Sunday Homily, February 5, 2017, 5th Ordinary Time

Readings:

Zechariah  9, 9-10,   Rejoice heartily, shout for joy.

Psalm 145,   I will praise your name forever, my king and my God. 

Romans 8, 9, 11-13,  You are in the spirit.

Matthew  11, 25-30,  Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

Emma says, "Come in, Everybody, Welcome."

Zechariah:  Zechariah is the 11th of the 12 Minor Prophets and lived just when the Hebrews were released from the 70 year long Babylonian Captivity, in other words around 555 B.C. He is in Jerusalem and encourages the people to rebuild the temple.

He is called a minor prophet only because his little work has simply 14 chapters, unlike the Big 3, Isaiah, Jeremiah, & Ezekiel, who have many chapters, in fact 66 for Isaiah.

He was a favorite of the N.T. writers because he is rich in messiah predictions.  Today we have one of those visions.   You might picture how this message is coming across.  The people have been crushed, they have been slaves in Babylon, and the Jerusalem they have returned to is nothing but disaster. 

Sophia, also, says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome."

Psalm 145, 8-9: here it is again, The Terrific Line: "The Lord is gracious & merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love."  Watch for it.

July 4, Independence Day

July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence signed.

50^th anniversary, July 4, 1826: two signers of the Declaration died, the only 2 to serve as presidents, mutual friends, Thomas Jefferson & John Adams (excellent source, David McCullough’s John Adams).

Ever wanted to see what two people look like just after they have just finished an Ironman? Take a look and Chad and Kayli. Looking pretty good.

My Yoke is Easy and my Burden Light

This morning I would like to talk about Matthew’s statement about Jesus saying, My yoke is easy and my burden light.  I would also like to include that line which is one of my most favorite lines from the Bible, The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.

I would suggest the first line about my burden being light is influenced, sometimes, by the fact that the Lord is gracious and merciful.  On the other hand, however, sometimes the burden is really blasted heavy.  For example…  The Story of The Week:

Chad finishing.

Thursday afternoon Rosemary & I had just left Plano Cycling, where I had left my bike to have it fitted with a new chain and cassette, the gear assembly on the rear wheel.  I was feeling pretty proud of myself, that I had actually worn out a bike chain and cassette.  I thought only Tour de France people did such things.

So, we are in the van headed south on Central.  The usual traffic, especially for those exiting onto the Bush just past Plano Parkway.  I knew we had to get out into the middle to avoid that blockage. 

Kayli crossing the finish line, Coeur d'Elane, Idaho.

I move over from the right lane.  I want to move over even to the next lane.  I’m watching in the side mirror.  Finally, before the blockage I see a space and move over in front of a big white pickup that seems way back far enough. 

The guy in the pickup, however, seems upset.  Next thing I know his front bumper is in the back of our van.  I can see the hairs in his nostrils.  I can see the color of his eyes, black with flames shooting out.

Offertory, Grace (Ironmanmomma of Kayli), Mary Ellen, and Donna.

Then, yes, you guessed it.  There was space to the left in those lanes.  So my friend swerves to the left, floors it, stomps on the horn, races past us with various hand signals, and swerves back in front of us, where he proceeds another 100 yards before he has to hit the brakes because he was climbing the back side of another car.

What did I do?  Well, I did not follow my impulse to blow our horn.  I also did not want Rosemary cussing me out.  I did nothing but continue along south bound Central.  I am grateful for that.

The Old Man of The Mountains returned, Mike.

As we drive along and talk about this, I admit that if I knew this guy’s story instead of judging the book by the cover, my favorite path, I would probably be more empathic.  Has he just lost his job, his wife, his dignity?  Has he come from a horrible childhood that has him permanently damaged and angry?  This is my profession.   I know this.  His behavior in itself says so much.

Tell this guy your yoke is light and your burden in life is easy.  He would laugh and probably cuss you out.  How many people have burdens that are not light?   No way.

Look at these kids coming across the border.  The little girls, 10-14 years of age, really carrying a heavy burden.

Namesakes: Two Rosemarys, or YoYo & RoRo.

You hear the story of this Louie Zamperini, who just died in his nineties?  After his B-24 went down in the Pacific during the war with Japan, he and two other guys spent 47 days on a flimsy raft.  After being rescued by a Japanese boat, life got only more brutal in the numerous prison camps he spent time in before being released after the war. 

