*

OUR OWN BEST SELF

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Our Own Best Self.”

The thought that hits me for this feast of the Immaculate Conception is that Mary models for us our own best self.

Priests, when it comes to this feast of the Immaculate Conception, often quote the words of the English poet, William Wordsworth, about Mary, “Woman, above all women glorified, / Our tainted nature’s solitary boast.”

Translation: when we are at our best, we boast about our best.

Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. When we are at our worst, we talk about the faults and failings of others. Sometimes, we also tear down those who are good or those who are successful.

Mary was the best – and we celebrate that today.

We are called to be our best – and when we are – we are doing God’s Will – being whom God hopes we will be. That’s a quick summary of this message in today’s second reading. [Cf. Ephesians 1: 11-12.]

FAMOUS PEOPLE

Before I came to Annapolis, I worked for 8 ½ years out of a parish in western Ohio, Lima. It’s about an hour’s drive from the Indiana border. About 30 weeks of the year I would be somewhere else than in Lima – many times, in tiny towns – preaching with another Redemptorist for a week in places we had never heard of: Galion, Bucyrus, Edgerton, Paulding, Napoleon, Kalida – all towns in Ohio.

And often in these tiny towns there would be a sign announcing a famous person from that town. For example, we saw a sign in Holgate, Ohio, “Birthplace of Joe E. Brown” or “Birthplace of Neil Armstrong, Wapokoneta, Ohio.” We saw signs mentioning Thomas Edison in Milan, Ohio and Annie Oakley in Greenville, Ohio. Or people would mention a pro football or baseball player from that town – sometimes someone I heard of, sometimes someone I never heard of.

Translation: people are proud of home town heroes.

Phyllis Diller was from Lima, Ohio.

MARY

Today we celebrate the feast of one of our’s: Mary.

Mary, a young girl, was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus – our Lord and our Savior – and so God so set her free from original sin from her conception.

The town of Nazareth celebrates Mary. This planet – at least we Catholics – and so many others - celebrate her as well. We celebrate that God was thinking ahead – when preparing our world for his Son – in choosing Mary – to be the Mother of God.

The Catholic Church’s teaching is we are good - but we have instincts to both good and evil within us. Keep an eye on oneself for a month – and we’d see this truth. Turn the pages of scriptures and you’ll hear about this truth.

The Catholic Church’s teaching is that Mary was conceived without original sin – because she was to be the Mother of Jesus.

That’s what this feast – this Feast of the Immaculate Conception – is about.

Early Church Fathers like Irenaeus and Ambrose suggested this. The idea slowly developed and it was a title and a feast by 1476. [Type “Paintings – Immaculate Conception” into the Google search engine and you’ll see artists in the late middle ages and into modern times painting pictures of Mary under this title.] The teaching by the Church wasn’t declared a dogma till 1854.

This morning I was thinking that this teaching about Mary is an extremely logical idea. Now, when I have time, I need to do some research to see if anyone connected this dogma declared in 1854 with the Enlightenment – a movement that started in the middle of the 17th or the beginning of the 18th centuries and continues into our time.

Translation: When a couple are pregnant they start planning for the future. They want to do everything they can do to make life just right for the future child within the mom’s womb. This teaching is telling us that God did this for Mary – when she was in her mother’s womb – that Mary be just right to be the mother of his Son – Jesus, the Son of God.

OUR OWN BEST SELF

The title of my homily is, “Our Own Best Self.”

Today’s first reading tells us part of the story of Adam and Eve as it’s told in the Book of Genesis. Those stories in the beginning chapters of Genesis are early theologians trying to help us figure out how life started, where evil comes from, and where is God in all this.

These stories tell us two great teachings: first of all, God created us, so we and everything he created are good; and secondly, so where does evil come from? Evil comes because we have freedom of choice. Evil comes from bad choices. And the story tells us that Adam and Eve were the originators of sin.

Today’s gospel story from Luke is a parallel story to today’s first reading. Mary is being given a choice. She too answers questions like Adam did. Unlike Adam and Eve, Mary chooses the right fruit – the fruit of her womb, Jesus.

CONCLUSION

This feast challenges us to be our Own Best Self.

This feast challenges us to be like Mary.

This feast challenges us to choose Jesus – and like Mary, to bring him to our world.

Each day we have choices to make.

Good choices make us our own best self. Bad choices make us our own worst enemy.

Each day forbidden fruit stares us in the face. We find a lost wallet on the sidewalk. We can keep it or try to find its owner.

Each day we can see a neighbor or a stranger who needs our help. We come upon someone trying to open a door with their hands full. We can walk over and help them or we can be blind.

Each day we can say “Yes” or “No” to sin and grace.

Like Mary, let us choose to be our own best self. Amen.

* Diego Velazquez [1597-1660]

COMFORT!
ISAIAH CHAPTER 40: VERSE 1

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Comfort! Isaiah Chapter 40, Verse 1.”

I don’t know if I have ever preached on the theme of comfort.

TODAY’S READINGS

To prepare a homily, I like to read the 3 readings out loud to myself, and see what hits me.

The first reading for today begins with the words, “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah chapter 40, verse 1.

