Homilies

Readings: Exodus 32, 7-14; Psalm 51; 1 Timothy 1, 12-17; Luke 15, 1-32 (Great Gospel: Prodigal Son).

Exodus: this second book of the Old Testament is a fun read and describes the escape or exit of the Jews from Egypt led by Moses. 

How did they get there in the first place.  It goes back to the 3 big patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob.  Jacob had 12 sons, the youngest and favorite being Joseph.  His brothers, who hated him, sold him to some travelers who took him to Egypt where he became a favorite of the Pharaoh because he interpreted dreams. 

When he had grown up a famine hit Israel and Jacob sent his 11 sons to Pharaoh to beg help.  Guess who is Pharaoh’s chief of staff: Joseph. 

As time passes many Jewish people settle in Egypt and prosper. The Egyptians get jealous and enslave the Jews.  At one point Pharaoh kills all the first born male Jewish babies. Except one: Moses. 

Our selection takes place after the colorful account of Moses’ call and his leading the people out of Egypt and into the desert.  The people have been rebellious and Yahweh not too compassionate.  Yahweh & Moses are having a little dialog.

The Prodigal Son

Because this story is a work of art I would like to explain the story before we read it.  Someone very creative put this masterpiece together and has given us a marvelous insight into the nature of God, especially a God whose love is not conditional, a view that is almost totally different than the view we get in the rest of the bible, both Old & New Testament. 

The story has three main segments and a footnote: the son leaves his home and his father, the son lives in a distant land, the son returns home, and the response of the son who stayed home.  I will make three observations about each phase of the story.  So twelve observations.

First, when the younger son asks for his share of his father’s estate, the people would right away be stunned, because he was due no share.  The second son receives nothing normally.

Secondly, for asking for this share, the father could have had him killed for his insolence and absurd presumption of entitlement.

Thirdly, the people listening would have been doubly astounded when the father divided his property with the son. This was turning the father into a nut, a fool. 

With the property the son sets off for a distant place, the second part of the story. He squanders all the money, and ends up feeding pigs for a stranger.  First, significant is the fact that he goes to a distant country, that is, a foreign place.  But more importantly, and this is the first comment, he squanders the property. This is the patrimony.  By squandering the money, he is symbolically disrespecting his father.

Secondly, he shows disrespect to the Jewish religion by going to a stranger to get a job. In those days, a person in need would go to the temple, which was set up to help their own. Instead, he goes to a local, meaning a Gentile or non-Jew. 

Thirdly, he debases himself by feeding pigs, the animal rejected by Jews. He even longs to eat the pods the pigs were eating. He has become a total outcast.

At this point the son realizes that on his father’s farm even the hired help lived better.  So he puts together a little speech that includes three parts: confessing that he has sinned, that he deserves nothing, and could he be treated as one of the father’s workers.  Off he goes. And now the story gets even more bizarre.

Obviously the father is watching for him, because he sees him a long way off, runs (the father runs!) to the son, embraces him, and kisses him.  The boy begins his speech, but note, the father cuts it off after the first two parts.

Then the father bestows on the horrible son three significant and symbolic gifts, a robe, a ring, and sandals before calling for the fatted calf to be slaughtered.  First, the robe. This is a sign of dignity, totally the opposite of what the boy deserved. Secondly, the ring. A sign of wealth.  Thirdly, the sandals. Only members of the family wore sandals, not the slaves or hired workers.  It signified mobility. The family member could walk away.

To the listeners of this story the father would look like an idiot, crazy, out of his mind. The son was so, so bad he only deserved death. 

Then to complicate life for the father, the older son proceeds to pout and complain. First, this boy, too, now deserves to be killed because of his disobedience and anger. But, and this is the second observation, the father pleads. Fathers don’t plead. Thirdly, the father lets him know how much he loves him by saying all he has is equally the son’s.

The point of all this: God is like the father.

How do you resemble the father?

AUDIO http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-09-16.mp3

Readings: Wisdom 9, 13-18; Psalm 90; Philemon 9, 10-17; Luke 14, 25-33.

