Sunday Homily 5-17-09, 6th Easter

 Readings:  Isaiah 25, 6-10 (fun reading about the next life); Psalm 23, I shall live in the House of the Lord all the days of my life (Psalm of consolation); Philippians 4, 12-20; Matthew 22, 1-14, The king throws a wedding feast.

Isaiah:  This is Isaiah I, a great reading.

Psalm 23:

Number of Psalms: There are 150 psalms, which are religious songs.

Authorship: Jews, Muslims and Christians for centuries considered King David to be the author.  73 psalms use his name.  Today, however, scripture scholars know numerous authors composed the psalms and they were passed down ca. 500 years in an oral, sung form before they began to be written down ca. 600 B.C.E.  King David lived ca. 1000 B.C.E.

 

Life is a Banquet

I had a Jesuit friend named Tom Barbarito who was in the class behind me.  Italian.  About 5 feet 5, like 5 by 5. Quite rotund in his early years.  No way athletic.  In fact would shudder at the prospect of exercise or physical work.  Intelligent and very amusing mostly at his own expense.  He was pastor of St. Rita for many years. 

Our selection from Isaiah 1 about the banquet was his favorite reading of all time.  He loved to eat.  We used to have what were called first class feasts in the early years of my Jesuit life.  These were special meals on Christmas, Easter, and church holidays.  The meals were excellent Cajun cuisine put together by our cajun cooks from southwest LA, Opelousas & Lafayette.  And Tom was from New Orleans, as were many in the classes those days.  We got to talk in the refectory on the occasion of these meals, all 150 of us.

 

I can still picture Tom squaring off for one of these meals, his white cloth napkin tucked into the collar of his cassock European style, getting elbow room, and proclaiming that he was ready.  He used to declare that he could not wait for the heavenly banquet referred to here in Isaiah.  Today Tom is enjoying that banquet because he died maybe ten years ago with a brain tumor.  And he died skinny, so he now may eat all his favorite foods without guilt. 

I think of Tom whenever this reading comes up.  Our readings today are so Tom Barbarito, eating, feasting, enjoying the cup running over.  Besides that,  we got the king throwing a wedding banquet and getting mad because the invited did not come.  Then one guy gets kicked out for not having a wedding garment on.  What is going on?   Three observations.

 

First, remember for whom Matthew is writing.  He has an agenda when he puts parables into his work.  Initially he writes to warn the Jewish people about how they are losing it in not recognizing Jesus.  But equally he is addressing the Gentiles, letting them know that Jesus welcomes them also.

As in all parables, check out the symbolism of the gospel.  Obviously the king is Yahweh.  Who else?  Who are the invited to the wedding feast?  The Jews?  Who are the good & bad street people? 

 

Second observation, we are invited.   There is a banquet out there, a feast on a mountain top, a feast of rich food and choice wine.  Tex Mex & Blue Bell?  We are invited, despite the fact that we are the street people.  In fact, I would propose that we are all street people, bad and good, Gentile and Jew. 

The third observation is that the banquet on the mountain top, the marriage feast is taking place today.  I can be tempted to think the feast takes place in the next life.  In fact, I think a lot of poor people and slaves were fed this nonsense so they would not try to fight back against oppression.  Everyday is a banquet.

 

A final post script: what about the poor guy without the wedding garment?  He gets treated pretty harshly, especially so after the king invites all the street people in, both good and bad. 

To attempt an understanding, I think we go back to the symbolism which is the currency of parables.  What could he symbolize?  What is the wedding garment symbolizing?  Gratitude?  Or cynicism?   Maybe he was not grateful, but was critical and cynical, thinking he was entitled to all this, the attitude that seems to be so prevalent in our contemporary culture.  Consequently, the man was not thrown out.  His ingratitude never allows him in.  We can be the man without the wedding garment.

 

My friend Tom Barberito I am sure is enjoying his wedding banquet in the next life.  We are invited to enjoy the banquet today with gratitude.

 On the 1 to 10 scale, where is your gratitude, where is your cynicism?

Picture 1:    Mass begins

Picture 2:    Lorynne & Lacee with their grandmother, Marilyn

Picture 3:    Sienna

Picture 4:    Robyn & Erin

Picture 5:    Wendy

Picture 6:    Jean & Jack, Wendy's parents  

  

Readings: Jeremiah 20, 7-9; Psalm 63, My soul is thirsting for You, O Lord, My God; Romans 12, 1-2; Matthew 16, 21-27

 

Jeremiah:

Some short observations–

    1.  One of the Big 3, Isaiah, Ezekiel, & Jeremiah, big because of the size of the work.

   
 

     2.  Follows the classic prophet profile: denounce the behavior of people, threaten God's vengeance, and finally, consolation for the reformed.

