My name is David, and Im an alcoholic. As a Philosophy student and a Theologian I have spent many days and sleepless nights pondering the question, “Who am I”. Never before was the word “alcoholic” one that came leaping to mind. Never when I have been introduced anywhere, or included in my curriculum vitae has been, “Father David Martins, Alcoholic.” In recent weeks however, and now having come out of not only detox, but also rehab, I have faced the reality, that that is exactly what I am.
When I first came to terms with the fact that I am Gay, a large challenge was for me to remember that being gay was only a part of who I am, not who I am, or what I am. The same is true of my alcoholism. I suffer from a disease, the disease of addiction, but it is not all of who I am.
Over the years I can remember countless times sitting at a bar with a friend, and going drink for drink, and the next day the person would say to me, “Dave, do you think you have a problem?” I would always think, “What a hypocrite! If I had a problem, didn’t they too?
In hindsight its amazing how I defended and guarded this dirty secret of mine that I carried in my heart. I became friends with people who would readily join me in the campaign that I didn’t have a drinking problem, the other person did…they didn’t drink…that was their problem. I was always ready to point out, while belly up at a bar, how somebody else was “such a mess”. I even managed to develop a bond, made of liquor, among us faithful late night folks at the bar. Us few faithful disciples, who would even stay after the bar had closed and help clean, while earning a little shot before heading home. The reassurance we always maintained was that “at least I’m not as bad as so-and-so.”
This is how I know I am an addict, because I bought into all those comforting lies that addiction feeds us. I mastered the art of justifying my behavior. It didn’t effect my work, it didn’t effect the parish, it didn’t effect the work I was doing for Christ, so It couldn’t have been a problem. I would wind up at the end of the day sitting at a bar enjoying a “much deserved cocktail”. Was it a well deserved cocktail after a days work? Or was it really just getting back to the routine, now that I had gotten the details and responsibilities of daily life out of the way. I even remember as often as a few weeks ago that while going over my weekend budget, I was certain to make sure that Saturday night’s libations were included in my calculations, even at the risk of getting my phone shut off. After years of bartending every Saturday night, didn’t I deserve a Saturday night out on the town like everybody else?
You see these are the differences between me and everybody else, and my fellow drinkers along the way. I’m not like everyone else. I’m an alcoholic. My life had become unmanageable, because my drinking, and the resulting fog, and temperament had taken control. I suffer from a disease, a disease that has no cure, but plenty of treatment. It is only now, that I have admitted my problem, asked for help, and started to deal with it; this disease can become only a part of who I am, because until now, it was who I was, and I didn’t even realize it.
You see, I am not going to be that guy who can enjoy a glass of wine with diner, or a few beers with the guys on a Saturday night after a long week’s work. Instead I am a guy who will enjoy, I pray, a life of sobriety, because that’s what I, those who I’ve hurt, those souls entrusted to my care, and my liver, deserve. So yes, my name is David, and I’m an alcoholic. It’s time to take control of my life again, and turn it over to God so I can do his work, rather then expecting Him to pick up the pieces where I had failed. God came to a cold, lonely, broken stable in Bethlehem; this Christmas, I pray that He will find a welcome place in me, to help me rebuild this stable, and together, life can be manageable again.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Safety from the Fires
Homily from Sunday at Saint Therese Old Catholic Church
The Readings we have heard at Mass over the last few weeks have been less then uplifting. Next weekend the Church celebrates the Solemnity if Christ the King, the last day of the Liturgical year, and the following Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent, which begins the new year in the Liturgical life of the Church. As a result these last weeks of the current year, the readings focus on the end of time, the last days. At first glance, these readings are quite unsettling, but if we look closely, they are actually full of hope.
When reading the readings of the weekend, I was reminded of a story I once heard about a man who lived with his daughter in a Canadian Prairie. Prairie fires began to spread through the region, and the man came up with a very clever idea. He started a fire of his own, burning everything in the area. When the fire was out, he took his daughter to the center of that area, and remained there, so that when the Prairie fires drew near, they would stop when they reached his location, as everything that could burn had already been burnt, making it the safest place in the region.
The Gospel today talks about “mighty signs from the sky”, earthquakes, plagues, nation rising against nation, and the list goes on. But towards the end, Jesus gives us some words of hope. “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives”
You see God has already burned everything that can burn, so to speak. He has already secured that safe place for us to hide from the prairie fires that burn around us. He sent His only Son to Earth, who suffered and died on the Cross so that we could have salvation. If we persevere through the challenges, and attacks of this life, we will be rewarded with eternal happiness in heaven.
The reality of it is, we don’t go through life with this mindset naturally. When the pressures and stress of everyday life is bearing down on us, we don’t say to ourselves, “well, these things are only in this life, what really matters is getting to heaven”, because the cold reality of it is, such thoughts don’t pay the bills, or fix the leaky roof, or repair the car battery, or keep the heat on, or fix the broken relationships.
Tomorrow the Church commemorates Saint Albert the Great. He was a Dominican Philosopher and Theologian, who died in the year 1280. The good Dominican that he was, he wrote extensively about the Eucharist. Of this wonderful Sacrament, he said, ”Nor could he have commanded anything which is more like eternal life. Eternal life flows from this sacrament because God with all sweetness pours himself out upon the blessed.”
Albert hit’s the nail on the head. Every Sunday we gather here as a community of faith, and come forward to receive this great Sacrament, and when we do, we find ourselves in that place of safety with our father. We are like that little girl, embraced by her father in the safest place possible, where the fires cannot burn any closer because everything has already burnt that can burn. We get a taste of eternal life, as we receive the Body and Blood of the Lord hidden in the form of bread and wine.
This great Sacrament may not put out the fires, it may not pay the bills, or fix all our problems, but what it DOES do, is give us the grace that we need to face the fires of everyday life. You see when we receive the Eucharist, we become active participants in what Theologians have called, “the Christ Event”. We stand at the crib in Bethlehem, we stand at the foot of the Cross at Calvary, and we stand before His throne in Heaven.
My dear friends as these last weeks of Ordinary time pass by, I would invite you to treasure this precious moment of safety with our Father. When we receive this Eucharist today, let’s take a moment to bask in the reality of the situation. When we leave here today, we return to the real world, where the Providence Place Mall would tell us that Christmas is already upon us, and the headaches and heartaches of life taunt us regularly. This week when the real world pushes down on us, let’s all commit to return to this moment of safety with our Father, so we can rely on the grace we receive today, then we can stand proudly and really believe that these fires will not harm us, because everything that can be burnt has been burnt already
God Bless You!
The Readings we have heard at Mass over the last few weeks have been less then uplifting. Next weekend the Church celebrates the Solemnity if Christ the King, the last day of the Liturgical year, and the following Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent, which begins the new year in the Liturgical life of the Church. As a result these last weeks of the current year, the readings focus on the end of time, the last days. At first glance, these readings are quite unsettling, but if we look closely, they are actually full of hope.
When reading the readings of the weekend, I was reminded of a story I once heard about a man who lived with his daughter in a Canadian Prairie. Prairie fires began to spread through the region, and the man came up with a very clever idea. He started a fire of his own, burning everything in the area. When the fire was out, he took his daughter to the center of that area, and remained there, so that when the Prairie fires drew near, they would stop when they reached his location, as everything that could burn had already been burnt, making it the safest place in the region.
The Gospel today talks about “mighty signs from the sky”, earthquakes, plagues, nation rising against nation, and the list goes on. But towards the end, Jesus gives us some words of hope. “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives”
You see God has already burned everything that can burn, so to speak. He has already secured that safe place for us to hide from the prairie fires that burn around us. He sent His only Son to Earth, who suffered and died on the Cross so that we could have salvation. If we persevere through the challenges, and attacks of this life, we will be rewarded with eternal happiness in heaven.
The reality of it is, we don’t go through life with this mindset naturally. When the pressures and stress of everyday life is bearing down on us, we don’t say to ourselves, “well, these things are only in this life, what really matters is getting to heaven”, because the cold reality of it is, such thoughts don’t pay the bills, or fix the leaky roof, or repair the car battery, or keep the heat on, or fix the broken relationships.
Tomorrow the Church commemorates Saint Albert the Great. He was a Dominican Philosopher and Theologian, who died in the year 1280. The good Dominican that he was, he wrote extensively about the Eucharist. Of this wonderful Sacrament, he said, ”Nor could he have commanded anything which is more like eternal life. Eternal life flows from this sacrament because God with all sweetness pours himself out upon the blessed.”
Albert hit’s the nail on the head. Every Sunday we gather here as a community of faith, and come forward to receive this great Sacrament, and when we do, we find ourselves in that place of safety with our father. We are like that little girl, embraced by her father in the safest place possible, where the fires cannot burn any closer because everything has already burnt that can burn. We get a taste of eternal life, as we receive the Body and Blood of the Lord hidden in the form of bread and wine.
This great Sacrament may not put out the fires, it may not pay the bills, or fix all our problems, but what it DOES do, is give us the grace that we need to face the fires of everyday life. You see when we receive the Eucharist, we become active participants in what Theologians have called, “the Christ Event”. We stand at the crib in Bethlehem, we stand at the foot of the Cross at Calvary, and we stand before His throne in Heaven.
My dear friends as these last weeks of Ordinary time pass by, I would invite you to treasure this precious moment of safety with our Father. When we receive this Eucharist today, let’s take a moment to bask in the reality of the situation. When we leave here today, we return to the real world, where the Providence Place Mall would tell us that Christmas is already upon us, and the headaches and heartaches of life taunt us regularly. This week when the real world pushes down on us, let’s all commit to return to this moment of safety with our Father, so we can rely on the grace we receive today, then we can stand proudly and really believe that these fires will not harm us, because everything that can be burnt has been burnt already
God Bless You!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Homily from Saint Therese' Parish First Mass
A couple had two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were excessively mischievous. They were always getting into trouble and their parents knew that, if any mischief occurred in their town, their sons were probably involved.
The boys' mother heard that a clergyman in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The clergyman agreed, but asked to see them individually. So the mother sent her 8-year-old first, in the morning, with the older boy to see the clergyman in the afternoon.
The clergyman, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Where is God?".
They boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there with his mouth hanging open, wide-eyed. So the clergyman repeated the question in an even sterner tone, "Where is God!!?" Again the boy made no attempt to answer. So the clergyman raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face and bellowed, "WHERE IS GOD!?"
The boy screamed and bolted from the room, ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?"
The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied, "We are in BIG trouble this time, dude. God is missing - and they think WE did it!"
The beauty of the innocence of children is always inspiring. After I read this story, I found myself thinking back to my own days as a child. I remember the days before worrying about my rent, the bills, the car, relationships, a career, and all the other realities the world brings with it. That’s why in our Opening Prayer of today’s Mass we heard the words; “God our Father, you have promised your kingdom to those who will become like little children.” You see a little child does not understand hate, or fear. A little child does not cast judgments, or subscribe to stereotypes. A little child only sees the love that is in the world around them. It’s when they enter the real world that they discover the harshness that everyday life throws at us.
Our Parish Patroness Saint Therese understood this, despite her own difficult childhood. By the age of 13 she had lost three mothers, endured the scorn and contempt of her classmates, and had faced a horrible Kidney Infection, that nearly claimed her life. It was at Midnight Mass at Christmas that year, that she discovered the answer to so many of her problems. She realized that the child that was born on that holy night, had come into this world to personally bring her, salvation. Motivated only by love, God was made man, to walk among us, endure our hardships, be tortured and killed so that she could have salvation. Therese fell in love. She fell in love with this Jesus, and in her life as a nun, she never left the confines of her convent, but lived a life she called “her little way”. When she died at the age of only 23, she knew that she had made a difference in that convent, in the lives of those nuns, and indeed in the larger Church, because despite all the challenges she faced, she relied simply on love, the love that she shared with Christ. As a result, those challenges became bearable, because all those challenges were taken on in view of that love.
As Independent Catholics, Therese would have felt comfortable among our numbers. We are a community of believers who have faced challenges, we have felt the scorn and contempt of others, we have all been rejected somewhere by someone. We strive everyday in an uncertain world, and we have gathered today, in this space, to stand up and commit ourselves to living that same “little way” as Therese did. We gather to love our God and neighbor regardless of who that neighbor is. Regardless of sexual orientation, or who’s been divorced, or age, or gender. We come together to love with the hearts of little children, who do not judge, discriminate, or subscribe to stereotypes. Rather we gather like those two young brothers from our story. They may have been mischievous, but they stood by one another in thick and in thin, and learned life’s lessons together, in childlike love.
As we gather today to celebrate our first Mass as a Parish community, you can be assured of my commitment to you as your Pastor. My role is to bring the Sacraments, and celebrate with you, and nourish your relationship with Christ, never to judge it. Our numbers will start small, but as we grow in that relationship, the world we live in will see it, and is through the testimony of our lives that we will grow. We will never be a large Cathedral, but what we will be is real, with an honest and true commitment to the God who made us. Despite our many differences, we are all alike, we are all persons engaged in a childlike relationship with God, the rest of the details of life, are just that, details.
My dear friends, as we grow in this journey together, it is my earnest prayer that when we are asked, “Where is God”, we can answer with confidence in the words of the famous children’s Church song. He is “down, down, down, down in my heart, to stay”.
God Bless You.
The boys' mother heard that a clergyman in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The clergyman agreed, but asked to see them individually. So the mother sent her 8-year-old first, in the morning, with the older boy to see the clergyman in the afternoon.
The clergyman, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Where is God?".
They boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there with his mouth hanging open, wide-eyed. So the clergyman repeated the question in an even sterner tone, "Where is God!!?" Again the boy made no attempt to answer. So the clergyman raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face and bellowed, "WHERE IS GOD!?"
The boy screamed and bolted from the room, ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?"
The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied, "We are in BIG trouble this time, dude. God is missing - and they think WE did it!"
The beauty of the innocence of children is always inspiring. After I read this story, I found myself thinking back to my own days as a child. I remember the days before worrying about my rent, the bills, the car, relationships, a career, and all the other realities the world brings with it. That’s why in our Opening Prayer of today’s Mass we heard the words; “God our Father, you have promised your kingdom to those who will become like little children.” You see a little child does not understand hate, or fear. A little child does not cast judgments, or subscribe to stereotypes. A little child only sees the love that is in the world around them. It’s when they enter the real world that they discover the harshness that everyday life throws at us.
Our Parish Patroness Saint Therese understood this, despite her own difficult childhood. By the age of 13 she had lost three mothers, endured the scorn and contempt of her classmates, and had faced a horrible Kidney Infection, that nearly claimed her life. It was at Midnight Mass at Christmas that year, that she discovered the answer to so many of her problems. She realized that the child that was born on that holy night, had come into this world to personally bring her, salvation. Motivated only by love, God was made man, to walk among us, endure our hardships, be tortured and killed so that she could have salvation. Therese fell in love. She fell in love with this Jesus, and in her life as a nun, she never left the confines of her convent, but lived a life she called “her little way”. When she died at the age of only 23, she knew that she had made a difference in that convent, in the lives of those nuns, and indeed in the larger Church, because despite all the challenges she faced, she relied simply on love, the love that she shared with Christ. As a result, those challenges became bearable, because all those challenges were taken on in view of that love.
As Independent Catholics, Therese would have felt comfortable among our numbers. We are a community of believers who have faced challenges, we have felt the scorn and contempt of others, we have all been rejected somewhere by someone. We strive everyday in an uncertain world, and we have gathered today, in this space, to stand up and commit ourselves to living that same “little way” as Therese did. We gather to love our God and neighbor regardless of who that neighbor is. Regardless of sexual orientation, or who’s been divorced, or age, or gender. We come together to love with the hearts of little children, who do not judge, discriminate, or subscribe to stereotypes. Rather we gather like those two young brothers from our story. They may have been mischievous, but they stood by one another in thick and in thin, and learned life’s lessons together, in childlike love.
