HAVING  THE  POWER 

TO  FORGIVE  SINS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Having the Power to Forgive Sins.”

That’s an awesome power - the ability, the gift of being able and to choose to forgive sins.

I’m going to say in this homily that it’s not just priests who have this power.

We just heard some powerful words from Jesus in the gospel of John.

The disciples were behind closed doors, locked doors, enclosed in fear.

It was evening. It was still the first day of the week - the night Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus came through walls - into a locked room -  and said, “Peace be with you.”

Jesus showed them his hands where the nails were. He showed them his side where he was pierced by the spear. 

"Ouch!" 

He again said, “Peace be with you!”

Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” [John 20:23]

Those are profound words. Hear them loud and clear.  That’s a powerful message. Let’s make them our own.

DOUBTING THOMAS SUNDAY

Thomas was not there for  that moment.  This Sunday was called Doubting Thomas Sunday for centuries. It’s now called Divine Mercy Sunday.  Good, but don’t get caught up with these repeated prayers people say over and over and over again - and miss the powerful message of forgiveness and mercy - underneath those prayers. [Cf. Matthew 6: 5-9]

Also because Thomas is the Patron Saint of Doubters - realize when it comes to forgiveness and mercy -  we all  have at times deep down doubts about forgiveness and mercy.

Lord, have mercy on us - all  of us.

CONFESSION - THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

Sometimes people only look at today’s gospel text about holding onto and letting go of sin - as a reference to the Sacrament of Confession or Reconciliation.

Yet -  let me begin with Confession and the Sacrament of  Reconciliation.

In 1965 our class of 16 - were ordained priests.

But we were not allowed to hear confessions till another year. We were ordained priests early - so as to say Masses on weekends in many small parishes in Ulster County,  New York - near our seminary - near Kingston, New York.

We still had to finish another year of Moral Theology - before we could hear confessions. All this was part of the four years of theology - we had after finishing college.

I remember the first weekend I heard confessions. We had practiced a lot - but we were still nervous. The key was to be compassionate and understanding and everything is kept secret under the seal of confession.

It’s now 51 years later and I must say I have heard lots and lots of confessions and have forgotten every one of them. 

I also remember for some reason something that happened at times when I used to go back and forth from LaGuardia Airport in New York to Milwaukee. I would travel in my black priest suit and collar - something I don’t always do. Usually - at least one person seeing a priest in an airport - would come over and ask for confession.  

So I guess, when nervous - it was either a drink or confession. So I’ve heard confessions in churches, airports, hospitals, supermarkets and various other places.

By accident - in the 1990’s - I was asked to help every summer on AA retreats for men at Olivet College in Olivet, Michigan. Someone thought I was someone else - a priest who was a recovering alcoholic - so that’s why I received the invitation.

On that first retreat for about 250 men,  I was told I didn’t have to give any talks. However,  when I got there,  I was asked to give one of the talks to the group - because one of the Protestant ministers couldn’t make it.

If you are familiar with AA meetings the person who stands up to speak says, “Hi. My name is________. I am an alcoholic.” Well, because I never drank, I said, “Hi, my name is Andrew and I’m not an alcoholic.” 

Well, that woke people up for starters. 

Then I said up front “the only drink - besides altar wine - which I don’t like - I only take a slight sip - was a drop of Four Roses in a milk shake once - when I was a kid and  I was home alone.”

I told the group that I put into this homemade milk shake - milk, ice cream, sprinkles, Jell-O, ginger ale, a drop of Four Roses and two drops of Vanilla extract.

At that this whole crowd of men started to chant - a certain word - louder and louder - and over and over again. I will only give two letters from that word - “BS”.

That’s the only time that ever happened to me - in giving a talk or what have you.

I’m surprised that it didn’t happen at various other times as well.

Does anyone want to start that today?

I mention that experience because a major reason they had 2 or 3 priests, 2 or 3 ministers and a rabbi at that retreat - was because they needed enough people to help with the 5^th step in the 12 steps of the AA program.

The 4^th  step states that everyone who wants to move forward makes an honest and soul searching inventory of their whole life. They write it down and then in the 5th step they can choose to voice that story to another person.

The men would sign up for a half-hour time slot and drop in to see one of the ministers or priests or rabbis. Of course they could go to a sponsor or a therapist etc. etc. etc. for their 5^th Step.

We would start listening around 9 PM - a half hour per guy - and go till 2 or 3 AM.  Let me tell you - those moments were exhausting - draining  - and 100 times more specific - and what have you - than someone going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession.

