TIMES 

THEY ARE A-CHANGIN

Quote for Today - April 26, 2013

"If we live good lives, the times are also good. As we are, such are the times."

Saint Augustine [354-430]

Comment: Next time someone says the time we are living in horrible times, try that quote.

Or quote the opening paragraph of Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens [1812-1870], "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."  

THE PAST

Quote for Today - April 25, 2013

"Even God cannot change the past."

Agathon  (447?-401 B.C.)

WAITING FOR 
AN INSPIRATION 

Quote for Today - April 24, 2013

"If you wait for inspiration you'll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street."

Ben Nichols

CHRISTIAN:

NOUN OR ADJECTIVE?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Easter is, “Christian: Noun or Adjective?”

The last comment in today’s first reading is the fascinating text, “It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.”

I’d like to say a few words about the word “Christian” - leaving today’s Gospel to just sit there - especially because the gospel for this past Sunday is part of today’s gospel.

NOUN OR ADJECTIVE

Every time I hear that comment at the end of today’s gospel,  I think of a comment by C. S. Lewis about how  the word “Christian” is used as a noun and an adjective. He thinks it’s wiser to use the word “Christian” as a noun. Then if you want to make judgments about someone and/or their behavior or their lifestyle - add an adjective like good or bad or devout or non-practicing Christian.

To make his point, C.S. Lewis in the preface to his book, Mere Christianity, uses the example of the word “gentleman”. It meant someone who had a coat of arms and some land. It wasn’t a compliment to call someone a gentleman. He could be a liar or a fool - but he was still a gentleman - if he had the coat of arms, the land and the title. In time it came to describe behavior.

He says the same thing happened with the word “Christian”. It didn’t happen with the word “doctor” or “priest”. They could be good or bad, old or young. Notice I didn’t mention weight or looks.

I slip on this, but I prefer to go the way of C.S. Lewis.

To be a Christian - you are baptized.  Then one can  declare oneself a member of the Christian community. Keeping it a noun, some say, “I used to be a Christian.”  Noun! They were baptized.

It’s tricky when you bring the word “Catholic” into the mix. I would assume it was an attitude and an adjective when it was first coined - but became a noun. I don’t know if C.S. Lewis said it of the word “Catholic,” but I think it too works better as a noun.

And  we’ve all heard people say, “I’m a Catholic Christian”. That becomes tricky - especially if one also thinks about the comment, “I’m a Christian Catholic.”  That is saying something as well.

We know or could find out if someone is baptized - but as to whether a person is Christian - if you make it an adjective - that’s tricky.

The best road I think would be to reserve the judgments about who’s a good or bad Christian to judging oneself only.

IN ANTIOCH AND IN ANNAPOLIS

I would assume that here in Antioch in the Acts of the Apostles - it was a noun - and it was used to describe those folks who joined the movement called the Way - or “followers of Jesus” or “Christians” and how they were living their lives.

What about us here in Annapolis?

We’d probably go with the word “Catholic” as a noun - as “Christian” as noun and adjective.

When it’s used to judge, label, fight, argue, with each other, then I try to hide.

When it’s used for us as Catholics to try to follow Jesus - by doing what he did - imitating what he did - then being called “Christian” hopefully energizes us to love one another, to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile, to have concern for the poor, to forgive, to be with the Father in secret, all those things.

CONCLUSION

In the meanwhile, let’s care for one another and maybe some people will know us as the old hymn goes. “They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love.”

THE INCENSE 

OF HEARTFELT PRAYER

Quote for Today  - April 23, 2013

"Without the incense of heartfelt prayer, even the greatest cathedral is dead."

Anonymous

JESUS  KEEPS 

CALLING  MY NAME

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Monday in the Fourth Week of Easter is, “Jesus Keeps Calling My Name.”

In today’s gospel, Jesus says, “the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” [Cf. John 10:3.]

Today’s gospel also says: “Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them.”

Do I realize what Jesus is saying here?

Do I realize Jesus knows me by name?

ISAIAH 49:16

Many people list their favorite scripture text as Isaiah 49:16. I’ve seen it on posters and on coffee cups and bumper stickers. It has variations from the Hebrew: “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”  Or, “I have written your name on the palm of my hands.”

I think of it when I give out communion to kids who have names of others in ball point pen on the palms of their hands.

Alphonsus Jansen  in his book on The Meaning of Love and Marriage says that people who are in love say one word over and over and over again. “It’s the name of the one they love.”

Do I realize that God knows me by name?

Do I hear God calling me by name every day?

HARRY CHAPIN SONG: “SOMEONE KEEPS CALLING MY NAME.”

One of my favorite songs by Harry Chapin is, “Someone Keeps Calling My Name.”

He and a chorus keep singing that refrain over and over and over again: “Someone Keeps Calling My Name.”

The song has 3 persons hearing that message: a little girl name Jenny - 4 fingers old; Jonathan 50 seasons old; and Jamie 15 years old.”

And each of the three wonder if it’s just the rustling of the wind or maybe I just need a friend.

“Someone Keeps Calling My Name.”

I looked up the song on line and listened to it again - and under one version there are two comments to whoever put the song on line that grabbed me.

The first comment was “First song my wife sang to me. It means a lot. Thank you.”

The second comment was. “Wonderful song. Clearly a reminder from Harry that God is always wanting to speak to us.”

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Jesus Keeps Calling My Name.”

Folks often ask us priests the question the disciples ask Jesus in Luke 11:1, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”

And Jesus taught them the Our Father.

Another answer is to be quiet - and as Jesus says in today’s gospel, John 10: 3 - to hear him call us by name.

MOTIVE

Quote for Today  - April 22, 2013

"Thus every action must be due to one or other of seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reasoning, anger, or appetite."

Aristotle, Rhetoric

Questions: 

What would be your 7?

Walter Savage Landor said, "We talk on principle, but we act on interest."  Would you put self interest first?

Napoleon said, "There are only two forces that unite men - fear and interest." Agree or disagree?

John M. Wilson said, "There are only two stimulants to one's best efforts: the fear of punishment, and the hope of reward." Agree or disagree?

Sigmund Freud talked about pleasure and pain as two key motivators. Is motivation mixed - for as Freud said, "Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate in their object-relations."  Agree or disagree?