SECRETS
Quote for Today
"A secret is something you tell only one person at a time."
Anonymous
Picture: two people walking along and talking in Florence, Italy - September 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
DO NOT QUENCH
THE SPIRIT!
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this Third Sunday of Advent B is, “Do Not Quench The Spirit!”
It’s a command, an imperative, from Paul - in today’s second reading. It’s Chapter 5, verse 19, from his First Letter to the Thessalonians.
“Do not quench the Spirit!”
Other translations: “Do not dampen the Spirit.” “Do not snuff out ….” We’ve all blown out candles. Well, “Do not blow out this Fire, this Spirit - the Spirit of God in our midst.” “Do not extinguish this Spirit.”
As you have heard at times, First Thessalonians is the earliest New Testament writing - dated 50 or 51 - so it’s before the Gospels.
And it’s well before 1870 when electric lights started to go on. It’s from a time of oil lamps and candles - so people would know exactly what Paul is picturing - putting out a light - blowing out a light.
Paul is telling the Christian community in this city of Thessalonica not to put out the fire of the Spirit in each other - that he Paul had lit when we was with them. Don’t quench the Spirit. Don’t dampen the Fire - the Spirit of God burning - enlightening - warming our community - huddling us together in the cold - bringing us light in the dark.
I’d like to preach on that theme today. “Do not quench the Spirit.”
And I’m picturing three fires - the fire in me, the fire in others - the other persons in our home, in our places of work, in our groups, - and thirdly, the Spirit of Christ, the Fire of Christ Himself. Don’t quench, don’t blow out any one of these three fires.
LET’S START WITH SELF: 10 QUESTIONS
Let’s start with oneself - because if the fire has gone out in me, it’s difficult to be someone who brings passion and fire to others. It’s difficult to feel the presence of the Fire of the Spirit of Christ - all around us?
So here are 10 questions:
What happens when I walk into a room?
What happens when I walk in my front door or through the side door from the garage - or outside?
What happens when I walk into my place of work?
If you’re married, what is the state of your union?
If you’re single - divorced - widow or widowed - where are you - with your past?
Do I still live there or have I moved on into my future?
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best, how happy - how joyful - am I most of the time?
Am I an optimist or a pessimist?
Is there anyone scared of me - and avoids me?
Is there anyone who rejoices when they see me?
VISION CENTER - OR EYE OPENER
I would assume walking into church - should be at times an eye opening experience. I would assume that church is a vision center.
So when we’re sitting there getting our I examined - I spelled “I” not “E-Y-E”, we’re asked all kinds of questions. We’re being asked how we see. I can never get the difference between this lens and that lens at times when I get my eyes examined at an eye doctor.
When we’re sitting in church, I assume that we’re being asked at times, how we see ourselves - for example compared to something that is said in the readings.
Today is Gaudete Sunday - “Gaudete” is the Latin word for “Rejoice” - or “Be Joyful”.
If we were sitting in a waiting room to see an eye doctor or any doctor and we picked up a magazine and we spotted a self test and we started answering the questions, how would we answer these 5 questions?
“I am a joyful person.” Circle one: Always, Sometimes, It all depends, Never. Don’t know.
“I was a happy child.” Circle one: Always, Sometimes. It all depends. Never. Don’t know.
“I am a complainer - a whiner - a grumbler.” Circle one: Always, Sometimes. It all depends. Never. Don’t know.
“I am a blamer.” Circle one: Always, Sometimes. It all depends. Never. Don’t know.
“I am someone with enthusiasm.” Circle one: Always, Sometimes. It all depends. Never. Don’t know.
AN EXERCISE
Every once and a while someone says to me sort of by accident that they talked about something I said in a homily - on the way home from church - or at breakfast after Mass or what have you.
That brings me joy. That ignites my fire.
Here is something to do today after Mass. You can do this by yourself - but better - as a couple - or as a family. Get a candle. Put it on a table in front of you. Then light the candle and watch it burn. Then blow out the candle and watch what happens. The smoke rises and fades away. The wax hardens. What was hot becomes cold.
That’s it.
Then discuss: "When do I blow out your candle?" Or, "When do I realize I blow out your candle?"
If you do this by yourself, you can ask the same questions.
When do we quench the Spirit in the other?
When does this happen to me - or when do I feel this happens to me?
