I  SAW THREE SHIPS 

COME SAILING IN 

Quote for Today - December 25, 2013 - Christmas Day

"I saw three ships come sailing in,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,
I saw three ships come sailing in,
On Christmas Day in the morning,
And what was in those ships all three?
Our Savior Christ and his Lady."


Anonymous, I Saw Three Ships (16th Century)

ON  BUILDING  CHURCHES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my reflections or thoughts for this morning Mass on Christmas Eve  is, “On Building Churches.”

I really can’t call this a homily - because I’m just going to babble a bit about buildings called churches.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

As I read today’s first reading I smiled because it sounds like a great promo for starting a building campaign for a temple in Jerusalem. [Confer 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b - 12, 14a, 16.]

It uses guilt big time. And it has God using the guilt trip trap on David. God tells Nathan to tell David, “Hey you’re living in a palace and I’m in a tent.”

Then he uses more guilt as a motive for trying to get David to move it.  Tell David, “Hey after all I did for you, moving you from being a shepherd boy to a commander. Wherever you went, I destroyed all your enemies. I have made you famous, so David, what are going to do for me?”

Translation:  “I want a house. Moreover, I will make sure you have ancestors who will come after you and your kingdom will have no end.”

Well David fails. Excuses are made - for his procrastination. Hey David is a fighter - a warrior - a man of blood. Check out the rationalization in 1 Chronicles 28:3.

So the task falls to Solomon his son - and Solomon does it - in 7 years. [Cf. below - artists rendition of Solomon's temple.]

TEMPLES, CHURCHES, MOSQUES, SHRINES, WHAT HAVE YOU

If we travel this earth we’ll spot lots of bars and restaurants, hospitals and cemeteries, churches, cathedrals and temples.

I’m sure most of these houses for God that are still working have a brochure sitting there somewhere telling their origins and history - who had the idea of building here - and why.

I grew up in a parish with a gigantic church - but it had no steeples [above] - and now I'm in a much smaller church with a gigantic steepl. [below].

You can find our brochure in the back of this church - and I’ve seen various folks checking us out.

OKAY - NOW WHAT?

I could end here, but I would like to take a moment with a few more comments - so as to trigger in your minds and memories your church stories. So a question: you’ve been in many different churches in your life, which ones have a lingering memory?

To prime the pump, here is a short  list I came up with last night as I was working on this reflection. Talk to each other after this Mass and ask each other your specific church stories.

Years ago I heard a recording by Charles Laughton about his experiences in Chartres Cathedral [Picture above]. It’s about 50 miles southeast of Paris. It was THE Mary church and shrine in Europe. Sometime in one’s life time, one had to make a pilgrimage to Chartres. Hearing that recording made a trip to Chartres a lifetime dream of mine.   I finally made it there in 1996. It was even more than I expected. It triggered the stuff I read about all the work that goes into building these mighty big medieval cathedrals. While there I met a pilgrim who had her list of about 15 European cathedrals she had to visit in her lifetime. It gave me the idea of making my own list.

In 2011 I was going to Spain. About 6 people said I have to see Sagrada Familia in Barcelona [above].  I saw it. I saw why it is a must see. That gigantic church began in 1882 won’t be finished till 2026 - if then.

I always wanted to see Sancta Sofia in Istanbul [above]. It’s now a mosque - but it still retains some of the ancient Greek images of Mary and Christ [below].

Of course I’ve been to St. Peter’s in Rome and St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major - Lourdes, as well as the National Shrine of our Lady in Washington D.C. - as well as the famous Crystal Cathedral in Orange, California - which is now a Catholic Cathedral.[Below]

I wonder about all these churches that are closing in the United States. What about the people who love to pray in them? What about the donors? What about the stuff being taken down and taken away? What about statues and altars and stained glass windows donated in memory of?

I think about interesting churches. There was a church near Mansfield Ohio that had a balcony that extended down into at least the middle of the church. Instead of extensions, some pastor decided to extend within.  I was warned: “Preach from the sanctuary  - and don’t go down into aisle because folks up in the balcony won’t see you.” Now that was an interesting experience.

