So we continue to read from the Sermon on the Mount - which began with the Beatitudes aa couple of weeks ago. And we will finish up next week - right in time for Lent. . .
I hope I don't shock you with the fact that Lent is right around the corner. And it's probably good that we hear almost all the Sermon of the Mount before Lent begins -- as this is the most intense and comprehensive teaching on following Christ that St. Matthew gives us in all of his Gospel. So good food for thought to carry into Lent. St. Matthew is writing his Gospel for Jewish Christians - he quotes more from the Jewish Scriptures than the other 3 evangelists. In his Gospel, Matthew wants to demonstrate to his Jewish audience that Jesus is the new Moses -- giving a new Law. That's why he has Jesus giving this teaching from a mountain, rather than a plain, as does St. Luke in his Gospel. Much as Moses ascended Mt. Sinai to receive the Law, the 10 Commandments, from God, Jesus gives the new Law from a mountain-side. And so Jesus presented not 10 -- but 8 beatitudes: eight attitudes which those who follow the new law of love---must put into practice in their lives. Those who practice these attitudes will be like salt and light -- as we heard last week -- they preserve and enlighten themselves and so those around them. Today, as Jesus continues his teaching, he addresses the question which would have been on the minds and hearts of the original Jewish readers of this Gospel: HOW DOES THE OLD LAW OF MOSES RELATED TO THIS NEW LAW OF LOVE WHICH JESUS GIVES? Jesus answers by stating that he has not come to abolish the Law of Moses -- but to fulfill it. Then he gives six specific examples. We hear the first four today -- and surprise, surprise--- will hear the other two next Sunday. So if we are to become intentional disciples of Jesus and provide salt and light to our world --- we need to reflect on each of the examples and change our behavior if needed -- which is what Lent is all about. . . The 5th commandment of the Law of Moses forbids murder. But Jesus wants to lessen the chances of that even being a possibility -- by avoiding anger. Now Jesus is not talking about our human emotion of anger, which we all share. He is not referring to the healthy ways in which we need to express that human emotion. No, Jesus is talking about deep seated resentments and hatreds and prejudices which can consume us and damage and destroy human relationships. That's why we give each other the sign of peace before receiving Christ in the Eucharist - it's a way of saying that we are willing to work on reconciliation with those against whom we may be holding grievances. The 6th commandment of the Law of Moses forbids adultery. So does Jesus. However, he also wants to make sure things don't get to that point by warning against the danger of making a person into an object of desire. Which is why pornography is so dangerous -- it encourages the type of lust which Jesus warns against. The Law of Moses DID allow for divorce. However, because of the patriarchal society of the time -- only husbands could file for a divorce - and not even have to give a reason. The wife had absolutely no rights. Once her husband got rid of her - she could be forced into another marriage or even into prostitution in order to survive. Jesus calls married disciples to a higher standard. And to this day, the Church continues to teach that only death can end a valid bond of marriage. We do not regard divorce as a way ending a marriage which was validly entered into with full consent. And so the Church urges married couples to do everything possible to repair any damage to a marriage. The Law of Moses regulated the social system of Jesus' day. A person of lower social status swore an oath to a patron - who cared for them and watched over them and protected them. While we don't have such a system today -- our peers or our business interests might put us at odds with Gospel values. So Jesus tells us as his disciples - we must always tell the truth and fulfill our oaths to God alone. In his Sermon on the Mount: Jesus clearly raises the bar of expectations for us, his disciples. Jesus' new law deepens the wisdom which Sirach describes in the first reading. God has clearly shown forth his love for us in allowing his Son to be sacrificed on the cross. This love is extended to everyone. But as Sirach points out -- God never forces love upon us -- God always gives us a choice. We can ignore that love and do whatever we want. OR, we can choose to imitate that love by living Christ's new commandment to love one another as he has loved us. Living as faithful and intentional disciples of Jesus involves making life-changing choices to accept God's mysterious wisdom made present in the cross. Living as faithful and intentional disciples-- doesn't just involve making one big choice for the direction of our lives -- it also involves embracing that wisdom in the choices we make every day. And in making these daily choices, we live out the Gospel message -- and provide hope in our darkened world – which definitely needs the light of Christ to brighten it. In living out the Gospel message: day in and day out: WE BECOME SALT AND LIGHT.
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Ho-hum many of us probably thought as I read the Gospel - and might have thought – here we go again with those Beatitudes. . . maybe even with a yawn.