Wisdom: This is another of the books called Apocrypha, because they are not part of the original Old Testament.  The work makes use of traditional Jewish material, as well as ideas borrowed from Greek philosophy, in order to teach that God rewards those who are faithful to him. 

Our section this morning is simply saying, Who knows or who can guess God’s mind or intentions for us. This sets up the Gospel which is rather confounding at first reading.

Hate my Mother, Father, & Wife?

A few summers ago Rosemary & I made a three night back packing trip through Zion National Park in Utah. We entered the north west corner of the park by getting a farmer to drop us off, and we hiked back to the center of the park where the headquarters, lodges, and our car were.

Somewhere in the middle of the hike after climbing some switchbacks, we came to a vista point and took a break. Suddenly from below comes a muscular college kid running up the switchbacks.  When he arrives at the top he stops for a break and some water. 

Being very outgoing, he explains that he is from Notre Dame, is planning on entering the Olympics, and is in training.  He runs in one day the whole trip we used four days to cover. 

Unfortunately, we never did notice whether he showed up at the Olympics or not.   Whether he did or not, he was motivated.

Luke’s gospel today talks about motivation, but in exaggerated terms. This is hyperbole, hype, exaggeration to make a point.  It is coach talk.

So what is the goal? "Being my disciple," Jesus says.  What is that? I would propose that it means being a whole person, a balanced, maturing person, a peaceful person. To achieve the goal takes self discipline and effort. These are the means to the goal. What is mentioned by Luke is the means, even though hyped.

What are the signs of my progress?  The author I’ve been reading says there are three signs: more outgoing, more self confident, and more loving-caring.

Teachers can watch the process with kids they teach.  Initially we are self focused, self absorbed.  As we grow we turn from our self to others. 

This outgoing characteristic is strengthened as I become more self confident, which, in turn, grows because I am accepted and loved by others. With this foundation I can risk more. Success increases my self confidence.

Then I, too, love and care for others. The self focused child becomes the caring parent, teacher, or volunteer.

Our Notre Dame boy would probably think this passage about hating your mother, father, spouse, even your own life is silly.  Yet, he is doing what it recommends if you can see it as saying the ultimate goal is so good it is worth devoting everything to it with passion.  He is focused on an intermediate goal, the Olympics, but in that focus he is maturing and becoming a more whole & peaceful person.

What are you passionate about?  

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-09-09.mp3

Readings: Sirach 3, 17-29; Psalm 68; Hebrews 12, 18-24; Luke 14, 1-14

Sirach: this book was written after Jesus died.  It is basically a compilation of traditional Jewish wisdom material.  Our reading focuses on being humble and wise.

Humility a Side Effect?

A good friend of mine told me recently about a trip he made to Central Market. It was a week day, so the store was not so crowded. He went to the deli counter and there about a half a dozen people waiting.  Normally, when it is more crowded, customers take a number and wait to get the number called to get served. 

Because of the small number of customers this afternoon, people were not taking numbers. My friend said that often in a case like this people might try to jump ahead or get the sales person’s attention before it went to another customer. However, on this occasion people actually told the sales person, "No. It is not my turn. He is ahead of me." And everyone was doing this. No jumping the line. Waiting with patience and courtesy.

In Luke today he talks about taking the first place.  In fact, it is suggested that you take the second or last place so that you may be called up to the front of the line.  Some observations about this.

First, when I was going through the 2 year Jesuit novitiate emphasis was put on being humble.  Folks, I never felt comfortable with this.  Today I would rather focus on healthy humility being self acceptance.  Humility is really a side effect of self acceptance.  Self acceptance says, "Who cares whether I am first or last."

Second, I would even propose that if I have to be last or first, that need could be a symptom of something else, like a low self image or a sense of inferiority.  Maybe religious scruples or a religion addiction.

Thirdly, I would suggest that if I am choosinjg the last place or acting humbly so I will win esteem, whoa.  As the (famous?) poet David Budbill says,

I want to famous so I can be humble about being famous.                                                              What good is this humility when I am stuck in this obscurity?

