Thursday, April 30, 2009
The Naked Church
Have you heard the joke about the man who came to church for the first time? She was a beautiful church, and he became very attracted to her. She had everything he was looking for. They started seeing each other on a regular basis. After a while, he and the church decided to consummate their relationship. One night the man stripped down to his bare necessities and waited for the church to join him. He watched with excitement as she undressed in front of him. First, she took off her refined music and put it away in the drawer. Then, she took off its various small group meetings and put them away in the drawer too. Then, she took off her motivational messages and put them in the drawer. She even took off her mission statement and statement of faith and put them in the drawer. He looked in amazement as she continued. She took off her coffee and cookies and put them in the drawer. Then she took off her public image of success and influence and put that in the drawer. Finally, she took off her fine building and accessories and put them in the drawer. There she stood, naked before him, very plain and ordinary. He looked at her. He looked at the drawer. Then he said, “I don’t know whether to stay here or get in that drawer!”
When new people come to our community, I always feel it is like dating. Let’s admit it: they’re shopping. I have to acknowledge that we are on trial. It is so tempting to try to control our image. It is so tempting to worry about what if one of my people swears in frustration in homegroup… which sometimes happens. What if they discover that everybody in my homegroup is have been divorced except me? What if they find out many of us drink and some of us smoke? It is so tempting to put our best face forward. But I resist those temptations as much as possible. They might as well find out sooner than later what we are like. And I say “we”, because it is about the people. If they don’t like the music or the teaching style or whatever, there’s nothing that can be done about that. It’s finally about us. Will they quickly discover that this is about friendship, relationship and community rather than all the extras? Will they discover that they can love and be loved here before the details of how we do things is discerned or before they discover the diversity of belief and lifestyle that is represented here? Will they recognize, ultimately, that this is a place where they can be free to discover their own faith and explore how to live it uniquely before God in this world?
I found this at this site.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Confession 101 - Part 1
I found this and the following video and they give good advice about "how" to go to the sacrament of reconciliation.
Princess vs. Priest; War for a perfect wedding.
Someone sent me this knowing that most priests kind of cringe at weddings because people come with their own ideas of what a "perfect" wedding looks like: ideas that often go against what our church teaches.
Women priests excommunicated
Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali has said that two women who underwent a "pseudo-ordination" Sunday have been automatically excommunicated as a result of their act.
Cardinal Rigali said those who presented themselves for supposed ordination as well as those who "falsely claim" to ordain them have been excommunicated, Catholic News Agency reports.
The ordination ceremony with a bishop from a group called Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP), took place at a Christian chapel inside Congregation Mishkan Shalom, a Reconstructionist Jewish synagogue in Philadelphia, The Bulletin says.
It was the first such invalid ordination of women to occur in the Philadelphia archdiocese.
"It is most unfortunate that this pseudo-ordination has occurred within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia," said Cardinal Rigali.
"I am concerned pastorally for the souls of those involved and for the Catholic faithful who may be confused. Those who present themselves for ordination at such an invalid ceremony - as well as those who falsely claim to be ordaining the women - are, by their actions, automatically excommunicated from the Church."
To read more click here.
Catholic mag: Let’s discuss married priests
America, the Jesuit weekly, says it is time for the Catholic church to discuss allowing priests to marry. "Silence and fervent prayer for vocations are no longer adequate responses to the priest shortage in the United States,'' the magazine writes in an editorial. "For making do within the limits set by present demographic trends presents a double threat to Catholic life: Catholic communities will become only infrequent eucharistic communities, or eucharistic communities will be severed from the pastoral care and public witness of priests." An excerpt:
"Married priests already minister in the Catholic Church, both East and West. Addressing the married clergy of the Eastern Catholic churches, the Second Vatican Council exhorted “all those who have received the priesthood in the married state to persevere in their holy vocation and continue to devote their lives fully and generously to the flock entrusted to their care” (Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests,” No. 16). That exhortation now applies to the more than 100 former Anglican priests and Lutheran ministers who have entered the Catholic Church, been ordained and now serve in the Latin rite. As we face the challenges of the priest shortage, some ofthan 25,000 priests who have been laicized (and are now either single or married) should also be heard.
Our plea is modest. The bishops of the United States should take greater leadership in openly discussing the priest shortage and its possible remedies. These should not be conversations in which we face a problem only to find every new avenue of solution closed. Rather, they should be exchanges fully open to the possibilities offered by the Spirit. the more than 16,000 permanent deacons in the United States, many of them married, who experience a call to priestly ministry might be called to ordination with a similarly adapted discipline. In addition, the views and desires of some of the more
In March, Cardinal Edward Egan, the newly retired archbishop of New York, said in a candid moment that the topic of married priests “is a perfectly legitimate discussion.” He added, “I think it should be looked at.” The cardinal later nuanced his statement, but the need for a creative re-visioning of priestly life to sustain the eucharistic life of the church in its fullest sense can no longer be delayed."
Your thoughts?
"Married priests already minister in the Catholic Church, both East and West. Addressing the married clergy of the Eastern Catholic churches, the Second Vatican Council exhorted “all those who have received the priesthood in the married state to persevere in their holy vocation and continue to devote their lives fully and generously to the flock entrusted to their care” (Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests,” No. 16). That exhortation now applies to the more than 100 former Anglican priests and Lutheran ministers who have entered the Catholic Church, been ordained and now serve in the Latin rite. As we face the challenges of the priest shortage, some ofthan 25,000 priests who have been laicized (and are now either single or married) should also be heard.
Our plea is modest. The bishops of the United States should take greater leadership in openly discussing the priest shortage and its possible remedies. These should not be conversations in which we face a problem only to find every new avenue of solution closed. Rather, they should be exchanges fully open to the possibilities offered by the Spirit. the more than 16,000 permanent deacons in the United States, many of them married, who experience a call to priestly ministry might be called to ordination with a similarly adapted discipline. In addition, the views and desires of some of the more
In March, Cardinal Edward Egan, the newly retired archbishop of New York, said in a candid moment that the topic of married priests “is a perfectly legitimate discussion.” He added, “I think it should be looked at.” The cardinal later nuanced his statement, but the need for a creative re-visioning of priestly life to sustain the eucharistic life of the church in its fullest sense can no longer be delayed."
Your thoughts?
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Redefinitions
The Washington Post publishes a yearly contest in which readers are asked to invent alternate meanings for various words.
The following were some of this year's winning entries: (I’ve censored some – you’ll have to find the site for yourself!)
1. Coffee (n.), a person who is coughed upon.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have .
3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly
answer the door in your nightie.
7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (n.), an olive-flavoured mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (n.) the emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.
15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), The belief that, when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck there.
The following were some of this year's winning entries: (I’ve censored some – you’ll have to find the site for yourself!)
1. Coffee (n.), a person who is coughed upon.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have .
3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly
answer the door in your nightie.
7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (n.), an olive-flavoured mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (n.) the emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.
15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), The belief that, when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck there.
Some quotes I like.
There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
In science, 'fact' can only mean 'confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional assent.' I suppose that apples might start to rise tomorrow, but the possibility does not merit equal time in physics classrooms.
Stephen Jay Gould
Indifference to evil is more insidious than evil itself. It is a silent justification affording evil acceptability in society.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
In science, 'fact' can only mean 'confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional assent.' I suppose that apples might start to rise tomorrow, but the possibility does not merit equal time in physics classrooms.
Stephen Jay Gould
Indifference to evil is more insidious than evil itself. It is a silent justification affording evil acceptability in society.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
Some St. Therese Websites
(Just click on the name to go to site.)
