Sunday Homily, January 19, 2014, 2nd Ordinary Time A

Readings: Isaiah 35, 4-7; Psalm 146, Praise the Lord, my Soul; James 2, 1-5; Mark 7, 31-37.  Today's celebrant: Tony O'Donovan

Isaiah:   The book of Isaiah is one of those very long 66 chapters and interesting books of the Old Testament.  The book is really two books, written by very different people and at very different times.  Isaiah himself is most likely thought to be the author of the first section, to chapter 39.  It was written at a troubling time for Judah, the southern kingdom. 

 

 

The Assyrians had over-run the northern kingdom of Israel and were making noises about invasion of the southern kingdom of Judah.  The four different kings who ruled at the time of writing the first part of Isaiah had all made deals with the Assyrians in an attempt to placate them into leaving  Jerusalem alone.  The people were living with an interesting kind of philosophy.  God will forgive whatever we do, so lets do whatever!!  The theme of the whole book is one of ‘Judgment and Promise’.  Judgment of the people because they are not following God’s Law, and Promise, such as we hear in today’s reading, of better times.

 

Letter of James.

As I mentioned last week, for five Sundays, starting last week, we are going to be reading the Letter of James as our second reading.  The author, James was probably the head of the church in Jerusalem, and at times is referred to as the brother of Jesus.  He is not one of the twelve apostles James; there were two of them!  The letter is not a typical “letter” in the same sense as Paul’s Letters, in that there is a very brief greeting, not the typical extended greeting, no information about the sender and nothing of the usual formulaic ending of letters of that time.

The letter was probably written before 62CE when James was stoned to death.  It is addressed to the “twelve tribes of the Diaspora”, which refers back to the Diaspora when the tribes were scattered following the Babylonian and Assyrian invasions.  In this case it is addressed to those churches outside of Jerusalem, made up of Jewish converts to Christianity.

The contents are a collection of moral observations and instructions and today’s reading is clearly that. Don’t judge others by what they wear.  James is stressing something which Jesus practiced in his public life, taking special care of the poor, the ignored in society. 

 

The Gospel today focuses on Jesus healing.  Mark’s Gospel is the shortest and earliest written of the four Gospels in the New Testament.  It is only 16 Chapters and has nothing about the birth of Jesus.  Mark begins his gospel with the statement “The beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God”.  A very clear purpose statement, and for the rest of the gospel he carefully builds up supporting evidence to back that statement.  The first half of the gospel is primarily a series of parables and miracles, designed to have us asking, “who could this be?”  And exactly half way through the gospel, Jesus turns to Peter and does ask that very question “and who do you say I am?”.  And of course we have Peter’s famous response “you are the Christ, the Son of the living God”.  The whole tone of the Gospel immediately shifts towards Jerusalem and the passion/death.  Today’s Gospel reading from Mark is from the first half of the gospel; it is a miracle, the healing of a deaf man.  Yet I think that there is more to it.  Remember, when this was written, sickness was closely associated with sin.  It was widely believed that if someone was afflicted in some way, then they or their parents must have sinned.  And in the gospels remember the Jews used to get upset with Jesus healing and forgiving.  I think for many at the time, the two were closely linked.

Of course if we jump to today, we find that the two are still closely associated, “you are as sick as the secrets you keep”.  With the demise of the confessional, the question comes up of how do we get forgiveness. 

A couple of points to keep in mind:  God is always ready to forgive.  Remember the story of the Prodigal Son.  There was the father not just willing to forgive the wayward son, he was actually waiting, looking to see if he would come home again.  Running out to greet the kid.  Something which we can easily overlook, the son’s “sin” was not just that he blew all the money, but remember what he had originally asked for – his share of the estate, something he would normally only get when his father died.  What he is saying is “dad, you are dead”.  This too was what the father was forgiving him.  The point, God is always ready to forgive us, everything.  The question for today, are we able to forgive ourselves. 

Remember, at mass we have several times when we acknowledge our sins, and ask forgiveness.  At the Rite of Penance as we begin mass.  At the “Lamb of God”, and most especially right before communion when say, “Lord I am not worthy to receive you,  but say but the word and I will be healed.” 

 

As we continue with our liturgy, lets pause and reflect:  What have I not asked forgiveness for, and what have I not forgiven myself for?  Life is too short to be carrying around our mistakes from the past. Lets leave them here at the altar for God to take care of.

