THE  IRISH

March  17,  2012

Quote for Today - St. Patrick's Day

 “This is one race of people for whom psychoanalysis is of no use whatsoever.” 


Sigmund Freud (about the Irish)

QUESTIONNAIRE: 

KINGDOM, CHURCH OR WORLD? 

INTRODUCTION 

The title of my homily for this 3rd Friday in Ordinary Time is, “Questionnaire: Kingdom, Church or World?”  

My homily for today is a question: "Which of these 3 would you put first, second and third: Kingdom, Church and World?" 

WHAT TRIGGERED THIS QUESTION? 

Jesus says to the scribe in today’s gospel, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”

Then the closing line in today’s gospel follows: “And no one dared to ask him any more questions.” Well, here are a few more questions and they can be asked in  prayer, “Jesus, where do you see me? Am I in the kingdom? Am I close or am I far from being in the kingdom?” 

TYPES OF PEOPLE 

Are there 3 types of people: those who put the Kingdom first, those who put the Church first, or those who put the World first? Then what people put second would bring out nuances amongst those who are clear on their first choice. 

When I used to do lots of Kids Retreats, I would ask the whole group on retreat to get up and stand in the middle of a big room or auditorium. Then to get kids used to making choices and to be able to say why they are saying, “Yes” to one thing and “No” to another thing, I’d say, “Look on the wall down there. I have a piece of paper with “1” on it. Now look at the wall on the opposite side, I have a piece of paper with a “2” on it. I’m about to give you 3 choices. 1, 2, or you can choose to stand still in the middle. That’s a third choice.” 

Then I’d say, “You are hungry, would you rather go to McDonald’s - that’s # 1 or would you rather go to Wendy’s - that’s #2 or if you don’t want to choose either, just stand in the middle - that’s #3.” I noticed that kids sometimes look to see what their friends are choosing - and really don’t choose for themselves. I would tell them this - and tell them this is a chance to think for yourselves - walk on their own - and choose for yourselves. 

Then I would do about 15 of these choices - always giving them the opportunity to stay in the middle. The choices would continue to get tougher. “Someone has bad breath. You would go and tell them - that’s #1. You would write them a note. That’s #2. And # 3 is to think of an alternative or you’ll do nothing.” Then I’d invite those who moved to either side back to the middle. “You have bad breath, would you ….” “It’s Sunday and ….” “You find a wallet and ….” [1]

CHURCH, KINGDOM, OR WORLD? 

So if I asked all of you to move to the center aisle and then said, “All those who would put Church first - stand up here in the sanctuary. All those who would put establishing the Kingdom first - go out into the lobby or narthex. And all those who would put World first go outside. It’s a beautiful day. And if you don’t want to make a choice or you’re not sure, stay where you are.” 

Wait that’s four choices! Correct. I’d do 4 choice exercises as well. 

Now there are Christian thinkers who say that Jesus didn’t mainly come to start a Church. Jesus came to proclaim the Kingdom. 

Others would say, “The Kingdom yes, but you need a Church first to be the proclaimers of the vision of Jesus and a Church to help keep the dream coming.

Others would say, “Jesus’ first mission was to come to this World - to save the World and to bring all people together as one.” 

I would hope people would stand in the middle because they would ask, “Tell me more!” Or they are not sure just what I’m talking about. To be honest, I’m not sure about what I’m trying to figure out in this homily. It’s a first draft - and I’m trying to get my hands on this for years now. 

THE KINGDOM 

If you listen to the Gospels you hear Jesus talking about the World and the Church - and you also hear him talking about the Kingdom. “The Kingdom of God is like this…. The Kingdom of Heaven is like that…. It’s like a farmer who…. It’s like a king …. It’s like a merchant….” 

For years I’ve also tried to come up with a modern word for “Kingdom”. Would it be: “the Vision of Jesus?” Or the “Dream of Jesus?” Or “the Plan of God?” 

The person who sees Kingdom first can be any denomination Christian or even outside those categories. Matthew 25: 31-46 might be their favorite text. “I was hungry…. I was thirsty …. I was sick …. I was in prison and you visited me…. 