I think the problem with the Beatitudes, this first part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount – is that we have heard them so many times – that we’ve probably never really stopped to think about them – and then have probably never really understood them. . . In 2020, hard to believe 3 years ago now – Pope Francis gave a series of talks over the course of 3 months – when he explained in detail, the meaning of each of the Beatitudes. Those talks are worth reflecting on and you can find them by putting: Pope Francis’ catechesis on the Beatitudes Into your computer’s search engine. We don’t have time to go into a lot of the details that Pope Francis covered – so instead, I want to lead you through a guided meditation based on Pope Francis’ thoughts. You may remember we did this a couple of year ago with another Gospel. A guided meditation is a process where someone else – that would be me – leads you through a reflection –by making statements to get your mind and heart moving in a certain direction to achieve the purpose of relaxation – or a better understanding of a concept or idea. So although you may be a little more relaxed or less stressed when we are finished – our goal is to achieve a better understanding of the Beatitudes. So here we go. We start by closing our eyes and just relaxing: doing our best to release the tensions we all carry –by – Breathing in – and breathing out: Trying to center ourselves in our hearts. And trying to open our ears and our hearts to listen attentively. So we breath in – and breath out. Trying to think of nothing other than our breathing. And the peace that comes upon us. Breathing in – and breathing out. Resting and relaxing in the presence of the Lord. Breathing in and Breathing out. And Jesus began to teach them by saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The Gospel invites us to peer into the depths of our heart, to see where we find our security in life – so we can configure ourselves to Jesus who, though rich, made himself poor. So we need to be responsible with our gifts of time and money – and be grateful for what God has given us - and share them generously with others. Breathing in and out – resting in the Lord. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. The worldly person ignores problems of sickness or sorrow in the family or around them. We avert our gaze. The world has no desire to mourn; it would rather disregard painful situations or cover them up or hide them. We must not ignore someone who could use our comfort this day. We must pay attention to the pain of others. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. These are strong words in a world where we constantly pigeonhole others on the basis of their ideas, their customs and even their way of speaking or dressing. Ultimately, it is the reign of pride and vanity, where each person thinks he or she has the right to think they are better than others. Jesus warns us many times about judging others. Those who are meek accept others for who they are and where they are – and only then can love them into being better people. Breathing in and out – relaxing in the presence of the Lord. Releasing our tensions and random thoughts. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Experience shows how easy it is to become mired in corruption, ensnared in the daily politics of this for that, where everything becomes business or political. How many people suffer injustice, standing by powerlessly while others divvy up the good things of this life? We must use our power or position today - at either at work, in society, or in our families to make sure all people may be raised up to a new hope. Our eyes must be opened to the needs of others so that we do not benefit to the neglect or cost of others. Breathing in and out – centering our hearts on the Lord. . . Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Be merciful, even as God is merciful. Judge not and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. We must avoid, even in small ways, seeking revenge against someone who has wronged us. We must comfort those who labor and are burdened. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Nothing stained by falsehood has any real worth in the Lord’s eyes. God flees from deceit, and rises and departs from foolish thoughts. We must not let our prideful or impure thoughts lead us to unloving actions. And we must all stand as living witness to truth, peace, and justice. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. We ourselves are often a cause of conflict – or at least of misunderstanding. For example, I may hear something about someone and go off and repeat it. I may even embellish it the second time around and keep spreading it. . . And the more harm it does, the more satisfaction I seem to derive from it. We should always use our words to build people up – rather than tear them down. For spreading gossip causes conflict and misunderstanding - and if we do it for our own benefit or pleasure: it is sinful. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad for your reward will be great in heaven. In living the Gospel, we cannot expect everything will be easy, for the thirst for power and worldly interests often stands in our way. We must not neglect our call to holiness in favor of an easier way of living. When others treat us unfairly – we should not allow ourselves to become bitter or lash out in anger or defensiveness. So we open our eyes - and end by praying: Lord Jesus - you have given us these Beatitudes as a way of focusing ourselves: our thoughts, our words, our actions – on the kingdom of heaven. May the prayer we have engaged in here - always effect the way we live our lives when we leave this place. We ask this in your name. AMEN! Many years ago, I was spending a few days with a friend of mine in Austin, Texas. After a full and lengthy meal - he had to go off to a meeting - and even though he told me not to bother - I decided to do the dishes.
