Sunday Homily 11-1-09, All Saints

Readings: Malachi 3, 19-20; Psalm 98; 2 Thessalonians 3, 7-12; Luke 21, 5-19

Observations on Malachi:

 Interesting notes:

                   1.  This is the last book of the Old Testament.  Fitting for the last Sunday of the church calendar year.  Next week, Christ the King, then Advent and a new church calendar year begins.

                   2.  A little book, only 4 chapters.

                   3.  Last of the 12 minor prophets (because of their small content)

Author: Malachi means “my messenger” in Hebrew. The writer’s real name is unknown.

 Date: 400-500 years before Christ.  This is deduced from the emphasis on the temple and the priesthood, and the word “governor” used one time.  Governors ruled after the Bbylonian Exile, ca. 590-550, kings before.    

 The temple was rebuilt ca. 520 after the Israelites came back ca. 550 from the Babylonian Exile.  The Persian ruler Cyrus let them return & rebuild the old walls & temple. 

 Message:  Beware, you priests and people, because you are lax, corrupt, and cheating god of his rightful offerings

Today’s Message:

                   1.  a day is coming when the bad guys will get it.

                   2.  fear my name and find healing.

 Sources:  Good News Bible; New Interpreter’s Study Bible; The Minor Prophets by Al Maxey (on line); & Wikipedia

Fear

 Tuesday we celebrate the anniversary of an event that took place in 1989, 21 years ago. 

 It happened in the middle of the night on the campus of UCA, the University of Central America.  All was quiet.  6 Jesuit priests were either asleep or close to it in their residence.  Their housekeeper & her daughter were in the apartment in the rear.  The university is a Jesuit university, like the U. of San Francisco, Georgetown, Fordham, and others in the States. 

 About midnight witnesses heard a great commotion at the door of the residence, yelling and banging.  Outside were 40-50 soldiers dressed in camophlage.  They broke the door and stormed in.  Going room to room, they busted down doors, smashed windows, and dragged the 6 Jesuits and their housekeeper & daughter into the inner patio.

 The banging and breaking and yelling continued for about an hour.  Around 1:00 people outside began to hear shots.  One by one the 8 people were shot in the head from behind. 

 9 years before this, on March 24, 1980, a similar event had happened in the same country, El Salvador.  Archbishop Oscar Romero was shot by a single assassin in the middle of his Mass in a chapel at a hospital in San Salvador.

 I talk about this this morning because, first, it still moves me and, secondly, according to the readings, especially good old Luke, this is exactly what is going to happen to you, to us. 

So what is our response?  Two observations.

 First, Malachi and the prophets of the O.T. declare that the bad things that happen in our lives are because we have been bad, lax, unfaithful, mean, greedy.  God will punish us.  And if we are good, God will reward us.  Today this thinking is called the gospel of wealth,  In fact, if you just send money to our church God will multiply your donation & you will be rich.

 It does not take much experience to know this just does not happen.  I just heard about a 3 year old girl with cancer.  God is not punishing her, or her parents.

 Secondly, I remind you of an idea I have talked about before, the three fundamental motives, fear, hope for reward, & love and gratitude. 

 We can walk through life fearful of everything and never savor the beauty.  My old time Catholic religious training used fear a lot.  You have a date, you mess around, you get killed on the way home, you go straight to hell.  Not quite.

 Better than fear is the motive of reward.  High school football playoffs are in full swing right now.  In August these kids were going through hell, working like crazy to win a championship or even a place on a team.

 And then there is doing it because of love.  We build houses with Habitat because we love to help the less fortunate and are so grateful for what we have.  Because I love people I visit them when they are sick, having a hard time, or struggling with life.

 So how do we respond when we read about all these bad things coming our way?   We don’t fear they will happen to us.  Fr. Jack Deeves lived all those 80 plus years without such bad things.  Like Jack & the other 6 Jesuits in San Salvador, we love life and people. 

 What is your response?

 Picture 1:   Begining Mass with Kevin

 Picture 2:   Offertory with Ray, Dawn, & Loretta

 Picture 3:   Emma

 Picture 4:   Sienna with Robyn

Readings:

Isaiah 49, 1-2, 14-15,   Even should your mother forget you, I will never forget you.