The idea is forgiveness - the idea is honesty - the idea is getting stuff off one’s chest. The idea is to avoid BS to oneself - obviously.

In AA one hears over and over again, “We are as sick as our secrets.”

NOW THE BIG JUMP IN THIS HOMILY

Those words from Jesus about “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” can be applied not just to priests and ministers and rabbis - but to everyone.

Everyone has the power to listen, to understand, to keep secrets - to let sins, mistakes, hurts, be outed from their life - and in doing this, the possibility of forgiveness can happen that much more gracefully.

It's not good to go it alone. [Cf. Genesis 2:18]

I was taught in Moral Theology - for the Sacrament of Confession - which was renamed the Sacrament of Reconciliation - that the Letter of James meant what it says, when we read, “Confess your sins to one another.” [James 5:16.]

Every priest has heard 100 persons in their life say, “Why do I have to tell my sins to a priest. I go directly to God.” 

Every priest is tempted to say in response, “In other words, you’re saying, you find it difficult to talk about your life and your mistakes to yourself. Welcome to the club?”

If invited, I might  say, “It would be great if people  went to God with their life and their sins and their blessings. It would also be helpful to go to a priest with gut sin patterns - not  the petty stuff some folks think at times is deadly or mortal - stuff they bring to confession over and over again - and then sometimes say, ‘I don’t know what to confess.’" *

Then I would add the pitch I’m making in this homily about talking with each other about our relationships - where we are - where we need to grow - what we love about each other and what is driving us bonkers at times.

In other words: it’s great you go to God - but how about to one another?

In other words, if I hurt my spouse or my kids or say something bad about a co-worker - I should ask that person for forgiveness.

The Sacrament of Confession for some - stress on “for some” - can be very helpful for  big sins - adultery - big time stealing - and renouncing one’s faith.

Warning: it is very helpful to tell the other face to face - but sometimes this is not the right move - because of a variety of possible reactions - and plenty of "uh oh!" can be the result.  

The whole family situation could fall apart if someone tells their spouse they cheated on them. Cheating on one’s spouse  is very messy business. Recovery when the other finds out - can call for massive amounts of trust rebuilding up again.

Sometimes the lesser of two pains is going it alone.

Sorry. 

But I was taught early on - here is where the Sacrament of Reconciliation can help big time.

It's a grace to talk it out to another.

But let’s go a step further and deeper - and concentrate mainly on the person who is into a sin.

Each of us has the power to hold onto mistakes against ourselves - or others - as well as being hurt by another. 

We all have our story - and we pay the price - if we go it alone without God, others and self in the right way.

It’s right there that I would want to especially understand the words of Jesus in today’s gospel.

I want to see Jesus going through the locked doors of my skull - see the whole story of my life - inside that locked room - filled with my secrets.

I want to hear Jesus saying to me, “Peace be with you.”

I want to hear Jesus breathing on me and saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive they are forgiven and those ones you’re holding on to - they are going to destroy you - if you won’t let go of them.”

I want to say, “If we take paper and pen - and looked at the whole story of our life - we could write down mistakes,  as well as being hurt  by  parents, or family members, or teachers, or other kids, or relationships that went sour - and they are wearing us down - for life.

Memories can itch.

Itching and irritating our memory on and off - all through our lives  - things we can’t forgive can be very painful.

And sometimes people become miserable with their hurts - to get back at those who hurt them - trying to make them feel guilty for making this person a PITA.

TODAY - CONCLUSION

Today, this Sunday, let Jesus’ Divine Mercy heal you. Forgive those who hurt you or vice versa. 

Today, this Sunday, you’ll have doubts that forgiveness is possible.

Remember! If we have a memory, we’ll be remembering out past. The opposite is dementia.

So put your hands into Jesus cuts, into his mouth, hear him say from the cross - about those who have hurt us, “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.” [Luke 23:34]

And hear Jesus say about the mistakes, sins, dumb things we’ve done in this life, “You can let go of those mistakes and use that holding onto mistakes energy - for doing better for and with each other. Amen.

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Notes: 

[There are two types of Confession - Confession of Devotion and Necessary Confession. This second type has to do with  serious damaging self stuff - that  we need to do some life revision about - with God's help - as well as therapy at times. 

For example, a person with a serious addiction to pornography - can go to confession and ask Christ for help in the sacrament of reconciliation - and receive absolution. However, they might also need counseling help for an addiction.  

I have also heard theologians say that we need to have a World Wide Catholic Church Synod on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I would recommend reading Chapter IX "Reconciliation" -  Pages 275 - 324 - of Joseph Martos's book, Doors to the Sacred, A Historical Introduction to Sacraments in the Catholic Church, 2001 edition. If really interested there are plenty of footnotes at the end of that chapter.]