After clearing the table and loading the dishwasher – I looked for some soap to put in the dishwasher. Not finding any, I thought the next best thing would be to just to use regular dish-washing soap - so I put a capful or so in. After reading for awhile, I came out to check on the progress of the washing cycle – and found soap suds all over the kitchen floor. I learned two things: a little bit of dish soap goes a long way — and to never put it in the dishwasher. . . A little bit goes along way. Or perhaps another way of saying it – little things can lead to great things. . . And I think that’s the message of today’s scripture readings. . . Little things can lead to great things. . . When the prophet Isaiah arrived on the scene – the nation of Israel and its people were not doing very well. The surrounding more powerful nations often picked on tiny Israel and - due to their own trust issues and infidelity to God – God allowed the chosen people to be bullied and enslaved as a result of their own sins - even though God loved them dearly. Our first reading reminds us that God can do great things with very little – for God never has or ever will - abandon God’s people: God will raise Israel up to become a “light to the nations, that God’s salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Likewise in our second reading: St. Paul is reminding the young Church in Corinth that although right now they are small in number and in power – they are called to be holy - and God will use them to do great things. Then there is John the Baptist - who lived as more of a hermit with questionable fashion and dietary habits – then as a spokesperson for God. But God used this obscure desert dweller to put the Pharisees in their place – the people on notice – and the Lord Jesus on his Mission. The point of all this? We might get up in the morning, look in the mirror – and see everything that we are lacking. We may well wonder what we have to offer those in our lives and those in our part of the world. But God doesn’t see us that way. As we have been professing in our Christmas Creed the last several weeks: If you believe the one who proclaimed the love of God to be invincible, and whose cradle was a mother’s arms, who looked at persons and made them see what God’s loves saw in them, who by love brought sinners back to purity, and lifted human weakness up to meet the strength of God – then say AMEN! God doesn’t see the way we see. God doesn’t focus on what we seem to lack but on our capacity to love. God sees all God designed us to be and all that we can become by the help of grace. May favorite blogger: Darren Poke, puts it this way: It’s easy to look at the success of others and think that they are a rare breed of person and you could never have the impact that they have. It’s easy to look at your skills and capabilities and think that you don’t have much to offer. It’s easy to look back at your track record of mediocre results and think that this is your future destiny as well. It’s easy to listen to the critics who don’t believe in you, allowing their voices to become the ones you listen to the most. But let me encourage you today – to NOT underestimate your potential! You have the potential to develop your unique skills to an elite level. You have the potential to roll up your sleeves and work hard toward meaningful goals. You have the potential to positively influence and inspire the people around you. You have the potential to change the world! The moment we all realize this and start taking action— we give ourselves the chance to turn our potential into a phenomenal reality. God doesn’t see the way we do. God doesn’t focus on what we seem to lack but on our capacity to love. God sees all God designed us to be and all that we can become by the help of grace. We are greater than we can ever imagine. We can become a saint - a true light to the nations - and all God needs is our YES! So what is our answer going to be?? On Christmas we heard these wonderful words which brought about our salvation: “While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son.”
I have been called into delivery rooms shortly after a baby has born – but I have never been present for the birth of a child. I can well imagine, though – the last thing a mother or a father wants after sometimes a very lengthy delivery – is what happens to this young couple right after the birth of their sacred child: “The shepherds (definitely in the plural) went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant- lying in a manger.” Next week we will hear of the three wisemen or magi (again, definitely in the plural) who were “overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary, his mother.” From these Scriptures we know that Mary and Joseph and Jesus – had a lot of visitors. All of them invited by God in some way –but probably a pain and an inconvenience for the Holy Family with a new baby in the house. Perhaps we felt the same way about some of the visitors and guests we encountered during these holydays. . . It is almost inevitable each year that Chrsitmas time can become a very stressful time. Christmas often gathers family and friends. Sometimes the most difficult relationships of our lives all coming together in one place at one time. Who among us, in our experience of Christmas, did not have some difficult experience with someone? A word was said meanly. An old wound was re-opened. Someone was going through a hard time and was coping very badly. We rediscovered how much someone really drives us crazy. And O the things that can annoy us! And alcohol - intended as a traditional holiday element to add cheer – can make everything worse. Christmas is about the Love of God coming into the world to be the light in the midst of the world’s darkness. Christmas is about the invitation to receive the light of Christ into our own hearts and to let that light shine in us and through us as it did in Jesus. To be a disciple of light, we have to let go of the darkness and let the light into our hearts. We have to forgive. We have to be patient. We have to try to understand and accept others for who they are and where they are. We have to love the way Christ loved. And the only way we can do all this is to continue to let the healing grace of Christmas touch us. Since we do not get to celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on a Sunday this year – the price of Christmas being on a Sunday – perhaps it will do us well to reflect on these words of Pope Francis. The Holy Father said in one of his Sunday Angelus addresses: We are invited to open ourselves to the light of Christ and bear fruit in our lives - to get rid of the behaviors that are not Christian. This path of life begins in Baptism when we are illuminated by Christ. Through our Baptism we are called to carry ourselves as children of the light - with humility, patience, and mercy. The Sacrament of Baptism demands a choice- firm and decided, to live as children of the light and to walk in the light of Christ. What does it mean to walk in the light? It means first of all abandoning all the false lights of the world like the cold and foolish light of prejudices against others. Another false light which is so seductive is self-interest. Pope Francis concludes by praying: May the blessed virgin Mary, who first welcomed Jesus, the light of the world – grant us grace to welcome again this Christmas season the light of faith and rediscover the inestimable gift of Baptism. And may this enlightenment transform us – both in attitudes and in actions - starting from our poverty of littleness, to be bearers of a ray of Christ’s light. Mary knew the poverty of littleness of which Pope Francis speaks quite well. She knew that innocence is born in poverty and suffers greatly in trying to be faithful to the way of Christ. And it is why she kept all the greetings and gifts and commotions, and disturbances, and annoyances her many postnatal visitors brought to her – reflecting on them in her heart. So as we celebrate this feast, and begin a new year: May the Lord bless and keep us. May the Lord let his face shine upon us and be gracious to us. May the Lord give us the grace we need - to bear the light of Christ into the darkness of world. AMEN! It began like any other night - but quickly turned into a night like no other.