That hit me, but I felt a bit uncomfortable with it. I thought, “Aren’t we supposed to preach tough stuff – sort of the opposite of comfort?”

So I read on to see what else might hit me. Sure enough some uncomfortable stuff appeared. Today’s Gospel has some tough and rough stuff: the call to repentance – the call to raw simplicity – the image of John the Baptist going into the desert – and eating off the land – eating honey and locusts – clothed in camel’s hair and wearing a leather belt around his waist.

Should I preach on repentance? That theme also appears in today’s second reading from St. Peter.

However, the theme of comfort continued to intrigue me.

So some words on “Comfort!”

THE COMFORTER

An image from childhood came to mind. I remembered a sort of patch work, big lined blanket, that used to hang out in our living room – usually folded up a bit and resting on the couch. We called it, “The Comforter.” It was like a big down blanket, long before we had big down blankets. It was perfect on a cold evening.

Each of us was Linus – wanting that blanket – not for security – but because it was a warm comfortable blanket.

Whoever was first on the couch in our living room listening to the radio – and then TV when it came - got “The Comforter.” I don’t remember the details and the exact fabric of this blanket – I’ll have to talk to my two sisters at New Year’s for their memories about all this. I remember sometimes we would give it up, if someone said they were really freezing.

It would also be stolen – along with the couch – if someone went to the bathroom or to the kitchen to get something to eat or drink – while we were listening to The Lone Ranger or The Shadow on the radio or Milton Berle or Bishop Fulton Sheen on black and white TV.

The Comforter was a prized component of our lives in winter – having more importance than the radiator. I also have fond memories of my mom putting her “paltoona” - I think that was her Gaelic slang word for “butt” – when she would stand there leaning up against the sizzling radiator when she would come in from outside – when it was freezing cold out there.

Winter challenges us with the issue of comfort.

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY

This parish is very generous when it comes to donations to the Poor Box and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Thank you. And we have a wonderful group of folks who serve on Monday nights and Wednesday afternoons giving assistance to the poor – with your money.

Work is moving along towards a new Lighthouse Shelter here in Annapolis! Winter is almost upon us.

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1

PEOPLE OUT OF WORK

And this winter we hope and pray those out of work can find jobs. We hope the recession has hit bottom already. That we don’t know. We hope the new president’s administration in Washington comes up with and implements plans that work – to get people work.

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1

DIVORCE

We’re at work. It’s time for lunch. So and so comes over to us and asks if they can talk. We thought they had a perfect marriage. We find out about multiple affairs – dozens of forgiveness moments – the tears and the fears about how this is going to impact their teenage kids – and we don’t say anything but listen.

A year later this person comes to us and says, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you last year for just listening. You helped me more than you could ever know.

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1
THE MISTAKE

The man across the street got caught stealing funds from work. It hits the papers. He goes to jail. Our family, who really never got to know his family, decides to reach out – to invite his family for a meal now and then – to cover for his kids while his wife visits him in prison. It is at quite a distance. Our kids see this – and years later we see a son volunteering to do prison ministry and a daughter becoming a criminal lawyer – and they tell us how much we taught them when we reached out to our neighbors across the street.

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1

DIDN’T MAKE THE CUT

Our granddaughter was talking for months how she was going to make the lacrosse team – but she didn’t make the cut. We see her tears – and we simply say, “It must be really tough not making the team – after telling your close friends you thought you were going to make it.” And we don’t tell them about the play we didn’t get into during our high school junior year and the job we knew we had, but didn’t get. No, we simply listen.

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1

THE NURSING HOME

An aunt – a widow – who had no kids – is in a nursing home and we go once a month to see her. It’s an hour’s drive. We bring her soup and Hershey Kisses. She takes the soup – she loves to give Hershey Kisses to the nurses and those who attend to her.

Driving there – we feel the stress of traffic and the time squeeze; driving home we feel great feelings of grace and comfort for the hour visit with our aunt.

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1

EMPHYSEMA
A long time buddy has emphysema. When we visit him we see that his favorite chair is a loser. We have an extra Lazy Boy Lounge chair, so we borrow another buddy’s pick up truck and bring him the Lazy Boy Chair. Every time after that, when we're watching football, we see how appreciative he is for the gift of the chair, “It’s so comfortable. Thank you. Thank you.”

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1

ARMY-NAVY GAME

I called up a buddy of mine on Friday evening to comfort him. He is a big time Army fan. His wife answered the phone and said, “Please tell him I don’t want to go to the game.” When he got on the phone I relayed that message – and then comforted him – preparing him for the upcoming loss in Philadelphia yesterday. Now if I called him up today, that wouldn’t be comforting him. That would be rubbing it in.

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1

ONE GREAT NURSE

We all know how great nurses can be – but a brand new nurse discovers how great this one nurse on her shift is. She sees her go searching in every closet on every floor – to steal a second pillow or extra blankets for people under her care who are shivering and cold – even though everyone else is sweating – or for someone who is staying over night in the hospital, keeping vigil for a very sick family member.

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1

CONCLUSION

So yes, today’s message about bringing comfort to others is an everyday opportunity.

I talked about a big old blanket we had as kids called, “The Comforter.”

What are your comforters?