THE MUSEUM OF ST. THERESE IS MORE THAN A MUSEUM, IT IS A LITTLE BIOGRAPHY TO ACCOMPANY OUR FEATURED EXPOSITION OF HER LIFE IN PICTURES:
This one is great for anyone wanting to do research on her:
Saint Therese of Lisieux:
A Gateway
Was Jesus Mean?
I happened on a picture of Jesus chasing the money-changers out of the temple with a whip in his hand and, probably because I've been working on this Sunday's homily about the Good Shepherd, the difference between the two pictures in my head made me ask this question to myself.
Was Jesus mean? The answer, obviously, is no. I think the question highlights a deeper issue. Why are some of the followers of Jesus so mean if he wasn't? I don't know that I can adequately answer that question without going back to the question of Jesus himself.
Jesus was not mean, but he could be very, very tough. He sometimes used very strong language when speaking to people he regarded as hypocrites. In a withering excoriation of religious hypocrisy in Matthew 23, he compared the scribes and Pharisees to whitewashed tombs, which is a worse insult than it sounds because the religious leaders prided themselves on their outward righteousness.
He could be tough on his own followers also. In Mark 8:14-21 he tells his disciples that they are spiritual blind and have hard hearts. When he appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, he calls them "foolish ones" and "slow of heart to believe" (Luke 24:25). He told certain Jewish leaders in John 8:44, "You are of your father the devil." The notion that our Lord was always "gentle Jesus, meek and mild," as if he spent his days saying nice things to make people feel better is only possible if you never read the gospels.
He was gentle and meek and mild and kind. But that's not the whole story.
He also demanded that his followers commit themselves to him wholeheartedly.
He had no patience for hypocrites who took advantage of others while ignoring their own sin.
Say what you want about Jesus, but don't forget that he took a whip and overturned the tables of the moneychangers, driving them out of temple precincts because they had made a house of prayer into a den of robbers.
Jesus could be very, very tough.
But was he mean? The answer may rest in the eye of the beholder. Perhaps some of the Pharisees and those moneychangers whose tables he overturned thought he was mean. After all, it was precisely because of his righteousness that they plotted to put him to death. His zeal for God aroused envy that turned to murderous hatred.
An Empty Church?
I sometimes wonder if the Church is in the wrong place most of the time. Churches dot the geography of cities and towns as gathering places for believers who are already part of the flock. It's not that those outside the flock don't slip in the front doors and join us for word and sacrament, but it strikes me that the very place where believers gather is the last place many outside the fold are likely to ever step foot.
Some of my most interesting and rewarding pastoral moments have been far from the shadows of a church buildings, in places and conversations where someone eventually asks me what I do for work and I tell them I'm the pastor of a Catholic church.
Some of my most rewarding moments with parishioners have occurred not at the altar or in the confessional, but on the street, in a grocery store, pumping gas, sitting in a restaurant or at a bar, picking up a cup of coffee at Starbucks or waiting in line at the post office.
I wonder what it would be like if, for a year, all Catholic priests were forbidden to step a foot inside their office for a year but were instructed to simply walk the streets of their parishes...
Might be as helpful and healthy for the priest as it would be for the people he encountered.
What do you think?
Charlie was my moral theology teacher in the seminary at Catholic University. His classes were some of the most interesting and challenging because he asked us to think in paradigms rather than merely "laws." This book explains how the church and moral theology have changed in the past 50 years and how he matured from an uncritical, dutiful, pre-Vatican II Catholic into a loyal dissenter who remains a committed Catholic.
The book is not a superficial read. Mirroring the candid opinion of friends, the author states: "I might not have the most scintillating writing style but I was always crystal clear."
Strange way
This song by Martyn Joseph is one of the most phenomenal songs, in my opinion, about Jesus’ life, death, resurrection. It is a song about Jesus, life and how he seemed to do the strangest, yet most beautiful and compelling things. Enjoy
Following are the lyrics:
Strange way to start a revolution
Strange way to get a better tan
Strange way to hold a power breakfast
Strange way show your business plan
Strange way to see if wood would splinter
Strange way to do performance art
Strange way to say “I'll see you later”
Strange way to leave behind your heart
Strange dissident of meekness
And nurse of tangled souls
And so unlike the holy
To end up full of holes
Strange way
Strange way to hang around for hours
Strange way to imitate a kite
Strange way to get a view of Auschwitz
Strange way to represent the light
Strange way to watch for stormy weather
Strange way to disprove gravity
Strange way to go about fund-raising
Strange way to sing I'm liberty
Strange dissident of meekness
And nurse of tangled souls
And so unlike the holy
To end up full of holes
Strange way
Strange way to test for hemophilia
Strange way to spend a happy hour
Strange way to down a bitter cocktail
Strange way to merchandise your power
Strange way to reassure your mother
Strange way to finish your world tour
Strange way to pose for countless paintings
Strange way to gather in the poor
Strange dissident of meekness
And nurse of tangled souls
And so unlike the holy
To end up full of holes
The world is too much with us
Could we not now just elope?
Strange way to hold us closer
Strange way to give us hope
Strange way
Following are the lyrics:
Strange way to start a revolution
Strange way to get a better tan
Strange way to hold a power breakfast
Strange way show your business plan
Strange way to see if wood would splinter
Strange way to do performance art
Strange way to say “I'll see you later”
Strange way to leave behind your heart
Strange dissident of meekness
And nurse of tangled souls
And so unlike the holy
To end up full of holes
Strange way
Strange way to hang around for hours
Strange way to imitate a kite
Strange way to get a view of Auschwitz
Strange way to represent the light
Strange way to watch for stormy weather
Strange way to disprove gravity
Strange way to go about fund-raising
Strange way to sing I'm liberty
Strange dissident of meekness
And nurse of tangled souls
And so unlike the holy
To end up full of holes
Strange way
Strange way to test for hemophilia
Strange way to spend a happy hour
Strange way to down a bitter cocktail
Strange way to merchandise your power
Strange way to reassure your mother
Strange way to finish your world tour
Strange way to pose for countless paintings
Strange way to gather in the poor
Strange dissident of meekness
And nurse of tangled souls
And so unlike the holy
To end up full of holes
The world is too much with us
Could we not now just elope?
Strange way to hold us closer
Strange way to give us hope
Strange way
Holy Church of Starbucks
This is great. I've watched it several times and it has many subtleties that are great comments of how we do -- or don't do -- church.
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Greater Gift
Jesus said to the crown, "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." John 6:22-29
When Jesus fed the hungry in the wilderness, they were concerned only about stuffing food between their teeth.
They did not ask about the goodness and generosity of God who cares for them;
they did not inquire about their ways of sharing with others and so of imitating the goodness of Jesus.
They did not stop to listen to the words of Jesus, ponder them prayerfully and ask for their implications in their daily lives.
They simply wanted more food.
Eventually, John's gospel links this miraculous multiplication of bread and fish with the Eucharist—Jesus' very own body and blood given for the life of the world.
The Eucharist enables us to look with the eyes of Jesus and to see so much more than we ever thought to exist round about us.
We look at strangers and see them as our brothers and sisters.
We look at people whom we consider hopeless, intransigent and incommunicable, and find a bond of concern and interests about which to speak with them.
Devils somehow turn into saints!
Those who seemed lost have been found!
Every person and every event become a sign.
They are like the tip of an iceberg, which conceals far more than it reveals, which alerts us to a mystery of power beyond our imagination.
It asks us to look long and to study with open minds.
We look with our feelings and intuitions, with our hopes and dreams.
Gate of Love
John 10:1-10
When I saw (let's call him "Derek," I knew right away that he was going through a hard time.
He tried to avoid me, but I stopped him and asked what was wrong.
