THE  WORD 

“CHRISTIAN” 

INTRODUCTION

Today I would like to make the same pitch I make every year on this 4^th Tuesday in Easter. I would like to stress using the word “Christian” as a noun and not as an adjective.

Like various things I’m off on, most people really don’t  or won’t care about this issue. Still I’ll push it - and suggest giving this some thought.

C.S. LEWIS

I got this idea from C.S. Lewis on Page 9 of his classic book, Mere Christianity.

C.S. Lewis spells out very clearly: If you want to ruin the word “Christian” use it as an adjective; if you want to save it, use the word “Christian” as a noun.

FIRST READING

In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles 11: 19-26,  we have a sentence, “It was in Antioch where the disciples were first called Christians.”

Repeat that a few times. “It was in Antioch where the disciples were first called Christians.”  

Chew on that text.  Give it some thought.

“Christians” became a nickname for those who followed Jesus and later it was adopted by them.

This was taking place in the year 59 or 60 in the city of Antioch in Syria. It might have be a joke, or  a put down, by non-Christians. Those who idolized Nero Augustus and chanted his praises were labeled, “Augustiani”.  Nero was a nut case.

So for the people of Antioch, those who followed Jesus were named, “Christians.” Before that they were called, “Followers of Jesus,” “People of the Way,” etc.

C.S. LEWIS

Somewhere along the line I began to read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and he makes very early on his pitch about not making the word, “Christian” into an adjective.

It must have made an impression on me. It must have made sense to me. I must have made a decision to follow what he was advocating.

So in this sermon I’m making that pitch to you. Let me try to point out what C.S. Lewis is saying and why he says it. See if it makes sense to you. Make a decision whether to do what he advocates or not. If you do, put it into your life. Do you buy what he says?

According to C.S. Lewis people are making a mistake, when they make the noun, “Christian” into an adjective, “Christian”.

BILLY

For example, years and years ago, I was once talking to my brother about something.  Billy was commenting or describing his buddy Marty who is Jewish and he said, “You know Marty is a better Christian than I am.”

I must have bought C.S. Lewis argument, because I reacted by saying, “No, no, Marty is not a Christian. He is a Jew. A good one at that. A good person. But he is not a Christian.”

My brother had no idea what I was saying and why I reacted the way I did.

ANOYNMOUS

And it’s the same point that some people make in the phrase, “The Anonymous Christian.” That means roughly someone who is leading a good life, but doesn’t know Christianity or is not baptized.

One of our priests commenting on that said,  “Would we object to being called an Anonymous Buddhist?” because unwittingly we were living a good life as described by Buddhists.

C.S. LEWIS

C.S. Lewis stresses that a Christian is one who accepts the common doctrines of Christianity.

Some people object to what he is saying with the point that there are people who don’t accept the  Doctrines of Christianity, but they are far more truly a Christians, far closer to Jesus Christ, than some who do.

He says it may be very charitable, seem very right, be very spiritual, very sensitive, but it’s not useful.

To argue his point, he uses the word, “gentleman.”

It used to mean someone who: a) had a coat of arms, and b) had some landed property.

And people knew who a gentleman was. A person could be a liar and a gentleman. A person could have a violent temper and be a boor and still be a gentleman. A gentleman had a coat of arms and some landed property. A person could have a Ph. D. and be a fool.

In time people changed the word “gentleman” to a term of praise.

When that happened, you no longer knew if the person being called a “gentleman” had a coat of arms and property. The word no longer gave you that information.

It only tells you that the speaker has a certain attitude towards the person he calls a gentleman.

“A gentleman” means a gentle man to the speaker. He is someone who is polite. Or as Newman put it: he is someone who doesn’t cause pain. But notice it can’t be applied to women.

Therefore, according to C.S. Lewis, “As a result, gentleman is now a useless word.” (P. 10)

CHRISTIAN

People have done the same thing to the word “Christian.”

They feel they are deepening it or widening it – but they are making it a useless word.

How do we know who is or who isn’t close to the Spirit of Jesus?

We don’t see into people’s hearts.

We cannot judge

It would seem better to keep on using it as a noun and add adjectives like  “good” or “bad” or “energetic” or “highly visible” or “practicing” Christian.

CONCLUSION

 So that’s my pitch this morning. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called Christian.”

Consider C.S. Lewis’ point and make a decision on it.

And if you decide with him, join in the struggle to preserve the word that began in Antioch and then end up more than being a mere Christian.

PRAYER:

VOICE RECOGNIZING VOICE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 4th Monday after Easter is, “Prayer: Voice Recognizing Voice.”

