WALLS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 29^th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Walls”.

Walls are a favorite theme and image of poets and song writers - down through the years. We can say that because security, safety, containing, protecting are basic human needs - down through history. Doors, fences, locks, castles, forts, city walls, the Great Wall of China, the Iron Curtain - made mostly with guns, barbed wire, soldiers, and check points, the Berlin Wall - are all walls. So too gated communities and I noticed just the other day a chain link fence around the big garbage container towards the back of the Royal Farms small convenience store in Eastport just down from the bridge. And St. Mary’s has that back fence - which is usually left open - and the long brick wall just outside down to the end of Duke of Gloucester Street. Then there are those invisible walls we put up between ourselves and others.

I’ve been writing a book on “Walls” for a good twenty five years now. Some day the barriers of time and laziness will fall down and I’ll finish it  - unless the great wall of death gets in the way.

WALLS: TODAY’S FIRST READING - EPHESIANS 2:12-22

Walls: here is the image  loud and clear in today’s first reading.

Paul describes Christ as the one who breaks down the walls that separates us from God and ourselves. Walls go up when we are our worst self enemy - when we are living a life of wall keeping and law keeping - and we’re not free in Christ. This is the great message of Paul - as well as the great ongoing fight between Jesus and the Pharisees and the Scribes.

The date for the Letter to the Ephesians - AD 80 to 100 - is later than the other Pauline Letters. It’s closer to the time of the date for St. John’s Gospel - around AD 100 - so I wonder if Paul is reflecting on the Gospel texts where and when The Risen Lord Jesus came into the Upper Room - through the walls. That  gospel text says, “Though the doors were locked” Jesus came into their midst and said, “Peace!” [Cf. John 20:19-29]

Thanks to cell phones we can reach people who are locked in and who are locking us out and we can say, “Peace!” or if they see the call is from us - and won’t answer - we can at least leave a message of Peace - unless it would make things worse. By faith we can also try to break through barriers by praying and praying and praying for that person. I’ve been praying for “Peace” with a family member who split from us - a good 20 plus years now.

“Peace!”

QUESTION: WHAT ARE THE WALLS IN  OUR LIFE

Of course some walls are good - necessary - for privacy and peace as well.

Robert Frost said it succinctly in his poem: Mending Wall. He begins his poem with the words, “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall.” Down into the poem he talks about his neighbor and their meeting each other from time to time to mend that wall. The neighbor says, “Good fences make good neighbors.”  Yet Frost wonders if that is really true because he has apples and his neighbor has pine trees.

You might remember the song by Peter, Paul and Mary called, Some Walls. The lyrics were written by Mary Ann Kennedy,  Pamela Rose, and Randy Sharp.

Some walls are made of stone
Sometimes we build our own
Some walls stand for years
And some wash away with tears

Some walls
Some walls

The song goes on to say the obvious, “Some walls must fall.”

That’s the dilemma. Which ones? And how difficult it is to breach a wall.

TODAY’S GOSPEL - LUKE 12: 35-38

So the one wall that we need to at least leave the door open through is the one for the Lord Jesus to enter into.  And sometimes he comes right through into our walls and our lives with challenge and a call for conversion and change.

That’s the message loud and clear in today’s Gospel. Those servants who wait for the Lord - the Lord will come - and knock on our door and bring peace.  Not only will he bring peace, he will sit us down and serve us.

It hit me last night as I was putting this homily together that’s exactly what Jesus does at Mass. He serves himself to us at this meal - this Mass - this Eucharist.

The call to us is to do likewise - obviously.

CONCLUSION

Paul tells us in today’s first reading that the call is to be peacemakers - to build up the household of God - so we are no longer strangers or sojourners - but we’re  the house, the temple of God - which has the Apostles and prophets as our foundation and Jesus as our capstone.  Translation: all are welcome. Translation: once everyone is in the house - once all of us are the temple - then all the curtains in that temple are ripped and all the walls have disappeared - and we’re one.

THE WALLS OF YOUTH

Quote for Today - October 23,  2012

"Helen could not contradict them, for, once at all events, she had felt the same, and had seen the reliable walls of youth collapse.  Panic and emptiness! The goblins were right."

E.M. Foster [1879-1970], Howards End (1910), Chapter 5.

Questions:

Looking back to when you were a youth, what were your reliable walls?

What were your goblins? [A goblin, according to the dictionary, is an ugly or grotesque sprite [ghost or soul or elfish person] that is mischievous and sometimes evil and malicious.]

Have you come up with any new reliable walls?

