HOW LONG?
SINCE CHILDHOOD!
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 7th Monday in Ordinary Time is, “How Long? Since Childhood!”
I love Jesus’ question in today’s Gospel: Mark
9:14-29. Jesus asks the father of the boy who has convulsions - who throws
himself into fires and into the water, “How long has this been happening to
him?”
The father answers, “Since childhood.” Then the father adds,
“It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.”
I have been always been fascinated by this text - Mark 9:21. How long? Well, not since my
childhood, but since my 20’s. I can
picture Jesus standing there - seeing this boy going into convulsions - falling
to the ground - rolling around on the ground - and foaming at the mouth. I can
see Jesus face - his amazement at the scene. I would be doing the same thing. I
assume all of us would.
I’m sure we’ve seen scenes in restaurants - or church - or
at the park - when someone has a seizure - or starts to shake. We get scared - and sweat - maybe even shake
ourselves. We panic a bit - as well as wonder - “What’s going on?” We wonder how long has this person had this
problem - this condition. And maybe they have had it since childhood.
DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER
AGAIN
The one verse - 21 - can stand on its own for reflection. It can lead to seeing the human side of Jesus.
It also can lead to the need for faith - and prayer - praying for people and
their parents - and their care takers - who are struggling with family members
who have issues or psychic troubles and tremors.
As I was preparing this little homily this morning, the question
Jesus asked, “How long has this been going on?” intrigued me. That’s where the
title of this homily came from: “How Long? Since Childhood!”
I have always been fascinated with people’s peculiarities -
people’s particulars - people’s mannerisms - people’s patterns.
Do parents pick up on their kid’s uniqueness - and do they
see their kid doing the same thing over and over and over and déjà vu again and
again
How about some self examination - seeing ourselves - our
patterns and idiosyncrasies?
What are the things we’re still doing that we did as kids?
I know I hated it when we got chance books in grammar school
and we were expected to sell the whole book - all 10 chances - and then bring
the dollar and the stubs back to school.
I hated that . If possible I tried to come up with my own dollar so as
to get it done. In the seminary, we were asked to get subscriptions to our
school magazine. I failed miserably at doing that. In both instances - I was
amazed at kids in grammar school who could sell $70 dollars worth of raffle
tickets - or 100 subscriptions to our seminary magazine. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. I hated that. Still do. I am very, very,
very, very happy to never have been a pastor. I don’t like money raising things
in parishes or what have you.
So how long have I been doing this? Since I was a kid.
I also thought about another thing I’ve been doing since I
was a child. We once made a film to promote weekend retreats at the retreat
house where I worked. We made the film and then I had to go out and show the
film all over New Jersey
- to various parish groups. I saw that movie 75 times at least and every time I
saw myself on film walking down the aisle - with my feet going out wide - and I
would say every time, “Oh my God, I walk funny.” Still do. Then I saw some pictures of me as a
kid. My feet point to the left and the right - not forwards. Then I saw some
photographs of my dad. He too stood there with his feet shooting sideways.
So how long have I been doing this? Since I was a kid.
These are mannerisms, these are peculiarities. How about
you?
QUESTIONS
Here are some questions that could possibly raise issues:
Does the person who is lazy as a kid, remain lazy for life?
Does the person who cheats in the classroom, cheat for life?
Does the person who compares herself or himself to brothers
or sisters or others do that for life?
Do short people or people who feel inferior feel that way - because
they were picked on for being short or what have you since they were kids?
Do people who overeat, overeat to compensate - and if they
are overcompensating - is it because they were put down by parents, siblings,
coaches, teaches, bullies, buddies, classmates - what have you?
CONCLUSION
Today’s gospel story is a story of hope. The boy is healed. It takes faith and prayer, but the boy is healed - by Jesus
The title of my homily is, “How Long? Since Childhood!”
When we see our patterns, when we realize our patterns, our
attitudes, if they are self-destructive - we can hope for healing and years
later when people who knew us back when, see a marvelous change in us, if they
ask, “How long have you been so peaceful and loving?” our answer can be, “Since
Christ - since my healing by Jesus Christ.”