DIFFERENT SCHOOLS
OF THOUGHT
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Different Schools of Thought.”
SOME QUESTIONS
I would think that all of us would take time - from time to time - to ask questions like the following, “Where am I coming from?” “Why do I think the way I think?” “Why do people think differently than the way I think? and vice versa?”
OUR HISTORY
I would think that all of us would take time - from time to time - to look at our own history - to write our autobiography - to tell our story to each other - to see our time line - how we have grown - how we have decayed - how we have recovered - how we are different from the way we were. [1]
I would think that all of us would take time - from time to time - to ponder who formed us - who got us to think the way we think?
I would think that all of us would take time - from time to time - to look at moments in our life - where we changed our opinions - the way we think, etc. Was it people who changed us? If we changed, was it gradual, unnoticed, unconscious, or what have you?
I would think that all of us would take time - from time to time - to look at moments in our life - where we changed because we heard an opinion or an understanding - and we said to ourselves, “I don’t agree with that.” How many takes on issues have we figured out on our own - based on our reasoning - and listening - our inner development of thought - based on perceived consequences - even when we see that our opinion is in the minority?
I would think that all of us would take time - from time to time - and recall the times we fell flat on our face - fell off our high horse - hit bottom - and realized we were deaf, dumb and blind - and we needed to get on to get ourselves straightened out - to get on the Straight and Narrow - so we can see further and wider - than the way we are seeing now.
I would think we all need or have had Paul like conversions.
TODAY’S FIRST READING
Today is the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul - January 25th.
The first reading tells us of the dramatic change in the life of Saul - moving from being someone who persecuted Christians - to being a follower of Christ. [Cf. Acts of the Apostles 22: 3-16]
It was an eye closing experience - to an eye opening experience.
We find Paul’s change being described in his letters as well as Luke’s Acts of the Apostles. [2]
PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT
If we read the scriptures, we discover that King Saul was different that King David. If we read the scriptures we find out that Paul was different than Peter - and Thomas different than Peter - and the same person, Saul was different than the person he became - Paul.
If we read the scriptures carefully, we can see that Mathew, Mark, Luke and John were all different - and some say that they are 4 schools of thought.
Today’s first reading mentions a character named Gamaliel - that Paul was trained by him - and Gamaliel was from the School of Hillel which was milder than the School of Shammai. Yet Paul (when he was Saul) was very strict - when it comes to the Law.
VATICAN II
I was lucky to be trained before, during and after Vatican II. It gave our class at times an understanding of those older and those younger than us.
I was lucky to have parents who were immigrants - as well as reflectively quiet - especially my dad. I often saw my dad quietly reading and praying. My sister Mary - in our Sunday afternoon - weekly phone call - has often said my mom was ahead of her times. Did I get a liberal streak from her? I don’t know.
There are questions we all have about our parents - our teachers - our experiences - as well as our background.
While studying theology in our major seminary from 1962-1966 our text books presented a theological dogma or teaching. Then it gave various opinions and schools of thought on various dogmas and issues.
We heard the great teaching of Vatican II - that a person’s conscience is king and queen of that person - but they need to have an informed conscience. [3]
I have read from time to time that Pope Benedict had a different background and take on different things than John Paul II - and John Paul I was different than John Paul II, etc. etc. etc.
Well, isn’t that true for all of us? Do people who grew up in a parish that had Franciscans have a different take on spirituality and thought than someone who grew up in a parish that had Jesuits or Benedictines? If someone went to church that had diocesan priests - would the place where those priests went to the major seminary - end up giving them different attitudes on preaching content and style?
As priest I think about the individual professors we had - what they were off on - how they saw life and God - having an impact on me.
Once upon a time I was asked to go with a group of people on a four hour bus ride to a spiritual retreat center for a weekend. The priest who was supposed to go with the group couldn’t make it. One of the leaders - as soon as we got started - asked if she could put a CD of Father John Corapi on the VCR. People agreed. I had heard of him - but never listened to him. He preached a long sermon - or talk. Then the lady asked if she could put another talk on - then a third talk. As I sat there listening I realized how different he was to other priests I had heard - as well as myself. He was clear and strong - but when I got to the retreat house I felt like I was in a room and the person in the next room had loud music on for 3 ½ hours - or hammering or drilling. On the way back - after getting into the bus - after a weekend of prayer, quiet, walking, some talks - the same lady asked if she could put Father John Corapi on the VCR - for the ride back - people said, “No!”
That experience and a zillion other experiences reaffirmed the obvious to me: we are different! We are all different people.
I keep in mind the saying, “The greatest sin is our inability to accept the otherness of other people.”
I watched the State of the Union last evening and the guy with the clicker or remote or was switching back and forth between Fox and CNBC and CNN - and all three channels had commentators giving their take on President Barak Obama’s talk. Once more I saw the great differences in perceptions - agendas - takes.
I jokingly thought to myself, “Did they all hear and watch the same talk?”
CONCLUSION
The title of my homily was, “Different Schools of Thought.”
I love it that the Christian God is a Trinity of Persons - 3 divine persons.
I love it that Jesus chose a variety of persons - and as we heard in today’s gospel - he sent the 11 into the world to proclaim he Good News to all.
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Painting on top:
The Conversion of St. Paul on the Road to Damasascus, 1601. It can be found in the church of Santa Maria Del Popolo, Rome.
[1] Cf. Paul Tournier,
The Person Reborn, Harper and Row, Publishers, Translated by Edwin Hudson, 1966; Jack Mezirow and Associates,
Fostering Critical Reflection in Adulthood, A Guide to Transformative and Emancipatory Learning, Jossey-Bas Publishers, San Francisco, Oxford, 1990
[2] We find autobiography and biography of Paul in
2 Corinthians 11 to 13: 10;
1 Corinthians 9: 1-27;
Acts of the Apostles 9: 1-22; and in lots of other places in the New Testament
[3] Cf.
Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, Chapter 4, 41.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part 3, Article 6, Moral Conscience.