There was a church in Continental, Ohio that had about 12 benches. That was it. Then there was an alcove of about 6 benches over to the left. Then there was a door in that alcove that led to another building back off the alcove - where folks could watch the Mass on small TV sets. That was very interesting.

I loved the story about Sacred Heart Church in New Bavaria, Ohio [See 1975 picture above]. A group of people wanted a church, so the priest invited the bishop of the diocese to a church. Then they drove in a wagon down this road - and then way down this road, then back down this other  road and said, “See how far it is from the other church. We need a church here.” So the bishop said, “Okay.”  After it was all built, the diocese found out it was only a short distance from the other church.

Then there are those holy places on the planet. I remember standing at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem [above] and said a prayer. I felt that here was a holy place - that had been a holy place for the longest time. It’s base  was part of the base of an earlier temple. Then off to the right of the Western or Wailing Wall, there was a walking ramp up above everything. There were two mosques. I knew then and there I was standing on Holy Ground [below].

CONCLUSION

Sometime today go through your travels in your brain and memory and come up with your list of church building stories. See where that takes you. Amen.

MEANING  OF  CHRISTMAS

Quote for Today - December 24, 2013 Christmas Eve

"What Christ 
brought to light 
in the unfolding 
of the Eternal Gospel 
is the Face, 
the personal aspect,
the revelation of the Heart,
the Love, the Grace,
the Character-Nature of God.
We see Him at last.

Rufus Jones, The Eternal Gospel, 1938

I AM MORE

Quote for Today - December 23, 2013

"I am I plus my circumstances."

Jose Ortega Y Gasset, Time Magazine, Oct. 31,1955

THIS IS HOW 

THE BIRTH 

OF JESUS CHRIST 

CAME ABOUT 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 4^th Sunday of Advent - Year A -  is, “This Is How the Birth of Jesus Christ Came About.”

That’s the opening sentence in today’s gospel. [Cf. Matthew 1:18-24]

It’s part of the Christmas story according to Matthew.

The thought that hit me - and the theme that hit me - is how did the birth of Jesus Christ come about for me? For each of us? How? When? Where? Why? and Who was in on it?

FIRST THE GOSPELS

As you know the four gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, are quite different - especially John.

All 4 introduce us to Jesus Christ - in different ways - coming out of different traditions, circles, early Christian communities - and what have you.

It’s like an interview I recently read in the New York Times Sunday Book Review. It was with  the actor Bryan Cranston. He had played the part of LBJ - Lyndon Baines Johnson - in a play that is headed for Broadway, "All the Way."  In the interview he was asked about the best book he read this year. That’s one of those regular interview questions.  He answered,"Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream, by Doris Kearns Goodwin. He added that he had read 3 other books on LBJ by others. Then he said,  "And I must admit being curious about the new book, Roger Stone’s 'The Man Who Killed Kennedy: The Case Against LBJ,' but I think I’ll save that for after the run of the play." [1]

I’m sure each reading will give him a different take - perspective - insights - understandings -  like I’ve read at least five biographies of St. Alphonsus Liguori - the founder of us Redemptorists and three on St. John Neumann - plus his diary.  Each read gave me different perspectives on the person being talked about - by the person or persons painting the portrait of another - as well as their research.

As you know Matthew and Luke are the two gospels that contain the Infancy Narratives of Jesus. 

For starters Matthew gives us Jesus’ genealogy, the virgin birth, Bethlehem, the arrival of the Wise Men or Magi, the Slaughter of the Innocents, and the escape and then return from Egypt. 

Luke tells us about Mary, Joseph, the miraculous pregnancy,  the Census from Rome, the birth in Bethlehem, the shepherds, the presentation in the temple and the return to Nazareth.

Mark starts us off with Christ as an adult - starting to preach - after John the Baptist announces his coming and arrival. We know Mark is the earliest of the 4 gospels - and so some think - the so called Infancy Narratives, the Christmas stories, were developed to answer various questions about Jesus Christ as his life and message began to be told throughout the Mediterranean Basin cities.

John, the latest of the 4 gospels, from around 100 or so - begins before the very beginning - beginning his gospel with the same words the book of Genesis - the first book of the Jewish scriptures -  begins: “In the beginning.” He presents Jesus as the Word  - being the Word with God - being the Word who was God - through whom all things came to be -  being the Word of God made flesh - light from light - shining in the darkness for all to see.

