OTHERNESS

The title of my reflection for today is, “Otherness.”

There were options on readings for today, so I stayed clear of the readings - so one of my favorite themes hit me this morning: otherness.

What’s your take on otherness?

People are different.

Sometimes we forget that.

Sometimes the otherness of other people gets us in trouble or gives us agita or frustration.

I never take mushrooms - how about you?

I’m not a big fan of onions as well.

I think folks are lucky here at St. Mary’s Parish.

We have plenty of seats in both churches - so people can sit where they want to sit in both churches.

We have plenty of Masses - so people can pick different Masses.

We have different priests - so  people can go to different Masses - especially  on weekends - to get different takes on different readings and life.

Some parishes list who’s saying a Mass; some don’t.

We have two tables in our dining room - sometimes. It depends on who’s home - and who sits where - as well as this and that.

Some parishes have only one priest - and the next parish is too far away.

I keep in mind the saying, “1/3 of the people like you; 1/3 don’t like you; 1/3 really don’t care.”

I keep in mind the saying, “The greatest sin is our inability to accept the otherness of the other person.”

I assume that other people disagree with that. Hey I don’t know what the greatest sin is.

I like the saying, “Teach thy tongue to say, ‘I do not know.’”  Sometimes I forget that and I say to myself, “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.”

Or “Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.”

Those are my mutterings when I forget people see differently that I see.

Sometimes twins are different - very different - even if they are dressed alike.

Some people like t-shirts with writing on them. Some people, “That’s a no no - especially in church.”

Today - July 16 - is the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. 

Is Mary under that title seen as different than under the title of Mary Mother of Perpetual Help or Mary of the Miraculous Medal?

I would assume people would have different takes on that question - and answers to that question.

Protestant Churches are known to split - because of differences in the community. So they end up with First Baptist on this Corner and Living Water Baptist Church 8 blocks away.

So too Islam: Sufi’s and Shiites.

So to Buddhism and Hinduism.

So too Franciscans….

Those of you who watch EWTN - probably remember Father Benedict Groeschel - whose group wore greyish blue habits.  They were a Capuchin reform movement of a reform movement in the Franciscans.  I knew him - took some of his courses. I heard he had a photographic memory. He did, but he always called me Father Anthony.  And he had a fabulous sense of humor and life.  I liked him - knew he was much sharper and brighter than me - but he also stuck pins in some my sacred balloons.

In other words I could see how different he was from me and others ….

We Redemptorists have not had too many splits.  One was the Paulist’s here in the United States.  Isaac Hecker was a convert - liked our preaching - joined us - but conflicts arose over English-German preaching, etc. etc. etc.

The Church has benefitted and blessed by and  from both groups.

People see things differently.

Sometimes people forget that.

There are at least 15  or 50 ways to make Irish Soda Bread - as well as apple pies - as well as to put potatoes on the table.

How do you like your potatoes or pasta?

There are 4 gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

I know a couple in Ohio who have 4 sons: Matthew, Mark, Luke and Sean.

Sean is Gaelic for John.

Matthew, Mark and Luke - are known as the Synoptic Gospels - because if you look at them - look as in optics - they are somewhat the same - but if you look at those 3 gospels tight - they are different - but John is very different than Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

I collect types of people: there are two kinds of people; there are 3 types of people; there are 4 kinds of people. For example, Introverts and Extraverts. There are those who put their foot in their mouth and those who put their foot to the peddle and get out of there before they say the wrong thing.

There are those who cause happiness wherever they go and those who cause happiness whenever they go.

I had a barber who was married 6 times. At his funeral they said he was married 5 times. His 6^th wife told me - on the side -  after that same funeral, “I was number 6, but most don’t know that.”

Did anyone ever come up with the idea for a  TV talk show entitled, “Different Wives - Different Husbands.” I’d love to see the 6 wives of the deceased husband talk - and I’d be listening to see how similar they are.

Today we’re celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

St. John of the Cross was a Carmelite - and I’ve read some of his stuff - and even written on some of his stuff.  Saint Teresa of Avila was a Carmelite and a friend of St. John of the Cross.  How are they alike and how are they different?

A classmate of mine who read St. John of the Cross in the original Spanish -  dropped in to see me, just as I had finished a newsletter on St. John of the Cross. I asked him to read  my stuff and he said, “Where did you get this stuff. This is all wrong.”

I heard him out and changed some of what I wrote.

So too St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Teresa of Avila - both Carmelites. Would they sit next to each other at table - or on a bus ride?

People are different.

Sometimes we forget that and it gets us in trouble.

What’s your take on otherness?

This is what I would say for a weekday reflection on “otherness”  - something that hit me on this feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  That idea probably hit me because I’m not a Carmelite and we were brought up with Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Amen.

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Picture on Top: The Virgin of the Carmelitas