Various surveys indicate that people want to hear more on prayer from the pulpit.  And if there is one topic that people buy spiritual books on, it’s prayer.  

What’s your take on prayer?  Do you need to hear more?  Do you have questions about prayer?  What’s the best lesson you have heard about praying?

So when I read today’s readings - including the Psalm - I heard, “Say something on prayer as voice recognition."

So the title of my homily is: “Prayer: Voice Recognizing Voice.”

RECOGNIZING VOICES

Here in today’s gospel - John 10: 1-10 -  Jesus says that sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd.  When the shepherd calls - his sheep recognize his voice. They don’t recognize the voice of a thief.  

Yesterday’s gospel had the hired hand as the alternative to the good shepherd. I guess if the hired hand is a steady sheep sitter as in baby sitter - they might recognize his voice.  The thief?  No.

At what age - at what month -  does a baby recognize the voice of her or his parents and family members. How about hearing voices while in the womb?

This morning I heard on the radio on the way up to the hospital - a story of a little girl who was lost in the outback in Australia - and it was a 17 year old dog who saved the little girl or located the lost girl - and the dog was blind and half deaf - something like that.

We pick up the phone - don’t know the number - and the other side doesn’t give a name and our mind is trying to figure out: “Who’s this?”  And sometimes we say, “I recognize your voice. It’s familiar. But who is this?”

I had a wedding a few years back - and a funny thing happened. The bridegroom’s last name began with W and when he became a local weather man on the radio, he changed his last name to A - as his radio persona. I didn’t know this  till later - when he told me that since he was always called on last in school - because his name began with W - he chose a last name that began with A.  

In the meanwhile I was confused at the wedding rehearsal dinner when his best man, serving as MC,  was calling him by his A last name. 

So later on that's why I asked him about his name. “What’s going on? Why is your best man,  Marty something, [whom I have since seen on TV from Baltimore], is calling you by the wrong name?" It was then that I got the explanation.

For some reason after the wedding - which Ceil Ambrosetti sang at - I told her about the W and A last names.  This was by total chance. She says, “That explains it all.  When I was talking to him on the phone about the music for the wedding, I was saying to myself, 'I know this voice.' But the W last name was not familiar."

She then said, “Oh okay, I listen to him give the weather on the radio every morning on the way into work. Now I know."

I guess musicians have a good ear.

PRAYER

I guess too - if we pray - we gradually get to know the voice of God - the voice of Jesus - better and better.

Beginner’s prayer can be all talk, talk, talk, saying prayers, prayers, prayers.

Long time people who pray learn to listen, to be quiet, and just be with the Lord - as in conversations with the close people in one's life.

I'm sure you heard the story about the old man, who told someone how he prays. "I just sit there. God just sits there. Sometimes we talk and sometimes we listen. Most of the time we just be with each other in the quiet."

I would hope lovers say to each other: “Shut up. Let’s just be in the quiet with each other."

So too God and me. So too  me and God.

I don’t know about you, I go crazy with that “Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, and on and on and on and on prayer.” It’s a nice prayer for mercy - but I wonder if God ever says, “Enough already, I hear you.”

That’s my voice saying that. Your voice might say different. That might be the way you and God do prayer. I don’t.

Hey we repeat the psalm response a bunch of times - like today’s psalm response, “Athirst is my soul for the living God.”  Why not say that on the rosary beads as an alternative? Or cut it down to just one word. Say to God, “Thirsty… thirsty…. thirsty.” Would God love that one word prayer and laugh at us. I like the TV ad when the dog goes, “Bacon, bacon, bacon.”  So say to God, "Thirsty, thirsty, thirsty"  a few times - and then let God be the living cool water for you. Sip and be satisfied.

I’ve studied a bit about Theravada Buddhism. Sometimes a person just sits there in the quiet for hours and hours straight - breathing in, breathing out, without saying a word.

I know a bit about Quaker Services. One of the rules is to be quiet and not say anything till the Spirit of God of God pushes someone to say something. I’ve been to Quaker Sunday services in which nothing is said in the hour of prayer - and it’s an hour of quiet.  That’s got to drive people who do yakety yak prayers crazy.

And in the quiet, I’d assume that voices recognize voices in the silent music of prayer.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Prayer: Voice Recognizing Voice.”

People who are beginners in prayer - sometimes say a lot of words - and they might not be listening to themselves or to God. 

But in time, hopefully listening takes over - quiet takes over - and sometimes we hear God call us by name - or by the name he has for us - and we begin to understand God - and we know his voice - and God knows ours.

