CRIES FOR  MERCY

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Cries for Mercy.”

That’s the theme that hit me after reading today’s readings – especially today’s Psalm response: “With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.”

We Redemptorists would notice that – because that’s where our motto and message comes from: “With Him There Is Fullness of Redemption.” In Latin – it’s “Copiosa Apud Eum Rememptio.” You’ll find that in our literature and tradition.

It’s from today’s Psalm 130 – the famous De Profundis  Psalm. “Out of the depths I cry to you O Lord.”

CRIES

I like to picture churches as one big gigantic crying room.

I was up to our church in Philadelphia – the shrine of St. John Neumann – this Saturday morning – for the funeral of a priest. Just got back.  And there was a great baby screamer for a good part of the Mass. I was taught never – never – never ever -  as priest – to make comments about babies crying in church. I know some folks in the different church benches give dirty looks  at parents of crying babies, but I know never to do that as priest.

In fact, I like babies crying in church – especially because of a very sad memory.  I came back from Anne Arundel Medical Center one Sunday morning – after just baptizing a little tiny baby that died just after birth. Her parents were from Western Canada – the father was trying to make the Capitals – and they were all alone. Bummer. Bummer. Bummer. And at that 7:30 Sunday  morning Mass here no babies were crying. I said, “If anyone has a baby here, please pinch her or him and make him or her cry.”

I wanted to hear a baby cry.

Ooops – there was this other time…. At my brothers funeral there was a crying baby. Her mother got up to leave when her baby was crying. I stopped  and  said while preaching, “That’s all right Mary Dawn. Stay. The baby is not bothering me.”

After Mass the mother said to me, “It wasn’t the crying. The stink was too, too, much.”  Live and learn.

What are your cries? What are your screams from down deep  in your depths?

I like to sometimes say while preaching: “There are 4 basic cries of the human heart: Help, Sorry, Thanks, and Wow.”

You’ve heard those as the four basic prayers.

I hold if we can’t say those 4 cries to each other, how the heck can we say them to God – as prayers.

As the First Letter of John says: we can see each other, we can’t see God.”[Confer 1 John 4:20]

THE SORRY CRY

In this homily I want to stress the Sorry Cry.

Looking at today’s readings – I’m hearing the reality of cries – from death – from death by sin – and what have you.

So I’m saying that  many people cry in this big crying room called “church”.  We all have feelings of deep down sorrow.

Let’s pause for a moment here.  Be quiet. Silent. Hush! Listen to the silent cries filling this church right now: cries because of cancer, death,  health worries, loss of a job, kids have dropped out of church, grandkids are not baptized.

I have a whole book entitled, Cries….  But Silent. It’s out of print – but I think it was the best of my books.  I simply tried to capture in images and words – the cries I heard people telling me.

People feel dead – weighed down – because of the mistakes of one’s life. Mistakes from the past can drain the life out of a person.

Death – another’s death can do the same. And then we feel dead – half alive.

Or we look at our job as parents – or spouse – or maybe a marriage fell apart – or our kids fell apart – so we feel we’ve done a horrible job and we’re drained or dead as a result.

Remember the poster from years ago that showed a tombstone that said, “Died at 35 – buried at 70.”

Or we see our laziness on the job – and feelings of too much wasted time and maybe a life crush us.

And we’re crying, “Sorry!” for all our laziness or mistakes or sins – or what have you.

That’s the sorry cry.

MERCY

The title of my homily is, “Cries for Mercy!”

Mercy is embedded in “Sorry!”

“Sorry” is embedded in the cry for forgiveness.

Today’s first reading from Ezekiel 37: 12-14 is a message of hope that God will open our graves – lift us from the pits – give us new life.

Today’s second reading from Romans 8:8-11 says the same thing – contrasting begin dead to sin – but we can come alive – become right again because of Christ.  The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead can raise us to life again.

Our God is a God of new beginnings – fresh starts.

Our God doesn’t yell at us – but heals us when we yell “Sorry!”  to Him.

Our God is not a rock thrower – but with arms open – hands open, he welcomes us home every time.

