GASSIP

Quote for Today - August 22, 2013

"Gossip: Something that goes in one ear and out the month."

Anonymous

Comment: Check out my blog for July 30, 2013 - where I mention the word "gassip" - a word some other "anonymous" came up with.

Here would be my definition for this new word - which anonymous came up with:   "Gassip: Combustible words coming out of my mouth and burning another person."

CRITICISM

Quote for Today - August 21, 2013

"One of the hardest things to take is one of the easiest things to give - criticism."

Anonymous

EVERY  PERSON  MATTERS

GOSPEL

A reading from the Gospel of  Matthew 12: 9-14.

Jesus left that place and entered their synagogue. 

A man was there with a withered hand. 

They asked Jesus, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?” 

They were looking for something to accuse him of. 

He said to them, “Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you grab hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."  

Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand and it was restored, as sound as the other. 

But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Every Person Matters.”

THEME FOR THIS NEW YEAR: 2013-2014

As you know every new school year here at St. Mary's a theme is chosen for that year.

This year the theme is: “Every Person Matters.”

In a recent issue of the parish bulletin, Father John Tizio had the following in a letter to the parish:

“I share the above with you because of our parish theme for the upcoming year; ‘Every Person Matters.’ This theme was the message in the Installation Mass of Pope Francis on the Feast of St. Joseph on March 19th of this year and is the theme of his pontificate. Every person matters. It is the simple reality as the foundation of the church, of our stewardship and of our outreach. That is the root of all of our Catholic social teachings, all of our moral teachings. Pope Francis said the following:

“It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, the one who are often the last we think about. It means caring for one another in our families: husband and wives first protect one another, and then, as parents, they care for their children, and children themselves, in time, protect their parents. It means building sincere friendships in which we protect one another in trust, respect, and goodness. In the end, everything has been entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it. Be protectors of God’s gifts!”

You can find that on our parish web site - and I’m going to put this homily on my blog.  It matters.

I suggest - because everyone of you matters - that you tattoo message: "Every Person Matters" on the inside  side of your forehead -  the side facing your brain - the part only you see.  Ooops! You can't see that. But you see what I mean - I hope!

“Every person matters.”

That would be a good sign for each classroom - and blackboard.

Let's begin practicing that motto as individuals, staff, teachers, workers here at St. Mary’s.

If we really believe that message - we will matter - because everyone will sense our respect for them. The proof will be when we practice what we believe.

GANDHI

A woman once came to Gandhi and asked him to see her son because she thought he was eating too much candy. Gandhi asked her to come back in a month - with the same request. The woman came back in a month and repeated her request. He said, “Let’s go see your son.” He talked to the son and told him what his mom was worried about - health, weight, diet, eating better food. The son listened to Gandhi and cut down on the candy. The mother saw Gandhi a while later and said, “Thanks! It's working!”  but then she asked, “Why didn’t you want to see him right away?” Gandhi answered, “Well, I wanted to see if I could do it myself for a month.” 

It’s a good story. It’s the stuff of legend. I also heard the story of Mohammad - but "Gandhi" and "candy" sound better together.

There are dozens of statements about, “Practicing what we’re preaching.”  We teach 96.7% by who we are and only 3.3% by what we say. [I don't know if that's true but it sounds good to me.]

We all have heard the saying: “Do what I say, not what I do,” We know the reality is that people “Do what we do and not what we say.” We are repeat performances. As Yogi Berra put it: "We are deja vu all over again."

42: THE MOVIE - JACKIE ROBINSON

If you saw the movie "42" this spring or summer - a story about Jackie Robinson, you’ll remember the scene when the Dodgers were in Cincinnati and the fans are screaming the N word at # 42 Jackie Robinson. They are also making all kinds of treats at Pee Wee Reese - who was from next door Kentucky. A young boy is standing there in the stands watching the whole scene. He’s also watching his dad scream the N word etc. at Jackie Robinson etc. and threats at Pee Wee Reese - and then the kid starts yelling the same stuff. And Pee Wee Reese goes over to first base and stands next to Jackie Robinson and they raise their hands up united or show some gesture of solidarity.  And the camera focuses on the kid - what next?

Every person matters.

Who is every person? They are the principal, cleaning crew, kitchen staff, the pain in the butt mother of the kid who is never wrong, - but everyone else is?

Every person matters.

Every person is worthy of respect, a fair hearing, a good name, that there be no snide gossip behind their back, or under cover of the back of one’s hand [Gesture].

Every person matters.

No physical or verbal bullying allowed - kids with kids,
adults with kids, kids with adults, adults with adults.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

I chose today’s gospel - because it summarizes it all. A person is worth more than a dumb sheep - which anyone would rescue if it fell down a pit - on any day of the week - including the Sabbath.

The story also tells us a key reason why they wanted to kill Jesus.

Jesus challenges us to see every person as someone who matters - including "Buckwheat" who walks the streets of Annapolis with black plastic bags picking up garbage in McDonalds and Burger King parking lots - as well as that  tall guy with the caked dirt brownish bluish jeans - and the beard who also walks Annapolis every day - as well as Mr. Speedo - including the traffic ticket givers whom I dislike - especially on Sunday morning - and to be transparent I never got a ticket.

Every person matters.

I picture Jesus standing there watching a crowd watching someone pulling a dumb sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath. Everyone clapped when the sheep was rescued - except the Pharisees and the Law Keepers.

I picture Jesus standing there one day - watching with amazement at a flock of sparrows - flying, diving, making great moves and maneuvers in the sky - better than Blue Angels over Nazareth - and he says, “You know what, people are worth more than a whole flock of sparrows.

ANTHONY DRAGONETTI

I once visited the home of an Italian guy in Trenton New Jersey. I had just given a talk on making a weekend retreat in his parish, St. Joachim’s - and I was sitting in his living room with him and his wife, Philomena.

I noticed a cabinet in the corner - with glass shelves that contained a whole collection of porcelain birds. I asked him, “What’s the story with the birds?” He said, “They’re Boehm birds.”  He got up and opened up the glass cabinet and took one out and handed it to me.

As he is doing that he said he makes them.

“Wow I said, “How much are they?” I figured maybe $45 or 55 dollars.

He says, “That one sells for about $1400.”

I quickly and carefully handed it back to him.

He then told the story that he had a little convenience story that sold newspapers and stuff in Trenton. He made on the side plates with images of Trenton on them and sold them. “Well, he said, “Mr. Boehm dropped in one day and spotted my plates and asked to see one. Then he asked, 'Who made the plates?' I said, 'I do.' Well, Mr. Boehm said, “Want a job at my plant. I make porcelain birds.”

Anthony also said he helped make the $27,000 or so porcelain Eagle that President Nixon brought to China.

At that moment I understand Jesus’ words: You are worth more than a whole flock of sparrows - as well as eagles and hawks. [Cf. Matthew 10:31]

EVERY PERSON MATTERS

I love Monday night and Wednesday afternoon here at St. Mary’s. The poor show up at our door. Our St. Vincent de Paul Society - with donations for our parishioners help lots of folks - with energy bills, etc.

Sometimes I think wrong thoughts: Why don’t these folks take the energy to get here for help use that energy and enterprise to get a job?

Ooops. I haven't walked in their shoes. I haven't heard their story. 

What's the matter?

That's why I need to hear the message: Every person matters - no matter what I think.

Sometimes I don’t practice what  I preach.

Sometimes I don’t think some people matter.

What changes and challenges me every time is the way they are treated by a whole host of volunteers here at St. Mary's who help these folks. They treat them well - and hopefully it all rubs off on them - that they go out and treat others well - and that I get it.

What changes me is when I see all the teachers and nurses and hard workers of our world - who give their best to the rest of us.

CONCLUSION

So I believe every motto for every year helps.

This year I think this year’s motto will matter much more - the more we put it into practice. Amen.

THE LORD

BE WITH YOU

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 20^th Tuesday is, “The Lord Be With You!”

It’s the old, “Dominus vobiscum.”

JUDGES 6 AND LUKE 1

When we were studying scriptures in the seminary one of the biggest lessons I learned was parallel texts. Our teacher would run us through an Old Testament text - and then show us a New Testament text that was following the same pattern - the same matrix. That’s why I love The Jerusalem Bible. It has along the sides of a text - references to other texts of the Bible that sound the same - and might be referring to the other. Neat.

Comparisons can crush. Comparisons can also be very helpful.

So today’s first reading from Judges 6:11-24 has a perfect Gospel text that follows it’s flow.  It’s Luke 1: 26-38, It’s the Annunciation account.

Both Annunciation texts begin with an Angel appearing and greeting someone. In today’s first reading it’s Gideon. In Luke in the Annunciation account, it’s Mary.

Both have the greeting, “The Lord is with you!”

Both then question the angel. Gideon asks, “How can I deliver Israel. I am the weakest and least known person in my family." Mary asks a similar question. She said,  “How can I bring forth a baby? I am a virgin." Then both say “Yes” and with God with them, they help save their people. 

Even though the Gideon scene is more complicated, he formula and the format are basically the same.

There is an announcement.  A Message. A problem. There is the questioning. Then there is the saying "Okay" to God. Then the solution - the working together - because the Lord is with us. 

Looking at today's gospel from Mathew  19: 23-30, Christ can help us deal with life's problems and situations. Christ can help us fit through the small eye of the needle - and get to the other side of things. Christ can help us stretch and be stretched. The more wider and open we become the more we can love and serve others.

PRAYER

Prayer obviously is the same scene. Prayer is all about annunciation moments.  God sends his messages and his messengers to us in prayer and we go from there. It’s our choice. It’s our move.

ST. BERNARD

Today is the feast of St. Bernard - August 20^th.

In a homily on the Annunciation account that is in the Gospel of Luke, St. Bernard preached on the theme that, “The Whole World awaits Mary's reply: ….” [1]

In this homily St. Bernard says that Adam, Eve, Abraham, David, and so many others are all waiting - for Mary’s response. 

In this same homily St. Bernard says that the angel awaits an answer; it is time for him to return to God who sent him.

In this homily, St. Berneard also says we too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; the sentence of condemnation weighs heavily upon us.

I couldn’t find a sermon by St. Bernard on the Annunciation moment with Gideon - but I would assume he would say that the whole of Israel was waiting on Gideon to say “Yes” to walking with God and becoming a champion to save Israel.

CONCLUSION: CHOICE

Each day we have the same story - the same announcements - from all kinds of messengers.

Picture the people who are waiting for us to say “Yes” and help save the other’s day.

The call is not to go it alone - but to go confidently because “The Lord with us….”

The Lord is with us. We are then called to bring Christ’s light and love and life to each other - to our world.

Each day we can say, “No” or “Yes”.

Today’s readings challenge us to be like Gideon - and like Mary - and realizing “The Lord is With Us” - we work with the Lord to bring new life to our world.

NOTES:

[1] From the Homily “In Praise of the Virgin Mary” by St. Bernard, (Homily 4, 8-9: Opera omnia Edit. Cistere. 4 [1966] 53-54). Here is the text I found on line: From the Homily In Praise of the Virgin Mary by St. Bernard, abbot (Hom. 4, 8-9: Opera omnia Edit. Cistere. 4 [1966] 53-54).

The Whole World awaits Mary's reply:

You have heard, O Virgin, that you will conceive and bear a son; you have heard that it was not be by man but by the Holy Spirit. The angel awaits an answer; it is time for him to return to God who sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; the sentence of condemnation weighs heavily upon us.

The price of our salvation is offered to you. We shall be set free at once if you consent. In the Eternal Word of Word we all came to be, and behold, we die. In your brief response we are to be remade in order to be recalled to life.

Tearful Adam with his sorrowing family begs this of you, O loving Virgin, in their exile from Paradise. Abraham begs it, David begs it. All the other holy patriarchs, your ancestors, ask it of you, as they dwell in the country of the shadow of death. This is what the whole earth waits for, prostrate at your feet. It is right in doing so, for your own words depends comfort for the wretched, ransom for the captive, freedom for the condemned, indeed, salvation for all sons of Adam, the whole of your race.

Answer quickly, O Virgin. Reply in haste to the angel, or rather through the angel to the Lord. Answer with a word, receive the Word of God. Speak your own word, conceive the divine Word. Breathe a passing word, embrace the eternal Word.

Why do you delay, why are you afraid? Believe, give praise and receive. Let humility be bold, let modesty be confident. This is no time for virginal simplicity to forget prudence. In this matter alone, O prudent Virgin, do not fear to be presumptuous. Though modest silence is pleasing, dutiful speech is now more necessary. Open your heart to faith, O blessed Virgin, your lips to praise, your womb to the Creator. See, the desired of all nations, is at your door, knocking to enter. If he should pass by because of your delay, in sorrow you would begin to seek him afresh, the One whom your soul loves. Arise, hasten, open. Arise in faith, hasten in devotion, open in praise and thanksgiving. Behold, the handmaid of the Lord, she says, be it done to me according to your word.

REASON AND REALITY

Quote for Today - August 20, 2013

"Ever since Kant divorced reason from reality, his intellectual descendants have been diligently widening the breach."

Ayn Rand, "The Cashing-In: The Student Rebellion" in The New Left, New American Library, 1971

Comment: This is one of those statements that I find difficult to get. How about you? Please explain.

CARAVAGGIO,  
CONVERSATIONS, 

AND  CONVERSION 

MOMENTS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Caravaggio, Conversations and Conversion Moments.”

Today’s gospel triggered for me some thoughts - inner conversations -  about Caravaggio - 1571-1610 - an Italian Artist who died at the age of 38.

ROME 2011

In late September and early October, 2011,  I was on a Mediterranean Cruise. On September 30,  I was planning on taking a bus to Rome from the dock at Civitavecchia. My goal was to see our Redemptorist house in Rome - some of my confreres - and visit the shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. I didn’t think anyone would want to see that. Rome is Rome. I had been there for 5 weeks way back in 1984 - and saw all the big spots back then.

I get off the boat and head over to where the bus was. I spotted two ladies in our group - Winnie and Mary. They too were going to Rome - without knowing what they were going to do. I changed my plans and spent the day with them. I felt guilty on the bus on the way back to the boat - having walked them to death - one in her 80’s - the other in her 70’s. I didn’t ask their ages.

The bus dropped us off at St. Peter's. So that was the first and obvious place to see. Then we walked with nothing in mind - to see what we were to see in Rome. 

Well, there we were in the Piazza Navona....

We spotted a church - San Luigi dei Francesi. I never heard of it - never knew of - so we went in.

From the back we could see folks down front - off to the left - looking at something. We meandered towards them to see what was happening. There in the so called “Contarelli Chapel” - we discovered three of Caravaggio’s famous paintings:  The Calling of St. Matthew, The Martyrdom of St. Matthew and St. Mathew and the Angel.

I was to read after we got back on the boat: this was one of the 10 top places to see in Rome.

Well, I stood there and studied The Calling of St. Matthew. I then bought the book - on display and on sale inside the Church: The Bible of Caravaggio. Smart buy: I’ve gone to that book many times.

In the painting, The Calling of St. Matthew, we see Jesus - hand pointing - standing on the right calling Matthew - who is sitting off to the left - with red sleeves - same as Jesus. 

Matthew's head is down and he’s counting coins on the table.  

In the light is Christ - with a halo. We also see a young man with feathers in his cap. People speculate whether this is the Rich Young Man in today’s gospel who walked away from Jesus.

SURPRISE

The title of my homily is: "Caravaggio, Conversations and Conversion Moments."

Life is the surprises - like my changing plans that day when going to Rome. 

Life is the surprises - like walking into that church of St. Luigi dei Fancesi - the Church of St. Louis of France - and spotting 3 paintings by Caravaggio.

Those paintings got me into various inner conversation and wonderings these past few years about Caravaggio.  

Whenever I spotted an article about his paintings, I would check it out.

Caravaggio was a violent man. He killed a few people. He was often on the run. He died at 38. 

He came to Rome at the right time: they were building churches and palaces and they needed paintings. 

He also lived at the time when the Roman Church was coming to terms with the Protestant Reformation. Some in the Church called for a new way of thinking. Some were looking for painters who had a new message - a new way of seeing things. Why not show the human face - using ordinary people -  trying to figure things out - grasping for light in everyday darkness. Instead of eyes looking to the heavens, why not show eyes cast down counting coins at a tavern table?

Why not show Jesus in the rough and tumble situations of life? Why not show Jesus calling people to conversion in everyday situations? 

And in the articles and the conversations I read about Caravaggio -  I've read that his paintings are filled with light and darkness - in everyday scenes - with everyday people.

Of course - there were those who didn't like change. There were those who didn't like his style - or his scenes. For example, he did a painting of Mary that showed the bottom of her legs - her ankles and a tiny belly - as she was dying. It was a painting for a chapel and it lasted for a very short time in that chapel. If the owners kept it, it would be worth millions today.

Did Caravaggio change as a result of being in Rome and doing these religious pictures? Do preachers change as a result of being in a church and trying to paint pictures with words?

CONCLUSION

So what I got out of Caravaggio is that the story of our conversion takes place in the inner conversations we have with ourselves about the people and the situations that take place in our everyday life. 

In those inner chats we have with ourselves,  we experience light and darkness - confusion and clarity - inside us and all around us. 

Life happens at us - but it's not what happens that counts. It's what we become conscious of - and then what we talk to ourselves about - that counts. That opens the door to possible changes - conversions.

Everyday is filled with comments. There are bumps. There are fights. Anger erupts. Maybe comments about our tummy being bigger than we would like or the look of our ankles can cause comments and rejections. Hopefully, unlike Caravaggio we're not killing people. Yet people cut us off in our conversations or what have you and these can be conversion moments - calls from Jesus to be like him in those situations - to follow him.  

Surprise! These are life's choice moments. Sometimes we are like the rich young man - we think we can’t do it and we walk away. Sometimes we are like Matthew and we follow Jesus. Amen

STEP BACK

Quote for Today - August 19, 2013

"The winner is the one who knows when to drop out in order to get in touch."

Quoted by Paul Newman, The Table Talk of Marshall McLuhan, Maclean's, June 1971

Comments:

When was the last time I retreated?

When was the last time I stepped back and watched what was going on around me - especially in the lives I live and work with?

What am I seeing?

When was the last time someone said, "I haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been?" and we said, "Just chillin - just watchin - just seein - just thinkin - just wonderin.... By  the way, what's happenin with you?"