TWO CHOICES:

WHERE ARE WE GOING TO EAT?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Two Choices: Where Are We Going Out To Eat?”

How many times in our life have we asked that question, “Where are we going out to eat tonight?” It could also be breakfast or lunch.

Where are we going to eat? There are choices. There is a menu. There are options?

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s first reading from the Book of Proverbs gives the image of two places to eat: the House of Wisdom or the House of Folly.

The first place - The House of Wisdom - sounds like a Chinese Restaurant,  doesn’t it?

We are given two choices: smart or stupid, wisdom or folly?

As Robert Frosts put it, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,..”  Right or left? “and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

Today’s first reading begins, “Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns; she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine, yes, she has spread her table.”

Picture that. Here’s the place to eat. Good wine, good table, good meat, let’s eat. 

Picture the next message. “She has sent out her maidens; she calls from the heights out over the city: ‘Let whoever is simple turn in here’; to the one who lacks understanding, she says, ‘Come eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.’”

Our first reading from Proverbs ends there - but the rest of that 9^th Chapter spells out the contrast between the two choices: eating at the House of Wisdom or eating at the House of Folly. Then the rest of the Book of Proverbs provides 21 chapters of wisdom proverbs. Most are in Reader’s Digest size quips or quotes.

The title of my homily is: “Two Choices: Where Are We Going To Eat?” Obviously the hope is that we eat at the House of Wisdom.

Today’s second reading continues with that theme of choice between being wise or foolish - being sober or drunk and you know where being drunk can lead us.

Today’s gospel continues with the theme of choosing Jesus as the bread that came down from heaven. If we eat this bread, this flesh, if we drink this blood of Jesus,  we’ll be eating and drinking in Christ who gives life to this world - as well as eternal life.

As we move through these 5 Sundays of the 6^th Chapter of John, we keep on hearing there is a choice: choosing to eat Jesus or walk to away from him.

Once more the title of my homily is: “Two Choices: Where Are We Going To Eat?”

HOUSE OF WISDOM: THE CHURCH AT MASS

The 6^th Chapter of John is rich in theology. It’s rich in its message about choosing Jesus as the one who brings us wisdom and nourishment. We have in it the basic structure of our liturgy: words and food, wisdom and nourishment. We have in it the basic structure of any meal: words and food, company and communion.

How many times have we heard in the last 50 years: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist? Eat from both pulpit and table.

How many times have we heard in the past 50 years that the Mass puts us into the Upper Room, the Last Supper - as well as the sacrifice on the cross the next day - on Calvary - as well as the resurrection? There’s the sacred triduum of Holy Week: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

This is big picture stuff - so we need Sunday after Sunday, Holy Week after Holy Week, year after year to make this part of our lives.

We become what we eat. We become what we meet.

7 COLUMNS: LOOKING DEEPER - THE STRUCTURE BEHIND OUR CHOICES - THE FOUNDATIONS UNDER OUR PLANS

Today’s first reading has an intriguing comment when talking about the house of wisdom: “she has set up her seven columns.”

To have a house of wisdom - one needs to know how to build a house. The author of Proverbs talks about having 7 columns to hold up that house.  It’s wise to know what our house is made of. We know that Jesus is a carpenter and he said to build our lives on his words. They are a foundation that will help us to stand strong in the storms of life. So here in the Book of Proverbs it would be wise to see what sayings, what words, what ideas, what’s the philosophy and theology we go by.

When hiking, if we’ve ever put up a tent, we know we have to have tent poles.

If we’ve ever been in on building a house, we know we need to have poles, columns, the framework, the foundation - on which the house stands and rises.

At St. Mary’s Parish we have what is called “The 4 Pillars.” They’re listed as Spirituality, Community, Financial and Educational.  It’s a way of dividing up aspects of our parish.

We’ve heard the wisdom saying, “Divide and Conquer.” We’ve heard, “A day at a time.”  “A step at a time.” So the question: How do we see, how do we organize, how do we line up our life, our weeks, our year.

