Friday, October 31, 2014

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

Poem For Today - Friday Oct. 31, 2014

THE DREAM

He had a dream
he had a dream
one day
Blacks/Whites
living together
in peace.
He had a dream
he had a dream
cut short
by a bullet
now a memory,
a page of history.
He had a dream
Yes, oh, yes
he did dream,
some people
don't understand
how dangerous
it is to dream.
He had a dream
one day justice
would reign
we would live as
brothers/sisters.

Dreams are dangerous
when the poor
believe, trust, love,
and are committed to them.

© Trinidad Sanchez Jr.
Page 54 in
Poems by Trinidad Snachez Jr.
Pecan Grove Press
St. Mary’s University
San Antonio, Texas
  October 31, 2014
SISTER  JEANETTE  NITZ  OP

Poem for Today - October 30, 2014


WHITE-HAIRED WOMAN

For Sr. Jeanette Nitz, OP

White haired woman
daughter of farmers/Wisconsin
years have made you
quiet, prayerful, wise.
Friend, sister, mother
to so many who were without hope
lonely, lost, friendless.
Without fear you shared
life, laughter, gentleness, love.
The first time you needed
directions to the jail;
it was the incarcerated,
and the conditions of the jail
that changed your life.
Confronted by the ugliness,
smells of oppression/pain
of your black brothers/sisters,
the poor
you begin visiting prisoners.

White haired woman
understanding their lives/stories
you move to become part of them
to advocate, to stand with them
for change, for justice.
Your anger at the conditions
 made you dream, one day
liberty would be proclaimed
to the captives,
prisoners would be set free
the poor would share the GOOD NEWS.
You've called others
to share your compromise/commitment
with the many in jail/prison.
You have also touched our lives
we will never be the same.

Fifteen years of jail ministry
not an easy struggle
like the white haired women
of revolutions
you remain a sign of hope
truly a companera!

Introducing you becomes difficult
 for words fail to express
to capture your life ...
I found I do it better with Spanish ...
… una mujer comprometida
de las mas comprometidas!
For the many who never returned
to thank you
for those who found gratitude
difficult to express
for all of us here tonight
we thank you for your life.

White haired woman
take your rest
reflect on those years.
Enjoy them. Pray for us,
that we carry on your task,
that we remain strong.
If I can glance into the future to time eternal, for a moment
I'm sure when you meet your Maker
Jesus will say:
White haired woman- !Companera!
Bienvenida -- Welcome.



© Trinidad Sanchez, Jr.
On page 62-63, 
From Poems by
Trinidad Snachez, Jr.
 Pecan Grove Press
St. Mary’s University
San Antonio, Texas


CAPITAL  PUNISHMENT

Poem for Today - Wednesday October 29, 2014


UNANSWERED QUESTION


WHY
DO WE KILL PEOPLE
WHO KILL PEOPLE
TO SHOW THAT
KILLING PEOPLE
IS WRONG?

It was a button Michael wore
convinced as he was
"the death penalty was not
the way to deal with life!"

Ironic ... our lives are penalized
with the death of friends
committed to justice and who love life.

Family, friends
young and old
gather for farewells/good-byes
to Michael ... to bear witness
that in their lives
they have known
a man of justice
a man of God.

Death brings us together
to sing, pray and ask questions
to be answered
by those left behind.
Questions
Michael wore on buttons
and burned in his heart ...

For Rev. Michael McGough
5/5/40 - 7/20/85

© Trinidad Sanchez, Jr
Page 60 in Poems
 by Trinidad Sanchez, Jr.
Pecan Grove Press
St. Mary’s University
San Antonio, Texas

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

WELCOME! 
DOES  ANYONE  HERE 
KNOW ME  AND  MY  NAME?  



INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this feast of the Apostles – Simon and Jude – is, “Welcome! Does Anyone Here Know Me and My Name?”

That’s the theme that hit me from today’s readings.

The Gospel has Jesus calling 12 people by name.

