OUR LADY OF SORROWS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my reflection for today is, “Our Lady of Sorrows.”

This feast logically follows yesterday’s feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Christianity is a world religion because it deals with life and all its experiences. Life has not only joyful, glorious and wisdom or light bearing mysteries, but it also has sorrowful mysteries.

THE KEY TEXT

The key text is from Luke 2: 33-35 - when Mary is told by Simeon that a sword of sorrow shall pierce your heart so that the secret thoughts of many hearts will be seen.

Based on Mary’s life and based on that text, Christians down through the centuries feel God knows – because his Mother and his Son had to deal with the stab and sword of sorrow and pain.

SEVEN SORROWS
The 7 sorrows of Mary are:

1) Simeon’s prophecy at the Presentation (Luke 2: 25-35);
2) The escape to Egypt (Matthew 2: 13–15);
3) Jesus’ being lost and found in the Temple (Luke 2: 41–50);
4) Jesus meets Mary while carrying the cross (4 Station of the Cross);
5) Mary under the Cross at Jesus’ death (John 19: 25–30);
6) Mary holds Jesus’ dead body (13 Station of the Cross);
7) The burial of Jesus - (Luke 23: 50–56).

ARTISTS

Artists down through the years have sculpted and painted Mary and her sorrows.

We are all familiar with images of Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows – from the Pieta of Michaelangelo to the painting of our lady of Sorrows by many Spanish Artists like El Greco and Murillo.

Those in Redemptorist parishes all know about Our Lady of Perpetual Help – being a Lady of Sorrows. This is part of it’s popularity. We all have the image of the cross, the nails and the spear, in the background of our lives.

Picasso picked up on that theme with over 60 drawings of the crying woman – especially when he experienced the suffering women of the Spanish Civil War.

US

What are the biggest sufferings in life? What would be seven swords, seven sorrows that people have to deal with? Are they different for every person.

At first glance – first instance – I would list these seven:

· The loss of a child,
· betrayal,
· having enemies trying to get us,
· rejection.
· being attacked without being listened to,
· the loneliness of being misunderstood,
· death.

I guess better or worse, we have to name our own. Reflection on the life of Jesus and Mary – certainly will help.

Amen.

Paintings: Top Center, Picasso; Middle Right, Titian; Left bottom, El Greco

OUR LADY OF SORROWS

Quote for the Day - Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows - Sept. 15, 2010


"O Mother of God,
you are the mystical paradise,
which, untilled,
produced Christ,
through Whom
that life-bearing tree,
the Cross,
is planted on earth.
Wherefore
we now adore its exaltation,
and magnify you."


Byzantine Menaea,
Exaltation of the Cross (September 14),
Ninth Ode at Matins.
8th Century


Picture on top: Our Lady of Sorrows by Bartolome Esteban Murillo (1617-1682)

EXALTING THE CROSS,
EMPTYING THE SELF

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Exalting the Cross, Emptying the Self.”

Today, September 14, we Catholics celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

Down through the centuries, this has been one of the key dates for this feast – but there are other days that this feast has been and is celebrated – not only in the Catholic Church but in the other Christian Churches as well.

7TH SACRAMENT

Last night as I was doing a bit of research and reading on this I noticed that in the Assyrian Church of the East – not affiliated with Rome – they make the Sign of the Cross the 7th Sacrament.

Immediate question: Which of our 7 don’t they consider a sacrament? Answer: Marriage. Interesting. Joke: some say at some times they are the same. Just a joke.

As I reflected upon that, do members of this Assyrian Christian Church of the East make the Sign of the Cross better – thinking it’s a sacrament – than we who don’t – or only consider it as a sacred sign?

I would think they would.

THE TITLE OF MY HOMILY

The title of my homily is, “Exalting the Cross, Emptying the Self.”

As today’s 2nd reading points out – the great text from Philippians – Jesus emptied himself – lowered himself – by dying on the cross and then was exalted by the Father for suffering and dying for us.

I noticed in a sermon I read last night about the cross, some preacher suggested taking a pen or pencil and simply write the letter I on a blank piece of paper. Then he said, “Notice the I standing alone by itself. Next take that pen or pencil and cross out that I – eliminate oneself – and surprise – you have a cross.

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WHAT TO DO TODAY?

There are several things you can do today – to help make this feast significant.

