – IT’S THE LAST SUPPER
And notice the image in that statement – that of the table?
This Mass is a meal. This Mass is the Last Supper. This Mass is the Passover Meal.
Of course it's that - and a lot more - but in this homily, that's what I'm preaching. In other homilies the stress will be on Good Friday and Sacrifice, etc. etc. etc.
I have been preaching on this meal theme and I have been writing about this for at least the last 40 plus years. I have a book sitting in my room – that I finished a few years ago – but it was rejected by three publishers – on all this. When I have time I’ll get back to it. With the changes in the Mass coming next Advent – that will be a good chance for a re-look and a re-write. Another of my books was rejected by at least 10 publishers - till it was finally accepted – so I know rejections are part of the game. With the way publishing is going I’ll also look into e-books – one of these years.
Two things are essential for every meal: food and words.
Even when we are eating alone, we’re talking to someone, ourselves – and sometimes to someone else who is not there. We’re always chewing on something. It’s essential to being a human being to be thinking – talking and listening to oneself. Descartes said it cryptically, when he said, “Cogito, ergo sum.” “I think, therefore I am.”[4]
It’s essential to being a human being that we also talk to one another – to relate to one another – to be in communion – holy communion – with one another - in person. It’s not good to be alone as we hear in the beginning of the Bible in the book of Genesis. [Cf. Genesis 2:18]
At the beginning of Mass we hear, “Will everyone please shut off their cell phones.” At some dinner tables people are hearing, “Will everyone please shut off their cell phones?”
Hopefully everyone is hearing the modern challenge – to shut off the TV during meals – to put away and not answer telephones and texting – and twittering. People calling and being called are not at the table. Family – spouse – are – and we need to talk and listen and be with each other.
Want a mortal sin – mortal meaning deadly – mortal meaning it’s killing us – mortal meaning it’s destroying the ecology of a family – or a relationship: stop talking to each other – stop eating with each other? Now that’s a mortal sin – missing meals with each other.
I go with our high school kids for 4 retreats every year – and I always get a small group – and I ask the kids in every small group I’m part of – “What’s it like when it comes to eating in your house?”
Answers: not good!
I keep on hearing that there are 16,000 people in this parish and it’s under 40% when it comes to folks coming to Sunday Mass. Based on what I’m hearing from kids and from social commentators, there is a much higher rate when it comes to folks dropping out of family meals.
Okay – hope you got that. It’s basic. It’s essential. It’s key.
We still hear the message: the family that prays together, stays together.
I’m saying here in this homily, “The family that eats and talks together, stays and grows together.”
NOW TO PRIMARY SCRIPTURES AND PRIMARY WORDS
The title of my homily is, “Primary Scriptures, Primary Bread.”
What’s that all about?
I hold that the primary scriptures of our lives for starters are not the Bible - these Holy Scriptures. The primary scriptures are our primary story.
I hold that the primary meal of our lives is not the Mass – but our meals together – our eating and talking to each other.
I hold that it’s in these meals that we break open the story of our lives and if we’re Christians, hopefully, we recognize the presence of Jesus in our lives – especially when we’re together in our homes – especially when we eat together.
Yep! That’s what I’m saying here.
And I’m saying that’s what this Gospel story of the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus triggers.
A homily at Mass hopefully triggers the stuff that happens in our everyday life.
And the stuff of our everyday life hopefully triggers the stuff in the Scriptures.
And the more this happens, the more the Sacred Scriptures, explain and enter our lives.
I also have a book in progress that I work on from time to time. It’s on the Bible – and I basically say that our life is like our Bible. Each of us has our Genesis, our beginnings. We have our Exodus, our exits – our escapes, our transfers, our movements, our desert years, what have you. We have our Laws. We have our history. We have our prophets. We have our Songs. We have our Wisdom Sayings. And on and on and on. They are our primary scriptures.
And like the scriptures that were spoken words first, I think everyone should write their autobiography – put together their scriptures. Every older generation should be making sure the generations under them hear the stories.
