So our guest speaker, Douglas, reminded us last week that we are chosen by God to leave this place and to go out and do something special: to proclaim the Kingdom of God by our words and actions. How well did we do that this past week?
We were reminded in the Eucharistic prayer: that the kingdom, and therefore we – are a witness to truth and freedom, to peace and justice – that all people may be raised us to a new hope. How many people did we raise up in hope this past week? And at the end of Mass last week we were commissioned, just like the disciples – to go do something: to go in peace to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel. What report would we be giving Jesus this week of what we had done and taught in his name?? And if we did these things – if were true to our calling from the God who loves us – then we should be a bit tired – and ready for a rest: just like the disciples. And if we are not tired and weary by our work as disciples – then perhaps just weary and tired by our lives and its demands this past week. So if you have every found yourself thinking: I can use a bit of peace and quiet – then this story is for you. . . THE BOY WHO SEARCHED FOR SILENCE [By Andrew Newman] Once upon a time, there was a boy who went searching for silence. He had heard that: Silence is golden. Silence is peaceful. Silence is refreshing and renewing. Most of all, he had heard that in silence, he could hear the voice of God calling him by name - and telling him how much he was loved. He wanted nothing more. The boy struggled with the noise of everyday life. There were cars and buses, televisions and radios. Talking and shouting and sirens and horns. Everywhere he went, noise entered in. He found this very difficult – so he went on a search for golden, peaceful, and renewing silence. He walked to the bottom of the garden searching for silence, BUT the neighbor’s dog was barking. He walked to the park searching for silence, BUT the frisbee throwers were laughing. He walked into the forest searching for silence, BUT the hikers were talking. So he walked to the top of a hill. There he sighed – ahh - silence. I’ve found it. BUT, just as he had that thought - a noisy plane flew overhead, breaking the silence. OH NO! He exclaimed. There is no silence in the world! This was a false quest, he thought. People lied to me, he blamed. There is no such thing as golden, peaceful, renewing silence! So he raged with anger, stomping, and throwing rocks down the hill – adding his own noise to an already noisy world. . . With time his anger softened. I guess I will have to struggle with difficult noises all my life, he thought. What’s a person to do?? He cried out loud. He sat down, utterly helpless. He closed his eyes and wept. At first he wept short, breathless sobs, gasping for each new breath. Over time, his breathing softened and deepened, becoming deeper and deeper – in and out he breathed. In and out. The boy felt like he was falling – falling inward. He was too tired to be scared. So he fell. He was too helpless to think. So he fell. In and out he breathed. He was enjoying this new feeling – so he fell. He fell — right into silence. –pause for awhile Silence was like a dream to him. A whole world opened up. It was spacious. It was comforting. And it was oh so peaceful. A big smile spread across his face as he rested – in silence - feeling deeply nourished on the inside. AHH, he thought. Silence is not a thing to find – it is a place inside me. I can go there and visit whenever and wherever I want. From inside silence he could hear another plane flying overhead. He simply smiled From inside silence he could hear the hikers talking. He simply smiled. From inside silence he could hear the frisbee throwers laughing. And the boy simply smiled. When he walked down the hill, silence came with him. When he walked through the forest, silence came with him. When he crossed the park, silence came with him. Silence became his friend. That day, he fell head-over-heels in love with silence. He loved silence deeply, and silence loved him back. Each day after, he made sure to take a few special minutes to fall inwards into silence. And all the things he had heard turned out to be true. Silence is golden. Silence is peaceful. And silence is very refreshing and renewing. Most of all, he discovered that in silence he could hear the voice of God call him by name - and tell him how much he was loved. And this made him very, very happy. And Jesus said to them: “come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest for a while.” Why? Because we’re tired and weary. Why? So that we can know Christ better and serve Him more faithfully. Why? So that we can hear the voice of God calling us by name - and telling us how much we are loved. . .
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We have a “guest speaker” this morning and I will let him speak for himself. . .
