One of life’s biggest
questions is death - the ability to deal with the reality of death.
We come now in the today’s first reading from Deuteronomy
to the death of Moses - and his being replaced by Joshua.
THE BOOK OF
LEGENDS - FROM THE TALMUD AND MIDRASH
A priest I know recommended many years ago that I buy a
copy of The Book of Legends - Sefer
Ha-Aggadah - subtitled, Legends from the Talmud and Midrash. It gives
legends from way back - many before Christ - by rabbis and Jewish religious
teachers.
So I went
searching for it - and finally found a copy in New York City in a Jewish book
store on the upper West Side of Manhattan. It’s a big book. Its price: $75,00.
I try to use it from time to time to get my money’s
worth. So last night I looked up commentaries on this section of the Book of
Deuteronomy - The Death of Moses - Chapter 5, # 137.
It begins this way: “And the Lord said unto Moses: ‘Behold
thy days approach that thou must die’” (Deut. 31:14).
Moses does not like this message. He doesn’t want to die.
I remember reading Elizabeth Kubler Ross’s book on Death and Dying and how we deny death -
of ourselves and others.
This section in The Book of Legends on the Death of Moses
presents classic two steps in Kubler Ross’ 5 steps: Denial and Bargaining.
Let me present how this book puts what happened.
God says to Moses, “Behold your days approach that you
must die.”
Moses says, “Who me?”
Moses then draws a circle on the ground and steps into
it. He says to God, “Master of the Universe “I will not budge from here till
you void that decree.”
Then he says, “I’m putting no sackcloth, ashes and praying to you God that you
don’t do this.”
“Sorry Moses, this is the way it works.”
Then Moses says, “After all you’ve done to create this
world and after all I’ve done to save Israel, I know you won’t do this.”
God keeps saying, “Moses it’s going to happen.”
Then Moses says, “Let me become like the beasts of the
fields - who eat grass and drink water, let me stay and be like them.”
“No.”
Then Moses says let me become a bird of the air and spend
my time flying everywhere.
“No.”
Then he begs the stars, then the mountains, then then the angels, to
save him from death.”
“No.”
Then he says, “Okay Joshua is taking over, let me stay in
his tent and be his advisor. He needs one.”
He adds, “People are going to envy him. Let me stay to prevent that.”
“No.”
Finally Moses accepts that he’s to die.
CONCLUSIONS
I talked about that section of the Book of Legends because
it sounds like everyone’s story.
Here’s 3 quick points to consider.
1)How am I thinking - when it comes to thoughts
about my upcoming death.
2)Lots of folks are scared of death, because of
their sins - well today’s gospel has words from Jesus that God rejoices when a
sinner who is like a lost sheep and they are found. They are more important than
the 99 sheep who don’t need to repent.
3)It’s the feast of St. Clare today. It’s a
Franciscan tradition to call death, “Brother Death” and embrace him.
NOTES:
Painting on top: D, After the Funeral, original painting by Edity Dora Rey
The title of my homily is, “Happiness? It’s You, Not Me!”
THE SECRET OF
HAPPINESS
One of life’s ongoing questions is, “What’s the secret of
happiness?”
It’s asked in various ways, “What’s the meaning of life?”
or “What have you learned so far?” or "What are you looking for?" or “What’s it all about Alfie?”
In Latin we were given a sentence from St. Thomas Aquinas
- coming from his use of Aristotle. It is said to be a life sentence: “Omne
agens agit propter finem. Finem est
bonum.” [1]
Translation: everything we do, we do for a purpose - and
end in view - and basically every time that end is for a good.
Even when we do something bad, we think there is a good
in it. It’s called an apparent good [bonum apparens].
Ooops. I don’t want to gum up my homily with some Latin
stuff - that might sound complicated.
So in this homily I’m simply saying that the secret of
life is to do everything for others and we will be happy.
Once more the title of my homily is, “Happiness? It’s
You, Not Me!”
TODAY’S
READINGS
That’s the message of today’s readings.
The first reading from Second Corinthians 9: 6-10 says
God loves a cheerful giver.
It also says that the person who sows sparingty, won’t
get that many tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, watermelons or flowers.
The first reading also uses the word “abundant”. That
triggers the thought that if we look around this world we’ll see how much
abundance God has given.
Say to God, “What’s with all these stars?” And I’d add, “Why isn’t there life on them
all?”
And God would probably say, “Turkey get on a glass bottom
boat and take a look at all the fish in all the oceans of our world? Get a
microscope and look at the life that surrounds you.”
I heard something like this on public radio a week ago. “One
hair on your head can produce a million stem cells in about 2 weeks.”
“What?” I said, “Let me hear that again?”
Well the radio doesn’t work like that, so I’ll keep
looking for what that was about. From
another angle, it doesn’t matter, because nature offers many examples of
incredible numbers once one starts looking into creation.
Today’s gospel repeats this same message about the more
or less in giving and not giving. The
wheat seed sitting in a bag in a wharehouse is just a wheat seeds on a shelf.
Plant those seeds. Close your eyes. Come back in a while and take a good look at a field filled with wheat.
Jesus is saying, “If you try to hold onto your life and
you don’t give, you’re going to end up hating your life.”
Give and you will live. Serve tables, wash feet, hold
doors, listen instead of doing all the talking, give, give and give, and you’ll
see happy faces including your own.
CONCLUSION
Today is the feast of St. Lawrence, the deacon who gave,
gave, gave, served served, served - and was killed with that attitude in mind.
The legend is that he said when they were burning him to death, “Turn me over I’m
done on this side.” NOTES:
[1] St. Thomas Aquinas, Ethics of St. Thomas Auinas, St. Ia IIas, Q. 25, A, 2, "Omne agens agit propter finem aliquem, ut supra dictum est. Finis autem est bonum desideratum et amatum uncuique."