April  23, 2017

Doubting Thomas - by Caravaggio

DOUBTS

I doubt.

Therefore I am.

I better have doubts.

Is this water okay?

How old is this mayonnaise?

Does this medicine have side effects?

Who is this person hanging around

my daughter? What does he want?

Is this the best price?

Is there life on the other side of this?

I’m certain.

Therefore I am.

I have certainties.

This car is safe.

This horse can really run.

Home insurance is smart.

My wife loves me.

I trust this doctor.

The sun will come up tomorrow.

I believe. Therefore I have some certainty.

I am.

Therefore I think.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

CLAPPING  IN  CHURCH 

I discovered after writing the previous blog piece about clapping that some people have problems with clapping in church.

I had never heard of this before.

I was looking for a YouTube something on clapping in church - and surprise - there were YouTube pieces showing various folks criticizing people who suggest giving thanks to someone who made a contribution to the parish or what have you.

I was surprised. 

However, I didn't "Boo!" at them. 

Tempted, but no. I don't want to go there.

But I wondered, "Where have they been?"

I've seen all kinds of clapping situations at Mass and at church. 

Haven't they been to a wedding where folks clapped for the newly married?

Haven't they heard someone who just gave a great eulogy for a mom or a dad and there was a spontaneous applause?

I dare an anti-clapper to go, "Shush!" when that happens.

I've been here at St. Mary's and I've seen folks clap at a great sermon - and I've seen people becoming very quiet at a great sermon. I've seen Masses when the pastor or bishop congratulates the newly confirmed or newly coming into the Catholic Church and folks clapped for them.

So I would have problems with anyone who is against clapping. If they personally don't want to clap, don't clap.

Haven't they seen a tiny little kid under a year old clapping - and everyone loves the scene?

I remember seeing a documentary on dance and Agnes de Mille said that Blacks saw some Irish tap dancers who were not moving their arms - and they thought to themselves, "Hello! Start snapping those fingers, start moving those arms and start dancing - and add some clapping in the mix.   

Okay soccer players can't use their hands, but the goalie and American football players can use their hands.

"Hello" folks who are against clapping in church. Take a good look around.

Let me find a few of these YouTube videos that feature "againsters" and "forers" when it comes to clapping.

I noticed one uses Pope Benedict as a source for no clapping and then I spotted a video of people clapping for him.

Smile.  Loosen up everyone.

April 22, 2017

CLAPPING  PRAYER

Clapping happens in churches -

yes, even Catholic churches,

and not just for the big shots -

but sometimes spontaneously

for a singer - whose song touches

the inner strings of everyone’s

heart - or for little fourth graders

acting out a gospel parable and

yes, for God - clapping for God.

Does God ever take a bow? Hey,

after all, some days are beautiful

and beautiful things surprise us.

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

THE 153 FISH

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “The 153 Fish.”

POSSIBLE POINTS TO REFLECT UPON

Today’s gospel opens up several points or issues we can reflect upon.

1) We can meditate or reflect or pray about the idea: Without Jesus we catch nothing; with Jesus we catch everything.

2) The Lord Jesus is always there on the shore of our life—in the dark—the Son, the Dawn, about to rise and take away our darkness.

3) Forgiveness: there is a charcoal fire there. As commentators point out, the only other place we hear about a charcoal fire was in Jerusalem at the moment Peter denies Jesus. So this gospel will be a moment of forgiveness for Peter.

4) The Church’s Mission is to be Open to all. And this is the issue I would like to think and talk about. I always find that number 153 very interesting.

THE NUMBER 153

There are various interpretations on why John’s gospel tells us that there were 153 fish.

Obviously, it’s a symbol of something. Yet, nobody really knows for sure what the 153 means. I read different commentators and I noticed some explanations given. Most commentators say we don’t know what the 153 stands for.

One theory is that 153 is the sum total of the first 17 numbers added up, that is, 1+2+3+4+5+6+7 etc. It might be a Pythagorean calculation to which we no longer have the key. 17 would represent perfection or wholeness. One can take 153 dots and put them in an equilateral triangle with 17 dots at the base line and on each side with the remaining dots in the middle. 153 dots laid out that way would make a perfect triangle.

What I like best is the thing that some think that 153 represents the number of species of fish that there were in the world at that time. The learned poet Oppianus Cilix said there were 153 kinds of fish.  Peter and the disciples are called to reach out to all the world—to go fishing for all the different kinds of people.