Hey you. Yeah you - I’m talking to you. It’s me, Douglas. And in case you forgot what I look like – I’m the handsome one with the red hair! I’m here today to ask you: did you know you were chosen by God? Just like the disciples in the Gospel today: you were chosen by God. Let me start with a story. I kinda had a hard day at school on Friday. Because I got picked LAST for dodgeball. And I hardly ever get picked last – because I am pretty good at catching a ball. So they put me in the outfield when we are playing softball. Or I like being the goalie when we play soccer. And at dodgeball, when you catch the ball – the person who threw it is OUT! So I could really be an asset to the team. . . BUT, I do have kind of a weakness – and I think that’s what worked against me on Friday. Because I think everyone has figured it out – I’m good a catching A ball - but if there is more than one coming at me at the same time – I’m not good at both catching and dodging. So, when multiple balls are coming at me – I just kind of freeze– and then I usually get hit – so then I’m out – and of course that’s not good for the team. So now that people know they just have to throw more than one ball at me at the same time – THAT’S why I got picked last. . . And that felt really bad. I don’t like getting picked last – I don’t think anyone does! BUT. But, did you know you and I were chosen by God – Yeah. God chose us because we are God’s special possession. God’s favorite. All of us are. Now I know you’re thinking well, if everyone is God’s favorite – then no one is God’s favorite. I know it doesn’t make sense – but that’s not how it works with God. You are God’s favorite you. And I am God’s favorite me. And since we are all one of a kind – God can choose each of us as God’s favorite. We are chosen by God. Like the prophets. Like St. Paul. Like the Apostles – we are chosen to go out and do something special – to proclaim the kingdom of God by our words and actions. St. Paul tells us 2 times in his letter to the Ephesians today – that we are chosen: He says: God chose us before the foundation of the world. That’s a long time ago – that God had us in mind to be chosen. Because we are God’s favorite. And St. Paul says: God chose us in Christ – destined for the purpose of God who accomplishes all things through us – according to God’s will. WE ARE CHOSEN BY GOD! God picks us first every time – because God created us in the divine image and likeness. God picks us first every time – because God has placed the spark of the divine within us for us to nurture so we can become more and more like Christ. God picks us first – most of all because God loves us!! Can you just let that sink in for a bit: God loves you!!! And because God loves us – God chooses us. So – you and I may not be chosen 1st at dodgeball, or for that new position that opened up at work, or for other things in our lives. BUT, when t comes to God – and the Kingdom God wants to build – a kingdom of truth and freedom – a kingdom of peace and justice – so that all people may be raised up to a new hope – We can know that God will always choose me – and God will always choose you. Because Jesus loves us. Jesus gave his life to save us. And now Jesus is living within us everyday to enlighten, strengthen, and free us: That’s how much we are loved. And I think that is really, really, really amazing – So I hope you will understand deep down inside – that you are chosen, and valued, and loved. That’s what our faith teaches us. And all we need – is faith. So that’s it for today. I know I will come and see you again. Because we are on this journey of life together – a narrow path which will lead us all to heaven. And that’s really, really, really amazing too! Going back a few Sundays – we heard Jesus explaining what the Kingdom of God is like: a man scattering seed on the ground and it growing - all the while the farmer not knowing how. And like a mustard seed that grows into the largest of plants.
I think the question that hangs over our heads – and is expressed in different ways throughout the rest of our reading of St. Mark’s Gospel is – do we accept the kingdom, the plan God has for all of us and for the world – or do we reject it? Do we have faith in God, in ourselves, and others - that this kingdom can be made present in our midst – or do we lack that faith? So as we continued reading from Mark: we had a story of the disciples in the boat - frighten out of their wits – Jesus right there with them – and Jesus has to ask: why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith? Then two stories of healing - and those showing great faith in who Jesus is and what he is capable of doing. Now a story of Jesus in his native place, and the story ending with: “So Jesus was not able to perform any mighty deeds there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying hands on them. He was amazed at their LACK OF FAITH. SO the question - do we have faith? And place our trust in God – or do we place our hopes in other things. . . The residents of Nazareth did not really believe that Jesus was capable of greatness. After all, Jesus was the son of a carpenter and he lived among the Nazarenes for years. He did not seem extraordinary and certainly didn’t embody the traits of what they thought a Messiah should be: wearing royal garments or leading a strong army. How could they possibly believe their neighbor, Jesus, was capable of miracles – let alone that he was the Son of God? It made no sense! Like St. Paul saying when he is weak, then he is strong. Or Jesus saying the first will be last and the last first: It just doesn’t make sense! But that’s the thing about faith. It’s not always practical or sensible! Instead of providing