They were nobodies till somebody named Jesus – called them by name.

This unknown God – this unknown person named Jesus - went up on a mountain in the night and prayed with his Father – all night  - and when day came he called his disciples around him and from them he chose 12 by name.

What was that like – to hear one’s name called – by Jesus?

What’s it like to hear Jesus call me by name? “Esther, Edith, Eileen, Evelyn, Eddie, Edgerton” or whatever our name is.

The First Reading from Ephesians says we are no longer strangers and sojourners – but we’re fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God.  We’re part of the structure – the temple built upon the Apostles and prophets – with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.

And this temple – this church – is still being built. We’re still in process.

Not bad – we Christians are connected – well connected with each other – with Christ to cap us all off.

LONELY AND ALL  ALONE

Yet, in spite of all that, sometimes we feel all alone – not at home – out of sorts -  not connected with anyone – anyone at all. Honestly, that’s how we feel at times.

Loneliness is not being alone – but feeling all alone.

Sometimes a person can be all by herself or himself – and not feel lonely.

And as someone said, “Sometimes loneliness is being in a room full of people and not knowing or being know by any one of them.”

To some the most important part of Mass is communion.

To some that means it’s just me – myself – and I – and the bread – and the wine – and I don’t notice or know those in the benches – or on the line – or with me in community.

To some communion means being in community – to be in eyesight – [Spell:] EYESIGHT – as well as in I-sight –[Spell:]  I-SIGHT – as well as we-sight [Spell:] WE-SIGHT -   with the people right here with me in this church or in a room or house or work space. They know me by name and some even know me – and when I come to worship God – I come to be in communion with Jesus in the bread and in the body of the bodies with me here in church.

I’m not just – just another me – I’m a we.

I’m connected.

We are the Body of Christ – member with member – Amen!

A COUPLE

A couple told me once, “I’ve been in the parish 8 years now and no priest” – and then they added “Nobody ever really welcomed us.”

After that I try to say welcome from the pulpit and the parking lot – in the back of church and in the corridor.

Once I said “Welcome!” to one lady. “Uh oh!” It seemed she got ticked at me – as she said, “I’m been in this parish all my life.”

Sorry to say I hadn’t really seen her ever before.

That’s a lonely feeling when one thinks one just put one’s foot in one’s mouth – or one feels the other doesn’t know where one is coming from.

It’s nice to be known by name and by face – voice and wrinkles – eye or eye brows – smile or scowl - and even more by glimpses of one’s personality.

There’s an advantage to sitting in the same bench in church when one comes to pray – and comes for communion. There’s also an advantage in moving around and shaking hands in peace with those we don’t know.

Communion – community – connecting - connections – feeling at home is the greatest of one’s richnesses.

And the opposite can be true. As Mother Teresa once put it, “Loneliness is the most terrible poverty.”

CONCLUSION

Today is the feast of Saints Simon and Jude – two disciples of Jesus – called by him by name.

I don’t know about you – but I fail regularly in not knowing another’s name – as well as being welcoming.


I guess the challenge is to keep working on it and maybe someone who feels like a hopeless case – will finally feel at home with others – starting with us. Amen.
SEARCHING FOR _____? 

Poem for Tuesday - October 28, 2014



YOU HAVE NO NAME


you have no name, no form
when satisfied, you’re like nothingness
when unhappy, you’re perceived as pain
in a breeze, a landscape
in memories snatches of melody, certain phrases
brief flowering and fading
blood and tears
the simple ocean, useless stars
and warm-bodied mammals
you are the beloved
you made and you shattered my soul
caused me to be born by chance in this world
to seek you out
and to die at last a willing death


© Han Dong 2003; 
© Simon Patton, Translation 2006

Monday, October 27, 2014

18 YEARS 
CRIPPLED  IN  SPIRIT 


INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 30th Monday in Ordinary Time is, “18 Years Crippled in Spirit.”