Here's a question: looking at one's life, haven't some of our best meals been meals that went on and on and on - when we just sat there at a table and talked and talked - and laughed and laughed - and noticed together what has nourished our lives - what we have digested?
Last night for supper Father Joe Krastel, Father Jack Harrison and I sat and ate some left over ham sandwiches from the First Communion lunch. Left overs can be a great meal - when we're with the right persons and it's the right time to remember our lives. We were breaking apart some things that happened to us in the seminary some 50 years ago.
Today hopefully people will be talking to each other about their moms – and what they were like and what they learned from them.
CONCLUSION
The title of my homily for today is, “Primary Scriptures, Primary Bread.”
For starters I’m saying here there is a deep connection between the Mass – breaking bread and breaking words – and our everyday life – especially sharing breakfast, lunch and supper with each other – when possible.
I’m saying dropouts from the Mass and dropouts from Meals – are not recognizing what Jesus was about – someone who loved to eat with folks and share and break words with others.
Kids here in our parish made their first communion yesterday. Hopefully they get the primary message – that life is all about being in Holy Communion with each other – that marriage and family and relationships are are the primary image of God which we have been created in - and that when we receive communion from each other - we are receiving and sharing Christ in communion with each other.
In that first book of the Bible, in that first chapter of Genesis, there is a text that has been reflected on in many, many ways. Genesis 1: 27 says we were created in the image and likeness of God. Christianity teaches that God is 3 persons. I was taught that it's when we are in communion with each other, we are mirroring God. I'm saying in this homily, what better way is there to be in communion with each other than to share bread and words with each other. Amen.
NOTES
[1] Sacrosanctum Concilium - Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, # 56 Signed by Pope Paul VI, December 4, 1963. Found in The Documents of Vatican II, General Editor, Walter M. Abbott, S.J. Herder and Herder, 1966
[2] Baltimore Catechism #3, Benzinger Brothers, Inc. 1949 edition, page 206
[3] Sacrosanctum Concilium - Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, # 51 Signed by Pope Paul VI, December 4, 1963. Abbott edition - Op. cit.
[4] Rene Descartes, Les Discours de la Methode [1637], IV
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
OR NOT TO MEASURE?
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 2nd Thursday after Easter is, “To Measure or Not To Measure?”
There is a sentence in today’s gospel that intrigued me,
“For the One whom God has sent
speaks the words of God;
he [or she] does not ration his gift of the Spirit.” [John 3:34].
Specifically the word “ration” grabbed me.
When that happens I go to the Greek - to see what the Greek word that the English translator chose the word “ration” for. As we know Greek is the original New Testament language. The Greek word is, “METRON” – which means a measure – the way something is measured – as in a measuring cup or a ruler.
Isn’t that a neat image?
We are familiar with various words that have “METRON” as their root: meter, metronome, metrics, metric system, etc.
JESUS AND MEASUREMENTS
Jesus seems to have noticed measuring sticks and measuring methods. Was it from his days in the carpenter shop? Was it because of how he saw Mary bake or cook or was it his observation about shopping and how things were sold in the market place?
I love the text: “… the amount you measure out is the amount you will get back …” [Cf. Mark 4:24; Luke 8:18; Luke 19:26; Matthew 13:12.]
I love the text that where Jesus says the poor widow who put two copper coins in the collection put in more than all the rest. [Cf. Luke 21: 1-4; Mark 12: 41-44.] Hello! Where did Jesus come up with this kind of a measuring method?
I love the text where Jesus tells the story about this vineyard owner who pays all the workers the same wages, no matter how many hours they worked that day. How's that for crazy bookkeeping? [Cf. Matthew 20:116.]
7 QUESTIONS
1) When you’re dishing out ice cream or cutting cake, are you cheap or very generous – especially to kids?
2) When you’re opening up your wallet to give something to a poor person, do you tend to empty out your wallet of one dollar bills not worrying about counting it – or if a 5 or a 10 or a 20 is amongst the ones – that doesn’t bother you either?