A STRANGE FANTASY

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 29^th Monday in Ordinary Time is, “A Strange Fantasy.”

Ever since I was a teenager I had this strange fantasy of what would it be like if I could jump up in the air and stay there. “Wouldn’t that be great?” I thought?

I could be playing basketball and drive towards the basket and then jump up in the air and when everyone defending me came down I would simply be still up in the air and drop the basketball into the hoop and net with ease.

On defense I could jump up in the air and when the ball was heading towards the rim I would just swat it away - avoiding goal tending of course.

And I wasn’t even 6 foot yet. And when I did play a lot of basketball I was very poor as a jumper.

DEATH

Without knowing it, that fantasy has helped me with the question of death. I understand the following very, very clearly, but I might not be able to convey my thoughts today that clearly.  Yet, let me try.

Just as I cannot not jump up in the air and stay there - so too when I die - whatever happens is totally out of my control.

So if I rise from the dead after I die, that’s a gift from God - the God who gave me life with a lot of help from my parents. I had no choice in being alive in this life - starting as a seed, an egg, a womb and a mom and a dad. So too after this life, if there is life after death, and my hope is that that there will be and my faith says there will be - it will be totally gift - because it will be out of my hands.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings - trigger these thoughts for me once more.

Today’s Gospel from Luke 1: 13-21 talks about death. Jesus says that a man was going to die that night - but it was totally off his radar screen. All he could think of was building bigger and bigger barns.

In today’s first reading from Ephesians 2:1-10, Paul says, “It’s all gift.”

In today’s first reading from Ephesians Paul says “God, who is rich in mercy, because the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ.”

In our text there are brackets that add: “by grace you have been saved.”  I fool around with that word “grace” all the time.  Today I’m hearing “gift - gift - gift - all is gift”.

So when I die - if there is another life - eternal life with God - it will be “gift, gift, gift,” because of Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures like to picture Jesus going up in the air at his ascension - and moving out of our - earthly space. There it is that jumping up into the air fantasy and staying there. Impossible - but possible because of Jesus Christ. That’s what Paul is saying.

CONCLUSION: HERE AND HEREAFTER

In preaching I like to stress the here more than the hereafter - because the here  I know - the hereafter I don’t. It’s all fantasy. It’s all imagination.

Yet it’s good to be reminded about the hereafter - especially as we heard in today’s powerful parable in today’s gospel - that you can’t take it with you - and you never know - where the hereafter for us will start.

Just as our start was out of our control, so too our ending is out of our control. Of course we can exercise, get checkups, eat right, and work at staying alive, but we know down deep, it’s still out of our control.

We can fantasy it’s in our control, but just like my fantasy of jumping into the air and staying there is just that - a fantasy. Unlike the birds of the air we can’t fly. We always have to come back down to earth - every time we jump - every time we get in a plane - every time we come down the stairs.

So the opening line of today’s gospel with a tiny revision is a great prayer. “Lord, tell my brother Jesus to share the inheritance of resurrection with me.”

THE  TREE  OF  LIFE

Quote for Today - October 22, 2012

"Let us pray to God
to root out of our hearts
everything of our own planting
and put in there,
with God's own hand,
the tree of life
bearing all manner of fruits."

Francois de Salignac de La Mothe Fenelon [1651-1715]

P.S. If you want to read about a very interesting another, check out "Fenelon" in Google. He was a teacher, an Archbishop, an influence, on the history of France. He was involved in Quietism a bit - but was able to back off when challenged. What grabbed me was his international outlook - trying to teach a future king and others - about human rights being a concern not just for family, not just for country, but for the whole human race. He urged all to have a sentiment for humanity - not just for self and one's own little circles. 

TABLE 4,567,371,594,303

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Table 4,567,371,594.303.”

When we go to a wedding reception we stand there outside the dining room or somewhere there and we spot the tiny table that has the little tent cards - with our name on it - we hope - and we pick the one up - with our name and the number of our table on it.

It’s a relief when we spot our name on a tiny folded card:  Table 17 or 13 - and if we’re old,  we hope our table is far from the music maker.

It’s a bummer when there is no card there for us. We go, “Uh oh. Oh no! I sent my ‘Yes’ in to the R.S.V.P., so it should be here. We know we checked off,  “Crab cakes”.  Then “Phew” our spouse or someone says, “Oh there you are. I picked up your card for you. Here!”

WHEN WE DIE

When we die and when we wake up R.S.V.P.,  there we are in the vestibule of somewhere. And we’re standing there will all kinds of people of all kinds of sizes, shapes, colors and looks - and we don’t know anyone. And there’s the table - with all the little cards - with the names of the recently deceased.