Last week I was with about 50 of our high school kids on a Kairos Retreat. Part of the retreat we're in small groups. At other times we're in a semi-large group and at other times we have full group discussions. In one group session - with no one as leader - it was a free for all discussion. I noticed that some people didn’t speak. I noticed that some raised their hands - but someone else jumped in - and they didn't get their chance to speak. I noticed some people cutting off some people.
I kept thinking: wouldn’t it be great if someone said from one side of the circle to the other members of the group: “Sam had his hand up three times and nobody gave him a chance to speak. Sam what did you want to say?”
Would that let Sam’s fire - Spirit - personality - fire - burn brighter?
Married folks could talk and face the question: Do we quench each other’s Spirit? Better. Name 5 things that ignite sparks and 5 behaviors that quenche the other's Spirit.
When it comes to a serious discussion about all this, I would assume it would be better to start with out there first. In other words to ask about how this happens at work or school. Only then - having gotten used to talking to each other about this issue of quenching or squelching another's Spirit - then bring the question home to each other. If you have a fireplace in your home, you know what it's like to have a roaring fire - or a steady fire - and what it's like to see a fire going out. What is the fire like in our home: burning brightly, steady but low key, or burning out?
Married couples: when was the last time you had a honeymoon?
Families: when was the last time you have a family meal when all were laughing and not leaving the table? I heard kids last week saying they don’t have family meals - or if they do, they sit on the couch with the TV on.
Talk about quenching the Spirit….
CONCLUSIONS
The title of my homily is, “Don’t Quench The Spirit.”
Start with self. Could I make the opening words of today’s first reading from Isaiah 61 my words:
The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to announce a year of favor from the LORD
and a day of vindication by our God.
Jesus made those words his own - in the famous synagogue service we read about in the Gospel of Luke (cf. Luke 4: 18-19.) Could I say them of myself?
Circle one: Always, Sometimes. It all depends. Never. Don’t know.
Can I look in the mirror of self each day, each night, and say with Isaiah, I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul…?
Circle one: Always, Sometimes. It all depends. Never. Don’t know.
Jumping to the gospel, I love the words of John the Baptist, “but there is one among you whom you do not recognize…” Do I recognize that Jesus among us as the lamplighter - the Fire Bringer - the Light of the World?
Circle one: Always, Sometimes. It all depends. Never. Don’t know.
Christmas is all about the coming of Jesus - as a baby - an infant - but most of us are well along the way of Salvation - and Jesus is an adult to us - but maybe we need to sit down with Jesus as well - this Advent - this Christmas - and ask the heavy questions: “Jesus have I quenched your Spirit in me?” “Have I blown out your light?”
Circle one: Always, Sometimes. It all depends. Never. Don’t know.
Get out that candle and say to Jesus, “Do you have a light please?”
[Today is called “Gaudete Sunday” - “Gaudete” being the Latin word for “Rejoice.” So I was trying to come up with a story that brings out the theme we heard in the readings for today: to be joyful - filled with joy. I wrote the following story last night - with the hope that it will bring out the idea that we are called to be joyful people. So once more the title of my story for today is: “Twin Sisters.”]
Once upon a time there were two sisters: Winifred and Mildred. They were named after their grandmothers on each side - who were named after their grandmothers on each side. So those very interesting old fashioned first names, Mildred and Winifred, go way, way back.
And it was just these 2. They didn’t have any brothers and sisters.
It was just the twins - and mom and dad.
Winifred was the oldest - being born 15 minutes earlier than her twin sister Mildred - and from then on they were thought of as the youngest and the oldest.
And once you got to know Winifred and Mildred - you too might say - what a lot of different people said, “They can’t be sisters. They can’t be twins. They are so, so, so, so different from each other.”
But they were twins - identical twins - born just 15 minutes apart.
Winifred always - ever since she was a baby - had a great smile - almost from the beginning of her life.
Mildred - on the other hand - never smiled. In fact, she frowned. She always seemed down. She always seemed to pout - always ready to shout, “It’s not fair!”
Being the youngest - if just by 15 minutes - is that why Mildred ended up being sort of sour - about everything?
I don’t know. All I know is that they were different kids.
Mom and dad couldn’t figure it out. Sure people are different, but why their two daughters were so different - now that was a mystery. Maybe there was a mistake at the hospital. Nope. Impossible. They were identical twins. See one and you saw the other. Yet, once you watched their faces and watched them in action - you could tell, one was different from the other.