Psalm 62,  Rest in God alone, my soul.

1 Corinthians 4,  1-5,  Do not make any judgment.

Matthew  6, 24-34,  Why are you anxious?

Georgie say, "Welcome, Everybody."

Isaiah observations and reminders—

Who, This is 2^nd Isaiah.

When, This is during the Captivity in Babylon, ca. 555 before Christ. 

Subject, The writer, the prophet, is trying to lift the spirits of his fellow slaves.  He gives them exquisite news, using God’s words, “I will never forget you.”  A short but touching cameo of consolation and hope. 

Emma says, "Yeah, fun time again."

Matthew observations–

Who,  unknown really.  A bishop about 100 years later indicated that the apostle Matthew was the author, though no reference is made in the gospel.

When, around 80-90, meaning around 50 years after Christ's death.

Subject, I can hear you laughing when we read this.  The message is, 'Why worry?'  Good enough.  However, the message has an unreality about it.  Like it says to imitate the birds.  They don't worry, they don't stockpile, but God feeds them.   Imitate the birds.  

Kevin ready to start.

I will never forget you

I have another story for you this morning.  Ever hear of a guy named Kenny Thompson?  I saw an article on him recently. 

Thompson is an elementary school teacher and tutor in Houston.  One day he picks up news about some elementary kids in Salt Lake City.  Seems like 40 kids who were on subsidized lunches were dumped because their parents did not pay enough, even though it was only about a dollar a day. 

So the kids, instead of getting the standard lunch, usually hot, they got a plain cheese sandwich. 

Cupcake of The Week to Michelle on her birthday today.

Kenny Thompson wonders if kids in his school have the same problem.  Turns out they do, about 60 of them. 

So he pays out about $500 so every one of the 60 kids is covered.  He says the kids are there to learn how to spell, not worry about where they will get something to eat.   Plus, they cannot learn anything if they are hungry.

He also discovers that some of the 60 kids even skip the cheese sandwich because they are too embarrassed to be singled out.   Moreover, this meal was for some kids their only good meal of the day.

Zoe in her party hat with Gil, ready to celebrate mom's birthday.

What Thompson does gets picked up by a local TV morning news.  Immediately, the phone is swamped with callers wanting to help the kids who cannot afford the subsidized lunch. 

Thompson finally establishes an online funding source, Feed the Future.

I thought of Kenny Thompson when I read 2^nd Isaiah’s little message, “Can a mother forget her child?  Even should she forget, I will never forget you.”

We have here a Tori mouse under our table.

I would propose that we have here another one of those infinite demands.  I know, it is truly infinite acceptance.  However, how hard it is to accept.  Really, you will never forget me?   Come on.

Lent begins Wednesday.  I confess it is the Church season I am the least delighted by.  Bad memories and experiences.  What if the goal this Lent was to simply have a “No Fear” Lent, using Isaiah’s line that our God will never forget me?

Zoe and Mickey Mouse.

Matthew seconds this idea.  His comparisons may strike us as a bit naïve.  We are not birds of the air or flowers of the fields.  We do need to concern ourselves about what we will eat and drink. 

But the basic message affirms that infinite demand which is to accept our acceptance, no ultimate fear.  This to me is the basic, fundamental belief of Christianity.  It has been polluted over the centuries with fear & punishment messages. 

I imagine Kenny Thompson took away some of the fear these kids had in their hearts.  Maybe they will someday have a no fear life.

Wow, can you really do it?   Have a no fear Lent? 

We begin the celebration, 8th Sunday of Ordinary time and last Sunday before Lent.

Readings: Acts 13, 14, 43-52; Psalm 100, We are His People, The Sheep of His Flock; Revelation 7, 9, 14-17; John 10, 27-30

Acts:  a brief resume of what Tony has already explained, using the structure of who, what, when, and today's reading.

Who wrote: Luke, who wrote the Gospel.  He was a Greek speaking Gentile convert to Judaism.  He writes for Gentile Christians.  Writes about Paul, but did not know him nor his letters.