 

Picture 1:  Tony O'Donovan celebrating our Mass in the patio of Wilson Middle School.  Vines was closed for the weekend while renovations took place.

Picture 2:  Tony & the choir, Wendy, Shonda, Ray, & Celeste

Picture 3:  Tree shaded patio of Wilson Middle School.

Picture 4:  Tony & Kevin

 

Readings: Isaiah 49, 3-6; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 1, 1-3; John 1, 29-34.

Isaiah: Again we have one of Isaiah’s consoling messages.  This message focuses more on being called.  Remember, the writers of this book lived about 800 years before Christ.

I want to talk about Yahweh’s promise, "I will make you a light to the nations."

A Light to the Nations?  Me?

As many of you have noticed, after Mass & coffee a good percentage of our community reconvenes over at Costco on Central.  Where else can you get such a great free lunch?

When I am not watering trees after Mass, I normally drop Rosemary at the entrance, go fill the car with gas, and then wait for her in the parking lot while listening to Prairie Home Companion.  I love that program and almost always find myself laughing my head off.

Last Sunday Rosemary and I had gone to do our weekly shopping as usual.  I had filled the car with gas and was sitting in the parking lot.  At some point I noticed that an elderly man was wandering around the south side parking lot where I was sitting.  He had passed me already three or four times.  He would walk by me heading toward the Central side of the lot, then return.  Shortly he would do it again.  He had a couple of bags in his arms.  I’m watching him, thinking he must be confused, but I’m not doing anything.

Finally Rosemary arrives, I start up the car, and while we are pulling away I point out to her the man wandering around the parking lot.  I tell her I wonder if he is lost, confused, or suffering from dementia or worse. 

What does she say?  "Let me see if he needs some help."  So we turn around and she gets out.   They talk and together begin to walk around the parking lot.  I wait some more and finally she comes back.  She had helped him look for his car, which he said was a white Infinity.  Since together they still could not find the car, she informed the Cosco staff, who said they would help him.

This is it.  This is what Yahweh is talking about when he says, "I will make you a light to the nations."  It does not mean  lightning is going to strike.  It does not mean the other guy.   When I grew up the Christophers were a Catholic group that intended to light one candle instead of cursing the darkness.  Light one little candle was the theme.  I remember as a kid going with my dad to a rally in the Cotton Bowl, of all places.  It was evening, the lights were turned off, and everyone lit a candle.  I can still remember how beautiful it was.

Lighting the candle does at least two things.

1.  It touches the spirit of the person who receives the light.  That elderly man must have been touched when he saw Rosemary come across the parking lot to help him.  I was. 

2.  The effect is contagious.  When the person’s spirit is touched, he becomes a light and touches someone else.  So instead of the elderly man being angry and frustrated, he is peaceful and gracious.

I was rather confounded that I never thought about getting out and helping the elderly gentleman, but I was delighted that Rosemary immediately suggested she help him when she heard my thoughts. 

How are you a light to the nations?   

    AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-01-20.mp3

 

Welcome in, Everybody.  It gets no crazier.

 

Readings: 

Genesis 15, 5-12, 17-18,  The Lord God took Abraham outside and said to him, "Look up at the sky and count the stars."  

Psalm 27,  The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Philippians 3, 17-4, 7,  He will change our lowly bodies

Luke 9, 28b-36,  The Transfiguration.

 

 

The Irish are taking over, Joe with Marsha & Cathy.

 

Genesis observations

What : book 1 of the whole Bible which includes

1. Origin of people, Creation, Adam & Eve, the apple tree,
2. Cain & Abel,
3. Tower of Babel,
4. The flood, Noah, and the arc,
5. Abraham, The Father of the tribe, Isaac, and Jacob

The stories are mythological and fun reading.

 

 

Beware, Hue, it may be contagious.

 

Author: numerous sources, at least 4 big strands. 

When: guess.  Yes, compiled during the Babylonian Captivity, 555 before Christ, to build cohesion in the tribe because it has a history, especially the point that they are chosen to be special by God.

Our selection: The story about Abraham and how God made a pact with the tribe led by Abraham, considered the founder of the tribe. 

 

 

Welcome back home, Shonda & Bill.

