September 28, 2008, 26th Sunday in OT, Cycle A

Today’s Gospel presents two sons, both of them portray most succinctly each one of us at different times in our lives, as we relate to God. There are times when we turn away, ignore the Voice–often at a distance from church, Mass and holy things. Other times, we are attending Mass, prayer groups, and Bible study groups, or maybe we’ve found spirituality in something else, but we’re practicing it....but, with all the “hoopla” of our practice, we know deep inside that we’ve closed ourselves off to what The Voice is asking of us. This is SO human and SO normal. So, how do we move? Change? Oh, it’s all a mystery–the Grace of God. We find ways to justify ourselves for a while–like what Ezekiel knew people in his day were saying: “The Lord’s way isn’t fair!” Or any number of other self-justifications for remaining pretty dense and ugly! Then, what happens? Somehow, we sense what God has done for us, in Christ, or in blessings more diverse, and we find ourselves on our knees! But, the readings call us NOT to stay on those knees; that’s not where we’re wanted! We are wanted “in the field” to which we were called by “our Father” in the first place, doing what we were asked to do. So, let’s get busy, shall we? 

September 21, 2008, 25th Sunday in OT, Cycle A

The Gospel, today, is strange and delightful because it’s strange! We’ve all heard it dozens of times, and each time, we’re vaguely uncomfortable, for we know we, too, would want more pay for a whole day’s work than what would be given someone for an hour’s lax effort. But, that really isn’t what the Gospel is about at all. If you look closely, you’ll see that land owner went to the town square 5 times throughout the day, and each time he takes everyone who is there. So, when he goes at the end--almost quitting time, and these ne’er-do-wells tell him, “Sir, we’ve been here all day, and no one would hire us,” he knows they’re lying! He's been there 5 times, and they were nowhere to be seen! He knows they’re lazy. He knows they don’t deserve “boo!” Yet, such is not the nature of our landowner. And at the end of the day, each gets what the landowner has to give, for that’s all he has to give. It’s a metaphor for “heaven,” if you will, or God’s love and care. In the end we all get to be with God. And that HAS to be enough! Some “turn” (a verb for repentance in the Bible) early, some of late, and most of us turn little by little, a bit now, a bit more tomorrow. But God’s love is constant and eternal for all His creation, which is why Isaiah realizes that His ways “are not our ways.” We’d have favorites! Or we would penalize! God sees it differently. It’s little by little, turning as we can, that we learn to “magnify Christ” in our lives, as Paul puts it, and this is its own reward, the one that keeps us into eternity. I don’t know about yours, but much of my life is spent avoiding getting hired! I’m “turning as I can,” a little at a time, and hope to be there by the 5 PM visit! May we with the maid of Nazareth say, “My soul does magnify the Lord!” God bless. 

September 14, 2008, 24th Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Can I ask you to look at something familiar through different lenses, just to see what it might reveal when seen in a different light? First the background: The first reading is a strange one: the Israelites are exhausted and grumpy, and they “complain against God and Moses.” This tells us that they are, truly, at the end of their tether. They’ve exhausted all others to blame, and now they are going for God! And, so, the Text says: “The Lord sent among the people ‘seraph serpents.’” Now, in Hebrew that means “a serpent of fire!” Like the “tongues of flame,” these serpents of light, attack, and people start to get sick and die. Then Moses makes the bronze serpent and lifts it up for all to see. WHY? Polished bronze in the ancient world was used as a MIRROR! This “shows” them what they’re doing! They’re striking out, like serpents, at each other and killing each other with their words. This “MIRROR” allows them to see what they’re doing and stop it. Thus will healing come, and the depth of Shalom. Now we come to a Gospel reading where Christ says, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent...so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever sees him might not perish but have eternal life.” Have you ever thought of Christ’s cross as a MIRROR? Showing us what we are doing to each other every day? Do you see the challenge this "lens" for viewing the Cross places on each of us? This Gospel is a plea to stop hurting each other for whatever reasons...just stop! And let the healing begin and the Shalom come. May we all know that healing and that peace. God bless. 

September 7, 2008: 23rd Sunday in OT, Cycle A

Today’s readings are all about living “blamelessly” on the earth, and we see from the outset that it’s next to hopeless! The prophet Ezekiel sees the problem: “I” may be avoiding some dangerous situation or behavior, but what if a friend is engaging in it, and I ignore it? How can I live with myself? The prophet senses he HAS to speak–for not to do so would be to consign a friend to awful pain that, with some help, he might have avoided. Jesus seems to touch on the same issues in the Gospel reading. The Church is not to be a “museum for saints,” but a hospital for sinners, and lots of folk are really floundering, when what they need is some direction. Christ says, “If he doesn’t heed you, treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.” Of course, that raises the question, “How should a Gentile or a tax collector be treated?” And Christ loved them! Dined with them. Made at least one a disciple. So...it’s not as “simple” a read as it first looked. For at the end of the day, we are called to “expand” our love, our circle of care. It’s in doing so that we “lift” ourselves and all humanity a little higher, which is why St Paul reminds the Romans that all duty to God and neighbor is summed up in loving care. This is the legacy we are asked to leave in our wake as we walk the earth--not a naive "blamelessness"--for who can live on the earth and not be somewhat sullied by it? But rather, the legacy we are to leave is a "care" for others that endures--through life's "thick and thin," through people's battles with their weaknesses. May we walk gently and love deeply and as broadly as Grace allows us!