Down through the years we’ve heard people divide up how their life should be organized in various ways: "work and play" or "There’s Monday to Friday and then the weekends" or  "There’s family and friends" or "Spouse and children" or "There's vacation and then the rest of the year".

We’ve heard the great commandment: to love God with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

What is our platform? What is our plan? What are the 7 Columns - of 6 or 4 or how many that hold up our life? What are the foundation stones of our way of seeing?

I picked up a book yesterday that gave the 12 steps on the ladder of humility - which St. Bernard made key to his way of seeing and doing life.(1)   St. John Climacus had 30 steps on his ladder. AA has 12 steps. Guigo the 2^nd has 4 steps on his ladder: Scala Paradiso. Classic Christian spirituality has 3 steps: the purgative, the illuminative and then the unitive way of life.  Clean out the house. Buy new furniture. Then sit down in communion with the Lord.

Jesus talked about the Broadway and the narrow way. One way leads to life; the other way is a bummer.(2)

The Jewish and Christian scriptures - as well as the scriptures of our world - often tell to the Two Ways: this way leads to life;  this way of doing life will kill us.(3)

Question: do we have an overall way that helps us to plan our life. When we  step up to the plate - in softball or at the restaurant, do we have a plan or vision in mind?

A big priest that I know - whenever we went to a buffet type restaurant - had a plan. He would say, "You guys get a table, I'm heading for the food."

It’s obvious with you being here today - that you have the Lord Jesus and coming to Sunday Mass as a central column and foundation in your life.

CONCLUSION

Today’s readings give us a daily choice. Where do we want to eat today: the House of Wisdom or the House of Folly?

We simply have to make that a morning prayer. “Dear Lord, help me to make healthy choices today - the ones that lead me to life and love and good energy and to avoid the drainers and the killers.” And at night, to say, “Lord thank you for this moment to look at my day - and see what decisions, what  steps that brought me life and love today. Also Lord, sorry for the bad decisions, for the bad steps. That moment crushed my spirit. Sorry. Help me to do better tomorrow.”

Today’s readings tell us we’re sitting here in this big house - this big restaurant where we rest and where we dine. We’re dining here today in the House of Wisdom - being fed with words and bread, wisdom and the Body and Blood of Christ. Amen. Thank you, Lord.

NOTES

(1) St. Bernard, In the Steps of Humility, London, The Saint Anselm Press, 2001

(2)  Cf. Matthew 7: 13-14; John 10: 9-10

(3) Cf. Psalm 1; Deuteronomy 30: 15-20

HOW WE SEE 

IS WHAT WE GET

August 19,  2012


"Guido the plumber and Michelangelo obtained their marble from the same quarry, but what each saw in the marble made the difference between a nobleman's sink and a brilliant sculpture."


Bob Kall

DIRTY  DISHES

Quote for Today - August  18,  2012

"Praise God for dirty dishes. At least you have food."

Words seen on a sign outside a Baptist Church in Paramus, New Jersey

THE  GREAT  DIVORCE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 19th Friday in Ordinary Time is, “The Great Divorce.”

That theme was triggered from today’s two readings - which present strong story and challenging teaching.

In the first reading from Ezekiel 16: 1-15, 60, 63, we have a powerful parable about Israel. She is pictured  being born as a little baby girl. She is thrown on the ground as something ugly. She grows and develops into a  beautiful young lady. Then God says that as I passed by you I saw you were mature and ready for love. I put a cloak over you to cover your nakedness. I washed you. I anointed you. I put on you the finest embroidered gown and leather sandals and robes of silk and a linen sash. I put on you jewelry - bracelets, a necklace. I put a ring in your nose, pendants on your ears, a crown on your head. They I fed you with the finest food. You were a queen. Then you forgot me. You became captivated by your own beauty. You became a prostitute. In spite of all this, God says He will forgive Israel. He’ll remember his covenant and his promise.