The call to reach out to all: Peter and the whole church is called to reach out to all people—to catch all people and then to celebrate together with the Risen Christ in the great meal, the great banquet!

I believe that is a good theme for a homily that one can take from this 21^st chapter of St. John, especially since they cut out the 3 “Do you love me” scene in today’s text. That can be found in the 3^rd Sunday of Easter, Year C.  If we use it, we can connect it better to Peter’s  3 fold denial of Christ.

The theme for this gospel is probably mission and ministry, because it’s here at the end of the Gospel.

The worldwide mission of the church is to go out there and bring in everyone—every kind of person—numbers of people—to form a pyramid of people, a perfect triangle of people, to become like God.  We’re made in his image. We are made in their image and likeness. So mission—we are sent fishing—to bring into the  Kingdom of God—all the peoples.

The Kingdom is like a dragnet thrown into the sea which takes in every kind of person. (Cf. Matthew 13:47 or check Rev. 7:9 where it mentions bringing together every tribe, tongue, and people.)

I’d like to reflect on an aspect of ministry: being open to everyone or to put it negatively, not to exclude anyone - especially people we judge or perceive as “uuuuuh!”

AQUARIUMS: BALTIMORE - BOSTON - CONEY ISLAND - CAMDEN

Aren’t people, especially kids, but even adults moved, excited, wowed a bit, when they visit an aquarium?  I’ve been to aquariums in Baltimore, Boston, Coney Island, and Camden, N.J.

One soon sees that there are more than 153 kinds of fish. You might even see more than 153 kinds of fish in just one tank. I love to watch people watch fish in an aquarium—especially kids. Wow.   I hear kids spotting an interesting fish and elbowing another kid with a “Look at that one. Wooooo!”

MESSAGES

In ministry, we spot all kinds of folks. We have to be in the pool with all kinds of people.  We have to deal with sharks, piranhas and barracudas’ - as well as quiet but colorful other types of tropical fish.

It’s difficult to be in communion with all.

With Christ, the stranger on the beach, it’s much easier.

Without Christ we struggle all through the night in the dark - catching nothing.

In the gospel there are only 7 disciples. It’s not the whole apostolic college of followers.

IXTUS: the fish - becomes a symbol for Christ. It can be seen in the  catacombs in Rome, on tombstones and today on bumpers.

In catacombs of St. Sebastian 2nd half of 2nd century in Rome

We can compare this story in John with the story of Luke and the catching of fish. In both accounts they have caught nothing. Many specialists ask if both stories are about one experience. John has it after the resurrection. Luke has it at the beginning of the call. Benoit likes Luke because they already gave up their nets.

“It is the Lord!” John is the one who spots Jesus. He seems to have a special spiritual sense - more spiritual insight - than Peter.

Peter is painted as the awkward one - impetuous - jumps in the water - leaps out of the boat. His reactions are instinctive. The others stay in boat till they get to shore. If everyone was like Peter, maybe the fish would have been lost.

In John’s version of this fish story, the Eucharist - manna - multiplication of the loaves - is feathered. Jesus gives life.

It’s the 3^rd appearance of Jesus.

Notice that the net is not broken. The strain of mass conversions took place and effected local communities - yet the kingdom of God has room for all. Many - but unbroken

CONCLUSION

The bottom line is that all are called - including the strange rangers.

April 21, 2017

WHICH  SIDE

Inside our eyes we find

ourselves on both sides

of the counter. Next....

A ticket for where?

Two scoops of what?

Which movie? Next....

Next. Large pizza - pepperoni…

Fries and a cheeseburger….

I don’t know what I want yet. 

Next. Which side is easier?

Choosing or being chosen?

Front or end of the line?

Next.... 

  

© Andy Costello, Reflections  2017

MARCION

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Easter Thursday is "Marcion"

I pulled together today's thoughts because of one sentence in today's gospel from Luke: "Then he [Jesus] opened their minds to understand the Scriptures."

In order to understand Christ, one needs to understand the whole of Scriptures. That’s a theme that appears quite a bit during the Easter season. That’s the theme I’d like to reflect upon a bit today. Or to put it another way: private interpretation of scripture vs. public interpretation.

When Christ died the disciples of Jesus had the rug pulled out from under them. In the days that followed, the Risen Christ appeared to them in mystery. Slowly they began to piece together what he had been saying to them while he was with them before his death and resurrection. Slowly they began to see his story in the Old Testament story. And even more slowly they and then the Church began to understand the New Testament. But only slowly.

