A  FLY  ON  THE  WALL

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 25^th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “A Fly on the Wall.”

We’ve all heard and probably said at least 10 times in our lives, “Wow would I love to be a fly on the wall in that house.”  Or “at that meeting” or “when those two talk”.

“A fly on the Wall.”

That’s a wisdom saying.

Wisdom sayings are part of every culture.

For example, “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

Or how many times have we said, “What goes around comes around”?

In a given life time I would think every person picks up 10 wisdom sayings - 10 proverbs - more or less - that they voice or think in triggered situations. They are not information. They are wisdom. They are about life and how they see life working.

I love to ask people in English who’s native language is not English: “Is there a saying in your language that says this?” Then I give a saying in English that goes like this: “The grass is always greener in the other person’s yard.”  And they think for a moment and tell me about apples or apricots being better on the other person’s tree.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Today’s first reading from is from Proverbs - Chapter 21: 1-6, 10 - 13 .

It gives us 10 Proverbs from Jewish life and culture.  I looked it up last night and notice that readings from the Book of Proverbs show up 6 times in our 3 year reading cycles. These 3 days we use them - but tomorrow maybe not - with the feast of St. Matthew. They give us a smattering of that book in the Bible.

Last night I read today’s first reading  5 times or more to see what they are saying. I also read a few different translations.

As proverbs only one grabbed me - the one about chasing bubbles - and when caught or grabbed bubbles break and disappear. That’s a common image and experience. Haven’t we all loved it when a little kid chased a soap bubble only to see it pop.

For those who complain that Bible readings are sexist, I noticed that whoever put together our lectionary skipped verse 9 from today’s first reading. Was it to avoid “uproar”? The saying is,  “Better to live on the roof than share a house with a nagging wife.” That could raise up a few protestors.  That could challenge some husbands and wives.

BACK TO THE FLY ON THE WALL

For a sermon I thought I’d use the image of that imaginary fly on the wall.

I think that’s what most of these psalms do.

They drag us to stop and see what we cannot see - what’s on that imaginary wall of the other.

They challenge us to be a fly on the wall.

IN A CAR

Imagine a family going to California for their summer vacation. They  rent a car and are driving through a rich neighborhood near Hollywood. House after house they are going “Oooh!” and “Ah” at big mansion after big mansion in Beverly Hills.

A fly gets in their car and someone says, “Who let the fly in the car?

Then someone says, “Wouldn’t it be nice to be a fly on the wall in that house? And that house!  And that house.  And that house?”

CONCLUSION: INSIDE THE HOUSE OF ANOTHER

Well this first reading is getting into the house - onto the wall - under the skin - under the skull - of the king. They get us into God, into those who do right, into someone who is proud, into someone who is lying, into someone who is rich, into someone who is arrogant, into someone who is poor, into someone whose bubble has burst.

It tries to challenge us to think outside our own walls - our own house - and walk in another shoes, settle into someone else’s home and to see more wisely.

The first step to wisdom then is walking inside the walls of God - to enter into the mind of God - into other person’s moccasins - as well as get inside the walls of this book of Proverbs. Amen.