He didn't want to talk about it, but I knew he needed help, so I got him to sit down with me and talk it out.
"But Derek," I said, "the Lord is guiding you through this."
All I got in return was a blank stare.
So I tried a different twist. "Derek, God loves you."
Nothing, again.
No wonder he didn't want to talk with me. All I had to offer was the standard religious line.
So then I said, "Gee, this must be really difficult for you."
He lifted his eyes a little and said, "Yeah, it is."
I asked him, "What are you going to do?"
He turned to me and said, "I don't know."
I said, "Wanna sit down and talk about it?"
He said, "Sure."
The gate to Derek's troubled heart was love, not answers.
When I saw (let's call him "Derek," I knew right away that he was going through a hard time.
He tried to avoid me, but I stopped him and asked what was wrong.
He didn't want to talk about it, but I knew he needed help, so I got him to sit down with me and talk it out.
"But Derek," I said, "the Lord is guiding you through this."
All I got in return was a blank stare.
So I tried a different twist. "Derek, God loves you."
Nothing, again.
No wonder he didn't want to talk with me. All I had to offer was the standard religious line.
So then I said, "Gee, this must be really difficult for you."
He lifted his eyes a little and said, "Yeah, it is."
I asked him, "What are you going to do?"
He turned to me and said, "I don't know."
I said, "Wanna sit down and talk about it?"
He said, "Sure."
The gate to Derek's troubled heart was love, not answers.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
It's Spring!
Spring has sprung and this e.e. cummings poem captures it
Xaipe 65
i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings;and of the gay
great happening ilimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any - lifted from the no
of all nothing - human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
Pulpit Control
I just looked at this and thought: "Wouldn't it be great." Of course, I would add a few extra controls like "lock the doors to keep people from leaving early" and "activate the shock on those people in row such-and-such who are talking. I'm sure you could think of a few more!
Hello. Is Anybody There?
How should I pray?
What should I say to God when I pray?
Should I hear God answer me when I pray?
How do I know if God hears my prayer?
These are common questions from those who want to pray or learn to pray. While there are no easy answers to these questions. our desire to pray is key. I like this quote about Mother Teresa:
Poet Scott Cairns recounts a Dan Rather interview with Mother Teresa in which he asked her what she says to God when she prays. "I don't say anything," she said. "I just listen." Rather then asked what God says to her. "He doesn't say anything," she responded. "He just listens."
It would be much easier to live a Christian life if the risen Jesus were merely some ghost of his former self, but he is not that.
He has hands and feet, arms and legs;
he is short and tall and of every imaginable build;
his face is male and female;
his voice is loud and soft, encouraging and demanding,
commanding, compelling and consoling.
He lives in those we love and he lives in those we don’t love.
He lives in the young and in the old and in those not yet born.
Today in this church he has hundreds of faces,
each one different and each the same because he wears them all.
Who knows how many times in the past week
did the risen Christ appear to you and me
and ask, in some way, for something to eat, something to drink,
for some gesture on our part to show that we recognize him,
that like the first disciples, we too are witnesses of his resurrection
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Anger: Tip 2
"In the end, it boils down to simply realizing that
once the situation that sparked the anger is in the past,
I truly have to let it go.
That is where I rely on the training of my chosen spiritual path."
We don't like to think about sin, and we surely had many reminders of it during Lent, so it may be surprising or even troubling that all three of today's Scripture readings speak about our sinfulness and need to be forgiven.
Make no mistake, the church reminds us today, Jesus suffered and died, and he did it to save us from sin.
Does this focus lead to what some people facetiously call "Catholic guilt"?
On the contrary!
Knowing we are sinners, and knowing Jesus died to save us is not a cause for guilt.
"Peace be with you," Jesus says.
Because of him, we can be at peace.
Today's responsorial psalm truly is our response to these readings:
"Lord, let your face shine on us...
As soon as I lie down, I fall peacefully asleep,
for you alone, 0 Lord, bring security to my dwelling."
Torture may be considered a kind of perverse liturgy, for in torture the body of the victim is the ritual site where the state's power is manifested in its most awesome form." - William T. Cavanaugh, Torture and Eucharist
The government memos released last week, detailing acts of torture carried out by C.I.A. operatives in the Bush administration, make for interesting reading in light of the gospel narratives' about Jesus' post-resurrection appearances to his disciples. That human bodies matter is a central truth of the Easter proclamation.
But this is less than obvious in an age when Christians more often associate Easter's meaning with "the immortality of the soul" than with "the resurrection of the body." When we spiritualize Easter—when we imagine disembodied souls reuniting with loved ones in heaven—we miss this point about bodies and we also, as Tom Wright has observed, “cut the nerve of the social, cultural and political critique.”
Resurrection is about the undoing of death and of all our death-dealing ways. But if our deepest Easter metaphors have mostly to do with butterflies, we will miss this. The undoing of death that Easter accomplishes creates a people who do not flinch from the tortured body of Jesus, but who also know that the marks of violence carried in his broken body are now signs by which we claim resurrection as a counter politics to state-sponsored violence that denies the dignity of any human body anywhere.
We know this most fully in the Eucharist. When we consume Christ’s broken body we become it. We enact a politics—a way of being in the world—rooted in witness, in suffering. Eating and drinking at the Lord’s Table become acts of resistance against any false power that would diminish the humanity of other eating and drinking bodies.
Where torture as liturgy is a kind of “scripting of bodies into a drama of fear” (Cavanaugh), the liturgy of the Table is the creation of a body which lives by hope and loves by a power not of its own making.
When Jesus stands among the disciples and declares peace to them (Luke 24:36b), he gives voice to what his resurrection has already accomplished: the end of violence and the undoing of death. And when he goes on to talk about flesh and bones, hands and feet, and to eat a piece of broiled fish, we see how we can never again talk about resurrection apart from bodies—our own; the violated bodies of torture victims; Jesus’ raised body; and his body, the church—sign, servant, and foretaste of the peace he has made possible.
And we give thanks that we “are witnesses of these things” (24:48).
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Dealing with anger: Tip 1
I decided to get to the root of my anger, so I started writing journals.
I would write down why I was angry and keep on writing until I felt some relief.
It certainly took a lot of anger out of my life.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Preaching and Politics
Twenty-three years ago I was ordained a Catholic priest. The year before I served at a small parish as a deacon, for me the next-to-last stage before the priesthood. And one of the deacon's main tasks was to preach at the Sunday Mass. And, frankly, I was terrified.
It's not that I had never spoken publicly before. Or spoken about my faith. Nor was it the fact that as a preacher you have to juggle a lot: you have to explain Scripture to the congregation, you have to invite them to see how it might be meaningful to their lives, you have to present church teaching; and you also have to pay attention to the news of the day. As the Protestant theologian Karl Barth said, Christians should live with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. And rather than telling people what to think or what to do, it's better to help them form their consciences to make their own decisions. That's why many Catholics are bothered by priests who, either explicitly or implicitly in sermons and homilies, endorse one political candidate over another.
And, by the way, you have to do all that in just a few minutes. One of my favorite recommendations for preaching is: "Be clear, be brief and be gone!" I try to abide by this as much as possible!
No, what made me nervous was that I was dealing with something sacred. You may know that Catholics believe that God is present in the Eucharist, that is, the consecrated host. But you may not know that Catholics believe that God is also present in the Mass in three other ways: in the congregation, in the priest, and in the Scripture reading. In other words, when you read the Gospel and preach, you are plunging yourself into something sacred, something that is much bigger than just your own commentary.
What finally helped me relax about all this was when I discovered that I wasn't in charge. Let me explain.
