Homily for the week of July 25, 2010

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 2010 PRAYER

Genesis 18:20-32

Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8

Colossians 2:12-14

Luke 11:1-13

I presume that when most of you think of prayer, you immediately think of asking God for something. We usually associate prayer with petition -- with asking. One day a man was desperately searching for a parking space in the church parking lot on a wedding day. He was the best man at the wedding and could not be late. So he said to God: God, I'll go to church every Sunday for the rest of my life, if you just find me a space. Suddenly a spot opened up. Oh, never mind, God, he says, I just found one.

When there is a tragedy or sickness or some other difficult event in a person's life we so often hear people say: I WILL PRAY FOR YOU. It amazes me when I hear a TV news reporter mention to a person they are interviewing I WILL PRAY FOR YOU. I don't know the person's religion or religious beliefs, but it seems OK to tell a person that we will pray for them. Prayer is a response to our relationship with God. Does prayer change us or the situation? Does prayer have the power to heal? While the healing power of prayer is difficult to answer scientific studies do demonstrate that religious people tend to live healthier lives and spend less time in hospitals.

In the Gospel today Jesus tells a story, followed by several sayings, to convey how extraordinarily loving and gracious God is and how much God wants to shower us with what is good. We don’t have to try to convince God to be generous toward us—that is the very thing God wants to do!

Jesus tells a story about a person who has a special need late at night, after a guest arrives unexpectedly. He goes to his neighbor to ask for bread to serve to the guest. Even though the neighbor and his family are sound asleep, surely he will respond. Jewish persons would be ashamed not to help someone in need, even late at night. Responsibility for a request for bread was both of the household and the village, who all shared responsibility for hospitality to the guest. It is completely unthinkable that a friend would act shamefully by denying a friend in need. A friend would most certainly give what is asked and more.

The point of the story is that God’s response to us when we are needy is like that of the generously giving friend. God stands ready and eager to open the door to whoever knocks and to give whatever we ask, just as parents desire to give good gifts to their children. We do not have to badger God or bargain with God to give us good things.

Jesus so often talked about prayer and went off for days by himself in order to pray. Like you and I he learned prayers and how to pray through his parents those who were in church with him.

So often persons have told me: I don't go to church regularly, but I pray every day. I praise them for praying every day, but suggest that we also learn prayers with others in Church. Churches are first of all places of prayer. You and I today participate in what is known as the Mass which is the Eucharistic Prayer. Church is the place where we are Baptized and get married. Baptism and Marriage are sacraments but they are also prayers. For most persons the church is the place when people come to spiritually fuel up for the week, and often to fill up the spiritual tank that runs on empty very often.

I am certain that all of you pray, but many adult Catholics pray as they did when they were little boys or girls. For them God is the Great Problem Solver, the one to whom we went to fix things, or change things. Our preferred way of praying was by reciting memorized prayers such as the Our Father or the Hail Mary over and over again with the number of repetitions in direct proportion to the desired outcome. We felt that we could force God to respond. This type of prayer is natural and human. It expresses our need for God.

The friends of John the Baptist were known for praying the prayer which John the Baptist had taught them. But Jesus had never taught his own friends his own prayer. And so they go to Jesus and say: Jesus, teach us how to pray. He tells them and us that prayer must includeASKING, SEEKING AND KNOCKING. And then he gives them the prayer what we know as theLORD'S PRAYER, or the OUR FATHER. The Lord's Prayer has become the classic that it is at least in part because it, like all good prayers, challenges the one who prays to a change of heart.

Prayer is as important to our spiritual life and health as is breathing to our physical life. Tell me how you pray and I will tell you how you live applies to all of us. . Abraham's conversation with God shows us prayer at its best. It is respectful, and it is intimate, it is two way, and it is something we can share with Jesus.

Prayer is the raising of our mind and heart to God. Prayer is requesting good things from God. Payer is a conversation with God. Prayer is talking to God, listening to God, and being with God. Prayer can help us. Prayer can heal us. Prayer can keep us out of trouble. Prayer can keep us healthy. When we stay connected to God, everything goes better. Prayer can teach us to be at peace

Homily for the Week of July 18, 2010

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2010

Genesis 18:1-10a Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 5 Colossians 1:24-28 Luke 10:38-42

Martha always gets a bad rap from today's Bible reading. In traditional interpretations of her story, she is said to be too preoccupied or anxious about the details of hospitality to attend well to her guest. Her sister Mary, by contrast, sits in rapt attention at Jesus’ feet, drinking in his every word. When Jesus declares that it is Mary who has “chosen the better part,” the message we are supposed to take away is that contemplation, rather than hospitality is the harder but better choice, and that no one can minister without first sitting and learning at Jesus’ feet. Finding the right balance between contemplation hospitality is a perennial challenge for most Christians.

