ALIVE OR DEAD? 

Quote for Today - October 7, 2013

“Someone has somewhere commented on the fact that millions long for immortality who don’t know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon.”

Susan Ertz [1894-1985], Anger in the Sky (1943), page 137

FAITH: 

ALL  OF  THE ABOVE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 27 Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, is, "Faith: All of the Above."

 OPENING STORY

Once upon a time at a convention of leaders of spirituality from all over the world, a panel of 5 wise people were asked this basic question, “When you hear the word `faith’, what does it mean to you? In other words, how would you describe faith?”

The audience of about 1,000 people sat back and began to wonder and reflect on just what these wise persons would say about faith.

The wise man from the north began, “Faith is a vision. It’s a clear point like a compass point. The person of faith knows where he or she is headed. The person of faith knows where to put the next foot. It’s like knowing what harbor one is headed for. As we go across the sea of life, we run into storms from time to time. Accidents happen. People hurt us or we hurt people. Relationships crumble. People die. Well, the person of faith makes it through these storms, precisely because they have faith. The person of faith can deal with the ups and downs of life, because he or she has a confidence and a clarity on just where they are headed. The person of faith might make mistakes, might get lost at times, but they keep on trying to get back on course because they know where they are headed. And as they get older and wiser they make many more efforts to prevent things from throwing them off course or have their vision blurred.”

The wise man from the south spoke next, “I see faith a little bit differently. I see faith as something delicate. It’s a gift that we get from God and family and Church and others. It’s like someone handing us a lighted candle, so that it will be much easier for us as we make our way down the dark corridor of life. We need light, otherwise we’re going to crash into the wall. However, we must remember that we can lose faith. There is no guarantee that the flame won’t go out. We have to bring extra candles, extra matches, or to go with others who know the way. We have to watch out for the rain or winds and sudden drafts. So when it comes to faith, one has to be very careful. A person can lose their faith. So I see faith as the gift of a lighted candle handed to us to help guide us through the dark moments of life.”

The wise person from the west spoke next. She said, “I see faith not as something delicate, but as something very strong and very basic. Faith is the very ground we stand on. Faith is the bed rock of all of life. Faith is like a rich deposit of gold buried beneath the earth that we are standing on. Without faith one can’t get out of bed in the morning.”

She paused for a moment of silence to let that sink in. Then she went on, “Faith then is the very ground we are standing on. It’s holy ground. Most of the time it’s so secure that we don’t even notice it. We don’t stop and think that this earth is actually spinning. Everything looks still. Earthquakes are rare. We don’t stop to reflect on the many things we take for granted. We trust. We have faith in the people we live with - most of the time. We have faith in the water we drink, the food we eat, the air we breathe, that is, till there is a food tampering or someone poisons the well or blows up a 757 airplane.”

The audience became quieter. The wise person from the West went on, “We already are people of faith. We are people of trust. We go through life trusting much more than we realize. We’re standing on the shoulders of our parents and our ancestors. They have given us so much: language, inventions, customs, culture, values, etc. We grow up trusting that the electricity is there when we turn on the light in the night and that the alarm will wake us up in the morning. Without realizing it then, we are standing on our past. We’re standing on a rich deposit of faith that has taken millions of years to evolve. Right now this planet is somewhat safe, provided our generation or future generations give it a rest and don’t further destroy it. And I’m not just talking about destroying the ecology. I’m also talking about destroying people. Each of us needs to ask, `Am I contributing to the good of all or to the destruction of it all? And I building faith or destroying faith - faith in God, neighbor, self, creation?” Or as the question was phrased in the 1960’s, `Am I part of the problem or part of the solution?’” 

The wise person from the east waited a while and then said, “I see faith as a seed, that is, good seed as opposed to bad seed. Faith needs to be planted in the soil of a person early on and at the right time. If we are lazy or not careful, many other things can start to take root and begin to grow in our souls. So it’s important that we have good family life. Each generation needs to pass on to the next generation the deepest values of life: that God creates us and sustains us, that God loves us and calls us to love one another and that we are called to be one people. Faith then is good seed. It needs to be nurtured. So we need good homes, good friends, good places of worship. Each of us needs to be a good farmer. We need to keep an eye on what’s growing in our soil and the people around us. A farmer needs to cooperate with the soil and the weather and the land, trusting that God will give the increase.”