One Sunday I gave what I thought was the most brilliant homily ever. I had worked on it for weeks, and just thought it was terribly insightful, and would probably change lives. After Mass I waited for the inevitable praise. And you know what everyone said? Nothing! Normally people say a few polite things on the way out. Like, "Nice homily." But nothing.
The next week I delivered what I thought was, to be blunt, a pretty bland homily. I had little time to prepare it; I rushed through it, and wasn't saying anything new. But after Mass people came up to me in tears, telling me how profound it was. It was a reminder that it's God who speaks to people through homilies, not me.
That's just one reason that sermons should never be partisan or political or, worst of all, Democratic or Republican.
Now, that doesn't mean that the church should not participate in the real world. Some of the greatest of the saints, like St. Francis of Assisi, St. Ignatius Loyola, and St. Teresa of Ávila, all encouraged an active spirituality, one that grasped that the church's sacred mission is lived out in the secular world. The long tradition of Catholic social teaching also encourages speaking out about the problems of the world, especially those of the poor. More to the point, Jesus of Nazareth was profoundly concerned with real-life matters, and spoke passionately about compassion, justice and mercy.
Yet Jesus was also wise enough to avoid overtly political questions. The Gospel of Luke recounts that when Jesus was asked whether the ancient Israelites should pay taxes, he recognized the question as a clever political trap. If he said yes, he would be accused by his own people of colluding with the Roman authorities. If he said no, he would be accused by the Romans of sedition, a crime that carried the penalty of death. So, slipping out of the trap, he said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
All the more reason a priest should never take political sides in a sermon or homily. Because you are not preaching your own words. You are preaching about the Word – capital W.
And, in the end, that word isn't yours at all. It is God's.
It's not that I had never spoken publicly before. Or spoken about my faith. Nor was it the fact that as a preacher you have to juggle a lot: you have to explain Scripture to the congregation, you have to invite them to see how it might be meaningful to their lives, you have to present church teaching; and you also have to pay attention to the news of the day. As the Protestant theologian Karl Barth said, Christians should live with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. And rather than telling people what to think or what to do, it's better to help them form their consciences to make their own decisions. That's why many Catholics are bothered by priests who, either explicitly or implicitly in sermons and homilies, endorse one political candidate over another.
And, by the way, you have to do all that in just a few minutes. One of my favorite recommendations for preaching is: "Be clear, be brief and be gone!" I try to abide by this as much as possible!
No, what made me nervous was that I was dealing with something sacred. You may know that Catholics believe that God is present in the Eucharist, that is, the consecrated host. But you may not know that Catholics believe that God is also present in the Mass in three other ways: in the congregation, in the priest, and in the Scripture reading. In other words, when you read the Gospel and preach, you are plunging yourself into something sacred, something that is much bigger than just your own commentary.
What finally helped me relax about all this was when I discovered that I wasn't in charge. Let me explain.
One Sunday I gave what I thought was the most brilliant homily ever. I had worked on it for weeks, and just thought it was terribly insightful, and would probably change lives. After Mass I waited for the inevitable praise. And you know what everyone said? Nothing! Normally people say a few polite things on the way out. Like, "Nice homily." But nothing.
The next week I delivered what I thought was, to be blunt, a pretty bland homily. I had little time to prepare it; I rushed through it, and wasn't saying anything new. But after Mass people came up to me in tears, telling me how profound it was. It was a reminder that it's God who speaks to people through homilies, not me.
That's just one reason that sermons should never be partisan or political or, worst of all, Democratic or Republican.
Now, that doesn't mean that the church should not participate in the real world. Some of the greatest of the saints, like St. Francis of Assisi, St. Ignatius Loyola, and St. Teresa of Ávila, all encouraged an active spirituality, one that grasped that the church's sacred mission is lived out in the secular world. The long tradition of Catholic social teaching also encourages speaking out about the problems of the world, especially those of the poor. More to the point, Jesus of Nazareth was profoundly concerned with real-life matters, and spoke passionately about compassion, justice and mercy.
Yet Jesus was also wise enough to avoid overtly political questions. The Gospel of Luke recounts that when Jesus was asked whether the ancient Israelites should pay taxes, he recognized the question as a clever political trap. If he said yes, he would be accused by his own people of colluding with the Roman authorities. If he said no, he would be accused by the Romans of sedition, a crime that carried the penalty of death. So, slipping out of the trap, he said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
All the more reason a priest should never take political sides in a sermon or homily. Because you are not preaching your own words. You are preaching about the Word – capital W.
And, in the end, that word isn't yours at all. It is God's.
Didn't Jesus Say?
"love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven"? "
And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?"
I don't know all the ins and outs of political protocol, but I wonder if a handshake and a smile might lead to more opportunities for peace?
An olive branch alway beats a sword.
It's the path for Christians.
Water Boarding & Other Necessary Evils
We've heard a lot in the news lately about this being used in interrogations. The constant question has been "is this torture?"
As always, it is difficult to judge most things accurately without actually seeing them. I found this video of a real demonstration of this technique on a volunteer on Beliefnet.com.
To read the article, go to the following site:
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/video/2008/hitchens_video200808
As always, it is difficult to judge most things accurately without actually seeing them. I found this video of a real demonstration of this technique on a volunteer on Beliefnet.com.
To read the article, go to the following site:
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/video/2008/hitchens_video200808
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Haiti update
A reflection from a recent visitor to Haiti. Although she visited a mission different from ours, her words reflect what I have seen. This post is long, but you will find it interesting.
In the short time I’ve served on the Haiti committee, I have already learned many things about the country. And now I wonder how can it be that most of us have so little knowledge of our neighbor, this tiny place on the map, which is only 600 miles from Miami.
It would take much too long to go into the complex history of that country, but those of us who have begun to read more about Haiti are starting to understand why it is the most underdeveloped country in the Western Hemisphere. Slowly, more of us are becoming aware of how Haiti has been used and exploited by others throughout its history. Our trip there increased that awareness even more. It was a shocking and often uncomfortable, yet eye-opening, personal encounter with the most extreme poverty.
In her book: “On That Day Everybody Ate”, Margaret Trost describes what she saw in this way: “In Haiti, I’d come face-to-face with the world’s poorest citizens-and knew they were part of the one billion people on our planet who live in extreme poverty, those who don’t have access to the basic needs for survival.”
Our group’s encounter with the poor began in much the same way as Margaret Trost‘s.
I can best describe my thoughts about my own experience in this way. We were led on a journey into hell-on-earth by God so that we would be witnesses to the injustices and suffering of the people, and then asked to return to our own country to tell others about what we saw. And, I believe we must also tell others about the beauty and resilience of Haiti’s people, despite the poverty, hunger and politicalinstability they face daily;
to let people know that the people of Haiti want to work so they can once again properly feed themselves and their families; to have their share in education and health care.
And, that they ESPECIALLY WANT TO GIVE! They want so much to participate in the life of their country and the rest of the world.
Our flight from Miami took an hour and a half. As the plane descended into
Port-au-Prince, I watched the sparkly blue Caribbean turn to a murky brown just off the coast. We could see that the mountains were stripped of trees. Because most of Haiti’s
trees have been cut down, there is no root system to soak up water, and when it rains, the precious topsoil washes into the ocean. This is one of the reasons why Haitian peasants struggle to feed their families. Their soil is gone.
The (Toussaint Louverture International Airport) was crowded and our group of five struggled to stay together as many people converged and tried to squeeze through the doors of the terminal all at the same time. We made our way through the customs lines, then found our baggage, all the while feeling the push of impatient people pressing in all around us. There was not a lot of personal space available - anywhere.
As we walked out onto the street, we were approached by men of all ages, pleading to carry our bags. Men, desperate for work, kept trying to take our bags, but we moved forward as Fr. Alan led our group to the end of the walkway where we were met by Patrick from Matthew 25 House. Patrick had already chosen several men to carry our luggage and they were paid after all was loaded into the van. I realized that there would only be a few out of all those men who would leave their posts at the airport and go away with money at the end of the day.
Patrick greeted us as we left the airport and pulled into traffic. We sat in silence as we rode along and looked out of the windows. The air was filled with the smell of burning garbage. It was warm, even for January. The roads were not good - no traffic lights or sidewalks. Our van moved along slowly as Patrick cautiously negotiated obstacles along the way. The city was teaming with people, walking in groups and often darting in front of oncoming traffic. A roundabout in the center of the road caused a great traffic jam as all seemed to converge and slowly jockey for a space to move. Brightly painted minibuses and pickup trucks, called “tap-taps,” inched along, packed with travelers. We drove past shacks and decaying buildings. I remember seeing a garbage pile and people rummaging through the layers. Hundreds of people lined the streets. Women and young girls in colorful dresses and head wraps carried water jugs on their heads, moving gracefully
around people and rubble in the streets. Vendors sat side by side selling sugarcane, charcoal, drinks, used clothing, shoes and other things. All of them waited patiently for customers to come along.
When we arrived at Matthew 25 Guest House, which is a hospitality house operated by the Parish Twinning Program of the Americas, we were warmly greeted by Sr. Mary Finnick, the Director and Vivian, Patrick’s wife. After being shown to our rooms, we gathered with other small groups of people who had also traveled from their parishes in the US to volunteer their time and talents to help the people there. We stood together to sing the Haitian blessing before meals and we all ate together in community.
Sr. Mary, Vivian and Patrick are doing great good for the people of Haiti by the work they do there. They hire and employ local people to work at the house and around the grounds. They have also opened a gift shop and display the beautiful art work, foods and crafts made by the people. All proceeds go back to the artists, giving them an opportunity to bring in an income and support families.
On Thursday morning, we were ready to make the trip to Fond-Pierre. Fr. Alan introduced us to our driver and interpreter, Thimotee. Once out of Port-Au-Prince, Thimotee drove us over the most treacherous roads I’ve ever seen with great care and agility. We held on for dear life as he maneuvered the van around gigantic potholes and deep gullies left by torrential rains. Even though the “way” was made a little easier for us because a paved road is being built, we still had 4 grueling hours of rough road to cover.
We passed through remote areas and small villages, and all along the way we would see hundreds of people, young and old alike, walking on the roads. Others, who were more fortunate, rode donkeys, horses, motorbikes or bicycles. Some were taking animals to market or buying items. Chickens, dogs, goats and pigs occasionally meandered out into the road right in the direct path of our oncoming vehicle. I was sure they would be struck, but Thimotee’ skillfully maneuvered the van, carefully slowing or weaving and no mishaps occurred nor was any livestock lost.
I remember seeing a very emaciated old man leaning on his elbow as he lay on the ground, beneath the door of a wooden hut. I wondered if he was resting or just too weak to move? He laid so still I couldn’t be sure he was alive. I began to be overwhelmed with a feeling of sadness. It was hard for me to look into the faces of the worn and weary travelers without being moved to tears. I found myself trying to focus on the countryside, searching for anything to avert my attention from the sea of faces that peered into us as we drove by. I tried to shut my eyes and go to a safe place in my mind. I tried to meditate, think of pleasant things, but nothing worked. I could not escape into some virtual reality, or turn the TV off. I was confronted with the cruel reality of extreme poverty, and felt overwhelmed with shock and disbelief.
I was relieved when we finally arrived in Fond-Pierre
Fr. Malherbe was there to welcome us as we climbed down from the dusty van. He greeted us warmly and showed us to our rooms and we could see that lunch had been prepared and placed on the table. Each meal we had there was beautifully and lovingly prepared by the lady who cooked for us. We were all amazed to learn that meals were prepared outside over an open fire, using charcoal. The food which consisted primarily of rice, beans, cooked vegetables and fruits like bananas, plantains, grapefruit and pineapple, were set out for us. Meat is a luxury, but, on several occasions, we were privileged to be offered a small measure of chicken and goat as well. I was thankful for all that was provided, but uncomfortable knowing so many there did not have food. My mind would replay images of the places and people I’d seen during the course of our visit.
We saw that the new church was still a work in progress, but were surprised at how much had been completed , despite the fact the work had been hampered by wind and rain during the hurricane season and problems with broken equipment.
On Friday, we visited the school there in Fond-Pierre. We were greeted by students, grades K-6th. We found that most of the children were bright, enthusiastic and very curious about us. A few, who were not too shy, stood up and asked our names and where did we come from. Each classroom was only sparsely equipped with several rows of long benches with boards affixed to the sides that served as desk tops. Children sat side by side, little bodies squeezed together across the length of the benches. We were amazed at how attentive they were and that no one seemed to act up or bother another, despite the lack of personal space. We were also very impressed with their eagerness to learn.
French is currently being taught in the school. And, Fr. Malherbe has begun to teach them English, as well. When we asked them what would help them in their quest for knowledge, many spoke up with requests for things like, text books, musical instruments, chalk, writing paper, pencils and crayons. There was a unanimous request for a food program as many children must walk many miles to school, often with little or no food to sustain them.
We traveled with Fr. Malherbe to the chapel in Pareidon for Mass on Saturday. Once again, Thimotee transported us over the horrible roads to get to the church which is some distance from Fond-Pierre. People dressed in their finest, were walking all along the way to get to Mass.
The little church was very pretty and well cared for by the people of that community. People greeted us with Bonjou’s and politely bowed or grasped our hands in welcome. We sat in front as Fr. Alan and Fr. Malherb concelebrated the Mass and distributed communion. The readings and music were all spoken in Haitian Creole. But, we knew the parts of the Mass and we automatically followed along praying the prayers in English silently.
I was inspired by their devotion to the sacrament of the Eucahrist and reverence for the Mass, but wondered how is it that the Haitian people have such deep faith in a loving God when there’s so little food and few jobs and no doctors or running water?
Referring back to Margaret Trost’s book, “On That Day Everybody Ate”, I found that she also asked these questions of Fr. Gerry, who was the Pastor of St. Clar
e’s in Port-Au-Prince. Fr. Gerry responded:
“God is the first and the last resource here. We feel God’s presence more and more, because there is nobody else some days who can sustain us to allow us to survive. It’s only God sometimes.” “….God makes miracles. So we live by miracles and as we live by miracles, we need faith. Our faith sustains us.”
Mass on Sunday in Fond-Pierre was held outdoors in the court yard. Fr. Malherbe calls the people from the surrounding countryside by way of church bells and recorded sacred music. Those who must walk many miles to church rise early so that they will arrive on time for the Mass. Each person dresses in their finest and we wondered how they could look so clean and neat after walking in the heat on the dusty roads! It is our fervent hope that very soon they will have their new church to worship in.
We also had the opportunity to meet the teachers in Fond-Pierre and Tierramuscady. We listened to them as they conveyed their concerns and ideas regarding the future of their schools. All of them have great hopes and dreams for the future of their children, families and their country. We could see that although progress is being made, they still have many needs. Both schools lack many of the basic tools needed for classrooms. But, they were encouraged by our presence there and so thankful for all that we do for them. I felt they gave us so much in return. They welcomed us and embraced us as if we were family and not strangers. They shared whatever they had. They took care of us and amazingly, in the midst of all their trials and tribulation, THEY were the ones who taught us how to laugh and relax; to be aware of and thankful for all the gifts God provides.