Mom and dad said that Winifred was obviously the optimist - while Mildred was obviously the pessimist.
As little kids they didn’t understand just what those two words - optimist and pessimist - meant. But even if you didn’t know the meaning of these two words, everyone knew Winifred was the optimist and Mildred was the pessimist - sad and glad.
And sometimes kids can be cruel. Winifred - one kid started comparing her to her sister - called her "Wonderful" - and then called her sister, Mildred, "Dreaderful".
Some kids shortened their names to Wondy and Dredy.
Their parents felt this just made things worse. They tried to console Mildred. In the meanwhile, Mildred became even more sour - when kids put her down or when other kids made fun of her. Winifred tried to cheer her sister up. She too failed time after time.
Mom and dad often talked about personalities - because these two daughters of theirs had such different personalities.
When Mildred walked into a room - she brought along with her a dark cloud - like a pet dog. When Winifred walked into a room - she only brought sunshine - which filled the room.
Nothing was ever right according to Mildred. Her constant whine was that mom and dad liked her older sister better. It was the same with teachers - both being in the same class all through elementary school. Mildred claimed that teachers picked on her. She would say every year her teachers would say she never did anything right. She would say that Winifred was getting away with murder.
However, there’s hope. There’s always hope. People can change.
It happened in the 6th grade. From what I heard later on, the change happened this way. But who knows? Who really knows how people change?
Another set of twins - both girls as well - both identical twins - Rachel and Rebecca - came into their school - and into their class.
And Mildred got mad and thought it wasn't fair because nobody could figure out which twin was which - but could always tell she was Mildred.
This reality planted a seed in Mildred’s head - which like most seeds - took a while to grow.
This new set of twins in their class loved to play the game, “Which one really was Rachel and which one was really Rebecca?”
Well, one night Mildred told her sister, before they got to sleep, “Why don’t we play that game as well - to see if we can have people guessing which of us is which of us?
“What do you mean,” said Winifred.
“Well,” said Mildred, “Tomorrow you look sad and I’ll look happy.”
And Mildred then jumped up - got out of her bed - and turned the light on and showed her sister Winifred what she meant. It was difficult at first, because Mildred wasn’t used to using the happy face muscles on her face. And Winifred had difficultly using sad face muscles.
Then Winifred got out of her bed and both went over to the big mirror they had on their bureau. And as they practiced using their different face muscles both started to laugh.
Mom and dad thought they heard laughter coming from their daughters’ room - but dismissed it - because they never heard laughter coming from their girls bedroom before.
Mildred and Winifred kept practicing and practicing and practicing - and laughing and laughing and laughing.
The next day they put on their performance. Mildred came in all smiles. Winifred came in all sadness.
At the first bathroom break that school day morning, Mildred came running over to her sister - all smiles - in the back of their classroom, “It's difficult, but it works. It works.”
Winifred almost let out a smile - but Mildred went, “Shush no!” And they hugged each other. Good thing nobody noticed that - because the game was on.
It worked, better and better each day.
They became better than Rachel and Rebecca, because someone pointed out that Rebecca had a brown freckle or brown something on the thumb of her left hand while Rachel didn't.
So every day - in the morning - they would flip a coin - to see who was whom that day.
Surprise in time - nobody could tell who was whom - really - not even their parents - except Mildred and Winifred.
Surprise - both became so joyful - Winifred even more - Mildred growing and growing in joy - and that laughter poured out of their bedroom every night - and their parents got used to seeing both their daughters filled with joy.
Their dad said, “Women. I don’t understand women.”
Their mom said, “That’s why you married me and God gave us daughters!”
And both laughed and laughed and their daughters heard laughter coming from their parent’s room.
WORSHIP
Quote for Today
"Divine worship is as natural for humans almost as neighing is for horses or barking for dogs."
Marsillo Ficino, Platonic Theology
Questions:
Where have been the places on the planet that you automatically found yourself worship, praising, becoming aware of God as Creator and Artist?
Is there a place in your house that feels more sacred than other places?
What has been the most easy to pray church you've ever been in - anywhere?
Saturday, December 10, 2011
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 2nd Saturday in Advent is, “Elijah Returns.”
We who come to a lot of Masses - weekdays and Sundays - know that the name Elijah shows up many times. To be exact I checked The New American Bible and Elijah’s name is used 114 times - and in the gospels mostly in the Christian Scriptures.