Fourth, about inviting the guests to dinner. Rosemary says that the reason I get invited to so many dinners is because I fulfill all the requirements: poor, crippled, lame, and blind. 

Not to beat the acceptance idea to death, but I think a possible healthy approach is through acceptance of others as well as myself.  Ultimately, it is irrelevant whether you or I are rich or poor.  We are all rich and poor.  If I only focus on the materially rich or white or being from Plano Senior High or whatever, then maybe I got a problem and this may be the leading symptom.  Remember low self image?

Those folks in Central Market seem to have had some level of humility or acceptance. 

So, how are you doing accepting, yourself & others?

Megan, our September bread baker:

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-09-02.mp3

Take this profile to find out your possible length of life: http://www.poodwaddle.com/realage.swf                                                                                           I will let you know my results next Sunday. 

Readings: Isaiah 66, 18-21; Psalm 117; Hebrews 12, 5-13; Luke 13, 22-30

Isaiah: this book is written by probably three authors ca. 800 years before Christ and later.  The book covers the time before, during, and after the Babylonian captivity.  Our selection today comes from the part of the book written before the captivity.

The Good News Dream

I just returned last night from doing a wedding Friday afternoon for a couple who had a special dream. The boy is from Dallas and I have known him since he was little. The girl is from Scotland.Their dream was to marry at St. Columba’s monastery on the island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. 

  St. Columba came over from Ireland about 560 and established the monastery which was a center of learning and religious enthusiasm all during the Dark Ages, when the learning and culture established by Rome came crashing down. In 810 Vikings raided the monastery and killed about 70 monks.The monastery finally came to an end during the Protestant Reformation and the time of Oliver Cromwell ca. 1650. Since the 1940’s it has been revived and is an ecumenical community today. It has been and is today a sort of mini-shrine. 

To realize their dream the couple knew it would cause difficulty to their families & friends. It is not easy to get there. I was blessed to have Katie Gray carry me all around. She is Bob & Jackie McGrath’s daughter and is living in Edinburg with her Scottish husband, Derrick. Even with Katie’s help, it took us a day to drive from Edinburg in the east all the way across the country to the west coast, where we put the car on a ferry to the island of Mull. On Mull we traveled another 40 miles on a, I kid you not, one lane road to another people only ferry to the little 3 mile by 1 & 1/2 mile island of Iona. Iona, folks, is not the Ritz Carlton. It is very simple with two small hotels & a number of bed & breakfast farm houses.The island is small and the little community is tiny. But hosptable.   

We celebrated the wedding out of doors in the middle of what used to be the Nunnery, an old Augustinian convent from the 13th century that has not been revived. After Thursday & Friday morning having drizzle and clouds down to the ocean, we had a window of 40 minutes when it brightened up.

In the center of the monastery is an elevated square piece of land that is grass covered with flowering bushes on all four sides. We used the corner of the square for the wedding. John, the groom, and all the men wore kilts.They looked terrific. I wore the white alb & a stole. A ferry load of tourists arrived during the ceremony and they went ape over the event. We should have charged a pound a person for pictures. They took tons.

The psalm today talks about taking the Good News to all the world. On that little island of Iona John & Zarah realized a dream and shared the Good News of their love with the whole world.

What is your Good News Dream?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-08-26.mp3

Readings: Jeremiah 38, 4-10; Psalm 40; Hebrews 12, 1-4; Luke 12, 49-53

Jeremiah: this man is one of the big 3 O.T. prophets, along with Isaiah & Ezekiel.  He lives before the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century before Christ. He even predicts the event because he says the people are evil. In the later chapters he foretells the people’s return to Jerusalem.

We meet him just after he has basically told the people that if they want to save their lives, surrender to the Babylonians.  Otherwise they will die.  The officials of the people and the military are steamed. The reading is the result.  Jeremiah was not always happy nor treated well, which is the set up for the gospel.

Division or Peace? Maybe Both

Three times in my life I have caused this kind of division, despite the fact that it was not my intention.  You folks know the three times.  First was when I joined the Jesuits in ’58. Both my parents thought I was nuts, but especially my mom found it difficult. When I entered we guys did not return home for almost any reason.  Only like a funeral for a parent. Christmas, Thanksgiving, all were spent in the Jesuit community.  I never returned home until I had been gone 7 years. And then I came back to Dallas not to visit, but to teach at Jesuit. In those days we never thought about it. But my mom sure did not like it.

The second time my mom was upset was 18 years after I entered and 5 years after I got ordained. I went to East Africa in ’76 and stayed there 10 years, coming home only every three years.  My mom was so upset that she did not talk to the Dallas Jesuits for 5 or 6 years. She always thought one of my best friends who was an assistant provincial had sent me to Tanzania, even though I told her I was invited by the East Africa Jesuits to open a retreat house in Nairobi, Kenya, which I did. 

The third time I created division was, guess: 5/5/05, when I decided to marry. Actually, my mom would have been delighted by this move. Unfortunately she had moved to the other side. However, there were numerous people who disapproved and who still disapprove.

I don’t like this statement, "Do you think I have come to establish peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." How de we reconcile this with John’s gospel where Jesus says, "I have come to bring you peace," or even last week’s statement, "Do not be afraid any longer"?

A couple of observations.

First, perhaps Luke thought that the God he knows brings division. He is sharing his understanding and putting the words in Jesus’ mouth. I don’t necessarily have that image of God. 

Secondly, this shows how so often the Bible is just contradictory, a lot of positve vs negative.    

All three of these decisions on my part created division and pain, just like the story says. I don’t think God wanted this division, any more than God wants to hurt us. These decisions did, however, bring peace and maturity.  I certainly am a better person because I went through the Jesuit training and spirit.  My sojourn in East Africa was not just an adventure, but a stretching of all my talents. And marriage with Rosemary makes me a more whole priest and therapist, like I have said before.

What is your image, a God of division or of peace?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-08-19.mp3

Note; a white purse was found after Mass today. 

Readings: Ecclesiastes 1,2; 2, 21-23; Psalm 90; Colossians, 3, 1-11; Luke 12, 13-21

Eccllesiastes: this book contains the thoughts of the "philosopher," a man who reflected on how short and contradictory human life it.  He could not understand the ways of God.  Nevertheless, he advised people to work hard and to enjoy the gift of life as much and as long as they could.  In our selection you will see how he is pessimistic & depressing. 

I’ve chosen to expand the reading to give you a better view of his style.

The Gift: Celebrate it and Share it

Last Saturday evening our group of seven set up a campsite above the shore of the second of a group of three High Sierra lakes ten thousand feet high. The lakes are called the Rae Lakes.The next morning we planned to climb 12,000′ Glen Pass, which was standing straight up in front of us. The Rae Lakes are exactly at the line where trees cease to grow very well, so we were camping on somewhat open granite & shallow soil. 

Our menu that night was beef stroganoff and because we always had more than we needed, we invited three women at the neighboring campsite, a mother & daughter and another young woman.  The two younger women turned out to be teachers in the San Francisco area, teaching mostly underprivileged & handicapped children.  The girl traveling by herself had once even brought a group of 7th graders out to the wilderness. The three were eventually planning to climb Mt. Whitley and then exit. 

The next day Rose spent a lot of time climbing & talking with the girl who was hiking alone.  As a result, the two became good friends and discovered that they shared a number of the same dreams, to teach kids and to teach about nature.  The girl even recommended a neat little Italian restaraunt in Fresno, our town of arrival & departure. 

Our readings today all seem to indicate that life is futile and useless.  Why do anything?  Just eat dirt. 

Two observations on this.

First, life does not have to be looked at as useless.  It can be seen as a gift.

Secondly, the gift can be celebrated and shared with others. 

Let me work backwards.  I was impressed with those women because they were into sharing the gift.  The two young girls were teaching.  The mother came into the wilderness to share the gift with her daughter, even though the mother did not look like the backpacking type. 

We also saw numerous scout troops during our nine days.  Once we ran into a group of fourteen, about four adults and ten boys & girls about 15 or 16.  When we asked them who they were they said they were a camp.  We think they were taking a group of troubled teens on a wilderness trek.  This is sharing the gift. 

Before I share it, however, I think I got to celebrate the gift.  Which is exactly what we were doing in the High Sierras, and do every year.  Which is what we do here on Sundays.  We celebrate the gift of life. 

How do you celebrate the gift and share it?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-08-05.mp3

Readings: Genesis 18, 1-10; Psalm 15; Colossians 1, 24-28; Luke 10, 38-42

Genesis: the word means "origin," and that is what the book details.  Our selection today comes after the creation, Cain & Abel, Noah & the flood, & the tower of Babel.  The big three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob. 

In our reading Abraham is now old, as is Sarah, his wife. They have no son. After their hospitality to two strangers, guess what happens?

Activist or Contemplative?

The years I lived in Tanzania I used to travel constantly giving retreats & seminars.  When I finished a stretch, I would return to our little Jesuit house near Kilimanjaro to catch up on perhaps 2 or 3 months of mail, to work up more seminar material, and to relax. 

One morning I was working at some task at my desk next to a front window when I saw the car of one of my best friends coming in the gravel drive.  He was a French Canadian priest who, when he was not working with me on one of our programs, lived in Dar es Salaam, the capital of the country.

As soon as I saw him I remember feeling uncomfortable.  As Rosemary says, I can get anal about projects. I am sure that morning I had my time all mapped out with various projects.  My friend’s arrival meant he had driven up from Dar es Salaam and I was going to have to go be hospitable for a while. Maybe he wanted to spend the night.  We did not have phone service, so you could not communicate.  You just showed up and the African custom was hospitality above all, day or night.

Somehow I must have managed, and I can’t even remember how long he stayed. 

All the people in the world are divided into one of two categories: activist or contemplative.  Today we call it Type A or Type B.  We are born into our group, like being right or left handed.  Both groups have their positive characteristics and their negatives. 

Type A, for example, is efficient, economic with time, likes to start on time and finish on time. As you know, I am Type A.  When I notice we are running over an hour with our Mass, I get antsy.  Type A people get energy from projects and love to tackle problems and challenges.  The energy enables these people to work long hours, even without breaks. Work schedules are established and followed. When you were in school, did you turn in term papers early or start work the night before they were due? Type A’s turn in early.

The down side is summed up in the slogan, "Projects over People."  Whatever I was doing that morning was more important than greeting my good friend.  It is hard for me to stop and chat with a neighbor when I am mowing the grass.

The contemplative, on the other hand, is laid back.  Projects can be postponed for suitable reasons without stress. Starting & ending on time is easy, no stomach knot if late. A day off can begin without any schedule other than waiting to see. Type B’s can focus on whomever they are with in a very complimentary way. Being over doing. 

The weak side of the Type B, of course, is accomplishment.  That term paper may not get in on time because it was begun just last night. Meetings can start late and go on without limit. 

We have cultures that lean one way or the other.  Tanzania was more contemplative.  People were patient.  Hospitality, a prize. 

What about U.S. culture?  Obviously Type A. This, of course, makes it more difficult for a contemplative to live happily in the U.S.  Want to be a young lawyer, a CPA, go to SMU’s MBA program?  Total Type A life style. 

So which types do you think Martha & Mary were?  And the writer, what type was he? Of course, one type can drive the other type crazy. My sympathy goes out to Martha because I’ve been in her shoes.  The writer obviously thinks the contemplative Mary is better. But really? I admire Martha for voicing her complaint, even though she gets shot down.

Actually, self redemption and maturity involves me as a Type A moving more into the contemplative side of the continuum. And vice-versa. The unredeemed Type A turns into a driven obsessive.  The unredeemed contemplative spends life doing nothing.

One of the things I have learned to do is take time off during which I do nothing.  Funny thing, even during this time, I will find myself setting a goal to read, say, fifty pages of a book today. I have to say to myself, "No, Stack, stop that." I can pull this off in Mexico or Italy or at Clare & Joe’s in Hilton Head.

It would be fun to bring in someday the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator and offer it to the whole community, then explain it for a few Sundays.  I taught this in Tanzania. You might find out more about yourself, and see how your type is good, whatever it is, Martha or Mary.