The Feast of Christ the King might be their favorite feast day - which has in the preface of its Mass. “As king he claims dominion over all creation, that he may present to you, his almighty Father, an eternal and universal kingdom: a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.” 

THE CHURCH 

Jesus talks about his Church - the “EKKLESIA.” That’s Greek for “the gathering”. 

Jesus gathered disciples and said, “Where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name….” 

Jesus named Peter the head - the rock - upon which he would build his Church. The person who puts this first might stress the Pope, the structure, the organization first. 

They might put the Mass, praying together - but a lot more first. The Acts of the Apostles would be very important - especially those early chapters where the Gathering was coming together and growing day by day. [Cf. for example, Acts of the Apostles 2:47]

THE WORLD 

What about the World? Would anyone put this first? 

In the mid-1970’s I became part of the Better World Movement - started by the Jesuit, Father Ricardo Lombardi, in response to Pope Pius XII’s radio address known as his “Proclamation for a Better World.” 

Of all the retreats and programs I have made, their material had the most substance and insights that I have ever become part of. 

The goal was to reach out to the Whole World and try to see all people in the net of the Trinity. It was a movement from the I to the We, from the Me to the Community. 

It’s a long story. I'll just say that much - in case you think of World in a negative sense - and if you read the scriptures and theology - there is that negative take on the world - as in avoiding the World, the Flesh and the Devil. [Cf. for example, John 8:23; John 15:9; Romans 3:19; James 1:27; 2 Peter 2:20; 1 John 2:15]

If you read the Gospels you’ll notice that Jesus leaves home and starts to walk the roads of our world and visit its villages. Jesus talks about seeing and serving one’s neighbor who is beaten up on the road. Jesus notices the lady in the market place who touches just the edge of his cloak to be healed. Jesus says to see the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. Jesus feeds the 5000 and heals the sick. 

The person who puts this first might be concerned about an end to racism, a spirit of welcome for all people, an end to division. 

There is the hope for fresh air, good water, a wonderful atmosphere for all. 

There is the call for all to work towards a world where justice is for all - and our structures are for community and for the common good. 

Preaching this attitude might be the royal road for reaching and reaching out to those who have problems with Church if they see it as self serving and insular and protecting itself - and lording it over others. “Oh,” they might realize, “the Pope is called to be the Servant of the Servants of God. Oh that’s what Jesus meant when he said, ‘I have come to serve and not be served.’” 

People with this attitude might like the 2nd Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation where the words are, “May he make your Church a sign of unity and an instrument of your peace among all peoples….” Then in the next section - where there are prayers for those who have died, we pray for our brothers and sisters and those of every race and tongue who have died in your friendship. Listen to the words, “Bring us to share with the them the unending banquet of unity in a new heaven and a new earth, where the fullness of your peace will shine forth in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

CONCLUSION 

Would this be seen as an exercise in futility? 

Would this be seen as a silly children’s game? 

Would it get everyone to remain in the middle and talk to each other? 

Would we begin to see what Father Avery Dulles, another Jesuit, discovered with his classic study that there are different Models of the Church - and we need to listen to understand each other? I once witnessed a parish group studying Dulles' 5 Models of the Church - and then being asked to stand in one of 5 places in a big room. I don't remember if they were given a 6th option - to stand still in a neutral place. [2]

Would all this challenge us to get off our sedentary thinking to see what we’re thinking - to get us to see where our faith and hope and charity are resting - that we might love the Lord our God with our all our heart, soul, mind and strength - and love our neighbor as ourselves - as we heard in today’s gospel - so that we might help our Church help make “Thy Kingdom Come” on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.



NOTES

[1]  Check out Values Clarifications - A Handbook of Practical Strategies for Teachers and Students by Sidney B. Simon, Leland W. Howe, Howard Kirschenbaum, Hart Publishing Company, Inc. New York, 1972

[2] Avery Dulles, Models of the Church, Doubleday, 1974

COUNSELING

March  16,  2012

Quote for Today

"When people seek counseling, they don't really want advice as much as for you to listen."

Anonymous

PREACHING

March  15,  2012

Quote for Today - Feast of St. Clement Hofbauer

"Today I'll preach a sermon so simple that even the most stupid of you and even little children can understand."