John is the poet - flighty - pictured as an eagle - giving us the big sky picture. 

John’s Good News - the Fourth Gospel of Jesus - is quite different from the other 3 Gospels. They are sometimes called the “Synoptics” - “syn” the Greek prefix for “with” and “optics” from the Greek word for “eyes.” If you look at those 3, one notices that they come from seeing some of the same sources. John is very different.

For those who have time - like in your retirement - one smart book to read is Raymond Brown’s great book on the infancy narratives of Jesus, The Birth of the Messiah. We can be very grateful as Catholics for having some really great biblical scholars like Ray Brown - whom Biblical Scholars of many Christian denominations have benefited from.

INTERPRETING OUR LIFE, OUR SCRIPTURES AS WELL AS  THE SACRED SCRIPTURES

So we have Jesus according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

So we have Matthew beginning his Gospel with these words, the title of my homily for today: “This Is How the Birth of Jesus Christ Came About.”

Question: How has Christ been born in us?  Better, how has Christ been born and reborn in us - again and again and again for many?

I have always been in favor of people writing their autobiography. 

What would it be like if 4 different people wrote our life? What would they see and say? Now that would be a page turner for one person: ourselves. But like little kids who are supposed to be in bed with the lights out, we would read others takes on us - with a flashlight - under the covers - wondering what someone else is going to say next about us.

I also think everyone - more or less - is composing, figuring, talking to themselves about their roots - their foundations - their biography - their stories - all through their lives - especially after 50. 

I also think there is a lot of revisionist history going on - when it comes to ourselves.  

That’s why I think Thanksgiving and family get togethers are important - when people are talking about old times - early times - and surprise they are saying to themselves, “I didn’t know that about mom or dad or sis or bro and me. 

That’s been my experience - especially because of being the youngest of 4.”

People - when they find out - that the gospel stories were revised and recalculated - developed - as time went on - till they were finally closed by the early 100’s or so - so as to deal with early Church preaching and teaching - go “Uh oh! Then what can you believe?” 

If someone is a fundamentalist when it comes to interpreting the scriptures, the Catholic Church basically says, “Think again!” [2]

As you might know the really weird stories about the baby Jesus that we find in some of the Gnostic Gospels were rejected because they are off the charts - like Jesus making baby birds out of mud and “poof” he sends them flying.

But once one starts  grasping the beauty of the scriptures - as they have evolved and developed - riches are there big time. Comparing texts - attending workshops on the Scriptures - understanding possible reasons why we have the stories we have in the scriptures - can deepen one's spiritual life.

THE NO SMOKING SIGN PRINCIPLE

I love the No Smoking Sign Principle when it comes to reading the Bible.  If one sees a No Smoking sign - one knows people are smoking in this area.

The whole bible is loaded with thousands and thousands of No this and Yes that signs. It’s loaded with Exit signs and “Dead End” signs. Evidently in early Christian communities people were not forgiving 70 times 7 times - maybe not even 1 time. Evidently prodigal sons and daughters came home from disasters with their lives - having hit bottom in some "pig sloppy" elsewhere - and then some family members wouldn’t shake their hands and hug them and welcome them home. Evidently people refused to go the extra mile, turn the other cheek, give the shirt off their back. Evidently people were passing by people on the road - etc. etc. etc.

I am convinced - once people grasp this way of digging the scriptures Christ will be born in them in newer and newer, richer and richer ways.

Hey - life is discovery - vision - revision - editing - and re-editing - changing - growing - being born again - and again and again.

SO HOW HAS THE BIRTH OF CHRIST TAKEN PLACE IN US?

My first answer for that question that has always been: Mom and Dad, my family, the parish and school in Brooklyn I grew up in.

Then there are so many other stories.

As priest I have heard lots and lots and lots of tales of people like Paul who fell on their face - discovered their blindness - and crawled their way to sight and insight in Christ Jesus.

For 14 years of my life I worked in two different retreat houses. Sometimes when people retreat - when they are far from home - somewhat anonymous - they get to tell their stories - their twists and turns, their ups and downs, their better and their worse, their doubts and their faith.

