APPRECIATION

Quote for Today - April 15,  2011

"I now perceive one immense omission in my Psychology, - the deepest principle of Human Nature is the craving to be appreciated, and I left it out altogether from the book, because I had never had it gratified till now."





William James [1842-1910] in a letter to his class at Radcliffe College, April 6, 1896, in Letters (1920) volume 2, page 33.

ROCK THROWING: WHAT IS

MY WEAPON OF CHOICE?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my reflection for this 5th Thursday in Lent is, “Rock Throwing: What Is My Weapon of Choice?”

At the end of today’s gospel we have the statement, “At that they picked up rocks to throw at Jesus, but he hid himself and slipped out of the temple precincts.” [Cf. John 8:59]

If they killed Jesus that day, would we be wearing rocks around our necks instead of a cross?

Have we ever been so angry we wanted to throw a rock at someone to shut them up?

IN THE SCRIPTURES

If we read the scriptures we find various instances of rock throwing as well as killing people with rocks. How did Cain kill Abel – the first murder mentioned in the Bible? [Genesis 4:8] David killed Goliath with a stone – a smooth one. [1 Samuel 17:40-51] Okay, he also used Goliath’s sword as well.

Years later – when David is king – he was to experience someone – a man name Shimei – cursing and throwing stones at him. [Cf. 2 Samuel 16:5, 13.]

We know from the scriptures one form of capital punishment was stoning a person to death. Blasphemers, fortune tellers, adulterers, the mistake makers, were stoned.

We heard it on Monday with the story of the woman caught in adultery and we’ll hear it at the death of Stephen – the first Christian martyr. [Cf: John 8:1-11; Acts 7:55-60]

MARRIAGE – COMMUNICATION SKILLS

When I meet with couples who are planning to be married, I sometimes ask the question: “What is your weapon of choice?”

Hearing that they look at me with a puzzled face.

I then say, “Is your weapon silence? Is it words to the other’s face? Is it words behind their back? Is it passive aggression?”

What is your weapon of choice?

What do we do when we’re frustrated? How do we manage our anger? What bugs us? What do we get impatient with every time? What are our buttons? How do we solve our relationship issues?

In some parts of the world, they still want to stone people to death?

In other parts of the world, there is divorce and starting again in a new relationship.

In many parts of the world, it’s get all the weapons you can get?

As Bob Dylan’s 1963 song put it, “The answer my friend is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind.” [1]

JESUS

The message of Jesus that still blows in the wind is “Peace” – is to put down the rocks and walk away. [Cf. John 20: 19-23; John 8:7.]

I would assume that Christianity also teaches us to come back and sit down and talk and eat with each other. Communion – holy communion – with each other is Jesus’ dream. Use the rocks to build bridges as well as centers for community and community with each other.

CONCLUSION

What is our weapon of choice?

Regarding rock throwing I remember seeing a sculpture in Time magazine many years ago. It was by a Soviet Sculptor. I found it through Google - and I also found a newer take off on the same theme by a Chinese Artist.

So answers to my question, "What is my weapon of choice?" could now not only be rock throwing but sending e-mails, texting and twittering.

On top I put two pictures of works of art. The black and white sculpture is by Ivan Shadr – the pseudonym of Ivan Dmitriyevich Ivanov [1887-1941]. His sculpture is entitled: “Stone As A Weapon of the Protelariat” – 1927. The second picture is by Zhou Yongyang who does Performance Art Work. The red print reads, “Keyboard – Weapon of the Weak in China, 2007.”

What is our weapon of choice?

[1] "Blowin' In The Wind" - Bob Dylan, 1963

BIG PICTURE

Quote for The Day - April 14,  2011

"Nothing is more dangerous than an idea, when you have only one idea."



Alain (Emile-Auguste Chartier) [1868-1951] Propos sur la religion (Remarks on Religion, 1938) no. 74

AND THE TRUTH

WILL SET YOU FREE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 5th Wednesday in Lent is, “And The Truth Will Set You Free.”

Jesus, in today’s gospel, teaches us a great truth: “The truth will set us free.”

FIRST IT HURTS

I’m sure you heard the addition to that saying: “But first it will hurt.”

Isn’t that why we often don’t want to know the truth. It hurts. It’s too painful.

I’m sure a lot of you saw the movie, “A Few Good Men” where Tom Cruise plays the part of the lawyer, Lt. Daniel Kaffee. And many people remember the scene and lines when Kaffee challenges Col. Nathan R. Jessep, played by Jack Nicholson. Kaffee says to Jessp, “I want the truth.” and Col Jessep fires back, “You can’t handle the truth.”

I see that whole movie as a parable on this saying of Jesus: “And the truth will set you free.” That’s the Good News. The tough news in the movie – is that people have to fall – lose it all – struggle – push – pull – in order to discover the real truth.

Jesus was killed because he told the truth – truths that can set us free. Jesus tells us that sin enslaves us. Isn’t that the truth?

FREEDOM

How many times have parents and teachers and principals and police investigators said to people, “Tell the truth!”? And we know when a person in a court room goes up the stand to testify, he or she puts her hand on the Bible and says, “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.”

Freedom and truth are linked. Yet often we need the God’s help to link them.

The person who smokes is killing herself or himself – and who wants to know that truth? However, it will set a person free. So too any addiction.

Who wants to know what really hurts? Yet Jesus tried to bring people through that truth – to the other side of that threshold – that doorway – that eye of the needle – and if they choose to follow him – they find freedom – fresh air – the Promised Land on the other said of that slavery – that Egypt.

CONFESSION

Isn’t that the background – the reason – why people want to go to confession – in Lent? The curtain, the wall, anonymity helps – but we can’t be anonymous to Jesus and ourselves. And when it comes to experiencing forgiveness, it’s my experience as priest to discover that it’s not Jesus who is the problem here. It’s me. It’s my sin of pride. It’s my inability to say, “I did it.”

“Bless me Father, for I have sinned!”

It’s like that moment at an A.A. meeting when someone stands up and says, “I’m Jetro and I’m an alcoholic.”

We all know the text in James 5: 16: “Confess your sins to one another – and pray for one another – and this will cure you!”

“And the truth will set you free.”

THEODORE ROETKE - THE POET

At times I remember a line from the poet, Theodore Roetke: “O the lies I have told my energies.”

When I read that I said to myself, “Isn’t that the truth!”?

I have my list of excuses for not finishing so many things. My sins of omission stare me in my mirror more than things I have done wrong. That’s my way of saying Psalm 51.

Theodore Roetke added, ‘Get down to where your obsessions are! For Christ’s sake shake it loose.” (1)

LENT: A TIME FOR DEEP SEA FISHING

Obviously, Lent is time to get down to where our obsessions are.

Obviously, Lent is 40 days to go into the desert and discover the deserted parts of our soul. Lent is a time to go deep sea fishing – to leave the shallow waters of self.

Lent is a time to hear Jesus says, “Go within.” “Go underneath.”

We don’t. We stay on the surface but start deep sea fishing or digging into other’s depths – judging them – condemning them.

As Shakespeare puts it in Julius Caesar, “The fault dear Brutus is not in the stars but in us.”

We are as T.S. Eliot said straw, stuffed people. “We are the hollow men, We are the stuffed men, Leaning together, Headpieces filled with straw.”

With Jesus there is hope. With Jesus there is fullness of redemption.

As Redemptorists we preach hope. Our motto motivates us in confession and in the pulpit. It’s from Psalm 130 – the De Profundis Psalm – the Out of the Depths I cry to you psalm. Verse 7 proclaims our motto and vision: “Copiosa apud eum redemptio!” “With him there is fullness of redemption.” Notice the word depth. It’s in our depths – in our obsessions - in our oppressions - in our depressions - in those places where we don’t like to go – we can discover the Redeemer.

Isn’t that the truth?

I love it that Jesus was born on straw. I love it that the straw man in The Wizard of Oz in reality was a real person.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “And The Truth Will Set You Free.”

Isn’t it wonderful we don’t have to do it all on our own – that Jesus is our Redeemer, Savior, Liberator?

Isn’t that the truth? Amen.




NOTES

(1) Cf. Saturday Review, June 29, 1968, “Words for Young Writers - From the Notes of Theodore Roetke” by David Wagoner.

LISTENING 

April 13, 2011

Quote for Today

"The first step to wisdom is silence - the second is listening."

Anonymous

THE CROSS

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my reflection for this 5th Tuesday in Lent is basic: The Cross: What Does It Mean To Me?

The cross: what does it mean to me?

I was in Ahh Coffee! with Bernie Bernsten on Sunday after the 10:30 Mass and I noticed a lady with a tattoo of a cross right here under her Eve’s apple [POINT]. It looked like it was 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. I had the thought it would look interesting in an evening gown.

The cross: what did it mean to her?

On Saturday night I went to see the musical, The Sound of Music, presented by St. Mary’s high school students. It was excellent. There was Maria on stage – kneeling in prayer – having to make a major decision in her life – and she makes the sign of the cross.

The cross: what did it mean for her and for this young lady playing her part in a high school play?

I blessed a couple with the sign of the cross at their wedding on Saturday afternoon here at St. Mary’s and they made the sign of the cross as I blessed them.

The cross: what does the cross mean to them?

I did a baptism on Saturday morning. I asked everyone present – including grandparents and about 5 cousins – as well as other members of family and friends – to make a small sign of the cross on the forehead of the new baby, Anna. Having everyone do that takes about 5 minutes extra – but I think it’s important. I said this is symbol of the good things – like faith – to pass onto this new born baby.

The cross: what does it mean to those who put the cross on this new baby Anna’s forehead at her baptism?

On Friday of next week, Good Friday, Christians around the world will see the cross carried down the main aisle of the church. They see the priest or deacon carrying the large cross – stop 3 times and sing, “This is the wood of the cross on which hung the Savior of the world. Come let us worship.” Then the whole church will be invited to come forward to kiss the cross.

The cross: what will it mean to all of us this coming week at the Good Friday service.

Last night at the parish mission, Father Daniel Francis, who is preaching the Mission, turned and faced the enormous cross at St. John Neumann’s church. I often wonder what strangers think when they see that enormous cross out there. What about the big empty wooden cross there and here? What about the big wooden cross in the back of St. Mary’s Church here on Duke of Gloucester Street? I’ve heard this in sermons, but it finally happened to me about two months ago. After Mass here in St. Mary’s a little kid came up to me and pointed to the big crucifix in the back and said, “What happened?”

The cross: what does it mean to all those who see these crosses?

Today’s first reading has the story in the Book of Numbers where Moses puts a bronze sculpted metal snake on a wooden pole. He tells the people to look at the snake and see that this is what’s killing you and let the Lord save you. Then today’s gospel – John 8: 21- 30 - has Jesus telling us that when the Son of Man is lifted up; we will realize that I AM. John is very aware of the story in Numbers because he refers to it earlier in 3:13

The cross: what does it mean to John in his gospel?

Is the message to look at the cross and realize Jesus is the one who can save us? Is the message to look at Jesus on the cross and see the horror of evil – the things we do to each other. We try to nail down those we don’t want around. We kill those who challenge us. People see Christ as a snake biting and fighting them – and they want him out of the way. Is the message in the scriptures to see the paradox of the snake as well as the paradox of the Cross? Is it the same paradox of all of us having within us the possibility of being the Good Thief or the Bad Thief? Is the message of the gospels that if we take the time to look at the cross – we can be healed – we can hear Jesus say, “I AM!”

The cross: what does it mean to us?

CIVIL  WAR

Quote for the Day - April 12,  2011


"[The Civil War] created in this country what had never existed before - a national consciousness. It was the not salvation of the Union; it was the rebirth of the Union."


Woodrow Wilson [1856-1924] in a Memorial Day address in 1915. The first shot of the United States Civil War happened - 150 years ago - today, April 12, 1861 in Fort Sumter, South Carolina and the last shot took place in June 1865.