INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 5th Friday in
Lent is, “The Ugly Whisper.”
The word that jumped out of today’s first reading for me was
“whispering”.
Jeremiah – like many a prophet - was experiencing a whispering campaign against
him.
People denounce – announce – his missteps and mistakes to
those around town.
We know he ends up in the pits – when he’s thrown in the
cistern.
Hence the title and thought of my homily, “The Ugly
Whisper.”
And Christ in these readings from John experiences the
same whispering campaign against him. “Who do you think you are? God?
Sticks and stones break our bones – and words can really
hurt us.
HAS IT HIT YOU YET – THIS PREACHING TO EACH OTHER?
Has it hit you yet, the difference in preaching to each
other, compared to preaching to 100 or to the weekday 8 AM Mass group?
I have found myself hesitating a couple of times –
whether to say something in a sermon – when it’s just us – just the 5 of us.
Preachers – hopefully - wonder at times - about what
impact something they are thinking about
– might have.
When it’s 100 or 15 - then - we can sort of hide – in
numbers. We don’t aim our comments at
any one person – because a homily is not a firing squad. It’s a chance to enter
into and then out loud - a reflection –
with some folks – and someone might hear something that is challenging and
insightful or helpful. This goes especially to the one who is doing the speaking.
The title of my homily is, “The Ugly Whisper.”
None of us want to be an ugly whisperer or find out there
are ugly whispers about us – behind our back.
The second sorrowful mystery of the rosary can take place
in our corridors or at our tables or in our cars.
PEOPLE! THE
NUMBER 1 TOPIC OF CONVERSATIONS
Right now, the # 1
topic of conversation is the coronavirus 19 virus.
Throw in the president next – and then the weather – and
then food – and sports depending on the community – or Brazil or North East –
or an article in the New York Times or a retreat that’s going on – and we have
a short list of our conversation topics.
I have said in larger settings – like 100 people – that
the #1 topic of conversations is people.
People - our
foibles, our funny characteristics, our uniqueness – stories about us is life.
Meals could be a boring experience without talking about people.
There are people in our houses. There are people in our lives.
Morality gets us to look at motive as well as impact – so
that’s why I added the adjective “Ugly”.
Put downs at another’s expense - how what we say effects another to their
face or behind their backs- if we hear or hear about them is the challenge of
this homily.
Smiley Blanton or one of those TV talking psychologists
once said, “If you say Jack Jones is a nice guy – nobody responds – but if you
say Jack Jones is a rotten selfish son of a b, then the crowd starts throwing their verbal stones at Jack Jones.
THE MORAL MOMENT OF HESITATION
A key learning for me -
from some sermon by someone - has to do with the inner moment we get a
thought – or remember a story – about someone.
We’re in a group and we’re
talking about X Y or Z – and we
have a cute story about him.
Should I or shouldn’t I? Should I tell it, repeat it or
not. When we have a strong sense of
respect for others, there’s a key moral
moment here: I’ll get a laugh but it
will down or not elevate this other guy. When we hold our tongue from voicing
that ugly whisper – that we grow in the virtue of respect for others. Amen.
7 SHORT ONE LINERS IN CONCLUSION
It’s good for us
to be together.
It’s not good to
be alone.
When together - conversations about people are fun and
enjoyable.
The Golden Rule should be a door stopper: would what I am
about to let out of the room my mind be something I would want said of me?
Lighten up.
And if I make the pulpit a bully pulpit – am I avoiding
talking to each other in soft chairs – or at our tables with bread and wine in
our hands?
When one preaches, say something that will get people
thinking – as well as talking and busting the preacher after Mass and at
breakfast.
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Painting on top:
"Gossip" by Pol Ledent
