MARK 11:1-10
THERE ARE FOUR STORIES OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST. WE'VE JUST HEARD MARK'S VERSION, AND WE WILL HEAR JOHN'S VERSION ON GOOD FRIDAY. THEY ARE ALL ARE DIFFERENT AND EMPHASIZE DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT WHICHEVER VERSION WE HEAR, WE HAVE THE QUESTION, “WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE, AND WHY SUCH A HORRIBLE DEATH?” SOME OF US HAVE WATCHED THAT MOVIE, “THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST”. SOME CRITICS FELT THAT THE BLOOD AND GORE WERE OVER THE TOP, AND MEL GIBSON WAS JUST TRYING TO SHOCK THE VIEWERS. BUT WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT CRUCIFIXION IN THOSE DAYS IS PROBABLY MORE CONSISTENT WITH GIBSON'S VISION THAN SO MANY IMAGES WE HAVE OF THE CROSS, WHERE THE SUFFERING OF JESUS ISN'T SO APPARENT. BUT THE PURPOSE OF CRUCIFIXION WAS NOT PRIMARILY TO PUT SOMEONE TO DEATH; IT WAS TO FRIGHTEN PEOPLE SO THAT THEY WOULD THINK TWICE BEFORE DOING WHAT THE CONDEMNED PERSON HAD DONE. THE MORE SCREAMING, THE MORE BLOOD, THE MORE WEEPING OF THE RELATIVES – THE MORE THE BETTER. AND EVEN AFTER THE PERSON DIED, SOMETIMES AFTER SEVERAL DAYS, THE BODY WAS LEFT ON THE CROSS AS A REMINDER THAT NO ONE TRIFLED WITH THE ROMAN EMPIRE. CRUCIFIXION THEN AS NOW WAS AN ACT OF TERRORISM.
JESUS HIMSELF TOLD HIS FOLLOWERS THAT THE HAD TO DIE; THAT WAS HIS DESTINY. BUT THEOLOGIANS HAVE WONDERED WHY? THERE ARE SEVERAL THEORIES. ONE IS THAT WHEN GOD THE FATHER SEES JESUS DYING, HE HAS PITY ON JESUS' BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THAT'S THE THEORY OF ATONEMENT – JESUS' DEATH COVERS OVER OUR SINS. ANOTHER THEORY IS THAT AFTER THE FALL OF ADAM, WE BECAME ENSLAVED TO SATAN. JESUS TRADED HIS OWN LIFE FOR OUR LIVES, AND GAVE HIMSELF OVER TO SATAN; BUT BEING GOD, HE ROSE AGAIN, ESCAPING FROM SATAN'S CLUTCHES. THAT'S THE THEORY OF RANSOM. AND THEN THERE IS THE THEORY OF SUBSTITUTION. MAN SINNED, AND GOD WAS OFFENDED, SO HE DEMANDED THAT MAN BE PUNISHED. JESUS ACCEPTED PUNISHMENT ON OUR BEHALF, SATISFYING THE FATHER'S NEED TO HAVE A VICTIM.
I DON'T LIKE ANY OF THESE IDEAS. JESUS HIMSELF TAUGHT THAT GOD WAS NOT VENGEFUL, LIKE A MEDEVIAL TYRANT; GOD IS LIKE THE LOVING FATHER IN THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON, WHO EVEN THOUGH HIS SON SINS AGAINST HIM, WAITS ANXIOUSLY AND WHEN THE SON RETURNS, REJOICES AND DEMANDS NOTHING FROM THE SON. WOULD THAT KIND OF GOD BE ANYTHING LIKE THE GOD IN THE THEORIES WE JUST MENTIONED? WOULD GOD WHO SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON DEMAND THE DEATH OF THAT BELOVED SON TO MAKE UP FOR THE SINS OF HIS OTHER CHILDREN, YOU AND I? WOULD A LOVING GOD STAND BY AND LET HIS CHILDREN BE ENSLAVED BY SATAN? I ACCEPT THAT JESUS HAD TO DIE FOR US, BUT THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY TO SEE THIS, A WAY THAT DOESN'T MAKE THE FATHER INTO A VILLAIN.
I THINK THE STORY OF THE PASSION MAY GIVE US A HINT. DID YOU NOTICE THAT AFTER JESUS WAS HUNG ON THE CROSS, HE WAS OFFERED A MIXTURE OF VINEGAR AND MYRRH, OR IN MATTHEW'S STORY, VINEGAR AND GALL? IN THOSE DAYS THE FAMILIES OF THE CRUCIFIED PERSON WOULD DO WHAT THEY COULD TO HELP THE PAIN – THEY MIGHT OFFER A SLEEPING POTION, OR A DOSE OF OPIUM, OR SOME OTHER PREPARATION THAT WOULD DULL THE SENSES, MAYBE PUT THE VICTIM TO SLEEP. AND JESUS REFUSES TO TAKE ANYTHING THAT WOULD LESSEN HIS SUFFERING. AND THEN LATER, SHORTLY BEFORE HE DIES, JESUS IS OFFERED WINE ON A SPONGE. IT IS OFFERED BECAUSE THE CROWD WANTS TO SEE IF ELIJAH WILL COME AND FREE HIM. AND THIS TIME HE DOES DRINK IT. AS HE FELT HIS LIFE LEAVING HIM, HE TOOK THE WINE; A LITTLE WINE ENERGIZES, AND JESUS ACCEPTED IT FOR THAT REASON. JESUS SUFFERED AS MUCH AS HE WAS ABLE TO SUFFER; AND BEING GOD, HIS SUFFERING WAS GREATER THAN THE SUFFERING OF ANY HUMAN BEING BEFORE OR AFTER HIM, FOREVER. JESUS IS NOT A MASOCHIST. HE DID, AFTER ALL, PRAY THAT THIS CUP WOULD BE TAKEN AWAY. BUT WHEN IT IS OBVIOUS THAT HIS PRAYER WON'T BE ANSWERED, HIS RESPONSE IS TO ENTER INTO THE FATHER'S PLAN FULLY. IN REFUSING THE DRUG AND TAKING THE STIMULATING WINE, HE SAYING, “YOUR WILL IS MY WILL”.