The Comforter can be a glass of water or a beer on a hot day or hot chocolate with marshmallow in it on a cold day or a blanket or chocolates or baby sitting so a mom or dad can get a break.

The Comforter can be giving others the best seat in the family or living room or the car.

The Comforter can be listening to a joke or a story we’ve heard a hundred times from an old uncle.

The Comforter can be taking the time, making the extra time, to write on a Christmas card more than just a name, but a personal reference to something very significant to the person we’re writing to.

The Comforter can be holding hands with a child or the family around the dinner table and saying an Our Father before we eat or before we go to bed.

The Comforter can be great bread or wine, great music, a great listening to each other.

Today’s Gospel ends with the words, “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Come Holy Spirit! Isn’t that one of your nicknames, “The Comforter”?

EXPECTATIONS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Expectations.”

What would you expect to hear in a homily on “Expectations.”

Advent – Preparation for Christmas – December – has many themes, one of which is expectations.

Shopping for gifts – wrapping them – wanting to surprise others - candles in windows in the dark – December – hoping to get a parking place at the mall – getting the cookies baked – cards sent – parties going just right. Worries about the economy – people out of work – hoping the new president and administration make great choices – weather watch – kids coming home – or getting plane tickets. Peace on earth – an end to fighting – expectations.

Suggestion: this week, this first week of Advent, reflect upon the theme of expectations in our life. That’s the rub, the sandpaper of my homily.

To be human is to have expectations – lots of expectations.

To be wise is to be aware of our expectations, to clarify our expectations, to communicate our expectations, to refine or to enhance our expectations.

What are our top three expectations right now? What were our top three expectations when we were 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50?

What were our top three disappointments at 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50?

Am I an optimist or a pessimist – a winner or a whiner – a beginner and a finisher or just a beginner – or someone who says, “What’s the use?” What’s playing on our inner screen - what’s our inner scream –most of the time? What are we talking to ourselves about lately? What are we talking to ourselves about right now?

I guarantee you – if you had one of those rubber stamps – and it had the word “expectations” on it – and you had an ink pad, you could take it – hit it on the ink pad and then stamp it on all your issues – on all our inner conversations and we’d say, “Yeah, you’re right. ‘Expectations.’”

What are your thoughts – what are your expectations for this Advent? What are your expectations for the month of December that starts tomorrow?

ADJECTIVES

Somewhere along the line someone said, “When it comes to expectations, don’t forget to use adjectives.”

“What?” I said to myself. “What are you talking about?”

The person said: “We are filled with expectations for ourselves and our kids – our spouse and our job – traffic and today – as well as tomorrow.”

They continued: “We need to name our expectations and then use an adjective like ‘real” or ‘unreal, ‘doable’ or ‘undoable’, ‘possible’ or ‘impossible’ stamped on each expectation.

For example: it’s unrealistic to think babies or cell phones don’t cry in church, drinking and driving can mix, or I’ll never make a mistake.

For example: it’s impossible for a 300 pounder to run a 3 minute mile.

Referees make mistakes. Spaghetti slips off forks. Sermons flop. People don’t show up. Spouses forget. Grass grows in summer and goes to sleep in winter. Gas prices go up and down. Perfume fades. I expect the Giants to beat the Redskins today. Kickers miss field goals. Babies leak. Parents age. College kids drop out. People lose jobs. Cars crash. Terrorists kill. Sin happens. People cheat. Kids surprise us. The pumpkin pie turns out perfectly. Life goes on.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings for this First Sunday in Advent triggered this theme of expectations.

Isaiah 63, today’s first reading, articulates our expectation for God to come to us.

Isaiah 63 describes God as a father, a redeemer, the potter who made us – and the expectation is that a father or a redeemer is expected to come to help his children or his people when they pray and when they cry – and a potter knows and loves his or her work.

Isaiah 63 says, “Wouldn’t it be nice if God walked in when we were doing good stuff, good deeds?” However, he prays that God will come when we feel like dirty drop cloths or withered leaves.

Is there any expectation more down deep desperate and recurring than the expectation for God to come and redeem us?

Today’s second reading from First Corinthians is very positive – describing how God has already come in the person of Jesus Christ – that Jesus gives us grace and peace – that Jesus enriches us – and the revelation is that Jesus will be there to the end – and the end is endless.

Today’s gospel from Mark is all about expectation. He uses the word, “Watch!”

We never know what’s next – so always be ready. No more sleep walking. Wake up. Watch.

Expectations

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Life is filled with expectations.

That’s the theme of this homily. That’s my suggestion for this coming week – to see expectations – to stamp the word “expectations” on what we’re thinking about – or worried about – or struggling with – to use adjectives with our expectations – and to bring the coming of Christ into our story – and experience the peace and grace of Jesus.

When the word “expectations” hit me, I began thinking about Charles Dickens from his novel, “Great Expectations.”

But all of Dickens’ novels get us thinking about the issue of expectations in our life. He wrote to figure out his life. We talk to ourselves to figure out our life. Dickens had to deal with his dad going into debtor’s prison – and then his mom and some of the kids as well. Meanwhile he went to work at 12 years old – 10 hours a day – pasting labels on black shoe polish bottles.

