COMMENCEMENT ADDRESSES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 7^th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Commencement Addresses.”

I like this time of every year - because the New York Times and various newspapers - yes newspapers - they are still around - they feature best excerpts from commencement addresses from around the country. C-Span - if I can catch them - also offers various commencement addresses from around the country as well.  I try to catch them as well. And you don’t have to be out in the sun - on a hard chair to listen to them. And I listen with ballpoint pen and paper in hand.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings triggered this topic. A commencement speaker could use both of today’s readings for advice giving to graduates.

Today’s first reading from the wisdom book called, “Sirach” begins with this statement:

My son,

when you come to serve the LORD,
stand in justice and fear,
prepare yourself for trials.

I would assume that most graduates from college expect that after college they will get a job - and get going. They might not use the word “to serve” - unless they are graduates of our service academies - but many students hope to get into the service industry - which is a major base or jobs in our nation.

Then Sirach goes on to tell his audience to expect tough times - trials - and he then gives various one liners - clips of thought - about attitude: “Be sincere of heart and steadfast…. Wait on God, with patience …. Accept what befalls you….  When sorrowful be steadfast….” and on and on and on.

Today’s gospel from Mark has Jesus also telling his disciples that there are tough times ahead - that he Jesus is actually headed for Jerusalem where he will be killed.

Imagine a commencement address speaker telling his audience that. Imagine a commencement address speaker saying that many people go forward in life with the goal in mind to become the greatest - but Jesus tells his followers - it’s service - it’s being the least important person in the room - it’s being as simple as a child. It’s gradual - meaning step by step - but that’s the goal.

THIS WEEK

This week here in Annapolis there are two graduations that I know of: St. Mary’s High School on Thursday and the Naval Academy on Friday. I’m going to go to both of them with my grandnephew Brian graduating from the Naval Academy. The commencement address speaker at St. Mary’s H.S. graduation is going to be Camille Brown - Associate Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Baltimore;  President Barack Obama will be speaking at the Navy Stadium.  I’ll be listening with ballpoint pen and paper in hand.

Last week Professor James Schmaus from Columbia University in New York City spoke at  the graduation at St. John’s College here in Annapolis. I didn’t hear or read it. The title was, “Commencement Speeches and Community Acts.”  Perhaps he spoke about the impact on lives between words and actions. Perhaps he spoke of the rejections and protests in the past few years about commencement speakers - based on their pronouncements - their actions - whether they are liberal or conservative - or what have you.

I gave 3 commencement addresses in my life - one for a grammar school, one for a high school, and one for a small college.

Commencement address speakers often use the message in Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address - people will not remember what was said here - but all will remember what happened here.

Well Lincoln’s address was remembered.

Commencement speakers - like preachers -  know their speeches or sermons will not be remembered. However, I assume they also know that they serve the purpose of being part of the pomp and circumstance. I assume they know they are like the table holding up the food. I hope they know that the key thing is not get in the way, but remind the graduates to thank their parents, guardians, grandparents, teachers, janitors, maintenance people - and all those people sitting there who are grateful that they  have made it. I assume that all know that his is not a eulogy - but a commencement - not an ending but a beginning.  Hopefully it sounds like that - that the talk is not deadening - but a beginning - that these kids are ready to get out there and get a job and get moving.

I assume that’s what Sirach and Jesus were getting at in their comments - which we heard in today’s readings. Amen.

SMILE

Quote for Today - May 21,  2013

"If you lived well, your smile lines are in the right place."

Jennifer Garner

Question: Which are more important, smile lines or tan lines? Smile.

HOW LONG? 

SINCE CHILDHOOD!

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 7^th Monday in Ordinary Time is, “How Long? Since Childhood!”

I love Jesus’ question in today’s Gospel:  Mark 9:14-29. Jesus asks the father of the boy who has convulsions - who throws himself into fires and into the water, “How long has this been happening to him?”

The father answers, “Since childhood.” Then the father adds, “It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.”

I have been always been fascinated by this text - Mark 9:21. How long? Well, not since my childhood, but since my 20’s.  I can picture Jesus standing there - seeing this boy going into convulsions - falling to the ground - rolling around on the ground - and foaming at the mouth. I can see Jesus face - his amazement at the scene. I would be doing the same thing. I assume all of us would.

I’m sure we’ve seen scenes in restaurants - or church - or at the park - when someone has a seizure - or starts to shake.  We get scared - and sweat - maybe even shake ourselves. We panic a bit - as well as wonder - “What’s going on?”  We wonder how long has this person had this problem - this condition. And maybe they have had it since childhood.

DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN

The one verse - 21 - can stand on its own for reflection.  It can lead to seeing the human side of Jesus. It also can lead to the need for faith - and prayer - praying for people and their parents - and their care takers - who are struggling with family members who have issues or psychic troubles and tremors.

As I was preparing this little homily this morning, the question Jesus asked, “How long has this been going on?” intrigued me. That’s where the title of this homily came from: “How Long? Since Childhood!”

I have always been fascinated with people’s peculiarities - people’s particulars - people’s mannerisms - people’s patterns.

Do parents pick up on their kid’s uniqueness - and do they see their kid doing the same thing over and over and over and déjà vu again and again

How about some self examination - seeing ourselves - our patterns and idiosyncrasies?

What are the things we’re still doing that we did as kids?

I know I hated it when we got chance books in grammar school and we were expected to sell the whole book - all 10 chances - and then bring the dollar and the stubs back to school.  I hated that . If possible I tried to come up with my own dollar so as to get it done. In the seminary, we were asked to get subscriptions to our school magazine. I failed miserably at doing that. In both instances - I was amazed at kids in grammar school who could sell $70 dollars worth of raffle tickets - or 100 subscriptions to our seminary  magazine. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.  I hated that. Still do. I am very, very, very, very happy to never have been a pastor. I don’t like money raising things in parishes or what have you.

So how long have I been doing this? Since I was a kid.

I also thought about another thing I’ve been doing since I was a child. We once made a film to promote weekend retreats at the retreat house where I worked. We made the film and then I had to go out and show the film all over New Jersey - to various parish groups. I saw that movie 75 times at least and every time I saw myself on film walking down the aisle - with my feet going out wide - and I would say every time, “Oh my God, I walk funny.”  Still do. Then I saw some pictures of me as a kid. My feet point to the left and the right - not forwards. Then I saw some photographs of my dad. He too stood there with his feet shooting sideways.

So how long have I been doing this? Since I was a kid.

These are mannerisms, these are peculiarities. How about you?

QUESTIONS

Here are some questions that could possibly raise issues:

Does the person who is lazy as a kid, remain lazy for life?

Does the person who cheats in the classroom, cheat for life?

Does the person who compares herself or himself to brothers or sisters or others do that for life?

Do short people or people who feel inferior feel that way - because they were picked on for being short or what have you since they were kids?

Do people who overeat, overeat to compensate - and if they are overcompensating - is it because they were put down by parents, siblings, coaches, teaches, bullies, buddies, classmates - what have you?

CONCLUSION

Today’s gospel story is a story of hope. The boy is healed. It takes faith and prayer, but the boy is healed - by Jesus

The title of my homily is, “How Long? Since Childhood!”

When we see our patterns, when we realize our patterns, our attitudes, if they are self-destructive - we can hope for healing and years later when people who knew us back when, see a marvelous change in us, if they ask, “How long have you been so peaceful and loving?” our answer can be, “Since Christ - since my healing by Jesus Christ.”

LIFE

Quote for Today - May 20, 2013

"This life at best is but an inn,

And we the passengers."

James Howell, A Fit of Mortification

FORGIVENESS FOR DUMMIES

 INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this feast of Pentecost  is, “Forgiveness for Dummies.”

I want to preach on the last line in today’s gospel, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

That’s John 20:23.

That’s “Forgiveness for Dummies.”

Simply put: we have the power to forgive and we have the power to  retain - to let go of or to hold onto hurts, mistakes, disasters, dumb moves in our past - whether we did them or they were done to us.

Come Holy Spirit. Don’t let us be dumb - refusing to accept forgiveness and to forgive each other - as we pray in the Our Father each day.

JOHN 20:23

John 20:23 has been understood in various ways down through the centuries. For starters Jesus is telling his apostles in that Upper Room that he is bringing peace and forgiveness and healing to them. Then he is sending them out to do the same thing to others. They are to bring peace to those outside that room - to bring peace to our world. He is telling them to receive the Holy Spirit - especially the Spirit of forgiveness from God and from others.

The apostles and disciples had locked themselves up in that Upper Room. They had run from Jesus. They were filled with fear. And into that mess - into that death - into that chaos of losing their leader and their hope - who was crucified -  the Risen Lord Jesus came back from the dead. He comes into their center - into that shut room - and breathes new life into them. 

This is a post- resurrection story. As St. Paul will put it, if Christ didn’t rise from the dead, we’re still dead in our sins. [Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:17]

Just as Jesus had died - so too the disciples had died in their own way. Jesus comes and does what God the Creator did in Genesis: remolded, reshaped, refashioned them, breathing new life into them.

This story in The Gospel of John mirrors the scene in the first book of the Bible, Genesis - when God creates Adam out of the clay and the mud of the earth - and breathes life into him.

Both moments are a new beginning in human evolution - told in Biblical ways.

This story in The Gospel of John also mirrors the second book of the Bible, Exodus, when the Israelites escape, exit, run, leave their lives as slaves in Egypt and head down the road towards the waters - to escape through those waters to the other side - to become a new people - heading towards the Promised Land - getting past their past.  It’s a Passover. [Cf.  Exodus 13: 17 to 15:21.]

So too the apostles in that Upper Room escape - head out of there - make an exit from Jerusalem - and start new communities - called Christians  - people renewed from their past by the waters of Baptism and  working towards making this world a Promised Land for all.

Many people get stuck in the past - in personal tragedies. Christianity is about the promise of a new life - to Passover the Past - over and over and over again - and live a new Promise.

And one of the keys is the ability to forgiven and accept forgiveness.

So the disciples did just that: bringing forgiveness to people.

It started with Baptism - the ritual washing - cleansing - of people - from their past. If any of you have received the Sacrament of Baptism as adults, you know you heard that Baptism washes and cleans us of our sins - all the sins of our past - and we don’t have to go to confession for starters.

You have also learned what Catholics know - we have the powerful Sacrament of Penance - the Sacrament of Reconciliation - when people can be forgiven - cleansed of mistakes - after Baptism.

Don’t we all? Don’t we all? Don’t we all? Don’t we all make mistakes and commit sins after our baptism?

Different Christian Communities accept the sacrament of Baptism but they have had problems with the Catholic Church’s teaching about the Sacrament of Confession or Reconciliation. [1]

Where are you with your Sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation? What are your needs? What’s in your wallet? What’s in your past? Where do you need to be washed and showered with forgiveness? What do you want your future to look like? What do you want to see as promising?

IF NOBODY ELSE WOULD FORGIVE ME

When we were studying the Sacrament of Confession in the seminary I was struck by an insight our Dogmatic Theology professor gave us one day. He said, “It’s important, it’s wonderful, if we could go up to each other and say, ‘I’m sorry! I made a mistake!’ And we confess our sins to each other and it would be great if the other forgives us.” [Cf. James 5: 16]

Then he added: “What happens if the other won’t forgive us?  What happens if we told the other what we did and it would destroy everything?  It’s in situations like that, that the Sacrament of Reconciliation - Confession - is really, wonderfully, powerful.”

I heard that in a classroom before I became a priest. Then as priest I have discovered that to be very true.  As priest I have heard people in confession breathe out a sign of relief - after confessing a sin. I’ve also heard them repeat that breath of fresh air when they hear the words of absolution - as their sins are forgiven.

Today is the Feast of Pentecost. Today - or any day - breathe. Pull fresh air into your being, into your upper room. Take in the Spirit, the Spirit of Life, the Spirit of Courage, the Holy Spirit of forgiveness. Call to the Spirit for a rush of air, resuscitation, resurrection, and peace.

As we heard today’s gospel and in today’s readings, we heard how the Holy Spirit is the one who brings forgiveness of sins and connections and reconnections.