Slowly we need to begin to see both his story and our story in the Old and New Testaments. Slowly we need to study scripture - but also tradition - Church history. We need to look at the whole picture - the big picture. We need to be Catholic - not Partial.

MARCION

It’s always easier to see the spots on the other leopard’s back than our own. So let’s start with a character in Early Christianity whose name was Marcion.

He was born in Sinope, in Pontus, on the Black Sea. His father was a bishop and his family belonged to the upper crust. He made a fortune on his own as a ship owner. Somewhere along the line he went off on his own thinking. The result was excommunication in his local church. The person who did it: his father.

Whether that was the reason or for some other reason, he went to Rome in 140. In July of 144 he was excommunicated again - this time by the Church in Rome.

Johanes Quasten [1900-1987],  world famous Roman Catholic Theologian and expert on the Early Church, points out, “There was an important difference between Marcion and the other Gnostics. While the other Gnostics founded only schools, Marcion after his separation from the Church of Rome founded his own Church. He established a hierarchy of bishops, priests and deacons. The liturgical meetings were very similar to those of the Roman Church. For this reason he gained more adherents than any other Gnostic. Ten years after his excommunication, Justin reports that his church had spread, `over the whole of mankind.’ Up to the middle of the fifth century there remained many Marcionite communities in the Orient, especially in Syria. Some of them were still in existence at the dawn of the Middle Ages.” (Cf p. 268, Vol. I Quasten)

Exactly what he taught is hard to say. Very little of what he wrote remains. But what he said had a great impact, based on the number of communities of Marcionites that sprung up and the amount of print he received from so many other Early Church writers.

For our purpose here I am using Marcion as an example of the type of person who is narrow in his use of Scripture. He is a good example of someone who selects scripture to back his own viewpoints and not the other way around.

It happens all the time. Listen to people. If there is any one area where people have lots of their own opinions and theories, it’s with the Bible. They like what they like and they avoid what they don’t like. We’re selective readers and listeners.

One of my private theories is that another cause of this practice is that people have picked up their ideas from preachers through the years who didn’t do enough homework. You’re looking at one right here. We preachers get a lot of nonsense off. Laziness is one of the main causes. That’s another one of my pet theories. It takes time to read up on the different studies and research on different scripture passages. It’s much easier to babble on from the pulpit: the Tower of Babel.

The Catholic Church certainly has opened up a lot on the Bible in the past 50 + years. And one of the good things that has happened in the Catholic Church, is their 3 year, 2 year and 1 year cycle in the use of Scripture. It forces us to read and hear most of the Bible in a 3 year cycle. As we move ahead, hopefully, people will attend scripture courses and preachers will do more homework and become more and more open to being stretched.

Marcion eliminated Matthew, Mark and John. Then he cut out a lot of Luke. In Paul he razor bladed out the pastoral epistles of Paul as well as Hebrews. He put the Letter to the Galatians first and changed the Epistle to the Ephesians to the Epistles to the Laodiceans. He also eliminated the whole OT. So becoming a priest in his church would be a lot faster. You would not have to study a lot of that  Scripture stuff.

Marcion read the scriptures and saw 2 gods. Read the scriptures and listen to the psalms when we say office and you can see where he might be coming from.

First there is the good God who lives in the third heaven. You find him in the New Testament - or better in what Marcion had saved of the New Testament.

Then there is the just god who created the world and man. This god is none other than the demiurge - who is well known in Gnostic sects. This second god did not create the world out of nothingness, but formed it out of the eternal matter, the seed of all evil. This god - this second god - is the god of the Jews - the god of the Law and the Prophets. He has passions. He gets angry. He is revengeful. He is the author of all evil - be it physical or moral. He is the instigator of all wars. (cf. Quasten, Vol. 1, p. 270)

How’s that for selective editing? How’s that for selective thinking?

THE NEED TO BE CATHOLIC

What do you do with someone who thinks and preaches that way? You throw the bum out. His father did it and the Church of Rome did.

The word Catholic means whole - KATA HOLOS.

So some obvious lessons for us can be found here.

1)       The need to know what we believe in - what scripture texts we favor and what ones we avoid.

2)       The need to be open to all the scriptures - to do our homework - to do our research - to study and to read.

3)       The need to be open to the Church and its teachings. Marcion wasn’t. But the Church also needs to be open to the research and study done by scripture people. In the past this hasn’t been always so.

4)       The need to be open to our tradition - both in the Old and New Testament - to clarify and collate what we have learned and go from there.

CONCLUSION

I think that’s about enough for now. Amen. Come Lord Jesus. 

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Mosaic on top - Jesus Christ Pantocrator in Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey.