THE GOSPEL OF MARK

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this First Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “The Gospel of Mark.”

As you know,  this year - 2012 -  is the year for the Gospel of Mark for our Sunday Gospels in Ordinary Time. Last year, year A, was Matthew. This year, year B, this year, is Mark. Next year, Year C, will be the year of  Luke.

That’s the Sunday gospels. However, Mark being the shortest of the gospels - only 16 chapters - gets bumped on a few Sundays. This will happen next Sunday, but on the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time,  we’ll start going through the Gospel of Mark for the rest of the year - with a few exceptions.

That’s Sundays. On weekdays in Ordinary Time we have Mark for the first 9 weeks of Ordinary Time readings. This year, that’s till June 9th, then we'll start Matthew, then finish the year with Luke.

LOOKING AT THE GOSPEL OF MARK

Mark is the shortest and the earliest of the gospels - dated to around 64 to 67. A.D.

Last week I noticed in Newman Book Store in Washington D.C. - not too far from Catholic University and the National Shrine - that they had books on Mark on display. Last year there were books on Matthew featured. So we keep on getting new books on the gospels.

This year people will find books on Mark to look at. There will be workshops in parishes on Mark as well. So by the end of this year folks will have a greater grasp of the themes and main emphases found in the Gospel of Mark.

With the changes after Vatican II in the Liturgy, the Catholic Church cannot be attacked as not being Biblical.

I always like to quote the mandate of Vatican II in The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, # 51. “The treasures of the bible are to be opened up more lavishly, so that richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God's word. In this way a more representative portion of the holy scriptures will be read to the people in the course of a prescribed number of years.”

So this year we have Mark on Sundays in Ordinary Time as well as at the first 9 weeks in Ordinary Time of the church year. Lent jumps in with Ash Wednesday. Then there is the Easter season. Then after Easter and Pentecost - on Monday May 28th we get back to Mark - to finish his pre-Passion account messages  on Saturday June 9th (i.e, finishing with Mark 12: 38-44.)

I’ve met people who say, “Mark is my favorite gospel!” but I’ve heard more say it’s Luke or John. And I just read in Time magazine that Tim Tebow draws not only on the famous John 3:16 text that has been seen on signs at many football games, but also on the Gospel of Matthew - especially that we be salt and light to the world. [1]

ONE QUICK TAKE

For a sermon thought for today, let me offer a strange idea or a different take. I’ll be quick.

By serendipity or by chance, today’s first reading from 1st Samuel has the story of Hannah going to the temple shrine at Shiloh to pray to God to get pregnant. Her prayer is very specific. She wants to have a son. She does what many people do. She bargains with God. She makes promises to God. Her prayer is very clear. It’s a vow prayer:

                 "LORD of hosts,
                 If you look with pity on the misery 
                 of your handmaid,
                 if you remember me 
                 and do not forget me,
                 if you give your handmaid a male child,
                 I will give him to the LORD 
                 for as long as he lives;
                 neither wine nor liquor shall he drink,
                 and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

Yesterday we celebrated the feast of The Baptism of the Lord, so we didn’t get the reading from First Samuel that is right before today’s text. It tells us that Hannah went to this shrine every year - with her prayer and she was not having luck with pregnancy. However, her husband’s other wife, Penniah,  had several children and rubbed it in that Hannah didn’t have kids. Perhaps, Penniah's motive for irking Hannah was, as the text indicates, that Elkanah,  the husband of the two wives, liked Hannah more.

Well, today’s story has Eli, the priest, watching Hannah pray. Her lips are moving without making any sounds. He thinks she’s drunk. She isn’t and she tells Eli that she isn’t. She says she’s praying for a child. Well, he says, “Go in peace and may God grant your request.”

That’s the way these stories are told. And she has a son: Samuel.

Well, here’s a twist - triggered by this story that Eli thought Hanna was drunk. There is a book by John C. Mellon entitled, “Mark As Recovery Story.” He writes the whole book as if Mark has alcoholism in mind in his gospel. Sure enough he sees today’s gospel story of the man yelling in the synagogue as someone who could be an alcoholic. Interesting. [2]

I read John Mellon's book and don’t agree that Mark has this in mind. However, ever since I read that book, whenever I read the Gospel of Mark, it challenges me to see that as a possibility in the different stories and incidents in his gospel.

So that's why I push reading a book on a specific gospel. It triggers nuances, wonderings, questions, possibilities, that we didn't see before.

TWO  CONCLUSIONS

1) Check the library or on line for books on Mark.

2) This year, read and pray with the Gospel of Mark on your own. Also, during this year here in church, listen to the Gospel of Mark when it’s used on Sundays - and when it’s used this first part of ordinary time with your issues in mind - whether it’s alcohol or what have you. Amen.

+++++++++++++++

NOTES

Painting on top: St. Mark by James Tissot (1836-1902) by James Tissot, Brooklyn Museum, NYC. NY

[1] Jon Meacham, "Faith on the Field", "Tebow's Testimony",  Time magazine, January 16, 2012, pp. 40-42

[2] John C. Mellon, Mark as Recovery Story, University of Illinois Press, Urbana and Chicago, 1995

PREACHING

Quote for Today - January 10,  2012

"A sermon can help people in different ways.  Some rise from it greatly strengthened; others wake from it refreshed."

Anononymous

FEELING DIRTY, 

FEELING CLEAN 

INTRODUCTION


The title of my homily for this feast of the Baptism of Jesus is, “Feeling Dirty, Feeling Clean.”