The Spirit gets us talking to each other - no matter how divided we are - no matter what language we speak. We’re all in this together.  We’re all parts of one body - so we all need to work together to make this life work.

Come Holy Spirit.

Pause. Breathe. Feel the Fresh Air of God in your life.

Meditate on breathing - a practice very much part of many religions.

Breathe: “Come Holy Spirit.” Pray: “Come Holy Spirit.”

The word for the “Spirit”  in Hebrew is  “RUAH”. It’s the rush of the Spirit - into our life. It’s one of those onomatopoeic words.  Remember those from English literature classes - words that sound like what they suggest -  words like hiss - splash - crash. So too the Hebrew word, “RUAH.” Hear the sound of breath - wind - and air in that word. 

Have you ever been at the beach in the summer and someone has been pulled out of the waters - almost drowned. You see life guards or paramedics pushing down on that person’s lungs - trying to get them to breathe again - giving them mouth to mouth resuscitation - trying to bring them back to life.

When you want God to forgive you,  lay there on your bed and  picture God leaning over you - pushing you. Picture God putting His lips to yours and giving you spiritual resuscitation.

That image is not far fetched. It’s a powerful Biblical image from Genesis with God forming us from the beginning - as well as the great scene of resurrection and a new beginning in the Book of Ezekiel - Chapter 37 -  in the great vision of the field of dead bones being called back to life.  

The title of my homily is, “Forgiveness for Dummies.”

Pentecost is a call for forgiveness - for new life.

The priest, the Church, all are called to scream out over the people of this planet who are often like a valley of dead bones, “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.  The Lord God says over  these bones: I am now going to make the breath enter you, and you will live.” And the whole valley of the dead  bones come back to life. 

Isn’t that also the message of today’s second reading from 1 Corinthians when Paul sees everyone separated? He then calls upon the One Spirit - to help all the parts of the Body of Christ to see their connection - through baptism - becoming one Body - no matter where Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. 

CONCLUSION: ONE STEP DEEPER

The title of my homily is, “Forgiveness for Dummies.”

I want to go one step deeper to something that is more fundamental - something more primal. It’s something we all know very well. We’ve experienced it  right here in our upper room - called our skull, called our mind. [POINT TO SKULL]  We can be stuck in here. As today’s gospel puts it - we can be all blocked up with fear - all locked up - because of failures. It’s in here where Jesus comes and says to us, “Peace”. It’s in here that Jesus can breathe his Holy Spirit into us.

Come Holy Spirit.

Each of us can go to confession 100 times - each of us can forgive another 1000 times - or be forgiven by another 1000 times. Wonderful! 

Then surprise, hasn’t this happened to all of us. Something happens. Someone says the wrong thing.  Someone pushes the wrong button - and we discover the other hasn’t really forgiven us.

Or more significant, I have noticed this in myself  many times  - and I’ve also noticed it in listening to others  as a priest - we don’t forgive ourselves. We really don’t believe God could forgive us. We hold onto our side of the trapeze and we can’t fly through the air to the next bar of our lives.

We’re dummies. We hold onto our dumb mistakes - our sins - the  ways we’ve been hurt - and holding onto that stuff - retaining that stuff weighs us down.

Today - this Pentecost Sunday - take off those retainers. Every kid who wears retainers - knows the day those retainers come off - today - this Pentecost Sunday - take off those retainers - those restrainers - and be set free.

NOTES

[1] Raymond Brown,  The Anchor Bible, The Gospel According to John XIII-XXI, Doubleday and Company, Garden City, New York, 1970,  page 1041

Picture on top: From on line

THE DIVINE SPIRIT

Quote for Today - May 19, 2013 - Pentecost

"The power of the divine spirit illuminates everything."

Chinese saying

Picture from China

SUCCESS

Quote for Today - May 18,  2013

"Success is putting your 'knows' to the grindstone."

Anonymous

Questions:

What do you know?

What have you discovered about your "knows" when practiced - or put to the grindstone?

Painting: "El Afilador" - "The Knife Sharpener or Grinder" - c. 1790 by Francisco Goya [1746-1828]