     3.  Who are prophetic people today?  Perhaps our 3 guest speakers.

 

Please catch today's homily recorded in the video. 

 
 
Picture 1:    Beginning of Mass with account of Hotter 'N Hell Hundred (as in miles & temp), a bike tour out of Wichita Falls

Picture 2:    Cole with his grandmother, Diane.

Picture 3:    Leo & Sophia, Ben's daughter

Picture 4:    Delgados back in their corner finally.                                
  

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome in, Dearest Harper.  I wish I could have been with you this morning, but next week for sure.

 

Readings: 

1 Samuel 1, 20-22, 24-28, In those days Hannah bore a son

Psalm 84,  Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.   

1 John 3, 1-2, 21-24, See what love the Father has bestowed upon us.  

Luke 2,  41-52,  When he was 12 years old they went up according to the festival custom.

 

 

Thanks for your beautiful welcome Cindy & Dee.

 

HOMILY     

Since the Church has always taught that Jesus was truly human, I like it when the Scripture gives an example of the family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus as an actual, real human family.

 

 

Rick, you make an excellent candle lighter.  Thanks for your help.

 

 

Today’s Gospel gives such an example. Luke’s story hints at a family conflict caused by Jesus’ behavior. Luke gives us just a glimpse of the conflict, but I can imagine it going something like his mom, Mary saying, “How could you do this to us? Not telling us where you were all this time. This was hurtful to your father and me. We’ve been looking for you since last night; and were worried to death all this time! Don’t you know how disrespected we feel? We taught you better than this”…(and perhaps, both concerned parents, either Joseph or Mary said)…“Do not do this to us again!”

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for your company yesterday, Mike.  You sure helped me to wait patiently while my surgeon got delayed for almost 4 hours.  We actually had fun in that OR waiting room.  Like with the lady who was wanting nothing but a coffee while she waited.

 

As for Jesus, I can imagine his side too. Some claim Jesus had brothers and/or sisters. Whether he had siblings or not, he was twelve, equal to a teenager today, a time kids are practicing behaviors that are rebellious or just plain independent. Working with your Dad learning carpentry isn’t bad, but Jesus may have begun to experience it’s limitations. And being in the big city for the first time as a 12-year old probably exposed Jesus to opportunities he hadn’t considered before—like a chance to talk about the Scriptures with temple scholars.

 

 

 

Hi, Jan, Where is that crazy guy you hang out with, like you know, that Sir Charlie?

 

Luke had his own goal in mind, building up Jesus’ credentials as a kid wise beyond his years and already showing an advanced knowledge of the Scriptures. So we don’t get the whole story here, of Joseph and Mary and Jesus, being a working class Jewish family living all those years in a small town.

 

 

The Best Music with Shonda, Ben (where is your hat), and David.

 

Though just a glimpse, in this story Luke gives us a hint of the holy family being like a regular family I can identify with. How about you? Can you imagine from Luke’s story how the family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus acted and lived—and had conflicts—much like your own family?

 

 

John sharing another of his insightful homilies to end the year of 2018.

Readings:  Proverbs 31, 10-31, When one finds a worthy wife…; Psalm 128, Blessed are those who fear the Lord; 1 Thessalonians 5, 1-6, You are not in darkness; Matthew 25, 14-30, The parable of the talents.

Proverbs:

Author: Not Solomon, the wise king, but, as usual, a compilation of sources.

Date of Composition: ca. 300 B.C.  It is recognized from the text that it is post exile, that is, after the Babylonian Exile, around 600 to 550 before Christ. 

Content: a collection of moral & religious teachings which  mostly deal with practical matters.   We have some of this folk wisdom, like the saying, 'early to bed, early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy, and wise.   Let me give you six examples:

    1.  (Chapter 1, verse 7),  'Pay attention to what your father & mother tell you, my son.'

    2.  (13, 24),  'If you don't punish your son, you don't love him.'

    3.  (22, 15),  'Children naturally do silly things, but a good beating will teach them.'

    4.  (17, 22),  'Being cheerful keeps you healthy.'

    5.  (18, 6),  'When some fool starts an argument, he is asking for a beating.'

    6.  (25, 24), guys' favorite,  'Better to live on the roof than share the house with a nagging wife.'

