OVERLOOK
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time - C is, “Overlook.” [Spell out.] O V E R L O O K
I noticed the word “overlook” in today’s first reading when the author of The Book of Wisdom states,
“Before the Lord
the whole universe
is as a grain from a balance
or a drop of morning dew
come down upon the earth.
But you have mercy on all,
because you can do all things;
and you overlook people’s sins
that they might repent.” [Wisdom 11:22-24]
Great poetry. Great images. Great message. Don’t overlook it!
“Overlook”: a word I’ve never really looked at. I’ve always overlooked it. And the first reading is often overlooked as well.
And in case you’ve also overlooked the first image in today’s first reading, the author is saying that the Lord sees the whole universe as a grain from a balance. I did a bit of research on that text and I think the better translation in English would be, “as a speck of dust on a scale.” A tiny bit of grain from the last weighing is okay – if that’s the picture you get – but I like "a speck of dust on a scale or a balance" better.
Some people, when they go to the doctor, are very aware of “The Scale Moment”. They know it happens right away. So they are planning – as their name is called – to first take out of their pockets their car keys, their wallet, then to take off their coat, their sweater – and to put all on the chair before they step on that scale. They don’t take that “Scale Moment” or “Scare Moment” too lightly.
We’re talking here about a speck of dust or grain on a scale.
Most of the time we overlook specks of dust – as in dust on glasses – even a speck of dandruff on a dark blue suit – or the second image, a drop of dew on a flower or a blade of grass. I’ve walked by trillions of drops of dew and as for specks of dust – I let them rest in peace in my room. I vacuum my room about 5 times a year.
The writer of this text from The Book of Wisdom says the Lord overlooks the whole universe as if it were a speck of dust on a scale or a drop of morning dew on a blade of grass or on a flower or on our front windshield – so too our sins – so that we’ll repent – and be better persons.
OUTLINE
For the sake of a homily on this theme of “Overlook”, I chose 3 issues and overlooked others:
1) Standing on an Overlook: Getting the Big Picture.
2) Is There Anyone I’m Overlooking?
3) Not Overlooking The Poet and Prayer Maker Within Us.
1) STANDING ON AN OVERLOOK – GETTING THE BIG PICTURE
I like the window seat on an airplane. I’ve seen plenty of aisles – in church and in classrooms etc. So I love window seats, so I can see the big picture.
I have fond memories of climbing the White Mountains in New Hampshire, the Rockies in Colorado and some mountains in Montana. I love the exhilarating moment of getting to a top and then looking out and down on everything. It is well worth the climb.
I like choir lofts in churches – and upper decks in stadiums.
I can still remember the 2 times I was on the top of one of the World Trade Center towers – first amazed at the speed of that fast elevator. And then standing there outside and seeing so much – especially the tiny boats on the Hudson River. “On a clear day you can see forever.”
My first point is the importance of overlook moments – getting the big picture. I spent 14 years of my life working in 2 different retreat houses – one at the Atlantic Ocean in New Jersey and the other in the Pocono Mountains. And retreat houses are often located in beautiful spots – so we can see the big picture – to retreat – and to look at our life from a distance. When was the last time you made a retreat?
Vacations … retreats … escapes … sailing … walking … listening to classical music … a good movie … attending a wedding or funeral … celebrating a birthday or anniversary … are just some of those moments we can overlook our life and get the big picture.
Sunday Mass …. Sabbath …. the Eucharistic chapel – a walk in the woods…. or through the Naval Academy or Quiet Waters Park are very important for this first point of taking time to overlook our life.
Questions: Is our best yet to come or have we been there? Are we downsizing or upbeat? Have we given up or are we just getting started? Where is tiny little me on the river of life?
Overlook: take a good look at your life - and listen to your answers to these tough questions.
It’s good to climb mountains and have Transfiguration moments. It’s good to climb mountains so we can see the big picture and come down with good plans. We’ve been to the mountain. We’ve overlooked our life and discovered what and who we have been overlooking. We come down and we scream less at little scratches on our cars – or small interruptions while reading the paper or watching our favorite game – or “Who got the yellow butter in the brown peanut butter? Who does that every time. Uggggggh! That drives me crazy!”
2) IS THERE ANYONE I’M OVERLOOKING?
Today’s gospel is a favorite for many – especially short people.
Studies indicate the taller guy or gal gets the job more than the equally qualified short gal or guy.
Some studies indicate that the middle child often feels overlooked. Many say the oldest child gets all the pictures. I don’t know if that has changed with digital cameras.
In today’s gospel Jesus spots the short guy in the tree – who climbed the sycamore tree so as to see Jesus.
Jesus spots the forgotten and the little guys and gals. Jesus spots sinners. Jesus likes to eat with sinners.
This is a great gospel story for people who hesitate to receive communion – because they feel they are coming up short with their behavior or their charity.
If you feel like a hypocrite coming to communion, if you feel others are grumbling inwardly about you, as in, "How come she or he is going to communion?" The crowd in the gospel put it this way, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner!” Remember today’s gospel. See the big picture.
See Jesus wanting to be in communion with you. See Jesus rejoicing because you are going to change your life and be aware of the poor and those you extort.
See yourself changing and being aware of those you might be overlooking: spouse, parents, brothers, sisters, kids, the person two desks down at work….
Who are those people I never look in the eye? Who are those I overlook?
The gospel of Luke is a catalogue of people who are screaming like little kids, “Mira! Mira! Look at me!” Who’s screaming to me from up a tree: “Hello…. You’re overlooking me!”
3) NOT OVERLOOKING THE POET AND THE PERSON OF PRAYER WITHIN US.
Remember the old saying, “Inside every fat person, there is a thin person crying to get out.” I saw that on at least a dozen refrigerator doors – a dozen or two years ago when that saying was popular.
I want to thank the writer of today’s first reading – they think it was a Greek speaking Jew from the second half of the 1st century B.C. He let his inner poet and person of prayer speak to us today.
How about us? How about our inner poet? How about our inner person of prayer? Is he or she being overlooked?
If there are over 6 billion people on this planet, if this planet is just one tiny ball hanging here on this great Christmas tree of a universe – and if this universe is just one universe in a vast forest of a billion, trillion, gazillion universes, that’s a “Uh oh!” or an “Oh wow!” or a moment of wonder.
Haven’t we sat there at the beach in a beach chair or on a blanket – under an umbrella – of with tons of sun screen on if we need it – and we’re all alone for a few moments. Our spouse and kids are down in the water or gone for ice cream and it’s quiet – even though the beach is crowded – and we pick up some sand and let it fall from our fingers to the ground slowly. And we slowly think to ourselves, “Interesting. Sand. Billions and billions of grains of sand. Who’s counting? And we hear the crash of waves hitting the beach. How many waves hit a beach per day? Who’s counting? Do I count?”
And without knowing it, we’re praying, “And God you made us out of the sand of the earth. Why us, God? Why me, God? And this earth is 5 to 10 billions years old and it’s going to last that many more years at least – as they say – because that’s the estimate on the sun – and there might be millions and millions more suns up there. God, what’s with you? God, what’s your plan? God , why so much and then some more? Why? What’s with you?”
And we continue our poem and our prayer, “O my God, I’m nothing. Oh my God, I’m something. Oh my God, I’m someone! Oh my God you’re aware of me up here in my tree and you are inviting me to banquet with you for all eternity. Woo! Wow!”
To conclude ....
And we’re in the middle of that ocean of thought and back comes our family missing and loving us and our youngest says, “Want a lick of my ice cream” or “Come on down to the water with us.” Then we see them and all the beach as all part of this great big enormous creation of God whom we’ve been overlooking too, too much, too, too long. Amen.