He dealt with rejection – envy – revelations – disappointments.

He dealt with surprises – that sometimes people come along and see great stuff – great talents – great gifts in us – that we don’t see in ourselves.

He dealt with others having more money, better jobs, higher positions.

He realized each of us can be generous or greedy, caring or selfish, givers or takers.

He saw the value of comparisons and contrasts.

He wanted to make wise choices.

He once wrote that he wanted to avoid “unconscious repetitions.”

Now that’s an unrealistic expectation – at least for preachers.

CONCLUSION

We are just coming to the end of Thanksgiving Week.

How was your Thanksgiving? Did it meet your expectations?

I spent all week with my brother’s family - his girls and their husbands and families.

Every Thanksgiving for the last dozen or so years they rent a house somewhere – and they come from all over the country to be together.

It had all the things I expected – lots of card games, a great jigsaw puzzle – this one 1500 pieces – a Thanksgiving Mass followed by dinner – lots of talking – walks – this year we were at Rehoboth – last year at Virginia Beach – the year before that at Deep Creek Lake – lots of stories.

Then there was the unexpected.

We didn’t expect the Pyrex dish with the stuffing to split and crack spontaneously when they took it out of the oven - right after Mass – right before Thanksgiving Dinner.

I wasn’t expecting the news when I walked in the door last Sunday afternoon that Sean, one of my grandnephews, got accepted into the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy – and he’s coming to Annapolis. I was hoping for it – but I wasn’t expecting that to be the first surprise – and this soon.

I wasn’t expecting to have to look at 100 drawings of the same thing by two different grand nieces, Olivia and Aubrey – and they put each drawing on opposite pages so you could see them both at once. I thought, “Someone please save this book of drawings and it will bring tears of joy when they are 55.”

Is that a realistic or unrealistic expectation?

In fact I got mad when someone ripped out a page from their spiral note book – for a piece of paper to keep score for Shanghai Rummy. I was hoping they would fill the book – and it was close when I left on Friday morning. I was hoping all would see this book in the making as sacred.

Expectations. Don’t rip them out. Look at them as a kid’s drawing and see yourself in the mirror – and make your drawings better as the years go on.

THE KING’S SUBJECTS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this feast of Christ the King is, “The King’s Subjects.”

It’s us. We are the King’s subjects – Christ the King’s subjects. Isn’t that an interesting concept? Did you ever think of yourself that way – a loyal subject of Christ the King? Doesn’t it sound a bit medieval or foreign or a concept from a bygone age?

Christ is described as a king only once in the Synoptic Gospels [i.e, Mathew, Mark and Luke]. It’s here in today’s gospel – but we hear over and over again in the New Testament about the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven.

Now Christ as we know from scripture was not the kind of king we might expect. He washed feet and gave out bread. He noticed and complimented a poor widow who put two cents in the poor box. He talked about forgiveness and helping our brothers and sisters in need. He had no army – just disciples, just servants, just followers, who like Paul tried to imitate him. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 11:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:6.)

As we heard in today’s second reading, Christ destroys death – and then “everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15: 28).

Now that comment is a head scratcher – convoluted – complicated – cryptic and mysterious, but notice the word “subject”.

Today is the last Sunday of the Church year. Next Sunday we start another Church year with the First Sunday of Advent.

The theme that hit me as I reflected on today’s readings and today’s feast is, “Subject and Object.” It’s a key theme to be aware of. Do I treat others as subject or object? There is a big difference. Think of the last time someone ticked you off – or a time when you felt “dissed.” Chances are, you were not being treated as a subject but as an object. It might be a good idea to go off on that question and forget the rest of this homily. Simply reflect upon the question: “Do I treat other people as subject or object?” Ask your spouse?

That would be the theme and thought of this homily.

And as the King’s servant – the King’s subject – do I serve or do I try to subject people to me? If I do, then I’m making them an object.

A BOOK TO READ

A book to read and re-read on this theme is Martin Buber’s classic book, “I-Thou.”

He says we have a choice to treat others as a Thou or an It.

He names the choice as: I-It versus I-Thou.

Notice he makes the you special, calling another a Thou – as in prayer.

Something happens to people who have read Martin Buber’s book. A book is an object, an it, but that book challenges people to see others as subjects – another I.

It’s the Golden Rule: treat others as one would want to be treated.

Seeing others as sacred, unique, a Thou, can lead to deeper and deeper respect – reverence – and really seeing, listening, being aware of the ones we’re with.

If you want to ignore someone, you have to make them an object, an it.

If you want to gossip about someone, you have to make them an object, an it.

If you want to criticize someone behind their back, you have to make them an object – an it.

If it dawns on us, that this other, is a person – a center – a subject – someone with ideas, feelings, a life, a story, roots, then we are challenged to talk, ask, communicate, respect, be aware, and be in possible communion with this other subject.

THE MASS

At Mass the Catholic believes the bread, an object, becomes a subject, becomes Christ, during the Mass. How this happens is mystery. It calls for faith. It took centuries for words to try to describe what the change is. One word chosen was “transubstantiation” – but all words are insufficient.

We just stand back in awe and reverence – in the presence of Jesus Christ. We just come forward – down the aisle – as in marriage - wanting to be in communion with the person of Christ.