As we gather today to celebrate our first Mass as a Parish community, you can be assured of my commitment to you as your Pastor. My role is to bring the Sacraments, and celebrate with you, and nourish your relationship with Christ, never to judge it. Our numbers will start small, but as we grow in that relationship, the world we live in will see it, and is through the testimony of our lives that we will grow. We will never be a large Cathedral, but what we will be is real, with an honest and true commitment to the God who made us. Despite our many differences, we are all alike, we are all persons engaged in a childlike relationship with God, the rest of the details of life, are just that, details.
My dear friends, as we grow in this journey together, it is my earnest prayer that when we are asked, “Where is God”, we can answer with confidence in the words of the famous children’s Church song. He is “down, down, down, down in my heart, to stay”.
God Bless You.
Friday, October 29, 2010
It’s Halloween again. My how it seems to come so quickly. Last year on Halloween, in this blog, I said of the big day;
“Every club, across America, on different nights throws Halloween parties, "Costume Balls", "Monster Mashes" , whatever you want to call it. It's a time when children go from door to door, dressed as their favorite superhero, collecting candy and other treats. Its a time when adults have the freedom to act like children, and get all dressed up in costumes and go to parties. It's a time when girls can dress like whores and nobody can say anything about it, and when men can dress like women and nobody bats an eye.
What is it about Halloween that makes so many people get so much "in the spirit". Even I - who publicly hates Halloween, when the night comes and I am in a costume, and slingin drinks behind the bar - I somehow end up "getting into it".
It certainly provides a nice distraction from our everyday life. We can forget our worries, our fears, our stresses, and enjoy a night of pretty much mindless fun with our friends. It's an opportunity we don't often have in our everyday lives, to let loose without concern, and make fools of ourselves. On the deeper level we re-connect with the child in all of us. We return to the days when we didn't care what other people thought of us. We re-gain a certain amount of innocence because we let go of our pride, and return to the days when life was simple.”
I really think that it’s true. We enjoy reverting for that one night to those old days when life was simple. When we didn’t have bills to worry about, or careers, or relationships, or rents or mortgages. The big worry was scoring the best candy, and what a friend thought about our costume. And don’t we deserve it? The reality of it is life is complicated. It’s VERY complicated. We burn ourselves out, if we aren’t careful, and we need that moment away.
It is all together appropriate that the Gospel on Halloween is the story of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a tax collector, which in Bible times meant big time sinner. They were believed to have been men who stole from the tax payers, and were vapid of any values. Jesus was preaching in his town, so Zacchaeus climbed a tree and hid up there to watch Jesus pass by. When Jesus saw him, he called him down from the tree, and told him he needed a place to stay. The people all started talking “Jesus is staying with a sinner, with a tax collector”.
It fits in well with the Halloween message. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but he felt he couldn’t because of who he was. Halloween is a day when we all get to be someone else, and no one judges us. In a way, in the Christian life, we don’t need Halloween, because everyday of our lives, we can be who we really are - and Jesus doesn’t judge us. Maybe that’s part of the stress of our everyday lives. Because among all the bills, the relationships, the stress, etc - we are also constantly trying to purport some kind of image. It’s human nature. We spend our time trying to show the world that we are more then what we are, because we have goals of what we want to be, but we haven’t reached them yet. And we have flaws that we don’t want the world to see, so we hide them. We have stress that we want everyone to think we can handle, even when we can’t. Zacchaeus understood that, that’s why he hid in the tree. He knew that society thought certain things about him, weather they were true or not. He knew that he would be judged by the crowd if he stood among them to see Jesus, but Jesus Himself pulled him down from the tree, and in fact had dinner with him that very night. Zacchaeus was able to return to that childlike mentality, that the things of his current worldly life didn’t matter, he wanted to see Jesus, and he was granted that desire.
Every year on Halloween we wear costumes, we wear outfits that we know we would be mocked for wearing any other night of the year, and we say “Whatever, it’s Halloween.” The story of Zacchaeus teaches us that its ok for us to have that attitude all year round, because Jesus loves the REAL us. My father once said, “Hey, love it or shove it”. That’s a very true statement. We are who we are. We are who God made us, and we can never truly grow, we will never really achieve our goals, and our hopes and dreams, unless we present the real us. On Halloween we present a fake outer image, so that we can be our true inward selves. Maybe the rest of the year we can try to be our real inward selves more often, and forget the stress and nonsense of daily life. God, and the people who love us, love us for the real “us”, not the image we project. Its ironic that on Halloween, the external becomes just that, an external, and the internal becomes more honest then ever. Because the real internal “us”, is adults who suffer from the adult world, and long for the days of innocence, stress free living, and when life was much simpler.
“Every club, across America, on different nights throws Halloween parties, "Costume Balls", "Monster Mashes" , whatever you want to call it. It's a time when children go from door to door, dressed as their favorite superhero, collecting candy and other treats. Its a time when adults have the freedom to act like children, and get all dressed up in costumes and go to parties. It's a time when girls can dress like whores and nobody can say anything about it, and when men can dress like women and nobody bats an eye.
What is it about Halloween that makes so many people get so much "in the spirit". Even I - who publicly hates Halloween, when the night comes and I am in a costume, and slingin drinks behind the bar - I somehow end up "getting into it".
It certainly provides a nice distraction from our everyday life. We can forget our worries, our fears, our stresses, and enjoy a night of pretty much mindless fun with our friends. It's an opportunity we don't often have in our everyday lives, to let loose without concern, and make fools of ourselves. On the deeper level we re-connect with the child in all of us. We return to the days when we didn't care what other people thought of us. We re-gain a certain amount of innocence because we let go of our pride, and return to the days when life was simple.”
I really think that it’s true. We enjoy reverting for that one night to those old days when life was simple. When we didn’t have bills to worry about, or careers, or relationships, or rents or mortgages. The big worry was scoring the best candy, and what a friend thought about our costume. And don’t we deserve it? The reality of it is life is complicated. It’s VERY complicated. We burn ourselves out, if we aren’t careful, and we need that moment away.
It is all together appropriate that the Gospel on Halloween is the story of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a tax collector, which in Bible times meant big time sinner. They were believed to have been men who stole from the tax payers, and were vapid of any values. Jesus was preaching in his town, so Zacchaeus climbed a tree and hid up there to watch Jesus pass by. When Jesus saw him, he called him down from the tree, and told him he needed a place to stay. The people all started talking “Jesus is staying with a sinner, with a tax collector”.
It fits in well with the Halloween message. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but he felt he couldn’t because of who he was. Halloween is a day when we all get to be someone else, and no one judges us. In a way, in the Christian life, we don’t need Halloween, because everyday of our lives, we can be who we really are - and Jesus doesn’t judge us. Maybe that’s part of the stress of our everyday lives. Because among all the bills, the relationships, the stress, etc - we are also constantly trying to purport some kind of image. It’s human nature. We spend our time trying to show the world that we are more then what we are, because we have goals of what we want to be, but we haven’t reached them yet. And we have flaws that we don’t want the world to see, so we hide them. We have stress that we want everyone to think we can handle, even when we can’t. Zacchaeus understood that, that’s why he hid in the tree. He knew that society thought certain things about him, weather they were true or not. He knew that he would be judged by the crowd if he stood among them to see Jesus, but Jesus Himself pulled him down from the tree, and in fact had dinner with him that very night. Zacchaeus was able to return to that childlike mentality, that the things of his current worldly life didn’t matter, he wanted to see Jesus, and he was granted that desire.
Every year on Halloween we wear costumes, we wear outfits that we know we would be mocked for wearing any other night of the year, and we say “Whatever, it’s Halloween.” The story of Zacchaeus teaches us that its ok for us to have that attitude all year round, because Jesus loves the REAL us. My father once said, “Hey, love it or shove it”. That’s a very true statement. We are who we are. We are who God made us, and we can never truly grow, we will never really achieve our goals, and our hopes and dreams, unless we present the real us. On Halloween we present a fake outer image, so that we can be our true inward selves. Maybe the rest of the year we can try to be our real inward selves more often, and forget the stress and nonsense of daily life. God, and the people who love us, love us for the real “us”, not the image we project. Its ironic that on Halloween, the external becomes just that, an external, and the internal becomes more honest then ever. Because the real internal “us”, is adults who suffer from the adult world, and long for the days of innocence, stress free living, and when life was much simpler.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Called to Love
The inspiration for my thoughts today comes from a most surprising source. Well, surprising to those of you who are faithful readers of this Blog. Bishop Tobin, in his weekly column in the “Rhode Island Catholic” produced a point that I found very intriguing, honest, and sincere on the issue of Homosexuality. He received a letter from a gentleman in the Diocese who recently learned that his grandson is gay. In his critique to the Bishop he argued;
“Many men and women could not find themselves in love with a person of the same sex unless God made them that way. What is very serious is the attitude of disapproval and even violence that is often extended to gays. We are called to love everyone and not to be judgmental. When Church leaders speak out, it gives silent permission to others not to love gays.”
As the Bishop continued in his thoughts on the matter he said this;
“But the letter I received points to a broader dilemma for the Church, a dilemma the Church faces just about everyday as she navigates her way through the trials and turmoil of the contemporary world. The question is this: How does the Church preach the truth of the Gospel without harming or alienating people whose lives are touched by those issues?”
You see I would agree that the Church has a mission to preach the Gospel. Some of the manifestations of that message, undoubtedly get fogged, and misinterpreted as it passes through the filter of humanity, but the mission is there none the less.
I would never imagine Bishop Tobin to stand in a pulpit and support Gay Marriage, for example. As the Shepherd of the Roman Catholic Community in RI, he is called by God to not do such a thing. Similarly, I would never expect MY Bishop to stand in a pulpit and preach AGAINST it. I think that once we decide that we subscribe to a certain theology, then we subscribe to all of it, not just the parts that we find comfortable. Which is why we are always careful not to judge others, because how many of us really and truly at every moment of everyday , live the life we subscribe to perfectly. We certainly try, but it doesn’t always happen.
It has been implied in the past from a good number of more then one individual, that I use my blog to promote Independent Catholicism, and take people from Roman Catholic Pews. That could not be further from the truth. What I hope is that readers will stop and think about their own lives. You see I think that so often we get so wrapped up in our own lives, and our own issues we forget about the bigger picture.
Election Season is a prime example of that. Many people vote soley based on one issue. There are gays who only vote based on that issue, there are Conservative Catholics who vote based soley on the Abortion issue. Its so easy to sometimes campaign against something that we feel strongly about, but there are so many other issues out there to think about. With so many issues floating around out there, its nearly impossible sometimes to find a candidate that we agree 100 percent on with everything they say.
So to Bishop Tobin, I say kudos for acknowledging a very realistic thing that faces the Roman Church today. Indeed it faces any major organized Religion that subscribes to Christianity. Just as it is a challenge for Bishop Tobin to speak out as he is called to, without alienating anyone, so too it is difficult in other faiths. The Independent Catholic movement is very faithful in it’s commitment to same sex couples having the same rights as any other couple, yet that doesn’t give me the right to speak in anger against the Roman Church. I know that I have in the past, but I don’t have the right to do so. All of us who are involved in any form of Christian Ministry are called to stand up for what we believe, without apology. . . However, that doesn’t give us the right to attack one another, otherwise we become as petty as the many quote we see on the front page of the paper, as people bash one another in the political campaigns.
Let’s take Bishop Tobin’s advise, and be strong in what we believe, let’s live every part of it everyday, realizing that we don’t need to attack those who stand on the other side of the fence, because the primary mission of Christianity is to love, and to love all. We don’t have to agree, but we are called to love.
God Bless You
“Many men and women could not find themselves in love with a person of the same sex unless God made them that way. What is very serious is the attitude of disapproval and even violence that is often extended to gays. We are called to love everyone and not to be judgmental. When Church leaders speak out, it gives silent permission to others not to love gays.”
As the Bishop continued in his thoughts on the matter he said this;
“But the letter I received points to a broader dilemma for the Church, a dilemma the Church faces just about everyday as she navigates her way through the trials and turmoil of the contemporary world. The question is this: How does the Church preach the truth of the Gospel without harming or alienating people whose lives are touched by those issues?”
You see I would agree that the Church has a mission to preach the Gospel. Some of the manifestations of that message, undoubtedly get fogged, and misinterpreted as it passes through the filter of humanity, but the mission is there none the less.
I would never imagine Bishop Tobin to stand in a pulpit and support Gay Marriage, for example. As the Shepherd of the Roman Catholic Community in RI, he is called by God to not do such a thing. Similarly, I would never expect MY Bishop to stand in a pulpit and preach AGAINST it. I think that once we decide that we subscribe to a certain theology, then we subscribe to all of it, not just the parts that we find comfortable. Which is why we are always careful not to judge others, because how many of us really and truly at every moment of everyday , live the life we subscribe to perfectly. We certainly try, but it doesn’t always happen.
It has been implied in the past from a good number of more then one individual, that I use my blog to promote Independent Catholicism, and take people from Roman Catholic Pews. That could not be further from the truth. What I hope is that readers will stop and think about their own lives. You see I think that so often we get so wrapped up in our own lives, and our own issues we forget about the bigger picture.
Election Season is a prime example of that. Many people vote soley based on one issue. There are gays who only vote based on that issue, there are Conservative Catholics who vote based soley on the Abortion issue. Its so easy to sometimes campaign against something that we feel strongly about, but there are so many other issues out there to think about. With so many issues floating around out there, its nearly impossible sometimes to find a candidate that we agree 100 percent on with everything they say.
So to Bishop Tobin, I say kudos for acknowledging a very realistic thing that faces the Roman Church today. Indeed it faces any major organized Religion that subscribes to Christianity. Just as it is a challenge for Bishop Tobin to speak out as he is called to, without alienating anyone, so too it is difficult in other faiths. The Independent Catholic movement is very faithful in it’s commitment to same sex couples having the same rights as any other couple, yet that doesn’t give me the right to speak in anger against the Roman Church. I know that I have in the past, but I don’t have the right to do so. All of us who are involved in any form of Christian Ministry are called to stand up for what we believe, without apology. . . However, that doesn’t give us the right to attack one another, otherwise we become as petty as the many quote we see on the front page of the paper, as people bash one another in the political campaigns.
Let’s take Bishop Tobin’s advise, and be strong in what we believe, let’s live every part of it everyday, realizing that we don’t need to attack those who stand on the other side of the fence, because the primary mission of Christianity is to love, and to love all. We don’t have to agree, but we are called to love.
God Bless You
Monday, October 4, 2010
Birthdays and Old Friends
This weekend I had the pleasure of celebrating two Birthdays, of two very special friends. Two individuals who have both opened not only their hearts, but their very families to me along the way in life.
The readings of today’s Mass, on this Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, contain the story of the Good Samaritan. This story is not strange to any of us, I’m sure we all know the story of the man left beaten by robbers on the side of the road, and everyone ignores him, thinking that it is someone else’s problem. We also hear the lesson of Jesus, to “love your neighbor as yourself”.
This message of Jesus rang through so clearly in these last few days. In addition to these two celebrations, yesterday I also had the opportunity to re-connect with an old friend, who I had thought I had lost, due to my own stupidity. In all three of these people, I can think of no better example of the message that Jesus preaches then them.
You see, to be Christ to others doesn’t take much. It’s just about being a good person. All three of the individuals I mentioned above, have at one point or another laid down their own crosses, to help me carry mine. At some point in my life they have all died to themselves, so that they could be there for me. I have been very blessed in my life, with good friends, and plenty of shoulders to cry on whenever I needed one.
When I have been in financial crisis these individuals have been there to pull me out of the gutter, and take me out for an evening on the town, so I could get away from my problems, even for one night. When I have faced difficulties in life that no one else could understand they were always there. We have celebrated Birthdays, Holidays, and special occasions together, and cried together when life has thrown us curve balls. This is what Jesus meant.
