WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS  RIGHT NOW?

INTRODUCTION

Today’s first reading - Daniel 7: 2-14 -  is a head scratcher.  I’m glad I don’t have to do the first reading these days before the end of the church year. It’s written in apocalyptic language. I’ve heard people ask: “Was the person who wrote this stuff on LSD?”

Today’s gospel - for this 34 Friday in Ordinary Time - Luke 21: 29-33 - is 1,000 times clearer. We can all picture someone studying a fig tree - or any tree - and knowing what time of  the year one is in right now. There is a world of difference in trees about to bud in spring and falling leaves trees if Autumn. Luke simply says: “Consider these realities.”

HOWEVER

However, when I began thinking about these readings - so as to come up with a homily - what hit me - was a question: “Where is the American mind right now - with all that has been - happening -  this past year - these past few months - especially this past week or so?"

So the title of this - whatever this is - I can’t call it a homily -  is a question: “What Are Your Thoughts Right Now?”

With all that is happening in our world - here, there and everywhere - I think we’re all doing a lot of thinking.  What are you considering?

There’s the men in the Entertainment and Political world who have been outed for past sexual sins and behaviors and what have you.

There’s the tweets. There’s the comments about rockets and fake news and other news and what have you.

Then there were all those natural disasters in hurricane and fire season. I’m sure the people in Puerto Rico and the Islands and Texas are still dealing with their disasters - still big time.

I was thinking: wouldn’t it be a good idea if we jotted down 5 thoughts and shared those 5 thoughts with each other - listening - hearing them all out - and maybe commenting on them to each other after we’ve given our 5. 

Here’s my temporary list which I might pare down to 5 if I have time?

Number One would be: I’m wondering if every male in the United States - right now - is stepping back in their brain and examining their sex history - their lives - their growth - saying inner sentences and blurts like, “Uh oh! Oh no! Wait a minute! I can’t believe this?”

Next I have been thinking about news? I live with folks - rub shoulders with others - who see and hear the same news as I hear, but we’re coming up with totally opposite viewpoints about the same news.

There is a world of difference between Fox News and CNBC News - between Lawrence O'Donnell and Sean Hannity.

Where’s the truth?

Do some news agencies try to get to the truth? Is that the main motive or is truth secondary - with the main motive to be getting better ratings and with greater ratings, does greater revenue result. Is that the main motive?

Thirdly, I’m asking: If A gets fired, how come B is not getting fired?

Why is the phrase “truth to power” being heard more and more and more in our public discourse lately?  Have you noticed that lately?

I wonder if some public males got naked so others will recall the famous, “The emperor has no clothes on” parable? Wow that’s a curve ball. Well, do people self-destruct on purpose?  I've often wondered about that.

Let me ask that question in another way: down deep does everyone have to be exposed to who and how they really are - especially if they down deep need to be caught in their sins - so as to pay for their sins or ask for help?

Will Jesus’ phrase, “Let him without sin cast the first stone” start to make an appearance?

Lately this is all about men, I ask, “Will something about women - in some other area make an appearance one of these years?”  We hear lots of comments about women's power and lack of power.  Should that comment be framed differently?

Obviously.

Women have power.

Obviously.

Women are blocked from powerful positions.

Men too?

People do that to each other.

When women or anyone who comes into power - have to face the struggles, temptations, the use and abuse of power - that comes with position?  Where will women’s abuse of power show up?  Are there nuances that men - as well as women - are not aware of?  I don’t know. Just throwing out the question.

Being a priest, I also ask, “Do priests feel a bit of relief right now - unfortunately hearing about this latest round of abuse - having been through the child abuse crisis that began showing up big time back in the late 1980’s?

Okay, we still appear in the press and the courts and the movies and on TV series - and we priests still say, "Oh no!" when we hear about some person who has been hurt by one of us.

Will some helpful teaching or understandings from Christianity show up to help us all.  Will there be more articles about grace - falls from grace - Mary being full of grace - Christ being the forgiver  and teacher of what goes on in the human heart?  Christ often talked about the within - that we are  all flawed, cracked, broken - that we all have demons - that the place to pray and visit and clean out is our own inner room?

What’s with Islam? Come on Islam!  Explain yourself better.

For the sake of transparency, I’m a Democrat, and I don’t pay taxes as a priest with a vow of poverty, so can I ask, “Who’s telling the truth? Is there a truth? I'm thinking about this tax bill. What’s the truth? Is it for those with Stocks? Or is for those who are lower middle class or what have you? Is all this about the party and / or the guy - so he / they can have one thing done besides a Supreme Court Justice. Therefore we're better than the last guy?  Is that what’s really going on?  I keep reading that the bill is not even finished being written yet.

Does anyone know the bottom line with the Russian stuff - will we get to that? Will that lead to impeachments and jail time for various folks?

CONCLUSION

So those are a few of my questions.

And are their answers that are as clear as a fig tree in spring or a fig tree in autumn?