3) Do you see love as, “I scratch your back; you scratch mine.”
4) When it comes to love, do I count the cost?
5) When it comes to love and life, do I ever say, “It’s not fair!”?
6) When you’re in the box – and the rest of the people in the funeral home are talking about you, will the #1 word, heard, be, “generous”?
7) If you had a had a choice of having a favorite prayer and it came down to these two, which one would you choose? 1) The prayer of Solomon: “Lord, give me an understanding heart!” or 2) “Lord, give me a generous heart and hands.”
CONCLUSION
John says in today’s gospel that Jesus, the One whom God has sent, does not ration his gift of the Spirit.
So Jesus is the generous one – so why am I approaching him with a thimble or a Styrofoam cup, when I can show up as the Grand Canyon or the bottom of Niagara Falls?
Now that's Divine Mercy. Now that's Copious Redemption! [1]
NOTE
1) Check out my homily, "Divine Mercy" for the 2nd Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday or Doubting Thomas Sunday.
MEN WOMEN
“And, of course men know best about everything, except what women know better.”
George Eliot – Marian Evans Cross [1819-1880], Middlemarch (1871-1872) - Notice that I have been exploring comments and observations - quotes - from George Eliot these days - the pseudonym or pen name of Mariane.
WHAT’S THE NAME
OF THE HOUSE
YOU LIVE IN?
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 2nd Wednesday after Easter is, “What’s The Name of the House You Live In?”
We’re standing there on the sidewalk and there are all these houses on both sides of the street. And I say to you, “Which house do you live in?” And before you can answer, I add a variation to my opening question, “Or what’s the name of the house you live in?”
That gives you pause, because you’re not sure just what or where I’m going with my question. Then I say, “Houses have different names. Let me give you a few names for starters:
- Jealousy,
- Worry,
- Envy,
- Complaining
- Competition
- Control,
- Anger,
- Freedom,
- Fun,
- Peace
Then you say, “Ooh! Uh! Oooh Uh! If you put it that way, I’m not sure. Let me think about what name to give our house?
YOU THINK ABOUT IT
You think about it. You smile because you figure the curtains of the house of jealousy, worry, envy, competition, are always being pulled aside to peek at what’s happening in other houses and driveways and who’s got what kind of a lawn or car or lawnmower or visitors.
You think about it. The house of complaining – has people who are not happy with anything – that life is not fair. They are always getting the red light. The bridge is always up. The neighbors are too nosey or too uppity or what have you.
You think about it. The house of anger always has screams coming out the windows and going up and down the street.
You think about it. The fun house has kids on the lawn playing with puff footballs or big red plastic bats and bright white plastic whiffle balls or kids rolling on the lawn.
The house of control has the owner with a scowly face because the kids of the fun house are always going on his lawn to retrieve their white plastic whiffle ball.
The house of freedom has people sitting in their backyard a lot – people have a drink in hand or they are playing a card game together or someone is reading a book by themselves – or someone is chipping a golf ball on the back lawn and we hear some soft music coming out the windows in mid-May or October of mid-November – but it never bothers the neighbors.
PRAYER
You become more and more intrigued with the original question: “What’s The Name of the House You Live In?”
You bring it to prayer.
You ponder the readings at Mass for today about the apostles being in jail and they are freed by the Spirit and the jail keeper is filled with fear and the Sadducees are filled with fear and frustration – and you say, “I don’t want our house to be filled with fear and frustration and that it feel like a jail all the time.” [Cf. Acts 5:17-26 and John 3:16-21.]
You think about the disciples when they were in the Upper Room filled with panic and worry – and then Jesus comes and gives them a Spirit of Peace and they become free and are not scared to proclaim Jesus as Light and Salvation – and you feel a great sense of peace.
CONCLUSION
And so you make a decision for the name of your house. You know naming it is only the first step. The steps after that are to make it for real.
So you talk with your family and you tell them about the question and what your thoughts are and they say, “Great idea!” And so all of you go to a river not too far from your house and you find a nice smooth stone. You bring it back home. Then you get a Black Magic Marker pen and the whole family work on writing on the stone: “Welcome! This is a House of Peace.” And you place it right outside your front door.