When: Big question.  Before or after 2 momentous events–

70 C.E: the Jews rebel against Rome.  Rome smashes them and destroys the most precious temple.  End of priests, beginning of rabbis.

88 C.E.: the Jewish Christians who have been worshiping in the temple or synagogue for decades split off. 

What about: story of spread of Christianity after Christ's death.  History or not?  Big question.  Idealized history?

Today: Paul & Barnabas scolding the Jews and affirming the Gentiles.  Is Acts pro Gentile?  

Revelation: a strange book

Some of my old Jesuit confreres were convinced the author(s) of this book was on halucinagens, undergoing an LSD trip.  What do you think?

The Good Shepherd

Want to know what a good shepherd looks like?

There is a couple.  They are celebrating 25 years of marriage.  They met in college in Pennsylvania.  Good kids.  The girl, Donna had spent a summer overseas doing service work in Calcutta. 

Know who else started out in Calcutta?  Mother Teresa.

The guy, John had also been doing summer mission work with the Glenmary Home Missionaries. 

So they got married and planned to have a family.  They tried and waited.  The news: they could not have kids.  So, one thing led to another and they adopted.

They adopted Rosa, a baby from an orphanage in Mexico. 

Then they adopted Natalie, a baby from Guatemala.

Then David, a baby from a local foster care family.

Then they adopted a 12 year old.  Maria Elena came from the same Mexican orphanage as Rosa. 

They had been living in a house in Philadelphia.  They moved to a church basement.  Then to an empty convent. 

All the while they continued adopting kids.  Just could not say no.  Donna was home schooling the kids.  John was working as an independent contractor—until they reached 11 kids.  Then he quit his job.  He was needed too much at home.

With the number of adoptions rising they found a 7 acre farm in south east Pennsylvania.  Here they could attempt more self-sufficiency.  They also were granted status as a foundation and took the name of St. Joseph House.

Today on the farm they have somewhere between 17 and 20 kids under their roof. 

How have they managed over these 25 years and 20 kids?  With the help of Catholic communities like ours right here. 

What kind of good shepherd are you?  Are we?

I found the story of John & Donna Kurtz in the March edition of The Anthony Messenger.   There is a picture of the whole bunch on the cover. http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar2010/Feature1.asp

Readings: Isaiah 60, 1-6; Psalm 72, Lord, Every Nation on Earth will Adore You; Ephesians 3, 2-6; Matthew 2, 1-12

 Isaiah 60: 3 observations–

1.  This is Isaiah III who seems to have lived around the time of the Babylonian Captivity, i.e., 575 BCE., not at the time of Isaiah I (chapters 1-39) who lived ca. 800.   (& Is. II, chapters 40-50)

2.  Our passage from chapter 60 is addressed to Jerusalem as a symbol, which is in total destruction.          

3.  Isaiah is saying that your day is coming, Jerusalem, when you will return to being the most splendid city of all.

Epiphany, The Coming of the Wise Men on January 6: 3 observations–

1.  The word means an enlightenment, a WOW moment.

2.  Celebrated since ca. 300 & Constantine on January 6, 12 days from the birth, the 12 Days of Christmas.  Note 12^th Night.

3.  Considered a second Christmas, to the Gentiles.

The Epiphany, a Cornucopia of Symbols: 2 observations–

Where to begin, folks.  There is so much symbolism in this liturgy, in Matthew, for sure, and in the combination of Matthew with Isaiah and Psalm 72.  I'll touch 2 symbols, each with 3 subdivisions..         

1.  The Wise Men have a double & triple significance because they are

a. Gentiles

b.  They come from the east, considered the source of wisdom in the world of that time.  Where does the sun rise?  Where do stars rise?  A new son has been born and like the sun in the east or a star he will bring new light. 

c.  They also symbolize every man’s search for meaning in life.    Remember Matthew speaks to two audiences, his fellow Israelites, whom he is chastising for not searching, and the Gentiles. 

