INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this first Saturday in Advent is, “A Ha
Moments: Name Three”?
I
think that’s a good question: “A Ha Moments: Name Three!”?
And
if you talk life with a spouse or a family member or a good friend or friends,
do that question of naming 3 “A Ha Moments” Come up with your answers. Then
share your moments and your memories with each other.
“A
Ha Moments: Name Three”?
PROCESS
A
suggested process could go like this: look at your life – jot down major
learning moments – a ha moments - name lots of them – there are many
- and then pick your top 3 from your list.
That’s
not a bad way to do this. And you can keep on working on it –
changing it, developing it - especially if doing this becomes an “A
ha!” moment in itself – or as you listen to the “Ah Hah!” moments
of others.
TODAY’S
GOSPLE GIVES ONE FOR ME
Somewhere
along the time line of my life I heard someone say that Jesus Christ’s main
concern was not to establish a church – but to bring about the kingdom.
The
speaker was saying: Jesus established the Church to bring about the kingdom.
This
is the means and end question. It’s the which is which question. Is
the church the end or the means or is the church the way to the kingdom?
As
Jesus says in today’s gospel, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is
at hand.” [ Cf. Matthew 10: 7.]
I
was brought up with the stress on the Church. At some point, “A
ha,” I was being asked to wonder what is this kingdom and how do I
help to make it happen?
Wait
a minute! You’re a priest you’re supposed to make the Church happen.
Nope, I’m a human. I’m a Christian and I want to be one of those who are salt
and light and help the kingdom to show up in kitchens, work places, parks,
family gatherings and church benches and halls.
The
kingdom of God is at hand!
This
makes the little people as big as the big people, the poor as important as all
people and on and on and on.
It
takes away the stress on pomp and circumstance, titles and seats of honor,
rules and regulations, and all that.
ST.
AMBROSE
Did
you notice that today is the feast of St. Ambrose?
The
bishop of Milan dies and uproar and division happen. Ambrose
the provincial governor goes to the basilica and asks for
a peaceful solution. Someone screams out, “Ambrose for bishop.”
Everyone
chants that scream and Ambrose – who is not baptized is baptized in a week –
then confirmed that same week – and ordained that week and
consecrated bishop of Milan – all in a week.
How’s
that for process?
And
Ambrose becomes a great bishop and saint – and did a lot of church
things to make Milan a wonderful diocese.
Of
course, this was before Canon Law as we know it. This was around the year 375 –
and Ambrose lasts till Good Friday – April 4, 397.
So
a first good “A hah” moment for me was when I heard someone say that
the church is a means to building the Kingdom of God!
MY
SECOND A HA MOMENT – POLITICS FROM THE PULPIT
I
learned this year – in a great a ha moment – in the big parish I was in down in
Annapolis Maryland, that no matter what one says in the pulpit, the people in
the benches hear what they hear in their way – and rightly so.
In
a sermon I didn’t mention the president by name – but I was critical of him –
because of the way he described the homes of people in the islands and in
Africa. I said I was not being political. I said I was talking
morally – and we should not describe people’s homes the way the
president was describing them.
Uh
oh! After Mass there was uproar and letters. Some folks
said I was talking politics from the pulpit. I said I wasn’t. It
doesn’t matter – some folks saw it all as politics.
I
am very interested to find out what will happen in Catholic Parishes in the
United States this Sunday if any priest or deacon stands up for Nancy Pelosi
for saying, “I am a Catholic and I was taught not to hate.” Then she
said she prays for the president.
Up
roar.
My
a ha learning was that I said loud and clear that I was speaking morally and
not politically – but I learned people take what they take – from their
viewpoint.
Even
saying what I just said can cause uproar.
I’m
80 – and a long time ago I found myself not worrying about church
stuff when I’m preaching. The call is to worry about human stuff and our church
is around to speak up for human beings and their day to day life on the planet.
My
second a ha moment – was that I can think what I think – but people think what
they think.
THIRD
A HA MOMENT
My
third A Ha Moment has to do with Isaiah.
Someone
said that Isaiah only gradually was beginning to see that God was more than a
God of the Israelites.
I
was hearing that theology and ideology can be gradual and evolutionary and
developmental for folks.
So
for me the goal is to evolve – to get beyond being Catholic, Jewish,
Moslem, Hindu, Atheistic, or whatever and to be concerned about
helping everyone to know and to hear that God is with us in our development -
whether we believe in him or not.
Today’s
first reading has Isaiah saying that God is gracious to us and
spacious to us.
CONCLUSION
That’s
some homework. Come up with 3 A Ha moments and share them with your one to one
connections.