My name is David, and I come from a long line of shepherds. My father was a shepherd and his father was a shepherd. And his father before him was a shepherd. Being a shepherd in my family goes all the way back in history to the great King David, who I am named after, and who traded shepherding sheep to sheepherding God’s people: Israel. I guess you can say that sheep are in my blood. I know all there is to know about sheep. What they should and should not eat – How they need to drink from still waters, not moving waters. How sheep behave - like where one goes the others have a tendency to follow – so you have to work hard to keep them on the narrow path. I know what sheep are afraid of – and not surprisingly, it’s a lot of the same things that I’m afraid of. But most of all I know how sheep need to be protected at night. So this one night began as a night like any other for me and the other shepherds I was working with. We were getting ready to settle in for the night - so all of us were calling our sheep by name and herding them to safety in the small protected places we found – places where we would eventually lay down and act as gates to keep them from straying. Since we were always worried bigger animals might come along and hurt the sheep, we sat on a hill visiting and watching our sheep together before we, ourselves, went to sleep. Suddenly, there was a bright light. Now this wasn’t just any bright light. It was so bright that we had to close our eyes for a minute because the light hurt our eyes. . . The light came from something that flashed across the night sky. When we opened our eyes to see what was going on, a beautiful angel was hovering in the air just above us. It had its arms stretched open as if in invitation. We all looked at each other in disbelief – and all realized we were not dreaming – as we were all seeing the same thing – this angel was real – and so fear set into our hearts as we wondered why such a lofty being was appearing to us poor shepherds. . . I think we all just wanted to turn tail and run – but our legs and feet would not move – that’s how stunned we all were. If the appearance of an angel is not enough to shake you up – then just wait until one starts to speak loudly and clearly to you: “Do not be afraid,” this one said to us. “For I come to bring you the greatest news you could ever imagine – something you and your ancestors have waited to happen for generations – going all the way back to your ancestor – King David.” Oh – oh. This one certainly had my number! “You shepherds are the first to hear these glad tidings. Today, just over the hill in the city of David called Bethlehem –a baby has been born – who is the long awaited Messiah – the one who will save the world. He is the newborn King of Israel. And you will find this new king laying in a feed trough in a stable – behind a busy inn: GO FIND HIM!” Suddenly, just as quickly as this angel appeared – it was gone! But in its place was a whole bunch of angels all singing together: Glory to God in the highest. And peace to God’s people on earth. Upon seeing what we saw and hearing what we heard: how could we not be overjoyed and excited – even if we were still a bit afraid. Why were we the first to hear this good news? What we were supposed to do about all of this? Probably best if we first followed the advice of the angel: Go find him! And so we went as fast as we could – and we found that busy inn. And behind it we found the stable. And in that stable – the feeding trough. And in that feeding trough – there he was: a baby – the new King of Israel! We all fell to our knees – not out of fear – but out of reverence. And we were filled with joy – because we were the first to know this baby was the one – the one foretold by the prophet Isaiah. The one who is to be called: Wonderful. Counselor. A mighty King. The everlasting Father. The Prince of Peace. We only gazed upon this miracle for a few moments – realizing the family needed some privacy and that the baby’s mother needed some rest. But since we had gone and found this new king – we wanted others to do the same. So as we left, we began shouting with joy in the streets – and telling everyone what we had heard, and seen, and experienced. God in the heavens had reached down to earth – sending angels to us tending our sheep on a silent hill. Later, to those scanning the night sky – God will send a star to guide visitors from the east bearing gifts for this child. So my friends – on this most holy night (day), consider what sign God is sending you – to go and find Jesus. What is God calling you to do in response to the good news you see, and hear, and experience? How is God inviting you to reject godless ways and worldly desires so you can be eager to do what is good? What darkness do you need to leave behind in order to walk into the bright and amazing light of Jesus Christ? And who is God calling you to BE for having heard, and seen, and experienced Christ’s coming into the world anew on this sacred day? You have already heard it once – but this is the invitation God extends to you this night (day): O come all ye faithful. Joyful and triumphant. O come ye, or come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold him – born the king of angels. O come let us adore him. O come let us adore him. O come let us adore him – Christ the Lord! Happy New Year! Before you question my sanity - please remember that each year the Church begins a new liturgical year – on the first Sunday of Advent – so – Happy New Year!