The last wise person was from the center. She said, “I see faith as all of the above. But I would add that faith is only real when it shows up in service, that is, in love of our neighbor. Faith without works is dead. Talk is cheap. We vote with our feet. So servants, put on your aprons and start preparing meals for other people, especially the poor.”

HOMILETIC REFLECTIONS

Today’s readings contain all of the above. If you read them carefully, you’ll see those 5 basic ideas about faith that I mentioned in the opening story:

     1) Faith as Vision

     2) Faith as Light

     3) Faith as a Rich Deposit 

     4) Faith as a Seed

     5) Faith as Service

In today’s first reading Habakkuk talks about faith as a vision. We don’t know the date of the book of Habakkuk. Some date it around 600 B.C. But if we look at today’s first reading reflectively, we can see that it touches on feelings that we all have. We are going along smoothly through life and then things turn nasty. We become miserable and sometimes violent. We cry out in prayer for help and the Lord doesn’t seem to be listening. Habakkuk felt that, but it seems that the Lord eventually did answer. Habakkuk was given a vision. He wrote it down. And he tells us to learn how to wait. The vision will come. It’s presence will not disappoint us. If there is a delay, wait. It will arrive and we will then know what our life is all about and what we should do. The vision is the gift of faith. And today’s first reading from Habakkuk ends with one of the most frequently quoted verses from the Bible, “The just man (person), because of his faith, shall live.”

The reading from 2 Timothy gives us the second and third ideas of faith that we heard in the opening story: Faith as Light and Faith as a Rich Deposit. Paul writing from prison urges Timothy and us not only to keep the light of faith burning, but to stir it into a flame. The Greek word for “stir into flame” could also be translated as, “to rekindle” or “to agitate” or “to fan the flame”. The key idea then is to realize that faith is a gift, a rich deposit that has been handed down to us. Moreover, we need to guard it, keep it burning, and what’s more, to “fan its flame.”

The gospel gives us the last two ideas about faith from the opening story: Faith as a Seed and Faith as Service. The gospel begins with the apostles asking the Lord, “Increase our faith.” And Jesus tells them that if they had faith the size of a mustard seed they can work wonders. Here in Luke 17 Jesus says you would be able to move a sycamore tree. In Matthew 17 Jesus says they would be able to move a mountain. Whatever it is that we want to move, we must begin with a prayer for faith and then the faith to make the move.

Today’s gospel then looks at the question of being a servant. This message has a bite to it. We rather not hear it. We prefer Jesus’ words from John, “I no longer call you servants, but friends.” (Jn. 15:15) We rather have him wash our feet or at least sit us at table with him. In a restaurant, wouldn’t we rather be the one being served than the one serving? (Lk. 22:27) Yet service is what it’s all about. Jesus ends today’s gospel with these words, “When you have done all you have been commanded to do, say, `We are useless servants. We have done no more than our duty.’” How many of us can say that we have even got to the stage of doing all that we have been commanded to do? 

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The practical applications from all this are many, but let us limit ourselves to three points put in the form of three questions:

     1) What is my faith?

     2) Have I ever prayed for more faith?

     3) Where do I need more faith in my life?

FIRST QUESTION: WHAT IS MY FAITH?

When we go to the hospital or when we have to fill out forms, sometimes we are asked, “What is your faith?” And we answer, “Catholic” or “Roman Catholic.”

Sometimes it’s good when we come to church or when we are alone, for example, going to and from work, to take some time out to examine “What is my faith?”

Everyone has a faith. Everyone has a religion. Everyone, those who go to church and those who say they believe in nothing, have basic deep down beliefs. No one is an atheist. Either God is their God or they or something or someone else is their god - the core belief around which we wrap our life.

What are the guiding assumptions of our life? Who comes first?  Do we watch out for the other guy? When the platter of roast beef is passed to us, do we take the best piece or do we think of the next person? What are we after?

In his book, Diary of a Country Priest, George Bernanos wrote, “Faith is not a thing one `loses’; we merely cease to shape our lives by it.” So it is a good idea to ask, “What are the forces and the values that are shaping my life? What is my faith?”

SECOND QUESTION: HAVE I EVER PRAYED FOR MORE FAITH?

Today’s gospel begins with a great prayer for faith, “Increase our faith.”  Have you ever gone to the Lord and made a prayer like that? When you are going home from work or when you’re walking the dog, take your rosary and say on each bead, “Lord, increase our faith.”

THIRD QUESTION: WHERE DO I NEED MORE FAITH IN YOUR LIFE?

What are the trees in your life that need to be uprooted? What are the mountains that need to be moved? Where do you feel that you have hit a dead end or a wall without a door? That’s where you need faith. That’s where you need a vision, because there are people on the other side of that wall that need your service. There are people on the other side of that mountain that need your love. Isn’t service the reason why we need faith? Isn’t service the reason why God created us? Jesus came not to be served but to serve. Isn’t that the vision and the calling of every person?

CONCLUSION

Someone once said, “We need an abounding faith that will cut all the t’s off all those `Can’ts’ and make them into `Can’s’”

I can do it. I can serve. I can be a person of faith. I can do all of the above.

* This is a Homily I wrote years ago for Markings, a homilectic service that from the Thomas More Association. I'm on vacation, but I wanted to put a Sunday Homily on my blog. 

EATING ALONE?

Quote for Today - October 6, 2013

“The best number for a dinner party is two - myself and dam’ good head waiter.”

Nubar Gulbenkian [1896-1972] in the Daily Telegram (U.K,), January 14, 1965

TEETH BUT VERIFY

Quote for Today - October 5, 2013

“Aristotle maintained that women had fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by examining his wives’ mouth.”

Bertrand Russell [1872-1970] Impact of Science on Society, (1952) Chapter 1.

BOREDOM

Quote for Today - October 4, 2013

“Boredom is therefore a vital problem for the moralist, since half the sins of mankind are caused by the fear of it.”

Bertrand Russell [1872-1970], Conquest of Happiness (1930), chapter 4

 HAPPINESS

Quote for Today - October 3, 2013

“Happiness is an imaginary condition, formerly often attributed by the living to the dead, now usually attributed by adults to children, and by children to adults.”

Thomas Szasz  [1920-2012 ]  The Second Sin [1973] “Emotions”

ANGELS:

MESSAGES AND  MESSENGERS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this feast of The Holy Guardian Angels is, “Angels: Messages and Messengers.”

This morning I would  like to preach about angels. I don’t take them lightly - in spite of G. K. Chesterton’s cute remark: “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.” [Orthodoxy (1908) Chapter 7]

I like the nuance in Alan Watts comment better: “We do not realize that, as Chesterton reminded us, angels fly because they take themselves so lightly.” [The Way of Liberation, 1983]

Our church teaching - coming out of our scriptures - and our traditions -  is that God sends his angels as messengers as well as to watch over us - to guard and guide us.

Today’s feast proclaims that God sends each of us a guardian angel to guide us.

Angels are not a topic we hear about that often. We have trouble enough - to get people to believe in God.

Once more the title of my homily is, “Angels: Messages and Messengers.”

BASIC MEANING OF ANGELS

The most basic meaning of what an angel is, is, “A Messenger.”

In the Bible, in our scriptures, angels bring messages.

The Bible has various stories about angels who show up to help people in trouble - in difficult times - people in need help to solve a problem - as well as angels who show up to give people a call - a vocation - a mission.

Angels are invisible - therefore maybe millions of them can sit on the head of pin. Angels in the Bible are given names: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael. Notice the EL at the end of those names - EL a Hebrew word for “God”.

The Bible tells us about two types of angels: good angels and bad angels. The Devil is the Prince of the Bad Angels. They are also called “Demons” at times.

EAR BUDS

This is a thing called “ear buds”. You plug it a receiver of various sorts - and one hears - messages of sorts - through these ear phones.

I was just down in Philadelphia for the past two days to see one of my sisters who is dying. I drove to my other sister and the two of us took the train Monday and then yesterday, Tuesday, to the University of Penn hospital.

I began noticing on the train - and on the stations - and in the hospital - one million people with these in their ears - or they had cell phones or their equivalents - in hand - everywhere.

It seems that everyone is reading, listening, texting messages - all day long.

The obvious message that hit me is this: the air is filled with messages and messengers.

If we look out our eyes and if tune up our ears - we still can’t see or hear the many cell phone voices and invisible inaudible sounds and messages that  are shooting through our air - could a million of these messages sit on the head of a pin? -  but stick one of these ear buds in one’s ears and one hears all kinds of sounds and songs - or open up one’s iPhones or Droid or cell phone and surprise - there are lots of messages flying through our space.

Keep that in mind - when thinking of the world and atmosphere of angels and devils, spirits and demons.

Up till Modern Times - up till the Enlightenment - people thought of the world filled with spirits - voices. They were often called, “Angels and Demons.”  Isn’t that the title of a book by Dan Brown?

When you are in college, take a course in anthropology.  Learn about the mind set of  Aborigine People - or ancient peoples. They will tell a student how some people see the world filled with voices - spirits - demons.

Has this changed? In a way yes and in a way, no.

Listen to folks and you’ll discover that people today - are unconsciously aware of positive and negative forces, energies, voices, strengths and weaknesses.

You’ve heard, I’m sure, the Native American story of the two dogs.

Every person has inside of them two dogs: the good dog and the bad dog. The good dog is a “nice dog”. Everyone loves a nice dog. Pet him or her. She or he is nice to have around. They guard us. They protect us. The bad dog is the one who growls - is a b….. - bites and annoys us. And the Native American teacher - teaches the young one about those 2 dogs. And the teacher tells the kids that they are always fighting. And a kid asks, “Which one wins?” And the teacher loves to give the moral of the story: “The one we feed.”

LISTEN TO YOUR VOICES

In this homily I’d stress take off your ear buds and listen to the voices inside your head.

What are your voices this morning.  Are you saying, “What am I doing here?” Or, “How long is this going to last?”  “What’s happening?” Or, “Will my dad find a job?” Or “What’s for lunch?” Or “Cool!”

What are your voices?

Which voices are the loudest?

Which voices are winning?

We can be perfectly quiet and drums are beating loudly into our brains - by iTunes.

Today I would stress listening to your angels. Listen to your Guardian Angel - telling you, yelling to you, voicing to you - messages of care, hope, love.

What do you sound like inside your ears - inside your brain?

I was sitting on two train platforms the last 2 days - and various trains - and I could hear people talking to other people. I could hear voices. I couldn’t see what people were texting.

A major message from this homily is to listen to your voices.

Are those voices good angels or bad angels - good messages or bad messages - good messenger or bad messengers.

CLINT HURDLE - PITTSBURGH PIRATES

I was reading in the paper about the Pittsburgh Pirates getting into the baseball playoffs. I was reading that Clint Hurdle - the manager of the Pirates - was sick and tired of the Loser Culture in the Pittsburgh Pirates mind set. Think Win. Each day Clint Hurdle voiced positive messages. He called in team leaders and urged that they voice positive leadership messages.

What are you telling yourself each day?

What have your parents - teachers - been saying of you - all these years?  If they are negative messages, if they are negative messengers, change the messages and change the messengers.

I want to thank you for the prayers for my sister Peggy - who is quite sick. She told me in the hospital that a doctor in Scranton said directly and indirectly, “Call hospice. You’re going to die.”  She screamed, “I want a second opinion.”

She got out of that system - away from that doctor - and got into a teaching hospital - down to the University of Penn Hospital and they are trying to make a profound diagnosis - so they can come up with a prognosis to giver her more life. It looks like she’s going to need to take oxygen for the rest of her life - but as for time - more - more - more life.

BACKPACKING IN  THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS

I remember the first time we went backpacking in the Rocky Mountains. 4 of us drove across the country to Colorado from New York City. I was driving and one of the guys in the back seat was reading out loud stuff to keep in mind with backpacking and camping. One of the things he read out loud was this: “Keep in mind the # 1 rule for backpacking in the wilderness is: Don’t panic!”

I asked out loud, “Number 1?”

Back came the answer a second time: “Yes - # 1 rule - Don’t panic.”

Well a few days later I’m going across a tree trunk to get to the other side of a mountain stream. The water below me is flowing really loud and deep. I started to slip and I caught myself saying to myself: “Don’t panic!” It worked. I braced myself - caught my almost falling - breathed - stopped - and then slowly and calmly walked to the other side.

That voice - that message - was installed in my brain - in that car - and I called upon it - while on that tree trunk - going over that flowing mountain stream.

Angels give those kinds of voices.

Just as voices urge us to make fun of others - be nasty with a put down about others - to others, so messages - like the theme for this year, “Every Person Matters” - challenge us to hear that message and put it into practice.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Angels: Messages and Messengers”

I’ve been saying that there are positive and negative messages and messengers in the air and in the ear - listen to  - and incorporate - make flesh - make them your own - the positive messages and messengers - and dis the negative.

This is St. Mary’s Church - and the great message about Mary is that an angel came to her and said, “Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you.”

Each time to come to church - each time you start a day - hear your guardian angel say to you, “The Lord be with you!” and voice back to him or her, “And with your spirit. Amen.”