While living - in the mid 800’s B.C. - Elijah is famous for challenging Israelites who had lost sight of God - the God of their ancestors - the God who had saved them by leading them out of Egypt - but now they adapting to and following false Gods.
AFTER ELIJAH’S DEATH: RETURNS AND SIGHTINGS
In our day and in our culture, there are jokes about Elvis sightings. There are many stories about Elijah sightings in Israel after his death. They became legendary in Jewish history and culture. So is it any wonder that Elijah becomes part of the Christian story and culture? People wondered and questioned if John the Baptist - as well as Jesus - were Elijah returned.
We’re moving into the middle of Advent - Advent meaning, "coming" - so is it any wonder that Elijah is featured? We hear about whether John the Baptist who is pointing to the coming of the Lord - or Jesus is Elijah returned.
LAST NIGHT
Last night I went through different books to get a take on Elijah for a short sermon for this morning. He’s mentioned in both readings. I like saying Mass - because if gives me an opportunity to take new looks at readings I hear year after year - and do some study for a homily.
Two things hit me.
First of all: the Elijah return stories and legends indicate and establish than many Jews believed that people exist after death.
Secondly, the several Elijah stories tell me that the Jewish people were waiting for Elijah to return.
ONE EXAMPLE: A STORY
Let me tell one example or legendary story of an Elijah sighting or an Elijah return that I found last night. There are many. Hearing this one, I hope you’ll understand why the Christian scriptures have people wondering if Jesus or John the Baptist was Elijah returning.
Here’s how this story goes. I found it in a big book entitled, The Book of Legends - Sefer Ha-Aggadah, Legends from the Talmud and Midrash. (1)
The story is told of a pious man whose wife was virtuous. He lost his possessions and became a hired farm worker. One day, as he was plowing in a field, Elijah, disguised as an Arab, and ever remembered on good occasions, met him and said, “You have 6 good years coming to you. When do you wish them, now or at the end of your days?”
The pious man replied, “You must be a sorcerer. I have nothing to give you. Leave me in peace.”
But Elijah returned three times and asked the same question.
Finally, the third time, the pious man said, “I will go and talk to my wife.”
He went to his wife and told her, “Someone came to me. He pestered me three times, saying, ‘You have 6 good years. When do you wish them? Now or near the end of your days?’ What do I say?”
She replied, “Go tell him, ‘Bring them now.’”
So the pious man went back and said to Elijah, “We’ll take them now.”
Elijah replied, “Go to your house, and before you reach the gate of the courtyard, you will find blessing spread upon your home.”
It so happened that his children were just then sitting outside and sifting dirt through their fingers. Suddenly they found enough money to sustain them for six years, so they called to their mother.
Even before the pious man reached the gate, his wife came out to meet and greet him with the good tidings.
He immediately thanked the Holy One, for he was greatly relieved.
Now what did his virtuous wife do? She said to him, “As things stand, the Holy One has already twinned our lives with the thread of mercy in that He has given us sustenance to last for 6 years, so let us practice deeds of loving kindness during these years. Perhaps the Holy One will continue to give us more out of His plentiful bounty.”
So that is what she did. Each and every day. whatever she gave to the poor, she told her youngest son, “Record every item we dispense,” and he did so.
At the end of six years Elijah, ever remembered on good occasions, came back and said to the pious man, “The time has come to take away what I gave you.”
The pious man replied, “When I took it, I took it only with my wife's advice. Now that I am to return it, I will return it only with my wife's advice.”
He went to her and said, “The old man has come back to take away what is his.”
The wife replied, “Go tell him, ‘If you find human beings more reliable than we are, give them what you left in trust with us.”
When the Holy One considered these words and the acts of charity they had performed, He gave them blessing after blessing to fulfill what is said: “Works of charity shall convey peace.” [Isaiah 32:17.”]
CONCLUSION
The title of my homily was, "Elijah Returns."
Hopefully by hearing that these stories were part of Jewish legends and traditions, we would expect them in Jesus’ times as well. And we do - as in these Advent readings in which we hear various references to Elijah.
NOTES
Picture on top: The Prophet Elijah - first half or middle of the 15th centruy. The Karelian Fine Arts Museum - Petrozavodsk, Russia
(1) Hayim Hahman Bialik and Yehoshua Hana Ravnitzky, The Book of Legends, Sefer Ha-Aggadah, Legends from the Talmud and Midrash, translated by William G. Braude, Schocken Books, New York, 1992.
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