 

Amusing note: in our reading Yahweh promises a section of land to the Israelite tribe.  This genre of literature comes under the title of denial of responsibility, typified by ‘The dog ate my homework” or ‘God made me do it.’

The story is put together after the fact, after the event.  The fact is, the Israelite tribe had to remove the Caananite tribe from the land.  The Israelites slaughtered them all, men, women, and children, even the live stock.

Their observation years later, ‘Yahweh told us to do it.”  Such was the origin of the Holy Land.

 

 

Emma has this candle lighting down perfect.

 

Philippians: another amusing observation

Paul says that his enemies and the enemies of the new Christianity have as their god their stomach.   That could apply to me, too.

 

 

At your age, Buddy, I could never do what you do every Sunday.  Congratulations.

 

Sunday Homily, 3-16-19, Transfiguration

This morning we celebrate the Transfiguration.

I would propose that our lives are filled with transfigurations, emphasis on the plural. 

I would likewise propose that a transfiguration event produces in us peace, joy, and gratitude.

 

 

What's going on back there, Cheryl & Grace?  You are missing one of your conspirators, Rosemary.  

 

Six examples from my own life.

Kilimanjaro.  I climbed that mountain 5 times and each time was a transfiguration.  Each time was a special story and filled me with peace, joy, and gratitude.  How high was I?   19 thousand feet plus.

Secondly, every time I biked across Iowa with Ragbrai.   About 500 miles, 12-20 thousand other wakos.  Talk about peace, joy, and gratitude.  I could be riding along with tears in my eyes, just to be there pedaling along on a bright, cool morning, bike riders all around me.  When I was younger and stronger, passing lots of people, I would greet everyone with a “Good Morning.”

 

 

The Best  of all Teams.

 

More modestly, my early morning spin bike get togethers {M. W, F.) at the Jewish Community Center.   6 A.M. 15-18 people.  Survival  is a transfiguration, a natural high.  And to think that there were days recently when I thought I may never do this again.  To top it off, the first time I returned after the lumbar operation (another T.), they threw a welcome back-birthday party at the Monday session.  Got me all choked up, which I know you find difficult to believe.

 

 

The Great Dougherty Team.  Welcome home for Spring Break, Kevin.

 

Then there is Hilton Head, where Rosemary’s sister & brother in law live.  It is always special.  This trip tomorrow will be especially beautiful because the azaleas, the camellias, and maybe the Gardenias will all be in bloom.  This is a re-booting trip after the disaster of our Thanksgiving trip

Did you notice the beauty of yesterday morning?  It even reminded me of many equally cold, calm & beautiful mornings in Yosemite, especially my favorite, the Matterhorn Canyon trail.

 

 

Can you find happier kids?

 

Finally, it is a transfiguration trip for me each Sunday morning when we all get together.  It don’t get no better.

Peace, joy, gratitude.

What are your transfiguration moments?

 

 

Communion team ready.

 

 

With the exception of John, in Jennings, LA to visit his sister, the whole gang is back, yeah.

 

Readings:

Genesis  18, 1-10,  Sarah will have a son (at 90!)

Psalm 15,  He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord

Colossians 1, 24-28,  I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake.

Luke 10, 38-42, "Lord, do you not care that my sister…

 

 

 

A great sister act.

 

Observation on Genesis:

I would laugh at the editor who selected this passage about Abraham and Sarah, his wife.  He leaves out the punch line, a most relevant fact coloring this passage.  Namely, Sarah is 90 and Abraham 100.  Why was this not mentioned?

Genesis, by the way is the first book of the bible and a fun read, especially if you can appreciate it as fable & not factual history.  Don't go looking for the Ark, like you read about periodically.

 

 

 

Buddy  reading the Summer Blessing of the Candles.

 

Observation on Paul writing to the Colossians:

This version of Paul makes me want to pull out the violins and weep for the poor man.  Which, I guess, is the intention Paul is working with.  A poor me presentation.  The goal: get the readers to get up off their behind and get to work, like Paul is doing.

 

 

 

Shonda & Ben, The Best, minus David riding RAGBRAI with Dana, his daughter.

 

Ragbrai Spirit : People are Good

It’s Ragbrai (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa)  week, Folks.  At this moment bikers (including David & Dana) are arriving at Council Bluffs on the MO River prepared to set out this morning, heading ultimately next Saturday to Keokuk, where Mike &  Judy grew up on the MS River.  I should be there.