There are various options for readings for today - so I didn’t know what to preach on. Baptism obviously. The readings last week mentioned baptism as well - and I preached on baptism on Friday at Heritage Harbor - and I had a nice baptism yesterday - so baptism is on my mind - but what to preach on?


THE ESSENCE


I asked myself, “What is the essence of baptism? What is the key meaning - the central reality - of baptism?”


Since water is the main ingredient, I assumed the answer would either be cleaning or life. Without water, there is no life.


Come Holy Spirit - enlighten me - to what is the best answer to the question: “What is the essence of baptism?”


The answer that hit me for today is, “cleanliness”.

"Come to the waters!"


Sometimes when we really feel grungy and grimy, we say to ourselves, “I need a good shower.”


Way before showers - or if people prefer baths, it would be, “I need a good bath.”


And we come up out of the water or out of the shower feeling new, cleansed, alive and awake.

And people go to the ocean or to water falls or lakes or pools or the river - for renewal.


JOHN THE BAPTIST’S BAPTISM


If one reads the scriptures carefully, John the Baptist called people to the Jordan River, so they could bathe themselves, cleanse themselves, wash themselves free of sin. Repent! Change! Start again. [Cf. today’s gospel, Mark 1: 7-11]]


I was told in theology and scripture studies that John saw his baptism as a reenactment. When the people of Israel entered the Promised Land way back when, they came to the Jordan River. They then down went one river bank - went through the waters - and came up the other side a new people. With God’s promise, they were being given a fresh start in the Promised Land. [Cf. Joshua 3: 1-17]


There is a catch in this interpretation because in the Book of Joshua - as in the Book of Exodus - when the people crossed through the waters, the waters parted. [Cf. Exodus 14: 15-31] In time and in memory - in song and in story - these moments were connected and seen as going through the waters in order to enter new life - to be given freedom and a fresh start.


How many western movies have we seen a scene where someone who has been in a lot of trouble or mess says, “Let’s ride to Rio Grande - cross the river into Mexico - and make a fresh start on the other side?” How many people cross the ocean or rivers and come to a new place - with the idea of a fresh new start.


The Greek word for dip is “baptizo” - from which we get our word, “baptism”.


The word was used in describing the process of dyeing clothes. Garments were dipped into a colored liquid. The word was used to describe putting a ladle into soup or water to draw some out. In the gospel of Luke the word is used for washing.


So it has many meanings.


The key issue is the symbolic action. The key thing is to see baptism as a religious gesture - a reenactment - an action that gets across a deep message and a deep reality.


In the Dead Sea Qumran Community around the time of Christ they had ceremonial washings. The documents that they have found there say that mere washing is not enough. An inner change - an inner purification of the soul - is called for. [1]


When little kids say a dirty word, a mom or dad give the warning, “I’m going to wash your mouth out with soap and water.” Kids get that message - probably because they tasted what soap and water taste like - perhaps when they got water in their mouth while taking a bath.


When adults say the wrong thing. When gossip or a cutting remark comes out of our mouth - we feel ugly. We feel dirty. We might even shake our head. Is that an attempt to push the dirty feeling our tongue has for being used to hurt someone - to their face or behind their back?


So down deep - we get baptism.


When parents of a new born baby pick god-parents for their child - I would think they have inborn instinct about those they pick and those they don’t pick.


Down deep we know what it feels like to be right with God and ourselves and others - and when we feel wrong about ourselves and others.


Down deep we know that the old saying, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” - makes sense.


Down deep we feel the need for confession or to get to church - to say the prayers in the first part of the Mass. Down deep we get the meaning of blessing ourselves with Holy Water when we come into church - so as to be clean. We get why people wash their feet in some religious ceremonies or before entering a temple or mosque.


Some people sometimes feel, “I just need to take a shower.”


And hopefully we hear the words of God the Father said over Jesus once again, “This is my beloved son [or daughter].” And we feel the Holy Spirit breathing deep within us once again. Amen.


CONCLUSION


So baptism means many things. I’m stressing today the idea of being cleansed - getting a fresh start - and feeling clean again. I ask you to do your homework and ask yourself, “What’s my take on what baptism means”?



NOTES
 
[1] John McKenzie, S.J., Dictionary of the Bible, "Baptism," page 79

PRESENCE

Quote for Today - January 9, 2012

"One visit is worth a basket full of letters."

Anonymous

This is an old quote. Today would it be translated: a computer full of e-mails?

SHEPHERDS AND KINGS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this feast of the Epiphany is, “Shepherds and Kings.”

When we walk up to the Christmas crib or crèche, we see shepherds and kings.

They are not there by accident.

NO SMOKING SIGN

I follow the “No Smoking” sign rule when I read the Bible.

If it’s in here, it’s in here for a reason.

Smoke gets in your eyes.

If there is a “No Smoking” sign in a building - or now - just outside the entrance of a building - someone has been smoking there - and somebody doesn’t want smokers there.

If there are speed bumps, if there are “No Dogs Allowed” signs, if there is a violinist playing on the street and there is a box in front of him or her, they are expecting a tip.

Everything on stage - everything in a good story - is there for a reason. Everyone who has done plays knows Chekhov’s rule, “If in the first act, you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following act, it should be fired. Otherwise don’t put it there.”

So if we hear about shepherds in the Christmas readings and Wise Men or Magi or Kings at the Epiphany readings, they are here for a reason.

THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE

There are two kinds of people who discover the Light - who discover Jesus - who discover God.

Today’s first reading from Isaiah says, “Raise your eyes and look about.” Isaiah continues, “Then you will be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow.” [Cf. Isaiah 60:1-6]

What do you see, what do you tend to notice, when you look around you? When it comes to God, what have you discovered? When it comes to God, what type of a person are you?

The first type person has God coming to them. The shepherds were out there at night tending their sheep when the angel of the Lord came to them by surprise.

The second type person goes in search of God. The Magi - the word used in today’s translation of Matthew 2: 1-12 - are the searchers - those who come from a far to discover the Light.

Which is more me? Going after or waiting for? Making it happen or it happens to me?

The butter is still in the refrigerator and the bread is on the table. Am I the type that gets up and gets it or do I wait  for someone to bring the butter out for me?

Am I a waiter or a get up and get it myselfer?

Am I content or am I restless?

Am I like the shepherds and God comes to me or am I like the 3 kings and go in search of God?

Do I see, meet, discover God, when I’m doing my work, and God surprises me at times in my everyday activities?

Or do I have to get up and do my own searching to find God?

I think one reason why we have these stories in the scriptures is for us to figure out ourselves - to see ourselves in the stories.

No kidding.

LITERATURE TELLS US THAT PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT

If we read the scriptures - if we read literature - we know that the writer  - knows that people are different.

Once upon a time there was a tortoise and a hare ….

Once upon a time there was a girl named Cinderella who had 2 stepsisters ….

King Lear had three daughters and he was getting older ….

Jesus used to visit the home of his friend Lazarus - who had two sisters. One was named Mary and the other was named Martha ….

A shepherd had 100 sheep - 99 were safe and sound - but one of them was lost….

A woman had 10 coins - and one was lost and she ….

A man had two sons ….

A man named Jacob had 12 sons and 1 daughter ….

Jesus had 12 disciples - and the one named Judas - betrayed him.

On the cross hung Jesus - along with two thieves. The thief on his right said…. The king on his left said ….

There is a Zen story about a man who had two sons. One son left home and traveled the world for a couple of years and then came home. The other son never left home - but worked the farm and stayed with his father. Which one saw more? Which one learned more?

Often these stories, these plays, these movies, these parables, end without telling us the moral or the message.

In these stories there are gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh - to be opened - and their glitter can get us. They have a scent  and it can reach us. And good stories - really good stories - contain a pain - a sword that can open up our eyes to insight, wisdom, an epiphany. [Cf. Hebrews 4:12.]

Which character in the story is a lot like me? The play, the movie, the scriptures are a mirror. See myself in the story.

Look in the mirror and see the spinach in one’s teeth - as well as the look in one’s eyes - and then pause and really look deeper into one’s being. Who am I and what’s going on inside of me?

WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR GOD MOMENTS

What have been our God moments?

On the feast of Christmas many people are like the shepherds. They hear the music. They see the light - the stars - the stained glass windows in the distance - and these get these folks to church for Christmas. They are like the shepherds. They see the baby. Ooh. Ah. Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright. Then they go back to their fields and their work.

On the feast of the Epiphany many people are like the Magi, or the Wise or the Kings - searching for the new born King of the Jews. They discover him - do him homage - and then they depart for home by another way. They are changed.

What have been our Christmas Moments - when God brought us to himself and what have been our Epiphany Moments when we went in search of God - and found him.

What have been our God moments?

That would be the key question that I am asking in this homily.

That’s my sign - a la a “No Smoking” sign - that I’m projecting onto the screen of your mind today.

“God Moments!”

Two words.

Make a list of the God moments of one's life.

If you want me to be more specific, make it 3 or 5 key God moments.

Just jot them down.

Andrew Greeley did some research and found out that most people have had revelations - personal God moments in their lives. [Cf. today's second reading from Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6]

Let me present a quick 3 step process on how to get in touch with our God Moments.

First step: just jot. Just jot down telegraphically items like: "Rome 1993" or "the birth of our first child" - or "the death of my dad" - or "Second Honeymoon on our 25 anniversary in 2003" -or a Sunday Mass 9 years ago" - or "I was walking in the woods once and" - or "Cancer 2007" or "a funeral 14 years ago of a dearest friend".

So step one is to just jot down a quick list of epiphany moments in one’s life.

Second step: flesh them out. Just flesh them out.

For example, someone might flesh out a listed moment this way: “I was in Rome in the summer of 1993. It was hot and we came into St. Peter’s Square. It was all set up for a large outdoor talk by Pope John Paul II. There were over 200,000 people there - mostly standing. Then in the middle of the talk - I couldn’t really understand most of the words - it hit me that I’m a Catholic and so are all these people in all these different languages and look - and we’re one with each other in Christ. I can’t explain it, but my faith suddenly made so much more sense  to me. I felt so one with God and all these people. Thank You God. Thank You, God!”

Or, for example, someone might write, “I was with my 3 year old granddaughter and we were playing with Play Doh and she started to make a lion and a camel and a man and a woman and a baby. Well, I asked her what she was making. She looked at me as if I were really dumb. Then she said, ‘It’s the Christmas crib you took me to see in church yesterday.’ Well, that moment was like a lightning storm. I realized in a flash all the good things I passed down to my 4 kids as well as some bad example. I cried and I laughed. Then I said to myself, 'It’s all okay. Jesus was born in a stable with ox and ass and you know what they can do to your floor - and who cares if I helped create lions and camels instead? God will take care of all.' And as I was crying tears of joy, my little granddaughter didn’t say a word but came over and hugged me. Thank You God. Thank you God.”