I’m beginning to understand that we don’t have to have all the answers and that change for the better takes time. We are only able to do so much. And, we must humbly trust that God will guide us and help us work together to find solutions to help the people of Haiti to grow and finally achieve true independence. If I had the opportunity to go back to help the people of Haiti, I would say yes again. Because, I realize now that they are not just our neighbors, they are family -- and they wait for us to return.
It would take much too long to go into the complex history of that country, but those of us who have begun to read more about Haiti are starting to understand why it is the most underdeveloped country in the Western Hemisphere. Slowly, more of us are becoming aware of how Haiti has been used and exploited by others throughout its history. Our trip there increased that awareness even more. It was a shocking and often uncomfortable, yet eye-opening, personal encounter with the most extreme poverty.
In her book: “On That Day Everybody Ate”, Margaret Trost describes what she saw in this way: “In Haiti, I’d come face-to-face with the world’s poorest citizens-and knew they were part of the one billion people on our planet who live in extreme poverty, those who don’t have access to the basic needs for survival.”
Our group’s encounter with the poor began in much the same way as Margaret Trost‘s.
I can best describe my thoughts about my own experience in this way. We were led on a journey into hell-on-earth by God so that we would be witnesses to the injustices and suffering of the people, and then asked to return to our own country to tell others about what we saw. And, I believe we must also tell others about the beauty and resilience of Haiti’s people, despite the poverty, hunger and politicalinstability they face daily;
to let people know that the people of Haiti want to work so they can once again properly feed themselves and their families; to have their share in education and health care.
And, that they ESPECIALLY WANT TO GIVE! They want so much to participate in the life of their country and the rest of the world.
Our flight from Miami took an hour and a half. As the plane descended into
Port-au-Prince, I watched the sparkly blue Caribbean turn to a murky brown just off the coast. We could see that the mountains were stripped of trees. Because most of Haiti’strees have been cut down, there is no root system to soak up water, and when it rains, the precious topsoil washes into the ocean. This is one of the reasons why Haitian peasants struggle to feed their families. Their soil is gone.
The (Toussaint Louverture International Airport) was crowded and our group of five struggled to stay together as many people converged and tried to squeeze through the doors of the terminal all at the same time. We made our way through the customs lines, then found our baggage, all the while feeling the push of impatient people pressing in all around us. There was not a lot of personal space available - anywhere.
As we walked out onto the street, we were approached by men of all ages, pleading to carry our bags. Men, desperate for work, kept trying to take our bags, but we moved forward as Fr. Alan led our group to the end of the walkway where we were met by Patrick from Matthew 25 House. Patrick had already chosen several men to carry our luggage and they were paid after all was loaded into the van. I realized that there would only be a few out of all those men who would leave their posts at the airport and go away with money at the end of the day.
Patrick greeted us as we left the airport and pulled into traffic. We sat in silence as we rode along and looked out of the windows. The air was filled with the smell of burning garbage. It was warm, even for January. The roads were not good - no traffic lights or sidewalks. Our van moved along slowly as Patrick cautiously negotiated obstacles along the way. The city was teaming with people, walking in groups and often darting in front of oncoming traffic. A roundabout in the center of the road caused a great traffic jam as all seemed to converge and slowly jockey for a space to move. Brightly painted minibuses and pickup trucks, called “tap-taps,” inched along, packed with travelers. We drove past shacks and decaying buildings. I remember seeing a garbage pile and people rummaging through the layers. Hundreds of people lined the streets. Women and young girls in colorful dresses and head wraps carried water jugs on their heads, moving gracefully
around people and rubble in the streets. Vendors sat side by side selling sugarcane, charcoal, drinks, used clothing, shoes and other things. All of them waited patiently for customers to come along.When we arrived at Matthew 25 Guest House, which is a hospitality house operated by the Parish Twinning Program of the Americas, we were warmly greeted by Sr. Mary Finnick, the Director and Vivian, Patrick’s wife. After being shown to our rooms, we gathered with other small groups of people who had also traveled from their parishes in the US to volunteer their time and talents to help the people there. We stood together to sing the Haitian blessing before meals and we all ate together in community.
Sr. Mary, Vivian and Patrick are doing great good for the people of Haiti by the work they do there. They hire and employ local people to work at the house and around the grounds. They have also opened a gift shop and display the beautiful art work, foods and crafts made by the people. All proceeds go back to the artists, giving them an opportunity to bring in an income and support families.
On Thursday morning, we were ready to make the trip to Fond-Pierre. Fr. Alan introduced us to our driver and interpreter, Thimotee. Once out of Port-Au-Prince, Thimotee drove us over the most treacherous roads I’ve ever seen with great care and agility. We held on for dear life as he maneuvered the van around gigantic potholes and deep gullies left by torrential rains. Even though the “way” was made a little easier for us because a paved road is being built, we still had 4 grueling hours of rough road to cover.
We passed through remote areas and small villages, and all along the way we would see hundreds of people, young and old alike, walking on the roads. Others, who were more fortunate, rode donkeys, horses, motorbikes or bicycles. Some were taking animals to market or buying items. Chickens, dogs, goats and pigs occasionally meandered out into the road right in the direct path of our oncoming vehicle. I was sure they would be struck, but Thimotee’ skillfully maneuvered the van, carefully slowing or weaving and no mishaps occurred nor was any livestock lost.
I remember seeing a very emaciated old man leaning on his elbow as he lay on the ground, beneath the door of a wooden hut. I wondered if he was resting or just too weak to move? He laid so still I couldn’t be sure he was alive. I began to be overwhelmed with a feeling of sadness. It was hard for me to look into the faces of the worn and weary travelers without being moved to tears. I found myself trying to focus on the countryside, searching for anything to avert my attention from the sea of faces that peered into us as we drove by. I tried to shut my eyes and go to a safe place in my mind. I tried to meditate, think of pleasant things, but nothing worked. I could not escape into some virtual reality, or turn the TV off. I was confronted with the cruel reality of extreme poverty, and felt overwhelmed with shock and disbelief.
I was relieved when we finally arrived in Fond-Pierre
Fr. Malherbe was there to welcome us as we climbed down from the dusty van. He greeted us warmly and showed us to our rooms and we could see that lunch had been prepared and placed on the table. Each meal we had there was beautifully and lovingly prepared by the lady who cooked for us. We were all amazed to learn that meals were prepared outside over an open fire, using charcoal. The food which consisted primarily of rice, beans, cooked vegetables and fruits like bananas, plantains, grapefruit and pineapple, were set out for us. Meat is a luxury, but, on several occasions, we were privileged to be offered a small measure of chicken and goat as well. I was thankful for all that was provided, but uncomfortable knowing so many there did not have food. My mind would replay images of the places and people I’d seen during the course of our visit.
We saw that the new church was still a work in progress, but were surprised at how much had been completed , despite the fact the work had been hampered by wind and rain during the hurricane season and problems with broken equipment.
On Friday, we visited the school there in Fond-Pierre. We were greeted by students, grades K-6th. We found that most of the children were bright, enthusiastic and very curious about us. A few, who were not too shy, stood up and asked our names and where did we come from. Each classroom was only sparsely equipped with several rows of long benches with boards affixed to the sides that served as desk tops. Children sat side by side, little bodies squeezed together across the length of the benches. We were amazed at how attentive they were and that no one seemed to act up or bother another, despite the lack of personal space. We were also very impressed with their eagerness to learn.
French is currently being taught in the school. And, Fr. Malherbe has begun to teach them English, as well. When we asked them what would help them in their quest for knowledge, many spoke up with requests for things like, text books, musical instruments, chalk, writing paper, pencils and crayons. There was a unanimous request for a food program as many children must walk many miles to school, often with little or no food to sustain them.
