BABY, 

WHAT A BEGINNING!

Quote for Today - July 20,  2011

"Babies are such a nice way to start people."

Don Herold

FAMILY

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 16th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Family.”

As the Pittsburgh Pirates were singing the Sister Sledge song when they were winning years ago [1979], “We are family”, now that they are doing well again, will that song be revived?

Individuals are important - sacred - unique - but it’s the family that is the family is the nucleus of society - as Catholic philosophy and theology have stressed and taught through the years.

We are family. We come from families. What is your family like?

The parish is a family. How many times have we heard here in church: “Brothers and Sisters” as an opening address? These are nice sentiments, but it’s when we know who’s here in church - when we recognize each other when we arrive - by eye, a nod, a wave of the hand, a hello, that the idea and ideal moves closer to reality. We share the word and the table, prayers, and a sign of peace and communion with each other. The Mass brings out both the horizontal and vertical dimensions of Christ. It’s the sign of the cross - the line up - and line out and across to each other. It’s Christ reaching up to his Father at Calvary and out to his brothers on the other crosses and his followers around him and down below - reaching out even though some had no clue about him. They were there to do their job - or manipulated to curse, to hurt and to kill Jesus.

In the process of crucifixion, the centurion discovers who he is.

The Church is not just a group then - not just the gathering - the ekklesia, but it’s also a place - an experience - a place to discover what parts I can play - what my best skills in the Body - I am. So it’s a place where we can discover who each individual is.

Ah! There’s the rub at times. In Church, we discover what we discover in family - the individual vs. the group.

Why do people come to the church building. Some say, “I come here to pray!” Others say, “I come here to socialize.” Some say, “I come for communion with Christ.” Others say, “I come here to be in communion with the Whole Christ.”

Can we do both? Can’t we do both.

Someone recently asked me when the new pastor is going to arrive. I told him the date I heard and he said, “I’m going to ask him to stop all this talking and chatting inside the church - especially before and after Mass.” I thought his comment was fascinating - because he was telling me all this after Mass - but inside the church building.

The diocese is a family.

The Catholic Church is our family.

I would hope we make the next jump and say, “We the people of this planet are all one family!” And we can say that - and work towards that - if we are doing the will of our Heavenly Father - as Jesus told us in today’s gospel. Praise God.

The Our Father is a Jewish prayer. It’s a Christian prayer. The Our Father is an international - interdenominational - inter religious prayer. We pray that God’s kingdom come to all - that all have daily bread - that we learn to forgive trespasses against us that we find hard to forgive. We are one family and God is Our Father.

Do we have that vision in a world of so many different visions, voices, listenings, languages, colors, and ways of life? That’s the challenge of Christianity?

A STORY: ONCE UPON A TIME

Once upon a time there was a French aristocrat and author named Duc Gaston Pierre Marc de Levis - who lived around 1764 to 1830.

Some who are Proper Bostonians brag about their lineage, well there was this family - the de Levis family - as the story goes - who considered itself and bragged about being the oldest family in Christendom. “Their chateau was reputed to contain two paintings to prove it: one of Noah going into the Ark with a box full of the Levis papers under his arm; the other of the Virgin Mary addressing the founder of the house as mon cousin and begging him to put his hat back on.” [1]

We don’t have a painting proving that we are members of Christ’s family, but we do have the scene in today’s gospel where Jesus is speaking to the crowds. His mother and brother wanted to interrupt and speak to him. So someone tells Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you.”

Surprise Jesus says to the one said that, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

Then stretching out his hand toward his disciples he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

He was not putting Mary down - he was doing what Mary would become - mother of all - of all cultures - and that’s why we Redemptorists are particularly proud of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help icon. It’s Eastern and Western - somewhat both - and can be found all around the world - and people all around the world reach out to Mary to bring families together and to bring all families to God our Father.

HORRORS

Now of course, there are horror stories - great human tragedies - and that’s the bad news - but the good news - is when the world rallies to help our brothers and sisters in need.