Third step: after you have about 5 of them. Put a "K" or an "S" next to the story. The K and the S stand for King or Shepherd. The king moments were God moments when I went searching for God and the S moments are the Shepherd moments. They are God moments that just happened  to me. They were total surprise. An angel appeared and the next moment you were in the presence of Jesus.

CONCLUSION

Amen.

LIFE: ITS UPS AND DOWNS
ITS BIRTHS AND DEATHS

Quote for Today - January 7,  2012

"The wise will not only bow at the manger but also at the cross."

Someone

COPIOSA APUD

EUM REDEMPTIO

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for January 7th, the Saturday before the Epiphany, is, “Copiosa Apud Eum Redemptio.”

It’s the Redemptorist Motto: “Copious With Him Redemption.”

Or much better translations from the Latin, “With Him There is Fullness of Redemption.” Or, “With Him Abundant Redemption.” or “With Christ there is Plenteous Redemption.”

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s gospel - the story of Wedding Feast at Cana -  imagines - describes - and pictures - what fullness of redemption looks like. It’s a wedding banquet that doesn’t run out of wine. It has lots of wine - plenty of wine - a fullness of wine.

We know the story: there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee and they ran out of wine.

And the Mother of Jesus is there.

Just as Eve took the wrong fruit - Mary brings us Christ the fullness of the fruit of her womb. Take and eat. Take and drink.

Message: When empty, go to Christ and expect fullness.

Message: why have millions and millions of people gone up aisles in Catholic churches and knelt and begged at the images and ikons of Mary. They want help - always - perpetual help.



Hail Mary, full of grace .... full of gifts .... full of help....

Redemption, Salvation, Fullness, Abundance, Total Fulfillment, Satisfaction is often described as a banquet - where we get our total fulfillment.

And Jesus turns the water - 20 to 30 gallons of water - in 6 big water jars into wine. Jesus saves the wedding. Jesus saves the celebration. Jesus saves the couple. He does what Mary asks him to do. Help this couple. Save this situation.

SCRIPTURE MESSAGES

The Book of Genesis begins with God creating this world in abundance - sun, moon, stars, birds, cattle, trees. And all is good.

The Book of Genesis begins with God creating man and woman and places them in a beautiful garden. And all is good.

Then man and woman mess up. We hear about sin in today’s first reading - especially with sin that kills - that is deadly - yet people bite into it.  [Confer 1 John 5: 14-21]

Today’s gospel from John begins with the first miracle - the first sign of Christ’s arrival - and love - simply helping this couple. [Cf. John 2: 1-12]

This first sign of God’s New Presence with Christ - is that Jesus brings abundance. Our God is an overflowing and generous God.

What is our take - our sense of what God is like? When describing God: don’t think small.

When it snows - if we get snow this winter - just watch how much comes down.

The next time you go to Ocean City or Rehoboth - or you’re out in the bay - just pause and sense all the water there is - fullness - and it goes all around the world and then some. Water takes up more than 75 percent of the globe. That’s why this planet has life.

If you’ve been to Niagara Falls - just close your eyes and return there in your imagination - and listen to the ongoing flow - the non-stop flow.

If you’re out on a clear night, stop to look up. Glance at the stars in the vast sky. Notice the abundance of stars, the abundance of black night, the abundance of distance. If we know anything about God, we know there’s more - more out there. The universe is 5 to 10 billion years old. That’s our primitive guess as of now. Imagine what’s going to come - in billions of years to come. Humans on this planet have been around for only a short time compared to the age of the earth. There’s an abundance of time to come. When I hear people predict endings - I smile. We’re limited in our thinking and our seeing beyond yourselves - but God isn’t. God is abundance.

As I was thinking about this last night, as I was thinking of abundance - as in abundance of redemption - a memory of seeing a Tomato Throwing Celebration in Spain that was on TV came to mind. I went to Google and checked it. I found out that there are various tomato throwing celebrations all around the world. The granddaddy of them is in Buhan, Spain. It started in 1945 when some young men grabbed some tomatoes from a vegetable stand in a brawl in the town’s main square. The following year the young people repeated the moment with another tomato fight - on the 3rd Wednesday of August - this time with tomatoes they brought from home. The police tried to stop them. By 1950 the town allowed the fight. However, when things got out of hand, some young people were imprisoned, the residents of Bunoh forced the police to release the kids. The tradition continued. It was banned. It continued. It was banned. It increased and now it’s an annual event - when 150,000 tomatoes, 90,000 pounds, are thrown for about an hour.

It’s an amazing site - abundance of tomatoes and tomato juice flowing through the streets - and all is abundantly red. Check it out!

Now that’s abundance! Now that's a party! Now that's a celebration!

How about seeing God as a God who gives a crop of 100 million tomatoes every year -as well as oranges, apples, grapes and wheat that becomes flour that becomes bread.

How about seeing our God who gave at a Last Supper bread and wine - his body and blood - and the chalice and the plate - the bread and the wine - his love and his presence - as gifts - have never stopped flowing.

Surprise we’re at that wedding feast again today. It continues ....

CONCLUSION

We are made in the image and likeness of God. So if God is a God of Abundance, am I abundant when it comes to love and forgiveness and giving?

JUDGING  OTHERS

Quote for Today - January 7,  2012

"There are two things that will be believed of any man whatsoever, and one of them is that he has taken to drink."