For 8 ½ years I was a road preacher - giving parish missions and retreats all over the country - and once more I discovered that various people look for strangers - to open up their story to.

CONCLUSION

And on and on and on.  The key thing I want to trigger in this homily is to ask you to listen to your Christmas Story - how Christ was born in you - and reborn in you.

I rarely work on a homily till I get to that homily - but I’ve been working in my mind on my Christmas story for this year. For the past 20 years I have written one for every Christmas. This year I want to get into this issue - of how people got their call to Bethlehem or Calvary or Jericho or the shores of the Lake of Galilee.

I am hearing that we’re getting the bounce effect from Pope Francis on many drop outs.

So I am expecting more people at Christmas Mass this year. Now Christmas Mass is actually redundant - because Christmas means Christ’s Mass.

I hope all of us the regulars will do what I heard Father Pat Flynn likes to say: “Welcome them. Give them your seat!”

I am well aware that many CEMF - Christmas, Easter, Marriage, and Funeral - Catholics are out there - ready to be reborn - ready for Christ to come to them - to be born in their stable or unstable lives - stinky stable or cold cave of a mind and heart.

God is no fool. God comes as a baby to disarm us - with the hopes we’ll grow up with Him - or come into the vineyard - at whatever hour it happens. Amen.

O O O O O O O

NOTES

[1] "Bryan Cranston: By the Book,"  New York Times - Sunday Book Review, December 8, 2013, page BR 6

[2] Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Vatican Council II, Pope Paul VI, Rome, November 18, 1965

FEELINGS: 
AT  LEAST  I  TRIED 

December 22, 2013 - Quote for Today - Sunday

"How much has to be explored and discarded before reaching the naked flesh of feeling."

Claude Debussy [1862-1918]

In the meanwhile, listen to Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy

CONSEQUENCES

December 21, 2013 - Quote for Today - Saturday

"A human being fashions his consequences as surely as he fashions his goods or dwelling. Nothing that he says, thinks or does is without consequences."

Norman Cousins [1915-1990]

Question:

Should every house have at the front or garage door a sign or a boomerang with the simple message, "Remember there are consequences."

Suggestion:

This will help you reflect on consequences. Once more listen to Harry Chapin's song: Cat's in the Cradle!

PRAYER:

ROTE OR REAL?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 3^rd Friday in Advent, December 20^th, is, “Prayer: Rote or Real.”

My original title was simply “Annunciations” - because both readings contain annunciation moments.  [Cf. Isaiah 7:10-14; Luke 1:26-38]

Then I thought, to be practical, it would be better to bring that theme into prayer, because folks are often asking for ways to pray better.

THE TIME OF THE READINGS

The first reading from Isaiah 7 can be dated to around the second half of the 700’s before Christ - 742 heading towards 700.

The Gospel would be at the beginning of AD - the beginning of all these new years with the Lord Jesus.

Back then - either 2700 or 2000 years ago -  if someone had a radio receiver or a TV set or a cell phone or what have you, and they turned it on, there would be no sounds in the air to pick up.

Obviously, that’s a fantasy.

All we would hear back then would be the wind or the birds of the air or the music of those singing at work in a carpenter shop or in the temple or on pilgrimage - as well as the sounds of the words of people within one’s hearing.

If a tree fell in a forest, we would hear it.

If we did the same today - if we listened with a powerful radio receiver - AM - FM - Short Wave - we would hear static as well as a snowden - a blizzard of sounds - and voices and music.  The air waves today are filled with the sound of music and thousands and thousands and thousands of people talking on the phone to each other.

A question that hit me - thinking about that contrast: was it easier to be a better listener back then that it would be today?

Answer: I don’t know.

Assumption: Definitely easier back then.

PRAYER

The title of my homily is “Annunciations.”

Prayer is all about Annunciations and Responding to what those announcements and pronouncements are about.

One great way to respond is simply: ask questions.

Prayer - once we hit 10 - or 12 - or 14 - but I’m really not sure of what age it would be  - should be not just rote memory comments - any more than our communication with each other - should be more than rote.