This is a great parish as we see in the St. Vincent de Paul Society and all the people who visit the homebound and those in nursing homes and the hospital.

I hope that each family that comes here for Mass walks out of here a better family than when they walked in here.

I have been moved when people come up to me after Mass to make the following complaint or suggestion: “How come after what happened in [fill in the blank - a world tragedy], when is the church going to take up funds to help these people?

CONCLUSION

When you were listening to today’s first reading from Exodus, we were listening to epic type writing - legends - and there are varying strands of stories in the Jewish Scriptures about the Exodus. We were hearing the story of the Passover from slavery and horror - to redemption and liberation. It evoked for the Hebrews hope - whenever they were being persecuted - and they were enslaved in Egypt. Hopefully, it evokes hope and action for any people who are in need of liberation. And hopefully we felt sympathy and empathy for the Egyptian families whose fathers and husbands did not return after being drowned and none escaped. Hopefully we feel the pain for the families of anyone who dies - or is killed - on either side in a war - big wars - or acts of terror.

We are family - and hopefully, this is how families think, feel and act.



[1] Clifton Fadiman, General Editor, The Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes, Little, Brown and Company, Boston, Toronto, London, 1985, p. 352

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Quote for Today - July 19, 2011

"Life is like a ten-speed bike. Most of us have gears we never use."

Charles Schulz

OBSTINATE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 16 Monday in Ordinary Time is just one word, one theme, “Obstinate”.

It’s just one word in today’s first reading. The translation we heard went like this, “So obstinate had the Lord made Pharaoh….” [Exodus 14:8].

Other translations use different words for “obstinate”. Some use the word, “hardened” or “stiffened” or “stubborn”. The Hebrew root word is the rough sounding word, “chazaq” - which can be translated “firm” or “strong” or “arrogant” or “hard” or “obstinate” or “like a fortress”.

Whatever word is used, we know and have experienced the feeling of being hard headed or obstinate or stubborn in ourselves and in others.

Some people get locked in on something. Some people won’t budge on certain issues. Some people have their minds made up - and no matter what we say or think - it will not unlock a locked mind. It will not thaw a frozen head of ice.

Obstinate….

Some people are more obstinate than others.

Some people - it all depends on the issue.

However, to be honest, don’t we all have some things we won’t budge on.

THE FIRST QUESTION

So I guess for starters the first question is, “How do I deal with the issue of stubbornness or obstinacy in others?”

Notice I made the first question about others.

When it comes to an issue like obstinacy, if we are considering it as a negative, we think of others having the hard head. We get frustrated because of their unwillingness to negotiate or compromise or change. We get fixed on them - and don’t see ourselves perhaps as stubborn as them.

Next, if we make this quality a plus, calling it strength, not being wishy washy - or “a pillar of soundness” - then we might be thinking of ourselves or people we like.

OURSELVES FIRST

So to be practical, if we want to deal with or face this issue, we have to start with ourselves. If we concentrate only on others who appear to us as hard headed - and unwilling to change - we lose every time. Why? Well, the other isn’t going to change.

The writer of our text in Exodus has God hardening the heart or making the heart of the Pharaoh stubborn or obstinate.

I would assume the reality was the Pharaoh became so furious - so hard headed - so obstinate - so used to calling the shots and getting his own way, that he led his army to destruction.

In a recent sermon, I mentioned that’s exactly what Captain Bligh does in the big book, Moby Dick. Nobody can tell him anything. Nobody could tell him he’s gone crazy in search of killing the big whale named, Moby Dick.

Unfortunately, when the boss goes off on something that leads to destruction, he or she can take the rest of the ship down as well.

How many companies and how many families and marriages have broken up because the head of the firm was so firm - that he or she wouldn’t budge - couldn’t or wouldn’t compromise - and as a result there was a great snap.