Booth Tartington [1869-1946], Penrod (1914), chapter 110

ACTION:  JUST  DO  IT!

January  6,  2012

Quote for Today

"You can't plow a field by turning it over in your mind."

Anonymous

SAINT JOHN NEUMANN

Today, January 5th, 1861, is the anniversary of the death of Bishop John Neumann. 

He was a diocesan priest, who became a Redemptorist, who became the 4th Bishop of Philadelphia.

While walking across Vine - near 13th Street - in Old Philadelphia, he felt something going wrong with him. When he got to the other side he began to stagger. He fell over. Two men rushed over to him. They carried him into the house of a non-Catholic. That’s where he died right after that. A priest was called for - so as to be given Last Rites - but John Neumann died before the priest arrived.

That morning he had said to Father Urban, a priest who had dropped in to see him, “I have a strange feeling today. I feel as I never felt before. I have to go out and do a little business and the fresh air will do me good.” Then the bishop added the following, “A man must always be ready, for death comes when and where God wills it.”

RECOVERY  COSTS

Quote for Today   - January 5, 2012

"With mistakes, like a lot of other things, 
it isn't the initial cost - it's the upkeep."

Anonymous

HOW  DOES GOD WORK? 

Quote for Today  - January 4, 2012

"God tempers the wind ... to the shorn lamb."

Laurence Sterne [1713-1768], A Sentimental Journey [1768]

The full line, without the ... is, "God tempers the wind, said Maria, to the shorn lamb."

Painting on top: "Shearing the Rams" [1896] by the Australian Impressionistic painter Tom Roberts.

***

P.S. I always wonder about this saying - because it says so much. I would think a discussion group would say much - if this saying was brought up as a discussion topic. It has some of the sense of one of my favorite quotes from Marian Evans Cross [1819-1880] - a.k.a. George Eliot, "If we had a keen vision of all that is ordinary in human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow or the squirrel's heart beat, and we should die of that roar which is on the other side of silence." [Middlemarch 1871-1872, Chapter 22.]

The following texts might help such a discussion.

In  Matthew 10: 26 to 31 we read that Jesus said, "Do not be afraid of them therefore. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops. Do not be afraid of  those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows."

In John 3: 8 we read that Jesus said, "The wind blows wherever it pleases; you hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes or where it is going."

In Mark 4: 35-41 we read the following scene, "With the coming of evening that same day, he said to them: 'Let us cross over to the other side.'  And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.  Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped.  But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep.  They woke him and said, 'Master, do you not care? We are going down!'  And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Quiet now! Be calm!'  And the wind dropped, and all was calm again.  Then he said to them, 'Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?'  They were filled with awe and said to one another, 'Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.'"

Also read Luke 15:4-7; John 10: 1-21; Ezekiel 34; Jeremiah 23:1-4; Isaiah 56:11.

Rereading the opening quote, "God tempers the wind, said Maria, to the shorn lamb" here are 3 questions:

1) Does God go, "Ouch!" when someone smashes a mosquito dead when it's about to bore into one's arm? 2) Does God go, "Ouch!" when a fly is hit by a car and a wing is damaged? 3) Is God aware of each hair on each spider's head?

YOU’RE RIGHT

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for today, Tuesday, January 3nd, is “You’re Right!”

Today’s first reading from First Letter of John, Chapter 2 into Chapter 3, uses the words “righteous” and “righteousness”.

The issue of being right is a very human issue - and therefore - if I’m right - a very religious issue.

We join and stay with our religion because we think it’s right - we hope it’s right - we pray it’s right - and we use our brain and our faith as well - to follow it. We have blessed assurances from time to time - but we also have questions, we have doubts, and to the best of our understanding, we think it’s right.

LAST NIGHT

Last night, to prepare this homily I did what I like to do - I did some research on something in the readings - something that triggers wonderings or questions. The question of being right and righteousness hit me. Everyone wants to be right. We see that struggle in Jewish Scriptures as well as the Christian Scriptures.

In the Jewish Scriptures the Hebrew words for "right" and "righteous" and "righteousness" have the root word, “SEDEK”, spelled, “SEDEK” or “SEDAKA” or “TSEDAQUA”. [1]

In Judaism the goal in life was to see that God was RIGHT. Follow God and you’ll be right. And then be right with your family and your neighbor. No wrongs. No lies. No injustice. Be right with God.

Some kings were that way - described as being right with God and with the people - treating them with justice, loving kindness and mercy.

In time the list of what God wants us to do to be right increases. It takes in how to treat each other as well as what to eat, what not to eat, how to pray, how to worship, how to spend the Sabbath.

Jesus arrives and is off on what he sees is right and just and kind. He also sees that some people - some leaders - were off on what is right - to the detriment - to the crushing of the spirit of people - especially with regards the Sabbath. One picks up how the Scribes and the Pharisees were angry with him - especially when he healed people on the Sabbath.

So they killed him because they thought he wasn’t right. They told him that he was wrong.

Then comes the Acts of the Apostles and the beginning of the Early Church and we hear about Saul - a Pharisee - who saw Jewish folks following Jesus’ way. He too thought they were wrong and he was right - so he went after them - only to fall on his face - and discover something: he was wrong. Jesus was right.

In time he discovered that following Christ, entering into his life and spirit - is what makes for righteousness with God. And that’s what he basically preached: Righteousness, Salvation, Being Right with God is entering into Christ. We don’t earn all this. Grace and Salvation and Life: all is gift.

