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.