Today’s long gospel – John 11:1-45 - has Jesus experiencing  the death of his friend Lazarus. When Jesus finally gets to Lazarus’  tomb – Jesus becomes perturbed and trouble. Notice the text says, “Jesus wept.”

It’s then that Jesus cries out, “Lazarus come out.”

We’re beggars – we’re in the depths of downness – pain – hurt – crying for mercy – fullness of mercy and redemption.

That’s the theme I’m preaching today.

CONCLUSION

So pray those 4 cries: “Help…. Sorry …. Thanks …. and Wow!

So pray Psalm 130 if you want to know how to pray – how to cry out to God – when we feel down and sorrowful for dumb moves in our life.

So just become quiet and hear Jesus crying because he loves us and hear him call us by our first name and cry out, “Come out!”

THE  GOSPEL 

ACCORDING  TO  LAZARUS 

[The following short document was found in a stone pottery jar – which was in a large stone burial box – wrapped in cloth and wax – in what was an ancient burial spot – just some 10 miles outside of Jerusalem. The document does not begin with “The Gospel According to Lazarus”  - but scholars and scientists who studied it  - determined that it might have been written by either the Lazarus in the Gospel of John or by an eye witness who sat down and talked with Lazarus – maybe a scribe – and wrote down his story. Hence the title: The Gospel According to Lazarus. The following is an English translation of the document which was written in ancient Aramaic – the language used by Jesus and native Jewish people in that place and time in Israel.]

Jesus was my friend. He loved to come to our house to see my two sisters and me. 

Better he mainly talked with my sister Mary and me – because Martha was always in the kitchen cooking – which she loved to do – but then she would complain that Mary never helped her cook or clean.

We would sit outside – in the back – under some wonderful trees our grandfather had planted years and years ago. It can be hot in Judea – a good bit of the year – especially in the summer.

Martha would serve us as Jesus would tell us what he was doing – where he had been – and what he saw happening next.

He said he was fearful of the Scribes and the Pharisees wanting to see him killed – and now the high priests in Jerusalem – seemed to be in on wanting him out of the way as well.

Mary and I often said after he left – while Martha was cleaning and doing this and that – and complaining we were doing nothing but sitting around – that it was good that we were here – that Jesus had a place of peace – to relax and unwind – here in down south Palestine.

Then I got sick…. which put Martha into a panic – because she could do nothing about it – other than bring in a dozen doctors. Nothing worked. I appreciated her trying everything – but what really helped was Mary just sitting there – being with me till the end.  I think she chose the better part – but I didn’t tell Martha that.  I learned that people are people and once they hit 35 or so - they are the way they are – and that’s the way they always are.

Anyway I was hoping Jesus would come down to see us before I died. In fact, my sisters sent messages to Jesus that I was dying – but he didn’t come.

I died.

I was buried.

I was in the dark – but kept seeing light – off in the distance.

“Is this heaven? Is that the Life and Light after death that Jesus talked about? Is that where the Father – God our Father – is?”

These were my thoughts. Obviously, I was in unfamiliar territory.

I didn’t know.

I was in the dark.

Then I heard Jesus’ voice calling me, “Lazarus, come out!”

I hesitated – even though – it was Jesus’ voice – which I was quite familiar with.

Do I risk going back to everyday life on earth – or do I risk going forward to God our Father – the Father that Jesus was always talking about?

I knew faith is a risk – because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring – yet isn’t every night a going into the dark of sleep – with the hope of waking up in the morning – waking up to the light of a new day?

I hesitated.

Do I take that risk of faith and wake up from death and go towards the voice of Jesus – which I knew was his – from all the times we talked in our backyard?

I heard his strong voice again. “Lazarus, come out!”

So I took the risk – based on my faith in Jesus – and started walking towards the voice.

I was wrapped in burial cloths and I could smell me – and the stink of death all around me – but I kept walking.

As I sensed I was out of my cave tomb, I felt the warm light of day. I then heard Jesus saying, “Untie him and let him go.”