CONTRADICTION

Last night as I read all this, I felt the contradiction, the paradox, a major issue that was taking place in the life of Early Christians. They thought they were right; the Jewish people thought they were right and that was that. How does one deal with this contradiction, this paradox, this struggle - when two groups think they are right.

OLD STORY

Then the old joke of the Rabbi who was a great marriage counselor came to mind.

But last night I saw that the old joke is also a parable and the solution to this question about how do we deal with someone who thinks they are right, but we know we’re right.

The old joke goes something like this.

Once upon a time in the early part of the last century there was a small Jewish village in Eastern Europe. Their Rabbi was an excellent marriage counselor. Everyone raved about how wonderful he was.

His wife wondered about this all the time. She would meet another woman in the market place who would thank her for having such a wise husband - and how he helped her in her marriage Then she would meet men who would say the same thing. This happened all the time and all the time she jokingly would say to herself, “He certainly has fooled you.” She wanted to say, “Are we talking about the same person?” but she never dared say that.

Well, one day she was in the market and this woman says to her, “You’re the rabbi’s wife. You’re the luckiest woman in the world - having such a wonderful husband. My husband and I are having trouble and a bunch of my friends told me to see the Rabbi and tomorrow morning at 11 my husband and I are going to see him at your place.”

For the rest of the day it hit her: “Here is my chance to find out - just what he does with all these couples.”

So she tells her husband that evening that she’s going shopping tomorrow morning - and he really doesn’t hear her. She says to herself, “As usual.”

The next morning around 10:30 she dresses up to go downtown to do some shopping - and once more tells him that she’s going shopping. She’s gathering her stuff. It’s about 10 to 11 and he goes out back to the out house and she yells, “Bye now. I’m going shopping.”

She goes to the front door opens it - as he’s going out the back door. When she hears it close, she heads into the rabbi’s study or meeting or counseling room. She hides behind the curtain and waits and waits and waits. She hears the bell ring and she hears him welcoming the couple. She hears him say, “Who would like to come in and see me first?”

Silence. So she hears the husband say, “Honey, you go in first.”

The wife comes in and pours her heart out to the rabbi and says all the things that are eating her about her husband.

The Rabbi listens. After saying 3 or 4 times, “Anything else?” she says, “No. That’s it.”

“Well,” the rabbi says, “after hearing all that, you’re right. You’re right, but don’t tell your husband you’re right - just let him think he’s right. That’s the secret of a good marriage.”

The wife says, “Thank you. Thank you. I always thought was right.”

She walks out and in comes the husband. He tells the rabbi all his complaints about his wife - and this and that.

And after listening to him - and after getting him to voice all his complaints - the rabbi says, “You’re right. You’re right, but don’t tell your wife that you’re right. Just let her think she’s right. That’s the secret of a good marriage.”

And the husband with a wonderful smile says to the Rabbi. “I always knew I was right - but you’re right, I better not tell her - otherwise I might upset her once more.”

He too walks out of the Rabbi’s room with a great smile. And husband and wife give each other a nice hug and both say, “Thank you!” to the Rabbi.” And both walk back home holding hands.

The Rabbi is standing at the door - watching them walking together - and feeling good about himself. He turns around and there is his wife - furious. She says, “I was just in your room behind the curtain for the last 45 minutes and I heard you listen to that wife and then say, ‘You’re right.’ Then when you listened to her husband, you said the same thing to him. How can they both be right?”

And the rabbi said with a great smile, “You’re right.”

CONCLUSION

There’s a great lesson there. In life, when someone thinks they are right, our comments aren’t going to change things. So just remain quiet or say, “You’re right” and watch what happens.

Now some of you might disagree with this. Guess what? You’re right.

**********

NOTE

[1] The Hebrew word "TSEDEQ" or "SEDEK"  is usually translated into Greek with the word, "DIKAIOS"  or "DIKAIOSYNE" or "DIKAIOSIS" - with the sense of the Hebrew word "SEDEK".

PROCRASTINATION 

Quote for Today  January 3,  2011

"You will never 'find' time for anything.
If you want time, you must make it."

Charles Buxton

STUCK IN THE PAST

Quote for Today  January  2,  2012

"Never look for the birds of this year in the nests of the last."

Miguel de Cervantes [1547-1616]

IT’S ABOUT TIME

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Sunday, January 1st, is, “It’s About Time.”

That’s one of those phrases that has various meanings.

Time is something we think about from time to time - especially at the time of a new year - and a new calendar in our kitchen or wherever we hang our calendars.

Happy New Year.

As I took down my calendar this morning for 2011, I found a Sarah Palin calendar someone gave me last summer. I had forgotten about it. Surprise! Everyday there are surprises underneath everything.

FIRST MEANING - THE TIME OF OUR LIFE

The first meaning of time is numbers - the numbers on the calendar - the numbers in the time of our life.

Born: on such and such a day - in such and such a year - those numbers we put on the form when asked: date of birth?

And every year that goes by,  we know our birth day - and the number of our years. We are not scared to announce them when we’re 2 - but we might hesitate to announce them when we’re 52 or 62 or 72.

Then as various poets put it - every year we go by our death day without knowing it - so there is no cake and ice cream - just the blowing out of the candle - on the anniversary of  the day we are going to die.

Reality Therapy: we only have so much time - so many days, weeks, months and years.

How much time we get is anyone’s guess.