Resolve next time you are at St. John Neumann’s church – to go up to the front – go up into the sanctuary – and stand under the cross and look up and see Jesus. Be aware of your reactions. Or you stand under the big cross in the back of this church.

Or make the stations of the Cross.

Or check out your home. Where is there a cross hanging? Dust it off. Then kneel before it and say to Jesus, “We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. By your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

Or take a rosary and starting with the cross and then each bead say one of the four acclamations we say at Mass after the consecration, “Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the savior of the world. "

Or say on each bead, the great prayer message of John the Baptist from John 3:30, "I must decrease; you must increase."

Or say the prayer of Teilhard de Chardin [1881-1855] on each bead, "Christ ever greater."

CONCLUSION
The title of my homily is, “Exalting the Cross, Emptying the Self.”



Picture of stained glass window on top from chapel in Malvern Pennsylvania Retreat House.

THE CRUX 

OF  

THE MATTER

Quote for the Day - Feast of the Holy Cross - September 14, 2010


"It is true,
and even tautological,
to say
that the Cross
is the crux of the matter."


G. K. Chesteron [1874-1936] The Everlasting Man (1925)

GET MOVING

Quote for the Day - Feast of St. John Chrysostom - September 13, 2010


"Work is a powerful medicine."


St. John Chrysostom [c. 347-407] From a homily - 4th Century


The picture on top is from an 11th century illuminated manuscript. This page has St. John Chrysostom handing a book of his sermons to Nikephorus Botaneitates [c.1020-1081]. The character on the right is the archangel Michael.

LET’S TALK ABOUT
THE OLDER BROTHER

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Let’s Talk About The Older Brother.”

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s gospel – Luke 15: 1-32 – is a central gospel text for our spiritual life as Christians. It’s long as you noticed. We’re allowed to read the long or short version. For me, no contest. No other choice. I read the long version. How about you? Do you need all three parables?

My take is that the whole chapter has to be heard as one. It needs to be heard, discovered, dug into, mined, remembered and practiced. How do you learn to forgive and be forgiven? Practice! Practice! Practice!

At times for a penance when someone comes to confession, I say, “Read the 15th chapter of the Gospel of Luke.”

I say that because it contains a rich theology of grace. The Catholic theology on Grace is right here. Grace is about cooperation. It’s not one sided. It’s not a free ride. I have things to do and God has things to do.

In the first two stories God does the searching, but the third story is just the opposite. God waits.

Looking at our life, how have we been when it comes to forgiveness? Do we reach out – make the phone calls – or do we wait?

Looking at our life, what has been our experience with God? Has God been searching for us or has God been waiting for us? Or is it both. Or is it: haven’t really thought about this is this way – till today – I hope?

So I have to have the hope that God is looking for me and wants me home with him – in grace with him, in communion with him, but I also have to get off my butt – we all have lots of but’s – up out my messes and come home!

So all 3 parables - all 3 stories are necessary. In the first 2 stories God comes searching for me; in the third story God waits for me to come home to Him.

Today’s gospel has 3 key characters: God, others, me. Spiritual teachers, when asked about how to read the Bible, sometimes say: “Start with the stories or the parables and ask yourself, ‘Which of the characters in this story is me?’”

# 1: looking at today’s gospel, am I the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin or Lost Son?

# 2: looking at today’s gospel, am I the Searching or Waiting God? Am I the Forgiving God? Am I able to have the God within me, forgive me within me? Can this me – become Godlike – and forgive myself – for all that piggy, piggy, pig stuff hidden in the bottom drawer or basement or pig pen in my soul? Everybody has a closet.

# 3: looking at today’s gospel, am I the Pharisee, the Scribe or the Unforgiving Older Brother?

In this homily I’m focusing on this third person: the Pharisee, the Scribe, the Unforgiving Older Brother.

THE PHARISEES AND THE SCRIBES

The gospel begins, “Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’”

The gospel ends with the older brother unwilling to welcome home his lost younger brother – unwilling to come inside and start to eat – start to feast on the fatted lamb with him and his father. Jesus says, “My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”

The gospel ends without us knowing if the older brother says to his father: “You know, you’re right. I’m wrong. I’m glad you came out here looking for me. I’m going in and sit down and eat with my brother.”

We do know that many of the Pharisees and the scribes did not accept Jesus’ message – of mingling and eating with tax collectors and sinners.