What type do you think you are? How do you know?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-07-22.mp3

Readings: Deuteronomy 30, 10-14; Psalm 69; Colossians 1, 15-20; LUKE 10, 25-37, The Good Samaritan.

Deuteronomy: the scene is the desert outside the promised land.  Moses is talking to the people about all that has happened to them since he led them out of Israel and through the desert for many years.  Now, as they prepare to enter, and Moses is dying, he is simply exhorting them to love Yahweh and obey his laws.

Moses talks about a command, but never mentions exactly what it is.  Watch for the answer in today’s gospel.  The Great Command.

The Good Samaritan

I am going to do an explication of text today. 

Initially this parable looks like simply an encouragement to help others. Actually there is a second meaning, perhaps much more profound, especially for the Jews who are listening. It has to do with prejudice.

The setting. A Jewish lawyer is asking a question about his justification. Where does one draw the line in helping a person. Who is my neighbor? Some observations.

First, the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was notoriously dangerous and plagued with thieves. That this man was alone is significant.  People would travel in groups for safety. Was he an outcast?  Friendless?  Not too intelligent or innocent?

Second, the man was stripped. For the lawyer this would signify that the man was without identity, of no identifiable class. In other words, he might not be a lawyer or intellectual or even a Jew. He was Every Person.  A human being.

The priest & the Levite. The lawyer would know why they did not stop to help. The Law. They could have been on the way to the temple and they could not cause themselves to be ritually impure. In the temple they had to be pure, no contact with dirty people orthey could not offer their sacrifice. Obviously organized religion still follows this practice. 

Along comes a Samaritan. To the Jewish lawyer & the Jewish listeners Samaritans were considered demon possessed.  Samaritans intermarried with pagans, i.e., people who did not recognize Yahweh as the name of their God. They would defile the temple just by entering. In sum, they were vile and dirty, certainly not capable of performing an act of love.  

But, to the surprise of the lawyer & the audience, it is the Samaritan who performs the act of love.  He even risks his own life by rescuing the man. Jesus further twists the knife by showing how the Samaritan goes beyond the call by setting the man up in an inn and promising to cover all his expenses.

The composer of the parable goes further and plays with two elements used in the temple sacrifice: oil and water.  He employs these elements to clean (purify?) the victim.  The author knows what he is suggesting in using these items.

Jesus is responding to the lawyer’s question, "Who is my neighbor," by saying "Everybody."  No prejudice.

Who is the number one neighbor you are taking care of today?

Audio: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-07-15.mp3

Readings: Isaiah 66, 10-14; Psalm 66; Galatians 6, 14-18; Luke 10, 1-20.

Isaiah: The scene is this. The Israelites are enslaved in Babylon, which was in today’s Iraq, about 60 miles south of Bagdad, now called Al Hilah. Isaiah is telling the people that the day is coming when they will live again in Jerusalem. 

What a Gift Community

When I used to say Masses before we gathered here I was really spoiled. I would walk into St. Mark’s, for instance, put on my robes, celebrate the Mass, and depart, or go over and goof around with Duffy & Rita in the rectory. I had everything prepared before I walked out on the alter and everything was cleaned up after I left. 

The first time we celebrated here, I remember thinking how many little things have to be taken care of. I got to get my own robes, set up an altar, provide bread & wine, and so on. 

Now I am knocked over at how many people pitch in to make this celebration special. Margie does the alter, Jackie brings donuts, Lisa makes muffins, many of you take turns making altar bread and providing coffee. Margarita comes with juice, Roy with the books, Rob & Beth with the cross & wine cups. And this highlights only a few of you. 

The past two weeks I have been especially touched and moved by the community extending itself.

Last Sunday you may remember that we had the summer blood drive. I thought the numbers might be down. It is summer, after all. Yet, on the contrary, after Mass as I was preparing to depart with Rosemary & Naomi, I passed by the blood mobile. I had hoped we might reach 20 donors, though I was prepared for less. The nurses told me they had already received over 21 and I saw about 3 to 4 people waiting. I was stunned.  And grateful.