Advent is the time of year the Church sets aside to allow us to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ – yes, at Christmas – but more importantly for us – Christ’s coming at the end of our earthly lives – or at the end of time - which ever comes first. So at ever Mass we pray that “we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.” So besides striving to be free from sin and safe from all distress – no small tasks to work on — What else should we be doing as we wait? This Advent the four of us preachers: myself, and Deacons Jim, Larry, and Mike – want to suggest that what we should be doing as we wait during these days of Advent — is to grow in hope, in peace, in joy, and in love. Traditionally that is the meaning behind the four Advent candles – so just as the light increases week by week as we light these candles – so might hope, peace, joy, and love – increase in our hearts and lives, in our communities and world — as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. . . So on this first Sunday of Advent, three stories of HOPE in our Scripture readings. But we will only look at two for sake of brevity. In the Gospel, Jesus says, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” So what was it like in the days of Noah?? Not so good for the people who were supposed to be God’s chosen. . . Great was the wickedness of the Israelites – and their hearts were set on evil. At the dawn of creation God expressed delight in what was created – and within a few generations was now expressing disappointment at what humankind had done with creation. Rather than embracing their relationship with God, the Israelites were chasing after false gods and were in full rebellion against God. It was as if the vast majority of the Israelites were sleeping – and therefore they failed to understand their impending doom. They were about to be swept away in God’s judgment without even comprehending how much they needed God. Only one was alert and awake. Only one knew why the clouds were gathering in the sky. Only one was prepared for God’s coming in judgment – NOAH. NOAH remained faithful and NOAH had HOPE: remembering God the creator was in charge - and NOT the created. Hope is a wonderful gift from God, a source of strength and courage in the face of life’s harshest trials. When the flood waters rise - HOPE points to the clouds that will eventual part and let the sun shine again. When we are overworked and exhausted, hope gives us fresh energy. When we are discouraged, hope lifts our spirits. When we are tempted to quit, hope keeps us going. When we struggle with a crippling disease or a lingering illness, hope helps us persevere beyond the pain. Put simply, when life hurts and dreams fade – nothing helps like hope. There is the story from Isaiah, similar to the days of Noah – when people turn from God and go their own way – and then there is the 3rd story of St. Paul writing to the Romans. Although Paul had not yet been to Rome – he knew there was division in the capital of the empire. A few years before Paul wrote to them – the emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome - which also included the Jewish-Christians as well. So the Church in Rome then consisted only of Gentile Christians– that is non-Jewish Christians - who were not used to being in charge, or doing things their way- as Christianity was still seen as an off-shoot of Judaism. So when the Jewish Christians were allowed to return a few years later – they encountered a very different Church - one where the once sacred Jewish ceremonies and rituals had given way to new ways of worshiping – AND THIS CAUSED TENSIONS– which Paul wanted to address. And then also Gentile and Jewish Chrsitians both were subject to the debauchery which surrounded them - which was just part and partial of the pagan Roman empire: drunkenness, promiscuity, lust. Paul hoped and prayed the Christians would stay alert and awake: – guarding against the darkness of the empire – and would choose to walk always in the light of Christ. Paul wanted to encourage them – he wanted to be a good leader for them. And one of the greatest gifts leaders can give to those around them is hope. Never underestimate its power. Winston Churchill was once asked by a reporter what his country’s greatest weapon was against the Nazi regime. Without pausing for a moment he said: “It was what England’s greatest weapon has always been – hope.” People will continue working, struggling and trying – if they have hope. Hope lifts people’s morale, It improves their self-image. It re-energizes them. It raises their expectations. It is the leader’s job – be that a pastor, a parent, a teacher, a boss – to hold hope high, to instill it in the people they lead. Maintaining hope comes from seeing the potential in every situation and staying positive no matter what the circumstances. So the first candle of Advent – signifies hope – something we all need and can grow in as we wait for the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For I guarantee everyone of us will be put in situations in life when the flood waters of life rise, when darkness comes upon us, when we are tempted to give into the easier ways of the world rather than standing confidently in the light of Christ – when we wonder how we are going to go on – how we are going to endure. May God grant us all hope in those dark hours. And may we have the consolation of those who have gone before us who allowed their souls to be anchored by hope. Pope Francis said that Christians are called to be women and men of hope – united by the certainty of a God who does not give up. During these waiting days of Advent, when the days grow shorter and the coldness sets in – may we always nurture the gift of HOPE God gives us. And may we strive to share the gift of HOPE with our families and communities so as make our world a better place. Back when I was growing up in the Super 70s – my whole family would gather together on a Saturday evening, often with popcorn and sodas – to watch the Fab Four on CBS.