So how do you carry the load if you are Zamperini or the pickup driver? 

This sounds almost insulting or obscene, but it is psychologically sound, acceptance.  Accept what is happening to keep my mind and spirit sane.  Zamperini said that he also worked to keep his spirit alive and hopeful, disciplining himself like he did when he was an Olympic sprinter.

This is where I suggest contemplating the positive.  Maybe my childhood was horrible and my life is bad.   Can I not find love and graciousness somewhere? 

Perhaps that pickup driver is suffering.  He does not seem to be handling his suffering well.

How do you deal with the heavy burden?

She's back, Folks, the party is over. RoRo doing her blessing.

Readings:

Isaiah  55, 10-11,   My word shall not return to me void.

Psalm 65,   The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

Romans 8, 18-23,  We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains.

Matthew  13, 1-23,  A sower went out to sow.

Kevin says, "Welcome, Everybody, It is good to be back home.

Isaiah, The Great One, observations—

Who:  One of the Big 3 prophets, the greatest in my estimation.  Jeremiah and Ezekiel are the other two.  Actually, the book includes the work of 3 prophets.   Our selection is the last chapter written by Isaiah 2.

Time:  Isaiah 2 was living during the Babylonian Captivity, ca. 555.  Isaiah 1 writes before the Captivity, maybe 150 years.  Isaiah 3 writes after the return to Jerusalem.

Georgie also says, "Hi, Everybody, It is fun to be home again."

Subject today: better times will come.  I am expanding today’s passage, because it is so good.

Isaiah 2 has some of the most beautiful passages, many of which are seen as foretelling the coming of the Savior.  His readings are used all through the Advent & Christmas readings, as well as in Lent.  Handel uses Isaiah 2 in his marvelous work, The Messiah.

Both the Isaiah reading and Psalm 65 are beautiful.  

And Zoe, Tori, and Buddy all say, "Hi, Folks, it is so fun to be back again."

And My Seed Landed Where?

This morning I would like to talk about how Jesus is said to describe how the farmer’s seed is scattered on four different types of ground, the path, the rocks, the thorns, and the fertile.  Where did your seed fall?  Where did my seed fall?  I’m sure a lot of volunteers would be happy to let me know where my seed fell.

If you are a sinful gambler poker player you would look at this explanation and notice the bad odds, one out of four.  I would propose, however, that we all landed on fertile soil.  Let me offer some examples. 

I’ve shared this example once before, so you might remember it, but probably not. 

Cupcake of The Week to John on his birthday.

When I was a little kid about 5 years old, I was playing in the driveway of our house in University Park.  There were no fences and the drive went from the street, through the space between our house and the neighbor’s, and to the back up against the alley. 

The neighbor was Sam Berger, who owned a hat store in downtown Dallas.  He was Jewish and lived next to us all during the Holocaust.  I was oblivious to it all.  He & his wife had a big black lady who not only worked in the house, but lived in the back in an apartment attached to the garage, the servant quarters.  This black lady was not nice to me.

And a Cupcake of The Week to Beth on her birthday.

So this day as I am playing in the driveway, the lady steps out of the kitchen door & stands on the steps.  Without thinking, I say, “You are a big fat elephant.”

To the lady’s credit, she marches right across the drive and tells my mom.  My mom comes out of the house, drags me in, and spanks me.  Thinking back, I am impressed that my mom respected the lady.  The spanking, however, and her treatment of me confirmed my suspicions that my seed had fallen at least on the path or rocks, if not right on the thorns.   I definitely grew up with the belief that I was a bad kid. 

And a Cupcake of The Week to Harper for her 3rd birthday about 3 weeks late.

Despite the fact that you folks might agree with that assessment, I would propose that I was just a normal little boy doing silly things. 

This habit of doing silly, not bad things, can continue into adult years.  I know a guy who gets on his bike and rides off for an hour leaving the driver’s door of his car wide upon. 

I know a lady who last week let her Lincoln run out of gas in rush hour traffic.  Her husband, a bit nettled, brought gas, but then could not start the car.  It had to be towed.

Zoe seriously at work.

I know a dear friend who drove into her garage with a canoe strapped to the top of her car. 