STEP BACK

I would also assume that the second step - after saying “I better look at myself first” is to step back - to assess what’s going on - to ask the big question: “Is this leading to the good or to evil - to life or to death?”

If it’s death and destruction, then something’s got to give - before something snaps. Hello, it’s me! For starters I need to step back - take a walk - talk over the situation with someone who will be objective - and not just take my side - because he or she is my closest friend.

SCENARIOS

“Folks there’s a hurricane coming, you have to evacuate your home.”

“I’m not budging. I’m going to ride out the storm. I’ve been through at least 5 big hurricanes in my life - and it’s never that bad.”

“What ever happened to Harry?”

“Harry? Harry wouldn’t leave his home on the coast - so we don’t know what happened to Harry after the hurricane wiped out a whole section of the coast - just where the hurricane hit land.”

“The Pharaoh? Oh we’re going to find out tomorrow that the Pharaoh’s whole army was drowned in the sea - and not one of them escaped.” It doesn’t say if the Pharaoh himself survived - whether he just stood on the shore and gave orders or if he drowned as well. I’ll have to see the movie, “The Ten Commandments again.”

CONCLUSION

Lawrence Sterne in described this reality this way: “The name of perseverance in a good cause, and of obstinacy in a bad one.”

So obstinacy can also be good. It’s called “endurance”. It’s called “stick-to-it-tiveness.” It’s called “fidelity.” It’s called “perseverance” as Lawrence Sterne put it.

Today is the feast day of one of my favorite saints - St. Camillus de Lellis - who never gave up - in spite of multiple set backs. He heard “no” many times in his life - but that didn’t stop him for too long.

Today I’m challenging myself and all to reflect upon this theme of obstinacy in our life.

THERE ARE TWO 

TYPES OF PEOPLE ....

Quote for  Today - July 18, 2011

"I was trained by my husband. He said, 'If you want a thing done - go.  If not - send.' I belong to that group of people who move the piano themselves."

Eleanor Robson Belmont - New York Times, December 18,  1960

P.S. Now isn't that an interesting comment? After I read it, it hit me, "That comment could get people to reach out - not to pick up a piano - but their baggage - which might be heavier than a piano."

GOING TO COMMUNION

Quote for Today - July 17, 2011

"When friends stop being frank and useful to each other, the whole world loses some of its radiance."

Anatole Broyard, New York Times, September 1, 1985

GROUND, GROAN,

GRIPE, GRACE, GOD

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time is, “Ground, Groan, Gripe, Grace, God.”

Those are 5 words beginning with the letter “g”.

“Ground, Groan, Gripe, Grace, God.”

When I read today’s second reading, the word “groaning” jumped off the page. So that’s where the word “groan” came from. The other 4 words beginning with “g” hit me as I thought about “groaning.”

I’m a tiny bit nervous, because when I begin saying something about each of these 5 words - some might groan inwardly, “Oh my God, 3 more to go!”

Today’s second reading from Romans intrigues me. The reading is very short. Smart move by whoever put these readings together. It’s from the 8th Chapter of Romans which needs to be digested very slowly. It needs to be cut with a sharp knife - like cutting prime rib or a good steak - and then taken in small bites and chewed and digested very deliciously, deliberately and slowly. Chew! Chew! Digest! Digest!

We also heard this word “groaning” in last week’s 2nd reading from Romans - also from the 8th Chapter - and this chapter continues onwards again next Sunday and the Sunday after that.

So 5 words beginning with “g”. That’s how I’m chopping up my homily - sort of like 5 steps in the growth process - in human evolution - in human spiritual growth - in human rising from the ground from which we came.

GROUND

The first theme I want to begin with is ground.

We are of the earth - ground - growing in our mother’s womb - and then presented to the world on our birthday: “It’s a girl!” “It’s a boy.”

It’s important that we be well grounded - well situated. It’s important to be born and brought into a family. It’s important to know security - home - a mom and a dad - who are present. We’re extra lucky - extra blessed if we also have grand moms and grand dads to nurture us.