No, not the Beatles but: All in the Family Followed by the Mary Tyler Moore Show Then Bob Newhart And finally, Carol Burnett. The actor Carroll O’Conner masterfully played the character of Archie Bunker on All in the Family. Archie had an opinion about everything and everyone – including God. He once declared, “God don’t make no mistakes – that’s how he got to be God.” Another religious Bunker-ism: The Lord might be out finding sheep - but they still end up as lambchops. . . For those of you too young to remember Archie, he was once listed as number 1 on Bravo’s 100 Greatest TV Characters. Wikipedia says Bunker was characterized by his bigotry toward: “blacks, Hispanics, commies, gays, hippies, Jews, Asians, Catholics, women’s libbers and Polish-Americans.” Archie was presented as a Christian, however, and often misquoted the Bible. He took pride in being religious, although he rarely attended church services. Archie Bunker is an excellent reminder that way too many people have a theology rooted in ignorance or immersed in hatred. And the Bible, for them, is only an excuse to hold onto their bigotry or to justify their brand of politics. And Archie is a humorous reminder that we must NOT remake God in our image, but allow the Spirit of God to remake US into the image of God. So Archie could be the poster boy for today’s pseudo-Christianity, in which many substitute “Popular Wisdom” - the kind you see on bumper stickers – for the teaching of Jesus. Popular wisdom likes a Jesus who would confuse religion with a misguided patriotism that proclaims: America: right or wrong. Who would describe the poor as lazy and interested only in a free ride. Who would easily jump to conclusions about the guilt of others with phrases like “lock them up” – who would dare lump “God, guns, and country” in the same phrase. Popular wisdom likes the plastic Jesus, the one whose being is portrayed in countless images as bland and melancholy, who understands and approves of our prejudices, our clinging to popular belief instead of JESUS’ actual teaching. And as one preacher recently put it – if you think this is hard to listen to – then just wait until you meet Jesus face to face. . . Within the last few months, I have become a frequent reader of Tish Harrison Warren. She is a priest of the Anglican Church in North America and frequently writes columns in the New York Times. Her God, she writes, “is not a culture warrior.” “In the news and on social media” she writes, “God usually shows up when we are fighting about something. The subject of faith seems most often discussed in conversations about voting patterns and campaigning and promises kept or broken by politicians. God appears in public discourse when a politician calls for Christian Nationalism. Or when another paints ‘Jesus, Guns, and Babies’ on the side of a campaign bus.” “This doesn’t sound much like Pope Francis,” Warren says, “who has said that instead of being a player in the culture wars, the Church should be a ‘field hospital’ where modern people, buffeted by the indifference or outright hostility of various ideologies, philosophies and politics are treated with the medicine of God’s love.” I love it when our protestant brothers and sisters quote Pope Francis when so many in our own Church turn a deaf ear to him. . . Like the majority of our American Bishops who voted in a very anti-Francis bishop to be their leader for the next 3 years. Funny how others – know Francis is on to something. . . something radical and new and holy and true. Something akin to what Jesus taught. Warren believes that the way religion is used in the culture wars inevitably shapes, as a culture and as individuals, how we discuss faith. “And that,” she says, “inevitably shapes who we understand God to be.” Instead, faith is about fundamental issues with which, acknowledged or not, every human being must deal. Warren calls them “questions that haunt every human life: how does one know what is true and false, right or wrong? Is there a God? If there is, can we interact with him, her, or it? If so, how? Can God speak to us? Can we speak to God? What are our obligations to God and to other human beings? How can we have joy? How can we live well? How can we be wise?” People searching for God must not be distracted by popular wisdom or the hot-button issues foisted upon us by the culture wars. The wisdom accumulated by the “great cloud of witnesses” the billions of people who have found God through the ages – shows that the true God can be found by open-mindedness, prayer, silence, reflection, and study. And it should go without saying – so probably needs to be said: the true God also decries both lies and violence. Obviously, that’s not Archie Bunker’s god. But it is our God, our king – who we find with outstretched arms on the cross. Who, without judgment. Without condemnation. Without worrying about what anyone else will say or will think– Turns to a thief hanging near him, and to any and all repentant sinners - and says: Today you will be with me in paradise. I don’t know about you, but that is certainly the merciful God into whose arms I want to be embraced. . . In whose image and likeness we are all made. And who – I hope & pray – We can do our best to be like. Throughout our reading of St. Luke’s Gospel this year – Luke has told us about Jesus making his way to Jerusalem. Along this journey, he has been teaching his followers what discipleship means and what they must do to carry on his life and ministry.
Jesus has told them along the way that he would suffer, die,and be raised from the dead IN Jerusalem. And now his feet are standing within the gates of Jesusalem: Jesus is teaching in the Temple just a few days before he will be put to death. While many people welcomed Jesus when he arrived in Jerusalem – others did not - like the Sadducees. They are part of the wealthy aristocracy who cooperate with the occupying Romans. They are the fundamentalists of their day who insist that the only authentic word of God comes from the Torah - the first five books of the Old Testament. They are also the priests of the Temple - and they are the ones who stand to loose the most if any of what Jesus teaches comes about - and so they want to take one last stand to discredit him before the crowds who follow him. So they try to trap him in his teaching about the resurrection of the dead. Knowing there is NO mention of the resurrection in the Torah, they quote a marriage law found in the Book of Deuteronomy, part of the Torah – part of their most sacred texts. The law they quote requires that if a man dies without a male heir – then his brother is to marry his widow and produce such an heir. The Sadducees propose a somewhat ridiculous situation of a woman who married all seven of the men in one family and still died childless. Whose wife will she be if there is such a thing — as resurrection? They think Jesus has only two options: to either dismiss the law of Moses – thereby showing he is not a faithful Jew – to to dismiss the idea of resurrection - which has been part of his teaching. . . But Jesus responds that they do not understand the nature of resurrection and the new life that follows. They are focussing on the reality of an earthly kingdom. But Jesus is referring to the reign of God – which will be ushered in by his own death and resurrection. Resurrection is life transformed by the God of the living. As his closest followers will discover - life transformed is not the same life on earth – as they will fail to recognize him after his transformation from death, his resurrection, in the weeks to come – they will think he is a ghost, or the gardener – there will be something physically different about him – much like when he was transfigured before Peter, James, and John. At the heart of our faith – is the Paschal Mystery: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we walk together to the New and Eternal Jerusalem, we are convinced that death is not the end. We do our best to trust