Sunday Homily, April 2, 2017, 5th Lent
Welcome in, Everybody.
Readings:
Ezekiel 37, 12-14. I will open your graves
Psalm 130, With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
Romans 8-11, Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
John 11, 1-45, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.
Can it get any better than this, Shonda & Bethany, Ray & David?
Ezekiel 37, observations: (Author, When, Message)
Author: Ezekiel, for real. He is unique because he was not only one of the Big 3 Prophets (along with Isaiah & Jeremiah), but he was also a priest working in the temple.
When: before & during the Babylonian Captivity, therefore around 555 before Christ. His audience was the people.
Candle lighting, a family affair with Tori and Zoe, and big sister, Georgie, helping out.
Message: Like the classic prophet, he condemns, warns, and consoles. We pick up on the consolation end. I want to read the first verses which lead up to our selection, because it is the fun dry bones story, about which we have the Spiritual. It is a shame the richer story is not included. This is metaphor. The dry bones can stand for the people in captivity; they can stand for me. Get out of that tomb!
Sources: New Interpreter’s Study Bible, Good News Bible, St. Louis U. with Reginald Fuller, Daniel Westberg, Larry Gillick, Jesuits.
And if you cannot get it the first time, for sure, a little tongue influence will do it.
Romans observation:
One line says a lot, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
This line was composed by a man who was totally convinced that our body is bad and needs to be beaten into subservience. Subservience achieves spiritual maturity and superiority. This writer was influenced by a couple of philosophical theories of the time, Manichaeism and Gnosticism.
The same thinking is still around. We certainly practiced it as young Jesuits. For me it does not work.
Hey, Mommy, how about let's fly.
Lazarus and the metaphor of life
This morning I would like to use the Lazarus story to show how life can be a gift we receive and also give. It is probably well known to you that at the time of Jesus the people attributed to leaders, like Julius Caesar, the ability to heal and raise the dead.
I would propose that we, too, are called to at least metaphorically receive life and to give life to others. I would propose, too, that this is all around us, taking place frequently. 4 examples.
Offertory team forming up, Allen & Aggie, Tom & Denni.
Take Bill Hammond. Bill gives me new life in at least 2 ways. First, twice a year he invites me to volunteer at the Love for Kids picnic at Circle R Ranch. I come away from that picnic humbled and inspired by the kids and by the numerous volunteers. New life.
After the picnic this Saturday I have a big wedding. Talk about a life giving event.
Communion cups at the ready.
Bill also gave me new life a dozen years ago when he invited me to join him at the Hotter N’ Hell bike ride of a hundred miles. Here I am now more than a dozen years later still riding. And while I may be dead tired at the end, I am overflowing with life.
I mentioned that I get life from helping at weddings. A week ago Renee Reddick gave me new life when she asked me to fly to Toronto to handle the funeral for her ex-husband. As usual when I receive these invitations, I balked, made excuses, and tried to get out of it. Rosemary told me that I would hate myself if I failed to go. So I called Renee back and told her I would get there the next day. I was totally touched with life by coordinating that funeral Mass.
Blessing, Everybody.
Finally, guess who called me to new life about 13 years ago. Yep, Carol and Bernadette, when they invited me to consider sharing Masses with our community. Talk about a rich life.
What gives you new life and to whom do you give life?