Yes we say the Our Father and “How are you?” and “Nice day,” and “Yes dear” and “It’s warmer today!” by rote - often without thinking - but communication better be listening, reflecting, and asking questions to and with each other.

The question mark is in the shape it’s in - for a reason - to hook each other - to catch each other - to hopefully end up - being in communion with each other - to become pregnant - bigger than ourselves - compared to just going it alone.

LOOKING FOR SIGNS

Prayer to be real - is to look for signs - of possible solutions - new life - new ways to being with God and with each other. 

Prayer is communication.

Communication to be real - is to look for signs - for the visible.

Ahaz in today’s first reading is asked to ask the Lord for a sign, but he won’t do that.

How many times in our life has someone said to us when we were moaning or groaning or complaining about someone else, “Well did you ask them?” “Did you talk to them about this?”

If I read the scriptures correctly - especially the psalms - prayer is very much talking, yelling, begging, groaning, asking God questions.

MARY ASKS QUESTIONS

Ahaz won’t ask God.

Mary does.

That’s why I love the Annunciation story of Mary here in the Gospel of Luke.  And luckily we hear this gospel read at least 3 times a year.

Mary models how to be in communion with God. Ask questions. Tremble. Be troubled. It’s all right to be afraid.  Yet she asks.

So Mary mirrors good communication - actually thinking and talking  to God.

Too many prayers are babble…. non-thinking babble…. Too many prayers are rote memory recitals.

If you know the gospels, especially Luke, you’ll know this is one of Jesus’ complaints about prayer.

I am challenged by the statement: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

DOCENTS AND TOUR GUIDES

Almost finished, one last example. Have you ever had the following experience? You’re visiting a museum or a famous place and you have a tour guide or a docent. They are explaining a painting or a ceiling or something and someone asks a question out of the blue.

The docent or guide answers the question. Then the panic appears on their face. They have given this tour so many times - or something like that - and they don’t know where they let off to take time to answer the question from the crowd. Or they are brand new and just have their speech memorized, so  they have to start their whole spiel from the very beginning.

We have to become so familiar with God - and being in conversations, arguments, discussions with him - like with a friend, that it doesn’t make any difference where we let off or what have you.

CONCLUSION

Prayer moments can be like the two annunciation moments we heard in today’s 2 readings. Simply listen - ask - wonder - speak up - worry - tell God you’re afraid of something that’s going on in your life or what have you. And in the meanwhile expect distractions and interruptions - noise or someone opening up the door and asking a question. So what. Then we go back to prayer

THE REALITY OF EMPTINESS

December 19, 2013 - Friday - Quote for Today

"What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone."

Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956)

Bertolt Brecht [ ]

PREDICTING THE FUTURE

Quote for Today - December 19, 2013 - Thursday

"I'd be astounded if this planet is still going by fifty years from now. I don't think we will reach 2000. It would be miraculous."

Alistair Cooke [1908-2004]

LOVE 

INCLUDES SUFFERING

Quote for Today - December 18, 2013 - Wednesday

"If you love, you will suffer, and if you do not love, you do not know the meaning of a Christian life."

Agatha Christie [1891-1976], An Autobiography,[1977], Pt. III, Growing Up

THE  FAMILY  TREE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for  this Tuesday in the Third Week of Advent - December 17^th, is, “The Family Tree.”

TODAY'S GOSPEL

As we listened to the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew this morning - which begins with names - lots of names - 42 to be precise - we are getting a sense of history - and mystery - not just of Jesus Christ - but of every person.

EVERY PERSON MATTERS

Our parish theme for this year is: Every Person Matters.

On the family tree of each person there are names - 42 names - hundreds and hundreds of names. They are the people who got us to this moment of our life.

I have not talked yet to someone who was adopted - who had no idea who his or her parents were - and then they took one of those new DNA tests and they discovered with the results - some of their roots. What would that be like?  I have to keep my ears open for someone who took that path.

What is it like when an adopted person discovers who gave them the gift of life? When it comes to adoption, I’m sure we’ve heard great stories - as well as so so stories. I’m sure we heard of people expressing a greater appreciation of the woman who gifted another couple with her child - because she or they knew they couldn’t handle a child at this time. I’m sure we’ve heard as well a greater appreciation for the mom and dad who adopted a person.