The Bible - in Psalm 90 - written way back when - said - we get seventy - and eighty if we’re blessed with good health. Every time I read that in the scriptures, I pinch myself, because I’m up to 72 now. My dad made it to 68 and my brother to 51, so I’m receiving a bonus so far. But my dad’s dad and my mom’s dad - made it to 90 +. Will I be that lucky? Am I wearing their genes? If my health is good and my brain system still work, I’ll take being 90. There aren’t enough people becoming priests - but would people take a 90 year old priest? Only time will tell.

So that’s the first reality - the numbers - the dates - the opening and the closing dates.

Babies in the night, kids in the playground, young people moving in packs in the mall trigger thoughts of the first moment: birth - childhood - the beginnings of the great adventure called, “life”.

Funerals, the obituary column, wrinkles, canes, leaks, wheelchairs, pains, cemeteries - white crosses along the highways - all remind us of the last moment: death. I believe and I hope in a next after that: I’ll take that reality - resurrection - on faith. I believe there will be a new morning after the mourning - after death - one’s personal Easter - Resurrection - because this was Jesus’ promise.

If we’re here this morning, we’ve been already launched in our time capsule. We’re here somewhere along the timeline of our life. It’s January 1st, 2012.

2012: 4 numbers in this combination are numbers we’ll need some time to get used to. Most of us here have been born in one century - the 20th - and we’re here to pray and Thank God for a new beginning in the  12th year of this 21st century.

So each of us has an opening act - and then when the play is over - we’ll have the closing of the curtain.

“All the world’s a stage" as Shakespeare put it in his play, As You Like It,

                    "And all the men and women merely players:
                    They have their exits and their entrances;
                   And one man in his time plays many parts,,
                   His acts being seven ages….”

How was the play? What parts did we play? Do we like our story so far? What has been the plot? Are we having the time of our life?

It seems some people choose to have the time of their life; others seem to lose the time of their life; while others refuse to have the time of their life.

Which is more me?
Let me now move to the second thought about time.

SECOND MEANING - THE REALITIVITY OF TIME

Einstein, who made it to 76, talked about the relativity of time and life.

Moreover, he didn't believe God played dice with the universe.

Life has meaning and we're meaning makers.

Einstein certainly led a full life - and when we walked on stage, people knew, "That's Albert Einstein!"

What happens when I walk into a room and come on stage?

What do people say?

Einstein worked to the end - bringing the draft of a big speech he was to give - with him to the hospital - where he died. When he realized his health condition, he said he wanted to die gracefully or as he put it, "elegantly". 
He joked about his concept of the relativity of time when he said to his students, "When you’re with your girl friend, hours feel like minutes - but when you’re sitting in a classroom minutes seem like hours."

I always quote the old saying, “How long a minute takes depends on which side of the bathroom door you’re on.” However, this quote has lost its power once homes were built with more than one bathroom.

We know time is very relative. My goal for how long a sermon I give should take is 10 minutes. If it feels like it’s only 7 minutes - great; if it feels like 15 minutes - or longer - that’s an uh oh.

Time is relative.

Sometimes we’re biting our nails while looking at the hands of a clock; sometimes we’re clapping our hands - totally forgetting what time it is.

Some years are better than other years.

How was 2011 for you? [Long Pause]

Answers to that question would tell you an awful lot about yourself.

Some years nobody dies.

Some years float by. Haven't we heard people say, "Looking back now my 30's are only a blur."

Some years had a lot of great things happening. Other years were tough, tough. They had stuff - especially  death or a divorce or bad decision or a disaster in the family - that impacted our time on stage very dramatically.

Once more: how has your life been so far?

Did you ever think of writing your autobiography?

When I ask people that question, they pause and then ask back, “Who would read it?”

And I answer quickly, “You!”

How was 2011 for you?

Long before Einstein, Christianity talked about the relativity of time. It talked about the difference between chronos and kairos - 2 Greek words for “time”.

Those who high school kids at St. Mary's might have heard of a Kairos Retreat - and know the difference between Kairos and Chronos.
Chronos means tick, tick, tick tock time - or quiet digital creep. Chronos time is the same every year - except for this coming Leap Year - 2012.

Chronos time is our basic chronology.

Kairos time is special event time. Not every day is the same as every day.

At the Passover Meal, the smallest child asks the oldest person, “Why is this night different than any other night?”

Some days, some nights, are different from other days and other nights.

Sunday is different than Friday.

July 4th is different than January 1st.

At the Passover Meal, Jesus’ last supper, Jesus asked powerful questions and gave powerful answers about life - about the meaning of life. It’s as simple as sharing bread and wine with each other - and as complex as giving our lives to each other - saying, “This is my body - this is my blood - I’m giving my life for you.” In this giving of ourselves - we experience - transformation and transubstantiation. In this way we become consubstantial with Christ and each other - as we move slowly, slowly, slowly, more and more and more - into God.

Today, January 1st, our Church, goes backwards a bit to our beginning with Mary - who gave birth to a baby - who was born in a stable - whose first visitors were shepherds.

The shepherds see a great light. Have I seen the Light yet?

A new shepherd - a Good Shepherd - Jesus has appeared - as a baby - as a cry in the night - as one of us. Glory to God in the highest?

Why did Jesus come when he came?

In today’s second reading from Galatians, St. Paul answers by saying “When the fullness of time had come God sent his son, born of a woman…. “ Why then? Why there? The Jewish answer is obvious. “Why not?”

If there is one thing we need to discover with God when we start sending questions to God: it’s God’s saying, “Why not?”

