Homily THANKSGIVING Nov 22, 2023

 Homily   THANKSGIVING    Nov 22, 2023

 When I was a child, which was a long time ago, we did not have AI, nor cell phones, nor the internet, nor computers, not even color TV!   But we did have something that seems less prevalent now, and that is “magic words.”   Anyone here old enough to remember the magic words?     PLEASE and THANK YOU. 

This evening we anticipate the celebration of THANKSGIVING.  And part of what we are celebrating is the attitude of gratitude and consideration that lies behind those magic words.  It is good to be grateful and to give thanks.  More, it is a mature and more fully human attitude to be grateful and to give thanks for all the blessings and good things in our lives: for health, for freedom, for our faith, and for all the relationships and good things in our lives. 

And it would be sufficient and adequate to celebrate Thanksgiving if we stopped right there.  But I am not going to stop there, because as Christians we are called to go farther; because of the example of Jesus.

In the Gospel we just heard, it says Jesus proclaimed, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth….”   Other translations, like the New Revised Standard version, put it this way: “At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth..”   

In the Bible, praising and thanking are very close together, two sides of the same coin.  So in this passage Jesus is really being grateful.  Jesus is THANKING the Father. 

Now when is Jesus doing this thanking, and what is Jesus thankful for?  Well, the passage begins, “At that time….”  What time is that?  Very curiously it is immediately after Jesus lambasts towns where Jesus preached, and ….   Nothing.  The people did not respond.  They did not repent.  They did not listen to Jesus.  They were too damn busy and pre-occupied with many things, and they did not respond to Jesus.  The Gospel states: “Then Jesus began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of power had been done, because they did not repent, “Woe to you Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsiada!  For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, (notorious pagan cities) they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  But I tell you, on the day of judgement it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you.  And you, Capernaum, will be exalted heaven?? No, you will be brought down to Hades…  and so on.

Obviously, Jesus is upset, frustrated, disappointed and angry.  (¿Ever been there?)   He preached in these towns, worked miracles, told His best parables, and……   nothing.  He was a flop.  The people did not respond.

So what does Jesus do?  ….   He thanks the Father.  Out of failure and disappointment, Jesus says our Gospel today.  “At that time Jesus said: “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”  And then Jesus invites all the weary and those heavily burdened to follow Him. 

My point is that Jesus gives thanks not only in response to good things and things going right in His life, but Jesus even gives thanks for disappointments, failures, and flops. 

This peculiar attitude – to give thanks even in failure – is the CORE of Sacrifice:  it’s inner dynamic and meaning.

This is what Jesus did His entire life, and Jesus’ giving thanks culminated on the night before He died. 

          Jesus had Supper for the last time with His disciples.  Jesus knew very well what was about to happen to Him.  He would be betrayed by one of His own.  All His followers and friends would abandon Him.  He would be falsely accused, condemned in a kangaroo court, slapped, beaten, scourged, spit on, and nailed to a cross to be left to die in agony and infamy. 

Jesus knew.  He knew exactly what was going to happen.  And what does Jesus do?  He gives His followers a way to remember Him.  Jesus took bread and did what?  He gave thanks. …  Jesus took the cup of wine, and giving thanks, He said the blessing.   In the face of His total defeat and ignominious death, Jesus gave thanks.  … Not just for the physical bread and wine, but for his WHOLE self, given for and to US. //

Sisters and brothers, it is good to give thanks for the good things in our lives.  That sort of basic gratitude should be common to all people regardless of their religion or if they have no religion at all.

But the followers of Christ are empowered to do more, to live out of gratitude even in the face of failure and persecution.  That is what eucharist is about. 

The word eucharist means “to give thanks.”  That is what we are gathered here to celebrate.  We give thanks for the good, the boring, and the bad.   For ALL of it.  That is what we are called to live.

 Happy Thanksgiving! 

 

HOMILY for Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Nov 12, 202

 HOMILY for Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.  Nov 12, 2023  

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of attending the Court of Honor for Tyler Giesler   EAGLE badge.

Any Eagle Scouts with us today??     I never made it that far.   I was a little too anti-establishment back in those days. 

In any case,    ..   Boy Scout motto????:  BE PREPARED!

I mention all this because that brief motto could be the motto for our Gospel today.  BE PREPARED!