 

 

What kind of trouble are these 4 up to??

 

Along the way the bikers will walk (too crowded to ride) through achingly beautiful little towns with glorious Victorian houses, tree lined streets, delightful town parks, and welcoming people.  Plus a gazillion vendors. 

Let me give you two vignettes that reflect the spirit of Ragbrai. 

One early afternoon I am riding over some medium level hills.  They were a work out.  At one point starting to climb I run up behind a tricycle, one wheel in front of two & a bench.  Seated on the bench was an elderly guy and a young woman.  The woman is pumping them up the hill. 

I think to myself, This hill is going to really discourage that woman.  So I ride to the top, drop my bike, and run back down to find two other young guys with the same idea .  We all three joined in and pushed that woman and her father right up to the top.

 

Cody, I have not seen Ben in a couple of summer months and when he came in this morning I did not recognize him.  He's grown a foot.

 

 

I hopped on my bike and as I went down the hill I realized another hill was coming up.  To this day I can only hope other people stopped to push that lady & her dad up what turned out to be a series of serious hills.  I would expect they did help.

I have already mentioned here that my most favorite vendor was the home made pie & ice cream stop, always on the right hand shoulder, always in the afternoon (at least for me).  I mentioned how once when I forgot my money, Hanc, a good kid I would see every year, he served me anyway.

On another occasion I was in line at the pie selections tables when a lady behind me realized she did not have enough.  Naturally I staked her and told her to forget it. 

 

 

 

And the same with your pretty daughter Olivia.  She has so grown up this Summer.

 

A day or two later I am sitting on a park bench in a beautiful park.  I am looking at a band stand, the bikers’ road, and a gorgeous river.   Behind me is the whole rest of the park with bikers everywhere.   Everybody is just enjoying the beauty.

Suddenly a tap on my shoulder.  The lady from the Amish pie & ice cream stand hands me the money I loaned or really gave her.  She said thanks and disappeared in the throng of people lying around.   To say the least I was stunned and touched, and reminded again of how good people are. 

This year I will not join the 20 to 30 thousand riders doing the 500 more or less miles.  The people spirit stays with me.

 

 

Today' Communion team, Cheryl, Patricia, Mike, & Claire.

Readings:

Genesis  18, 20-32,  What if there are ten there?  For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.

Psalm 138,  Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.

Colossians 2, 12-14,  You were buried with him in baptism.

Luke 11, 1-13, Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find.

 

Observations on the readings:

The first reading from Genesis is a familiar story about God’s mercy and forgiveness, how it is all encompassing and present to all. More in my homily about this.

The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Colossians is his letter to the Christian community at Colossae (in present day Turkey), telling them to remember that, as followers of Jesus, they are made new and are called to forgive one another, called to peace and thankfulness. Remember, I said last week I was choosing a more inspirational part of this letter for us to hear (Chapter 3, 12-15)

In the Gospel reading from Luke we will hear about prayer. The prayer Jesus
taught that we are familiar with, and say in Mass, is in Matthew, Chapter 6.
Today’s version in Luke is shortened. Jesus’ parable of knocking on a friend’s
door is about God’s constant mercy.    

 

Homily

From the reading in Genesis, I want to talk today about mercy and forgiveness. In particular I want to talk about what I think makes it possible for us to forgive one another. Forgiveness requires first that I put away self-justification where I put myself above another, where I collect points that make me ‘look better’ than another, especially one whom I judge has offended me, hurt me (‘I am right; I am justified in my hurt’). In order to forgive, I give up the quest ‘to be right’. [This is
where that saying fits, ‘you can be right’ or ‘you can have love in your life.’]
If I need to ‘look better’ or ‘be right’ (self-justified, self-righteous),
forgiveness becomes difficult, even unlikely.

The second requirement for sharing forgiveness is accepting what I take as an offense, a hurt, as possible in the universe of my life. This means in the whole universe of possible happenings, I accept that this hurt, this offense, is possible, this can happen to me. If I treat an offense or hurt as unthinkable or unacceptable to me in my universe, I disallow it as possible and keep it at a distance, away
from me, therefore not forgivable.