If you ever get a chance to be near a field of sheep going "baa, baa, baa" watch and listen - and maybe you'll spot a solo sheep in a shepherd's arms - maybe even a sheep that was hurt - or a sheep that was lost - and study that sheep's face - and maybe see a smile and look of contentment - and maybe see a look of envy in the baaing sheep - all around the pen.

BUMPER  CARS

When we were young we loved to

go to Asbury Park, New Jersey

on summer evenings. Two events

were on our list: miniature golf and

bumper cars. No comparison.

Bumper cars - bump, bump  - the best.

Now, when I’m old I still like miniature

golf - but it’s those bumper cars that

have become the not so nice reality:

regrets, aches, wasted time and

opportunities. I hate those hurts when

they keep bumping around in my memory.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

 April 23, 2018 

Thought for today:



“Search yourself and you will find God.”

Kurdish proverb.

GOOD  SHEPHERDS  

OF  OUR  EARTH

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Good Shepherds of Our Earth.”

Today - April 22 - is Earth Day - and different religious print and internet websites - as well as various other websites and communication outlets -urge preachers and speakers, bloggers and websiters,  to speak in favor of Earth Day today.

April 22, 2020 will be the 50^th anniversary of this idea.

QUESTIONS

This triggers various questions for me.

If we don’t say something about Earth Day, will some people scream or say they are disappointed?  They wanted to think about the earth today.

If we do say something, will some people scream, write letters, what have you - saying this is a political issue not a sacred issue?

Will some people say, “I came here to Mass to hear about the readings and Jesus Christ - not about the earth.”

If a preacher does decide or feel called to preach about our earth - and good stewardship of Mother Earth - does he use the readings of the day or what?

TODAY’S READINGS

Obviously, by the title of my homily and this preamble - which seems to me to be a way to cover my you know what - I’m going to say some things about our earth and I’m going to use the gospel for today for starters.

The psalm response and the first reading talk about the stone or rock that has been rejected - that it has become the cornerstone.  We can say that some people reject this stone, this rock, we’re living on - earth  - forgetting it’s the cornerstone of our future and out children's children's children's future.

Today’s gospel talks about two types of people who care for sheep: the good shepherd and the hired hand.

If wolves attack the sheep, the Good Shepherd is willing to lay down his life for the sheep. The hired hand will run away and save his own skin.

The person who tries to save endangered species might be praised or might be ridiculed.

The person who tries to push to keep the environment of the Chesapeake Bay clean also will be laughed at or praised or ignored.

The person who tries to make Earth Day and protecting our surroundings a non-political issue will be praised or made fun by someone who proclaims that those in favor of endangered species and trees - are only into politics - and in favor of regulations - regulations.

I remember the first time I drove into Mexico. Cars were spurting out carbon monoxide big time and I realized it’s good that we have to have our cars checked for pollution here in the United States.

SACRIFICE

I would think that the issue at the center of Earth Day and keeping this earth healthy is sacrifice.

Regulations - cutting down on smoke - costs money.

To toss a wrapper on the sidewalk or curb is easier than holding onto it till one sees a garbage can.

The theme for Earth Day 2018 is cutting down on plastic.

It will be an enormous sacrifice to cut down on bottled water - and plastic containers. That whole industry will lose revenues. Everything - all our medicines and a million other products come in plastic bottles, containers or what have you. Plastic wrap has lots of advantages - like for left overs in the refrigerator.

It’s easier to say to the check-out person, “Paper” when she or he says, “Paper or plastic or do you have a bag?”

SUGGESTIONS

Become your own conscience driven person - making your decisions about the environment from what you learned - rather than babble from TV news programs. If you have a computer - which has a plastic keyboard, etc.  type into google “Earth Day” or “Protecting our Environment” - and read the results and watch the videos.

What makes sense for you - for the good of all?

I did last night and got an eyeful. A whale was washed up on a shore in Spain with 65 pounds of plastic in its belly.

What do you think when you read that in bottled water there can be tiny, tiny, tiny particles of plastic?

Over in St. Mary’s High School, they have cold water fountains, that makes it easy to fill a canteen of water - and registers how many plastic bottles for water - one avoids.

I like water. I like bottled water in plastic - especially when I’m thirsty - and I feel thirsty.

There are things we can do.  Someone - somemanys - got to others by saying things like: 2 million single use plastic bags per minute are distributed at store checkout counters across the globe.

Single use - some are used as doggy bags - then there is fertilizer.