We stand there - hoping to see our name. We look. Someone sneaks in underneath us. Another person comes in from our left; another from our right. Everyone hopes their name is there.  They are looking for their card and name as well. They are muttering in languages we don’t have any clue about - yet.

Then we spot our name. Our name. I made it. I made it. I made it. Phew. We take the card. We look at the writing. Ours is in English. That’s thoughtful - because most of the others aren’t - but most have numbers on them. Ours says, “Table 4,567,371,594.303.”

We hear music coming from somewhere.

We spot someone at a big entrance door - in a robe.  We wonder if that’s St. Peter. We think to ourselves: it’s a door, with deep red fabric panels - no golden gates. Where am I? I hope this is heaven.

We breathe in - in our Risen Body - we pinch ourselves - we’re young again. We stop for a moment. We think, “This isn’t real.” We pinch ourselves again. As we get to that big door, we show the possible St. Peter our card. He saying something in some foreign language. We don’t understand anything, but his smile and his pointing is telling us to go in and around to the right of whatever is behind the big, big door.

We walk in sheepishly. We hear our name and a great welcome cheering. We stand there stunned. We look around at the biggest banquet hall - in the world - ooops we say to ourselves, “The Universe” - ooops we say, “Heaven.” 

No they didn’t play, “When the saints come marching in” but right now I’m with their number.

We see zillions of people sitting at many, many, many tables.

We wonder where Table 4,567,371,594.303 is.

We stand there very nervous. I much rather be on a table with someone I know. I much rather be on a table with mom and dad - grandma - my brother who died too early, too soon of cancer.

Now what? We stand there very nervous.

Then we see folks waving at us from here and there in the gigantic hall. We finally see a face we know.

“Wooo!”  We voice that sound loud and clear.

We head over towards our  brother who died in 1986.  He’s running towards us.

It’s heaven. His hug - his embrace - it’s heaven.

He brings us to mom and dad and there are more hugs - more tears - more celebration - and we’re so self centered at first - then we realize this same thing is happening with those who were with us out in the hallway.

Someone up front bangs a glass or  a bell or something and all become silent.

And then someone from somewhere says, “Those who have just arrived, welcome to the Supper of the Lamb.”

We say to our brother and mother and father, “Can I sit at your table?” They say, “Relax - go to the table you’re assigned to. You’ll find out why soon.”

So we uncling and head for Table 4,567,371,594.303.

It takes us about 20 minutes to get there - but we find it.

We know nobody at the table - and nobody at the table knows us or anybody else.

We shake hands with each person or we bow to each other.

It’s a round table - so there’s no top spot on the table.

The food starts to arrive. It’s being served by apostles, kings, maintenance men, plumbers, and nurses.

Slowly in the passing of the food to each other we learn each other’s languages - and we start learning fast. We can’t believe it - we are speaking Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and Slovak words in less than an hour. “This is heaven.”

We find out where each person on our table is from. We’re from all over the world. We have eternity - but somewhere in the middle of all this new reality - it hits us - I’m going to get to know everyone here - from our Table 4,567,371,594.303 back down to Table 1.

After the meal we reconnect with our parents and our close loved ones who have gone before us. We tell them about what had happened since they died - and they are all ears. At times we wonder if they already know - but they are so polite - so perfect - so listening.

We meet neighbors, classmates from grammar school whom we wondered about what ever happened to so and so. people we worked with - people whom we coached with - people we met on trains and planes - from time to time.

It’s heaven. I made it. I can’t believe all of this.

Then we ask a big question: do I get to meet God?

“Yes,” everyone says. The moment is coming.

As we’re waiting on line for our turn, we wonder if there is a desk or a chair? Do I sit on God’s right or God’s left or what?

Is God a Judge? Is God all Mystery? Is this going to be spooky? What? We don’t know. Up till this moment - all has been easy.

We finally go to meet God. There are no chairs - no right - no left.

It’s all awe - mystery - it’s wordless.

Yet, however, because and thanks to God the First Person in the Trinity who sent the Second Person in the Trinity - to earth - to becoming flesh - who became Jesus in Mary’s womb - I was ready. Being persons - we feel the urge for communion and communication - and for us humans we need words - so Jesus described the next moment for me perfectly. God the Father was like the Father in Jesus’ story of the Prodigal Son.  I was home. I felt God’s  Embrace. Let me tell you, The Father is all Embrace. Jesus was there -  all Brother - so unlike the Brother in the Prodigal Son story.  Jesus entered into the gigantic hug and embrace and I was overwhelmed with the Love in the Moment - if one can say moments and time in eternity. Whatever. And there was in all this the Holy Spirit of Love - God the Holy Spirit - filling the situation - and now I know. Now I know. For all eternity I know. Amen. 