Hospitality has always been — and remains — an important social requirement of Middle Eastern culture. How you treat strangers, how you greet people, how you welcome people into you home, how you serve people, all of these are very important. Failures in hospitality are perceived as insults. Breaches of hospitality on a high enough level could start a war.

Nomadic peoples had many enemies, and when strangers approached, the best thing to do was to treat them well so as to begin a relationship with respect. Abraham properly offered rest and food to the strangers coming out of the desert. They accepted his hospitality because, conversely, to refuse hospitality was itself an insult.

All was proper until the strangers asked Abraham where his wife was. Guests had no right to personal family information, and for strangers to ask about a man’s wife was tantamount to a threat. As startling as the breach of protocol was, Abraham’s response was also a startling break in protocol. He answered the question, which he should not have done! Why, we do not know, but the writer of Genesis called us to pay very close attention.

There are also serious breaches of cultural norms in today’s Gospel. Martha invited Jesus into “her” home. Women typically could not own property, so this was unusual. Jesus risked a scandal in accepting the invitation. A man was never to be alone with women without another man present. Then, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, the posture which describes a disciple of a teacher. Women typically could not be disciples, but Jesus allowed it! Finally, families were never to bring guests into a family dispute. Martha not only brought Jesus into her dispute with Mary, she actually told Jesus to correct Mary! They were lucky it was Jesus they had invited into their home. Anyone else would have left immediately because of the insult and spread the word far and wide about how rude Martha and Mary were. These breaches are also Luke’s way of saying, “Pay attention!”

Our Gospel today must be seen in light of last week’s Gospel passage for they are part of the same story. Cultural norms were turned upside down on purpose. Luke wanted his readers to see that religious expectations were being changed by Jesus. But, not only should today’s Gospel passage be seen in light of last week’s, it should be seen in light of its placement within Luke’s Gospel. Luke tells us that Mary and Martha were dear friends of Jesus. Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem but stopped to visit his friends.

Listeners to Luke would have identified themselves with the lawyer from last week and with Martha this week — both are examples of knowing and following the Law. The lawyer clearly knew the Law, and he was even incredibly insightful about how to inherit eternal life. He combined two passages in Deuteronomy into one, combining love of God and neighbor. Jesus was impressed, but He also knew the lawyer was not really focused on inheriting everlasting life. He was focused on tripping up Jesus in a legal debate.

Martha was doing what was expected while Mary was clearly violating cultural norms. When Martha confronted Jesus about this and told Him to order Mary to help her with the work of hospitality, Jesus did not. Rather, He said, “Mary has chosen the better part.” What is the better part?

The lawyer was not focused on Jesus. He was focused on an agenda. Nor was Martha focused on Jesus. Though she was faithfully fulfilling the expectations of hospitality, she had forgotten why the protocols were important. They were meant to serve the needs of guests. Instead, she was focused on the expectations of hospitality. The “better part” was proper focus on Jesus and what He was teaching.

Abraham did not realize that the objects of his hospitality were actually agents of God and the means by which “the Lord appeared to Abraham.” Abraham went overboard with his hospitality. This was far beyond expectations, but it serves to tell us how generous Abraham was. He went beyond the minimum. He saw more than “expectations,” he saw real service. So, what is our focus? Serving Jesus or serving something else?

Homily for the week of July 18, 2010

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2010

Deuteronomy 30:10-14

Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37 or Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11

Colossians 1:15-20

Luke 10:25-37

Most of you have heard many times the Gospel story known as the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus told the story because a lawyer who ask Jesus how he could be sure to get to heaven. Jesus says a man is robbed and left for dead on the side of the road. First a priest passes by, then a Levite, both of them professional religious types. But no one stops to help. Finally a Samaritan stops, bandages the man's wounds, takes him to a place for medical care, and promises to pay all the bills while the man recovers. It is a story about compassion and care for the hurting ones in our society, which is the reason so many hospitals and churches and social agencies bear the name of Good Samaritan today.

But what does the story try to tell us? Is it a reminder to pick up hitchhikers and gives coins to beggars at street corners. Or a call to give more of our money to hurting and victims? There are all kinds of good reasons for not stopping to help a stranger: It’s dangerous—what if the robbers are still lurking and attack me? I don’t have any professional skills or resources to help this person. If I move him and make his injuries worse he might sue me. And on and on.

I can easily talk myself out of any good deed, just like the lawyer in today’s Gospel. He knew what to do. He knew what his religious convictions prompted him to do. He was a good lawyer. He could recite the law perfectly. He also knew what his heart was urging him to do. He just needed somebody to reassure him that his rationalizations were well founded and that no one would expect him to do anything for some stranger in need.