Jesus tells us a rather odd story about ten young ladies who were, what we would today call bridesmaids, but what he calls virgins.  They are waiting for the groom and the bridal party to show up at the banqueting hall. 

Five of them apparently were Scouts and were prepared by bringing extra oil with them, and five foolishly did not think ahead, and brought no oil with them.

The groom finally arrives.  Those whose lights were shining went into the feast, and the others got left out in the dark.

What are we to make of this odd story???  …

Well, how is your oil supply?  …  The point is not really about oil however, it is about keeping your light shining.  It is all about LIGHT.  Earlier in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus told us; “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”    

Remember that?   It’s not the oil that is important, but rather the light.  This is about being prepared to keep your light shining brightly.

This is, I believe, about actively looking for opportunities and occasions to do good and so let your light shine.

Opportunities to do good are all around us.  For example, let’s say you are driving in rush hour traffic and the cars are backed up at the stop light.  Some person is trying to make a left hand turn out of side street.  So instead of pulling up immediately behind the car in front of you and blocking the cross street, you stop to let the other person out, since you are not going anywhere anyway.  Your light just shone.

Or you ride one of the ubiquitous scooters around campus.  You arrive at your destination.  Instead of leaving the scooter in the middle of the sidewalk where it is an obstacle to people in wheelchairs, or on crutches, or pushing a baby buggy, instead you put the scooter off to the side, leaving the sidewalk clear.  Your light just shone.

You take time to call a relative or neighbor who is lonely.  You offer assistance to a co-worker who is having a bad day.  You smile at a person panhandling on the street.  You say “Thank You” when it isn’t expected.  In each case your light just shone. 

When the opportunity presents itself, when the long delayed groom finally arrives, be prepared to let your light shine.

Jesus tells us today: “Therefore, stay awake,…”   Stay awake to the opportunities and possibilities of doing good, of helping others, of making your light shine. 

And then the Lord will surely say, “I know you.”    AMEN.

HOMILY Thirty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time CYCLE A November 5, 2023

 HOMILY   Thirty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time   CYCLE A   November 5, 2023

I have found these readings for this Sunday difficult to preach on.  In the first reading from the Prophet Malachi, God lambasts the priests for failing to do their duty.   God addresses the priests: “I, therefore, have made you contemptible and base before all the people, since you do not keep my ways…”  

And in the Gospel today we hear Jesus criticize the Pharisees: “For they preach but they do not practice.  They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.”  And so on. 

These are perfect reading to rail and preach against the vice of CLERICALISM.  However, I am not motivated to do that.  Not that clericalism is not a major problem today in the church.  

Pope Francis frequently and fervently rails against the problem of clericalism in today’s church.   Just recently Pope Francis said: “Clericalism is a whip, it is a scourge, it is a form of worldliness that defiles and damages the face of the Lord’s bride,” the church.   The pope said. “It enslaves God’s holy and faithful people.”

Pope Francis described as “a scandal” the scene of young priests going into ecclesiastical tailor shops in Rome “trying on cassocks and hats or albs with lace.”  And more and more you see priests and nuns wanting to look more and more UNLIKE regular lay people, seeking to be distinctive in dress and appearance, not for service, but to stand out. 

And while clericalism is a contagious vice that also affects lay people, who want to put “Father” on a pedestal and keep him distant so that his teaching or the witness of his life does not touch them, none-the-less, clericalism is not, I am happy to say, a prevalent nor a very serious vice in this particular congregation.  Do you agree??  

So today instead let us address our Psalm response.  I don’t pay much attention to preaching on the Psalms.  Do you like the psalms?   Do you ever use them for prayer?   The psalms were Jesus’ prayer book, and the psalms form the basis of the Liturgy of the Hours which is the Church’s official prayer outside of the Sacraments. 

Our Psalm response today is simple, and yet profound.  “In you, Lord, I have found my peace.”      This is, I believe, peace of mind and of heart and of soul; Peace with who you are; and also peace with who you wish you could have been but weren’t.  And never will be.

This is Peace with what you have done, what you have accomplished, all the good and strong and right things you have done; and also peace with all the things you regret doing, or regret saying, or regret feeling and believing. 