We stand there and receive: “The Body of Christ.”

Isn’t that the key reason we come to Mass – to be in an I-Thou relationship with Christ and each other, the full body of Christ?

So we believe Christ is subject in the bread, in the wine.

Now that’s a great act of faith.

So we believe we are the Body of Christ – member connected to member – subject with subject - even with those we don’t see.

And it’s a great act of faith when we relate to each other as subjects of the King.

M. SCOTT PECK

A favorite story for me on all this can be found in M. Scott Peck’s book, The Road Less Traveled.

It’s on page 76 of his book and I have reflected on it often. Sometimes I forget the message; sometimes I remember it.

M. Scott Peck says, “Imagine two generals, each having to decide whether or not to commit a division of ten thousand men to battle. To one the division is but a thing, a unit of personnel, an instrument of strategy and nothing more. To the other it is these things, but he is also aware of each and every one of the ten thousand lives and the lives of the families of each of the ten thousand.”

Then he asks, “For whom is the decision easier?”

Then he answers his own question, “It is easier for the general who has blunted his awareness precisely because he cannot tolerate the pain of a more nearly complete awareness.”

Hopefully, when we come here to church – we become more aware of each member of our family.

Hopefully, we think of those we work with – and interact with on a regular basis.

Hopefully, everyone of us feels for all these folks and their families who are in service for our country – many of whom will not be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas – because they are in Iraq or Afghanistan or in many other places – as well as all the people in these countries who have been killed by suicide bombs and mistakes and all that.

Hopefully, every one of us feels for all these folks who are out of work – all these folks who have lost a good chunk of their life savings – with the crisis in our economy – as well as people all over our world.

Hopefully we feel human pain. To be subjects of the king is to feel the King’s pain – and that’s what our King felt – in the garden and on the cross – and all through his life.

Along with Martin Buber’s book, I-Thou, along with the Bible, M. Scott Peck’s book, The Road Less Traveled should be in one’s special book collection and read on a regular basis.

So that example of the two generals challenges me everyday – as priest, while driving, with family, while moving around on this planet called earth.

When I stand before you at Mass I have to remind myself not to speak at people, but to be with you. I want to pray with you. I have to stop and say, “This is not a crowd.” “This is not a bunch of people.” This is you, you, you, you and you and all you. You are subjects – subject to all the experiences of life I have and the person next to you has.

This is why I love the opening words of the Vatican II document, Gaudium et Spes, The Pastoral Constitution on Church in the Modern World, “The joy and the hope, the grief and the anguish of the people of our time, especially of those who are poor or afflicted in any way, are the joy and hope, the grief and anguish of the followers of Christ.”

My sister goes crazy when a priest says at Mass, “Is there someone here in the audience who is a lector or Eucharistic minister?” She would want him to say, “congregation” or “community”.

You are you and you are dealing with this Sunday – this moment – and you have to figure out how you are going to do Thanksgiving this week – with your family and with our world.

For some people the next month and a half is the best time of the year; for others it’s the worst time of the year.

If I hear one complaint about us clergy, it’s the scream that there is not only life in the womb, but there’s also life outside the womb. Don’t miss the whole picture. Be aware of every person, every subject, young, old and in-between, as well as Mother Earth, if we’re professing to be pro life.

CAR STORY

A car is an object. Of course advertisers try to make them subjects – with feelings and this or that. A car is an object – a thing.

One of my favorite car stories is the one about the couple who never bought a new car all through their raising of their kids’ time. Finally the kids are gone. Finally college is finished. It’s a time when the economy is doing well and they decide to buy a new car.

He loves it. She is out with it and she’s in an accident – and the car was just bought brand new last week. She is not hurt – but the car is damaged. She goes into the glove compartment. She takes out the insurance and registration. She spots a letter with the papers. She opens it up and reads, “Honey, I hope you are okay. Remember you’re you and I hope you are okay. You can’t be replaced. A car can. Hi sweetheart.”

Now that’s an I-Thou story.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s first reading and today’s gospel feature the contrast between sheep, ram and goats.

Today’s first reading and today’s gospel feature God being aware of each sheep, ram and goat.

Few of us are shepherds – but we know that people with dogs and cats, know that dogs and cats can be different. I don’t know about tropical fish. And we know people.

If we see people as subjects – unique gifts of our God – that each of us is the king’s subject, then we will be aware of who’s hurting – who’s strayed – who’s injured – who needs help.

If we see ourselves as subjects of the king, and if we see every person, as a subject of the king, then last night we felt for those who are homeless – because it was cold out last night.

If we see ourselves as subjects of the king, and if we saw the kids and adults yesterday morning who delivered 500 Thanksgiving meals to people’s doors, then we would have cried tears of joy yesterday morning.

If we see ourselves as subjects of the king, then we will see the child who wants to tell us a joke or tell them a story – or give them some time – and we will give it to them.

If we see ourselves as subjects of the king, then we volunteer if we have time. We will give an uncle or an aunt or a neighbor a call – or visit them – or when we see them, we’ll say, “Nice hat” or “Interesting cane you have. What’s the story behind it?” and listen to their answer.

If we see ourselves as subjects of the king, then we will walk down streets like Jesus – or the mall – or in a store – and treat everyone as a subject – making small human connections – being in and receiving holy communion with them or family.

CONCLUSION

This is challenging stuff - but when we treat each other as a Thou, we experience God and Heaven – joy and celebration. After all, we are made in the image and likeness of God.

If we treat others with an I-It attitude, when we miss others, when we dismiss others, when we ignore others, then we are dead and in hell.

Today’s gospel has a powerful message: all around us are people who are hungry and thirsty, sick or they feel stuck or in the prison of self or loneliness or in actual prisons – and we’re a goat if we don’t care for each other. Amen.

That’s the king’s judgment. He walked around and discovered all this.

This coming week, this Advent, this New Church Year, let us be good at being, “The King’s Subjects.” Amen.

THE TRIP HOME
AFTER THE CLASS REUNION

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “The Trip Home after the Class Reunion.”

How many times have we heard folks say, “If you ever get an invitation to a class reunion, make sure you go to it”?

TRAIN RIDE

I was sitting by myself on a Metro-North train heading south from Poughkeepsie, New York to Grand Central Station. In the 4 seats behind me were 4 ladies facing each other. I’m reading a book. Slowly their conversation and laughter, their comments and wonderings, became much more interesting than my book.

I closed my book and took a spiral note pad out of my bag and began jotting down all that I could hear. I wished I had the skill of a court stenographer. The 4 ladies were heading for their 25th Anniversary class reunion at Hunter College in New York City.

If I could, I would have loved to be on the same train with them on the way back to hear Chapter Two of their stories.

I never even turned to see what any of the four ladies looked like. I just finished my notes and stood up after they got off. I felt a tinge of guilt for eavesdropping – but I’ve heard it all as priest.

I have often wondered how novelists learn to write dialogue. Is it a talent? Is it a skill achieved? Do some have it better than others? Do they sit in restaurants and bars with spiral pad and pen and listen to how people talk and what they say? I wonder if writers do a lot of secret listening – in their efforts to be heard. In fact, to me writing, like preaching, is not noticing the speaker, just hearing the story.

While sitting there on that hour plus train ride to New York City, I jotted down many of their comments. One lady said she took off 15 pounds for this class reunion. The others laughed – but it was a nervous kind of laughter. How many different types of laughter are there? I heard lots of, “I hope she’s there.” “I wonder if she ever married that jerk.” “I can’t wait to see who looks the best.”

Have you ever been to a class reunion?

The title of my homily is, “The Trip Home After The Class Reunion.”

OUR CLASS REUNION
Three years ago our ordination class of 1965 met for a class reunion. 10 out of the 16 of us who were ordained showed up.

The trip home afterwards was the moment for me. Amazing wonderings hit me. Some of us had stayed as priests; some had left and got married. We talked about what happened after we finished studies and headed out into this great big world we live in.

A year earlier, 2004, 3 of us had talked about the importance of having a class reunion. I went with 2 classmates, Tom and Clem, on a two week vacation driving through Montana. Tom had spent most of his life as priest in Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo in the Caribbean and Clem had spent most of his life as priest in Brazil.

We saw Montana – under the guise of following part of the Lewis and Clark trail in that state. It was the bicentennial of their expedition [1804-1806] – but the real reason was to talk about what happened to us. It was a two week class reunion. We answered the “What happened?” question. I had joined the Redemptorists to become a priest and work in Brazil. I never got that assignment.

That trip and the class reunion got me to look at my life: Where did I go? Whom did I meet? What was it like?

It cleared up some, “What if’s” and added some new “What if’s?” It gave me many “Thank you’s” and “Thank God’s,” etc. etc. etc.

IT’S GOOD
It’s good to attend class reunions.

It’s interesting to listen to others on cell phones if they are being public about it – in fact, that’s better than complaining that they are being rude or uncivil – unless it’s stuff we shouldn’t be listening to.

It's interesting to take notes of what others are saying and then reflecting on what was jotted down afterwards. I do this and sometimes turn people's comments into poems or what have you.

It’s good to go down memory lane.

It’s good to take long walks.

It’s good to get a window seat in a plane when flying alone. We see a lot more from a distance.

It’s good to make retreats.

It’s good to read biographies and autobiographies.

It’s good to come to church – and listen to the readings.

TODAY’S READINGS
Today’s’ first reading from the Book of Proverbs gives us a wonderful poetic description of a great wife. Her value is beyond pearls. It’s a reading heard at weddings and funerals. It’s good to go to weddings and funerals. They are real eye and memory openers. It’s good to tell one’s wife, "You're a pearl!" – and she might add, “Thanks. Any chance for the real thing?” It’s good to tell each other, how much we appreciate each other – while we’re living. Harold Molz, one of the great old pillars of this parish, said, “Why wait to say great things about someone after they die? Tell them while they are living.”

Today’s second reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians presents a theme we’re all familiar with: the surprise phone call – the bad news in the middle of the night – the accident – the disaster. It’s a theme we hear at the end of each church year – as well as in the season of Advent that is coming up. It’s good to read old letters. It’s good to realize life has term limits and surprises.