In the last 50 or so years doing one’s genealogy has become more and more significant - and I’ve heard people tell stories that are fascinating.

Growing up we had a picture of a cousin of my mom or dad - who went out to Minnesota - in the early part of the last century -  never to be heard from again. Then years later my Aunt Nora found a note on her door in Galway, Ireland  - from some people on a golfing trip to Ireland and they were checking out their roots. Nora wasn’t home - but they left a USA  address. My aunt Nora sent the address to my sister in Brooklyn - who wrote to them saying, “We might be relatives.” We were. Then my sister Mary flew out to a family reunion they were having - now in South Dakota. It was great. They were super, super happy to get the lowdown on their family tree - much of which they didn’t know about.

THREE QUICK MESSAGES

Okay, I asked myself, what would be 3 messages - I don’t know why I picked 3 - but 3 things that can happen from doing a genealogy:

1) We are a Cast of Characters. Check the family tree - and you’ll find a great cast of  characters and surprises. We’ll come up with people we’d brag about and people we’d like to keep in the closet. Looking at Matthew’s list for Jesus in today’s gospel, commentators like to point out the 5 women mentioned and not mentioned: Tamar seduced her father-in-law, Rahab was a prostitute, Ruth who was loyal beyond blood but most loyal to her in-laws, Bathsheba whom Matthew doesn’t list by name. She’s described as the mother of Solomon and the wife of Uriah - the one who got pregnant by David and whom David let him get killed. Then there was Mary - the mother of Jesus who is called the Christ.

2) Being a Loner Is Not an Option. We’re not in this alone. We can’t get a ticket to the dance called “life” without a mom and dad - and their moms and dads - and their moms and dads - and back and back and back and back and back. We’re not just one domino. John Donne said it loud and clear: “No man is an island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent.”  I love the football story - that happened somewhere along the line. A quarterback was doing fabulous on some college team - but he never gave credit to his offensive line - who protected him every time. So on one play - it was planned -  they just fell down and let the defense of the other team come in and crush the quarterback. He got the message!

3) We’re All Related - if we all go back far enough. Is this why various folks like to say to another. Hi Bro or Sis or Cous. As we listen to history and social studies and world situations, we keep hearing that various parts of the world - especially the countries ending in “an” - but many other places - Africa - the Middle East - are very family and tribal oriented - and those places are really not part of a nation yet. Blood is thicker than water. Families - extended families are more to be trusted. It isn’t until we realize we’re all brothers and sisters and God is our Father, and we’re in this together - that this world isn’t going to work. I’ve often thought the only way this world will be united - would be that we discover there is another world on some other planet  - and they are perceived to be enemy - and dangerous. 

MUSIC

Quote for Today - December 17, 2013

"I would say that music is the easiest means in which to express ... but since words are my talent, I must try to express clumsily in words what the pure music would have done better."

William Faulkner [1897-1962]

BY WHAT AUTHORITY?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Monday in the 3^rd Week of Advent  is, “By What Authority?”

It’s a question that appears in today’s gospel: Matthew 21:23-27. 

In Advent these readings don’t flow from one day to the next, so it would be important to know what has just happened right before today’s gospel - to trigger the question. Jesus just went into the temple in Jerusalem and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.

Next - as we heard in today’s gospel - the priests and the elders seeing Jesus doing this asked, the obvious, “By what authority are you doing these things?”

What I wonder about is why this reading is picked for Advent.

After that it got me thinking about the question of authority.

A few questions for you are: Is the question of authority something you think about from time to time? Are you interested in hearing a few words about authority right now? You’re sort of stuck - because I’m at the microphone - but you can tune a speaker out - if you’re somewhere else. Don’t we all do that from time to time?

My task as priest is to come into this temple and at this time after the readings to say a few words on the readings - that is, to preach a homily.

That’s a long introduction - but I hope it gives the reason why I am about to preach a homily entitled, “By What Authority?”

A SCARY QUESTION

To me that’s a scary question.

It’s also a good question at times.

I can’t just come up here to the pulpit and say anything. I have to be responsible. I can’t just overturn tables

So by what authority do I say what I say?

At present, in our Catholic Church the basic rule and regulation is this: ordinarily, the person up here preaching should be a deacon or a priest. Behind that would be education and testing, etc. and then ordination. Moreover, the priest and deacon have to give a promise of fidelity to Church teachings.

So I am responsible for what I say and I have to consider what I am saying.

That doesn’t mean I won’t make mistakes.

There are jokes about a preacher being allowed to make 5 heresies in every homily.

I’ve even heard that from bishops. Now that’s an argument from authority.

I like that joke or comment - because what we say up here has to be kosher and well thought out. And I feel at times I don’t have enough time to look at every implication in what I am saying.

Moreover, I am well aware that I have lots of questions about lots of things in the scriptures - and in theology.  I am called to keep studying, growing, learning, and developing. That is part of the vocation of a rabbi, a deacon and a priest. If I have it right, it entails being a life time student.

I am also aware that it is valuable to have various personalities preaching - and teaching - and speaking from the pulpit - so that you too are helped in growing with the Sacred Scriptures. I assume that would be part of the background of those who want to hear the voice of women from the pulpit as well.

I am also aware that you as listener - also have an obligation to receive the word according to your personality - and your education - and your development and growth and your faith.

I like to say to people: “Please be thinking Catholics - thinking Christians.”

And folks are thinking. I’ve hit wrong buttons at times. I’ve hit confusing buttons at times. And at times people let me know.

So I know from experience that people sit in church listening to a homily and consciously and unconsciously inwardly think and say to themselves the very same question we heard in today’s gospel, “By what authority are you saying these things?”

I also know people are inwardly saying at times, “I don’t agree with you!” Or “I doubt that.” Or, “I have think about that.”  Or “I have to read up about that.” Or “I want to ask for a second opinion.”

So as I said: this is scary stuff.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

I am fond of a saying of St. Thomas Aquinas - when he said that authority is the weakest of arguments.

Those who like St. Thomas Aquinas like to say: “Notice that in itself that is an argument from authority.”

Authorities on St. Thomas Aquinas like to add that St. Thomas’ full statement was: “Authority is the weakest of arguments according to Boethius.” 

Boethius was a 6^th Century AD public official and philosopher who wrote a document entitled, “Consolation of Philosophy” - which had a great impact into the Middle Ages.

As I studied St. Thomas Aquinas on the authority question,  I hear him saying that sometimes arguments from authority are good - but often there are better arguments. For example he said that in his various arguments for the proof of God’s existence.

Don’t we do the same thing? A kid starts to play with matches or wants to touch the stove or go out with so and so.  A parent might yell with authority: “No! Don’t go there!”  Later on the kid will know - not from authority - but from experience - my mom and dad were right. “It’s not smart to play with fire.”

THE BIBLE: BY WHOSE AUTHORITY DO YOU INTERPRET IT?

As you know the big issue when it comes to the Bible is how do you interpret it?

By whose authority do you say what you say about a particular passage of the Bible?

This used to be a big Catholic-Protestant flash point.

Times have changed. Now it’s often a Fundamentalist vs. Various Literary Forms “fight”. Better labels could be found or used - but I only have so much time. This is not a lecture, but I am using my time in working on this homily - to pull together some of my understandings and where I want to further go and grow.

As you well know,  we preachers not only preach on the Bible - but reach for other books on our shelves when it comes to studying a Bible text - and to come up with a homily. So I reach for several commentaries on the Bible as well as dictionaries of the Bible - as well as books of sermons and reflections by people like Barbara Brown Taylor,  William Barclay, Paul Tillich, John Shea, Helmut Thielicke, Frederick Buechner, Austin Farrer, Joseph Donders, Denis McBride, to name just a few.

For me, the question is no longer Catholic-Protestant reflections on the Bible - but the reflection of this particular person I’m reading on a Biblical text.

As a Catholic - I rely on our on Tradition and Theology - Catechisms and Church Documents - the Fathers of the Church - and lots of theology books by people like Karl Rahner and Bernard Haring and so many others. They are rooted in the Bible and our Tradition and our History. So I am rooted in the Bible - post-college 4 years of theology and Biblical Studies  in the seminary - plus studies for two more master’s degrees in theology that I got after I was ordained and years after our seminary training years.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Now, let me take today’s first reading from the Book of Numbers [24:2-7, 15, 17a] and make a few comments. It  gives some utterances from Balaam - a character in the Bible. He is a seer - that is one who sees what others don’t see. A seer is one who has visions and makes pronouncements from God about them.