The gospel from Matthew talks about the question and the horror of divorce and applies it individual couples breaking a covenant. People can make wrong choices and hurt the other.

The title of my homily is, “The Great Divorce.”

BOOK: THE GREAT DIVORCE

That’s the title of a book by C.S. Lewis that began coming out in serial form in 1944-45. It was next put into a book. It has had an impact on many people - down through the years.

It’s short: 118 pages in paperback.  It’s an easy read - with a very challenging message.  It can still be found in libraries or on line - like the other key books by C.S. Lewis: The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, The Chronicles of Narnia and Surprised by Joy.

The Great Divorce is a parable. It’s also a great dream.

The Great Divorce would be separating and breaking up with God.

The main character - the narrator -  is in a grey zone - a gray area. Everything is vague - strange - unsure. The figures he sees are ghostlike figures. They are floating - moving along. It’s hell. It’s purgatory. It’s not heaven. Heaven is the bright light area ahead - that he and all are being called to - but the ghosts are hesitant to go there.

He senses his thinness of spirit. He’s feels his self-deception through and through. He feels called to go backwards. Yet he’s also called to move forwards towards heaven.

It’s a good read. It’s intriguing.

At the end he senses great blocks of something falling on him.

He wakes up. It’s books that have fallen in his room.

And much of The Great Divorce is interspiced and interwoven with ideas for other books: Augustine, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Dante, Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass, and science fiction works. They are the books that can wake us up.

Except for the Science Fiction books, I’ve read them all. They are the type of book that I need to get back to - the classics - the great parables. If we keep those classics in mind, we can be inspired more by Ezekiel - and his parables and stories.

I gave a sermon here a bunch of years ago - about dying and waking up in the outskirts of heaven and we find ourselves heading for a bus stop - and we get a choice to take this bus ride and tour of heaven to make our choice where we want to get off. Surprise, I’m reading about The Great Divorce which I had read in the seminary - only to discover that C.S. Lewis used the image of the bus heading for heaven as well. It wasn’t plagiarism. I was a good bit different - but the major image was there in C.S. Lewis. After being humbled for not being that original, I got the message to keep reading good stuff - because it sticks to us.

CONCLUSION

Good news. The Great Divorce has been put on as a play in 2004 and February of this year - and is going to come out as a movie in 2013. I don’t know how major it will be, but I’m sure it will be around for us to see and be moved by - and allow it to become part of our thinking - so that we’ll avoid The Great Divorce: Hell, separation from God.

TRUST

Quote for Today - August 17, 2012

"If his word were a bridge, we'd be afraid to cross."


Yiddish Proverb - Anonymous

CHANGING ONE'S MIND

Quote for Today - August 16, 2012

"To go through life
without ever being converted
to anything seems a mark 
of insensitiveness.
The ideal world would be
a world in which everybody
was capable of conversion
and in which at the same time
the converts would admit
the possibility that
they might be mistaken."

Robert Lynd [1879-1949]

ASSUMPTIONS 

ABOUT LIFE AFTER DEATH

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Assumptions About Life After Death.”

The feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven is very interesting.

It was not declared a dogma, i.e. something we’re asked to believe in as Catholics till November 1, 1950. Yet  it has been an understanding - an assumption - since at least  the 5^th and 6^th centuries. There are earlier documents - some of them are of  “iffy”  origin - which  talk about the Assumption of Mary.

Next there is the issue whether Mary died or whether Mary simply fell asleep - the so called “Dormition of Mary” and was asssumed into heaven. In the proclamation and declaration of Mary’s Assumption on November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII cleverly worded the  decree leaving both traditions as possibles. From what I was taught and from what I have read, Mary’s death and then Assumption is the better position.  

Either way the Assumption is a Resurrection teaching. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, if Jesus wasn’t assumed into heaven, Mary wasn’t either. Mary is linked to Christ - obviously.

I’m assuming that this homily should be reasonably short, because folks have had long days and have to get some supper. So let me assume to put three possible ideas on your plate - to chew on for today - on this Feast of the Assumption.