Then you have on the wall just inside your front door a copy of the Peace Prayer of St. Francis and as a family you all agree to say this prayer every morning – together or with one or two other persons and then to try to make it happen.
And you do! And you become more and more a House of Peace.
++++++++++++++
MORNING PRAYER
Lord,
make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon,
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving
that we receive,
it is in pardoning
that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying
that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
(St. Francis)
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
THE ROAR
ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF SILENCE
Quote for Today - May 2, 2011
“Nor can I suppose that when Mrs. Casaubon is discovered in a fit of weeping six weeks after her wedding, the situation will be regarded as tragic. Some discouragement, some faintness of heart at the new real future which replaces the imaginary, is not unusual, and we do not expect people to be deeply moved by what is not unusual. That element of tragedy which lies in the very fact of frequency, has not yet wrought itself into the coarse emotion of mankind; and perhaps our frames could hardly bear much of it. If we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel's heart beat, and we should die of that roar which lies on the other side of silence. As it is, the quickest of us walk about well wadded with stupidity.”
George Eliot 1819-1880, [Marian Evans Cross] in Middlemarch [1871-1872], chapter 22. The highlighted part in the above quote is noted by many people. I'm giving here the full quote. You can read the whole book on line for free. Dorothea makes her comments in Rome
Put in other words: “Life takes place with these 3 steps: "Illusion. Disillusionment. Decision.” The restaurant looked good from the outside and the menu on the window. It looked like a good investment. I thought he was a good choice. Surprise! Wow was I wrong! Decision time.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this Second Sunday of Easter is, “Divine Mercy.”
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, how would I score, rate, or see myself, as a person who has mercy and compassion, forgiveness and understanding, of others?
CHRIS PAUL
Yesterday afternoon, I finished my homily for today. I was going to preach on the theme of Doubt – and Faith – a big theme in today’s gospel – with the story of Thomas. I paused and decided to look up on the Internet whom the football Giants drafted. I noticed on ESPN.com an article by Rich Reilly on Chris Paul. I think Rick Reilly is a great sports writer. Now that the Knicks are out of the basketball playoffs– which I expected – and now that the New Orleans Hornets are out of the playoffs, I thought maybe the article might hint that Chris Paul might want to be on the Knicks next year.
Nope – no mention of that. The article was about the grandfather of Chris Paul – Nathaniel Jones – the owner of a service station in North Carolina – who was robbed and killed in 2002 by 5 teenage boys. They wanted his wallet. They taped his wrists and his mouth and then beat him to death with metal pipes.
2 of the boys – brothers – are in jail for life. The other 3 will be getting out one of these years. The article says none of them have yet to voice any remorse. The article also says that Chris Paul hopes they would be given a second chance – forgiveness – mercy. The article reports that they are roughly his age. Two nights after the killing, Chris Paul, a senior in high school, got 61 points – deliberately missing the second shot of two foul shots – in memory of grandfather’s life and death at the age of 61.
Chris Paul said his grandfather, Chili Papa, taught him more than he could get with a Ph.D. – being extremely generous all his life.
Based on the article, Chris Paul has a sense of mercy – compassion – understanding and forgiveness.
Could I do that? Would I do that? Do I think like that?
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, what is my level of mercy, compassion, understanding and forgiveness?
JOHN PAUL II
Pope John Paul II has been beatified this day in Rome.
One of the most significant moments in his life was the day in 1981 when he was shot 4 times in St. Peter’s Square by the Turkish criminal, Mehmet Ali Agca. We all remember the TV moment when John Paul went to his prison cell and spoke and forgave him publically. This took place 15 years after the shooting. Then Pope John Paul II pushed for his pardon – and in the year 2000 he was pardoned – but then went to jail in Turkey for other crimes including the murder of a newspaper editor – from years earlier. In January, 2010, he was released from that prison in Turkey. He made a statement that he had renounced terrorism and violence.
Could I forgive like that? Would I want him out of prison?
What is my position on Capital Punishment?
How many Catholics agree with the Catholic position on Capital Punishment – which in recent years has gotten stronger and stronger – as being against it – a Church that in the past has condemned people to death and tortured people, etc.
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, what is my level of mercy, compassion, understanding and forgiveness?
LES MISERABLES
By reading the book, seeing the play or a movie – based on Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel, Les Miserables – The Poor Ones, The Miserable Ones, how many people in our world have changed their attitude towards criminals – convicts – ex-convicts?
A man, Jean Valjean, prisoner 24601, is sentenced to 5 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. He then ends up being in prison for 19 years because of various failed attempts to escape. Then after he gets out of prison, he can’t find a place to stay or get a fresh start. A bishop takes him in – but he robs 2 silver candle sticks. He’s caught. The bishop lies and says they were a gift to him. He’s released, but then steals a coin from a boy. He is pursued again. Then he realizes what he did was wrong and wants to give the coin back to the kid. The reader or the audience sees redemption taking place right in front of them.
Did that musical, movie or book, change and help improve any person’s sense of mercy towards other human beings?
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, what is my level of mercy, compassion, understanding and forgiveness?
Do I ever wonder what’s going on in the minds and hearts of other people – especially those I don’t know – associate with – don’t like – or don’t understand?
Do I ever think that there are people – many people on this planet who are singing, “I Dreamed a Dream”? Did I cry when I heard Susan Boyle sing that song from Les Mis – Susan being a person that many had written off – by her looks? Do I ever see a group of people cutting grass – or being rounded up as illegal’s – and do I ever wonder what their dreams for their lives and their kids are like?
If you feel trapped in prejudice or sin or doubt or any kind of feeling stuck, you’re here in the right place today. Sneak up on the communion line today – even if you feel unworthy and steal the bread. Hear the gospel news today, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Hear Jesus words, “I tell you there is more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous who have no need of repentance.” [Cf. Luke 15:2, 7,10] Steal the bread of life today – but don’t take the candlesticks or the collection.
I’VE BEEN BLESSED
I've been blessed joining a religious community in the Catholic Church called the Redemptorists. Our motto sums us up: "Copiosa apud eum redemtio." It's a text from the great Divine Mercy Psalm, 130 - and translates into English from the Latin, "With him there is fullness of redemption." Our charism is to reach out to those who feel they are lost or drowning and they are screaming out to God for help, "Out of the depths, I cry to you O Lord."
A parishioner asked a Redemptorist, "How come you guys never talk about Divine Mercy?" And the priest answered, "That's all we ever talk about!"
I’ve also been blessed in being born in a Catholic Family – the youngest of 4 kids – my father and mother both being immigrants – who came here with the dream of a future. I remember my sister Mary telling me how surprised her grandkids were when she said her dad – our dad - never made more than $100 a week. My mother worked on Broadway – cleaning offices at night. I was brought up in the seminary hearing about the rich legacy of Papal teachings about work – put into encyclicals on Labor and Labor Unions – as the Catholic and Christian answer to the plight of the world’s workers – which the communists were trying to address – especially on a day like today, May 1st – May day. [1]
Last night and this morning as I was thinking about the stuff in this homily. I realized loud and clear that our family was gifted with a great blessing about having mercy and compassion and forgiveness. I have to talk to my two sisters about this – next time we’re yakking. Our mom was killed in a hit and run accident – and it was a horrible experience – but we didn’t go bonkers with the 3 men – in the car who hit her – illegal’s – who ran. We never really had any issue with forgiveness. They didn’t wake up that morning saying they were going to hit and run and leave someone dead on the street. They must have panicked as they were on their way to work and this happened. Somewhere along the line we learned it wasn’t worth holding onto anger or hurt. The death of our mom was tough enough. Let go and let God be our help!
As priest I’ve met various people who can’t forgive others or themselves for disasters in their lives. Sometimes I want to scream, "Enough already!"