You do this stuff and you begin to believe the bad news, ‘I am a loser, I am bad, my seed obviously landed in the ditch.” 

And then there are the malicious acts.  You know where I come in on this.  Kids hurt and abused grow up to hurt and abuse.  They are not bad.  They are damaged. 

So, who landed on fertile soil?  All of us.  God don’t make bad seed.

So, what do you think about all this?

Emma and her pal say, "It is so nice to be here."

Readings:    

 Wisdom  7, 7-11,  I prayed, and prudence was given to me.

 Psalm 90,   Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy.

 Hebrews 4, 12-13,   The word of God is living and effective.

Mark 10, 17-30,  Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.

Mass begins

Wisdom:

Date of Composition: 100-200 BCE, which is why it is considered significant.  It provides a glimpse into the cultural & social milieu which prevailed just before & during the time of Christ.   We had Wisdom for our first reading 3 weeks ago.

Place of Composition: Alexandria, Egypt.

Communion helpers, Sandra, Richard and Carol, and Geri

The Composer: a Jew who wrote educated Greek.

Unique Quality: Wisdom is one of a set of 12 (or 14) books written in Greek considered not part of the original 39 books of the Hebrew Bible, the O.T.  This blew up around 350 CE when St. Jerome, one of the Fathers of the Early Church, i.e., a church leader who influenced a lot of church dogma, said the books were not genuine.   He was opposed by St. Augustine.  It was the Council of Trent (ca. 1550), that declared the 12 books okay.  Another person doubting the validity of the books was Martin Luther. 

You probably won’t find these books in the Protestant Bibles.

Communion helpers, Lynda, Denni, Patricia, and Sandra

Our Selection in Chapter 7: the book of Wisdom generally says that good guys get rewarded by God, bad guys don’t.  This selection personifies the virtue of wisdom, using the feminine pronoun she, and praises her as above all other values & pleasures.  I loved her even more than health or beauty, the composer declares.

 Sources: The Good News Bible, Got Bible Questions on line.

Kayla

Sell what I have, give it to the poor, and follow Him?

This morning I want to talk about two things:

1.  Selling everything I have and giving it to the poor, then following the Lord;
2.  It being easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than for the rich to enter the kingdom.
   

   Zoe with her mom, Michelle

I  in no way mean to boast, folks, but I have been there, done that.  Three times, in fact. 

The first time was 1958, when I joined the Jesuits to become a priest.  I was all enrolled at Notre Dame.  I went instead to Grand Coteau, LA, the Jesuit novitiate.  I did this out of fear that if I did not, I was going straight to hell. 

Georgie with Buddy and Zoe

The other two times I was not afraid.  Anxious, yes, but not afraid.  I went to East Africa in ’76 and Rosemary & I married  05.05.05.    Paradoxically one of the riches of that hundred fold that came to me was a lack of fear.   I was not afraid to leave the States and go to East Africa.  I was not not afraid to leave the Jesuit security and marry Rosemary.  This came about because of exposure to good thinking, good people, and rich experiences. 

I gave it all up to go to East Africa and I gave it all up when Rosemary & I married, an unfortunate lack Rosemary had to accept in marrying me.   What I did not give up these two times was inner peace and inner freedom.   In fact, it has deepened with each choice.

Leo

3 observations on Mark’s message. 

1.  Go sell what you have and give it to the poor is for real.  We are always challenged to do this.  This is also Mark’s infinite demand in plain view.  This is not an ‘and  follow the Lord.’  This is following him. 
2. Why give it up?  Yes, to help others and to follow him.  But, moreover, this is a ticket of admission into the kingdom.  You know what I mean by kingdom, a here and now, present event of peace and freedom.   The peace & freedom of this kingdom is a result, a consequence of my detatchment.
3. It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich person to enter the kingdom, the place of peace and freedom?   Hyperbole, Mark?  Yes. 

Leo

We are all rich, all of us.  Take our education alone.  In East Africa I could have given every material thing I had away, and I still would have been rich because of my education.

However, don’t discount Mark’s message.  It is difficult to detatch myself from my money & things, so that I can follow the Lord, help others, and arrive today in the kingdom of peace and freedom.  Do you see freedom or peace in people obsessed with money or work? 