in the promise of Jesus that if we die with him – we will rise with him. But as much as we want to believe that – we do sometimes have a hard time explaining it in a clear and understandable way. The Second Book of Maccabees provides an insight. It tells the story of a very difficult time for the people of Israel two centuries before the birth of Christ. The Greeks had taken control of Israel – and decided to ban all religious practices – except their own. The king at the time was Antiochus Epiphanes which in Greek means: Zeus Revealed. In other words, his name meant: just call me god! At his command, the temple in Jerusalem was desecrated, and all other places of worship were destroyed. Those who refused to worship HIM were put to death. So in today’s first reading, a faithful Jewish mother is arrested, along with her seven sons. They are given a choice – worship the king – the one with the big ego – or be killed. Each of the brothers refuses to worship the king and chooses to die rather than abandon their trust in the one true God. Each of the brothers is murdered in a brutal way, along with their mother. They choose death because of their firm belief that God would raise them up again. Their heroic actions are more eloquent than any theological or philosophical attempt to explain the mystery of life after death. We may think that what happened to the mother and her sons is an isolated event that happened a long time ago. But we have all heard of the anti-Jewish rhetoric that has been growing the last few years. And according to the World Watch List released by the magazine Christianity Today: Everyday, 13 Christians worldwide are killed because of their faith. Everyday, 12 churches or Christian buildings are attacked. And everyday, 12 Christians are unjustly arrested or imprisoned. North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, Nigeria, and India – being the countries most dangerous for Christians to live in. Now we might think, well those numbers aren’t too high – but isn’t just one too high? It is the firm belief in the resurrection which continues to give these Christians hope – and should give us hope - in whatever slight difficulties or hardships we need to endure, to remain faithful. It is the firm belief in the Paschal Mystery which continues to give us hope: that light is stronger than darkness. That love is stronger than hate. And that life is certainly stronger than death. It is the firm belief that: We shall rise again on the last day with the faithful rich and poor. Coming to the house of Lord Jesus, we will find an open door there, we will find an open door, We picked up a good piece of wisdom about God in our first reading from the Old Testament Book of Wisdom:
“God loves all things that are / and loathes nothing which God has made.” When I was a lot younger than I am now – there was a popular button that we all thought was cool to wear which simply said: “God loves me because God does not make junk.” St. John, when he writes his first of three letters is a bit more blunt: God is Love. And so when we try to talk about or describe God we often do so by just quoting St. John: God is LOVE. That’s who we say God is – God is love not as a sideline or in a complimentary way – but in God’s very essence – God’s very being — it’s who God is: God is love and consequently God loves all things that are / and loathes nothing which God has made. But saying that – and believing that —are two very different things. Most of us, if asked what the hardest thing to believe regarding our faith, would probably answers the incarnation: how can Jesus be both God and man at the same time? Or the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist: still looks like bread and wine to me - how can it be the Body and Blood of Christ? Or possible Reconciliation: can’t I just confess my sins directly to God? Yet - believing that God loves every single thing that God created – every rock, every star, every plant, every animal — and especially every person – I think can be one of the hardest things we will be asked to accept and embrace in our faith – it’s easy to say – but it isn’t so easy to believe – because then we have to have a profound respect and reverence for each and everything and each and everyone. . . Much easier to believe that Jesus is both God and man – because that doesn’t impact our day to day to life as much as truly believing: God loves all things that are / and loathes nothing which God has made. Yet if we don’t believe this - and put it into practice by what we do every day – we might as well forget about believing everything else we are called to believe. Because once we start saying that God loves some of us more than others – we have stopped allowing God to shape and guide our hearts – and have instead simply created a God we want – a God who is on OUR side, but not necessarily on the side of everyone else. THAT is not God who is love – it might be the god of ancient Greeks or Romans – but not certainly the God we are called to believe in. And so belief in a God who loves all God has created is an essential, fundamental step of faith – the step right after accepting belief in God at all. Once we believe in God we must do our best to have some idea of who God is, what God is like, and what God is NOT like. And for we Christians - for we who are disciples of Jesus – it starts with love. God IS love - in the most complete, profound, and unconditional way. But it doesn’t end there. . . Once we get to that point, once we start believing and accepting that God loves all of us equally – then guess what we need to do??? If God loves everyone –doesn’t that mean that we are called to love everyone also? Isn’t that the expectation – the command – the invitation – to love the people God loves?? And this is exactly where we usually fall flat on our faces. . . we come up with all kinds of excuses – for why we don’t REALLY have to love absolutely everyone – certainly not those who hurt us, who don’t like us, who want to take advantage of us, who have no interest in loving us in return . . . Of course this is nothing new. We just heard the story about Jesus befriending the chief tax collector, Zacchaeus. The fact that Zaccaeus was a tax collector meant he worked for the Romans – and therefore would be despised by the average person in the street. And when Jesus decided to dine with him – even the Jewish community was shocked and angered. How could he possible do that – is what most of them thought. . . Well, because there never was, nor will there ever be – anyone who Jesus did not or will not love. And God wants us to love the people God loves. God wants us to care about the people God cares about. God wants us to show compassion to the people God shows compassion to – to forgive the ones God forgives. Can we get on board with that? Can we truly love indiscriminately, unconditionally, and relentlessly? Or will we alway love in a qualified sort of way –one in which we love whom WE want, when WE want, and how WE want?? Jesus showed kindness to Zacchaeus, to a man others were unwilling to show kindness to – and Zacchaeus was never the same again. And most likely those close to Zacchaeus – his family and tax collector friends – were never the same again. And the people who simply heard what Jesus did were probably never the same again. Love can do that. It can have a ripple effect in ourselves and in the lives of those around us – and that little ripple has the power to change the world! That’s the power of love – the power to transform absolutely everything. So we need to stop trying to figure out who is “worthy” of our love – and just love. Because God loves all things that are / and loathes nothing which God has made. And we are called to be like God. And yes, maybe we never achieve perfection – but at least we try. Better to burn out trying – than to rust out by doing nothing! Almost all of us, at some point, will be given bad news. Maybe some of you have already received it.