2.  The 3 gifts. 

 a.  Gold is given because it signifies royalty. 

 b.  Frankincense, or incense, signifies divinity. 

 c.  Myrra signifies medicine.  Myrra is for the human.  It comes from a bush like tree that has a yellow, sticky sap on its bark.  The sap was good for skin infections and acne, asthma, colds, and flu, and even herpes.  It is found in Saudi Arabia & Somalia.

A post script.  People in Europe used to write an inscription over their doors, e.g. 20+C+M+B+10.  The numbers are our year.  The letters are Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar.   Christians made it say, “Christ Bless our house or Maison the year listed.  

 Another post script.  In New Orleans Epiphany starts Carnival season, which leads up to Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  The parades will be starting, folks.

 Sources: Reginal Fuller, St. Louis U. Liturgy; Biblical & Theological Resources, the Voice Institute, on line; Wikipedia; and other sources.

The Epiphanies around Us

 Recently Rosemary & I went to the exposition of some paintings of about six or eight artists. Among the artists and the reason we were there was my childhood buddy Ed Lamberty, who gave the homily here a year or so ago on alcoholism & AA. 

 As we were wandering around we ran into another couple who are old friends.  We ask what brought them to this exposition.  They pointed across the room to a middle aged,  middle class, blondish woman who was standing by some of her works.

 Here is the story the wife told me.

 The couple we know are both academics on the university level.  Some years ago the wife had been teaching and came to know one of her students.  The student was a mother with a son about 8 years old.  At some point in time the father had abandoned them and left them with nothing.  They were living in the mother’s car. 

 My friend says to me that this shocked her and she thought this cannot continue.  She described the situation to her husband and two sons who were about 10 & 12.  Guess what they did.

 They invited the mother & son to live with them until they got on their feet.  The two sons moved into one bedroom and the mother & her son took the other.  Here they lived for almost a year until the husband found the woman a job. 

 The woman now is successful and is developing as an artist, selling her works for significant sums.  The son graduated from Jesuit, graduated from college, and now is married with a couple of his own kids. 

 Obvious from the fact that they were at the art exposition, my friends are still quite close with the mother & her son. 

 I would propose that this is what epiphany is, a pointing to a presence among us and in us.  The presence is acceptance and care for others.  It points to something beautiful.

 Who is an epiphany for you?

 For whom are you an epiphany?

 Picture 1:    Emma 

 Picture 2:    Diane on her birthday with Jenny & Melissa

 Picture 3:    The Dinsmore family, David & Donna & their kids, Dawson, Darbianna, & Dana

 Picture 4:    Emily & her mom, Julie at the Offertory  

"Welcome in, Everybody," says Bill.

Readings:

Sirach  15, 15-20, Before man life and death, good and evil

Psalm 119,  Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 2, 6-10,  What eye has not seen.. What God has prepared for those who love him.

Matthew 5, 17-37  If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out.

Thanks, Grace, for lighting today's candles while the girls are away for the week end.

Observations:  on Sirach—

What:  This is one of those 12 odd books in between the Old and the New Testament.

 Author: a Jewish teacher called Joshua.  The only identified author in the whole Old Testament.  He tells us who he is, that he is a teacher, lived in Jerusalem, and traveled a lot.  It seems he put his work together while running a school in Alexandria, Egypt.

Thanks, John, for reading today's Blessing of the Candles.

 His grandson translated the Hebrew work into Greek.  This Hebrew text was lost for centuries until the 19^th century, when 2/3 of it was found in Cairo.  Then other portions were found in Qumran and Masada, as late as 1964.

 Date: composed around 175 years before Christ.  About 90 years before Christ the Jews put together their official bible, but excluded Sirach because they could not find the Hebrew version, only the Greek. 

The bearer of gifts, Loretta, Richard, & Cody.

 Christians accepted the book as part of their bible in the 2^nd century after Christ.  The Council of Trent (keep 1555 in mind as a date) officially accepted it, making it part of that extra 12 books called the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical.  Martin Luther rejected the book & so do many Protestant congregations today.

 Subject Matter: practical ethics, duties.  Beware of the either / or spirituality presented.  Also, what about unconditional love??

Today's Team, John & John.

Subject today: you may choose good or bad.  Beware of the either / or spirituality presented in the reading.    All is either good or bad.  No in between or both, which is more what we all are, both good and bad.  

