REVOLUTION

Quote for Today - February 22, 2013

"A radical revolution, embracing even nature itself, was the fundamental idea of Jesus."

Joseph Ernest Renan [1823-1892]

Question:

What would you list as the 3 key fundamental ideas of Jesus. Then put them in order of their importance.

THE POWER OF HUMOR

Quote for Today - February 21,  2013

"Next to power without honor, the most dangerous thing in the world is power without humor."

Eric Sevareid [1912-1992]

CAN PEOPLE CHANGE?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily  for this First Wednesday in Lent is, “Can People Change?”

I consider that question - “Can People Change?” - one of life’s biggest questions.  There are other big questions:

·        “Why do people self destruct?”

·        “Why suffering?”

·        “Why death now?”

·        “Why did this person love me and then stop   loving me?”

·        “Why do some people get it and others don’t?”

Those are some first draft questions. I’m sure on second draft, and twentieth draft, lots of thinking and rethinking, I’d have better big lifetime questions, but the clock was ticking and I had to come up with a homily for today.

I know however, my question for today, “Can People Change?”, would  be on every draft - because it’s a question I’ve been asking all my life.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings trigger these thoughts - about this key question: “Can People Change”?

In today’s first reading from Jonah, we find out that the people of Nineveh changed. In the story of Jonah we know that he changed - but it wasn’t his doing. He was forced into being a preacher. He is called at times, “The Reluctant Prophet!” 

When God called him, he got in a boat and went the other way.

You know the story - and it’s an interesting story.

In today’s gospel we read about Jesus’ frustration with the people in his time - who want a sign - then perhaps they will change.

Jesus knew the human heart. Jesus knew people. Jesus knew that people work hard at coming up with excuses for not changing.

SO, CAN  PEOPLE CHANGE?

Can the person who is overweight, big time, change?

Can the person who is an alcoholic or drug addict change?

Can the person who is described as “always late” change their pattern and start to arrive 5 minutes early from now on?

Can the person who judges overweight people or people who are always late, change and stop judging.

12 STEP PROGRAMS

AA and other 12 step programs tackle this question up front and very early on.

The first of the 12 steps is to admit our powerlessness over an addiction whatever the area it is in: food, alcohol, sex, drugs, gambling.

THE KEY PRAYER

The key prayer in 12 step programs is a prayer developed by Reinhold Niebuhr - which you’re all familiar with. It’s called the Serenity Prayer. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

CONCLUSION SELF

If we follow Jesus, we know he  teaches us to start with self. So we have to stop wanting everyone else to change  - and look in the mirror and see ourselves. 

"Physician change yourself!"

Spot those specks and logs in our own eye first!

We need to admit our powerlessness - get help - and in the meanwhile change what we can change in ourselves - one day at a time.

DOUBT AND BELIEF

Quote for Today - February 20, 2013

"There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything; both ways save us from thinking."

Alfred Korzybski [1879-1950]

BABBLE

OR CRYSTAL CLEAR?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this First Tuesday in Lent  is, “Babble or Crystal Clear?”

I was looking for a word that would go well - and sound well - as the opposite of “babble” but couldn’t find one. So I chose two words as the opposite of babble - that is, crystal clear.

So the title of my short homily is, “Babble or Crystal Clear?” And I hope this homily will be crystal clear.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings are crystal clear.

In the first reading from Isaiah 55: 10-11 we hear the Lord saying - that his word goes forth from his mouth and it gets results. It is not empty words. It’s like rain and snow and seed. They go forth and then bring forth wheat which becomes bread.

In today’s gospel from Matthew 6:17 Jesus talks about babble. He must have heard a lot of babble prayer in his time. Then Jesus gives a clear - a crystal clear - way to pray. Pray the Our Father. Don’t babble it. Pray for daily bread and daily forgiveness.

TWO MOVIES

In the movie, My Cousin Vinny, which I love - having seen it or parts of it - at least 10 times - there is a scene when Vinny Gambini - who is a disaster as a lawyer up till  this scene says to Judge Chamberlain Haller about the prosecutor bringing in an automobile expert.

