August 13, 2022

Reflection

THE  CROSS

The cross is the visible symbol for Christians.

It's a good one - visible for miles when on top of a church - and visible up close on the wall of a bedroom or inside a church.

4 points: North, East, South, West.

2 roads that intersect - and at each intersection we can go 3 ways - and even a 4th way - if we want to go back.

The Cross: Catholics put a figure of Christ on it - usually the suffering Christ - but sometimes it's the Risen Christ. Protestants often keep the cross body free - sometimes making the narrative: He is Risen.

Crosses: we see them everywhere - in cemeteries, above churches, around necks.

Crosses: we make the sign of the cross upon entering and leaving a church - and at different times during our ceremonies. We ask Christ to strengthen our minds, our shoulders and our gut.

Crosses - so basic - wood nailed together - to build a table or a chair -but also to make something for the purpose of execution.

The Cross: did Christ know if he went to Jerusalem, they would crucify him there?

Could he have stayed up north and not go south to Jerusalem?

Why risks dying at 33?

The cross challenges us to decide what we stand for - what we proclaim - even if that means we will be crucified.

The cross challenges us to think about why people  would want Christ out of the way.

Why would we want Christ out of the way?

There are people who drive us crazy.

There are people we describe as "Bad!" and we want them out of the way. We want them to disappear.

There are people who are so "Good!" and we also  want them out of the way.

Christ is the Way. 

Christ's way is the Way of the Cross.  

Too often we   are  asking, "Is there another way to do all this?"

 August  13, 2022

Thought for Today

"Playing 'Bop' is like scrabble with all the vowels missing."

Duke Ellington [1899-1974]

Look magazine August 10, 1954

August 12, 2022

Reflection 

OUCH!

My niece and Godchild, Patty, says, "Ouch" when someone says something that is insensitive or when they put their foot in their mouth.

The first time I heard her do this, I sort of heard it, but I really didn't catch it.

The second time I heard her say, her "Ouch!" - I sort of got it - but I needed to process it.

The third time I heard her say, "Ouch!" - I got it.

Now when I hear someone say something "Stupid!" from the pulpit or while eating together or in a conversation, I find myself saying, "Ouch!"

Two nights ago I was watching a re-run of the movie, As Good As It Gets. Melvin, played by Jack Nicholson, got an "Ouch!" out of me about 8 times.

He goes to a restaurant with Carol Connelly - played by Helen Hunt. She's wearing a red dress. He's wearing a blue shirt - no tie, no jacket.  The maitre de says to Melvin, "You need a tie and jacket in this restaurant." Then he adds to Melvin, "No  problem. We have lots of them in a closet here for this situation."

He gets Melvin a tie and a jacket.

Knowing Melvin's personality Carol asks, "It was surely dry cleaned?" 

The maitre de answers, "Probably not!"

Melvin says to Carol, "Stay here. I'll be right back."

He goes across the street to a store  and buys a new jacket and tie,

About to sit down Melvin says, "I don't get it. They make the guy wear a suit jacket and a tie and they let you in with a house dress."

He said something like that and I heard Carol say with her face, "Ouch!"

That did it. She walked out of the restaurant.

Life has lots of situations - that cause many an Ouch!"

We need to learn from our insensitive comments. When hurt we need to forgive and find the right moment to let the other hear our "Ouch!"

August 12,  2022

Thought for Today

"I feel a feeling which I feel you all feel."

George Ridding [1828-1904]     

in a sermon in the London Mission, 1885;     

in G.W.R. Russell Collections 

and Recollections [1898] ch. 29

August 11, 2022

Reflection

VIGNETTES

Thirty-second scenes or vignettes are happening all the time.

I just happen to

be watching another channel too many times.

A child waves from out  side window of a car - as we are both stopped - parallel to each other - waiting for the red light to change to green- and then both cars move along - going our separate ways.

I pass a pug dog on the street. I'm thinking about McDonald's just up the street. I don't stop to comment about his pugness.  Yet he keeps on walking along on the sidewalk of my mind - as I keep on walking along the sidewalk of my mind - as     I keep walking up the street - with memories of Peppy - a pug I knew - who recently died.

A person yawns without covering their mouth - right in the middle of my sermon - and I think of Judas' question: "Is it I Lord?"

Five guys at Best Buy today are laughing - and celebrating something - very happy at their job at that moment. I'm wondering: how do this store make enough money to pay all these workers in blue shirts? I could have just celebrated their joy.

I brought Jesus to this lady today: Holy Communion. She was totally out of it. I hear her husband call her "mother" - never "Honey" or "Nancy".  I hear the same stories he has told me the last three years. I take a tiny piece of the Sacred Bread: Holy Communion.  I open her mouth with my fingers and I place the Bread carefully on her tongue. I put my hand on the top of her head and the other hand on her jaw and close her mouth.  It works. I've done this before. I stand up and walk into the bathroom and wash my hands. I'm talking all the while. I then give the rest of the tiny round Bread - Holy Communion  - 95 percent of it - to Jack her husband. They are in Holy Communion with each other. He takes the small glass of water he has ready and holds the back of her head and gives her a sip with the small glass of water in his hands. He then toasts me and drinks the rest of the water. He smiles. He knows the ritual.

An old man sees me as I come back to the rectory. He makes the money gesture of rubbing three fingers together. I open up my wallet and take out two twenties. I say,  "McDonald's" and I add, "Get a Big Mac and a chocolate shake and some fries." I add, "Come back tomorrow. The St. Vincent de Paul people will be here." I say, "I waved to you and beeped the other day when I saw you under the bridge at the end of our street and you didn't wave back." He said, "Sorry" then "Thanks" as he went off into the afternoon.

Long day so far. 6:45 Mass this morning. Breakfast with a mother and two daughters and then the vignettes of the day so far ....

 August 11,  2022

Thought for Today

"Nobody can remember more than seven of anything."

St. Robert Bellarmine:

Reason for omitting

the eight beatitudes 

from his catechism

John Bossy, Christianity

in the West 1400-1700

(1985)

 August  10, 2022

Reflection

AGREEABLE,  BUT  I  DISAGREE

When a couple get married at our church, they are given a compatibility test.

It has 150 questions.

I noticed a statement: "There are teachings of the Catholic Church that I disagree with." The person is then asked to check: "Yes," "No," or "Undecided."

I like to make a comment about that one. I say, "There are teachings of the Catholic Church that I disagree with."

It's part of my philosophy: "Be a thinking person."

Then I add, "I disagree with some things - but I don't proclaim it publically."

Then I might add: "In our 2000 year history, we have made various changes."

Every couple hopefully know they will change as spend their life together. 

Every couple with kids know they will have differing opinions about particular issues when it comes to raising kids.

So why can't people agree that we will have disagreements?

A lady came up to me last evening after the 5:30 Mass. She said she disagrees with a comment I made about Buddhism in my homily.  I had stated that there was a Buddhist philosophy - a non religious Buddhist philosophy that the Buddha aught - and then in time for many Buddhism became a religion - with various teachings and practices.

I smiled and said I disagree with you about your comments.  In fact I mentioned a book by Alread Graham entitled, Zen Catholicism.

But I added "You can disagree" and I hope I made my comments with a smile - trying to be agreeable.