Today's Selection: This chapter 31 is the last and most beautiful chapter.  A tribute to wives.  The editors of the lectionary have broken the piece up, but I have printed off the whole section.  Very nice. 

Notice anything especially obvious about the proverbs, even from the few I chose?  What do you think?  Written by men for men?

1Thessalonians

We have read this work for a bunch of Sundays.  You might remember one thing about it.  It is the first written document in the New Testament.

Sources: The New Interpreter's Study Bible, The Good News Bible.

 

 

The Parable of the Talents

I have to talk about something this morning.  I would call it a Thanksgiving event, an event that makes a difference.  Was yesterday not beautiful?  Even more beautiful was what about 20 members of our little community did at the house of Rita Dore. 

I am sorry the rest of you did not make it, but you can be proud of your community members, as I am. 

 We started about 8:00.  We had to scrape & paint three large walls and touch up the front wall, which Frank Reyes, a buddy of his, and I had painted in the summer.  There must have been twelve people scraping for two hours.  This is the painful part of a painting project.  By 10:30 we were rolling and painting vertical cracks.  By 12:30 we were 99% finished, and Jenny, Melissa, and Diane brought the pizza.  

Beth took off the handle & lock of the front door and painted it gloss white.  Jim McCabe & Ryan rigged up a block & tackle arrangement from a tree to each of the dead holly bushes and pulled them out one by one.  We even were able to buy and plant 8 Texas Sage bushes along the front of the house where the holly had been.  More drought tolerant.

Folks, later after everyone had left & I had finished cleaning up, Rita said she was overwhelmed with joy. 

I talk about this event because we are less than two weeks from Thanksgiving and because the event leads into the Parable of the Talents.  This is a crazy parable and commentaries by academics are not too helpful. One Jesuit at St. Louis U. mentioned, “Okay, what is the moral?”  I would like to touch upon 3 morals to the parable. 

The first moral.  Fr. John Foley, S.J. says the moral of the parable is obvious, ‘Make the most of what you got.  On the positive side, the moral can be a positive influence in my life.  On the negative side, it might influence me to take too many risks, like with drugs, like with motorcycles, like with money.  The first two servants are lucky they did not invest their talents with Bernie Madoff. 

The second moral.  You fear, you lose.  Observation: it is okay to be afraid.  It is a normal feeling.  It may lead to prudence, which is what the third servant may be praised for.  Or it may lead to paralysis if I let it run loose.  

The third moral.  Watch out for that mean God.  The property owner is obviously a symbol for God or Christ.  What about Matthew?  Could he have been criticizing the religious authorities, who were afraid of anything new, in this case, Jesus & his message? 

Ultimately, I would propose that the symbol for God is over drawn.  It goes contrary to where we are today with our image of God, namely, my favorite line,”He is gracious and merciful; he never gets angry and is abounding in love.” 

Renovating Rita’s house was a Thanksgiving event where a lot of talents were put to good use.  How are you sensitizing yourself and preparing for Thanksgiving? 

Sources: Fr. John Foley, S.J., St. Louis U. Liturgies.

Picture 1:    Mass Begins

Picture 2:    Chloe

Picture 3:    Cole

Picture 4:    Ryan helping scrape Rita's house with his dad, Jim

Picture 5:    Rob & Mike on Rita's house

Picture 6:    Bill Hammond replacing the dead hollies with Texas Sage, which are more drought resistant   

 

 

 

 

Readings: Exodus 3, 1-15; Psalm 103, The Lord is kind and merciful; 1 Corinthians 10, 1-12; Luke 13, 1-9

 
  

Third Sunday in Lent – Introduction to the Readings

Our readings today are definitely a reminder that there is a cultural influence in our readings, which was alive and well at the time of Jesus and unfortunately is still very much alive today.  Namely, if bad stuff happens to you, you must have deserved it and God is getting back at you!  In the gospel we will hear Jesus explain that the tower fell on the 18 people, but that didn’t mean they were bad.  That the people Pilate had put to death were not bad people.  But Jesus ends each of these examples with a scary warning – worse will happen to you if you don’t behave!!

   

In our second reading from Paul to the Corinthians we find Paul remembering the fate of the Jews who had escaped from Egypt with Moses and saying that God was not pleased with most of them and so they never made it out of the desert!!

   

It is readings like these that are bad PR for God.  They represent the view of the punishing God.  And yet a careful reading of Luke’s Gospel will show that when Jesus is asked about those who were killed and whether they were greater sinners than the rest, he is quite clear in his response “By no means” God does not operate that way.