This is peace with all that you left undone, the words and statements you wish you hadn’t left silent and unsaid, and also all the things you wish you could have done but never had the time, the energy, the skill, the resources to do. 

This peace heals all regrets, and that is wonderful.  Because this peace is based on the firm foundation of the Lord’s love for us, just as we are. 

“In you, Lord, I have found my peace.”    Simple, but profound.

“In you, Lord, I have found my peace.”      AMEN. 

HOMILY Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A October 15, 2023

 HOMILY    Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time  Cycle A     October 15, 2023

 

My homily today is a bit like something you buy from IKEA.  That is to say, it comes in parts.  Some assembly on your part is required.

          “Thin Soup”

A long time ago in the Far East there was a king of a small kingdom, who like most such kings, was a tyrant.  He had two counselors, one who always bent his opinion to what the king wanted to hear, and the other who told the king the truth, whether he wanted to hear it or not.  Soon the counselor who spoke honestly of course upset the petty tyrant, and was banished from court.         A long time after that the more pliable counselor wondered how the honest counselor was getting along.  So he decided to pay him a visit.  He put on one of his most splendid and luxurious robes, saddled his finest horse with the most impressive saddle and tack, and

went to visit his former colleague. 

When he arrived at the honest counselor’s dwelling he found a house in disrepair, with holes in the wall, hardly any protection against the elements.  In front of the house on the porch the honest counselor was having his mid-day meal.  He was dressed in a patched, faded, worn-out robe, sitting on a modest stool, eating a bowl of soup that was so thin it was practically just water.  “My old friend” said the duplicitous counselor, “if only you could learn to bend the truth, to fudge on your judgments, at least to hold your tongue when you disagree, then I am sure the king would welcome you back and you would not have to eat that miserable thin soup.”  The honest counselor looked him in the eye and said, “Ah, if only you could learn to eat this soup, you would not have to lie, dissemble, and compromise yourself.” 

 

In our second reading today from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, St. Paul states:  “Brothers and sisters: I know how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance.”  

The Jerusalem Bible states this more forcefully as, “I know how to be poor and I know how to be rich also.”   

St. Paul in our second reading goes on: “In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need.” 

          What does St. Paul mean?    I believe that St. Paul is talking about being fully alive.  He knows how to live in humble circumstances and yet not be put down, not complaining, not be depressed, but rather to be grateful, to be aware of his blessings, to be open and fully alive. 

St. Paul also knows how to live with abundance, without complacency, without falling into self-absorbtion, without being puffed up and forgetting others, still grateful and open.  Paul knows how to be poor without self-pity and to be rich without investing his real worth in mere things, and still in any case to be authentic, to be his true self. 

          Does that not sound like freedom?  To not have our sense of self be at the whim and caprice of circumstance?   St. Paul is FREE because has conquered circumstances.  He boldly states: “In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need.”    

          St Paul has achieved the freedom to determine himself and not be determined by circumstance.  That is pretty neat.   

          Wouldn’t you like be able to do that?  How did he do that? 

What was his secret?   Well he tells us:  “I can do all things in him who strengthens me. “  Let me repeat that.  “I can do all things in him who strengthens me. “

          I want to point out that this is NOT Paul boasting.  I think that rather he is giving us an example and an encouragement.  In effect St. Paul is telling us, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me, “ AND SO CAN YOU!  

          So can you!  You do not need to be depressed by poverty.  You do not need to be stuck up and isolated by wealth.  You can do all things in Him who strengthens you. 

          So, You don’t need to be resentful.  You don’t need to hold onto grudges.  You don’t need to be selfish and inflated with your own importance.  You don’t need to beat yourself up.  You don’t need to be prejudiced and bigoted.  You don’t need to be angry or lustful or greedy or dishonest. 

You can be free to be who you truly are.  Because Christ has freed you. 

          Living free is difficult, like learning to eat thin soup is difficult.  But Christ has freed us.  Like St. Paul, we too can do all things in Him who strengthens us.

          Be free!    

Homily 20th Sunday of Ord time August 20, 2023

 Homily   20^th Sunday of Ord time    August 20, 2023

 

Do you like the Gospel we just heard?   I am not so sure.  First of all, Jesus goes to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  These were rather prosperous pagan cities on the coast, definitely outside of Galilee and outside of Jewish territory.  Why did Jesus go there?  Maybe Jesus withdrew there for some change of scenery, some vacation down time, some sight-seeing in the big city.   We don’t know.  All we know is that Jesus is out of His home territory, cruising in pagan area.