I object to this witness being called at this time. We've been given no prior notice he'd testify. No discovery of any tests he's conducted or reports he's prepared. And as the court is aware, the defense is entitled to advance notice of any witness who will testify, particularly to those who will give scientific evidence, so that we can properly prepare for cross-examination, as well as to give the defense an opportunity to have the witness's reports reviewed by a defense expert, who might then be in a position to contradict the veracity of his conclusions.

Vinny had been studying all night and the prosecutor had told him this  right he had as defense lawyer as well. Judge Haller is totally surprised and says, Mr. Gambini? …. That is a lucid, intelligent, well thought-out objection.

Vinny says, “Thank you, Your Honor.

Then the Judge says, “Overruled.”

What hits people seeing the movie is Judge Chamberlain Haller’s statement: “That is a lucid, intelligent, well thought-out objection.”  Up till then Vinny - in his first case as a lawyer - is totally a confused disaster.

The second movie scene is another court room scene. It’s in the movie A Few Good Men - when Jack Nicholson as Colonel Nathan R. Jessep says to the young lawyer, Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, “We follow orders, son. We follow orders or people die. It’s that simple. Are we clear?” 

Tom Cruise as Kaffee says, “Yes, sir.” 

Colonel Jessep barks out again, “Are we clear?”

Kaffee says, “Crystal.”

CONCLUSION

Both those movie scenes came to mind when I thought about the crystal clear message found in today’s readings. It would be wonderful if our prayers and our forgiveness of others - were crystal clear - lucid - intelligent - and well thought out - and not babble. 

If it’s all  babble, perhaps we really didn’t pray or we really didn’t down deep forgive the other. But if it’s lucid and crystal clear - then we can trust there will be results coming out of our prayer - and results of our forgiving another person - just as rain and snow and seed bring forth daily bread to our world. Amen.

GETTING OVER THE HUMP

Quote for Today - February 19, 2013

"The camel never sees its own hump; but its neighbor's hump is ever before its eyes."

Arab Proverb

HOLINESS:

SPELL IT OUT FOR ME

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this First Monday in Lent is, “Holiness: Spell It Out For Me!”

Today’s first reading begins this way: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.'”

God is saying, “Tell the folks to be holy!”

If Moses stopped there we might ask, “Okay, now tell me how to be holy? Spell it out for me.” Or we might say, “For example. Give me some examples on how to be holy.” Or we might say, “That’s like telling kids when we’re going out for the evening and leaving them home alone, ‘Be good.’”

Too vague. Give me a list of do’s and don’ts. Maybe one specific could be a good Lenten Resolution.

TODAY’S READINGS

Surprise today’s readings spell it out for us. Today’s readings give a list of do’s and a list of don’ts. Let me make that my homily.

FIRST THE DON’TS

Don’t steal.

Don’t lie.

Don’t speak falsely to another.

Don’t swear falsely using my name.

Don’t defraud.

Don’t rob your neighbor.

Don’t withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer.

Don’t curse the deaf.

Don’t put a stumbling block in front of the blind.

Don’t  act dishonestly in rendering judgment.
Don’t show  partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty
Don’t go about spreading slander among your kin.
Don’t stand by idly when your neighbor's life is at stake.
Don’t bear hatred for your brother in your heart.
Don’t incur sin because of him – even if you have correct him or her.
Don’t take revenge or cherish a grudge against your fellow countrymen.

NOW THE DO’S – THE LIST IS SHORTER

Judge others justly

You shall love your neighbor as yourself

Feed the hungry.

Give the thirsty something to drink.

Welcome the stranger.

Clothe the naked.

Care for the sick.
Visit those in prison.

 CONCLUSION

There they are.

We all know the KISS principle in public speaking. Keep It Simple Stupid.

If you want the above lists on how to be holy to be even more simple here are some shorter versions - but notice they move to the general - compared to the specifics mentioned above:

       “Love one another.”

       “Keep the Golden Rule.”

       “Be a sheep; don’t be a goat.”

       “Cause heaven; don’t cause hell!”

       "Do good; avoid evil."

       "Build; don't destroy!"

       "Cause happiness; not hate!"