We do know from today’s second reading that Paul – a Pharisee –changed and came home – came into the Christian family. That second reading is very autobiographical. In his case God reached out for him on the road to Damascus – as in today’s first two parables.

THE OLD JOKE

Remember the old joke? We’ve all heard it at least a dozen times. It gets kind of boring in heaven, so St. Peter calls everyone together on a field in this big enormous stadium and says, “Okay, all the women go up into the stands on my right. Next all the men who were not married, go up into the stands on my left. Now all you married men on the field, if you were nagged by your wife go that end of the stadium and if you were never nagged by your wife, go to this end of the stadium. Every man but one goes to that end of the stadium. St. Peter then says to the one guy at this end of the stadium, ‘What are you doing here?’ And he says rather sheepishly, ‘My wife up there pointed to me to come down here.’”

Well if I said, “Everyone stand up. If you’re a Pharisee or a Scribe or like the older brother, meaning, you see yourself as not doing anything wrong, you never sin, you’re educated, you’re trying to do everything right, you stand over there. Now if you see yourself as a disaster – or a sinner, a prostitute, poor, dirty, lazy, a tax collector, meaning, you tax others, you wear them out, your life is a mess, you stand over there.” Where would you stand?

It’s like the old story of the guy who checked out ten different churches. Each church had criteria for belonging. The one he picked was the one where the pastor said, “The only criteria for coming here is that you sin and make mistakes. Then you’ll feel at home.”

Isn’t that the well known secret and the success for A.A., Alcoholic Anonymous, meetings? Should every Mass begin by each of us standing up and saying, “Hello. My name is Andrew. And I’m a sinner.” Isn’t that why every Mass begins with the tip of our fingers taking a dip into the water – and then making the sign of the cross – to remind us of the washing waters of our baptism and then a confession of sin and guilt and a prayer for mercy. “Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.”

MAJOR, MAJOR MESSAGE

The major, major, major, major message in today’s gospel is Jesus’ message about what God our Father is like.

For some people God the Father is like their own father – or some image some Father So and So preached 50 years ago.

God our Father is like the Good Shepherd in today’s gospel who leaves the 99 sheep in the desert and goes looking for the one lost sheep till he finds it. Then notice he comes home with that lost sheep on his shoulders and calls out to friends and neighbors and says, “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.”

Imagine all the other sheep saying, “Baa, baa, baa, bad idea. What about us? I’ve been a loyal sheep all my life – and this turkey gets all the celebration and attention. Not fair. Not fair. Not fair.”

Wait till we get to heaven and find out who’s there. Surprise. Surprise. Surprise!

God is like this woman who had ten coins. They think it might be her wedding coins – that women sewed into their head or hat pieces – reminding everyone who sees her: “Look at all the coins I got at my wedding!” – and one coin gets lost and she searches and searches till she finds it – and then throws a party – yelling out, “Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I have lost.”

Then Jesus ends this second story with the same message, “I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Wait till we hear the clapping and screaming and rejoicing when we walk into heaven. “He’s here. She’s here. Wow! Great!”

God is like the Father of two sons. The younger pigs out – ends up in the mud – a homeless starving mess – but comes home – not out of great motive – but to feed his face – and he experiences the love of a wonderful father – who’s hugging and kissing him – with no worry about getting dry pig do do on him. The dancing father is celebrating and yells, “Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fatted calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”

CONCLUSION: THE QUESTION – THE BIG, BIG QUESTION

The question, the big, big question is this: is this my perception, my image, my understanding of who and how God is?

I can say the Creed right after this homily a thousand times – with ease – but can I say the creed that comes out of this 15th Chapter of Luke. “This is my God. This is my Father.” And feel God hugging me and holding me and inviting me to this banquet – this Mass – this Meal – this church filled with us sinners – where we eat the slaughtered lamb – the Body of Christ – the Bread and Wine together in communion with each other at this banquet.

If not then I’m still outside. I’m still off to side – a Pharisee, a Scribe, the Older brother.

Relax. The Good News is: God doesn’t give up. That’s what Luke 15 is saying. Sometimes God waits for me and sometimes he comes looking for me.

P.S. Suggestion: Hope for the looking and searching God as opposed to the waiting God.

Painting on top: Rembrandt - find the Older Brother

LONG  MEETINGS 

Quote for the Day - September 12, 2010

"The length of the meeting rises with the square of the number of people present."


Attributed to Eileen Shanahan