A Canaanite woman – that is, not a Jewish but rather a pagan lady – approaches Jesus and calls out “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!  My daughter is tormented by a demon.”  Somehow this woman knows Jesus is special, must of heard of other healings Jesus has done, and out of concern for her daughter comes to Jesus seeking help and healing.

And what you would expect next is that Jesus heals the daughter.  Right?  Over and over again Jesus does this in the Gospels.  People ask, and He heals.

But this time, surprisingly and rather disturbingly, Jesus doesn’t.  He tells the woman: “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”  Not a particularly pleasant nor kind answer.  

However, the woman has the theological virtue of “hutzpah”, and responds “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”

Then something very interesting happens.  Jesus recognizes the faith that this lady has, changes His mind, and heals her daughter. 

It is the fact of Jesus changing His mind that I find so interesting.  Some commentators think that Jesus knew all along what He was going to do and was testing this woman.  I find that rather demeaning of Jesus.  The lady was hurting enough, and Jesus did not need to add to her distress.

Rather, I think Jesus learned something from this encounter and changed His mind.  In short, He grew.  In St. Luke’s Gospel, after the story of Jesus as a boy being found in the temple in Jerusalem, when Mary and Joseph thought He was lost, St Luke concludes “Jesus, for his part, progressed steadily in wisdom and age and grace before God and men.” (LK 2:52)   This means Jesus learned, grew, developed, as a fully human person.  And it did not stop when Jesus began His public ministry.

Similarly, in Luke chapter 7 when a Roman Centurian sends some Jewish elders to ask Jesus to heal the Centurian’s servant, and Jesus agrees to go, the Centurian sends messengers to Jesus to not bother to come but just give the command and it will be done.  And then it says “Jesus showed amazement” for He had never found so much faith among His own people.  Jesus’ understanding and expectations of where to find faith is expanded.  Jesus comes to a broader and deeper picture of God’s way of working in the world.

Therefore, I believe that Jesus grew in His understanding and appreciation of God’s work even in places where it wasn’t expected.  I think this is part of why Jesus, especially in Luke’s Gospel, is so often shown at prayer.  In His prayer Jesus opened His heart and His mind to the action of God around Him, especially in places where it was unexpected.      //

So what about us? 

Like Jesus we need to grow in wisdom and grace.  Both as individuals, and collectively as the Church.  Some think of the Church as a “perfect society” that is ideal and changeless.  But that is false.  Rather, we are pilgrim people as Vatican II taught, and on our way that involves growth and development.  That implies change.

So at one time in the church we persecuted left-handed people.  “Sinister” with all its evil connotations is the Latin word for “left”.  Left-handed people were thought to be inherently evil.  Fortunately, we as a community have out-grown that.  Any lefties here?

Several Popes issued Papal documents, called “bulls” proclaiming the reality of witches, which fortunately we don’t’ hold to anymore, although in many countries people, especially women, are still accused of, and persecuted for, witchcraft.  August 10 was international World Day against Witch Hunts.  Such action is, unfortunately, still needed.  //

For a long time the church taught that slavery was approved in the Bible and part of natural law.  Jesus certainly knew well of the institution of slavery but never once condemned it.  Nor St Paul.  And yet, if you read what Pope St. John Paul II has written against the crime of human trafficking, which is slavery by another name, you would think it among the greatest sins of all.  Our understanding has evolved and changed. 

So we, as the church, have evolved in our understanding of God at work in the world, just as Jesus in our Gospel today grows in His understanding of God at work in the world, outside of the expected categories.

And this work, this growth, is not ended.  Pope Francis’ pastoral approach and outreach to gays and lesbians, and his assurance that they are beloved children of God, is pushing the frontier of our church’s pastoral practice and teaching.  AMEN!

Truly, we are a pilgrim people.  We are on a journey, moving forward towards the Kingdom of God.  Fortunately, we have the Holy Sprit to sustain and to guide us. And like Jesus in our Gospel today, to keep us open to the surprising ways God is at work in our midst. 

It is NOT a boring journey!   God bless.

Solemnity of the Assumption of the BVM Aug 15, 2023

 

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Good for her.  But what does it have to do with you and me?  Why should we care?

Well, actually there is very good reason for us to celebrate because we have a stake in this celebration as well.

It all has to do with what we, as Christians, believe will be the final destiny of our body.  Because this Feast of the Assumption is all about Mary being assumed into heaven, soul AND body.  She went to heaven in the fullness of her being, soul and body, to be literally face to face with her Son Jesus for all eternity. 

And that is a sign for us, a sign of HOPE.  This body, with all its imperfections, all its aches and pains, all its sagging flesh and bruises and imperfections, is destined for eternal glory. 

St Paul tells us it will be a spiritual body.  Unfortunately, he doesn’t explain what that is. Most probably he could not.  It is out of our realm of experience, and so is now beyond our ability to comprehend or describe it.   But it will be our body.

And that means it will be me, Chuck Kullmann, in the fullness of my personality and identity, uniquely me.

Mary, by a special favor, enjoys the fullness of resurrected life already.  We all will have to wait till the Final Judgement.  And who knows when that will be?  But today’s Feast of the Immaculate Conception is another encouragement and verification of the final destiny of each one of us, in the fullness of our personality and being, body and soul, for all eternity.   And that is good news.

Happy Feast Day! 

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time CYCLE A August 13, 2023

 HOMILY   Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time   CYCLE A    August 13, 2023

St. Paul in our second reading is writing to the Romans, people he has never visited nor even seen.  He doesn’t know them, and the Romans don’t know him except by reputation and hearsay.   And yet in the passage today Paul gets very emotional, kind of over the top, and extravagant in his speech.  These are people Paul has never met, yet Paul gets very emotional.  He states “I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.”  Oh my!  Paul, in his often over-the-top style, even says, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ…”     oh my!

What could cause Paul to wish to be accursed and cut off from Christ???  What was so painful and difficult for St. Paul? 

It was the refusal of St Paul’s fellow Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah.

He says: “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh.
They are Israelites;  theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ,..”
          We need to remember that Paul, both before AND AFTER his conversion was an ardent Jew.  Paul did not give up being a Jew after his conversion.  And in all his missionary journeys Paul always went first to the Jews, and only later to the gentiles.  Paul always thought that the Jews had the first claim on the Good News of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.  The Gospel is for everyone, but the preaching went first to the Jews.

And so Paul, in a very intimate moment, shares his anguish, disappointment and great sorrow in a very public way with the Romans over the lack of faith in Jesus by Paul’s fellow co-religionists, the Jews.      [pause]

Now perhaps you know someone who you love and care deeply about; a child, a spouse, a parent, a brother or sister, a close, intimate friend, someone you care about and love, who is not a Christian, who doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus, who doesn’t go to any church, who feels perfectly fine and happy without any religious faith or at least some tangible connection to a community of faith.  Know anyone like that?

If your faith and religious life are important to you, and you have someone in your life who you care about deeply but that person doesn’t have any connection to religion or faith in Jesus, then I think you can begin to understand, not only at an intellectual level, but in a much deeper way in your gut and your emotions, the pain and anguish that St Paul is expressing in our second reading today.  Paul is not just being dramatic.  This is a real pain in his life. 

Paul goes on, after our reading today, with a rather complex argument from the OT scriptures about why many of his fellow Jews don’t believe.  B1121ut Paul’s conclusion is simple:  “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God on their behalf is for salvation.”  Roman 10:1

And as unsatisfying as that may be, that is where we land as well. For all of our loved ones who do not share with us the acceptance of the Good News, the Gospel, and have faith in Jesus who loves and saves us, our “heart’s desire and prayer to God on their behalf is for salvation.”     // 

Blessed be God!   AMEN. 

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A St Austin, Austin,TX July 30, 2023

 Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time    Cycle A      St Austin, Austin,TX   July 30,2023

 

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.’ 

 

          After extensive investigation and exhaustive research – mostly in my imagination – I discovered that the person mentioned in today’s Gospel was not the first person to discover the treasure buried in that field.  

          It seems the first person to find this buried treasure was a guy named Zigon.  Zigon hid it again, realizing the treasure could be his if he bought the field.  But Zigon was rather timid.  To buy the field he would have to sell everything he had: his iphone, all his investments, his fancy coffee maker to which he was very attached, and so on.  Everything would have to go and that was taking a huge risk.  What if the treasure turned out to be fake?  What about the tax implications?  What if someone stronger stole it from him?  In addition to being timid, Zigon was also kind of lazy.  And to fill in all the paperwork to cash in his life insurance , and then to hold a garage sale, and then complete the purchase of the field all seemed, not only daunting but overwhelming to Zigon.  And so instead of doing anything about it, he thought and fretted about it.  //  ¿You know the type?

          Meanwhile, Hyacinth found the treasure in the field.  She too realized that if she bought the field she would be fabulously wealthy and set for life.  She hid the treasure again and began planning her approach.  But the field was expensive.  She would have to sell everything in order to get it.  She did not have any problem selling her bowling ball which she had not used for years.  But she hesitated when she came to her prized collection of troll dolls.  And she completely waffled when it came to selling her favorite little black dress, with all its memories.  And because she could not bring herself  to sell all that stuff, Hyacinth never was able to raise enough money to buy the field and get the treasure.  She was too attached to the less valuable stuff she already had.  //  ¿Know the type?

          Finally, Priscilla found that treasure in the Gospel.  Priscilla was not timid nor lazy, nor was she owned by the stuff she owned.  Quickly Priscilla cashed in her investments, life insurance and her retirement plan.  She sold her car, her condominium, the Barry Manalow tapes her mother had left her, the souvenirs she picked up on a trip to Mexico, her furniture, most of her wardrobe, everything. 

It was not easy but she kept her eyes on the prize and with joy sold all that stuff.  It gave her a joyful sense of freedom.   Finally, she had enough to buy that field.  She got the treasure and was very wealthy. 

          But that is not all.  It turns out that field was in West Texas, and six weeks after she purchased it, oil was discovered on Priscilla’s field, and of course she had the mineral rights, and she became fabulously wealthy.   

          She was also, I might add, very generous to her parish.

          In any case, now you know the full story. 

          The point of the Gospel parable is not that the Kingdom of Heaven is a treasure.  That is pretty obvious.  We know that the Kingdom is the ultimate goal of our life. The point of the parable is that the Kingdom of Heaven requires an absolute commitment. 

          I believe that the field spoken of in the parable is not in West Texas, nor in Palestine, but rather inside us.  That field is your own heart.  That is where the treasure of the Kingdom of God is buried.  And you have to go search for it, to find out Who is your King, Who you belong to, Who loves you into being, Who loves you completely. 

          But a lot of stuff gets in the way of truly possessing that treasure: stuff like fear and greed and laziness and hate and lust and pride.  We have to stop clinging to all that stuff, let it all go, to open ourselves to gaining the true treasure, which is the Kingdom of God.  Or to put it another way, to make God King of my life. 

          This requires work, and persistence, and dedication.  But it also brings freedom and joy.  In my experience, the truly holy people I have known have also been people of great joy.  If you meet someone who is supposed to be holy, but is always dour, and upset, kind of crabby, judgmental, rather harsh and severe, then you can pretty well be sure that they are not really holy, but just acting. 

In any case, each of us have to find that treasure of God’s love for me and for you, and then we must get rid of everything that stands in the way, that distracts, that prevents us from having that treasure fully. 

          The treasure is not hard to find.  Jesus has shown us the way.  God the Father was truly King in Jesus’ life.  Jesus’ Spirit strengthens and leads us in the correct way to the treasure.  We have to do our part of allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us, and to be ruthless in getting rid of all that keeps us from gaining that treasure.

          Happy treasure hunting! 

Homily for 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle A July 22/23 2023

 Homily for 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle A    July 22/23   2023

     Our second reading today comes from St Paul’s letter to the Romans.  Now St Paul was a prolific letter writer and we have several of his letters in the New Testament.  All of these were written to people he knew, and knew their specific needs and issues, and Paul’s letters are all written to specific situations, except one.  That is the Letter to the Romans, from which our second reading is taken today.  Paul’s letter to the Romans is really an introductory letter, in which Paul lays out, in a more systematic and comprehensive fashion, his preaching. 

He writes this as a sort of introduction of himself and his teaching so that the Romans - whom Paul had yet never visited - will recognize both the depth and the accuracy of Paul’s preaching about Jesus Christ and the Resurrection, SO THAT the Roman Christians will be open to Paul and supportive of his stay in Rome.  Hence, the Letter to the Romans is often called the Gospel according to St Paul.

          And that is where our second reading, short as it is, comes from today.  

          St Paul states:  “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;

for we do not know how to pray as we ought.”  Well, is it true that we do not know how to pray as we ought?   Don’t we know the Our Father and the Hail Mary?  Don’t some of us pray with Scripture, do “lectio divina”, or pray the rosary?    Perhaps some even pray the psalms or the Office of Readings?  Anyone here do Morning prayer, evening prayer, etc???

          Well, that is all well and good, but I think St Paul meant something else, not about how to pray, but about what to pray for and more importantly, the attitude to open ourselves to pray, not for what we want, but to pray for what God wants. 

          You see, because of our limited spirits, and our own selfish desires, and our desire for what is pleasant and easy and painless, we sometimes, maybe most of the time, pray for what we want, and not for what God wants for us. 

          To pray “as we ought” as St. Paul says, we need the Holy Spirit to guide us.    The great example of praying as we ought is of course Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest, when Jesus prayed “not my will, but Thine, be done.” 

          That is a tough prayer.  It goes against our natural human instincts and our sinful inclinations.  But, St. Paul says, “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought..”

          So for example, we want to pray for this horrible heat wave to end.  But maybe the Holy Spirit really wants to lead us to pray for practical compassion for those suffering from the heat, and for greater wisdom and courage to fight for the environment and against climate change. 

          Maybe we want to pray that the annoying person at work will quit or get transferred, or even fired, and so end the problem, when the Holy Sprit really wants to empower us to forgive and to reach out in support. 

          Praying in the Holy Spirit is not for the feint of heart or for sissies.  Paul states: “but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.”   Why “groaning”???   Because this is hard.  This is tough.  This is serious.  And “we do not know how to pray as we ought..” 

          So the Holy Spirit comes to our aid.  But we need to be open and receptive to the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is strong, very strong, but doesn’t force Himself on us. 

    The Holy Spirit, as St Paul assures us “intercedes for the holy ones according to God's will.”    And we can be empowered to pray according, not to our will, but to God’s will.  And that makes all the difference.   AMEN. 

HOMILY Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time June 25, 2023

 HOMILY    Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time     June 25, 2023

           Anyone here ever see the 1986 horror movie, The Fly, staring Jeff Goldblum?  In it there is the line, “Be afraid.  Be very afraid.”  This phrase has since entered the common parlance, since it captures a very real emotion.  “Be afraid.  Be very afraid.”

          There is much to arouse fear in us.  There are a plethora a reasons to keep you awake at night.  Rogue nations with nuclear weapons.  Terrorists with biological weapons.  Mass shootings.  Hackers stealing your passwords and all your money.  Irrevocable degradation of the environment and natural disasters.  Cancer.  Politics.  And more.

          So the phrase “Be afraid.  Be very afraid” rings all too true.   We see, especially in young people today, a scary increase in anxiety and despair and even suicide.   “Be afraid.  Be very afraid.”    //

          Our Gospel this evening however takes a totally different approach.   In the Gospel we just heard Jesus tells us: “Fear no one.”  A little later He says: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.”   And still later He concludes simply, “So do not be afraid.”

          Do not be afraid.  OK.  How do you do that??  By a shear act of will?   I can’t do that.  Can you?  I doubt it.

          However, we read in the First Letter of St. John, chapter 4, verse 18: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.”

          Perfect love drives out fear.  If we could love perfectly, we could drive out all fear from our hearts.  But that is a pretty tall order.  Fortunately, the love with witch Jesus loves us IS perfect.  It is total and complete.  And so it has the power to drive out fear.  This is why St. John in the very next verse states: “We love because he first loved us.”  

           The love that Jesus has for you individually and particularly is both real and very powerful.  His love has conquered death.

          Brothers and sisters, the more we can open ourselves to the love Jesus has for each of us, the more we can love in return, and then we will be so whole, so holy, that we can let go of fear.  We are, each of us, God’s beloved children.  So do not be afraid. 

          AMEN.