I reflect on the story of the lady in today’s gospel – Luke 13: 10-17. She has been crippled for 18 years. Her story connects me to the story of the man in the gospel of John – Chapter 5: 1-9 - who has been sick for 38 years.

I find it fascinating that numbers are given: 18 years and 38 years.

TWO KINDS OF BEING CRIPPLED

There are all kinds of problems – sicknesses – struggles.

Today let me say there are two kinds of struggles, sicknesses, problems – two ways of being crippled.

The first type are immediate problems – short term set-backs – like the flu – like a broken glass – like a sunburn. They are not forever.

A person has a car accident…. A person says the wrong thing …. A person loses his or her wallet…. A person  walks into the edge of an open cabinet in the kitchen and gets a cut or even a black eye.

Those problems are nothing compared to the second type of problems. These are the lifetime struggles: like having bad lungs or eyes or deep anger or depression or lust or jealousy or alcoholism or inferiority feelings.

SHOW ME

Everyone has a bottom drawer -  or the top back of a closet – or a place under a bed or where have you – where they keep their secret long term – lifetime problems – sins – worries – hurts – mistakes.
The lady in today’s gospel is stooped over for 18 years. The man in the gospel of John that I mentioned keeps crawling back over and over again to the healing water pool at Bethsaida – for 38 years.

When we see someone hurting, bent over, in bed forever, needing a walker or wheelchair, doesn’t our heart go out to/for  them?  Don’t we admire their patience and perseverance? Don’t we wish we or someone could heal them? Don’t we love those feel good stories or pieces on the evening news or YouTube – when someone is healed by a new process or what have you?

Well, Jesus sees this woman who is bent over for 18 years – and has pity for her – and heals her – just as he healed the man in John’s gospel who was handicapped for 38 years. Praise God.

AS PRIEST

As priest – and I’ve heard this from many priests – that we feel worthwhile – it makes being a priest seem like a great life choice  - when someone comes to us to talk about a lifelong problem – and they want to be healed if possible – or listened to….

They have been bent out of shape. They have  been bent over, worn down - they feel rotten, because they are holding onto a hurt from someone else – it could be abuse – for 18 or 38 years – and they finally talk to someone. 

Or it could be something they did wrong.

The Seal of Confession – the absolute secrecy of the Sacrament of Reconciliation – certainly helps.

I’ve heard many people through the years go “phew” in the dark other side of a confession box – because they’ve come to confess what’s been wearing them down for years. It could be stealing. It could be an affair. It could be a sexual mistake. It could be a lie. It could be a family apartheid.  It could be being dropped or someone broke our secret or what have you – years and years ago and we can’t seem to let the hurt go – or to forgive the other.  

And in this sacrament, this sacred sign from Jesus, Jesus heals them – forgives them or helps them forgive the one who hurt or abused or cut them. Not easy.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “18 Years  Crippled In Spirit.”

That could be me – my story.

Today’s first reading from Ephesians 4: 32 to 5: 8 – is worth going through again. It begins with these words:

Brothers and sisters:
Be kind to one another, compassionate,
forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.

It then gives various problems, sins, addictions, struggles, that can be long time long term, sicknesses, hurts or what have you, for many people.



The Gospel – the Good News for today says they can be healed – our spirits lifted – even if we’ve been down for 18 or 38 of 58 years and we can walk away – renewed – forgiven – by the kindness and compassion of our Lord and Savior and Redeemer.



OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Painting on top: Woman Sick for 18 Years by James Tissot, c. 1890
AUTUMN  LEAVES

Poem for Today -  Monday - October 27, 2014





THE LEAVES OF THE TREES

(to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”)


The leaves of the trees turn orange and red
orange and red, orange and red
The leaves of the trees turn orange and red
All through the town.

The leaves of the trees come tumbling down
tumbling down, tumbling down
The leaves of the trees come tumbling down
All through the town.

The leaves on the ground go swish, swish, swish
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish,
The leaves on the ground go swish, swish, swish
All through the town.


© Irmgard Guertges