The Man on the monkey bar

 I have been truly blessed with my 3 give it all up events.  Yes, I have personally received the hundred fold promised.

Where are you on the spectrum of giving it all up, following the Lord, and entering the kingdom of peace and freedom?

Welcome to the beautiful colors of Advent & Fall in Dallas.

Readings:

Isaiah, 11, 1-10,  On that day the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb. (a beautiful reading)

 Psalm 72,  Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.

 Romans 15, 4-9,  Welcome one another as Christ welcomed you.

 Matthew, 3, 1-12,   John the Baptist appeared preaching in the desert.

Welcome, Everybody.

Observations on the Isaiah and the Matthew selections.

These two reading today have a sort of ying & yang quality to them.  Isaiah is looking for peace while Matthew talks about John the Baptist, who does not specialize in peace.  

You will find the selection from Isaiah (this is Isaiah 1) to be a beautiful dream about peace.  He even looks at the animal kingdom for peace.  Watch how Isaiah enters into this theme when he talks about the wolf.

And what was John's message?  You better behave and repent or you are going to get it.

So how do you you reconcile the reading from Matthew with a
God who loves unconditionally? 

Happy Engagement, Carrie & Paul.

In place of our usual homily today we have invited one of the men from Souls Harbor so share his journey of recovery.  

Ha!  I caught you, Beth.  Swiping pastries before the kids and I can get there.  Sure, you think I believe that you brought those.

Readings:

Acts  12, 1-11,   The chains fell from his wrists.

Psalm 34,   The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

2 Timothy  4, 6-8, 17-18,  The Lord stood by me and gave me strength.

John  21, 15-19,  Simon, son of John, do you love me.

Cowboy Cole and his mom, Erin, say, "Welcome, Everybody."

Acts, a quick review–

Luke wrote this and his gospel, around 65, covering the time after the resurrection and onto Rome.

Our selection describes Peter's imaginative escape from jail.

John: I want to use the gospel passage from the Vigil Mass, the story about Jesus asking Peter, "Do you love me?"  Watch how this story can be unpacked from something fairly simple to something  with more finesse.

Emma and her mom, Beth, say, "Come, Folks, it's fun here."

Do you love me?

I want to talk this morning about the little dialogue between Jesus and Peter.  It looks pretty simple and straight forward.  Jesus says, “Do you love me?”  Peter responds, “You know I love you.” 

You have probably heard the simple explication that it is a triple statement of love after a triple denial.  It ain’t so simple.  You may have heard me talk about this in the past, but it bears repeating. 

By way of an introduction, let me tell a little story.

Cupcakes of the Week to Cowboy Cole and Emma (for just being neat kids) and Candice on her birthday.

Last Monday I am at the “J” for the 6:00 A.M. spin class, the Jewish Community Center near our house.  There are about 20 people there, all ages, males and females, some in pretty good shape, some not.  The instructor or coach or whatever he is, is a tall slender, in shape black guy.  He knows everybody’s name, calls you out during the class, like, “Come on, John, you can do better than that,” when I am already putting out so much I am about to faint. 

Most of all he has the mouth, the language.  He’s beautiful.  He says a lot of crazy things to get us going, and if I was not going so flat out, I could enjoy him even more.  So, I love to tease him.  He asks everyone how they’re doing 5 minutes before the end of the session and after all the others have said they are doing great, I say I am dying and I say I know that makes him happy. 

Jack & Sophia, Candice and Ben's kids.

So after dying in Monday’s class and while I am cleaning up the stationary bike, I say to him, “Hey, Ben, if you really love me like you profess (he’s never told me he loves me, rather the contrary), in three weeks you would come with me to ride across Iowa in the Ragbrai bike tour.”

You can imagine what he says.  He does not deny that he loves me.  But he says that he is not the stud biker like I am.   Pretty slippery.  Of course, I make some smart response like, “So much for your love for me.”

This story exemplifies a bit how the dialogue between Jesus and Peter can be seen.

Barb, the bearer of Charm.

There is play on the word love here that is totally lost in the English.  Two Greek words are used for love, agapo and phileo.  Let’s say that agapo means love, but phileo means, say, care for.  Watch what happens with the 3 back and forths.

The first time, Jesus says, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these others do?”, he uses agapo, do you love me?  

