Sunday Homily 6-8-08, 10th Sunday, Ordinary Time
Readings: Hosea, 6, 3-6; Psalm 50; Romans 4, 18-25; Matthew 9,9-13; plus a good Alleluia verse, Luke 4, 18, about which I would like to speak.
Hosea: as with most of the prophets, Hosea is disturbed by the infidelity & behavior of the Hebrews. He tells them how bad they are and warns them that their bad ways will have consequences. Yahweh will punish them. He lives about 700 years B.C. & worked the area of the north, called Israel or Galilee.
Me Bring Glad Tidings to the Poor?
Many of you, I am sure, have your favorite auto mechanic. And if you don't, you probably wish you did. Rosemary & I have an Italian Catholic family, the Lucidos, who run One Stop. Trouble with it is that it is a little distance, near 35 & Royal.
In Richardson there is another of these reliable mechanics. I don't know the man, but he has a reputation of being reliable, dependable, reasonable with his prices, and a curmudgeon. A grump, a no patience, no compliments, non-smiler.
A family I know who has lived in Richardson forever has believed in this mechanic. The family has raised three kids who are now grown up and at least into their 20's. As is the case in so many families, one of the kids, the oldest boy, has had his troubles migrating from adolescence into adulthood. In and out of school, not able to find what he wanted to do, hanging with friends who likewise could not find their way.
In the past couple of years, this boy finally married, had some kids, and actually graduated from college. I think this was his first year to teach in special ed. It looked like the kid was really putting his life together and going somewhere.
In the spring the boy had car trouble and naturally he took his trouble to the family mechanic. All went well and the car was fixed for a reasonable price.
A few days later the father got a call from the curmudgeon mechanic. What do you think he was calling to say?
"I am calling," he said, "to compliment you on your son." The mechanic who never gives compliments and who had known and followed the son through his growing pains, said the boy had turned out marvelously, courteous, friendly, saying "Yes, sir," & "No, sir," and was really a pleasure to be around.
I think dad just about fainted dead on the phone.
I tell this story because it exemplifies one approach to "The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor." A marvelous line. For three reasons.
We are all the poor and need to hear glad tidings. We are less than we want to be, we hurt others, we fail in business and in sports, we fail as spouses, as parents, as priests. Then along comes glad tidings: "I did not come to call the righteous but sinners. Pretty good news for us sinners.
The Lord sends Me to bring glad tidings, good news, compliments. The Richardson curmudgeon mechanic brought happy tidings to a father who could have felt rather poverty stricken over the years as a parent. This is one of the main motivations I work as a priest & therapist.
The result of the glad tidings is greater inner peace–for the person who receives the gift and for the person who brings it. Certainly the father felt greater peace and probably the mechanic felt a peace.
With whom do you share glad tidings & how?
AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-06-08.mp3