HEAR THE ORPHAN’S PLEA

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 15 Monday in Ordinary Time  is, “Hear The Orphan’s Plea.”

Right at the end of today’s first reading from the prophet Isaiah, 1:17, there is a short statement that hit me: “Hear the orphan’s plea.”

Isn’t that the way these readings at Mass work? Various requests, challenges, messages, urgings, pleas are presented. They tug us like a little child tugging at his or her parent’s leg. Then one or two intrigue us - or get us wondering. We inwardly say, “Hmm…. I wonder what that means.”  Or, “Woo. I have to think about that.” Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 10: 34 to 11:1 certainly has several statements by Jesus that gets us to say inwardly, “Wait a minute. What did you just say Jesus?” So today, those 4 words in the English translation of Isaiah 1:17 hit me: “Hear the orphan’s plea.”

ISAIAH

Did Isaiah spot a child on the street  begging for help? Or did his sister or brother-in-law die and leave behind 3 kids - who are now without parents? What orphan did he spot who had a plea?

I checked out the Hebrew - “SIPTU  YATOWM RIBU”-  and then the different ways those three Hebrew words are translated into English. It seems that the key idea is rights - the rights of orphans.

I would think in Isaiah’s time moms and dads - as well as kids - died much earlier and much more often than today. It would also seem that relatives and other family members would take in strays - and orphans - more than today. Today families are more scattered around the country.

Today there are less orphanages in this country and less children per capita. Some unwanted kids are aborted  - and people are having fewer children. And there are couples wanting babies to be adopted.

Question: Where does that text from Isaiah 1:17 take us? Better: how does it challenge us?

I had 4 baptisms yesterday afternoon at St. Mary’s at 1:45. Present were grandparents and great grandparents - and lots of other folks - sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, and lots of cousins - but from all over the country. So each of us has lots of connections - lots of people we’re related to.

At a baptism, at a wedding, at a graduation, at a birthday party, one person is featured - the one we’re there for.

What about all the other days in our life? What about the kid who feels all alone? Unnoticed, unheard, unconnected?

The text from Isaiah 1:17 certainly challenges us to be aware of all children - connected as well as orphaned.

What about those moving into second childhood. What about the elderly? What about those in nursing homes? What about the person in front of us when we’re on line? What about the person at the next desk at work? What about the lost and the lonely?

Several years ago, while in Denver, I remember coming around the corner one Friday morning - around 11:30 - and there was this big long line of younger men  leading to a hall next to a Catholic Church. I was to be at a wedding practice there that afternoon and a wedding there the next day. I went into the rectory and asked, “Who are those men next door?” The lady said, “Oh, they are here for a lunch. They are drifters and the homeless. We have a lot of them here.”  When I walked around down town Denver that early afternoon, sure enough, there were lots of homeless people.  Most were men.

I began wondering lots of wonderings: Who are they? Do their families know where they are? Do they have children here and there? How about ex-wives? Who is this fellow? Who is that fellow?

CONCLUSION

Isaiah’s words, Matthew’s words, Jesus’ words can get us thinking and questioning and also lead us to action. Who has a right to my attention and my glasses of cold water? Who needs my ear? In today’s gospel, we heard about family connections - mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws. What about them? What about orphans?  What about me? Am I crying for human touch and love - and welcomes - and signs of peace - and not just at Mass?

Today’s gospel has a stress on putting Jesus first, but if I hear Jesus, he puts the other, the child, the person caught in sin, the sick, the stranger, the hurt, first. Do I hear their pleas?










Painting on top: "Girl in White in The Woods," [1882] by Vincent Van Gogh [1853-1890]. The painting is listed as being in the Kroller-Muller Museum, Netherlands

DEALING WITH DETOURS

Quote for Today - July 16, 2012


"The really happy person is the one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour."


Anonymous

INTEGRATION MORE THAN  IMITATION

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B] is, “Integration More Than Imitation.”

I’m wondering if I can pull off this homily on integration more than imitation.

Let me try. Let me try this way. I’ve deliberately made this a tiny bit shorter - just in case this is too complicated or too confusing.

FEAST OF THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER

As you know, we priests here at St. Mary’s and St. John Neumann are Redemptorists - and on the 3^rd Sunday of July - every year, we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Redeemer.