Peter responds, “You know that I love you.”  Guess what.  He uses the word phileo.  I care for you.  Does that not make a significant difference?

The second time, Jesus only says, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”  Again he uses agapo.

Offertory, Kerry and Nina, fellow bikers.

Peter responds exactly the same, “You know that I love you.”  Guess which word he uses.  Phileo.  I care for you.

Third time, Jesus says, “Simon, son of John, do you care for me?”  Jesus switches word.  This time he uses phileo, care for.   

Peter responds, “Lord, you know everything.  You know that I care for you.”

So what is the author John trying to convey by crafting this little vignette?  Who knows really?  Apparently Peter has become a more humble, less braggadocio person.  Look at where it begins with Jesus asking about loving more than the others.  What would the old Peter have said?  And look at where it ends, Jesus lowering his expectations and Peter sticking to his first statement.  Beyond that, who can say? 

Question this week: how do you deal with the mystery that is this bible?

Wendy and Ben charming the community.

Readings: Acts 2, 42-47; Psalm 118; 1 Peter 1, 3-9; John 20, 19-31.

Acts: This book basically tells the story of the early Christian community.  Biblical scholarship considers the book idealistic in great part.  It was what they hoped the community would look like rather than what it was.

Do Not be Unbelieving, But Believe 

It dawned upon me a day or so ago that 2008 is a 50 year anniversary for me.  August 15, 1958, I entered the Jesuits at Grand Coteau, LA.  This, coupled with meeting up with David Cardenas last week, another guy who entered the Jesuits, though a few years after me, all has had me reflecting on our lives as young Jesuits before Vatican II.  Three thoughts.

First, there was a neat spirit among the 25 or so guys I entered with, as well as in the whole Jesuit identity.  There were a couple of odd clerical guys, but I was impressed with how typical my classmates were. 

Secondly, we lived a rigorous monastic life.  Silence, formal prayer times, work, study, and three recreation afternoons, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.  We wore a black cassock & cincture or we wore long sleeved shirts and long pants, even to play touch football & baseball in 100 degree heat & Gulf Coast humidity.

The two hardest physical labors I ever experienced: riding a tractor on a cold day and harvesting corn silage in August heat.  There were three silage jobs, picking up the cut corn stalks, shoving it into the grinder, or walking around inside the silo while the silage rained down on you from the hole in the roof. 

The third thing I remember which amuses and embarrasses me is the penitential practices we were expected to use, especially in Lent & Advent.  There were a variety of practices, but two stand out.  One was the scourge.  We had these little light rope whips which we used on ourselves before going to bed like on Friday nights.  Since we lived in large dorms in cubicles it was amusing, of course, to hear just before lights out at 10:00 the scourges being used. 

Secondly, we were given little wire chains with the wire ends poking out on one side.  You put that around your thigh with the ends poking in.  You put it on when you woke up and wore it until after breakfast.  I’ll tell you, it was amusing to see your buddies discomfort, all in silence. 

The rationale for the penance was based on the old philosophy of dualism: flesh bad, spirit good.  In order the keep the flesh from bringing down the spirit, discipline it, make it hurt.  Then the spirit will grow and strengthen.  What got me through was the light spirit of amusement of my classmates, the fantastic 3 hot  meals every day, and because I believed.

The overall training made me grow up quickly.  I look back now, however, am somewhat embarrassed, and ask myself how could I believe in some of those practices.  And I know.  It was believe, believe in the process, in the company, in those who have gone through this before me, and look at them, how successful they are.

Doubting Thomas, the subject of our Gospel today, is a hero of mine.  I think I would like to have been more like Thomas in those early years.  Which would have been impossible at the time, I know.  In fact, I think the training itself ultimately gave me the self-confidence and intellectual curiosity to enable me to have doubts & questions.  For example, I have doubts about the emphasis on penance, to say nothing about the philosophy behind the penance.

The danger with the "do not be unbelieving, but believe" statement is that it may be a "do not think" statement.  I become a sheep following the footsteps of whoever is in front of me with a feeling of security.  Doubts can be scary, questions confusing.  However, they are normal and healthy.  Without them I am less than healthy.  Thomas can be a model for us.  "Show me the evidence."

Like Thomas what are your doubts & questions?  And how do you feel about them?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-03-30.mp3