My thought process cant help but turn to those who are not so fortunate. Like all the many GBLT teenagers have taken their own lives due to the harassment they have endured at the hands of others. These are people who have become so desperate in life, and have lacked that support, that they became hopeless, and threw in the towel.
You see we are called by Jesus in today’s Gospel, to “love your neighbor”. As Jesus goes on to make clear we are called to love all of our neighbors. The recent events in the news are a wake up call, that we never know how our actions may effect someone.
It can easily be said that the kids in NJ who broadcasted the intimate experience of his gay roommate on the Internet did not know what would happen. It can easily be said that he didn’t know that his young friend would take his own life on the GW Bridge. That’s exactly the point.
Let’s all try to be a better neighbor to one another. Let’s be conscious of what we say and do to others. Just like our actions, which seem like no big deal can make a positive effect in the life of someone else, the opposite can happen just as easily. That’s how we can contribute to fixing the situation that faces the world today in the loss of such young life. . . Love your neighbor. In this world there is plenty of hurt, and stress, and anger. . . Let’s be radicals, and contribute to the love.
The readings of today’s Mass, on this Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, contain the story of the Good Samaritan. This story is not strange to any of us, I’m sure we all know the story of the man left beaten by robbers on the side of the road, and everyone ignores him, thinking that it is someone else’s problem. We also hear the lesson of Jesus, to “love your neighbor as yourself”.
This message of Jesus rang through so clearly in these last few days. In addition to these two celebrations, yesterday I also had the opportunity to re-connect with an old friend, who I had thought I had lost, due to my own stupidity. In all three of these people, I can think of no better example of the message that Jesus preaches then them.
You see, to be Christ to others doesn’t take much. It’s just about being a good person. All three of the individuals I mentioned above, have at one point or another laid down their own crosses, to help me carry mine. At some point in my life they have all died to themselves, so that they could be there for me. I have been very blessed in my life, with good friends, and plenty of shoulders to cry on whenever I needed one.
When I have been in financial crisis these individuals have been there to pull me out of the gutter, and take me out for an evening on the town, so I could get away from my problems, even for one night. When I have faced difficulties in life that no one else could understand they were always there. We have celebrated Birthdays, Holidays, and special occasions together, and cried together when life has thrown us curve balls. This is what Jesus meant.
My thought process cant help but turn to those who are not so fortunate. Like all the many GBLT teenagers have taken their own lives due to the harassment they have endured at the hands of others. These are people who have become so desperate in life, and have lacked that support, that they became hopeless, and threw in the towel.
You see we are called by Jesus in today’s Gospel, to “love your neighbor”. As Jesus goes on to make clear we are called to love all of our neighbors. The recent events in the news are a wake up call, that we never know how our actions may effect someone.
It can easily be said that the kids in NJ who broadcasted the intimate experience of his gay roommate on the Internet did not know what would happen. It can easily be said that he didn’t know that his young friend would take his own life on the GW Bridge. That’s exactly the point.
Let’s all try to be a better neighbor to one another. Let’s be conscious of what we say and do to others. Just like our actions, which seem like no big deal can make a positive effect in the life of someone else, the opposite can happen just as easily. That’s how we can contribute to fixing the situation that faces the world today in the loss of such young life. . . Love your neighbor. In this world there is plenty of hurt, and stress, and anger. . . Let’s be radicals, and contribute to the love.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Angels
What is an Angel? Angels are one of those things that Theologians can debate with the average, good hearted, un-churched Christian. There are those who believe in Angels, but not really in God. From the Catholic perspective, an Angel is kind of an abstract thing. They are created beings, yet not Divine. They are that “unseen” part of the Creed that Christians recite very Sunday. They are our helpers along the way, that guide us, and protect us. Today is the Feast of the Archangels, Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael. Saturday marks the feast of the Guardian Angels. it’s a very…angelic week. What do Angels have to do with our daily lives?
They are invisible creatures who concern themselves with out safety, and have served as God’s messengers throughout history. The ancient Roman poet, Lucretius, once said of Angels; “We are each of us Angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.” He may be onto something.
This is a view of religion that many people have. I know folks who would never worship in a Church of any kind, but would fight til the death about the existence of Angels. I am ok with that. I am MORE then ok with that. For me, I have found my Spiritual home in a situation that is structured, with Liturgy, etc. However there are some people where that’s not their thing, and it never has been, but they would defend an Angel, and in fact even the existence of God. Beyond that, the way they live their lives could PROVE the existence of God to any Saint or Theologian.
I know a woman who from a very young age, always maintained a solid belief in Angels. An ardent belief! I never heard her talk about Church, aside from Christmas and Easter, but she was adamant about Angels. This same woman was always an Angel in my life, according to Lucretius’ definition. She was always there ready to put her arm around someone, and help them fly. She pulled me out of many dark moments in my youth, and I am sure will always do so for many people throughout their lives.
You see, we believe that God is Hope, Love, Life, and Truth. These are all qualities the Angels defended. So although there is no Theological backing to Lucretius’ quote, there is some real life backing, a lot of it in fact. How many times in our lives, do people lift us up out of darkness, and although the person themselves in tangible, the lifting they do is not tangibly visible.
Sometimes we are lifted up by the kind words of others. In my own life I think back to the nights I spent on a persons couch when there was no other option, or in their guest room. I think of the nights a kind person took me to dinner, knowing that I couldn’t afford to take myself. I think of the look in my ex’s eyes when they told me they loved me before I went to sleep at night, and how that look deleted any pain that was in my heart and gave me a good night’s rest. I think of those times when I was in a bad place, and just being in the company of someone I loved, who I knew loved me, changed everything. You see sometimes that’s all it takes, is the knowledge that we are loved, it doesn’t even require a hug, or a touch, or a spoken word.
Let’s all try to be the second wing to a potential angel. Lets recognize when someone else is our second wing. Another wonderful quote about Angels reads; “When angels visit us, we do not hear the rustle of wings, nor feel the feathery touch of the breast of a dove; but we know their presence by the love they create in our hearts.” God Bless all the Angels in my life =)
They are invisible creatures who concern themselves with out safety, and have served as God’s messengers throughout history. The ancient Roman poet, Lucretius, once said of Angels; “We are each of us Angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.” He may be onto something.
This is a view of religion that many people have. I know folks who would never worship in a Church of any kind, but would fight til the death about the existence of Angels. I am ok with that. I am MORE then ok with that. For me, I have found my Spiritual home in a situation that is structured, with Liturgy, etc. However there are some people where that’s not their thing, and it never has been, but they would defend an Angel, and in fact even the existence of God. Beyond that, the way they live their lives could PROVE the existence of God to any Saint or Theologian.
I know a woman who from a very young age, always maintained a solid belief in Angels. An ardent belief! I never heard her talk about Church, aside from Christmas and Easter, but she was adamant about Angels. This same woman was always an Angel in my life, according to Lucretius’ definition. She was always there ready to put her arm around someone, and help them fly. She pulled me out of many dark moments in my youth, and I am sure will always do so for many people throughout their lives.
You see, we believe that God is Hope, Love, Life, and Truth. These are all qualities the Angels defended. So although there is no Theological backing to Lucretius’ quote, there is some real life backing, a lot of it in fact. How many times in our lives, do people lift us up out of darkness, and although the person themselves in tangible, the lifting they do is not tangibly visible.
Sometimes we are lifted up by the kind words of others. In my own life I think back to the nights I spent on a persons couch when there was no other option, or in their guest room. I think of the nights a kind person took me to dinner, knowing that I couldn’t afford to take myself. I think of the look in my ex’s eyes when they told me they loved me before I went to sleep at night, and how that look deleted any pain that was in my heart and gave me a good night’s rest. I think of those times when I was in a bad place, and just being in the company of someone I loved, who I knew loved me, changed everything. You see sometimes that’s all it takes, is the knowledge that we are loved, it doesn’t even require a hug, or a touch, or a spoken word.
Let’s all try to be the second wing to a potential angel. Lets recognize when someone else is our second wing. Another wonderful quote about Angels reads; “When angels visit us, we do not hear the rustle of wings, nor feel the feathery touch of the breast of a dove; but we know their presence by the love they create in our hearts.” God Bless all the Angels in my life =)
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
The Sitcom of Life
It’s not often that I update my blog at this hour of the night, but I’ve been thinking a lot today. You see the last couple of weeks I’ve been under a lot of stress, and when I’m stressed the most helpful thing I find is spending time watching old Episodes of sappy TV shows, like teen soaps (particularly, 90210). The theme all these shows have in common is the concept of “life is good”. We watch these characters go through these horrible experiences, and yet everything turns out ok in the end.
We all know that’s not life…but sometimes, maybe it is. Tonight after a dreadfully dead night at work, I left feeling very stressed. When it comes to stress, one thing will kick it off, and then everything else just follows, and by the end of it all I feel like is a looser who has nothing going for him. I think it’s the Portuguese in me. I went out after work for one drink with the boss. During which time I saw some amazing things.
I saw an old friend, who has moved away and came home for a week to visit, and we shared in a few old memories, which yielded laughter, a lot of laughter. I re-connected, though briefly, with a friend who hasn’t moved but I haven’t seen in a while. And I saw two people who I know who used to be quite close, who were re-connecting for the first time in a long while. In addition to all these wonderful things, I managed to have a Priestly experience, yes even at 12:30 in the morning, while I was minding my own business heading home.
You see the bottom line sometimes in life is that when we are in the pits, we have to open our eyes to the world around us. Sometimes it’s hard to see life outside of the bubble we live in, until we peer into someone else’s bubble. Maybe that’s why teen soaps are such a success…because we get to peer into other people’s lives, who we have come to know quite well, and see how their drama ends in happiness. We know that’s not the hand of cards that life deals us, but it gives us a glisten of hope while we are watching them.
If we judge our lives on the day to day experiences that we go through, we are doomed to end our days in darkness. If we only evaluate our successes and failures in light of the situation we currently find ourselves in, we will inevitably find ourselves depressed, and alone. If however, we look at our lives in light of the bigger picture, the successes and failures of years before, and really step out of our bubble, and look at the full picture, we may realize that life isn’t all that bad.
The old saying really is true, “If you spend your whole life with one foot in the past, and one foot in the future, you are shi**ing on the present.” Truer words were never spoken. Let’s not waste the present. Let’s step out of our private bubbles, where we have found such comfort in being miserable and depressed, and look at the bigger picture. Let’s watch the whole Season, before we judge one character on the “Sitcom of Life”, because life really is a Sitcom, or a Soap Opera. Characters come and go, old friends make guest appearances in key episodes, and sometimes, in those Series Finales, all the pieces fall into place, and sometimes the way those pieces fit together, remains a mystery. . . That’s what happens when God is the Screen-writer.
We all know that’s not life…but sometimes, maybe it is. Tonight after a dreadfully dead night at work, I left feeling very stressed. When it comes to stress, one thing will kick it off, and then everything else just follows, and by the end of it all I feel like is a looser who has nothing going for him. I think it’s the Portuguese in me. I went out after work for one drink with the boss. During which time I saw some amazing things.
I saw an old friend, who has moved away and came home for a week to visit, and we shared in a few old memories, which yielded laughter, a lot of laughter. I re-connected, though briefly, with a friend who hasn’t moved but I haven’t seen in a while. And I saw two people who I know who used to be quite close, who were re-connecting for the first time in a long while. In addition to all these wonderful things, I managed to have a Priestly experience, yes even at 12:30 in the morning, while I was minding my own business heading home.
You see the bottom line sometimes in life is that when we are in the pits, we have to open our eyes to the world around us. Sometimes it’s hard to see life outside of the bubble we live in, until we peer into someone else’s bubble. Maybe that’s why teen soaps are such a success…because we get to peer into other people’s lives, who we have come to know quite well, and see how their drama ends in happiness. We know that’s not the hand of cards that life deals us, but it gives us a glisten of hope while we are watching them.
If we judge our lives on the day to day experiences that we go through, we are doomed to end our days in darkness. If we only evaluate our successes and failures in light of the situation we currently find ourselves in, we will inevitably find ourselves depressed, and alone. If however, we look at our lives in light of the bigger picture, the successes and failures of years before, and really step out of our bubble, and look at the full picture, we may realize that life isn’t all that bad.
The old saying really is true, “If you spend your whole life with one foot in the past, and one foot in the future, you are shi**ing on the present.” Truer words were never spoken. Let’s not waste the present. Let’s step out of our private bubbles, where we have found such comfort in being miserable and depressed, and look at the bigger picture. Let’s watch the whole Season, before we judge one character on the “Sitcom of Life”, because life really is a Sitcom, or a Soap Opera. Characters come and go, old friends make guest appearances in key episodes, and sometimes, in those Series Finales, all the pieces fall into place, and sometimes the way those pieces fit together, remains a mystery. . . That’s what happens when God is the Screen-writer.
There Is A Season, Turn, Turn, Turn
It’s so hard to believe that September is already almost over, and October is right around the corner. I love the Autumn, the promise of change, the crisp New England air, and I am looking forward to the opening of the new Parish, Saint Therese. While we work out a few different options for our location, I am optimistic that we will begin in just a few short weeks.
If you think about it, the Autumn really summarizes life in general, because its so filled with uncertainty. The season expresses the same uncertainty, one day it rains, the next day its cold, the next day its warm, and one morning we are driving down 95 and realize that the leaves had managed to changed while we were pre-occupied with the rest of life.
So much change so quickly is frustrating, also just like life. The Restaurant business in Rhode Island is coming out of its slow season. The students are all coming back, everyone has finished their summer plans, and people are socializing in the city again. Bartenders and Servers who staff the establishments downtown, are looking back on a summer of wonderful memories, and a mountain of unpaid and past due bills. We look forward to the promise of a busy fall, try to save money for Christmas, and before we know the summer is back once again. Every step is dependent on something else.
That’s what life is like for everyone if you really think about it. We have all these plans, and those plans coming to fruition are dependent on something beyond our control. That new car is dependent on that raise they we are “supposed to get”. That Romantic ski weekend we are trying to book for February is dependent on still being with that person when the time comes. We put our faith in something uncertain, but if those things fall through, we have to turn to plan B.
In the First Reading at Mass today we hear the cries of Job. Job was a good and upright man, who had a life filled with many blessings. One by one those blessings are taken away, Job remains faithful however to His Lord, seeing it all as a test of faith. With each loss he would say, “Well, I may have lost ‘this‘, but at least I still have ‘that‘.” Then he would loose “that” too. His friends and those around him mock him for that faith. Finally, in today’s readings he shouts “Curse the day on which I was born!” He reaches the point where he has absolutely nothing left, and finally breaks his silence in a moment of frustration. Job’s faith is rewarded, and all his previous blessings, including his health are multiplied.
You see through all the changes and the frustrations of this life, eventually things will fall into place. . . The place God wants them. Eventually that promotion will come, if it’s His will. Eventually all our dating attempts will pay off and we will meet the person God has in mind for us. Eventually that job will come through, that opportunity will arise, eventually that seemingly endless period of waiting that we are in will come to an end.
In the meanwhile, let’s be more like Job, and when we experience one negative change, let’s remember the blessings we still do have. As the season changes, let’s take note of the leaves changing, rather then noticing it after the fact. Let’s enjoy the crisp air of the new season. Let’s be patient with life’s constant shifts and changes. Dealing with the challenges we can’t handle is tough enough, let’s avoid creating situations that we can avoid.
If you think about it, the Autumn really summarizes life in general, because its so filled with uncertainty. The season expresses the same uncertainty, one day it rains, the next day its cold, the next day its warm, and one morning we are driving down 95 and realize that the leaves had managed to changed while we were pre-occupied with the rest of life.