Life is filled with mystery - “Why nots?” - surprises.

Life is not just tick, tock time.

Life is filled with our historical moments.

What does my life, my history, look like and sound like?

What have been my memorable lines when on stage?

We are an unwritten book of stories - moments - mysteries - scenes - surprises.

When we look back at a marriage, we see many twists and turns in the plot,  The marriage might have come about by going on a blind date - because someone gave us a call - or we went a certain school. Surprise! People meet people - fall in love - get married - and we couldn’t have planned the scenario. Ah sweet mystery of life…

What will 2012 be like for us? What will be its gifts and mysteries?

Answers to that question are forthcoming.

Answers to that question makes life so unboring.

CONCLUSION: AM I HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE?

The relativity of time challenges us to enter into the mystery by our choices. We can’t control a tsunami - or a hurricane - or a drunk driver - or a fire - or for the most part, noise from a neighbor’s house.

Yet we can control a few things in our house - but as they say, "Want to make God laugh, tell him your plans?"

Yet in time we can control our attitude, our reaction, our way of dealing with the cards we’re dealt.

I just spent 3 days with my family at a family wedding in Austin, Texas. How could anyone know Brian would meet Tanya at George Washington University - fall in love - and get married in Austin, Texas?

On the plane flying back last night, while watching a replay of the three days I was there, one of the things that hit me was the games of cards I saw our family playing. There were lots of games of cards - sometimes - four different groups were playing at the same time in the inner section of the hotel - which you can see from all the inner balconies. While waiting for our plane in Austin 4 of us were playing in the C35 waiting area. Two carry on luggage pieces, one on top of the other made a great card table.
Cards are one thing our family has always played in the in betweens between the main events of our lives.

My mom and dad played cards. We played cards. The next generation and the generation after our generation play cards. I love it that it’s just a deck of cards - without batteries - and there are no new models: just a deck of cards.

And if you play cards, you know about the moment of time we have after we pick up the cards we’ve been dealt. We pick them up with hope and expectation. We look at our hand. Then we ask ourselves: now how am I going to play these cards I just received?

Here is where New Year’s Resolutions could come in.

As we all know New Year’s Resolutions get a bad rap - and perhaps rightly so. The resolutions we make on December 31 or January 1st - are usually not the real resolutions that work in life.

I suspect real life resolutions happen when we have to react to how the game of cards called life is being played. Others play a card and we have to act and react. Next! Now what do I do because of what another has just done?

I suspect real resolutions happen when we fall on our face - or when we are forced to make changes - because of something that was just dealt us.

There is a word in today’s gospel - “reflecting” that is worth reflecting upon. It says that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.”

My first reaction upon reading this was that the word “ponder” had disappeared - as in "Mary was pondering all these things in her heart."

I checked out various translations from the Greek into English, and noticed that some use the word "ponder" and some don’t. I like "ponder" better than "reflect". But as is obvious, I don’t get what I want in life - many, many times. Someone else is dealing the cards. Dang it.

For those interested the Greek word in the original text is, “sumballo” - to throw together. You can hear the word “ball” there - to catch the ball that is thrown to us and to run with it.

Whatever. …

So let me suggest two things to ponder this year.

The first would be to ponder or reflect upon what we’re reflecting upon.



Auguste Rodin, the sculptor, was right. We all have seen his famous statute of “The Thinker”. That’s us. Every one of us - when we get down to our Naked Self - are thinkers.

So it’s good to think about what we are think about - to catch our thoughts - to run after the bouncing ball of each thought.. That will tell us an awful lot about ourselves.

And secondly: to resolve this year to reflect deeper and deeper on what has happened and what is happening in our life - how we got from where we were to where we are right now.

To reflect upon: how am I using the time of my life and am I having the time of my life? If not, why not. It’s time to be having the time of my life. You’re here this morning. You know there are 168 hours in a week - and you know this one hour a week - helps you deal better with the other 167 hours of the week.

I’m thinking one of the things that happens at Mass is like that moment we’re looking at the cards we’re dealt. What now? What next? Then we go forward - fed and fortified by the Lord Jesus - hopefully having the time of our lives.

If we’re not, then it’s about time that we enjoy this day - this moment - this time in our life.

If we’re not, it’s about time, we ponder and become amazed at the gift of life we have received. A lot of things had to happen - a zillion billion trillion of them in fact - to get us to this moment of life - here in this place right now, January 1st, 2012.

So have a Happy New Year!

**********

Note:

This is the basic text I used this morning for my homily. However, this Blog version is a bit longer, because I  tried to clarify it and strengthen it - a bit. As a result it got longer in this fix up.  

Picture of the 1902 sculpture, "The Thinker" by Auguste  Rodin - [1840-1917]

HAPPY  NEW  YEAR 

January  1, 2012

Quote for the Day

"No one ever regarded the first of January with indifference."

Charles Lamb [1775-1834]

CHURCH  COMPLAINTS 

December 31,  2011

Quote for Today

"A noted preacher had a special black book labeled, 'Complaints of Members Against One Another.'  When one of his congregation told him about the faults of another, he would say, 'Here is my complaint book. I will write down what you say, and you can sign it. Then when I have time I will take up the matter officially concerning this sister or brother.' The sight of the open book and the ready pen had its effect. 'Oh no, I couldn't sign anything like that!' they would say. In 40 years this preacher never got anyone to write a line in it."

Anonymous in Voice of Truth

List your top 10 complaints against the members of your community by name.