EXPOSITION
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 4th
Sunday in Lent is, “Exposition.”
In a way, “exposition” is a religious word.
In a way it’s not a word that is used that
often.
“Position,” yes. “Exposition” – to knock out of position –
“ex” “out of” and put in an “out side” position, yes.
In writing courses a student would learn about exposition
or expository writing which means writing that explains something.
In music – it’s the first part of the piece,
exposing a theme in the piece that the composer wants the listener to hear and
pick up – up front.
So that’s why I like to tell up front a title
of something what I’m going to try to talk about.
I like to come up with a catchy title to get
people’s attention.
A title is like a shiny fish hook to catch people,
etc. – to be fishers of people as Jesus put it.
So today – my goal would be for each of us – to
catch ourselves – to expose – to disclose ourselves to ourselves - to hook
ourselves – to lift ourselves up out of the dark or deep waters – we swim in
- like a person holding a fish on a hook
– taken out of our hiding places – to be exposed – to see ourselves as we
really are.
TODAY’S GOSPEL
Today’s Gospel from John says, “We like to hide
in the darkness!” We don’t like the
light.
In this gospel we see Nicodemus coming to Jesus
in the dark, in the night, on the sneak – with his questions.
In this gospel we also have Jesus exposed on
the cross – and John tells us what the cross is all about: salvation – Jesus –
Eternal Life.
It too is like a fish hook – trying to catch
you – pull you out of the deep.
Exposition….
I love a learning I caught from Father Benedict
Groeschel of EWTN fame – a priest and a character to say the least – who said,
“Ask people to tell you their favorite Bible Text and they will be telling you
a lot about themselves.” They will be exposing how they think and see.
I heard that on a Monday in a course I was
taking with him. The following weekend I was with a group of men on a retreat.
This guy was driving me nuts with his questions and challenges – so with a
guess in the dark – I asked him his favorite Bible text. He said without a
moment’s hesitation. “Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
He didn’t notice – what I noticed – as he spoke
the gestured with his index finger – pointed right at me.
To me he seemed ultra-rigid and too literal. I
don’t think he would get poetry – and I often have problems with folks who
don’t get what I’m saying – because I’m too poetic or what have you. My
imagination is stronger than my intellect.
With this guy, I was tempted on the spot to
counter with the words of Jesus in the gospel of John, “Is it I, Lord.”
I didn’t but I think of that quote often when
Judas asks that question.
It was right after Jesus says, “One of you is
about to betray me.” [John 13:21]
“Is it I Lord?”
I’m sorry, I don’t want to
betray you today.
After 40 or 50 years of age – we often know we
are betraying ourselves – exposing ourselves – when we express ourselves.
Exposition….
You know a lot more about me or anyone who goes
into the pulpit – than the person in the pulpit. Of course there is the worry about not
judging others.
Life…. Exposure …. Exposition….
I’m always saying inwardly – well not always –
but many times, “Are you saying what you’re saying, or are you saying something
else?”
REMEMBER THE TITANS
I was watching the 2,000 movie, Remember the Titans, this past Friday
night. I noticed the very different personalities of the two coaches. Denzel
Washington played the part of Herman Boon and Will Patton played the part of
Bill Yoast – in this 1971 story about a high school football teams struggles
when intergration was taking place in Alexandria, Virginia.
It was remarkable for exposing motives, for
exposing what was going on.
In a way the two coaches were like 1 person –
showing us in the story - in the movie – that each person has choices. We talk
to ourselves. We question ourselves. Our brain asks us: “Why are you doing
this? Is it for ego, self, others, the team, recognition, fame. why, why, why?”
Coach Herman Boone is often asked these
questions by his assistant coach, Bill Yoast. The questions finally got to him
– so he asks his wife, her take on him. He finally being exposed. He was trying
to look at an exposition of his motives.
Why are we here in church this morning? Why do we go to Mass? What are we looking
for? Why do we do what we do every day.
DAVID CARR
Friday in the March 16th 2015 Issue
of America Magazine came in – along
with the week before’s Issue. I always get something out of that Jesuit weekly
magazine. They have a sermon on inside of the back cover. They are usually
better than anything we get off – but taste is taste. Father Joe Krastel loves
the Letters – finds them the best part of the magazine. I usually find an
article in it worth the subscription.
This latest issue has a life story about David
Carr – who died February 12, this year. It’s by his brother John Carr who is
the director of the Invitation on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at
Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
David and John were two of three brothers and
three sisters from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
I’ve seen David Carr on TV talk shows and I’ve
read some of his stuff in the New York Times. In the article in America, John exposes a lot
of stuff about his brother David. He had drinking and drug problems –
especially cocaine. David became a very open person. David often let folks know his stuff – his
mistakes and his good stuff – and his mistakes were great teachers.
David Carr could be brutally blunt. He didn’t hesitate to use language to let a
speaker as well as any listeners know what he was thinking when that person
spoke.
His first marriage ended in divorce. He had
twins in a relationship with a girlfriend. He had his third daughter with his
next wife.
I like one interpretation of the scene of Moses
nailing the snakes on the tree in today’s first reading – as Moses exposing to
the Israelites – pointing to the snakes: “This is what’s killing you.”
David Carr announced to any readers his snakes
that were killing him. He publically
said it was cocaine and alcohol. He got
into AA – which bluntly gets people to be blunt about themselves. Denial does
not have to run one’s life.
Announcing “I am an alcoholic” can be the birth
cry of an alcoholic. Only this truth will set you free.
In a piece called, “Family Comes First”, David
said his twin daughters saved his life and gave him a purpose. The article in
America says, “He brought his infant twins to the local parish seeking baptism,
saying this could be a bad son, employee, friend, but not a bad father. The
pastor simply said, ‘welcome home.’”
John Carr in the America Magazine article said, “Our parents and family
never gave up on David, which made his recovery and achievements sources of
enormous relief and gratitude.”
On religion, in something he wrote David Carr
wrote the following about religion.
What’s your take on the following? Listen carefully – a man is giving a
good exposition of his life:
"I'm a
churchgoing Catholic, and I do that as a matter of, it's good to stand with my
family. It's good that I didn't have to come up with my own creation myth for
my children. It's a wonderful community. It's not really where I find God. The
accommodation I've reached is a very jury-rigged one, which is: All along the
way, in [substance abuse] recovery, I've been helped ... by all of these
strangers who get in a room and do a form of group-talk therapy and live by
certain rules in their life — and one of the rules is that you help everyone
who needs help. And I think to myself: Well, that seems remarkable. Not only is
that not a general human impulse, but it's not an impulse of mine. And yet, I
found myself doing that over and over again. Am I, underneath all things, just
a really wonderful, giving person? Or is there a force greater than myself that
is leading me to act in ways that are altruistic and not self-interested and
lead to the greater good? That's sort of as far as I've gotten."
CONCLUSION
The title of my homily is, “Exposition.”
Lent is a time to be like Nicodemus and go to Jesus in
the night.
Ask Jesus questions. Let him ask you questions. Stand
under the cross and listen in your dark – till the morning light.
Visit the adoration chapel. Sit in front of Jesus – in
exposition of the Blessed Sacrament – and face what’s killing you – and see
what’s giving you life. Amen.