Today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom uses the word "ground" when it gives these wonderful words, “and you gave your children good ground for hope….”

Hopefully all children are grounded in hope. Isn’t that one of the reasons for the question, “What are you going to be when you grow up?” And we hope the kid shoots for the moon. And hopefully nobody limits us - nobody says to us, “Dream smaller.” “Be realistic!” “Are you crazy? A woman will never be president of the United States.”

Hopefully, we all had good ground to stand on in our growing up years. Stability. Security. We’ve all heard stories about the horror a kid can feel in an alcoholic family - when kids don’t know what’s next or how daddy or mommy will behave when they walk in the door or they come home and walk in the door. Hopefully in growing up we had a great kitchen table - that as little kids we saw something happening there that was not happening over in our high chair - and we longed for the day of our graduation from the high chair to a chair at the family table. Hopefully we all experienced our family sitting and eating and talking and laughing - celebrating what it is to be a family. It's important for every family to find itself just sitting around telling the family stories - remembering them - and making the stories better.

The liturgy of our family needs the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of Meals.

These are the words of our family. Thanks be to God. These are our family menus - the meals members prepare and put together with their body and blood - and paid for by the work of our hands and brains. Thanks be to God.

I’ve heard several times someone say about a troubled person, “The bigger the problem, the earlier the problem.”

Children - need to be held. Children need to know there is someone there for them when they come home - if possible.

Children of the world need a healthy world to live in - to breathe in - to drink the water of etc. etc. etc.

So that’s my first reflection. We are of the ground - of the earth. The Book of Genesis is telling us with the second creation account in Genesis, that God realizing it’s not good to be alone - so God bent over and created us from the clay, the ground, the dust of the earth - and breathed the gift of life into us - God’s Spirit into us. Amen.

GROANING

The second reflection has to do with groaning.

The little baby cries and groans and screams for food - for attention - for love - to be lifted up.

My legs don’t walk yet - so walk me around the room, around the house, around the playground for me.

My sounds aren’t words yet - so talk up for me - bring me to meet all those people whom you’re talking with and who are saying, “Isn’t that a beautiful baby?”

And so the baby is a great groan - a new sound on the planet - a cry in the night - a scream in a church.

And hopefully we reach out to each child and make them feel at home - and help them crawl on the ground - and groan - and point - and we teach them to climb, to walk, to talk, to use their fingers to tell us how old they are - to use their sounds - to form words and tell us what they want.

Those are our first groans - in our first childhood - but then for many there are our end groans - as we sink back down towards the ground in our second childhood - and finally are buried back in the earth from which we came.

I’ve been to many nursing homes and many times I’ve run into people who are groaning - and sometimes there are people there to hear them, to soothe them - to give them company, and sometimes they are so, so alone - grounded - sometimes tied down in their beds.

In the Grand Canyon between childhood and old age - there are less groans - but sometimes we let out deep groans - deep screams - sometimes silent screams - sometimes grunts - some of which we don’t grasp. At times we just feel alone - all alone - or that all has gone wrong - and we just want to sink back into the ground - and out a cover over everything.

Life is laughter and tears - good times and bad - but let the good times roll.

St. Paul in today’s second reading speaks for many of us. Sometimes we don’t know how to pray - or maybe some of our best prayers - our real prayers - have not been our Our Father’s - but tumultuous groanings from deep in our belly.

I’m only scratching the surface of what Paul is saying here, but haven’t we all found ourselves at times fed up with the nonsense, the vanity, the loneliness, the hurt, the stuff we can’t understand, the “Why’s” and “Why not’s” and we just want to scream - to let out a deep - “uuuuuuuugghhhh!”

GRIPES

The third “G” that hit me is gripes.

I wanted to come up with 5 steps - 5 “g’s” - we have 5 fingers - so maybe this one is forced - but maybe not.