TODAY IS DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. It’s also called "Doubting Thomas Sunday". Today’s readings are filled with the theme of mercy.
Do I have any doubts about my take on others? Is my take on another, really the other?
Do I have any doubts about my take on myself? Do I really know who I really am?
Do I believe people can change? Have I ever changed?
Do I believe people can be forgiven? Do I believe I have been forgiven?
What’s my take on what God is like? Do I see God as fist or open hand?
Do I believe that Jesus Christ is God - God incarnate? See Jesus, see God? Do I believe that Jesus Christ wants us to have Mercy – and move us towards incarnating or being Divine Mercy?
Do I believe Jesus’ words on the cross, “Father forgive them they don’t know what they are doing?” Did Jesus look at those who were arresting him, putting him on trial, beating him, making fun of them, putting a crown of thorns on him, screaming for his capital punishment and wanting to free Barabbas? Did he look into the eyes of those in the crowd on the way to Calvary, those spitting at him, cursing him, nailing him to a cross at Calvary, watching him die, as well as his disciples who ran away, denying him, betraying him? Did anyone hear him say, “Father forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing?” and then apply those words to themselves? [2]
Did I ever think or say, “It’s not fair. All my life I’ve been good and you’re telling me this other person who really never did anything can get into heaven the same as me?” Did I ever realize Jesus might have told the story about those invited to work in the vineyard even at the last hour – and get the same amount of salary as those who worked the whole day to get me to look at my attitudes? [3] Did I ever wonder if I was like the elder brother in the Prodigal Son Story – who wouldn't welcome his younger brother home – like his father did? [4] Did I ever doubt the story about the Good Thief at Calvary – whom Jesus said would be with him in paradise that same day as well? [5]
Did I ever think that Purgatory might be for those who can’t give the sign of peace to everyone in heaven – especially those there whom they don't think they should be there - and till they are willing to reach out that hand or whatever we have in Paradise to these others – they will not be fully in heaven – which is being in God – a God of Divine Mercy – a Trinity in the Eternal Dance – which is the so called, "Perichoresis of eternity" – everyone out on the dance floor with the Three Persons in God leading all of us in the Wedding Dance called eternity. And slowly people in Purgatory – those in those chairs facing the dance floor – realize I have to let go of my prejudices – my inability to forgive all these horrible people dancing hand in hand with God – and those on the dance floor scream joy as they pull that person into the dance – into the dance called God? [6]
CONCLUSION
The title of my homily is “Divine Mercy”. The sooner I discover God is forgiveness – God is all inclusive – God is all let go of what I'm holding onto – the sooner my hands become empty so I can then grab God's hands and I then become Divine Mercy as well. Amen.
NOTES
[1] If you are Catholic and you're against Labor Unions - I challenge you to read the various social encyclicals by our popes. Type into Google the following for starters: Rerum Novarum [1891] by Pope Leo XIII; Laborem Exercens [1981] by Pope John Paul II; Caritas in Veritate [2009] by Pope Benedict XVI.
[2] Cf. Luke 23:34
[3] Matthew 20: 1- 16
[4] Cf. Luke 15: 11-32
[5] Cf. Luke 23: 39-43
[6] Perichoresis is seen by some theologians to mean the "dance of the Trinity". Not all agree with this. I have been intrigued by this analogy ever since I heard it in a lecture years ago. It's personal. The 3 persons in the Trinity are one in the dance, yet 3 persons. And they are pulling all of us into union, communion, with them. If interested explore Google typing in the word, "perichoresis". I don't know how to dance, nor do I like it when people at weddings try to pull me onto the floor, but I do want to be in the Trinity.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL
The honeymoon ends ….
The last kid leaves ….
The other goes ….
Death hits home ….
Cemeteries exist ….
The ginger ale loses its fizzle ….
The steak gets cold….
The beer gets warm….
Prayer becomes boring ….
Mass feels meaningless ….
Emptiness invades and then inhabits everywhere….
The Lord and his dream of a kingdom ended last Friday….