It would have been easy for Jesus to give him the answer he wanted: “Yes, of course you’re right. It is not your responsibility to take care of this man on the side of the road. Someone better equipped will tend to him.” But Jesus does not. Jesus knows it will not be easy for this lawyer to hear his answer. So Jesus thinks a story will help the lawyer move out of his head and listen to his heart. There is, however, a twist to the story that Jesus tells.

The complication is that the lawyer would never identify with a hated Samaritan at the time of Jesus. Jews regarded Samaritans as half-breeds, as persons to be avoided like terrorists. From his perspective the lawyer would probably see himself more as the person in need at the side of the road. He would complain that the do gooders as priest and Levite passed by and did not help. To receive lavish aid after that from a despised Samaritan would make him uneasy enough to refuse the help.

The question is not really, “Who is my neighbor?” Deep down the lawyer knows that each human being and every creature are neighbor, all relying on one another in the fragile web of life. The lawyer does not want to admit this to himself because of what it will ask of him. In the depths of his heart, however, he knows what he must do to aid a fellow traveller in need. It is not really too hard or too mysterious to figure out, as Moses tells the Israelites in the first reading. You do not need someone to “go up in the sky” or “cross the sea.” How to live out God’s way as elaborated in the Bible is actually “something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out,” as Moses asserts.

Heeding the voice of God to know what is the right action and the right time requires deep listening, in silent prayer, in honest conversation with trusted friends and in openness to hearing the cries of needy neighbors at hand and throughout the globe. We do not know whether the lawyer let go of trying to justify himself and was able to “go and do likewise.” The story remains open-ended, inviting us to hear it addressed to ourselves. How will it end?

Who can I be neighbor to? My neighbor is any person I meet: the person I meet grocery shopping; the person driving the car ahead of me; Democrats and Republicans, Southerners and Northerners, freckled, tan, brown, yellow,; classmates; a baby or a senior citizen; the family next door; my family; Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, Muslims, those who have not yet found a faith; immigrants, a son or daughter tormented with shyness or confusion; the prisoner; the sinner and the saint. There are no limits to whom is our neighbor. There is no one who is NOT our neighbor. Consequently, we cannot ignore another's suffering no matter who they are or where they live. Our neighbor includes the whole human family.

Homily for the week of July 11, 2010

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2010

Isaiah 66:10-14c

Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

Galatians 6:14-18

Luke 10:1-12, 17-20 or 10:1-9

You've probably noticed that before any great job or event the leader gives special instructions to those who are to accomplish the job. Coaches give pep talks to athletes before the game; business managers do the same with their sales personnel; politicians with their campaign workers; and parents to their children when leaving the house.

It is reasonable to think that Jesus would do the same. In today's gospel Jesus gives his pep talk to the other 72 disciples as he sends them out two by two. He gives them two orders: their job is URGENT (it has to be done right away); and they are to rely on God rather than on material resources.

The job is urgent: "greet no one along the way" There is no time to waste; and the message is just as urgent. "The reign of God is at hand." God is demanding a decision right now: are you for him or against him? You can't have it both ways, Jesus says.

Jesus had already laid the groundwork. He had been preaching that He warns them that: "you are going to be treated like lambs among wolves. But they are to bring no weapons. They are to live and eat with those who invite them.

Just who are these other 72? They were not priests or nuns. They were lay people just like you. They were women and men. From the very beginning Jesus invites and asks persons like yourself to help him. He invites mothers and fathers; married and single; youth and senior citizens; teachers and students; correct officers and carpenters and bankers and store clerks and farmers; nurses and hospice workers; altar servers and lectors; those who take care of persons and those who take care of machines; volunteers of parish councils and fire departments and rescue squads and hospice; those who take time to visit and care for the sick and shut ins; those who hunt for lost children; members of the Knights of Columbus and workers unions; moms and dads who pray with their children at bedtime.

And what are they doing? Very simple. All of what I mentioned. In many ways they are sayingGod is near; God cares for you. And they give this message not in a well lighted classroom with an overhead projector hooked up to the latest computer technology, or a beautiful religion textbook, or a pulpit hooked up to a sound system, and Live Earth concerts with Madonna, and Fourth of July fireworks

God's hand reaches out to all of creation, bringing healing upon the terribly wounded human being. It is the wide open arms of Jesus offering to take in anyone regardless of who or what they have done; it is sick people who found out yesterday that they will soon die; the rich person and the poor person; the saints and the sinners; those who believe and those who do not believe. It is all of us who in some way need peace.

At Baptism we inherited our Catholic religion; we were made members of this church; and we were invited to make Jesus the center of how we life. But at that time as babies we were unable to make any decision as to how our life is to be lived. But now that we are older each of us individually can and must make the ongoing conscious decision to live our religion. Our faith must be so visible that we will be known or marked out as ones who try to live as Jesus taught us. And because of this others might be invited to live as we do.

