Finally, it was just the two of us. He said, “Can I
tell you something?” “Sure,” I said. So he said,
“That was the worst sermon I ever heard.”
Of course that would catch me off guard.
Of course I said “Sorry.” Then I thought inwardly,
“Bring back all those people who just went by
and said, “Nice sermon, Father. Thanks for your
words.” I also thought of the old saying, “You can
get 20 compliments and 1 complaint. Guess what you’re going to remember?”
What he wanted, he said, was to have the preacher challenge us - get us angry - and then to go out and make a difference. I said, “That’s not me! I like to be liked. I don’t want people to spot me but to spot themselves - look into themselves - and see where they are being called.” It didn’t make any difference. I wasn’t his cup of tea. Like the people in the gospel we had for yesterday, he walked away. Like Jesus I needed to tell someone about what happened to me. This morning I woke up still thinking about the moment - so I assume his comments were wrestling inside me
all night - and I said
Picture on top: Here I am falling
on my butt - while skating on
our pond in our Minor Seminary,
St. Mary's North East, Pa, in the
early 1950;s
Sunday, August 23, 2015
SUBMISSION
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 21st Sunday in
Ordinary Time [B] is, “Submission.”
The topic was triggered especially by today’s second
reading from the Letter to the Ephesians.
It has the “hot button word,” “subordinate” - as in, “Wives should be
subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.”
Some people hear that and don’t go any further.
Evidently the text has been used in arguments about who’s
right, who’s wrong, who has to do what, sexuality, control, power in marriage -
and in a family.
The original text comes down to us from the Greek. Obviously,
we hear in English Language Masses the English translation.
I would translate the Greek verb, “HUPEIKO” with the
English word, “submit” - but our translators chose “subordinate”.
I’ll submit to that. I’m subordinate to the Church
authorities - above me.
With a semi-smile on my face, I would think “subordinate”
is softer than “submit” - so I wonder if
the translators chose “subordinate” - to be a bit more PC correct - which is another
“hot button phrase” - so as not to be trumped or jumped on for being insensitive
to women.
In spite of that, I would think people would understand
the meaning of the word “submit” more than they would “subordinate”.
EPHESIANS
5:21-32
So for some, today’s second reading is a “hot button
Bible text.” They sense it’s telling
wives that they are not equal partners in a marriage. “Be subordinate to your husband” - then it adds
“as to the Lord.” God is God. Our husband is certainly not God.
It’s a real topic to think about - because when talking
to couples - I often hear men say that the two most important words in marriage
are, “Yes dear!” I would think the more important two words would be, “Let’s
talk!” - “Let’s listen.” - and “Love
you!” and “Wow - thanks!”
I know of a woman - in another state - who calls the
rectory when this text is coming up. Her question to a priest is, “Are you going
to read that text this Sunday?”
Probably not that clear what’s this all about, he might say, “Well, we’ll use the cut down
version.”
Or we might have a stale mate. Smile.
It’s my sense that this battle is on the other side of
the glass ceiling and people have come to terms with the issues involved in
their own way. I also sense we’ll get to where we’re going to get in time -
women’s ordination, etc. etc. etc. I would always hope our church will say these
2 word sentences, “Let’s talk.” “Let’s listen.”
[We congratulate first time servers here at St. Mary’s -
so I did that to a young girl server one Sunday and added to be cute, “Maybe someday
you’ll be pope.” In another situation I might say to a young girl, “Someday you
might be president”. Well I got a phone call complaining about I’m for women’s
ordination. I assume that will come - long after I’m dead - but I’m not going
to say that from the pulpit - otherwise that’s all some people will hear and it
will kill my homily further.]
BRUCE MALINA - CREIGHTON
UNIVERSITY
Years ago I attended a one week seminar on scripture and
one of the speakers was Bruce Malina of Creighton University.
The issue of woman’s place, rights, respect, recognition
in the church came up.
Looking back, thinking back, I believe Bruce Malina said something like
this: My field is the first century Mediterranean
basin. Woman’s place was in the back
room and in the kitchen. Men’s place was outside - smoking and talking - with
their tools leaning against the side of their homes.
Next he said you can want different, but this is the way
it was in the world of the First Century New Testament.
Then he showed us an old documentary - a black and white
movie - of a small out of the way Greek island from around the early 1930’s.
Sure enough the men were out front - and the women were in the back rooms and
in the kitchen.
If you want to read a good book on all this from a
culture different than here in Annapolis read The Bookseller of Kabul. It
was written by the Norwegian journalist Asne Seiersgtad. She got imbedded into
the home of bookseller in Kabul, Afghanistan - and her book helped me
understand a lot more about a woman’s place in other cultures.