We’ve been here in Annapolis since 1853. We’ve been in the United States since 1832. We’ve been in existence since 1732. There are about 5,300 of us around the world - in 77 countries. We getting older and fewer here in the United States, Canada and most of our provinces in Europe. We are growing in Vietnam, India, the Philippines, Poland, South America, Africa, Korea, Indonesia, etc.

We started out in the Kingdom of Naples in Italy. Our founder was a lawyer named Alphonsus de Liguori. After a disastrous loss in a law suit - because of a bribery on the other side or a mistake on his part, Alphonsus gives it all up and decides to become a priest. At the age of 30 he is ordained as a diocesan priest in Naples. All this caused much anger in his father, who had big plans for his oldest son.

For the next six years he worked mainly as a preacher. He exhausted himself. To recover, he  went on vacation to the Amalfi Coast - a great place to recover. While there someone tells him that there are goat herders and poor people up there in the hills whom no priest visits or cares about. He checks them out.

He knows  there are lots of priests in the Kingdom of Naples - but very few priests who want to work in the hills and small villages and with the migrant shepherds.

He gets the dream to be the one to do just that. He talks over his vision with some priests and friends. They agree to meet on November 9, 1732 in Scala, Italy - a tiny village just above the city of Amalfi - to start a new group in the Church. It’s the Feast of the Most Holy Savior, Jesus Christ - so that becomes the name of the group.

Most of the original cast of characters drop out, but Alphonsus does not give up his dream. He spends his time gathering a community of priests and brothers while preaching parish missions to the poor. They do this year after year after year - with the dream of getting approval with the local bishops and then with the Pope.

It isn’t till February 25, 1749 that Rome - with Benedict XIV - as pope - that the Congregation of the Holy Savior is approved. However, since there already was a group with that name - those doing the approval in Rome changed our name to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. In Latin that’s Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris - C.Ss.R. for short - like S.J., stands for the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits.

IMITATION NOT INTEGRATION

In the papers and the rule and the documents that Alphonsus sent to Rome with two of his priests, Rome didn’t get a key idea of Alphonsus: integration with Christ - not imitation of Christ.

To get our rule approved different folks in Rome made changes in the text that Alphonsus had drawn up. They said that, “The aim of the Institute of the Most Holy Redeemer is to bring secular priests together who will live in community and apply themselves to imitating the virtues and example of our Redeemer Jesus Christ especially  through preaching the Word of God to the poor.”

In that statement of purpose, the word imitation is stressed: Redemptorists are to imitate the virtues of Jesus Christ.

In preparing this homily yesterday, I noticed in a book on the life of Alphonsus - entitled, St. Alphonsus Liguori - Tireless Worker  for the Most Abandoned by Theodule Rey-Mermet, a distinction was made between imitation and integration. I do hope you get the distinction - otherwise this sermon flops.

Let me give the whole quote from that book - because that is where I got the theme for this homily: “Concerning the aim of Institutes, the overriding attitude of the time was this: ‘Every institute has two goals: The first is the sanctification of its members, and the second is the sanctification of the people and the good of the Church.’ ‘No,’ Liguori had said, ‘[our goal is] not a “mixed” contemplative-active life, but a Christian life, in the style of Saint Paul: “Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me" [Galatians  2:20]. I live Christ the Redeemer if I am a Redemptorist.’ It was a question of integration and not of imitation. The bureaucratic minds could not comprehend this simple idea formulated by Alphonsus but inspired by the Holy Spirit. So Alphonsus accepted this text backed by the pope’s authority, more than thankful that approval had been granted; but the word imitation is to be found nowhere in the letter he addressed to his sons.” [1] [2]

WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

We know the difference between imitation and integration.

In the beginning we imitate. In time, we integrate.

So in learning the piano or how to play baseball or lacrosse or to dance or to play bridge, we watch another and then we imitate them. We go through the motions.

In time, if we buy what we’re imitating, it becomes us. It becomes second nature. That’s integration.

In 1969 I was assigned to a retreat house to do high school retreats. So I showed up a few days early to watch a priest named Eddie do a high school retreat. Then I took over. It took me a few years to really figure out how to give a high school retreat. I imitated what  this other priest named Eddie did, but in time I was on my own - with another priest.