So much change so quickly is frustrating, also just like life. The Restaurant business in Rhode Island is coming out of its slow season. The students are all coming back, everyone has finished their summer plans, and people are socializing in the city again. Bartenders and Servers who staff the establishments downtown, are looking back on a summer of wonderful memories, and a mountain of unpaid and past due bills. We look forward to the promise of a busy fall, try to save money for Christmas, and before we know the summer is back once again. Every step is dependent on something else.
That’s what life is like for everyone if you really think about it. We have all these plans, and those plans coming to fruition are dependent on something beyond our control. That new car is dependent on that raise they we are “supposed to get”. That Romantic ski weekend we are trying to book for February is dependent on still being with that person when the time comes. We put our faith in something uncertain, but if those things fall through, we have to turn to plan B.
In the First Reading at Mass today we hear the cries of Job. Job was a good and upright man, who had a life filled with many blessings. One by one those blessings are taken away, Job remains faithful however to His Lord, seeing it all as a test of faith. With each loss he would say, “Well, I may have lost ‘this‘, but at least I still have ‘that‘.” Then he would loose “that” too. His friends and those around him mock him for that faith. Finally, in today’s readings he shouts “Curse the day on which I was born!” He reaches the point where he has absolutely nothing left, and finally breaks his silence in a moment of frustration. Job’s faith is rewarded, and all his previous blessings, including his health are multiplied.
You see through all the changes and the frustrations of this life, eventually things will fall into place. . . The place God wants them. Eventually that promotion will come, if it’s His will. Eventually all our dating attempts will pay off and we will meet the person God has in mind for us. Eventually that job will come through, that opportunity will arise, eventually that seemingly endless period of waiting that we are in will come to an end.
In the meanwhile, let’s be more like Job, and when we experience one negative change, let’s remember the blessings we still do have. As the season changes, let’s take note of the leaves changing, rather then noticing it after the fact. Let’s enjoy the crisp air of the new season. Let’s be patient with life’s constant shifts and changes. Dealing with the challenges we can’t handle is tough enough, let’s avoid creating situations that we can avoid.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Erections Under Our Gowns?
Well it has certainly been a while since an update to this Blog. Things have been very hectic in life lately, forming a new Parish, as the Independent Catholic Movement continues to grow in Rhode Island, I am blessed to be a part of it. That growth yields much work. Today, in a particular way I am especially grateful to be a part of the Independent Catholic Movement in light of the CNN program slated to come on Sunday regarding what Cardinal Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI, knew during the clergy sex scandal in the Roman Catholic Church.
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/24/sex-abuse-victim-learns-of-pope’s-role/
The article speaks of a man, Matt McCormick, who was in the seventh grade when it all began. He speaks of how it started with his Parish Priest, Fr. Campbell, made his first move on Matt when he put his hand on his thigh in the car on the way home from a baseball game, and just “left it there”. This incident was only the beginning, and what followed was years of increased sexual assault on this young man. McCormick was an Altar Boy, and the interview reads as follows:
“Before performing his duties as an altar server, McCormick and other boys were fondled by Campbell in a room just steps away from the altar.
“He thought it would be funny if we went out with erections under our gowns,” McCormick said.”
Campbell (who I refuse to call ‘Father’) thought that it would be ‘funny’, to molest a pre-pubescent boy, and then with those same hands, confect the Eucharist. The lips that committed the most grievous sin imaginable, would then kiss the Altar, and speak the words of consecration, and confect the Eucharist, the living and total true presence of Christ. Cardinal Ratzinger refused to have the Priest defrocked.
Thanks be to God for the Independent Catholic Movement. I think that it is a hilarity, that this same man, speaks out against Gay Marriage, that for a man to marry another man, or a woman to marry another woman, destroys the sanctity of the institution of marriage. Does the molestation of boys not destroy the sanctity of the Eucharist? As a Priest, this touches the very depths of my heart, as it should any Priest. The celebration of the Eucharist, which we participate in every Sunday, or everyday, unworthily, is so tarnished by such activity
The reality of it is, we are the Church. And the Church currently stands in a negative light, so what are we going to do about it? The North American Old Catholic Church made it’s choice quite clear. We have an institution that protects the safety of children. We have an institution that values the love that is shared between two people of the same gender. We acknowledge that sometimes love deserves a second chance, and a second try at Marriage is not sinful, but rather an expression of love, and a chance to heal. I find it the epitome of hierocracy for the Roman Church to identify so many forms of love as sinful, while the sexual act is being used as such a disastrous weapon.
Perhaps its time as Catholics, that we take a good long look at what we profess. Perhaps its time that we evaluate what is going on behind the closed Sacristy doors, and worse yet, what is going on at the desks of Bishops and Cardinals across this planet, who have turned the other way when this information reaches them.
There are countless good and holy men who serve the Church as Priests, and whose work is not advertised on the Six O’Clock news, or celebrated with CNN Special Reports. However that does not change the fact that it is the Institution that has caused such deep damage. It is the institution that moves these men from Parish to Parish. It is the institution that for so many years refused to acknowledge the pain and suffering of so many young people. It is that same institution that has the nerve to stand there and say that the love between two men or two women is sinful.
I pray that one day the one Church of Jesus Christ can stand united. I fear that will not happen until we are all rejoicing in His presence in Heaven, however in the meanwhile it is incumbent upon all Clergy, of every denomination, to think twice before you talk. It is our responsibility to safeguard our children, because they are the future. It is also upon us to pray for these men; the monsters who did this, and the monsters who covered it up. I have been blessed to be friends with many good, and holy priests, whose example is one I can only feebly attempt to live up to. Unfortunately, it only takes one apple to spoil to bunch. It only takes one hand to destroy a young child’s identity, and it only takes one hand to sign on the dotted line, and ignore the problem. That same hand is raised to give a blessing, confect the Eucharist, anoint the sick, to Baptize, and absolve sins.
As members of the Baptized, we share in the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. The Chrism which we were anointed on that day as babies makes us responsible. It requires us as members of the Body of Christ to act. So the question on the table is, what will you do?
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/24/sex-abuse-victim-learns-of-pope’s-role/
The article speaks of a man, Matt McCormick, who was in the seventh grade when it all began. He speaks of how it started with his Parish Priest, Fr. Campbell, made his first move on Matt when he put his hand on his thigh in the car on the way home from a baseball game, and just “left it there”. This incident was only the beginning, and what followed was years of increased sexual assault on this young man. McCormick was an Altar Boy, and the interview reads as follows:
“Before performing his duties as an altar server, McCormick and other boys were fondled by Campbell in a room just steps away from the altar.
“He thought it would be funny if we went out with erections under our gowns,” McCormick said.”
Campbell (who I refuse to call ‘Father’) thought that it would be ‘funny’, to molest a pre-pubescent boy, and then with those same hands, confect the Eucharist. The lips that committed the most grievous sin imaginable, would then kiss the Altar, and speak the words of consecration, and confect the Eucharist, the living and total true presence of Christ. Cardinal Ratzinger refused to have the Priest defrocked.
Thanks be to God for the Independent Catholic Movement. I think that it is a hilarity, that this same man, speaks out against Gay Marriage, that for a man to marry another man, or a woman to marry another woman, destroys the sanctity of the institution of marriage. Does the molestation of boys not destroy the sanctity of the Eucharist? As a Priest, this touches the very depths of my heart, as it should any Priest. The celebration of the Eucharist, which we participate in every Sunday, or everyday, unworthily, is so tarnished by such activity
The reality of it is, we are the Church. And the Church currently stands in a negative light, so what are we going to do about it? The North American Old Catholic Church made it’s choice quite clear. We have an institution that protects the safety of children. We have an institution that values the love that is shared between two people of the same gender. We acknowledge that sometimes love deserves a second chance, and a second try at Marriage is not sinful, but rather an expression of love, and a chance to heal. I find it the epitome of hierocracy for the Roman Church to identify so many forms of love as sinful, while the sexual act is being used as such a disastrous weapon.
Perhaps its time as Catholics, that we take a good long look at what we profess. Perhaps its time that we evaluate what is going on behind the closed Sacristy doors, and worse yet, what is going on at the desks of Bishops and Cardinals across this planet, who have turned the other way when this information reaches them.
There are countless good and holy men who serve the Church as Priests, and whose work is not advertised on the Six O’Clock news, or celebrated with CNN Special Reports. However that does not change the fact that it is the Institution that has caused such deep damage. It is the institution that moves these men from Parish to Parish. It is the institution that for so many years refused to acknowledge the pain and suffering of so many young people. It is that same institution that has the nerve to stand there and say that the love between two men or two women is sinful.
I pray that one day the one Church of Jesus Christ can stand united. I fear that will not happen until we are all rejoicing in His presence in Heaven, however in the meanwhile it is incumbent upon all Clergy, of every denomination, to think twice before you talk. It is our responsibility to safeguard our children, because they are the future. It is also upon us to pray for these men; the monsters who did this, and the monsters who covered it up. I have been blessed to be friends with many good, and holy priests, whose example is one I can only feebly attempt to live up to. Unfortunately, it only takes one apple to spoil to bunch. It only takes one hand to destroy a young child’s identity, and it only takes one hand to sign on the dotted line, and ignore the problem. That same hand is raised to give a blessing, confect the Eucharist, anoint the sick, to Baptize, and absolve sins.
As members of the Baptized, we share in the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. The Chrism which we were anointed on that day as babies makes us responsible. It requires us as members of the Body of Christ to act. So the question on the table is, what will you do?
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Who do you know?
In the Restaurant, or Service Industry, it is very common for the “regulars” of an establishment to pride themselves as regulars of that place. At Downcity very often people are in fact almost offended if I cant remember what they drink. Everybody wants to know somebody, or at least come across to others as if they do. When I worked at Lattitude in Cranston, one evening the owner who’s name was Dean, was sitting at the bar. I was working and in walked a man who I had never seen before, and he sat down in the seat next to Dean, they smiled politely at each other, and as the man’s visit continued, there were a few snags, and as he paid his tab he proudly proclaimed, “Dean is a good friend of mine you know, next time I see him I’ll be telling him about this meal.” Dean, who was still seated right next to the man said, “You know him too huh?” The man replied, “oh yes, I’ve known him for years”, and he proudly left the restaurant.
Today’s Gospel is similar. There are many who will try to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, through that narrow gate, saying that they know the Lord, but indeed He does not know them. Indeed it is not simply a matter of knowing, it’s a matter of that intimate relationship that we have cultivated during our days here on Earth. What do we have to do so that the Lord will know us at the narrow gate? Saint Paul tells us the answer in a very clear statement, he says, “for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges”. So if we want him to acknowledge us, we have to be scourged. Why should any one of us be preserved?
Paul tells us that the Lord is going to “discipline” us along the way, like any good father. It is in this discipline, we will come to know him better, and will be further strengthened when the time comes to pass through that narrow gate. You see, the Kingdom of Heaven is not going to be simply handed to us. It’s true that Jesus Christ was made flesh and walked this Earth and died for our salvation, but that cannot be where it ends. Just as when a couple gets married, that is not the extent of it. They don’t just wed and that’s that, they engage one another. They interact, they talk, they cry together, they rejoice together, and they learn the difficult lessons of life together. The same is true of our friendships. We don’t simply proclaim, “You and I are friends”, and that’s the end of it. There is action involved. These are the things that make a relationship. As Saint Paul told us tonight, our Lord sends us challenges, we struggle, we struggle to control our vices, we struggle to not let our actions hurt others. We struggle to make ends meet, to make our relationships work, and the list goes on. These challenges, these sufferings, are only going to make us stronger, and if they are challenges that we share with Christ, when we get through them, it will strengthen our relationship with Him.
It’s possible. It’s possible with God’s gift of grace. He’s set us up for success. He saved us from our sins in His suffering, and now we return the love with our suffering, but he gave us the upper hand, in the gift of the Sacraments of the Church. In every single Sacrament we receive grace, and that grace strengthen us in our resolve to fight the good fight, they give us the home field advantage in this game of life. Going to Mass and receiving the Eucharist is about receiving grace. The Sacrament of Reconciliation isn’t about spilling our guts to a human being, it’s about receiving grace to not commit those sins again. The Anointing of the Sick isn’t to cure us of our illness, it’s to give us the grace to endure the suffering, and bring it to Christ on the cross. The Sacrament of Matrimony is not about the Church putting her stamp of approval on the couple, its about receiving the grace to endure the difficult times, and to remember that Marriage takes three, and the third is Christ. In a few short weeks, we will witness the Sacrament of Confirmation, when the Holy Spirit descends upon the recipients, and gives them the grace to strengthen them in living the Christian life.
So maybe this is a good direction for all of us to look, as we approach the final weeks of our ‘Year of New Beginnings“ which we have been celebrating since last November.. We should rejoice that Jesus has saved us all, but not get self-satisfied in our daily lives. We need to discipline ourselves, and use the things that happen to us to help us grow, rather than get us down. We need to remember that the tested people, the people with the most problems, the last people, may be the ones who get in the Narrow Gate first. Those are the people that will easily slip through the narrow door. Tonight let’s pray for ourselves and one another, that we will make good use of the grace we receive, so that we may one day pass through that gate, and hear the words of our Savior “Come blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of time.”
God Bless You
Today’s Gospel is similar. There are many who will try to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, through that narrow gate, saying that they know the Lord, but indeed He does not know them. Indeed it is not simply a matter of knowing, it’s a matter of that intimate relationship that we have cultivated during our days here on Earth. What do we have to do so that the Lord will know us at the narrow gate? Saint Paul tells us the answer in a very clear statement, he says, “for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges”. So if we want him to acknowledge us, we have to be scourged. Why should any one of us be preserved?
Paul tells us that the Lord is going to “discipline” us along the way, like any good father. It is in this discipline, we will come to know him better, and will be further strengthened when the time comes to pass through that narrow gate. You see, the Kingdom of Heaven is not going to be simply handed to us. It’s true that Jesus Christ was made flesh and walked this Earth and died for our salvation, but that cannot be where it ends. Just as when a couple gets married, that is not the extent of it. They don’t just wed and that’s that, they engage one another. They interact, they talk, they cry together, they rejoice together, and they learn the difficult lessons of life together. The same is true of our friendships. We don’t simply proclaim, “You and I are friends”, and that’s the end of it. There is action involved. These are the things that make a relationship. As Saint Paul told us tonight, our Lord sends us challenges, we struggle, we struggle to control our vices, we struggle to not let our actions hurt others. We struggle to make ends meet, to make our relationships work, and the list goes on. These challenges, these sufferings, are only going to make us stronger, and if they are challenges that we share with Christ, when we get through them, it will strengthen our relationship with Him.
It’s possible. It’s possible with God’s gift of grace. He’s set us up for success. He saved us from our sins in His suffering, and now we return the love with our suffering, but he gave us the upper hand, in the gift of the Sacraments of the Church. In every single Sacrament we receive grace, and that grace strengthen us in our resolve to fight the good fight, they give us the home field advantage in this game of life. Going to Mass and receiving the Eucharist is about receiving grace. The Sacrament of Reconciliation isn’t about spilling our guts to a human being, it’s about receiving grace to not commit those sins again. The Anointing of the Sick isn’t to cure us of our illness, it’s to give us the grace to endure the suffering, and bring it to Christ on the cross. The Sacrament of Matrimony is not about the Church putting her stamp of approval on the couple, its about receiving the grace to endure the difficult times, and to remember that Marriage takes three, and the third is Christ. In a few short weeks, we will witness the Sacrament of Confirmation, when the Holy Spirit descends upon the recipients, and gives them the grace to strengthen them in living the Christian life.
So maybe this is a good direction for all of us to look, as we approach the final weeks of our ‘Year of New Beginnings“ which we have been celebrating since last November.. We should rejoice that Jesus has saved us all, but not get self-satisfied in our daily lives. We need to discipline ourselves, and use the things that happen to us to help us grow, rather than get us down. We need to remember that the tested people, the people with the most problems, the last people, may be the ones who get in the Narrow Gate first. Those are the people that will easily slip through the narrow door. Tonight let’s pray for ourselves and one another, that we will make good use of the grace we receive, so that we may one day pass through that gate, and hear the words of our Savior “Come blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of time.”
God Bless You
Monday, August 16, 2010
We Live In Difficult Times
Wow, well its certainly been a while since my last update hasn’t it? I promise to try to be more faithful. I hope I didn’t loose all my followers. It’s been a very busy . The reality of it is, its been life changing. Since my last post in March of 2010 a lot has happened. I have been Ordained an Old Catholic Priest. My roommate has moved out. (Nothing dramatic, it was just time for the next step), and I find myself on the cusp of getting a car, as being a Priest who relies on the RIPTA system doesn’t work so well. My days are spent trying to find a balance in the many aspects of my life, and adjusting to life as a Priest.
My inspiration to share my thoughts comes once again from Bishop Tobin’s weekly writing. Sometimes we agree, and sometimes we don’t, this most current post of his however I didn’t give much thought to beyond the beginning lines which I will quote;
“I saw a “Peanuts” cartoon recently that seemed especially timely. The kids are playing baseball and little Linus, in full catcher’s gear walks out to the pitcher’s mound and announces to Charlie Brown, “The bases are loaded again, and there’s still nobody out.” “So what do you think?” asks Charlie Brown.
After a pause for reflection, Linus declares simply, “We live in difficult times,” as he turns around and heads back to home plate.”
The Bishop goes on to speak about the world around us, and how it is seemingly falling apart, war, unemployment, etc etc. What struck a chord with me is how significant this is in our own lives. We don’t need to turn to the news to find stress or consternation. We don’t need to look to Afghanistan to find strife. We don’t need to look to the National Banking situation to find financial disorder. . . All we have to do is go on Facebook, or check our Emails, or take a good look at our own lives.
Between my own life, and my experiences thus far as a Priest, I have noticed that life is full of all these things without having to look very far at all. Relationships that we fight to keep alive, bills we struggle to pay, Rent that feels like its due every day instead of every month, checkbooks that don’t line up at all with the bills, sickness, death, and the list goes on.
It’s so easy to only see the tough stuff. Sometimes though we have to look at the bright side, it sounds cheesy but it’s so true. For the Christian we can look to the love of Christ, for the non believer, and even often for the Christian, we must look at the good things in our earthly lives. Last night I had the pleasure of after Mass spending time with friends who shared in common a club in Providence that is closing temporarily to re-locate. What began with exchanging quips, ended with sharing memories of the good times, the lessons learned from one another, and the hope of sharing in what is to come in one another’s lives.
Lately it seems like there is so much change going on in everyone’s life. I get a certain heaviness lately like everyone feels like Linus, “we live in difficult times”. We live in a time when change happens everyday. Some change is good, and change for which we have been working for a long time, and some change was not requested, but was cast upon us anyway. Then there’s that change that we asked for, and worked for, and regretted later.
The reality of it all is, those silver lining moments in life, those moments when we go to bed after an evening with friends, and we feel refreshed, and we feel renewed, those are the moments we have to LIVE from, because those are the moments that God sends to remind us of His goodness. Those are the moments when God reveals Himself to us, because if God is Love, then anytime we feel love, we feel God.
So let’s all think about this concept a bit. Which moments are more powerful? The moments of love, or the moments of stress. I think its safe to say that we live our lives for the most part worrying, stressing, trying to balance the books, dwelling on relationships that aren’t as we wish they were, the computer that won’t work, the cable that’s on the fritz, etc etc. Unfortunately, the “love moments” we often miss. When they DO make an impact it’s so strong that we find ourselves choking back a tear, or feeling profoundly moved. The reason is; we aren’t used to them. The negativity becomes the norm, and we find ourselves often like Linus. Perhaps instead when we hear that voice of Charlie Brown in our head, when we find ourselves wondering “what am I going to do”, put everything down, and look at the blessings in life.
As Debbie said on Queer as Folk, “Mourn the losses, because there are many, but celebrate the victories, because there are so few.” The reality of it is, change, good or bad, isn’t going to stop. We will never make the money we want to, or have the perfect relationship, or have the perfect housing situation, or in general be exactly where we want to be. However, what we will always have, is friends to share it with, memories to lean on, and the excitement and hope of the memories we’ve yet to build.
My inspiration to share my thoughts comes once again from Bishop Tobin’s weekly writing. Sometimes we agree, and sometimes we don’t, this most current post of his however I didn’t give much thought to beyond the beginning lines which I will quote;
“I saw a “Peanuts” cartoon recently that seemed especially timely. The kids are playing baseball and little Linus, in full catcher’s gear walks out to the pitcher’s mound and announces to Charlie Brown, “The bases are loaded again, and there’s still nobody out.” “So what do you think?” asks Charlie Brown.
After a pause for reflection, Linus declares simply, “We live in difficult times,” as he turns around and heads back to home plate.”
The Bishop goes on to speak about the world around us, and how it is seemingly falling apart, war, unemployment, etc etc. What struck a chord with me is how significant this is in our own lives. We don’t need to turn to the news to find stress or consternation. We don’t need to look to Afghanistan to find strife. We don’t need to look to the National Banking situation to find financial disorder. . . All we have to do is go on Facebook, or check our Emails, or take a good look at our own lives.
Between my own life, and my experiences thus far as a Priest, I have noticed that life is full of all these things without having to look very far at all. Relationships that we fight to keep alive, bills we struggle to pay, Rent that feels like its due every day instead of every month, checkbooks that don’t line up at all with the bills, sickness, death, and the list goes on.
It’s so easy to only see the tough stuff. Sometimes though we have to look at the bright side, it sounds cheesy but it’s so true. For the Christian we can look to the love of Christ, for the non believer, and even often for the Christian, we must look at the good things in our earthly lives. Last night I had the pleasure of after Mass spending time with friends who shared in common a club in Providence that is closing temporarily to re-locate. What began with exchanging quips, ended with sharing memories of the good times, the lessons learned from one another, and the hope of sharing in what is to come in one another’s lives.
Lately it seems like there is so much change going on in everyone’s life. I get a certain heaviness lately like everyone feels like Linus, “we live in difficult times”. We live in a time when change happens everyday. Some change is good, and change for which we have been working for a long time, and some change was not requested, but was cast upon us anyway. Then there’s that change that we asked for, and worked for, and regretted later.
The reality of it all is, those silver lining moments in life, those moments when we go to bed after an evening with friends, and we feel refreshed, and we feel renewed, those are the moments we have to LIVE from, because those are the moments that God sends to remind us of His goodness. Those are the moments when God reveals Himself to us, because if God is Love, then anytime we feel love, we feel God.
So let’s all think about this concept a bit. Which moments are more powerful? The moments of love, or the moments of stress. I think its safe to say that we live our lives for the most part worrying, stressing, trying to balance the books, dwelling on relationships that aren’t as we wish they were, the computer that won’t work, the cable that’s on the fritz, etc etc. Unfortunately, the “love moments” we often miss. When they DO make an impact it’s so strong that we find ourselves choking back a tear, or feeling profoundly moved. The reason is; we aren’t used to them. The negativity becomes the norm, and we find ourselves often like Linus. Perhaps instead when we hear that voice of Charlie Brown in our head, when we find ourselves wondering “what am I going to do”, put everything down, and look at the blessings in life.
As Debbie said on Queer as Folk, “Mourn the losses, because there are many, but celebrate the victories, because there are so few.” The reality of it is, change, good or bad, isn’t going to stop. We will never make the money we want to, or have the perfect relationship, or have the perfect housing situation, or in general be exactly where we want to be. However, what we will always have, is friends to share it with, memories to lean on, and the excitement and hope of the memories we’ve yet to build.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Palm Sunday Homily 2010
I’m not exactly sure what I can say in terms of a Homily that can in any way add to the Gospel we just shared. It’s a story that in many ways speaks for itself. It is very similar to a story that I read earlier this week.
The story is about two brothers who live together in a small apartment. The older was a hard working, God fearing man, who lived his faith to the fullest, and prided himself on his hard work, and strong ethics. The younger was very different. He was unemployed, and spent the majority of his money on cocaine and alcohol. He kept late hours, and rarely spent any time at home. When he was caught cheating on his girlfriend, for the third time, the older brother once again warned his younger brother that he had to stop. That someday his careless behavior would catch up with him. One night the younger brother came home very early in the morning from the night before. His shirt was covered in blood, and he held in his hand a smoking gun. His elder brother asked what had happened, and the young man proceeded to start to cry. He was scared, as an incident at last call at a bar had led to a dispute in the streets, and in his drunken high, he shot the other man involved. The young man acknowledged his awful mistake, and was scared for himself. Soon the police were at the door, and the older brother told the younger to remove his clothes. They switched outfits, and the older brother took the gun. When the police came in they arrested the older brother. He was subsequently tried for the murder he did not commit, and was given the death penalty.
The remaining brother subsequently changed his ways, which certainly comes as no surprise. Wouldn’t we be horrified if we knew that this man’s brother had given his own life to save the brother he loved so deeply, and then he hadn’t learned anything from this experience.
Today, my dear friends, we heard the story of how our Brother gave his life for us. Isn’t it then logical for us to do the same as the young man from that story. Isn’t it all together appropriate that we live out our lives in recognition of the sacrifice that was made for us on that Cross. Our brother has been executed for a crime he did not commit, so that we could be free. The question that remains for us, is how do we live that freedom?
While hanging on the cross for our salvation Jesus faces much harassment and torture. The last of which, comes from the two thieves crucified on either side of him. One picks on Him, the other asks that the Lord remember Him when He comes into His kingdom. In his dying moment, the “good thief” realizes the sacrifice that his brother is making. Jesus, in turn assures the man of his place in paradise. Let’s not wait until that last moment. Let’s live our lives as a testimony to the gratitude in our hearts that we hold for what our brother has done for us. We have been given a second chance, we have had our slate wiped clean.
The crowds that day chose to rather have a hardened criminal, Barabbas set free. They chose to risk their very lives, by letting a murderer run free in their community while Jesus takes the punishment of the cross. Each and everyday we are posed with the same question. Who do we want, Jesus or Barabbas? Who do we live for? Who do we choose? The only snag is that in choosing Jesus, we choose the cross, as the two are inseparable. Jesus went to his Cross-without argument, without hesitation, and his final words were those of forgiveness. The question we ask ourselves is, how will we behave when we are hanging from ours.
God Bless You…
The story is about two brothers who live together in a small apartment. The older was a hard working, God fearing man, who lived his faith to the fullest, and prided himself on his hard work, and strong ethics. The younger was very different. He was unemployed, and spent the majority of his money on cocaine and alcohol. He kept late hours, and rarely spent any time at home. When he was caught cheating on his girlfriend, for the third time, the older brother once again warned his younger brother that he had to stop. That someday his careless behavior would catch up with him. One night the younger brother came home very early in the morning from the night before. His shirt was covered in blood, and he held in his hand a smoking gun. His elder brother asked what had happened, and the young man proceeded to start to cry. He was scared, as an incident at last call at a bar had led to a dispute in the streets, and in his drunken high, he shot the other man involved. The young man acknowledged his awful mistake, and was scared for himself. Soon the police were at the door, and the older brother told the younger to remove his clothes. They switched outfits, and the older brother took the gun. When the police came in they arrested the older brother. He was subsequently tried for the murder he did not commit, and was given the death penalty.
The remaining brother subsequently changed his ways, which certainly comes as no surprise. Wouldn’t we be horrified if we knew that this man’s brother had given his own life to save the brother he loved so deeply, and then he hadn’t learned anything from this experience.
Today, my dear friends, we heard the story of how our Brother gave his life for us. Isn’t it then logical for us to do the same as the young man from that story. Isn’t it all together appropriate that we live out our lives in recognition of the sacrifice that was made for us on that Cross. Our brother has been executed for a crime he did not commit, so that we could be free. The question that remains for us, is how do we live that freedom?
While hanging on the cross for our salvation Jesus faces much harassment and torture. The last of which, comes from the two thieves crucified on either side of him. One picks on Him, the other asks that the Lord remember Him when He comes into His kingdom. In his dying moment, the “good thief” realizes the sacrifice that his brother is making. Jesus, in turn assures the man of his place in paradise. Let’s not wait until that last moment. Let’s live our lives as a testimony to the gratitude in our hearts that we hold for what our brother has done for us. We have been given a second chance, we have had our slate wiped clean.
The crowds that day chose to rather have a hardened criminal, Barabbas set free. They chose to risk their very lives, by letting a murderer run free in their community while Jesus takes the punishment of the cross. Each and everyday we are posed with the same question. Who do we want, Jesus or Barabbas? Who do we live for? Who do we choose? The only snag is that in choosing Jesus, we choose the cross, as the two are inseparable. Jesus went to his Cross-without argument, without hesitation, and his final words were those of forgiveness. The question we ask ourselves is, how will we behave when we are hanging from ours.
God Bless You…
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Terms and Conditions May Apply
I think the biggest lesson in life that I have learned is that we always have to “read the fine print”. How often we go to a store to make a return or an exchange, or call the bank over an unexpected charge, or get rejected when trying to make use of a warranty on an item we purchased that has since malfunctioned, and we are slapped in the face with “terms and conditions” that were expressed in the small print at the bottom of a form. It is shocking however when “Terms and Conditions” are placed on helping another human being.
Homeless Voices for Justice, is a statewide advocacy group in Maine that is led by people who have been homeless. It works on issues that affect the homeless, such as supporting affordable housing and preventing violence against the homeless. Portland-based Preble Street, which runs a dozen programs to provide housing and other services for the poor and the homeless, provides staff support for Homeless Voices for Justice.
The Diocese of Portland’s Campaign for Human Development had previously provided grant funding for this program. Proposition 1 on the ballot last fall in Maine was to overturn the new law legalizing gay marriage. The Preble Street Resource Center backed the effort to vote “no” on this question, inspiring the Diocese to not only stop funding the program, but also demanded the return of unspent monies from the grant in question.
On the list of qualifications for receiving a grant from the Diocese the applicant had to respond to various questions asking what various issues the organization supports and doesn’t support. One of these was Gay Marriage. The organization said no, and by their support of this issue in the election they broke the terms of agreement in their Grant arrangement and hence lost funding.
http://media.kjonline.com/documents/eligibility_CCHD.pdf
Technically speaking, this is a cut and dry issue. The Diocese has every right to revoke the monies due to the clear breaking of the original grant agreement, however one can’t help but wonder how the Bishop can sleep at night.
How can we put terms and conditions on something as simple as helping the poor and homeless? In the very same agreement the Diocese clearly says that the top 5 unquestionable things that the recipient of funding must agree with are;
1. The sanctity of human life
2. The rights of the poor and vulnerable
3. Human Rights
4. The Common Good
5. And building and promoting a civilization of love, dedicated to working towards peace.
In the section talking about the Poor and Vulnerable, it says explicitly, “Poor and vulnerable people have a special place in catholic social teaching. A basic moral test of a society is how its most vulnerable members are faring. Our tradition calls us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.” That tells me that the details of the terms and conditions that follow such as Abortion, Gay Marriage, Birth Control, etc are just that – terms and conditions. The Diocese needs to remember that it is ministering to a world that may not necessarily agree with everything they stand for.
Thank the Lord above, that when Jesus died on the Cross for us, He did so without terms and conditions. Thank God that when the angel Gabriel came from God to invite Mary to be the Mother of His Son she said “yes” without any terms or conditions. Her words, which we celebrate today on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, were clear, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word.” The next line in the Gospel reads, “Then the angel departed from her.” It was her response, driven by blind faith and love of the Lord and His people that made the Angel feel it was time to leave. It was Mary’s “no terms attached yes” that satisfied the Angel.
I can understand that the Roman Church has certain values that they have to uphold, and I can even accept that Gay Marriage is something that they do not agree with. However, even from the Roman Catholic standpoint it doesn’t make sense to penalize the poor and vulnerable in this situation. When Jesus feeds the multitude with the multiplication of the loaves and fish, He does not ask first if any in the crowd are gay, or have had an abortion, or were in favor of the death penalty. When He heals the 10 Lepers, He does not first ask where they stand on political issues. If the five stipulations that the Diocese of Portland maps out in the first page of their agreement with potential grant recipients are in fact the deal breakers, then the details on page two should be considered in light of how they relate to the primacy of those values.
Even on the second page of the agreement, where the Diocese gets down to the “terms and agreements” it says;
“Preferential Option for the Poor: all economic life should be shaped by moral principles. A fundamental moral measure of any economy is how the poor and vulnerable are faring. The Catholic Church’s position is that the needs of the poor and vulnerable in society should be addressed first, before any others. Is your organization hindering or harming meeting the needs of the poor or vulnerable in society?”
If in fact the needs of the poor and vulnerable are to be addressed first, before any other, then doesn’t that say in the Diocese own words, that Gay Marriage should be at the very least second to feeding the poor, and housing the homeless?
The details of what “legal organization” backed what and which “board of directors” supported what should not matter, as the Diocese should not have made such a withdrawal due to this topic. The directors at the Preble Street Resourace Center responded to both the Bishop and the Campaign for Human Development by saying;
“Last night 51 women crammed into our 30-bed temporary Women’s Shelter. This morning over 300 people lined up in the cold waiting for a hot breakfast at our Soup Kitchen. And today over 40 runaway and homeless children came to our Teen Center for services and sanctuary.”
So then due to politics, 51 women will go without shelter, 300 people will go without food, and 40 children will wander the streets with no place to rest. The organization “Catholics for Marriage Equality” has launched a campaign to try to assist with raising some money to make up for what they will loose from Diocesan funding. It is ironic, isn’t it? The Diocese has decided that they are going to put a legal matter regarding Gay rights before helping the poor (which they had previously stated was of greatest importance), and now that same Gay community that they view as so broken, is picking up their slack, and answering the call of the Lord to feed the hungry and cloth the naked.
The words of Matthew 25:34-45 come to mind;
“Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'
Then He will also say to those on His left, Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'
Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'”
Thank God that the Gay community in Maine is ready to answer the call of the Lord to feed, clothe, and shelter their brothers and sisters. What a demonstration of true Christian charity.
Homeless Voices for Justice, is a statewide advocacy group in Maine that is led by people who have been homeless. It works on issues that affect the homeless, such as supporting affordable housing and preventing violence against the homeless. Portland-based Preble Street, which runs a dozen programs to provide housing and other services for the poor and the homeless, provides staff support for Homeless Voices for Justice.
The Diocese of Portland’s Campaign for Human Development had previously provided grant funding for this program. Proposition 1 on the ballot last fall in Maine was to overturn the new law legalizing gay marriage. The Preble Street Resource Center backed the effort to vote “no” on this question, inspiring the Diocese to not only stop funding the program, but also demanded the return of unspent monies from the grant in question.
On the list of qualifications for receiving a grant from the Diocese the applicant had to respond to various questions asking what various issues the organization supports and doesn’t support. One of these was Gay Marriage. The organization said no, and by their support of this issue in the election they broke the terms of agreement in their Grant arrangement and hence lost funding.
http://media.kjonline.com/documents/eligibility_CCHD.pdf
Technically speaking, this is a cut and dry issue. The Diocese has every right to revoke the monies due to the clear breaking of the original grant agreement, however one can’t help but wonder how the Bishop can sleep at night.
How can we put terms and conditions on something as simple as helping the poor and homeless? In the very same agreement the Diocese clearly says that the top 5 unquestionable things that the recipient of funding must agree with are;
1. The sanctity of human life
2. The rights of the poor and vulnerable
3. Human Rights
4. The Common Good
5. And building and promoting a civilization of love, dedicated to working towards peace.
In the section talking about the Poor and Vulnerable, it says explicitly, “Poor and vulnerable people have a special place in catholic social teaching. A basic moral test of a society is how its most vulnerable members are faring. Our tradition calls us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.” That tells me that the details of the terms and conditions that follow such as Abortion, Gay Marriage, Birth Control, etc are just that – terms and conditions. The Diocese needs to remember that it is ministering to a world that may not necessarily agree with everything they stand for.
Thank the Lord above, that when Jesus died on the Cross for us, He did so without terms and conditions. Thank God that when the angel Gabriel came from God to invite Mary to be the Mother of His Son she said “yes” without any terms or conditions. Her words, which we celebrate today on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, were clear, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word.” The next line in the Gospel reads, “Then the angel departed from her.” It was her response, driven by blind faith and love of the Lord and His people that made the Angel feel it was time to leave. It was Mary’s “no terms attached yes” that satisfied the Angel.
I can understand that the Roman Church has certain values that they have to uphold, and I can even accept that Gay Marriage is something that they do not agree with. However, even from the Roman Catholic standpoint it doesn’t make sense to penalize the poor and vulnerable in this situation. When Jesus feeds the multitude with the multiplication of the loaves and fish, He does not ask first if any in the crowd are gay, or have had an abortion, or were in favor of the death penalty. When He heals the 10 Lepers, He does not first ask where they stand on political issues. If the five stipulations that the Diocese of Portland maps out in the first page of their agreement with potential grant recipients are in fact the deal breakers, then the details on page two should be considered in light of how they relate to the primacy of those values.
Even on the second page of the agreement, where the Diocese gets down to the “terms and agreements” it says;
“Preferential Option for the Poor: all economic life should be shaped by moral principles. A fundamental moral measure of any economy is how the poor and vulnerable are faring. The Catholic Church’s position is that the needs of the poor and vulnerable in society should be addressed first, before any others. Is your organization hindering or harming meeting the needs of the poor or vulnerable in society?”
If in fact the needs of the poor and vulnerable are to be addressed first, before any other, then doesn’t that say in the Diocese own words, that Gay Marriage should be at the very least second to feeding the poor, and housing the homeless?
The details of what “legal organization” backed what and which “board of directors” supported what should not matter, as the Diocese should not have made such a withdrawal due to this topic. The directors at the Preble Street Resourace Center responded to both the Bishop and the Campaign for Human Development by saying;
“Last night 51 women crammed into our 30-bed temporary Women’s Shelter. This morning over 300 people lined up in the cold waiting for a hot breakfast at our Soup Kitchen. And today over 40 runaway and homeless children came to our Teen Center for services and sanctuary.”
So then due to politics, 51 women will go without shelter, 300 people will go without food, and 40 children will wander the streets with no place to rest. The organization “Catholics for Marriage Equality” has launched a campaign to try to assist with raising some money to make up for what they will loose from Diocesan funding. It is ironic, isn’t it? The Diocese has decided that they are going to put a legal matter regarding Gay rights before helping the poor (which they had previously stated was of greatest importance), and now that same Gay community that they view as so broken, is picking up their slack, and answering the call of the Lord to feed the hungry and cloth the naked.
The words of Matthew 25:34-45 come to mind;
“Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'
Then He will also say to those on His left, Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'
Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'”
Thank God that the Gay community in Maine is ready to answer the call of the Lord to feed, clothe, and shelter their brothers and sisters. What a demonstration of true Christian charity.
Friday, March 19, 2010
A Spirituality of Silence
Today is the Solemnity of Saint Joseph. When I was in Seminary, we would pray that March 19 would fall on a Friday in Lent, so that we could skirt around the Lenten Fast for one day. This year I am sure that "meat starving" Seminarians across the world are rejoicing!
Saint Joseph is one of the most fascinating characters in Scripture, to me anyways. We don't know very much about him. We know what town he is from, tradition holds that he was a carpenter, he was Husband to Mary, present at the early events of Jesus' life, and then he disappears from the face of history.
His spirituality however is one worth looking at. I like to call it a Spirituality of silence. Joseph himself never speaks in Scripture, not even once. He has no powerful lines, or thoughtful expressions that we can quote or meditate on. What we do know is, he is a man of action, and certainly a deep faith.
He discovers that his wife is pregnant, supposedly with a Divine child. He considers a divorce; as for him to marry a pregnant woman would bring nothing but scandal and gossip upon he and his family. He plans to do so quietly, so as to retain Mary’s dignity, however, an angel advises him not to. She fills Joseph in on the Divine plan of God, and Joseph, without question or debate, takes Mary into his home.
After the birth of Jesus he is guided by a dream to take the newborn Jesus and Mary and flee to Egypt, as Herod is unleashing a mass laughter of all the newborn males in Bethlehem. Again without question or debate, he follows these instructions, and returns to Nazareth after an angel informs him again that it is safe to do so.
He maintains silence throughout the entire story. Even when Jesus is lost in the temple, it is Mary who verbally rebukes Jesus for wandering away from the family on their journey home from Jerusalem. “Your father and I have been looking for you.” Joseph says nothing, and his opinion is not even noted.
He disappears with an equal silence. We know nothing of his death. There are various traditions and tales. There are stained glass windows that show Jesus as a teenager holding His dying father in His arms. There are paintings of Joseph fashioning tables and chairs in his carpentry shop, but the reality of it is we have no idea.
That’s the point of Joseph’s spirituality that we can draw from Scripture. Or I should say, that’s the spirituality that can be molded from Joseph’s story. We should follow the calling of the Lord in silent faith and trust. We know he was an ordinary man, who was obedient to his faith and the law. It was in obedience to the law that he went to Bethlehem to begin with, that he presented the child Jesus in the temple at the proper age, and that they went on the prescribed journey to the temple in Jerusalem.
He lives his day-to-day life as a faithful, law abiding, gentleman. When the time came for him to make the difficult decisions, he made choices that were in consideration of others, but listened to the voice of the Lord when he needed to adjust his plans. By living this simple and silent life, he has ended up the Patron Saint of the Universal Church, and nearly every culture holds him in high regard. There are churches throughout the world that bear his name, and his Feast day in the Church is among the few regarded as a “Solemnity”. All this esteem is regarded to a man who never spoke a word worth history recording, and who is depicted as a gray haired old man, in a purple and brown robe, holding a walking staff.
Sound familiar? We may never speak a word worth history’s acknowledgement either. We go through our day-to-day lives trying our best to follow the laws of the land, our faith, and our conscious. The next step, is to listen for the voice of the Lord when we least expect it; even in those times when we think we already are making the right choice.
Saint Joseph is one of the most fascinating characters in Scripture, to me anyways. We don't know very much about him. We know what town he is from, tradition holds that he was a carpenter, he was Husband to Mary, present at the early events of Jesus' life, and then he disappears from the face of history.
His spirituality however is one worth looking at. I like to call it a Spirituality of silence. Joseph himself never speaks in Scripture, not even once. He has no powerful lines, or thoughtful expressions that we can quote or meditate on. What we do know is, he is a man of action, and certainly a deep faith.
He discovers that his wife is pregnant, supposedly with a Divine child. He considers a divorce; as for him to marry a pregnant woman would bring nothing but scandal and gossip upon he and his family. He plans to do so quietly, so as to retain Mary’s dignity, however, an angel advises him not to. She fills Joseph in on the Divine plan of God, and Joseph, without question or debate, takes Mary into his home.
After the birth of Jesus he is guided by a dream to take the newborn Jesus and Mary and flee to Egypt, as Herod is unleashing a mass laughter of all the newborn males in Bethlehem. Again without question or debate, he follows these instructions, and returns to Nazareth after an angel informs him again that it is safe to do so.
He maintains silence throughout the entire story. Even when Jesus is lost in the temple, it is Mary who verbally rebukes Jesus for wandering away from the family on their journey home from Jerusalem. “Your father and I have been looking for you.” Joseph says nothing, and his opinion is not even noted.
He disappears with an equal silence. We know nothing of his death. There are various traditions and tales. There are stained glass windows that show Jesus as a teenager holding His dying father in His arms. There are paintings of Joseph fashioning tables and chairs in his carpentry shop, but the reality of it is we have no idea.
That’s the point of Joseph’s spirituality that we can draw from Scripture. Or I should say, that’s the spirituality that can be molded from Joseph’s story. We should follow the calling of the Lord in silent faith and trust. We know he was an ordinary man, who was obedient to his faith and the law. It was in obedience to the law that he went to Bethlehem to begin with, that he presented the child Jesus in the temple at the proper age, and that they went on the prescribed journey to the temple in Jerusalem.
He lives his day-to-day life as a faithful, law abiding, gentleman. When the time came for him to make the difficult decisions, he made choices that were in consideration of others, but listened to the voice of the Lord when he needed to adjust his plans. By living this simple and silent life, he has ended up the Patron Saint of the Universal Church, and nearly every culture holds him in high regard. There are churches throughout the world that bear his name, and his Feast day in the Church is among the few regarded as a “Solemnity”. All this esteem is regarded to a man who never spoke a word worth history recording, and who is depicted as a gray haired old man, in a purple and brown robe, holding a walking staff.
Sound familiar? We may never speak a word worth history’s acknowledgement either. We go through our day-to-day lives trying our best to follow the laws of the land, our faith, and our conscious. The next step, is to listen for the voice of the Lord when we least expect it; even in those times when we think we already are making the right choice.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Chair of Peter 2010
Today is the Feast of the Chair of Peter, which celebrates the great Saint who cast everything aside in favor of following Jesus. The First Reading of today’s Mass is a letter from Saint Peter, providing advice to his fellow clergy. His words are not extensive, but quite concise;
"I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed. Tend the flock of God in your midst, overseeing not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory"
His words break down quite simply:
Tend to your flock, not out of duty but rather out of an eager love.
Do not do it for profit.
Do not rub that role in people's faces, but rather lead by example.
It is quite a task St. Peter holds us to. To lead by example is no small order, and one that is so easy to miss the mark on. To think that the way I live my life will be the model that others will follow is a tall order.
Peter was a simple man. He was a fisherman, who made his living by the work of his hands. Jesus called Peter (previously called Simon) to lead His flock, and be the first leader of the Church. In my Seminary days, today was my favorite Feast in the Church. It held Peter up as the first Pope, and that tradition was handed down from age to age. However, as the Second Reading from today's Office by Pope Saint Leo the Great clearly says, "The authority vested in this power passed also to the other apostles, and the institution established by this decree has been continued in all the leaders of the Church."
In other words, the Church is bigger then the one that is based in Rome. Jesus tells Peter that his name means, "rock", and it is on this rock that he will build his Church. Here we are in 2010, and that Church now has many incarnations. The continuation of the laying on of hands from the first Apostles, to us today, assures that indeed that Church will continue to flourish in all its many manifestations.
In the First Reading I spoke of earlier, Peter advises his fellow clergy to lead by example. Perhaps the best example we as clergy, be it Roman or otherwise is to live the mission Peter began. To continue to cast aside everything else to lead the flock back to the "Chief Shepherd." At the end of the day, when we stand before Him in heaven, he will not care what Jurisdiction we were a part of, or which expression of the Church we followed; rather, He will care about how we lived our lives, and those of us who are clergy, He will care how we impacted the lives of those we encountered on a daily basis.
If we as clergy are called to lead by example, then the lesson that people learned from that example, and how they implemented it in their own lives, will also fall upon us. Today's Feast is about the responsibility that we carry, as a part of His clergy, to show people the eternal Love of God.
Sometimes I think perhaps I am not doing my job as Clergy properly, as it is my flock that so often teaches me by their example. I am supposed to be the spiritual leader, and yet just by listening to the stories my parishioners tell, and watching them live their daily lives, I am inspired. By virtue of our Baptism we all share in a way, in the priesthood of Jesus Christ. He was Priest, Prophet, and King, and if we are baptized into Him, then logically we have a share in those three roles. In my opinion, it is the laity who so often demonstrates to the clergy how to live the role of Priesthood.
We all grow together on this road of life. All its bumps and detours make for a pretty messy journey. Thank God however none of us are in it alone. We have one another, regardless of our rank in the Church, to be an example to each other. Jesus praised Peter so highly in today's Gospel because of his deep faith. Jesus asks his followers, "Who do people say that I am." He receives a myriad of responses, and then presses further, "who do you say that I am." It is Peter who steps up first, and answers without hesitation, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus says that Peter is blessed because it was not a human that told him this; it was God Himself who made this revelation to him. Peter was blessed because he understood the call of the Lord.
If we as clergy are to lead by example, and Peter is the example that we are to look to, then naturally the example we are called to live is that statement Peter makes in the Gospel. We need to live that sentence, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The implications that go along with that are extensive, because to believe that and to live it, requires that we die to self, and live for one another. Perhaps we as clergy should pay more attention to the example that our parishioners demonstrate for us, as it is often that they demonstrate the loving role of the Priesthood far better then we do.
Let us always be an example to one another of life in the Kingdom. The one thing I have learned this week is that we never know when this life will end, and we may not have the chance to do tomorrow what we could have done today. Therefore starting now, let's be examples to one another, and whatever our role in the function of life is, let's live it to it's fullest...as examples to one another.
"I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed. Tend the flock of God in your midst, overseeing not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory"
His words break down quite simply:
Tend to your flock, not out of duty but rather out of an eager love.
Do not do it for profit.
Do not rub that role in people's faces, but rather lead by example.
It is quite a task St. Peter holds us to. To lead by example is no small order, and one that is so easy to miss the mark on. To think that the way I live my life will be the model that others will follow is a tall order.
Peter was a simple man. He was a fisherman, who made his living by the work of his hands. Jesus called Peter (previously called Simon) to lead His flock, and be the first leader of the Church. In my Seminary days, today was my favorite Feast in the Church. It held Peter up as the first Pope, and that tradition was handed down from age to age. However, as the Second Reading from today's Office by Pope Saint Leo the Great clearly says, "The authority vested in this power passed also to the other apostles, and the institution established by this decree has been continued in all the leaders of the Church."
In other words, the Church is bigger then the one that is based in Rome. Jesus tells Peter that his name means, "rock", and it is on this rock that he will build his Church. Here we are in 2010, and that Church now has many incarnations. The continuation of the laying on of hands from the first Apostles, to us today, assures that indeed that Church will continue to flourish in all its many manifestations.
In the First Reading I spoke of earlier, Peter advises his fellow clergy to lead by example. Perhaps the best example we as clergy, be it Roman or otherwise is to live the mission Peter began. To continue to cast aside everything else to lead the flock back to the "Chief Shepherd." At the end of the day, when we stand before Him in heaven, he will not care what Jurisdiction we were a part of, or which expression of the Church we followed; rather, He will care about how we lived our lives, and those of us who are clergy, He will care how we impacted the lives of those we encountered on a daily basis.
If we as clergy are called to lead by example, then the lesson that people learned from that example, and how they implemented it in their own lives, will also fall upon us. Today's Feast is about the responsibility that we carry, as a part of His clergy, to show people the eternal Love of God.
Sometimes I think perhaps I am not doing my job as Clergy properly, as it is my flock that so often teaches me by their example. I am supposed to be the spiritual leader, and yet just by listening to the stories my parishioners tell, and watching them live their daily lives, I am inspired. By virtue of our Baptism we all share in a way, in the priesthood of Jesus Christ. He was Priest, Prophet, and King, and if we are baptized into Him, then logically we have a share in those three roles. In my opinion, it is the laity who so often demonstrates to the clergy how to live the role of Priesthood.
We all grow together on this road of life. All its bumps and detours make for a pretty messy journey. Thank God however none of us are in it alone. We have one another, regardless of our rank in the Church, to be an example to each other. Jesus praised Peter so highly in today's Gospel because of his deep faith. Jesus asks his followers, "Who do people say that I am." He receives a myriad of responses, and then presses further, "who do you say that I am." It is Peter who steps up first, and answers without hesitation, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus says that Peter is blessed because it was not a human that told him this; it was God Himself who made this revelation to him. Peter was blessed because he understood the call of the Lord.
If we as clergy are to lead by example, and Peter is the example that we are to look to, then naturally the example we are called to live is that statement Peter makes in the Gospel. We need to live that sentence, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The implications that go along with that are extensive, because to believe that and to live it, requires that we die to self, and live for one another. Perhaps we as clergy should pay more attention to the example that our parishioners demonstrate for us, as it is often that they demonstrate the loving role of the Priesthood far better then we do.
Let us always be an example to one another of life in the Kingdom. The one thing I have learned this week is that we never know when this life will end, and we may not have the chance to do tomorrow what we could have done today. Therefore starting now, let's be examples to one another, and whatever our role in the function of life is, let's live it to it's fullest...as examples to one another.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Ash Wednesday 2010
As I write my blog this evening, I do so with a full tummy, as our Parish gathered tonight to celebrate Mardis Gras! Certainly not the with the same festiveness as was celebrated in New Orleans, but we had a wonderful time. In New Orleans every year, the world famous celebrations of Burbon Street carries on into the late hours of the night, but at midnight, the city stops, as Lent has begun.
The 40 days of preperation for Easter that we have now begun, are days that the church encourages us to increaase our prayer, to fast, and to give. That giving is expressed usually in alms, or monetary donations, but maybe there are other ways to give.
We can give of ourselves in so many different areas. Get involved in a community improvement organization. We can give more fully in our relationships. Lent is about change. Change in our hearts, and the change that Christ calls us to be a part of within our world.
This is my first Lent as an Ordained Person, and I realize that the key part of the life of a Clergyman is his parish. They are my first priority, and if anything I have learned so far in my ministry, that while it is my job to function as the leader in public worship, it is our job, as a community to grow together in our walk in the love of the Lord. We all do our part individually, and that effects a change in the bigger picture. If we all do our own part, we will see at Easter that an entire community has transformed itself to be closer to Christ, and more aware of His love.
As we all enter this season of Lent let's do so with an open heart, eager to see what direction the Lord will call us in.
The 40 days of preperation for Easter that we have now begun, are days that the church encourages us to increaase our prayer, to fast, and to give. That giving is expressed usually in alms, or monetary donations, but maybe there are other ways to give.
We can give of ourselves in so many different areas. Get involved in a community improvement organization. We can give more fully in our relationships. Lent is about change. Change in our hearts, and the change that Christ calls us to be a part of within our world.
This is my first Lent as an Ordained Person, and I realize that the key part of the life of a Clergyman is his parish. They are my first priority, and if anything I have learned so far in my ministry, that while it is my job to function as the leader in public worship, it is our job, as a community to grow together in our walk in the love of the Lord. We all do our part individually, and that effects a change in the bigger picture. If we all do our own part, we will see at Easter that an entire community has transformed itself to be closer to Christ, and more aware of His love.
As we all enter this season of Lent let's do so with an open heart, eager to see what direction the Lord will call us in.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Valentines Day 2010
Below is my Valentine's Day Sermon:
The origin of St. Valentine, and how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One opinion is that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Other historians hold that St. Valentine was a temple priest jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius. Whoever he was, Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom.
Saints are not supposed to rest in peace; they're expected to keep busy: to perform miracles, to intercede. Being in jail or dead is no excuse for non-performance of the supernatural. One legend says, while awaiting his execution, Valentine restored the sight of his jailer's blind daughter. Another legend says, on the eve of his death, he penned a farewell note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine."
Valentine’s day is not necessarily a day for lovers, or a day for those who are partnered, it is a day for all of us. Valentine himself was a celibate man, who never had a partner. When Pope Gelasius I, established the feast of Saint Valentine, of the Saint he said “he was among those whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God."
How appropriate. Isn't that a good way to define love? There are those people in our lives who we "name" as people we "love". Weather they be friends, lovers, partners, family, or whatever role they play. But citing them as people we love doesn't cut it, it's the ACTS that make it love, and often it's those acts that are known only to God. The sacrifices that we make for them, the hidden actions that the loved one will never know are what establish the covenant of love.
The love of God for us is reflected in our love for one another, which is an ontological reality that transcends race or creed, gay or straight, religion, or anything else. It's a reality that we all share weather we are partnered or single. Valentine's day is everyone's day because it's not about candy and flowers, or hallmark cards, or fancy dinners. It's about the sacrifice of a man in the name of God's love, which he shared with others.
Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross is perfect expression of love, and His torture and passion he endured for us, is pointed to in today’s Gospel. We hear the words of the Beatitudes. Jesus tells us that blessed are poor, the weak, the hungry, and the persecuted…and woe to those who enjoy popularity, who are full, and who laugh. Pope Gelasius in his words about Valentine is expressing the same concept as the Beatitudes. Essentially earthly designations, success, and praise means nothing, but what matters is our standing with God. What matters is those private acts, those expressions poverty, weakness, and hunger. Jesus’ expression of love on the cross was perhaps the epitome of being poor, weak, hungry, and persecuted. The crucifixion then is the greatest proof of this definition of love.
We are judged, like Valentine, on those “acts that are known only by God.” A true act of love requires no reward. They require no praise. The harsh words of the Prophet Jeremiah in the First Reading ring so true, “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh”. Our strength cannot be drawn from the human experience, but rather from our experience of Christ and His love, and we see that love expressed in our relationships with one another. In the second reading, Saint Paul tells us that things are different now. Christ has been raised from the dead, and by virtue of His Resurrection the definition of love has changed. Jesus said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” How did He love us? He died for us. So there is our answer, we must die. We must die to self, so that we can live for others. That is the perfect expression of love. And 99 percent of the time, we can die to self by virtue of those acts that are, as Pope Gelasius said, “known only to God.”
The origin of St. Valentine, and how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One opinion is that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Other historians hold that St. Valentine was a temple priest jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius. Whoever he was, Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom.
Saints are not supposed to rest in peace; they're expected to keep busy: to perform miracles, to intercede. Being in jail or dead is no excuse for non-performance of the supernatural. One legend says, while awaiting his execution, Valentine restored the sight of his jailer's blind daughter. Another legend says, on the eve of his death, he penned a farewell note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine."
Valentine’s day is not necessarily a day for lovers, or a day for those who are partnered, it is a day for all of us. Valentine himself was a celibate man, who never had a partner. When Pope Gelasius I, established the feast of Saint Valentine, of the Saint he said “he was among those whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God."
How appropriate. Isn't that a good way to define love? There are those people in our lives who we "name" as people we "love". Weather they be friends, lovers, partners, family, or whatever role they play. But citing them as people we love doesn't cut it, it's the ACTS that make it love, and often it's those acts that are known only to God. The sacrifices that we make for them, the hidden actions that the loved one will never know are what establish the covenant of love.
The love of God for us is reflected in our love for one another, which is an ontological reality that transcends race or creed, gay or straight, religion, or anything else. It's a reality that we all share weather we are partnered or single. Valentine's day is everyone's day because it's not about candy and flowers, or hallmark cards, or fancy dinners. It's about the sacrifice of a man in the name of God's love, which he shared with others.
Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross is perfect expression of love, and His torture and passion he endured for us, is pointed to in today’s Gospel. We hear the words of the Beatitudes. Jesus tells us that blessed are poor, the weak, the hungry, and the persecuted…and woe to those who enjoy popularity, who are full, and who laugh. Pope Gelasius in his words about Valentine is expressing the same concept as the Beatitudes. Essentially earthly designations, success, and praise means nothing, but what matters is our standing with God. What matters is those private acts, those expressions poverty, weakness, and hunger. Jesus’ expression of love on the cross was perhaps the epitome of being poor, weak, hungry, and persecuted. The crucifixion then is the greatest proof of this definition of love.
We are judged, like Valentine, on those “acts that are known only by God.” A true act of love requires no reward. They require no praise. The harsh words of the Prophet Jeremiah in the First Reading ring so true, “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh”. Our strength cannot be drawn from the human experience, but rather from our experience of Christ and His love, and we see that love expressed in our relationships with one another. In the second reading, Saint Paul tells us that things are different now. Christ has been raised from the dead, and by virtue of His Resurrection the definition of love has changed. Jesus said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” How did He love us? He died for us. So there is our answer, we must die. We must die to self, so that we can live for others. That is the perfect expression of love. And 99 percent of the time, we can die to self by virtue of those acts that are, as Pope Gelasius said, “known only to God.”
Monday, February 1, 2010
Charity
Tomorrow the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the day that Mary and Joseph, in accordance with the law, brought the infant Jesus to the Temple to present Him to the Lord, and offer the ritual thanksgiving sacrifice of a pair of young pigeons. While they are there, an old priest named Simeon recognizes Jesus as the Savior promised for centuries, and he recites a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord, and then turns to Mary and warns her that a sword shall pierce her heart. This bittersweet prayer is a foresight of the Crucifixion that Jesus would suffer, and the pain Mary would feel standing at the foot of His cross. On Good Friday, Mary would again offer sacrifice to the Lord, but it would be in the form of Her Son, who's death and suffering was the very reason for His coming into the world.
Mary's charity was sincere and honest. The motivations behind charity and generosity are often complicated and difficult to untangle. Often charity can be motivated by self interest. Or when a teacher rewards his/her students with some sort of treat, yet really he/she is only manipulating the children. Or how about at Christmas when we go to the mall thinking about who we "have to" buy for. "Joe" got me something last year and didn't get him anything, so I better be on top of that this year. If this year "Joe" doesn't get me anything, how likely is it that the gift I had purchased will end up in the hands of someone else. Very often the purity of a public act of charity or generosity have a deeper, and perhaps selfish intent behind them.
In a way the classic test of the legitimacy of the pureness of any charity or gift is when the recipient does not respond with any apparent payback, how does the giver react? The pigeons Mary offers at the Presentation, while simple gifts, are given with a pure heart, in total charity, and the response that she gets for this gift is a warning from the priest of her own impending suffering. When that suffering is endured in silence at the foot of the Cross when the ultimate sacrifice is offered, is a testimony to her dignity, and the purity of her gift.
How pure and true is our generosity when we offer it? The answer to that question is known by only us, and God alone. So when we give it is important to do so without counting the cost, or calculating the benefits. In Seminary we debated this topic extensively. Even an act of charity that is done with the hopes of "spiritual reward", or "good karma", in a sense are still not strictly speaking selfless. It's very difficult to do a truly and purely selfless act, but they do exist, and when they happen, they communicate God's selfless love to the recipient.
Mary's charity was sincere and honest. The motivations behind charity and generosity are often complicated and difficult to untangle. Often charity can be motivated by self interest. Or when a teacher rewards his/her students with some sort of treat, yet really he/she is only manipulating the children. Or how about at Christmas when we go to the mall thinking about who we "have to" buy for. "Joe" got me something last year and didn't get him anything, so I better be on top of that this year. If this year "Joe" doesn't get me anything, how likely is it that the gift I had purchased will end up in the hands of someone else. Very often the purity of a public act of charity or generosity have a deeper, and perhaps selfish intent behind them.
In a way the classic test of the legitimacy of the pureness of any charity or gift is when the recipient does not respond with any apparent payback, how does the giver react? The pigeons Mary offers at the Presentation, while simple gifts, are given with a pure heart, in total charity, and the response that she gets for this gift is a warning from the priest of her own impending suffering. When that suffering is endured in silence at the foot of the Cross when the ultimate sacrifice is offered, is a testimony to her dignity, and the purity of her gift.
How pure and true is our generosity when we offer it? The answer to that question is known by only us, and God alone. So when we give it is important to do so without counting the cost, or calculating the benefits. In Seminary we debated this topic extensively. Even an act of charity that is done with the hopes of "spiritual reward", or "good karma", in a sense are still not strictly speaking selfless. It's very difficult to do a truly and purely selfless act, but they do exist, and when they happen, they communicate God's selfless love to the recipient.
Patience
Last Night's Homily:
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When we read the Gospel today, from Saint Luke, we see this first strong rejection of Jesus. Last week Jesus read from the Prophet Isaiah and told his own people that he was the fulfillment of that prophecy. This week we see the response: total and complete rejection. They did speak highly of Jesus at first, but as they began to realize what He was saying, they simply could not accept His words.
This happens to lots of people even in our own time. We grow up as believers, but then as we get older, and life and it‘s ugly details take over, we forget a lot of it. In our own way we often reject those beliefs, but God in His goodness finds a way to bring us back. it’s a good thing that God has more patience then we do. St. Paul in our second reading today reminds us about the many qualities of God that we so often forget. We know that God is love, and among the many things that Paul says of love, he says how it is patient.
Patience is the key to understanding so many things in life. Jesus speaks of how a prophet is never welcome in his own land. He speaks of how Elijiah and Elisia, the great prophets of the Old Testament, seemingly failed in their ministry to others because they did not respond to such great needs. It was only to certain people that the love of the Lord seemed to fall. I think that is something that we can all relate to.
We have all had those moments where we ask ourselves, ‘where is God?’. The prayers that go unanswered, the tragedies that occur in the world that make us wonder where God was when that disaster struck. When terrorists attacked our nation, and took the lives of nearly 3,000 people on 9/11, where was God. When the earthquake struck Haiti a few weeks ago, and claimed the lives of 150,000 people, and left the country in total desolation, where was God. When the twenty something year old dies unexpectedly, when our partner cheats, when our friends and family get sick, or when all the many calamities of life occur, where is God. For a God who is all love, there is an awful lot of less then loving situations that we are forced to endure.
On the topic of love Jesus said many things, but His life and Passion the Cross expressed 3 important things. He demonstrates an example of love, and invitation to love, and a revelation about love. The example of love is His passion, as He says “greater love has no man then this, to lay down his life for his friends.” Which is exactly what He did. Second He invites us to love as He did, with His words, “love one another as I have loved you.” He loved us by suffering and dying on the Cross, so logically we can determine, that the revelation about Love that He brings is that Love involves suffering.
No relationship is easy. Any one of us here I this room can attest to that. Relationships take work, involve pain, and take time to flourish. Our relationship with God is no different. He is patient, and kind, never jealous. As St. Paul said in our Second Reading, It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Just like God is patient with us, as he waits for us to return to Him when we look away, so we must be patient with Him. Any loving relationship requires that both parties maintain those qualities that Paul describes for us tonight. So just as we expect God to never turn away from us, and to always be there, and to be patient and kind, and forgiving…we have to do the same. We have to be patient with God, and know that He will bring all things to where He wants them to be.
Jesus essentially is warning us in today’s Gospel that life is not a bed of roses, and there will be those times where we can’t see the love of the Lord in our lives, or in the world around us. The people in the story we heard tonight don’t like that very much, and drive Him out of town, and even consider trying to kill Him. Let’s not make the same mistake, because it is exactly in those moments where we think God isn’t there, He is usually right there, we just cant see Him, because we become impatient, and fail to let God be God, and let His love be revealed in His time.
________________________________________________
When we read the Gospel today, from Saint Luke, we see this first strong rejection of Jesus. Last week Jesus read from the Prophet Isaiah and told his own people that he was the fulfillment of that prophecy. This week we see the response: total and complete rejection. They did speak highly of Jesus at first, but as they began to realize what He was saying, they simply could not accept His words.
This happens to lots of people even in our own time. We grow up as believers, but then as we get older, and life and it‘s ugly details take over, we forget a lot of it. In our own way we often reject those beliefs, but God in His goodness finds a way to bring us back. it’s a good thing that God has more patience then we do. St. Paul in our second reading today reminds us about the many qualities of God that we so often forget. We know that God is love, and among the many things that Paul says of love, he says how it is patient.
Patience is the key to understanding so many things in life. Jesus speaks of how a prophet is never welcome in his own land. He speaks of how Elijiah and Elisia, the great prophets of the Old Testament, seemingly failed in their ministry to others because they did not respond to such great needs. It was only to certain people that the love of the Lord seemed to fall. I think that is something that we can all relate to.
We have all had those moments where we ask ourselves, ‘where is God?’. The prayers that go unanswered, the tragedies that occur in the world that make us wonder where God was when that disaster struck. When terrorists attacked our nation, and took the lives of nearly 3,000 people on 9/11, where was God. When the earthquake struck Haiti a few weeks ago, and claimed the lives of 150,000 people, and left the country in total desolation, where was God. When the twenty something year old dies unexpectedly, when our partner cheats, when our friends and family get sick, or when all the many calamities of life occur, where is God. For a God who is all love, there is an awful lot of less then loving situations that we are forced to endure.
On the topic of love Jesus said many things, but His life and Passion the Cross expressed 3 important things. He demonstrates an example of love, and invitation to love, and a revelation about love. The example of love is His passion, as He says “greater love has no man then this, to lay down his life for his friends.” Which is exactly what He did. Second He invites us to love as He did, with His words, “love one another as I have loved you.” He loved us by suffering and dying on the Cross, so logically we can determine, that the revelation about Love that He brings is that Love involves suffering.
No relationship is easy. Any one of us here I this room can attest to that. Relationships take work, involve pain, and take time to flourish. Our relationship with God is no different. He is patient, and kind, never jealous. As St. Paul said in our Second Reading, It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Just like God is patient with us, as he waits for us to return to Him when we look away, so we must be patient with Him. Any loving relationship requires that both parties maintain those qualities that Paul describes for us tonight. So just as we expect God to never turn away from us, and to always be there, and to be patient and kind, and forgiving…we have to do the same. We have to be patient with God, and know that He will bring all things to where He wants them to be.
Jesus essentially is warning us in today’s Gospel that life is not a bed of roses, and there will be those times where we can’t see the love of the Lord in our lives, or in the world around us. The people in the story we heard tonight don’t like that very much, and drive Him out of town, and even consider trying to kill Him. Let’s not make the same mistake, because it is exactly in those moments where we think God isn’t there, He is usually right there, we just cant see Him, because we become impatient, and fail to let God be God, and let His love be revealed in His time.
Monday, January 25, 2010
New Beginnings
Today I thought I'd share my Homily from last night's Mass...it's been tweeked for the web =)
______________________________________________________________
The new year is almost through it's first month, yet we are still adjusting to the new beginnings we started at New Years. Everybody is fighting to maintain our resolutions. At the gym, slowly attendance is returning to normal, after the new year influx. At work many of my customers who had sworn away from alcohol in 2010 are slowly returning to their old ways. Diets that began are beginning to slip away, and I myself who swore to quit smoking in 2010, am puffing on a Marlboro as I am writing this. Despite our perhaps failed or at least challenged resolutions, we remember that something new has happened, something important is beginning…God is with us. As Jesus tells us in the Gospel this weekend, this day a prophecy has been fulfilled in our hearing.
I would share the story of Grant Desme. He is a 23-year-old minor league baseball player - in fact, one of the most promising athletes in the country. He was considered a star prospect for the Oakland A's. He was a figure of incredible talent and potential - he'd hit 31 home runs, stolen 40 bases. He thought, any day, to get the call from Oakland to join the majors and begin a stellar career - one that would likely reap him millions. Well, he got a call. But it wasn't the one he expected. Friday, Grant Desme told a stunned group of sportswriters that he was giving up baseball. Instead, he was going to study for the priesthood.
"I love the game," he said. "But I aspire to higher things. I really had to get down to the bottom of things - what was good in my life, what I wanted to do with my life, and I felt that while baseball is a good thing and I love playing, I thought it was selfish of me to be doing that when I really felt that God was calling me more." He concluded: "It took me a while in my life to really trust and open up to it and aim full steam toward Him."
We also have the example of Emmanuel Buso. Emmanuel is not a priest or a seminarian. He's a student who lived near the presidential palace in Port au Prince Haiti when the earthquake struck. He was buried under the rubble, unable to move. For 10 days, he waited, and prayed. He slipped in and out of consciousness. Finally, on the 10th day, defying all the odds, an Israeli rescue team discovered him and pulled him to safety. Emmanuel was dehydrated and weak, but he's expected to make a full recovery. Friday, he talked to reporters from his hospital bed. "I am here," he whispered, "because God wants it."
God calls each and everyone of us everyday, and the presence of Jesus in our world since His birth at Christmas, and His continual presence in our world among us through the Sacraments is a great hope for all of us. Luke writes His Gospel as a letter to someone named Theophilus. The name Theophilus is not directly associated with any one person. In Greek the name means, “friend of God”. Tonight in the Gospel Jesus announces why He has come. To bring us freedom, sight, liberty, and glad tidings. Jesus announces that something very important is beginning. Luke addresses his Gospel to all of us, as we know that we are all beloveds of our God.
Emmanuel Buso and Grant Desme have begun anew in this new year in their relationship with their God. Let us all do the same. Let’s embrace the joy in this new beginning Jesus has announced. Let’s recommit ourselves to growing in our relationship with the Lord. We are almost through the first month of this new year, let’s not let that drive, and that determination we had when the ball dropped at midnight three weeks ago slip away. Let us rejoice and be glad, and turn to the Lord for the strength we need to bring ourselves to where we should be in our own lives. Like Grant Desme, this day let’s be inspired by his words to, “really trust and move full steam towards him.” We have nothing to fear, for as we have been told, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in our hearing”
God Bless You.
______________________________________________________________
The new year is almost through it's first month, yet we are still adjusting to the new beginnings we started at New Years. Everybody is fighting to maintain our resolutions. At the gym, slowly attendance is returning to normal, after the new year influx. At work many of my customers who had sworn away from alcohol in 2010 are slowly returning to their old ways. Diets that began are beginning to slip away, and I myself who swore to quit smoking in 2010, am puffing on a Marlboro as I am writing this. Despite our perhaps failed or at least challenged resolutions, we remember that something new has happened, something important is beginning…God is with us. As Jesus tells us in the Gospel this weekend, this day a prophecy has been fulfilled in our hearing.
I would share the story of Grant Desme. He is a 23-year-old minor league baseball player - in fact, one of the most promising athletes in the country. He was considered a star prospect for the Oakland A's. He was a figure of incredible talent and potential - he'd hit 31 home runs, stolen 40 bases. He thought, any day, to get the call from Oakland to join the majors and begin a stellar career - one that would likely reap him millions. Well, he got a call. But it wasn't the one he expected. Friday, Grant Desme told a stunned group of sportswriters that he was giving up baseball. Instead, he was going to study for the priesthood.
"I love the game," he said. "But I aspire to higher things. I really had to get down to the bottom of things - what was good in my life, what I wanted to do with my life, and I felt that while baseball is a good thing and I love playing, I thought it was selfish of me to be doing that when I really felt that God was calling me more." He concluded: "It took me a while in my life to really trust and open up to it and aim full steam toward Him."
We also have the example of Emmanuel Buso. Emmanuel is not a priest or a seminarian. He's a student who lived near the presidential palace in Port au Prince Haiti when the earthquake struck. He was buried under the rubble, unable to move. For 10 days, he waited, and prayed. He slipped in and out of consciousness. Finally, on the 10th day, defying all the odds, an Israeli rescue team discovered him and pulled him to safety. Emmanuel was dehydrated and weak, but he's expected to make a full recovery. Friday, he talked to reporters from his hospital bed. "I am here," he whispered, "because God wants it."
God calls each and everyone of us everyday, and the presence of Jesus in our world since His birth at Christmas, and His continual presence in our world among us through the Sacraments is a great hope for all of us. Luke writes His Gospel as a letter to someone named Theophilus. The name Theophilus is not directly associated with any one person. In Greek the name means, “friend of God”. Tonight in the Gospel Jesus announces why He has come. To bring us freedom, sight, liberty, and glad tidings. Jesus announces that something very important is beginning. Luke addresses his Gospel to all of us, as we know that we are all beloveds of our God.
Emmanuel Buso and Grant Desme have begun anew in this new year in their relationship with their God. Let us all do the same. Let’s embrace the joy in this new beginning Jesus has announced. Let’s recommit ourselves to growing in our relationship with the Lord. We are almost through the first month of this new year, let’s not let that drive, and that determination we had when the ball dropped at midnight three weeks ago slip away. Let us rejoice and be glad, and turn to the Lord for the strength we need to bring ourselves to where we should be in our own lives. Like Grant Desme, this day let’s be inspired by his words to, “really trust and move full steam towards him.” We have nothing to fear, for as we have been told, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in our hearing”
God Bless You.
Friday, January 22, 2010
He's so big, I can't miss
The other night at Mass the reading was the story of King David, slaying the Giant Goliath as a young man. It is the classic story of the underdog. David was a young Shepherd boy, with really no ability to defeat this monster who even the great Israelite armies were unable to overcome. Jim Jordan, a Pro-Life activist who spoke at the March for Life in Washington DC today said, "Goliath challenged the Israelites everyday, but everyone said, 'He's too big we can't fight him.' But David's attitude was, 'I'll fight him, he's so big I can't miss'".
As I said at Mass the other night we all fight giants in our everyday lives. For some of us it's a person, for some it's a situation, or trying to overcome an addiction, or fighting with health issues, or the loss of a loved one. Each of us without exception are going to face a giant in life that we have to defeat. Maybe the big, maybe small. David shows a good example of how to defeat such a huge giant.
First he identifies Goliath. we have to be able to put a name to the giant. We have to know what we are fighting. The line from AA that is so often quoted, "My name is Joe, and I'm an alcoholic." Talk about identifying the giant!
He then draws on the knowledge that he has defeated previous giants. He keeps his sheep safe from attacking animals. If he could do that, he can do this!
Finally, he casts aside those who say he can't do it, and proves them wrong. Above all...he has faith in his God. This model is not one that died with Goliath, AA follows the same principle in it's 12 steps. The hardest part sometimes is not so much defeating the giant, sometimes it's in th every identifying of the problem that's so difficult. So often the thing we are trying to fight is a loosing battle because we aren't fighting the real giant!
One of my goals in 2010 is to quit smoking. That's a big giant. It looms over my thoughts, the drive to quit, and the fear of quitting. I've defeated alot of giants in my day, however this one remains the toughest. There are still other giants after this one, and someday pray God they will all be conquered.
As I said at Mass the other night we all fight giants in our everyday lives. For some of us it's a person, for some it's a situation, or trying to overcome an addiction, or fighting with health issues, or the loss of a loved one. Each of us without exception are going to face a giant in life that we have to defeat. Maybe the big, maybe small. David shows a good example of how to defeat such a huge giant.
First he identifies Goliath. we have to be able to put a name to the giant. We have to know what we are fighting. The line from AA that is so often quoted, "My name is Joe, and I'm an alcoholic." Talk about identifying the giant!
He then draws on the knowledge that he has defeated previous giants. He keeps his sheep safe from attacking animals. If he could do that, he can do this!
Finally, he casts aside those who say he can't do it, and proves them wrong. Above all...he has faith in his God. This model is not one that died with Goliath, AA follows the same principle in it's 12 steps. The hardest part sometimes is not so much defeating the giant, sometimes it's in th every identifying of the problem that's so difficult. So often the thing we are trying to fight is a loosing battle because we aren't fighting the real giant!
One of my goals in 2010 is to quit smoking. That's a big giant. It looms over my thoughts, the drive to quit, and the fear of quitting. I've defeated alot of giants in my day, however this one remains the toughest. There are still other giants after this one, and someday pray God they will all be conquered.
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