It can be simplistic & Pelagian, that is, it is all up to you and you have all the strength needed to choose good.  Pelagians thought that you had to EARN your salvation.  Therefore, the more religious stuff you did, like the more Masses, the more pilgrimages to the church & shrines, the more novenas & rosaries,  the more merit you win for yourself.

Psalm 119: the longest of all the psalms.  A focus on observance of the laws, decrees, and statutes.

Communion time.

Matthew 5:  a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. Note the figures of speech called “antitheses,” namely, “You have heard it said, but, I say to you.”  4 even 5 times.  Matthew is trying to establish the authority & authenticity of Jesus.

See if you can find any unconditional love in this passage?  

Sources: Good News Bible; New Interpreter's Bible; Reginal Fuller, S.J., David Westberg, S.J., & Larry Gillick, S.J., St. Louis U. Liturgies, on line; Wikipedia .

Communion helpers & cleaners

Wako Spirituality

We have been here before, Folks.  In fact, Mike says to me, “So, are you going to start with that same story again?”  Yes, Everybody, we begin with that same story.  Just a quick reminder.  Here we go.

When I was studying theology in Toronto years ago, like maybe 1970, an article came out in the local newspaper.  Some guy had read the passage saying that if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  He did it, folks. 

Shonda & Ben, The Best.

 In this passage from Matthew there are five pieces of advice to the early Christians which taken literally can get a person all messed up.  Is there a positive as well as a negative to each? 

Two observations before I touch the five.  I have mentioned this so often that I hope you are not worn out.  First, infinite demand and infinite acceptance.  Watch out here for a lot of infinite demand.  I’ll give a positive & a negative for each.  Secondly, God, unconditional love.

Bill getting us ready for the Love for Kids picnic, this for handicapped kids.

Matthew’s five pieces of advice are 1. breaking the least commandment,  2. getting angry,  3. looking at a woman, 4. divorce, and  5. swearing.  Here goes.

• Matthew says that if you break the smallest commandment you will be the least in the kingdom.  Moreover, unless you are better than the Pharisees, you will not even get into the kingdom.  The positive here is that the bar is set high.  The negative is that all, all of us sinners will be kept out. It creates scruples and obsessive compulsive behavior.  

It always tastes better through the nose.

• Secondly, if you get mad at me and call me a fool, you are going to Hell.  I love it.  The positive here is the call to anger management.  I am challenged to know that all feelings are okay and need to be controlled.  The negative is that it gives me the idea that anger is not allowed, so stuff it.  Trouble is, it does not stuff well.  Not like a sleeping bag or tent.  It pops up in unexpected places.

• Looking at a woman with lust.  The positive here is teaching respect for all people.  This advice, written by men for men, was attempting to gain some respect for women who were looked upon as property.  I found this in Tanzania & Kenya.  Rosemary read me an article about some guy who cut off his wife’s ears and nose for reporting him for abuse.   The negative is that it teaches us that feelings are sinful.  In the old days, we thought we looked at a girl and we were going to hell.  This is doubly sad because I don’t think there is a hell anyway.

More of the same, please.

• Divorce is adultery.  The positive is that it reinforces the unity of marriage.  The negative is that people stay in abusive or addictive marriages long after it may even be safe.  Divorce is failure and we all fail sometimes even in tragic ways.  In order to escape using the word divorce the Catholic Church comes up with the more convoluted word Annulment.

• Swearing.  The positive is that it involves politeness and respect for others.  Even if I am okay with my anger I do not swear at someone.  The negative is that it tightens us up.  We forget the therapeutic value of cussing, maybe a healthy & fun way of releasing anger.  The healthy Jesuits I lived with certainly partook of this therapy. 

Welcome home, Loretta.

 The overall danger in these pieces of advice is that we really get messed up, forgetting two things.  First they are presenting infinite demand and they make no mention of infinite acceptance.

Secondly, where is the God of unconditional love?

 The poor guy in Toronto who blinded himself is an example of how we can mess ourselves up with goofy religion.  

 Where are you with these ideas?