As to the readings of the day, I can’t identify Mary with dragons and battles in the sky as we heard in the first reading from the Book of Revelation, but I can identify with her in down home story of Mary visiting Elizabeth - and then proclaiming the Magnificat.

FIRST IDEA - ON THE TABLE

Theoretically someone could put set up a series of folding tables in a big hall and put on each table various teachings of various peoples and groups about what’s going to happen after we die.

On one table someone could put one piece of paper with the words: “Nothing. That’s it. You die. That’s the end of you!”

On another table or tables could be teachings about reincarnation - and the various religious strains that teach and promote that.

On other tables could be teachings from various religions about an afterlife: Judaism, Islam, Christianity, etc.

At the Catholic Table - there would be the central teaching: “Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again.”  That was the main refrain at Mass after the consecration from the 1970’s till 2011. It was the one we all knew - could sing easier - and it’s the one they dropped. On that same table would be a Greek ikon - a picture or image of Christ rising - because the Eastern Orthodox and Greek and Russian Uniate Christian Churches stressed the Resurrection more than the Western and Roman Church up till the 1950’s. There would also be a picture of Mary - being assumed into heaven. There could also be a copy of Dante’s Trilogy: Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso.

At other tables could be some really interesting off beat takes on what happens after we die.

If I was setting up the exhibit I would have a separate table for jokes about the afterlife. There are many. You’ve heard variations on the scenario that when you get to heaven you get a tour given by St. Peter. As he takes us by different rooms he goes “Shhh!” Then he gives us a peek into a big room filled with a lot of people.” Then he closes the door and we ask, “Who are they?”  “Shhh,” he says, “They are the Baptists and they think they are the only ones here.” Then they go by another room, “Shh!” and we find out they are Catholics. Some of them also think they are the only one’s there. And on and on and on - room after room - till we get to this really big room where everyone is laughing and eating. We ask Peter who they are. He says, “It’s a mix of folks from  everywhere.” Then St. Peter says, “Which room do you want to be in?”

That’s my first thought: the image of the tables - and the rooms and all the different known possibilities on what happens after death.

SECOND THOUGHT

The second thought would be to chew on and digest two biblical texts. Both are from Paul. Both are from 1^st Corinthians. In chapter 15   Paul is saying, “Everything is based on the resurrection of Christ. If he didn’t rise from the dead, the whole enterprise called our faith is fake - false. We’re a bunch of fools.”  The second biblical text is from chapter 2:  “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it ever really entered into the human mind, what God has prepared for those who love him.”

So the basic thing to chew on is what Paul is saying, “We are basing our whole life on Christ - here and hereafter.

The image I thought of this morning for this position is from one of my favorite movies: My Cousin Vinny. Two young men - Bill Gambini and Stan Rothenstein  - are going through rural Alabama on their way to school in Florida. They are arrested and charged for a robbery and a murder in a small grocery store - Sack of Suds. One has a cousin, Vinny Gambini, who is a lawyer - and calls him in New York for help. Vinny at first is a disaster. The other kid goes with a public defender who also is a disaster.  It looks helpless. However, Vinny starts becoming spectacular and the non-nephew, Stan says “I’m  dropping my lawyer. Then pointing to Vinny says, “I’m with him. I want him.”

We want help. We want freedom, salvation, redemption, liberation, life after death and we Christians are yelling to Jesus, “I want you!”

THIRD THOUGHT TO CHEW ON AND DIGEST

The third thought or image to chew on and digest is that the Mass - is a glimpse and a foretaste of the heavenly banquet and table.

We come in here today - on Sundays - funerals - weddings - etc. because we believe it’s all connected.

But hopefully, there is no “Shush” if someone looked in the door and saw us here today. We’re proud to be in here - folks from all over the world - born Catholic Christians - as well as folks from many different religions - who believe God is calling all - to eternal life - and the eternal banquet - starting with Jesus - followed by Mary - followed by us. Amen.