  

The first reading I am saving to comment on in the homily.

 
  

Third Sunday in Lent – Homily

“Take off your shoes, you are standing on Holy Ground!”

Most of the time we are not really aware that we are standing on holy ground.  I do remember a few years ago, when Gayle and I were living in California we did a bit of camping.  In the early days of the camping we slept in the back of the Volvo wagon we had.  On one of our trips we had driven down Hwy 1 to San Simeon and pulled off the road just next to some sand hills.  We cooked our meal and as the sky darkened I suddenly became aware that we were on holy ground.  There was a full moon overhead, in the distance we could see the lights of Hearst Castle, the sounds of the waves came in over the sandhills from the Pacific Ocean.  I had a little transistor radio that my parents had given me for my 21st birthday, and I was able to get the BBC World Service broadcasting  the Last Night of the Prom Concerts!  It was glorious.

   

I think, occasionally we have moments like this when we are suddenly aware of God’s Creation, but sadly most of the time we are too busy to notice our surroundings.  Moses, in today’s first reading was reminded.

   

In the Gospel, we had an incident where 18 people had been killed by a falling tower.  Big News.  Last month we had 250,000 people killed in Haiti, old news.  We get too much news and we have become insensitive to so much around us.  There is too much demand on our time.  We come here each Sunday to try and take a bit of time out.  To listen to God’s Word and to remember that not only are we standing on Holy Ground, but that each person around us, not just today, but everyday, is representing God to us, and also an opportunity for us to represent God to them.

 

Readings: Exodus 34, 4-9; Psalm, Daniel 3, 52-55; 2 Corinthians 13, 11-13; John 3, 16-18.

The Trinity: First proclaimed as a dogma in 350, Council of Nice, France.  Church leaders were influenced by 1) reflecting back on biblical passages that identified God sources, e.g., Jesus & Holy Spirit; 2) Babylonian, Egyptian, and Greek philosophy (e.g., Plato) which believed in a plurality of gods and an afterlife.

Exodus: The second book of the O.T. & the Hebrew Torah (1st 5 books).  Basically the story of Moses leading the Hebrews out of Egypt, where they had gone because of drought generations earlier.  Today’s metaphorical passage tells of how Moses got a second set of the 10 Commandments after he broke the first set in anger at the people.  The people are in the desert.  We will read all the first 9 verses.

Already Condemned?

Last week a good friend of mine called up and said, "Stack, are all non-Catholics going to hell?"  Seems like she had been talking with a friend of hers about an acquaintance who was not Catholic.  The person said that all people who do not believe in Jesus are condemned.  Catholics hold that all who are not Catholic are condemned.  Right?

My friend who has been a lifelong Catholic said that she had heard this a long time ago, but did not think anyone really believed it anymore. 

"No," I responded, "It is not true."  Even though we have today’s Gospel telling us so, that "whoever does not believe has already been condemned."  How do you reconcile this?

Two observations.  First is about the nature of Scripture.  Second is about passages that are more inclusive.

First, the Bible.  We have an example in John’s passage today of the danger of taking one line or event literally.  If you take the Bible literally you parents have the justification to kill your son or daughter who is disobedient.  Slavery should still exist.  You should pluck out your eye if it is a source of temptation to you.  With that we would all be blind from adolescence.  This, along with much more like it, is in our Bible.

So much of the Old Testament is legend, but legend intended to convey the writer’s moral lesson.  Like today’s story of Moses & the 10 Commandments.  Legend.  Moses supposedly lived at least 300 years before the events recounted here were written down.  300 years of oral passing on.   Could you write a history of, say, the Revolutionary War or even the Civil War?

The lesson is: don’t take literally every sentence in the Bible. 

At the same time, and this is the second point, there are some lines that are terrific, like the line in Exodus today about the Lord being gracious & merciful, patient & kind.  As many of you know, this is one of my most favorite lines.  The line shows up at least 3-5 other times in the Scriptures.

So do we pick and choose the lines we like in the Bible?  Yes, I think so, using common sense and our experience.  Otherwise we are like dumb sheep.  Finally, putting together our experience of living and identifying lines in Scripture that we find helpful, we put together our own personal image of our God.  Is that God gracious & merciful, patient & loving, or condemning?  For me it is definitely the former.

What do you think?  Is God condemning people?  Or is our God gracious & merciful, patient & loving?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-05-18.mp3