Yes, who are the 72? They are you. You who today like yesterday, went out to announce the good news to those who have only heard bad news. At this Mass, renew again your desire and your faith that you will go out into your world, and by the way you live and the things you do let all persons know that God's kingdom, God's house, is truly near, and that it has room for everybody. It is only in sharing our faith that we will build our faith.

And if in some one way we might have missed the invitation or it got lost, Jesus invites you and me again to be one of those 72. He expects each one of us as disciples to go to every town and place to share his message. All of us are to imitate him; we are to copy his way of life. His call to us here in 2010 is just as urgent, or probably more urgent, as when he lived on earth. So, we first of all must be convinced of our own faith and its practice.

While we pray for workers to go out into the vineyard, we must realized that the vineyard is right here, But regardless of our age we are all under construction, a work in progress. We are often surrounded by orange cones.Those who respond to Jesus’ invitation to go out into the fields never go alone. We all have partners who rally in support of ua, ensuring that all together share in the joy of a successful harvest. Even if there were enough priests or nuns to do this work, all of you need to do it, because it is only in sharing our faith that we will build our faith.

Homily for the week of July 4, 2010

HOMILY, 13TH SUNDAY, YEAR C, 2010

As an old man walked the beach at dawn, he noticed a young man ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Finally catching up with with the young man, he asked him why he was doing this. The answer was that the stranded starfish would die if left until the morning sun. "But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish," said the old man. "How can your effort make any difference?" The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it to safety in the waves. "It makes a difference to this one," he said.

Our three readings today tells us that followers or disciples of God and Jesus must make a difference. Followers of Jesus are like volunteers.

We are given a check list and examples of what Jesus expects from those who volunteer for him. The first condition is to be homeless. That does not mean a person who travels the streets, but a person always willing to keep on doing more. Such an attitude changes the way we see things, and we do things. It is best expressed in the words of Peter: I WILL BE YOUR FOLLOWER WHEREVER YOU GO.

The next condition is that our religion must be practical. Religion must link our faith and our life. So often there is a split between the faith we profess in church and the way we conduct our daily lives. It must also be based on our commitments in life. Single persons, married persons, and priests are all challenged to be spiritual, but we come to that spirituality in different ways. For instance, when a man and woman decide to marry each other, they must say goodbye to their past understanding of themselves as single persons. Their married life together will no longer mean I, but We -- no longer Me but Us. Too often couples get married thinking that the 50/50 approach to living together will keep them together. But, they soon discover that this approach will soon lead them to devour one another as St. Paul mentions. Marriage means that both husband and wife give 100% to each other all the time. It is a vocation which requires total dedication. And this is only possible with unselfish love.

The next condition is that Jesus must be number 1. Many of those whom Jesus invited to be his volunteers had excuses, none of which were bad in themselves, but they showed a lack of priority. Some excuses were:

We must bury the dead person,

I'm not ready to turn everything over to the Lord yet.

I'll be with you some day, but give me a little more time.

Those who follow Jesus will be known by whether or not they leave all things behind, and do this immediately. It does not mean neglecting responsibilities of family, jobs, and other persons. But it implies a detachment from all that would prevent us from being willing to follow. We must be a person like Elijah who felt called and responded, ready to enter into the mystery of those who travel without knowing the destination.

Paul scolded the Galatians because they were wavering in their faith. We are called to live lives of integrity and freedom. But freedom isn't free, as the soldiers who fought our war of independence discovered. It can only be found in obedience to Jesus. It is the freedom to serve others. To some, such a "law" will be nothing but a restriction, a straitjacket to personal freedom. Before Jesus came laws did not make us free. They were restrictive. They were telling us don't do this or don't do that. With Jesus we don't only avoid bad things, but we are asked to do good things. Before Jesus laws were more concerned about how a bridge was built; but with Jesus, the quality of our faith is where does the bridge get us.

The lessons of today is that God's call must be answered without reservation or questioning. Today, right now Jesus is asking us to answer the invitation he issued years ago. He wants our wholehearted, joyful response.

For Jesus, freedom is not doing what we want when we want it and how we want it.

We are not offered a freedom from something.

We are offered a freedom for something.

Our freedom is a choice we make: do I want to live my life for myself, or do I want to live my life for God? In the end that is the only free choice that matters. That is also the choice that my conscience or your conscience makes for us when we have to choose between good or bad. We are free to choose. Let us choose Jesus who will set us free.

We honor this weekend young women and men who are taking a new turn in the road of their life as they graduate from the various high schools represented by our parish. They have had the opportunity to not only know about the world but perhaps, more importantly, to know about themselves. While we honor them, we also honor those many persons who helped to transform them from young boys and girls into young adults. These include their parents, their teachers and their role models and their religion. All of these have given them love.

Like the starfish, it is only in this way that we will be brought back to the water that gives us life.