St. Clement Hofbauer - according to a policeman who sat in the benches whose job it was to report what Clement said in his sermons. A police report also said, "It is absolutely frightening the way people are running after Hofbauer."

You Tube on top: Archbishop Joseph Tobin - former Redemptorist Superior General - and now Archbishop and Secretary of the Congregation of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life - Rome.

.

SHOW ME YOUR RULES 

AND I’LL TELL YOU 

 WHO YOU ARE?

TITLE

 The title of my homily for this 3rd Wednesday in Lent is, “Show Me Your Rules And I’ll Tell You Who You Are?”

 TODAY’S READINGS 

 Today’s two readings both talk about rules and regulations, statutes and decrees laws and parts of laws. The speaker in Deuteronomy is saying, “Look at our rules and you’ll see how great we are.”

ONCE UPON A TIME - I MADE THE RULES 

 Once upon a time I was in on making the rules. I had a job called “Novice Master.” Myself and another priest, Gil Enderle, had to come up with a rule book. We had General Statutes from Rome and Provincial Statutes from our province to guide us. We had to come up with particular laws - for our particular situation.

The first thing we did was to come up with other people’s rules books. We read them out loud to get the feel of them.

That was the first time I came up with the title of this homily, without really knowing it at first. “Show Me Your Rules And I’ll Tell You Who You Are.”

You could get a flavor of the author or authors every time. One Rule book from one of our European provinces was quite picky and particular. It was extremely specific - naming names on whom you could talk to or what have you. It had lots and lots of iddy biddy die picky, picky rules. So we came up with our own rule book and it was revised every year. “Show Me Your Rules And I’ll Tell You Who You Are?”

By looking at rules and regulations, laws and decrees, you can know an awful lot about a group or a people or the lawmaker.

SECOND REALIZATION: EVERYWHERE THERE ARE RULES 

The next realization I discovered is that there are rules and regulations everywhere.

If you check into a hotel, check the fine print rules behind the door in your room.

To get on an airplane, you can’t have this or that in your carry-on bag. Once inside the plane, right at the beginning of the flight we always hear, “No smoking!” and “No tampering with the smoke detector in the bathrooms under pain of a fine.”

Rules… rules … rules…. There are rules about drinking and driving and there are the rules of the highway. Every school, college, bar, has rules.

 Then there are house rules - the rules of the house. They are unwritten but listen carefully when you stay overnight in someone’s home.

 I was at a retirement of a Navy Captain a few weeks back over at the Naval Academy. The guy in his talk - with his mom present - the mother of 10 or 11 kids - described his mom this way: There are two kinds of mothers - helicopter mothers and B-52 bomb mothers. Helicopter mothers hover over their kids and B-52 bomb mothers drop their kids off from a distance and let them land and learn on their own. Our mom was a B-52 bomber mother.

 There it was 2 different personality types. I would assume the helicopter mom or dad would have a lot more rules and regulations for their kids than the B-52 bomber mom or dad.

As I thought about all this, sure enough everyone has rules and regulations for life. They are called assumptions and expectations and what have you. Two people date. There are expectations and rules and regulations - whether articulated or not.

THIRD OBSERVATION 

We all have a whole list of commandments in our skulls. Everyone does. It’s our expectations on what makes a good Mass, sermon, meal, conversation, etc. etc. etc.

If somehow we could jot them down, like Moses did before coming down from the mountain with the 10 Commandments - could we say what the Book of Deuteronomy says today - that our rules are the best.

In fact, wouldn't we be embarrassed? Wouldn't some of our personal rules be rather selfish or what have you?

Listen carefully to  little kids. If someone gets a hug or the ice cream or the toy first, they let everyone in their surrounding sound area or arena know that they are angry and resent being #2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7. Isn't the # 1 rule for many people, "Me, Me, Me First!"

Listen carefully to people - and not just parents to their kids. Their first commandment seems to be, “I want what I want when I want it.” 

Listen carefully to parents give counter commandments. “Share you toys with Jonathan.”  Dig deep into that command. Isn't that parents  trying to get kids to learn the Golden Rule - in just one more version, “How would you like it, if someone did to you, what you just did to your sister.”