We traveled with Fr. Malherbe to the chapel in Pareidon for Mass on Saturday. Once again, Thimotee transported us over the horrible roads to get to the church which is some distance from Fond-Pierre. People dressed in their finest, were walking all along the way to get to Mass.
The little church was very pretty and well cared for by the people of that community. People greeted us with Bonjou’s and politely bowed or grasped our hands in welcome. We sat in front as Fr. Alan and Fr. Malherb concelebrated the Mass and distributed communion. The readings and music were all spoken in Haitian Creole. But, we knew the parts of the Mass and we automatically followed along praying the prayers in English silently.
I was inspired by their devotion to the sacrament of the Eucahrist and reverence for the Mass, but wondered how is it that the Haitian people have such deep faith in a loving God when there’s so little food and few jobs and no doctors or running water?
Referring back to Margaret Trost’s book, “On That Day Everybody Ate”, I found that she also asked these questions of Fr. Gerry, who was the Pastor of St. Clar
e’s in Port-Au-Prince. Fr. Gerry responded:“God is the first and the last resource here. We feel God’s presence more and more, because there is nobody else some days who can sustain us to allow us to survive. It’s only God sometimes.” “….God makes miracles. So we live by miracles and as we live by miracles, we need faith. Our faith sustains us.”
Mass on Sunday in Fond-Pierre was held outdoors in the court yard. Fr. Malherbe calls the people from the surrounding countryside by way of church bells and recorded sacred music. Those who must walk many miles to church rise early so that they will arrive on time for the Mass. Each person dresses in their finest and we wondered how they could look so clean and neat after walking in the heat on the dusty roads! It is our fervent hope that very soon they will have their new church to worship in.
We also had the opportunity to meet the teachers in Fond-Pierre and Tierramuscady. We listened to them as they conveyed their concerns and ideas regarding the future of their schools. All of them have great hopes and dreams for the future of their children, families and their country. We could see that although progress is being made, they still have many needs. Both schools lack many of the basic tools needed for classrooms. But, they were encouraged by our presence there and so thankful for all that we do for them. I felt they gave us so much in return. They welcomed us and embraced us as if we were family and not strangers. They shared whatever they had. They took care of us and amazingly, in the midst of all their trials and tribulation, THEY were the ones who taught us how to laugh and relax; to be aware of and thankful for all the gifts God provides.
I’m beginning to understand that we don’t have to have all the answers and that change for the better takes time. We are only able to do so much. And, we must humbly trust that God will guide us and help us work together to find solutions to help the people of Haiti to grow and finally achieve true independence. If I had the opportunity to go back to help the people of Haiti, I would say yes again. Because, I realize now that they are not just our neighbors, they are family -- and they wait for us to return.
Railroad Wonderland
Faith sent me this video from YouTube. If you find railroads fascinating like I do, you will enjoy this:
A Pastor with Guts!
Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some people. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:
'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values
Of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Amen!'
'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values
Of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Amen!'
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea...
Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story, 'and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired.
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'one nation under God.'
If possible, please pass this prayer on to your friends. 'If you don't stand for something, you will fall for everything.'
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Connecticut
Just an update. Saw "Next to Normal" Tuesday. It officially opened on Wednesday. Today's review in New York Times captured it perfectly. Go online to check out the review. Absolutely the best I've ever seen.
Today I'm going in to the city to the Botanical Gardens. In all these years I've been coming to New York, I've never been there. Then on to St. John the Divine. They've finally finished to renovation.
Don't worry! I'll be back.
Today I'm going in to the city to the Botanical Gardens. In all these years I've been coming to New York, I've never been there. Then on to St. John the Divine. They've finally finished to renovation.
Don't worry! I'll be back.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Gone for a while!
So many people worked so hard this past week to ensure that our liturgies were real celebrations (and weren't they great!), so I am not more tired than most of them. However, I am tired but I am taking a breather this week in Connecticut and New York City.
I won't be posting any blogs until I return for our weekend liturgies. I plan on sleeping in and spending some time in the "City," as they call it. The only thing I have definitely planned is seeing a play on Broadway. I have tickets for "Next to Normal." Don't know if it is good or not -- it has just opened. But it sounds good. See you when I get back.
Following is the advertisement for it:
Next to Normal
Michael Greif directs this moving new musical by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey.
This contemporary musical explores how one suburban household copes with crisis. With provocative lyrics and an electrifying score of more than 30 original songs, Next to Normal shows how far two parents will go to keep themselves sane and their family’s world intact.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Baptism
Icon of Jesus' baptism in Monastery of St. Catherine's at foot of Mt. SinaiTonight we will watch as Rochele Mickey climbs into the font and is baptized. Here are some words for her and the rest of us:
Baptism's knowledge of Christ is not that of the dining room but of the bath house.
It is not a mannered knowledge, for manners, etiquette, and artifice fall away with one's clothes.
It is a knowledge of appalling candor, hearty and intimate,
less intellectual than physical—as when lovers are said to "know" one another.
It is more the inspired wisdom of Solomon's Song than of Paul's letter to the Romans.
God speaks not only in logic but in the aroma and feel of oil and warm water on the skin,
and these too possess their own sort of rigorous logic.
It is not a mannered knowledge, for manners, etiquette, and artifice fall away with one's clothes.
It is a knowledge of appalling candor, hearty and intimate,
less intellectual than physical—as when lovers are said to "know" one another.
It is more the inspired wisdom of Solomon's Song than of Paul's letter to the Romans.
God speaks not only in logic but in the aroma and feel of oil and warm water on the skin,
and these too possess their own sort of rigorous logic.
Aldan Kavanagh
Exsultet
Night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth
and we are reconciled with God.
and we are reconciled with God.
Therefore, heavenly Father, in the joy of this night,
receive our evening sacrifice of praise,
your Church's solemn offering.
Accept this Easter candle,
a flame divided but undimmed,
a pillar of fire that glows to the honor of God.
a flame divided but undimmed,
a pillar of fire that glows to the honor of God.
Let it mingle with the lights of heaven
and continue bravely burning
to dispel the darkness of this night!
May the Morning Star which never sets
find this flame still burning:
Christ, that Morning Star, who came back from the dead,
and shed his peaceful light on all humankind,
your Son who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
(Excerpt from Exsultet which is sung once the Easter candle is put in its stand in the sanctuary.)
Holy Saturday
He had been like a beautiful dream,
living a life
that would have changed
the whole of this world...
Oh yes,
they agreed on that.
living a life
that would have changed
the whole of this world...
Oh yes,
they agreed on that.
Yet, in the end,
they had shaken their heads,
the life he had lived
was too good
to be true.
they had shaken their heads,
the life he had lived
was too good
to be true.
"Let us be logical,
business is business,
let us not lose our heads,"
and they gave up on him,
though the best ones among them
did it with great regret.
No wonder that the sun
stopped shining
at the scene of his death.
From now on
darkness was going to be
the fate of all.
But then,
the cries and shouts of
women running early in the morning:
a tomb cracked,
life overcame death;
"He is risen,"
light undoing the dark.
life overcame death;
"He is risen,"
light undoing the dark.
Finally, he himself was found
by a friend,
in a garden!
Alleluia, praise the Lord
(from "With Hearts on Fire" by Joseph G. Donders)
Friday, April 10, 2009
Foolishness of the Cross
"Put your sword back in your scabbard."
They killed Jesus. That killing was their last resort against him, just as it remains the means of those who are willing to use weapons against others. That same willingness is the taproot of violence in our society today.
It sounds like a terrible indictment, but our intent, or at least our consent, to use nuclear weapons or even to wage war against others makes the violence in our streets and parks, trains and buses, comprehensible and defensible.