The second amazing event took place yesterday when a group of about 15 showed up to put a roof on a home. I had spotted the need for this some time ago. I contacted Lynda & Tom to see if they could induce Habitat to help us. They only build new housing, however, and recommended we contact Lake Point Baptist, because they do renovations. 

Through that contact we met this marvelous guy named Alex Moore, quiet, serene, skilled, and hard working. Alex, who is retired and from MN, actually came over by himself Wednesday & Thursday to augur, set, and cement about 15 4 by 4’s to hold up the roof. He did this so we could all work together Saturday. And did we work. Laying roofing tiles over black tar paper in the afternoon sun was like sitting on a hot frying pan. 

I had to depart the project at 3:00 to get ready for a 6:00 wedding, and the last thing Alex asked me was, "We working next Saturday?" He was ready & wants to finish the job.

This is a gift community. And this is saying nothing about your weekly generosity.

Thanks. 

Click here for the audio

Readings: 1 Kings 19, 16-21; Psalm 16; Galatians 5, 13-18; Luke 9, 51-62.

1 Kings: This book continues the history of the Israelite kings begun in the two previous books of Samual. First was Samuel, a judge, then Saul, the first king, then the Great King David.  David’s activities make up a large part of this book.  When David dies the kingdom gets split into north and south.  Things go badly.  Along comes Elija the prophet.  This is a sign that times are bad.  We read in today’s section about the time Elija chooses Elisha as his successor. 

A Role Model

I would like to talk this morning about my Aunt Kitty with her glorious 100 years. She has always been a hero of mine and after our visit this past week she still is. We stayed in the retirement home where Kitty lives. Consequently, were able to make numerous small visits over the day & a half we were there. One attendant even asked me if I lived there now!

Since we had just been talking two weeks ago about the qualities of a peaceful & whole person, I was looking at Kitty with the 6 qualities in mind, e.g., curiosity & hope, gratitude & love, zest and, my own, humor. I spotted at least 3. 

Above all else, I was struck about how peaceful she was. At one point in our visits she said that while she had not wanted to live until she was 100, "It is not bad," she claimed. This said a lot to me, because over the past 10 years Kitty often told us that she did not want to live to 100. 

I asked her how she got to this peace & 100 years. "Golf", she replied.  She loved to play golf.  I think I see here that zest for living that I mentioned was one of the 6 characteristics of a whole & peaceful person. She, also of course, was famous for her yellow Buick convertible.  Which leads to the second quality I remember about her.

Her humor.  I can still remember her laughing at my uncle Frank and going into hysterics with my mom.  The two of them were close in age and spirit.  They laughed often over a time when the two of them as girls in Pittsburg were driving along behind a streetcar and went right out over a bridge. They had to get rescued. Kitty was notorious as an air head and my mom was right with her.   

One year when I was returning to East Africa from a home visit, I toured Kitty, my mom, and their older sister Pauline around Ireland in a little, two door, red economy sized car. Folks, it was lucky that Ireland is so small because we did not get started in the morning until about 9:30 or 10:00 and then we began looking for a place to stay around 4:00. Plus we stopped for lunch & morning & afternoon tea.  During all this time they laughed non stop.

During our visits Kitty often poked fun at her situation and age, when she remembered she really was 100. And when she did not remember, she laughed at herself. 

Besides humor and zest for life, Kitty loved her friends. While we were with her she said how much she missed her pals Jenny Gooch and Betty Lynch. Betty had three paintings on Kitty’s wall.  Especially she missed my mom. In fact, she was disappointed she had not heard from her recently.  Her long term memory is shaky. She did not remember that mom had died about 15 years ago.  She was even disappointed Pauline had not written her.  Pauline lived in NYC and died before my mom.

One moment after she forgot her age, however, she tuned directly into me and asked how I liked marriage, what was my relation with the Jesuits, and was I still working actively as a priest. Even though she became Presbyterian when she married my Uncle Frank, she has been totally interested in and supportive of my process.  And she remembed clearly. 

Of all the qualities my aunt shows, humor is her best. 

What is your best quality?

Click here to download to an mp3 file: