LIFE  AND  TIME

December 30, 2011

Quote for The Day


"Life is merely a fraction of a second.
An infinitely small amount of time to fulfill
our desires, our dreams, our passions."

Paul Gauguin [1848-1903]

Painting on top: "The Yellow Christ", "Le Christ jaune", 1889 - by Paul Gauguin, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, N.Y.

PARADISE  LOST

December  29, 2011

Quote for Today

"Les vrais paradis sont les paradis qu'on a perdus."

"The true paradises are paradises we have lost."

Marcel Proust [1871-1922], Le temps retouve (Time Regained, 1926, translated 1931 by S. Hudson, chapter 3, p. 215.

Painting on top, "Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?" 1897, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, by Paul Gauguin [1848-1903]

AWARENESS

OF THE POWER

OF BAD EXAMPLE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this feast of the Holy Innocents - December 28 - is, “Awareness of the Power of Bad Example.”

HIGH SCHOOL RETREAT

Let me begin with by mentioning a very interesting thing that happened on a high school retreat with some of our kids.

There we were having a group discussion on the issue of teen age drinking and drugs. Sitting there listening, it triggered the memory of a meeting for parents that I attended a few years back about teenage issues. A specialist on teenage issues was the main speaker. She worked in Anne Arundel County. St. Mary’s was on average with other high schools in the country regarding teenage drinking. I was hoping we would be lower; I was glad we were not higher. The presenter had done an anonymous survey amongst our kids - and was telling parents what she saw was going on with our kids. I was also thinking about things kids have said in other discussions on this very issue.

That’s how it began - but the interesting thing that hit me didn't happen yet.

The young people first started talking about themselves. They talked about peer pressure - driving after drinking - looking for parties with booze, everybody does it, etc.

Then surprise, they started talking about how some of their parents drink too much - and also offer their kids alcohol at times. I had heard that before as well.

Now the interesting moment …. For the first time, I heard the following: these high school kids talked about how they were giving bad example with their drinking to the younger kids in our school - as well as to their brothers and sisters.

FREEZE THAT: AWARENESS OF MY POWER TO GIVE BAD EXAMPLE

I wanted to yell, “Freeze the moment!” I wanted to yell, “Great insight! Some of you are saying that you are moving from being self-centered to being other-centered.”

I didn’t because I thought the conversation was progressing very well. It was moving into possible further awareness’s they were not seeing till that moment.

I kept listening and noticed that the conversation - was opening up some mouths that were quiet till then. I sat there hoping and praying that more minds would open to deeper and further challenges.

It would be great if those moments in that discussion could be frozen and then thawed out as life moved on for them.

I am personally scared for these kids as they move on to college - where for some kids binge nights are every night.

Each of us needs to pause and examine what is the good example I’m giving - and what are the bad examples I’m giving - especially towards children.

I also hoped that they would move their words from babble to not picking up the bottle.

Example speaks louder than words.

JESUS WAS OFF ON THIS TOPIC

For starters Jesus was off on this topic - not to give bad example - especially towards children.

He said it would be better to have a mill stone tied around your neck and you’re thrown into the sea - than to have given bad example to kids. That’s a strong statement. [Cf. Mark  9:42; Matthew 18:6; Luke 17:2]

Then paradoxically - but really not - Jesus struggled to get people to go within - to walk around listening to their inner thoughts - checking out their actual attitudes - that this was more important than outward example.

He said this because the Pharisees could give good example, but in reality, it was their inside, their motives, that Jesus went after. Yes they gave good example. However, they used their example to try to manipulate people to think these Pharisees were super people.

A QUOTE

Someone said, “A good example is worth a thousand sermons.”

If that is true, and if a picture is worth a thousand words, what is the impact of bad example?

If Chinese kids speak Chinese - because that is the language they hear at home - then it’s obvious they speak the language, the tones, the attitudes, the meanings of their parents.

If the message of Christmas is that the word became flesh, then we need to realize that our words become flesh in others, especially children. Children are our words become flesh. We have the accent and the attitudes, the behavior and the being of our parents.

Today’s gospel talks about the slaughter of the Holy Innocents. In how many homes are the words of Jeremiah that we hear in today’s gospel being fulfilled because of the bad example of others - especially because of alcohol - and people are killed because of drunken drivers or alcohol poisoning?  [Cf. Matthew 2: 13 - 18; Jeremiah 31: 15]

                     A voice was heard in Ramah,
                     sobbing and loud lamentation;
                     Rachel weeping for her children,
                     and she would not be consoled,
                     since they were no more.

If the message of today’s first reading is to be aware of sin - as well as our words and impact on others - then we need to grow in awareness of the power of our example. [Cf. 1 John 1:5-2:2]

CONCLUSION

Today the feast of the Holy Innocents, my message is to be aware of our impact on children. We can kill kids by the impact of our bad example on the innocent.

COMMUNICATION

December  28,  2011

Quote for Today

"Like all weak men he laid an exaggerated stress on not changing one's mind."

W.  Somerset Maugham [1874-1965], Of Human Bondage (1915), Chapter39

2 FEELINGS:

COMPLETE AND INCOMPLETE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “2 Feelings: Complete and Incomplete.”

We know what it is to feel complete and we know what it feels to be incomplete.

We know the difference. We know when something or someone is missing. We know when we finished something - and we feel it went well - for example, experiencing Christmas as a family, putting together a great family meal - vacation - or what have you.

DREW BREES

Last night I was watching Monday night football. I wanted to get to bed but I also wanted to see if Drew Brees would break Dan Marino’s single season yards passing record of 5084 from 1984.

The problem was I was alone. Father Joe Krastel would have been there - but he’s up at his brother’s. Then  a priest who was visiting us for 2 days dropped in our common room - where I was watching TV. Well, the game got slow. He wanted to see the record broken - but it wasn’t happening, so he went to bed. He  said he was quite tired. Well, right near the end of the game Drew Brees pulled it off and broke the record with a touchdown pass.

It was neat - but I didn’t feel complete - because I was by myself - and it’s great to see these things with others.

It triggered a memory of the same thing happening years ago. It was the first game of the 1988 World Series. The Dodgers were losing 4-3 in the 9th inning against the Oakland Athletics. Dennis Eckersley their closer was on the mound. Kirk Gibson came out of the locker room for the Dodgers and Tommy Lasorda put him in the pinch hit. Gibson said that he was available. One Dodger was on base. Both of Gibson’s legs were injured from the previous games to get to the World Series. He also had a stomach virus. This was to be his only appearance in the World Series. The count was 0 and 2 - then Gibson worked the count to 3 and 2. As in the movie, The Natural, Kirk Gibson’s hits a famous home run. It was great, but I felt incomplete, because I was by myself. The Dodgers went on to win the 1988 World Series 4 games to 1.

I am sure you have had the same experience - the names, the place, the situation would be different - but you know the feeling. It’s the same.

To be human is to want to go through life with others - especially to share the biggest and best moments - with another or others.

This is what makes death and divorce and separations so tough.

This is why Genesis has the words, “It is not good to be alone.”

EVEN DEEPER

What’s even deeper and more painful is when another or others are there but they yawn or they look at their watch - or they don’t understand what we’re so excited about - or they don’t care about sports or religion or what have you.

GET THAT?

Get that, get this idea about not being connected, or being alone or being out of sync with another or others, you then grasp one of the key themes of John the Evangelist?

He knew about communion. He knew about Christ. He knew what makes for joy: it’s communion.

He grasped the loneliness of Jesus who came amongst us - and people didn’t get him or his words - and walked away. Then John adds, but to those who do receive the Word, they get the fullness - the completeness.

In today’s first reading from 1st John he tells his motive for writing. I write that you too will get what we got: Jesus. And we tell you, so that your joy may be complete. [Cf. 1 John 1: 1-4.]

That’s why in today’s gospel we hear that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb - she was empty without Jesus. That’s why in today’s gospel Peter and John ran to the tomb. That’s why John says of John, “He saw and believed.” Faith is connection. Faith brings completeness. [Cf. John 20: 1a, 2-8.]

CONCLUSION

Completeness ….

The hunger for completeness ….

That’s what makes the world go round.

That’s why the world is round - so that we roll towards each other.

That’s why the apple and the orange are round…. Want a piece?

That’s why the communion is round …. Take and eat.

CONTENTMENT

December  27, 2011

Quote for Today

"Suppose all the joys, the cares, and the opportunities afforded you in life could be gathered into a bag which you could carry on your shoulders.  And suppose each person in the world brought his burden to one common heap, there to be given the privilege of depositing his bag and selecting any other bag of his or her choice.   Do you know what would happen?  Invariably, each one would be content once again to pick up the bag he had deposited on the heap and go his or her way."



Based on Plutarch, Consolation to Apollonius.  I've heard variations of this metaphor using the image of the cross rather than the bag.

Task: Take a blank piece of paper and make three columns. Put on the top of column 1, "Joys", on the top of column 2, "Cares" and on  the top of column 3, "Opportunities". Then start to list your's under those 3 columns. Use 2, 3, 4, 10 pieces of paper, whatever it takes - or do this on a computer screen.  If you do this with another, you can compare - and start a good conversation. Another trick would have another write your's and you write their's. Then compare.  Very interesting.

FORGIVENESS: 

LEARNING  HOW   

TO  DEAL WITH 

BEING CUT

December  26,  2011

Quote for Today

"The cut worm forgives the plow."

William Blake [1757-1827]