I would assume that people who enter our R.C.I. A. program come to Mass and the sessions - and then start imitating being a Catholic at first - but in time it becomes them.

I would assume that marriage works the same way. People go through the motions of what people who live together do - imitating their parents - and what they saw others do - but hopefully the relationship deepens and becomes real.

SO TOO WITH CHRIST

So too with Christ.

We say prayers;  then we pray prayers; then we move into communion with God - and for us Christians - in and through and with Jesus Christ.

We say that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer or what have you. All words - till we get them into our bones and into our being.

If we get this, then we start to get what St. Paul is saying in many of  these second readings at Sunday Mass - much of the year.

We preachers pass over Paul a lot - well I know I do - because he can be heady and difficult - but St. Alphonsus doesn’t. He gets Paul.

For example, in today’s second reading from Ephesians, Paul is telling us that we have been blessed in Christ, chosen in Christ, before the foundation of the world. [Cf. Ephesians 1: 3-14]

That’s profound. Every person - every person is known by God. Every person is on God’s radar screen. Every person is known by name by God. Every person has been redeemed  by the Blood of Jesus. Redemptorists want to spread that message to everyone - especially those who are missing out on experiencing this Good News - because no one sees them as valuable folks. 

In the deepest marriages - a couple realize - even though - we are incomplete people - weak at times - strong at times - sick at times - healthy at times - rich at times - poor at times - we strengthen each other - we grow together - we were meant for each other. That’s integration.

If we get these profound realities, if we integrate these blessings, these graces, these riches, then we can rise as redeemed people.

CONCLUSION

This integration is what Alphonsus called those who followed him to hear, experience, and then bring to other folks, especially those who feel abandoned by God and others, especially those who feel all alone - the poor me’s of the planet. The Redemptorist preaches: "You are  known and loved by Jesus Christ! God can grow you - redeem you - and bring you into the deepest depths of God." 


Ooops. I forgot to mention that our motto is: "Copiosa apud eum redemption." It's from Psalm 130: 7: "With him there is fullness of redemption."

OOOOOOOOO

Picture on top: St. Alphonsus de Liguori [1696-1787]

[1] Confer pages 439-440  in Theodule Rey-Memmet, St. Alphonsus Liguori - Tireless Worker for the Most Abandoned, Translated from the Second French Edition by Jehanne-Marie Marchesi, English Edition prepared by the Staff of Liguori Publications, New City Press, 206 Skillman Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211.

[2]  When Alphonsus uses the word "sons" he is not referring to having his own children, he didn't, but to members of his Redemptorist Community.

SIN

Quote  for  Today - July 15,  2012


"You can't put your sins behind your back until you face them."


Anon




Questions:

Looking at your life, is there any ongoing destructive behavior that you're not facing?


Looking at the quote above, has that been true for you?

MEMORY

Quote for Today  July 14, 2012


Memory: "A hidden cord that is touched when we listen to our friend's original stories."

Cynic's Cyclopeaedia


Questions:


Can you bite your tongue when listening to another - and really hear their memory without jumping in with your stories at other's first breath or pause?


Can you hear another's story and calmly ask the other some questions that further clarifies or enhances their story or memory?

SCAPEGOAT

Quote for Today - July 13,  2012


Scapegoat: "Someone who has to be there when things go wrong."




Eugene E. Brussell


Questions:


When was the last time you saw scapegoating taking place right in front of your ears?


Have you ever been the scapegoat - the one being blamed for a mess-up?


Have you ever accused another for doing something you knew they didn't do - or it might have even been your fault?


Do you ever spot this going on in political advertisements?


Have you ever spotted this in kids - in the playground or at school or at home?

COMPLAINING

Quote for Today - July 12, 2012




"Lyndon [President Lyndon B. Johnson] has a clock inside him with an alarm that tells him at least once an  hour to chew somebody out."




Anonymous friend of L.B.J.


Questions:

Are you like Lyndon B. Johnson or are you like the person who has the alarm that calls you to compliment  at least one person every hour?


Why would anyone approach a complainer or a fault finder - sensing they would then be on that person's radar screen?