SUBMISSION
The title of my homily is, “Submission.”
Now that’s a topic worth thinking about - worth
reflecting upon.
Submission.
That’s a skill we all need.
One of our biggest problems in life is our inability to
submit.
I know I was always last minute in finishing and
submitting a term paper.
I am still the same in finishing homilies - like this one
that I submit to you today.
Submission - if you come to Mass you have to submit to
the person in the pulpit and the altar that you get. If you don’t want to, you
can read the bulletin or your own inner tapes.
Submission - how good are you with that one?
I know some people can’t submit to traffic jams.
I know some people can’t submit to wrinkles and aging.
I know some people can’t submit to life. It happens.
How about cancer, death, rejection?
How about reality?
The ice cream cone - even two scoops of butter almond - melts and drips
- and disappears into our bodies as we eat it - or onto our t-shirt or the
sidewalk.
Everything comes to an end. Kids go off to college.
Summer ends. School starts again.
The clock keeps ticking. Morning arrives and we got to
get up to go to work.
Horror happens - divorces happen - people cut us off in
getting out of the church parking lot - people cut us off in the middle of the
story we’re telling. People yawn. Some
people are not polite and tell us, “You’ve told that joke ten times now.
Hello!”
Submission.
Of course, sometimes we have to resist - protest - yell - change - make moves - talk to each
other. “Do you know a good lawyer?”
So there are some things we should not submit to: abuse,
violence, craziness.
Some people vent inwardly or outwardly behind the other person’s
back.
Some people call the police.
Some people write to the newspaper or the bishop or the
pastor.
TODAY’S OTHER
TWO READINGS
Maybe I should have concentrated on today’s other two
readings.
I picture Joshua’s in today’s reading - nearing his end -
old age happens - and folks are dropping out - or giving up their religious
heritage and faith - - bummer - and all he can say is, “Well, as to me and my
household, we will serve the Lord.”
I picture Jesus in today’s gospel - standing there and
seeing all these people walking away - telling him they can’t accept what he’s
saying.
We who have seen family members dropping out of our faith
- know the feeling. And the numbers are
increasing.
Jesus submitted to
all that - but says to Peter, “Do you
also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life We have come to believe and are convinced
that you are the Holy One of God.”
CONCLUSION
The topic of submission calls for deep consideration.
The choice is ours.
This issue of submission or subordination calls for
communication - talking and listening. Husbands and wives submit to talking to
each other.
Ooops in case nobody got what I was talking about - let
me tell you what might have also triggered this topic for me.
On Friday evening we had a wedding rehearsal for a
wedding for Saturday afternoon. A little boy was to be the ring boy for the wedding.
On Friday night he sees this big aisle and breaks free of this little girl,
older and taller than he. He runs full speed ahead to the front here, turns
right and then shoots down the side aisle, across the back, and down the aisle
again. His mother can’t catch him - and they kid looks like he’s only been
doing 3 months of walking.
Then he spots the steps up front here and he goes right
at them - crawling up the 3 steps - conquering them - and his mom and dad catch
him at that and he goes back up there a few times.
It was a great scene. I loved it. Of course his parents were scared he might
have done it yesterday in his tux. He
didn’t. He was perfect.
But that kid needs to learn all about submission and
subordination and his parents need to learn how to do that.
If you get that, you got my sermon. Amen.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Painting on top: American Gothic, Grant Wood, 1930
know if I do - or if anyone does. Maybe some wonder about things like: Where is the bathroom? Is there an exit. Who’s here?
Who’s not here? Who’s who here? What's here? What's going on here? I repeat, I don’t know if anyone thinks about one of these questions consistently or consciously. If I had to guess or give an answer for myself,
to another with hands palms down - to “Calm down!” Then sometimes that causes a scream or the other becomes furious which proves we’re right. We need a “Mute” button - so hurry up evolution. Hurry up!
than duct - and just let it sit there in a corner….
At some point someone will spot it. Someone will say, "I wonder what's in that box."
Someone will lift it. Someone will shake it.
Someone will listen for sounds it makes.
That heightens the mystery every time.
I am in a box. You are in a box. Mysteries….
God keeps on being put in a box….Well God is
mystery, the unknown - often just sitting there
in a box - in a corner…. And people called
theologians, preachers, authorities will tell us
about God in the box…. Well, shake that box. Lift that box up. Listen to that box. Surprise. You might hear laughter from deep down inside. Hey, God sent his son as a baby - who became a carpenter - a neighbor and a story teller - a hero - who died and a bloody mess who became a hope, a promise, resurrection, bread, wine, someone to sit at the table with - a mystery - a word in a book - and sometimes