I assume Baalam is mentioned in today’s first Advent reading  because one of his pronouncements was about the Star of Jacob.

We can ask,  “By what authority Balaam are you making your pronouncements?”

We can also ask how true is his story - and his comments?

Here is where I go to authorities - so called, “Biblical Scholars.”

That’s an area of the authority - big time authority - these so called, “Biblical Scholars”.  They have to do a lot of study in various fields to get their doctorates.

In his Biblical Dictionary, John L. McKenzie notes the following about Balaam with a comment by an authority named, William Albright, “Albright has argued from the language and the grammatical and syntactical characteristics of the poems that they are as ancient as the 12^th or the 11^th century, the period to which Balaam belongs in tradition. The same writer has shown that the ‘Star of Jacob’ [Numbers 24:17] should actually be translated, ‘When the stars of Jacob prevail.”

Reading that I assume that the section of Numbers we heard today at this Mass has traditions and strains and stories that go way, way back.  I was taught that those traditions came down in spoken form first - so they would change and become reformed in each situation to help people in each situation to be better people or follow such and such a religious practice or what have you.

Take the example, when it comes to Balaam, of his famous talking ass. It’s mentioned right there in the Book of Numbers - Chapter 22 - two chapters before today’s first reading. 

Now I don’t believe in talking donkeys - but I know that also is one of those pulpit jokes - about preachers - from time to time.

I also assume that the story was preserved because it’s funny, memorable, and could be used by a speaker or a preacher in cute ways.

Did the donkey talk? Did the snake talk in Genesis?

I was trained in Scripture in a Catholic seminary - so I got what was the current teaching between 1962-1966. I have also read a lot since.

Catholic teaching on the Bible has changed in the past 200 years - and its official pronouncements right now are that that the Bible contains lots of various types of literature. Fundamentalist Biblical thinkers think otherwise - so right there a thinking Catholic might have a dilemma - and a question: “Whom can I believe?”

So I was taught that we have in the Bible lots of different types of literature. And in lots of literature, for example, Aesop’s Fables, animals talk and the fables teach a people lots of good stuff. 

Another type of literature is exact science literature. We hope a doctor, an engineer, a physicist, any science reader - will get the best information - to make the best decisions for his field.  If the facts in a science book are proved to be untrue, improve the text - till we get the facts as correct as possible. Obviously.

If you read the Bible you are often reading it in light of the science at the time it was spoken and written. If you look up in the sky any bright day, it looks like the sun is moving across the sky. In the Bible it’s described as doing just that - like a chariot. When Galileo said we are the one going around the sun, the Catholic Church and many others knew he was wrong.

Surprise - sunrises and sunsets can be deceiving…. if one is self centered - that everything revolves around our world.

Appearances can be tricky. I was once at a window seat in a restaurant in Algiers - right on the Mississippi River on the other side of New Orleans. At one point in our meal, I thought our table was moving. A gigantic tanker went right by our window. Appearances can be deceiving.

Experience - checking things out - good science - discovery - testing - are all important when it comes to understanding our realities. There was a rift between Church and Life - when the Church didn’t advance with the Enlightenment. I remember my first assignment as a priest. An older priest said what was laughed at when we studied the Bible. He said the world was 6000 years old - that was what he was taught. I said that they have stones that are 4 to 6 billion years old.  He said: “Well God made them old.”

At that I became quiet - realizing - we in two different worlds.

CONCLUSION

I didn’t know it then, but I learned that day - that not everyone sees how I see. And slowly I realized there are many issues in life - and there are lots of authorities out there - and who’s right and who’s wrong - is it really worth arguing many things. Time will tell some things - and eternity may tell the rest of the story. Amen.

O O O O O

NOTES:

I didn't give this sermon as it appears here. It needed a lot of work and so I worked on it - and made it twice as long - in the present draft - and I'll do some more work on it - when I have more time. It's an important topic and I'd like to be clearer.