OOOOOOOOO

This is a homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. I read the readings. I said a prayer. I read several commetaries on today's readings and this is the idea that came up. Amen. 

THE GIGANTIC, BIG, 

FIRST GRADE, BIRTHDAY PARTY

Once upon a time - well not that long ago a time - the first grade teacher - in a certain school - was going to celebrate her 50^th Birthday Party - in her first grade classroom. In her classroom. Imagine that!”

And the kids couldn’t imagine how old 50 years old was. “That is old!”, they said. “Old.”

They tried with their hands. How many fingers would you put up if someone asked Mrs. Teresa Dosomuch - yes that was her real name - if they asked her, “How old are you Mrs. Dosomuch?”

Would she go, “Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture]? I am 50 years old. Wow!”

She tried that and the kids were either amazed or confused - depending on their math skills. That many fives, that many fingers, that’s old.

The parents of the First Graders all made cupcakes - cupcakes of all kinds of frosting colors on top - with all kinds of cake mix - brown, stripped and white.

The kids couldn’t take their eyes off all  the cupcakes sitting on a fold up table off to the said  as they sang, “Happy Birthday Mrs. Dosomuch!”

The chairs in the First Grade classroom - for the party were arranged differently that day - in a circle - with Mrs. Dosomuch’s bigger swivel chair up in the front of the classroom in the center.

Then something happened that almost ruined the party. It’s always something! Isn’t it?

Yep sometimes bad things happen - even to kids in the First Grade - even by kids in the First Grade.

It started with two boys. One’s name was John and the other was James. They had a plan. They raised their hands and said, “Mrs. Dosomuch can we sit next to you - one on your right and one on your left.”

When the other kids heard this - they got angry. They got jealous. They got jumpy - and this was even before they got the sugar in all those cup cakes.

“Uh oh,” Mrs. Dosomuch thought. “What do I do now? If I put one on my right and one on my left - these other 21 kids will be jealous - very jealous.”

What to do?  She put up her hands to stop all the hands that were up. She put her finger to her lip as the signal for all to quiet down. She said a prayer inside her mind to God: “Help!”

She remembered this used to happen when she was a kid and grandpa Ed came to Thanksgiving Dinner at their home. He had a great belly and a great white beard - and looked like Santa Claus - and all the kids - including Teresa - would want to sit next to Grandpa Ed for Thanksgiving dinner.

Impossible - because only two could do that: one on his right and one on his left.

The solution was Grandpa Ed would sit at the kids table and after every ten minutes a timer bell  would go off and he would move his seat next to two others - starting with the oldest.

Mrs. Teresa Dosomuch smiled.

Mrs. Teresa Dosomuch came up with a plan. She said to herself, “I’m not that old.”

“Surprise” she said to James and John and the rest of her First Graders, “I’m not going to sit down. I’m going to serve you.”

So she pulled her chair out of the circle - completely surprising the whole class. Next she walked over to the cupcakes - which were on silver trays. 

Next she called James and John over to her and said, “James and John, it’s more important to serve than to be served, so you’re going to help me.”

She handed each of them a tray and with juice in one hand and plastic cups in her other hand, she walked around and served juice to each kid - telling James and John, “Show the kids the cupcakes. Give them their choice.”

So they walked around the circle of chairs and served all the kids.

And what a party. Each kid ate at least 3 cupcakes - each.

Then surprise! Just at the end of the party in that First Grade classroom, the principal and all the teachers in the school came to the First Grade door and opened it and said, “Happy Birthday to Mrs. Do So much.

Then they blindfolded her and led her and her whole class - all 24 of them - to a big hall - in the school. It was filled with the whole school - filled with kids - all of whom loved and missed Mrs. Dosomuch - whom they all had in the first grade. They were silent.

The principal lead the blindfolded Mrs. Dosomuch into the center of the hall - and sat her in a chair. All the kids were standing there surrounding the chair - but they were told to be totally quiet - SILENT. Then they took off her blindfold and she saw all the kids - and all the teachers - and lots of parents - and they all sang as they brought in this gigantic round chocolate covered birthday cake - her favorite - with 50 blazing candles - as everyone sang Happy Birthday to her. Amen.

OOOOOOOOOO

This is a story I wrote last night for this 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time B.

PICK IT!

Quote for Today - Oct. 21, 2012

"Mean to" don't pick no cotton."

Anonymous