Today’s gospel from the 25th Chapter of Mathew is also worth reading. It has three parables. Last week, because of a feast day, we missed out on the story of Ten Virgins – 5 of whom were wise, 5 of whom were foolish. This week we hear about the 3 servants – one of whom was given 5 talents, one of whom was given 2 talents and one of whom was given 1 talent – each based on their abilities. Next week we’ll hear the 3rd parable in Matthew 25. It’s the last judgment – when we’re judged at the end of life as a sheep or a goat – depending on what we did with our life in caring for others. Strong stuff. Judgment stuff. Challenging stuff.

It’s good to look at our life – to see what we’re doing with our talents. It’s good to look at our life and ask, if we’re caring for each other. It’s good to have a class reunion with ourselves on a regular basis – and give an account of our stewardship – how we used our talents.

IN THE DARK – WAILING AND GRINDING OUR TEETH
How many people have gone to a class reunion – and wow were they surprised?

How many people on the way home from a class reunion – and for weeks afterwards, found themselves down – in the dark – inwardly wailing – outwardly grinding their teeth – because they realize they buried too many of their talents?

How many people have gone to a class reunion – and on the way home they realized the power of comparisons. So and so – didn’t have that many talents, but wow, look what she did with her life? So and so had so many talents, and wow did he mess up his life. In fact, he didn’t show up, but so and so told us how the star, the one most likely to succeed in our class, died 7 years ago of alcoholic poisoning.

CONCLUSION: THE WORD TALENT

The word “talent” appears in today’s gospel 9 times and it’s the bottom line thought I’m thinking about in this homily. The English word “talent” comes from this gospel. This Gospel story is the word’s history and background. Check your dictionary. In fact, the Greek word used in this New Testament text is, “talanton” – from which we get our word “talent”.

It's good to go to class reunions. They can be judgment moments. They can get us to look at what we have done with our lives. It’s good to take train rides and sit and eavesdrop on ourselves – to listen to the story of our life. If there have been blessings; praise God. If there have been disasters, ask God to get us moving. It’s never too late. Why spend time whining in the dark and grinding our teeth?

As I was working on this homily, I found a great anecdote about talent, so let me finish this homily with it. In April, 1962, John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline hosted a White House dinner and reception honoring Nobel Prize winners. He said, “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”

ON VISITING CHURCHES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “On Visiting Churches!”

[I was going to entitle this homily: “For History Buffs, Look It Up!” Most of this homily or sermon will be history. And I like history, but it so easy to mix up facts and figures. It’s so easy to make mistakes, so it’s important to keep looking up stuff to make sure one is right. But let me stick with my title: “On Visiting Churches.”]

Today we celebrate something that might seem odd: The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. We celebrate this feast on November 9 – because on this day in 324 – this first major cathedral church in Rome was dedicated in honor of Jesus our Savior. Later on the cathedral was also dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.

We celebrate this feast on this Sunday because today is November 9th. I have had all this schooling, but I’m still not sure when and why some feasts take over for Sundays and some don’t. So I have to do some homework.

ON VISITING ROME

Father Pat Flynn and 60 plus folks from this parish are in Rome today, I think it’s today, on their trip to Italy.

Is it a trip or a pilgrimage? Pilgrimage connotes visiting holy places.

I’ll have to find out when they come back if they went to the cathedral of St. John Lateran.

I was in Rome once – and I made sure I visited St. John Lateran’s. Ever since I was a kid, we were told at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School and Church in Brooklyn that the church where the original picture of Our Mother of Perpetual Help is in the small church of St. Alphonsus on Via Merulana – between the two major churches of St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran.

That information helped, because when I came out of the airport in Rome, the first bus I saw had “Santa Maria Maggiore” on it. I took it because I knew it was close to the Redemptorist House in Rome where I was going to stay.

The next day I went to the church of St. John Lateran. It was big – but I wasn’t impressed. But I knew I was standing on history. It was too dark for me – and too boxy. Sorry.

But what hit me was history – a long history. Here was the place of the first major church of Christians in Rome. Here was the wooden altar that Peter was supposed to have said mass on when he was in Rome. When news that Constantine was fighting under the banner of Christ – Christians knew they finally made it. Up till then they were a minority – often persecuted. This cathedral was our coming out party. Constantine had acquired the land through marriage – so he gave it to the church. It was land owned by the Laterani family – and they had a long history going back for centuries as well.

It was to be the place of the popes for 1000 years plus. Besides the cathedral, it was the place where the pope’s house was – along with several other buildings. The cathedral has a long history – and many rebuildings: it was sacked by the Vandals; it was devastated in a major earthquake; it had two big fires; it went into big crumble when the popes – 7 French popes - had moved and then lived in Avignon in France for 68 years. Then when the papacy came back to Rome, they settled in what is now the Vatican, a place on higher ground with better drainage – and St. Peter’s became the place to visit.

Yet, St. John’s remains the cathedral church of Rome.

So when you visit Rome, you have to visit St. John Lateran’s as well as St. Peter’s and the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum and St. Maria Maggiori and the small St. Alphonsus’ church when you can see the original picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help which we Redemptorists have promoted since 1867.

TODAY’S READINGS
The three readings for today all have to do with holy places – holy buildings.

