Quote for Today - Seventeenth Day in Black History Month
"Have a vision. Be demanding."
Colin Powell [1937 - ]
Thursday, February 16, 2012
I’M
PARTIAL
Today’s first reading [James 2:1-9] - the reading for this 6th Thursday in Ordinary Time - triggers the topic of partiality. [1] Fill in the blank: I’m partial to _______________. Starbucks, summers, butter almond ice cream, lacrosse, mornings …. If I limited the blank to people, who would make our list? Today’s first reading begins: “Show no partiality!” James, the writer of today’s letter, spotted something that happens in many churches - many schools - many teams - many places of work: partiality. In his church James must have seen someone come in with gold rings and things and fancy clothes - and the ushers said - or the leader said, “Come right up here Mr. Bo Jangles. We have a nice seat for you up front.” Then in comes a poor person with shabby clothes and he is told to “Stand back there!” or “Sit at my feet.” That’s partiality. You know the saying, “In the land of the blind, the one eyed person is king or queen.” If we were all living in the land of the blind, how would we show partiality? Would it be by accent? Speech? The sound of our voice? If we were all deaf, dumb and blind, how would we show partiality? Would it be scent? Would it be touch? Weight? Height? If you’ve watched Animal Channel you know about Alpha Males. You know how one animal takes over. So when we talk about animals, we talk about partiality. If you’ve watched Discovery Channel you know about the dominant female monkey in a cage - the one who is queen - has shoulders thrown back - while the other female monkeys hunch a bit in submission. If you read the Gospels you know all the sheep are important - even the lost one - the one out of communion with the rest. [2] The title of my homily is, “I’m partial!” Humans flaunt their looks, their wealthy, their gold, their marks, their cars, their athleticism, their talents - to show they are in the upper part of humanity. Jesus didn’t like this separation stuff - this pedestal stuff - this non-communion stuff. At times I hear people wanting to block communion - block union - in the community of churchgoers. The follower of Jesus works on being open to all people - saints and sinners - who’s who? - being there for all people - serving all - washing feet - and greeting all - trying not to be partial or to show partiality. God is not partial. All are God’s creations. For some it doesn’t seem to work that way. Just listen to people. God is not fair. Life is not fair. Why am I so short? Why does so and so have such and such? Then there is paradox. The scriptures seem to say the poor are God’s favorites. The Psalm response for today is:“The Lord hears the cries of the poor!” [3] The poor say, “You’re kidding God. You’re kidding.” Then there are the paradoxes. Of course we are partial to the members of our own families. Of course we are partial to our own kind. Of course we are partial to those we’re comfortable with. Of course we are partial to those our own age. Of course we play the game. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. We know what our teachers want - what answers they want us to give - what behavior they want to see. People do the same thing to each other all around the world. “Whatever you want boss!” Hey it’s the Golden Rule isn’t it. Yet the call - the message - the hope is still there: to be impartial. The Christian reaches out to all people. The Christian tries to learn the language and skills of reaching out to all people. Jesus pushed this and look where it got him. He says the cross is what’s going to happen in Jerusalem - and Peter takes Jesus aside and says, “Are you crazy?” And Jesus - who chose Peter - who made Peter his key guy - who gave Peter the keys to the kingdom says to Peter: "Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Keep on being part of Jesus - who brings us into communion with the Father and the Spirit. To abide - to travel with Jesus - to our Jerusalem - and we’ll be learning these things. It’s called “discipleship” - not a bad ship to be on.
******
[1] This was a homily for our St. Mary's High School young people this morning over at Marian Hall.
[2] Read Luke 15
[3] Read Psalm 34: 2-7
GRAVITAS
February 16, 2012
Quote for Today - Sixteenth Day in Black History Month
"I gravitate towards gravitas."
Morgan Freeman [1937- ]
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
RACISM
Febuary 15, 2012
Quote for Today - Fifteenth Day of Black History Month
"I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man."
Nelson Mandela
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
ST. VALENTINE’S DAY
Happy St Valentine’s Day!
Those who own Greeting Card Stores or have a Greeting Card section in a big store - St, Valentine’s Day is a great day - for sales - for business for “Come shop with me!”
How about those who sell chocolates?
What about flowers?
What about unmentionables?
Wait! And what about those tiny big ticket items: jewelry?
What about restaurants and taking your loved one out for dinner?
Happy St. Valentine’s Day!
Question: why in the world did the Catholic Church back in 1969 “sort of drop” St. Valentine from their roster of Saints - Saints with a Capital “S”? The word on the street was there was too much of “The Stuff of Legends” when it came to saints like St. Valentine and St. Christopher. If that was true, what about the St. Patrick - whose life has many wonderful legends and stories as well?
Smile! Just as March has St. Patrick’s Day, so too February has St. Valentine’s Day and people still have St. Christopher medals in their cars and around their necks. Isn't it wonderful that some things can't be controled by those who think they are in control? Smile. Grab a piece of chocolate, say a prayer to St. Christopher when you travel and next month pick a shamrock and wish your neighbor a field full of God's blessings and a bit of blarney.
Quote for Today - Fourteenth Day of Black History Month
“I felt something impossible for me to explain in words. Then when they took her away, it hit me. I got scared all over again and began to feel giddy. Then it came to me -- I was a father.”