Am I right that they don’t use those plastic things on tops of six packs of canned soda anymore.  They have been known to choke birds - so was there a campaign not to have them and the protests worked and they have been  removed.

SACRED

When we are baptized, there is a moment there, when we are anointed on our forehead - just an inch away from our brain.  We are anointed, announced to be prophet, priest and king.  I’m sure someone says somewhere, “prophetess, priestess, and queen.”

I don’t - but I do think - this new baby - or this newly baptized person - is being called to do and to be three roles: “Speak up for fairness, to be a preacher for justice and rights for all.”  That’s the prophet we’re all called to  be.  Secondly “priest” to  consecrate the earth and all the people on it - and all this earth and universe is:  “this is my body, this is my blood, I’m giving my life for you.”  That’s the priest in us. And thirdly king and queen - and to look to Christ - who told us what kind of king we’re called to be: servant kings and queens.

Of course those who want to be served are going to crucify that kind of king or queen.

It’s a sacred moment at each mass, when the priest lifts the host and we feel a sense of reverence. Some people want a bell rung right then and there. And the blood is lifted there. And people say a prayer right then and there and bells are rung right then and there.

When do have those same feelings and thoughts about our earth.

Can we see that this is our body: from this earth comes French fries and apples and salads and Big Macs.  Moos! Oink oink.

Have you been to the Grand Canyon or watched the sun come up out of the ocean in the morning at Rehoboth or go  down at the Big Sur in California at the end of a day. Last night they had a shot of the sunset over Dodger stadium. Beautiful.

In the movie City Slickers, Billy Crystal is with some buddies and someone brings up the moment that a little boy has when he comes through the dark tunnel - up the ramp and sees a big beautiful green baseball field  for the first time. It’s sacred.

Have you been in a plane at night - with a window seat - and looked down at all those tiny lights - and said a prayer for the people down below within all those little houses?

What are your sacred moments?  I love the moment at Sin Fronteras when the waitress or waiter places in front of me a Beef Burrito - $9.95. It includes a nice salad as well.   We might be going there tonight.  When we eat out on Sunday night - it’s date night for us priests. I see eating together as a Mass. The salad, the rice and beans and the beef - plants and cows - had to be killed and processed for me to have my supper.   And I’m surrounded by my brothers in communion and we laugh and talk about our lives.

Do you see eating out or eating in a sacred moment - for family and friends?

Some people drop out of church. They stop going to this meal - this supper - called The Mass.  Does anyone realize the same thing happens in family? People stop going to the family table for regular meals together  - regular communion with each other. They excommunicate themselves from the family - and they end up lessening themselves.

I try to make the connection of “churchy” things with everyday life things.

Earth Day can get us in touch with lots of everyday things.

For example, don’t you hate it when you see someone desecrate a place? Desecrate: meaning taking away the sacredness - the holiness - the wholeness of a place? Anyplace? Don’t you hate it when you see a dirty restroom on the highway or spot on the beach - where someone just dumped their remains on our Mother Earth - without thinking of the next person?

CONCLUSION

There are two kinds of people: those who are good shepherds and those who are just hired hands.

One sees the hotel or motel or rent a car - as a place someone has to clean after me and use after me - so I’ll treat it as my own and there is the other person who  doesn’t care.

There are two people who hear about Earth Day: the one who hears a message for the Common Good and does something about it and those who have eyes that don’t see, ears that don’t hear and a body that is only for itself. 

A TURN  FOR  THE NURSE

As the old “Get Well” card put it,

“After a while he took a turn for the nurse.”

In reality, as every nurse knows, people

get hurt and ask, “What do we do now?”

Then someone says,

“Is there a doctor in the room?”

No hands went up.

Nobody came running.

Then someone asks,

“Is there a nurse in the room?”

And ten people came running.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
May 6-12 National Nurse
Week in the United States

April 22, 2018

Thought for today:

“As nurses we know suffering. We are fully aware of how precious each moment of life is. We learn to live well.

  

Nurses are grateful people. Some people only learn about these essential spiritual qualities from traditions of worship. We learn compassion, love, peace and more by performing our daily work.

  

Nurses are constantly reminded of the necessity of valuing the dignity and worth of every person. As a result, we become better people. Our souls are healed. We develop communication skills and open hearts which make us more loving members of our own families. We become tolerant, and appreciate the diversity of all of the people on this earth. Perhaps that is the biggest benefit of being nurses. We become more caring, and honorable people.”

Patricia Bratianu, PhD, RN, RH-Ahg
May 6-12, 2018 National Nurse Week 
in the United States