Gripes are different from groans - in that we can name our gripes easier than what’s at the bottom of our groans.

Gripes are about noise and stupidity - and not getting our way - and the way some drivers are almost backseat drivers - but they are in the car behind us - and sometimes they are sitting right next to us and we don’t need someone in our car to make choice comments - on how we should be doing the driving or doing life.

Gripes are more conscious - certainly not as deep - as our deepest groans.

Gripes. Come to grip with your grips. Make your list.

Then learn and pray the Serenity Prayer:

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

I have to do more homework with gripes - but let’s leave this at that. It’s the stuff that rubs us the wrong way between the crib and the nursing home bed - between diapers and Depends.

GRACE

Grace is what is what we get when we get to the other side of gripes and groaning - and make peace with what's causing our itches and twitches - gripes and groans.

Grace is gift.

Grace is surprise.

Grace is laughter.

Grace is wisdom.

Grace is letting go and letting God.

Grace is when we have made peace with life.

Grace is maturity - interdependence - working with each other - knowing our gifts - and that others have gifts. Thank God.

Grace is being gracious - affirming - enjoying a card game with our parents and with little kids. Grace is enjoying bridge, rummy or Go Fish!

Grace is Thanksgiving Dinner - when we say Grace better than any other meal of the year.

Grace is Sunday Dinner with the family - even though it gets tougher and tougher as the kids get older and into more and more stuff - to have these meals. A key is to experience Sunday dinner like Sunday Mass and neither of them are a  have to - or an obligation - but both are a want to - both being Eucharist.

Grace is to be realistic as well. We need to learn how to do the “have to’s” of life. There are some - like taking the dog out - cleaning up the dog do do - instead of cursing - whose dog did this? - giving the remote to the other person - letting the other ahead of us on the line - and lots of those sweet little random acts of kindness and comment - that make life sweeter for each other.

Okay, as we heard in today’s gospel, there are also weeds - along with the wheat.

So grace is making peace with the weeds and letting them grow to maturity and in the meanwhile we enjoy the wheat that has also grown - that we enjoy for example a whole wheat sandwich - with ham and cheese - or what have you.

Having grace is having the serenity that is talked about in the serenity prayer.

Being graceful is not a smile on the face while underneath there is the snarl - and the passive aggression that sometimes follows.

Nope grace is down deep peace and security - because we’re grounded in God - and a smile is the after effect of that peace and feeling of being at home in our own body and our own life and in the chapters of our story.

We too hear what Mary heard from God through an angel: “Hail ____ put your name there - full of grace, the Lord is with you.”

Hopefully as we age in grace we experience God’s knowledge of us and love for us - and calls to us - rooting deeper and deeper into our soul as we become more and more a person of the Kingdom.

If this happens we get it - got it, good.

We’re growing because we hear what Jesus keeps telling us every Sunday. The Kingdom is coming on earth as it is in heaven - starting in me. I’m enjoying the birds of the air and I know leaven - the yeast of God - is being kneaded into the mass of the earth each day by God - God like a woman as we heard in today’s Gospel making loaves of bread with wheat flour - until the whole back is leavened.

GOD

God is my fifth “G”.

God the smallest of seed was planted in my being - first as a word - but hopefully becoming born in us - in the Bethlehem of our soul - and slowly we discover the Wise Woman or Wise Man - the Shepherd - as well as the cow and the ox also within us.

And if we’re Christians we discover Christ is leading us - sometimes he’s like Jesus on the mountain of transfiguration - sometimes he's like Jesus on the cross of Mount Calvary - because he challenged us too much so we crucified him by running away - but Christ also rises - coming through our the thick walls of our upper room - our skull - and says “Peace” to us.

And it all makes sense - slowly. God takes time.

“Uuuuuuhhh” we groan. We know down deep  this stuff - we know what Paul discovered slowly.

I don't know how to close this, so let me close by reading once again today’s second reading. Relax. It’s short - unlike this long homily. “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.”