Nazareth, and all of us – with a royal prince dressed in velvet robes surrounded by armed guards – God sent his Son to be humbly born in a stable surrounded by animals, and to grow up a simple laborer. The people of Nazareth had plenty of common sense. What they lacked was faith. And it is faith – not common sense – which allows one to take the steps necessary to be a disciple of Christ. Faith allows one to believe what doesn’t make sense – and what’s not practical. So do we have faith – or just an abundance of common sense - which, as my grandfather used to say – really isn’t that common. . . If we are to be true disciples of Jesus – we are called to recognize that all we have is a gift from God. Even faith itself – the spark of the divine that God places within each one of us is a gift – which we are called to nurture. Everything we have, is gift. We are NOT solely responsible for our unique gifts or talents, our wealth, our health, or our surroundings. Having just traveled outside of the country, and celebrating our Independence this week – I think most of us take the gift of our country for granted – even with all of its rough edges. But how blessed we are to live here. We are recipients of gifts bestowed upon us by our most generous God – and we are called to nurture all of them. Wouldn’t it make more sense to think we are great at something because we worked hard at it, and were born with some natural ability?? Of course it would. But who gave us that natural ability? Who surrounded us with the resources, or gave us the family and friends to help develop our natural talents and use them in the world? The answer is of course – God. Ultimately, having a steward’s heart – recognizing that all we have is a gift from God and being ever thankful for those gifts – is more valuable than common sense any day. And having a steward’s heart – allows the spark of the divine within us to grow – just like that mustard seed – that started small – but springs up and becomes the largest of plants. Good stewards have the faith to know – that God is in charge, and we are not. As we continue to read St. Mark’s Gospel for the next 21 weeks – with a little of St. John’s Gospel thrown in along the way – let’s continue to reflect on the questions – do we accept the kingdom, the plan God has for all of us and for the world – or do we reject it? Do we have faith in God, in ourselves, and others – that this kingdom can be made present in our midst – or do we lack that faith. . . And to know – we just need to have faith. It is good to be back. I love to travel and visiting Ireland and Scotland was great –
But I do have to admit there a little Dorothy Gail in me in thinking – there no place like home. And so it’s good to back and to be with all of you again. . . I find the contrast of today’s Gospel with last Sunday’s Gospel a little humorous. Recall last week the disciples were in a storm-tossed boat with Jesus– scared out of their wits that they were all going down with the ship. So Jesus calmed the waters – then asked: do you not yet have faith? Now these were guys who had been with Jesus for awhile. They had already seen him -cure a man possessed by a demon as well as Peter’s mother-in-law. -had seen Jesus cleanse a leper and heal a paralytic and a man with a withered hand. -had hear Jesus tell a few of his parables – and yet Jesus has to ask: Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith? And the answer is: obviously not. . . The humor, I think, comes in by the people in today’s Gospel. These are folks who, unlike the disciples, have NOT been with Jesus - they have only heard about him. And Jesus says to one: Daughter, your FAITH has cured you. And to the other: Do not be afraid - just have FAITH - and he must have – for his daughter is raised from the dead. FAITH: the ability to trust God and God’s love for us. FAITH: knowing that God is in charge and we are not. FAITH: the spark of the divine that God places within each of us with the hope that we will nurture it. . . When I read today’s Gospel, it made me think how the people who followed Jesus at that time were blessed to see him in the flesh. And I wonder about their ability to place their faith in Jesus. . . I fear that even if I saw Jesus perform miracles and say amazing things – I still might have been more like Thomas of another Gospel — and doubted. But the bleeding woman and the father of the girl thought to be dead – even without seeing or hearing Jesus prior to their encounter with him – believed. We just need to have faith. We just have to let go of our doubts, our fears, our need to control – and believe in the power of the divine But that letting go can be both scary and freeing. While we might not have witnessed Jesus performing a miracle – we can still have faith that God can make us and our world whole again. We can have faith that though there is evil in the world, that justice is undying. We can have faith when we see good in others, when we see people working to improve the lives of others who may feel forgotten. In these times and places, we can have faith that God is in charge, and we are not. In a world beset with tragedy and sometimes senseless acts of violence – it can be hard to have faith. But we have to remember that miracles though they be small – do happen all around us – if only we would pay attention to them. Our faith should help us not only to believe – but also act: with kind words and compassionate actions. We need to let our faith shine. Let God in. Believe that justice is undying, that by doing what we can, where we are, with what we have – we can make a difference in the world. We just need to have faith . . . |
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