Not the loss of a job, or the failure of major test in school, or that a good friend is moving away. Although all of these can be bad news… But I’m talking about the ultimate bad news – the day we are told by a doctor that we have an illness – that will certainly take our life. That’s rough stuff - the kind of information we wish we did NOT have to hear. And there are all kinds of ways to react to this type of news: anger, sorrow, disappointment, resignation, even peace. We don’t all react to bad news in the same way. I’ve heard enough people process things after they have received such news – to know most start looking at their past actions and attitudes - and they start assessing the type of person they have been over the course of their lives. Surprisingly, things that seemed super important at the time – suddenly aren’t. And things (and especially people) we might have once neglected – suddenly ARE more important to us. And for believers such as ourselves - one thing we are almost all hoping for at this trying time in our lives – is to be able to say with confidence: I have kept the faith. When faced with the prospect of dying sooner, rather than later – most of us want to be able to think we have done a decent job – that we have, for the most part - lived a life that was pleasing to God – that we don’t have a long list of regrets, OR a long list of things we are ashamed of. We want God to look at us and see someone who has been a steadfast and sincere believer – to see a person who has kept the faith. St. Paul clearly was facing this very sort of thing as he wrote to his disciple Timothy in his second letter to him. Paul says matter-of-factly that his “departure is at hand.” He follows this statement with what he believes to be an honest assessment of his life - a kind of accounting of his spiritual journey. He tells Timothy: “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” I hope all of us want to say those words – today, tomorrow, and at the end of our lives. But how can we know? On what can we base those words? What are the criteria? Is it just a wild guess? Or is there someway to tell? I think it comes down to what we mean by keeping the faith. For some it means publicly acknowledging certain belief statements - what we say in the creed and regarding other religious and moral matters. Is saying the right things keeping the faith? For others, it can mean fulfilling all the nuts and bolts of what the Church asks of us: attending Mass, supporting our parish, fasting and abstaining when the Church asks us to. Is following the rules keeping the faith? For some it may mean simply NOT outwardly denying belief in God or Jesus. Answering the often asked question - are you saved - with the words yes. I am a Catholic. Is simply saying— we believe —when asked keeping the faith? Although we want things very black and white - I think we know in our hearts that keeping the faith means a bit more. For one thing, faith is always connected to works - to the concrete ways we live out what we believe. So I think keeping the faith comes down to asking how much we have loved. If we are NOT good, kind, loving, generous, compassionate and forgiving people – then what we say we believe —doesn’t really matter much. And we all fall short of being those people God calls us to be – the kind of people we hope to be - and probably the people we really want to be. All of this comes home to roost in the temple — with our two men and prayer. In the story Jesus tells – he does not affirm the person who is convinced of his own goodness – the person who has probably said and done all the right things. . . The Pharisee. Rather Jesus affirms the one who sincerely admits that he hasn’t always done right, the person who cries out to God with a sincere health, wanting and needing God’s mercy so that he can be a better person … The tax collector: O God, be merciful to me a sinner So what’s keeping the faith? Well, that’s always not so easy to say. But what it is NOT is much easier to say… It sure isn’t the person who says the right things – but bears no fruit. May we always remember how much we need God. And may we be open to God’s great gift of mercy – allowing God’s love and forgiveness to transform us into the people we are called to be. That’s keeping the faith. By the way, you may have noticed in our reading of St. Luke’s Gospel over the months – Luke is a get it done type of guy: If there’s a man in a ditch - then stop and pull him out. If your coin is lost - then search for it. If there’s a poor man on your door step – stop, take notice of him – and feed him! If you want to see Jesus – then go out to see him - even if it means climbing a tree. So I think his advice to us would be – quit worrying about he person you ought to be – make the changes – and be that person! |
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