Martha was the first one who got to me. When she uncovered my eyes, I could see Jesus standing there – with Mary right next to him. Martha hurriedly started unwrapping the rest of me.

At that I could hear Martha’s mind saying as she saw Mary just standing there, “Jesus Christ, tell her to help me!”

Well, we all marched back to our house. You should have seen the crowds on both sides of the road – cheering Jesus on – and looking at me in shock. I guess they never saw a dead man who came back from the dead before.

The first thing I did was take a great bath. The first thing my sister Martha did – obviously – was organize a big meal – a big celebration – for my return – my resurrection.  And Jesus sat there – with Mary next to him on his left – and I was on his right.

Later on I heard that James and John were jealous about that – but they got over it.

A short time after that – Jesus’ enemies arrested him. His disciple, Judas, had betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver.

Jesus died on a cross the next day – and like me – was buried in a cave.

I knew that was not the end of the story. I was there. I made that act of faith that death is not the end.

Then when I heard the story that went around that Jesus rose from the dead 3 days later I laughed. He beat me by 1 day.

Next time I see him, next time I die, next time I hear Jesus say after I die the second time, and I hear a second time, “Lazarus come out!”  - we’ll talk about all this. And if Mary dies ahead of me – I’m sure she’ll be at his side. And if Martha dies ahead of me, I’m sure she’ll be in the kitchen of heaven – cooking up a storm – barking out orders – and complaining about all those who are like Mary and me – folks and friends of Jesus – who simply like to sit and enjoy his presence.

How do I know all this? By faith – of course. It’s a risk saying all this – but what is faith – a risk of course. 



                                                                             © Andy Costello, Reflections  2014

RESURRECTION

Poem for Today - April 6, 2014

EPITAPH FOR A MEAT-PACKER

Here my meat is, clean and dressed,
Newly packaged and expressed;
On the day I'm resurrected,
Angels, stamp me God-Inspected.

(c) Guy Owen

WOMAN CAVE

Poem for Today - April 5, 2014

DAYSTAR

She wanted a little room for thinking:
but she saw diapers  steaming on the line,
a doll slumped behind the door.

So she lugged a chair behind the garage
to sit out the children's naps.

Sometimes there were things to watch -
the pinched armor of a vanished cricket,
a floating maple leaf. Other days
she stared until she was assured
when she closed her eyes
she'd see only her own vivid blood.

She had an hour, at best, before Liza appeared
pouting from the top of the stairs.
And just what was mother doing
out back with the field mouse? Why,

building a palace. Later
that night when Thomas rolled over and
lurched into her, she would open hers
for an hour - where
she was nothing,
pure nothing, in the middle of the day.

                                                                                              ©  Rita Dove

OBNOXIOUS

INTRODUCTION

The  title  of  my homily is, “Obnoxious.”

That’s the English translation of the Greek word in Wisdom 2:12 – today’s first reading.  This text is not in the Hebrew Bible.

The New English Bible translates it this way: “he stands in our way.”

I read today’s text – Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22 a few times and what I hear is that someone is being obnoxious – standing in the way – blocking movement – stopping progress – being a problem.

We know the feeling. We call such a person a pain – or a PITA – or a drain.

And the reaction is to want  that person to disappear, to  get rid of the person.

This happens in life and therefore in the scriptures all the time.

Here in the Book of Wisdom and in today’s gospel from John, I assume those who chose the readings – are moving us towards the end of Lent – bringing us to Holy Week – Good Friday – getting us to see motives why they wanted Jesus is killed on the cross.

TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO GET IN THE WAY

I assume there are 2 kinds of people who are obnoxious: those who are prophetic – those who challenge us – when we are in the wrong, when we are selfish or what have you; and those who are obnoxious in the negative sense.

We know those who are obnoxious in the negative sense: those who park horribly, those who bark at us, those who burp – those who dress terribly or those who are always messing up our plans.

What about those who are obnoxious because they speak the truth.  They might not   say it in the right way – but they speak the truth – and sometimes even though it will set us free – the other speaks with sandpaper and rub us the wrong way.