CONCLUSION

 And on and on.

So the title of my homily is, “Show Me Your Rules And I’ll Tell You Who You Are?”

I’m saying that if we discover the rule book that is written on our heart, we’ll could learn a lot about ourselves.

So be honest. Be humble. Write. Look at. Share. Compare. Then rewrite and keep revising your own personal rules for life. Amen.

CONSEQUENCES

March  14,  2012

Quote for Today

"It seems to me 
probably
that any one
who has a series of intolerable positions
to put up with
must have been responsible for them
to some extent ...
they have contributed to it
by impatience or intolerance,
or brusqueness -
or some provocation."

Robert Hugh Benson [1871-1914]

IT’S A LONG ROAD 

FROM FORGIVENESS TO TRUST

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “It’s A Long Road from Forgiveness to Trust.”

TV PROGRAM

Last night Father Harrison and I were watching some TV show. I missed the beginning of it - so I’m not sure what it was. Two guys who worked together had a fight. One guy was trying to get back into the other guy’s good graces. The guy who was being asked to forgive said to the other guy, “It’s a long road from forgiveness to trust.”

Hearing that I said to Father Harrison, “That’s a great line for a sermon: “It’s a long road from forgiveness to trust.”

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Then last night I read today’s gospel to come up with a homily. Surprise! It’s all about forgiveness. It talks about forgiving over and over and over again.

I’ve always said to folks that forgiveness is a choice. It does not mean that we put a hurt out of our mind. In fact, we might feel the hurt for the rest of our life.

I’ve also said, “Forgetting is dementia.”

Moreover, it's my experience - for us old folks - long term memory is better than short term memory.

I’ve also said, “Sometimes by forgiving, the memory of a hurt, can fade a bit - perhaps because we chosen to forgive another and we have made an effort to stop rehashing and rehearsing the hurt over and over and over again.” Or as Marlene Dietrich said, “Once a woman has forgiven a man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast.”

So for starters there are two steps here: forgiving and forgetting.

Forgiveness has to do with the will.

Forgetting has to do with our memory - and when it comes to memory, there is nothing wrong with remembering. I believe that people need to hear that.

In fact, people like Thomas Szasz, who can be controversial as well as wise, says, “The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive, but do not forget.”

TRUST

I think this last quote has the issue of “trust” underneath it.

If someone hurts us big time, it’s wise to forgive them, because hurts need to scar - but if the other is into repeat performances - then why get hurt again?

Has this ever happened to you? We’re driving along and someone out of nowhere makes a left turn or a move and we brake - but if we didn’t brake, we might have hit them - right where there is in the other car - a big dent. And we say to ourselves: “This person will never learn.”

If any of you studied the 8 Stages of Life according to Erik Erikson in college, you know that the first stage is,  “Basic Trust vs. Basic Non-Trust”. The key developmental skill the little child needs to learn is to trust his mommy and daddy. Just watch little kids. When nervous their hand goes to their mouth - food is comfort and security - or they look for their mom or dad to run and cling to. If kids cry out for love and help and presence in the night or the day and nobody appears, uh oh, they can end up being in trouble for life. I was taught in pastoral counseling the following axiom: the bigger the problem, the earlier the problem. And the way I understand Erikson's last stage of life: “Ego Integrity vs. Despair” is this: at the end of my life, I look at my life and if it makes sense, great. Even though their were bumps and big potholes and crashes at times - along the road of life, I trust myself enough to say, “It was good!” If I look at my life and it was a disaster, then I could despair - or turn to God. That's why so many love the story of the Good Thief who stole heaven at the last hour. Good move!

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “It’s A Long Road from Forgiveness to Trust.”

To get started, we need to begin to forgive others as well as ourselves. How many times: “not seven times, but seventy-seven times” - or as many times as it takes.

We make mistakes. Others make mistakes towards us. These mistakes don’t have to erase us - or reduce us to nothing or put us to shame as today’s first reading puts it.

So I assume the secret is get on the road and move along it from forgiveness to trust - step by step by step. Amen.