We leave for Galilee. We leave for home. We leave for where we came from….
We fish the whole night and catch nothing….
It feels like 3:25 in the morning too many times ….
I guess this is what they mean by the dark night of the soul….
Time ticks ….
The sun slowly surprises the darkness….
The sun always rises ….
Faith screams like a rooster
or a roaring fire engine in the last dark before dawn….
There’s always hope, there’s always the morning, daybreak,
an end to death….
We hear his muffled voice in the morning mist….
The Lord is always on the shore directing us where and how to fish,
and 153 new possibilities appear in our net….
The dark night of the soul disappears like the night – for a while –
and we experience the bright sunlight of the soul….
We’ve been here before and we’ll be here again….
Prayer sparkles….
The Mass alleluias….
Resurrection is as sure as the dawn….
Jesus is Lord….
Jesus eats with us….
We chew – we digest – we swallow the bread….
We eat the fish we caught and cooked….
We sit there on the sand – digesting the Risen Lord,
knowing it’s always these morning moments of communion that
help us face the Noonday Devil – as well as the slow afternoons –
as well as the long commute home – and then some nights –
the dark night returns - and we can't sleep and
we wonder it this is big one - the eternal night – and we know
we have to let go - if we want to go on - if we want to get to sleep -
and we make the big act of faith - the big leap in the dark -
knowing there will be the eternal dawn for us – after our death –
when we arrive on the other sure – Jesus the Risen Lord
waiting for us even if our nets are empty....
By faith – by experience – we know the Son always rises….
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Painting on top: The Second Draught of Fish by James Tissot, 1836-1902
This is a homiletic reflection for Easter Friday - 2003. I had a funeral this morning, so I didn't have a Easter Friday Mass. I have been wanting to add some thoughts other than my Quote for the Day, so I went fishing in my homily collection. I had 4 homilies for this Easter Friday. They are sort of so so - so let me go fishing with this one - and see if I help you net some thoughts.
I noticed as I looked at this reflection from 2003 that one of my lines was probably stolen - unconsciously - from F. S. Fitzgerald. His line is: "In a real dark night of the soul it is always three o'clock in the morning." That's from The Crack Up [1936]. I didn't read it, but I have seen that quote from time to time. I also noticed that Bartlett's - where I found Fitzgerald's quote - has a footnote to check St. John of the Cross and Napoleon. I did. St. John of the Cross [1542-1591] has a whole book with the title, "The Dark Night of the Soul." Bartlett's has this quote from Napoleon Bonaparte [1791-1821], "Two o'clock in the morning courage: I mean unprepared courage." That quote has this following it: "[December 4, 5, 1815] From Las Cases, Memorial de Ste-Helene [1823]" Then that quote has this footlnote: "Le courage de l'improviste. The three o'clock in the mornng courage which Bonaparte thought was the rarest. - Thoreau, Walden [1854], chapter 4, Sounds." It struck me that I could keep going on with this and it might end up sometime around 2 or 3 in the morning.
I noticed as I looked at this reflection from 2003 that one of my lines was probably stolen - unconsciously - from F. S. Fitzgerald. His line is: "In a real dark night of the soul it is always three o'clock in the morning." That's from The Crack Up [1936]. I didn't read it, but I have seen that quote from time to time. I also noticed that Bartlett's - where I found Fitzgerald's quote - has a footnote to check St. John of the Cross and Napoleon. I did. St. John of the Cross [1542-1591] has a whole book with the title, "The Dark Night of the Soul." Bartlett's has this quote from Napoleon Bonaparte [1791-1821], "Two o'clock in the morning courage: I mean unprepared courage." That quote has this following it: "[December 4, 5, 1815] From Las Cases, Memorial de Ste-Helene [1823]" Then that quote has this footlnote: "Le courage de l'improviste. The three o'clock in the mornng courage which Bonaparte thought was the rarest. - Thoreau, Walden [1854], chapter 4, Sounds." It struck me that I could keep going on with this and it might end up sometime around 2 or 3 in the morning.
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