We just listened to the readings them. What thoughts and feelings do they touch?

The first reading for the Prophet Ezekiel 47 talks about this imaginary temple that has the wonderful sound and sight of running water.

The water flows out of the temple down to the Arabah River. Then Ezekiel says that there are fruit trees of every kind along the banks of the river. Each month the trees give fresh fruit.

Isn’t that a great image of what a temple or a church should provide?

Wouldn’t that be a delicious place to visit every Sabbath? Wouldn’t that be a place that would restore our energies – going to the temple and seeing all this delicious water and then walking outside and picking fresh fruit.

Delicious fruit is very restorative. My sister always says, “If you want to get men to eat fruit, you have to cut it up for them.” Women: is that true?

A cold glass of water – the water cooler down the corridor here at St. Mary’s – seeing the creeks and bay of Annapolis – swimming – sailing on the Bay – going to Ocean City – taking a shower or bath – seeing, tasting and experiencing water restores us.

To be human is to hunger and thirst for good food and good water.

Aren’t families restored by picnics? Visits to Ben and Jerry’s? Tail gate parties? Cook outs? Sunday dinner?

Restoration – rest – revival – renewal? Isn’t that the purpose of temples, church, mosque, synagogue? When we feel broken and need a break after a long week of work – and sometimes Saturdays, we need Sunday. Isn't that why we’re here today. Give me a break!

The second reading from Paul’s First Letter to the Church of Corinth has Paul saying the people are the building – the temple. This was written before we had buildings – when the church was in hiding – when the church met in homes – long before cathedrals and churches could be built.
Question: when people meet me - this temple called "me", do they experience rejoicing, rest, restoration, renewal? Do they experience the presence of Christ?

The Gospel from John has the great message that Jesus is the temple.

The great temple in Jerusalem was the center of Israel’s life and culture. Jews would make pilgrimages to it many times in their life – just as Moslems today want to make pilgrimage to Mecca and their holy places.

Well, Jesus sees the money changers and sheep and oxen being sold on temple ground and Jesus became angry. Filled with zeal he overturned the money changers tables and yelled out, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”

Jesus then says that he is the temple – he is the center – he is the place to visit.

It took the church and it takes us a long time to grasp this deep theology.

BUILDINGS
Do we need buildings? Do we need holy places?

The history of the world of us human beings answer a loud, “Yes!” – but of course the key is we come here to experience God first. And as Christians we come to church to feast on the great food here: Jesus. We come here to be washed with the delicious water: Christ. We come here to hear we are the body of Christ – and then to go out from this holy place – and treat each other with sweet sacredness.

CONCLUSION
The title of my homily is, “On Visiting Churches.”

Up front I said, I find it a bit odd celebrating the feast of church. Do we just give history? What? What do you need this Sunday morning?

So my theme was the value of visiting churches. When you’re a tourist do you drop into churches? I notice folks who come to Annapolis visit St. Mary’s. What is their experience when they come through our doors? I notice that visitors who come here for weddings, baptisms and funerals, often say, “This is a beautiful church.” So churches do something to some people.

If you’re a history buff, read Robert Worden’s history of St. Mary’s Parish here in Annapolis. * I believe there are still copies for sale.

As one reads and digs into the history of this church or any church, interesting tidbits of information – as well as questions arise. For example in putting together this first draft homily for today, I kept noticing things that were very interesting. I read that in 1784 there were 15,800 Catholics in Maryland – 3,000 of them being African Americans. What’s their story? How did they get here? What churches did they go to? Start digging. Research is a great hobby.

If you haven’t been to Rome yet, and you get the chance and if the economy improves, visit St. John Lateran – and St. Peter’s, and St. Alphonsus, and St. Maria Maggiore, and the many interesting churches there.

If you want to keep the money in this country, if you go to Florida visit St. Augustine – the oldest European city in the United States. Nibble on Spanish Catholicism there. It goes back to Ponce de Leone who was searching for the fountain of youth in 1513 and so many snow birds doing the same since.

If you go to California, take in the history of the 21 Spanish Missions along “El Camino Real” – each mission a days walk from each other – 1769-1823 – and how those missions are part of the history of that state – how the buildings were left to ruin – how in 1863 Abraham Lincoln gave all the mission lands back to the Catholic Church – and those mission buildings were restored in the 20th century.

Or if you stay local, visit the basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore. It’s been restored big time. Take the guided tour. Or to save gas and time, go on line and drink in its history. It’s the key cathedral for this diocese – and some would say for the United States – but those in Washington D.C. who like the Immaculate Conception Cathedral might differ. Whatever. Enough. Amen.


* Robert L. Worden, Saint Mary's Church in Annapolis, Maryland, A Sesquicentiennial History

PRAYER FOR OUR DEAD

Lift up our dead
strong Son of God;
You are the God of the living
and not the God of the dead.
Come into our upper rooms
with words of “Peace”,
when we feel dead
because of our dead.

Remember their goodness,
their acts of kindness,
all the many ways they
have lifted up our life with their love.

Lift up our dead
strong Son of God;
You are the God of the living
and not the God of the dead.


Andrew Costello

(© Markings Prayer for November 1997)