The third requirement to forgive another is mercy. Mercy is the quality attributed to God in today’s reading from Genesis about God and the people of Sodom. The quality or spirit of mercy makes forgiveness possible, even predictable. As we listened to the story about God and the people of Sodom, didn’t we predict as each question was asked by Abraham, that God’s response would be mercy?

We are called to have mercy and to forgive, even giving up the safety of waiting to first be forgiven by another (when there is mutual hurt). We are called to forgive. On the other hand we are totally accepted wherever we are in the process of learning mercy and forgiveness in our relationships.  Sometimes it may seem easier to forgive another than to ask for forgiveness from the other. Maybe that’s because giving forgiveness seems to put us in the ‘good guy’ role. Asking for forgiveness can put us in a more vulnerable position, not knowing if we will receive mercy and forgiveness from the other.

 So, my questions today are:   

Am I ready to forgive hurts by another,
especially from those close to me?

Am I ready to accept myself, even if I am not
yet fully capable of forgiving?

Am I able to ask for
forgiveness from another?

 

Readings: Acts Acts 1, 1-11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1, 17-23; Matthew 28, 16-20, Readings of the Ascension.

Observations on the Ascension in Acts (and in Luke’s Gospel):

• Luke wrote the 2 accounts: the Gospel of Luke & Acts
• Intended to be read as metaphor or symbol, emphasizing a) Jesus is One with God & therefore can be experienced everywhere; b) Jesus is Lord, a value not only for religious reasons but also political reasons at a time when leaders were lords.
• Reasons why it is considered symbolic: a) time is inconsistent–40 days mentioned in Acts, while the Ascension in Luke’s Gospel seems to take place at most a few days after the Resurrection; b)  the archaic view of a 3 story universe is assumed, i.e., heaven above, hell below, earth in the middle.

What Sends You Up?

There is an old 4 story convent in Venice on the north side in Cannaregio.  4 or 5 elderly nuns live there & they have a beautiful private garden behind their convent, which is just a stones throw from the large body of water separating Venice on the north from the mainland.  Also living in the convent are about 25 elderly women and one Ethiopian lady about 50 who is the guest hostess and door keeper. 

In the morning before breakfast maybe 6 of the ladies gather in the entrance area to chat among themselves and with Magda the hostess lady, and to watch the morning’s comings and goings through the main entrance.

One morning I decided I would join these delightful people to practice my Italian which the women all praised at great length.  I’m thinking, these are Venetian women.  I would love to hear their stories, ask what Venice was like during Mussolini’s time, what were their happiest memories, and so on.

So I went down, greeted everyone, and began to ask them about a booklet I had seen on the coffee table that was about the Jesuits.  I began to get looks of incomprehension and I realized I was talking jibberish to them, mixing Spanish into everything I was saying.  I was so deflated.  All this time and effort put into learning Italian and I could not even use the right word for magazine.  I was ready to quit the language.  I’ll never get it.

The next day I get up and decide I will try again.  I prepare ahead of time and take my time getting started.  The ladies were charming and complimentary as ever and all went well.  I went out of there soaring. 

A couple of days later in a taxi in Florence I had the driver reinforce my positive experience.  He not only says my Italian is good, but that I got the rythm and accent.  That compliment sent me over the moon.

What sends you up? 

We talk about the Ascension today and I would propose that ascension moments are available to all of us.  I would distinguish between passive and active moments.

For example, my moments of language success were active, in the sense that I worked to achieve them and success really sent me up. 

I can work to put together a celebration like we had last night and have an ascension moment all evening and for days afterward.  Our Sunday celebrations do that for me. 

Helping Karina and her mother in Cuernavaca.  Our decades long tree project and the joy of seeing the trees blossom in spring with new growth.  Some of the trees we planted in the 80’s I can’t believe they were small such a short time ago.  I can only imagine the high Tom got running the Boston Marathon.  Beth has been working toward her nationals swim meet yesterday in Austin.  Rob says she’s done really well. 

There are passive or vicarious moments that send me up.  Our music at Mass, watching Kovatis chase the little kids around the cafeteria, watching Maggie & Chloe play during Mass, Chloe & Hunter dancing last night.  My first cup of coffee on the back porch in the morning.  Listening to Handel or Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons.

These moments are the spice of life.  Some come as gifts, others involve effort, but are worth it. 

On this feast of the Ascension, what sends you up? 

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-05-04.mp3