TAKING  ANOTHER’S  PLACE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Taking Another’s Place.”

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Matthias: the disciple who won the lottery and got to take Judas’ place.

They drew lots and Mathias was chosen. 

I was thinking last night - after thinking about Matthias - taking another’s place is something to think about.  Matthias was different  than Joseph called Barsabbas - the two finalists. Sometimes you just have to say a prayer and roll the dice.  As today’s first reading puts it: “and the lot fell upon Matthias and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles.”

TWO QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT

When I take another’s place, what was that like for me?

When another takes another’s place, how do we deal with that situation?

THE FIRST QUESTION: ME

Have I ever been the new wife or husband or mother or father?  Have I ever been the new boss, the new teacher, the new supervisor?   What was that like? 

Have I ever experienced comparisons?  Have I ever been bad mouthed by folks - who say the person I replaced  was much better than I am?  How did that feel? What was my reaction?

SECOND QUESTION: WE

We have a new pastor coming here  by this August - what do our comments  about priests and pastors sound like?  Being a priest, I know this is a regular topic in a regular parish.

Do  I see the benefits of comparisons and contrasts? Do I make them learning experiences - like the difference between Pope Benedict and Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II - and Fathers John Hamrogue, Pat Flynn and Ted Heyburn?

Do I make comments about others without really knowing them? Do I give new people a chance?

Do I lose out when another person is in the pulpit or at the altar and I want someone else - so I don’t listen?

COMPARISONS: 3 QUOTES - JUST IN CASE THESE COMMENTS DON’T FLOAT

The issue of comparisons seems to be key to a lot of complaints and comments about others - who are up front.

Here are 3 quotes about comparisons to trigger some thinking about this topic of comparing others or oneself to others:

“Comparisons are the enemy’s way of telling you God cheated you.”

“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it, it just blooms.”

“You’ll never look like the girl in the magazine.  The girl in the magazine will never look like the girl in the magazine.”

A CLOSING EXAMPLE - ON THE ISSUE OF COMPLAINTS

A pastor  had a special black book labeled, “Complaints of Members Against One Another.”  When a member of the congregation told him about the faults of another, he would say, ‘Here is my complaint book. I will write down what you say, and you can sign it.  Then when I have time I will take up the matter officially concerning this person.’  The sight of the open book and the ready pen had its effect. ‘Oh, no, I couldn’t  sign anything like that!’ they would say.  In 40 years this pastor never got anyone to write a line in it.”  [Voice of Truth]