The title of my homily is, “Trans:[T R A N S]:A Wonderful Prefix.”
Today, being the feast of the TRANSfiguration, that’s the
thought that hit me.
There are some neat religious and spiritually uplifting
words beginning with the prefix TRANS. For example: transcend, transform,
transparent, transpire, and for us Catholics, transubstantiation.
For the sake of transparency, there can be negative words
with trans in them. There’s sin. It has
been called a transgression. A person does a nasty - an aggression or crosses
over a boundary and hurts another and themselves. That’s a transgression.
PREFIX
A prefix means goes before - PRE - a short beginning part
of a word that - indicates what’s
happening - so trans means going across, going beyond, going through to the
other side.So we have words like
transportation, transfer,transalpine,
transcontinental, transatlantic, transoceanic.
So here in Christ’s story - we’re given a looksee into
the beyond, into the holy - intowho
Christ is - and how he can take us into the next.
IN ISRAEL
In Israel there is a mountain called “The Mount of the
Transfiguration.”
In the year 2000 I went to Israel- being asked by our provincial- to chaperone Leo there - an older priest whom I was stationed
with.Leo never went anywhere, so our
provincial, George, knowing how much Leo loved the Bible - that he would love a
trip to the Holy Land, but would never ask, pushed him to go and got him
someone to carry his suitcase.
Me.Wonderful.
So we took British Airlines - BA - on a transatlantic
flight from Kennedy to Heathrow in England and then a transeuropean or
transmediterannean flight down to Israel - and we saw it all.
One day we had a trip by bus to the Mount of the
Transfiguration. We went to the base of the mountain and then 25 priests - we
were on a priests retreat - headed up the mountain in white Mercedes cabs.
We had Mass in the small church up there - then
we each made an holy hour - in silence. I spotteda house with a ladder up to a roof so I climbed it. What a view! What a spot for some quiet time - and it had a nice chair for relaxing, listening and seeing.
Then we had a spaghetti dinner in a Franciscan monastery
up there.
The whole experience of Israel was super. I had a day where I could say, “I’ve been to the
mountain”. I also had a day in Nazareth, a day on the Lake of Galilee, a day in
Capernaum, , then Jericho Dead Sea and then finishing up in Jerusalem. It
was a transfiguring moment for me.Reading the Gospels from then on, I read them in a new way.So I too can say of my trip to Israel, “Lord
it is good that I was there ….”
I saw so much in a new light.That’s transfiguring. That’s transfiguration.
CONCLUSION
The goal of the Christian life is to be one with Christ.
It’s to be pictured with Christ. It's to go figuring with Christ. It's to be transfigured with Christ. So why not start walking anew with him into every scene - well a lot of scenes - and notice how a lot of what we see will be transfigured.
August 6, 2019
Thought for today:
“Christ is God or He is the world’s greatest liar and imposter.”
Dorothy Day, From
Union Square to Rome, 1938
Monday, August 5, 2019
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 18 Monday in Ordinary
Time is, “Food Glorious Food.”
I’m sure some of you have seen the movie or play, Oliver, where they sing “Food, Glorious
Food.”
The kids in the orphanage are starving and they want
food, glorious food.
Even if it’s gruel or ugly grey cereal or porridge.
What’s your take on food?
TODAY’S READINGS
In today’s two readings we hear about people wanting
food.
We are all hungry for food - any kind of food at times -
and at other times food we like - really like.
Hunger is a real thing.
Complaining about food or lack of food is a common
experience.
In the first reading from Numbers 11: 4b-11the children of Israel are crying for food -
meat, fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. And all that is
sitting there is manna.
I love the translation of manna as,“What is this?”
In today’s gospel - Matthew 14: 13-21 - they have to make
due with five loaves and two fish - and somehow Jesus feeds the crowds and
there are twelve wicker baskets filled with food left over.Jesus pulls this off for about 5000 men, not
counting women and children.
What’s your take on food?What’s your take on these texts? There are many.
HERE ARE TWO TAKE OUTS ON FOOD FOR HOMILY THOUGHTS
The first would be having the attitude of thankfulness
when it comes to food. Be thankful.Say
grace before meals.
Thank God and then thank the shoppers and thank the
payers and shoppers and thank the
preparers and the cleaners of food and pots and pans.
Thanksgiving Day is a good model to keep in mind when it
comes to food.
On that day we celebrate with food, glorious food.
On that day we celebrate with taking more time to talk
and just be with each other.Thanksgiving
Dinner is usually the longest meal of the year.
On that day people make it a point to show up as family -
with each other.
The second theme would be to make sure everyone has their
daily bread.
It’s easy to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”It’s easy to say, “I love you.”It’s difficult to donate to food pantries,
to work in the St. Vincent de Paul Society, to make sure folks have enough
food.
At the end of a life, could we say, “I helped provide for
5000 meals for others.”
CONCLUSION
Okay those are two thoughts that hopefully trigger good
thoughts about food.
Just in case my homily didn’t float or feed you, here are
5 quotes about food.
“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” That’s from Ernestine
Ulmer
“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re
waiting for the steak to cook.” That’s from Julia Child.
An onion
can make people cry but there's never been a vegetable that can make people
laugh.” That’s from Will Rogers.
“If you really want to make a friend, go to
someone’s house and eat with him… the people who give you their food give you their
heart.” That’s from Cesar Chavez
“He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.” -
Jonathan Swift