A question: has anyone ever challenged us  - and we got angry or frustrated with them – but down deep they were right – or in time we found out they were right. We still wanted to kill them.

That’s Jesus at times. That’s the prophet in the Old Testament at times. That’s what today’s text from Wisdom is getting at.

So in life – maybe it was a teacher or a parent or a friend – who told us we were hanging out with the wrong crowd – or dating the wrong person – or going in the wrong direction – not studying – not working – wasting our time or what have you.

Thank God for them. If they are still alive – maybe give them a call – and say, “Thank you!” If they are dead, thank them in prayer.

Then there are the pains – who drain us.

How do we deal with them?  I have a whole book on all this, How To Deal With Difficult  People.  It sold about 60,000 copies, but let me tell you, I still don’t know how to deal with difficult people.

DYSFUNTIONAL PEOPLE

The literature on dysfunctional people tells us that 1% of the people in our daily circles sometimes take 99% of our energy.

I was talking to some high school principals last night and one of them said exactly that: one person can take up 90 percent of one’s time. Ugh.

We’ve all heard about high maintenance people.

There are the letter writers – the complainers – the nudges – the needy – the drainers.

OUR RESPONSE

As Christians I think  Jesus had some of this in mind when he came up with his stuff on turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, as a way of changing – and perhaps challenging another person. Instead they get rejected – avoided – most of the time.

It’s been my experience – and I know I’ve said this a dozen times – the odd person gets avoided – because he is odd – and he becomes odder – and is then rejected even more – and on and on and on. I learned that from living with odd priests.

A lady just said to me recently, “You have no idea what it’s like to live with a man.”

And I said, “Hello! I live with 10 other men – and all my life as a Redemptorist  I’ve lived with a great cast of characters – and they lived and had to put up with me.

I’ve often wondered: obnoxious people have to come to Mass. Are there any here this morning? As soon as I say that I hear myself taking the voice of Jesus when he announced someone was about  to betray him: “Is it I, Lord” – as just said it at the Last supper.

CONCLUSION

I know the old saying, “Timing is everything.” 

Most of the time – when it comes to obnoxious people – we don’t say anything to the person who drives us crazy – but we spend a lot of energy complaining about the person.

So sometimes the best resource is to simply hide – run – avoid – to recover one’s energy. But sometimes the right thing is to challenge each other – with love in the background, Amen. Amen. 

DIFFERENT STAMMERS,

DIFFERENT SOUNDS,

DIFFERENT DIALECTS

Poem for Today - April 4, 2014

STAMMER

Stammer is no handicap.
It is a mode of speech.

Stammer is the silence that falls
between the word and its meaning,
just as lameness is the
silence that falls between
the word and the deed.

Did stammer precede language
or succeed it?
It is only a dialect or a
language itself? These questions
make the linguists stammer.

When a whole people stammer,
stammer becomes their mothertongue:
as it is with us now.

God too must have stammered
when He created Man.
That is why all the words of man
carry different meanings.
That is why everything he utters
from his prayers to his commands
stammers,
like poetry.

(c) K. Satchidanandan

Translated from the

Malayalam by the author

DREAMS AND DESIRES

Poem for Today - April 3, 2014

DREAM OF KNIVES

for Ric de Ungria

Last night I dreamt of a knife
I had bought for my son. Of rare dagger
with fancily rounded pommel, and a wooden sheath
which miraculously revealed other, miniature blades.

Oh how pleased he would be upon my return
from this journey, I thought. What rapture
will surely adorn his ten-year princeling's face
when he draws the gift for the first time. What quivering
pleasure will most certainly be unleashed.

When I awoke, there was no return, no journey,
no gift, and no son beside me. Where do I search
for this knife then, and when do I begin to draw
happiness from reality? And why do I bleed so 
from such sharp points of dreams.

Alfred A.Yuson

from Dream of Knives

 and Mothers Like Elephants 

Selected Poems and New 

(Anvil Publishing)

 Copyright (c) 1986, 

by Alfred A. Yuson