If you have children and buy a gun, even to defend yourself, your children will think that violence is the way to live.
Standing before Pilate, Jesus told him that he could have used violence, that he could have resorted to legions and legions of angels, to the whole of the heavenly host and their precision armaments, but that he chose not to do so. He continued choosing life, even in that ultimate moment of distress.
The cycle of violence can only be broken the way he did it, by simply refusing to enter it.
The sun darkened. The curtains in the temple ripped apart. The earth shook in vehemence when it received his body. When they left him hanging on the cross, allowing some of his friends to take him off and bury him, his opponents must have thought they had made a fool of him. When he rose from the death they had inflicted upon him, he proved them wrong. He was killed, but the cycle of violence was broken. Foolishness? Foolishness in the eyes of the wise of this world, the foolishness of the cross
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Intimacy
"Jesus, knowing that his hour had come. loved them to end."
The life of everyone is colored and directed (you might even say consecrated) by some private moments—the moment your mother really spoke to you, heart to heart, the moment your father kept a promise, or your friend gave you a piece of advice.
It was the same with Jesus' apostles that evening. He was alone with them in that upper room. He had invited them, they had eaten, drunk, broken bread, and shared wine, just as we do. For them, however, that evening had been much more private, much more personal, especially when he had washed their feet.
Having your feet washed is something very private, very personal, and very powerful. After a tiring trip have your feet ever been washed by someone who loved you? Did you ever wash and massage the feet of someone you loved? Do it once, and you, too, will know what I am talking about.
He had washed their feet, he had dried them—in a way he had consecrated them. And it was at that moment that he had said to them: "I am sending you, you have to go, if you want to be faithful to me." And though they were very ambitious, very shallow, very consumer-minded, very competitive, and very contentious, they never forgot that moment.
Moments like that kept them together with him and with one another. It is those private moments with someone we love and respect that keep us together, that keep us faithful at unexpected moments in our lives.
Don't you remember a happening, an event, a private moment that determined and still determines your life's direction?
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
A New Way to Get People to Confession
Brought to you from the churches in Brooklyn and Long Island. To look at their website, go to www.soulwow.com
25 Beautiful Short Phrases
A parishioner sent me a Powerpoint presentation with these phrases. Just wanted to share them with you.
1. Give God what's right..... not what's left.
2. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.
3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.
5. In the sentence of life, the devil be a comma, but never let him be the period.
6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.
7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.
8. When praying, don't give God instructions. ..... just report for duty.
9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.
10. We don't change God's message..... His message changes us.
11. The church is prayer-conditioned.
12. When God ordains, He sustains.
13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.
14. Plan ahead......It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.
16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.
17. Exercise daily .... walk with the Lord.
18. Never give the devil a ride...... he will always want to drive.
19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
21. He who angers you controls you.
22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.
23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.
24. Be ye fishers of men.....You catch them & He'll clean them.
25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
The Price of Anger
Someone sent this to me and it reminded me of what it costs us to hang on to our anger
Palm Crosses
By the time liturgy is over, I see people who have already formed crosses with their palms. Can't imagine where they found the time to do it -- unless it was during my homily!
However, I have to admit that I have never learned how to do it. So I googled and came up with this site. It has detailed instructions (with pictures) on forming a cross out of your palm leaves.
Another site has detailed instructions of fashioning other forms such as a crown and cones.
http://www.italiansrus.com/palms/palmpatterns.htm
Check em' out.
Dying
"When evening came he was at table with the twelve."
He was sitting at table, eating with those who were going to betray him.
He even went so far as to wash their feet.
This is Jesus' way of handling opposition, violence, and betrayal.
Not only Judas would run away from his arrest and death.
In the end only John would return, brought by Jesus' mother, Mary.
Jesus took the road of nonviolence, of consistent love, a road taken by the best of his followers even in our days.
He even went so far as to wash their feet.
This is Jesus' way of handling opposition, violence, and betrayal.
Not only Judas would run away from his arrest and death.
In the end only John would return, brought by Jesus' mother, Mary.
Jesus took the road of nonviolence, of consistent love, a road taken by the best of his followers even in our days.
Listen to what one of them, Martin Luther King, Jr., said:
To our most bitter opponents we say: we shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering.
We shall meet your physical force with soul force.
Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you.
Throw us in jail, and we shall still love you.
Bomb our homes and threaten our children, and we shall still love you.
Send your hooded perpetrators of violence into our communities at the midnight hour and beat us and leave us half dead, and we shall still love you.
But be ye assured that we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer.
One day we shall win our freedom, but not only for ourselves.
We shall appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory.
We shall meet your physical force with soul force.
Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you.
Throw us in jail, and we shall still love you.
Bomb our homes and threaten our children, and we shall still love you.
Send your hooded perpetrators of violence into our communities at the midnight hour and beat us and leave us half dead, and we shall still love you.
But be ye assured that we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer.
One day we shall win our freedom, but not only for ourselves.
We shall appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory.
Another great mind and heart in this country Father John L. McKenzie, summed it up in his own poignant way.
"If Jesus taught us anything it was how to die, not how to kill!"
These are words worth reflecting upon in the violence and harshness of our days.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Sunday Sermon
The pastor was greeting folks at the door after the service.
A woman said, "Pastor, that was a very good sermon."
The pastor said, "Oh, I have to give the credit to the Holy Spirit."
"It wasn't that good!" she said.
The definition of a good sermon:
It should have a good beginning.
It should have a good ending.
And they should be as close together as possible.
Easter Thoughts
A man was coming out of church after Easter services, and the pastor was standing at the door to shake hands.
He grabbed the man by the hand and pulled him aside.
The pastor said, "You need to join the Army of the Lord!"
The man said, "I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor."
The pastor asked, "Then how come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?"
The man whispered, "I'm in the secret service!"
The pastor said, "You need to join the Army of the Lord!"
The man said, "I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor."
The pastor asked, "Then how come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?"
The man whispered, "I'm in the secret service!"
Top Ten Reasons to Celebrate Easter
10.
You absolutely love the movie "The Ten Commandments."
9.
You look really, really good in yellow.
8.
You just went on a low-cholesterol diet and didn't want to waste all those eggs in the fridge.
7.
You figure any holiday that starts with a "Good Friday" can't be all bad.
6.
You love to bite the heads off chocolate bunnies.
5.
It's a good time to check out your neighborhood church and not be noticed.
4.
You have this bunny suit you love to wear, but are too insecure to wear it without a reason.
3.
Even though you don't know what it is, you really like the sound of going to a "Passion Play"
2.
You figured since Jesus went to all that trouble to make it to the first Easter, you d give it a shot.
1.
Betrayal
"As soon as Judas had taken the piece of bread he went out. It was night."
The darkness of night falls over us after each betrayal.
It is when we take our own piece of bread and leave others behind, thinking only about how to get more out of our situation.
Did you ever leave others behind in that dark of night?
People built their lives on your promises and you never kept them.
They waited for your return, and you never came back.
Were you ever left in the dark by others who betrayed you?
This kind of betrayal is not something we only do as individuals toward the persons around us.
It is something we often do with others as a community.
We rarely see how all are bound together.
We fail to see ourselves and others as part of the universe, as part of all that is created in Christ. We look too seldom at long-range efforts and pursuits.
We are out for a quick gain.
We squander energy, we cut down trees irresponsibly, we consume irreplaceable goods, we let whole species of animals and plants just die off.
We, the current dwellers of this earth, are impoverishing and betraying our offspring.
We took our piece of bread, and so much more than that, and we often thought of nothing else.
Night will be falling over the whole of the earth.
It will be falling over all of us if we don't change our ways.
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