WE CAN'T FORGET THAT JESUS' SUFFERING WAS ONLY PART OF HIS WHOLE LIFE. HE BEGAN AS AN EMBRYO, LIKE ALL OF US. HE PASSED THROUGH INFANCY, CHILDHOOD, THE TEEN YEARS, AND ADULTHOOD. HE WORKED WITH HIS HANDS, HE STUDIED, HE FORMED FRIENDSHIPS AND HE KNEW JOY AND SORROW. AND THEN HE SUFFERED. GOD CHOSE TO BECOME HUMAN, AND LIVE THE LIFE OF EVERY HUMAN BEING. AND IN LIVING MY LIFE AND YOUR LIFE, HE ACCOMPANIES US IN OUR OWN LIVES. HE IS ALWAYS ONE STEP AHEAD; HE'S BEEN WHERE WE ARE GOING; AND NO MATTER HOW GREAT OUR SUFFERING MAY BE, HE WILL BE THERE WITH US, SINCE HE'S EXPERIENCED THAT. HE SUFFERED AS PART OF HIS PLAN TO LIVE YOUR LIFE AND MY LIFE SO THAT WHEN THE FATHER RAISES HIM FROM THE DEAD, HE IS STILL GOING AHEAD OF US MAKING RESURRECTION AND ETERNAL LIFE POSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHOM HE HAS ACCOMPANIED.
PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED WHY INNOCENT PEOPLE SUFFER, WHY THERE IS EVIL IN THE WORLD, WHY EVERYONE WHO IS BORN MUST DIE WHEN A GOOD GOD WOULD NOT WISH ANY OF THIS ON HIS CHILDREN. THE CHRISTIAN ANSWER, WHICH WE DEDUCE FROM THE STORY OF ADAM AND EVE, AND FROM OUR OWN EXPERIENCE AS WELL, IS THAT THE EVIL IN THE WORLD IS THE RESULT OF THE FACT THAT GOD MADE US CREATURES LIKE HIMSELF WHO ARE FREE TO MAKE AND CARRY OUT CHOICES. GOD KNOWS THAT BECAUSE HE MADE US FREE, WE WILL MAKE BAD CHOICES, WHICH WILL BRING SUFFERING ON OURSELVES AND ON OTHERS. AT THE SAME TIME, GOD KNOWS THAT ONLY FREE CREATURES CAN FORM RELATIONSHIPS, ESPECIALLY WITH GOD HIMSELF. FOR THERE TO BE LOVE, THERE HAS TO BE FREEDOM. SO GIVEN THOSE CONDITIONS, ALL GOD CAN DO IS WHAT HE DID DO, WHICH IS TO BECOME HUMAN SO WE CAN BECOME SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD..
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Fifth Sunday in Lent, cycle B
JOHN 12:20-33
I REMEMBER WHEN I ASKED MY WIFE TO MARRY ME. I WAS DEEPLY IN LOVE AND I KNEW I WANTED HER IN MY LIFE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. I KNEW SHE WOULD BE GOOD FOR ME. I KNEW MY LIFE WOULD BE BETTER THAN IT WAS. DO YOU HEAR AN ECHO? I LOVED HER, BUT IT WAS ALL ABOUT ME AND WHAT I WANTED. AFTER WE GOT MARRIED, I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT SHE WAS A HUMAN BEING WITH HER OWN WILL AND HER OWN LIST OF THINGS SHE WANTED. AND GRADUALLY I HAD TO MOVE OUT OF ME INTO US, AND SHE DID AS WELL. AND WHEN THE CHILDREN CAME ALONG, I HAD TO MOVE EVEN MORE OUT OF ME AND OUT OF US, INTO ALL OF US. AND YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T DO THIS PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY ALTHOUGH I'M SURE THAT WAS THERE. I MOVED OUT OF ME IN RESPONSE TO HER LOVE FOR ME, AND WE MOVED OUT OF US INTO ALL OF US BECAUSE OF OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER. AND NOW ALMOST 50 YEARS LATER, WITH THE CHILDREN GROWN AND THE TWO OF US BACK TO JUST US, WE HAVE BEEN CHANGED; NEITHER OF US CAN REALLY MAKE A MOVE WITHOUT THINKING HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT THE OTHER.
SOME GREEKS WANTED TO SEE JESUS. THEY ASK PHILIP, WHO ASKS ANDREW, AND THE TWO APOSTLES GO TO JESUS. BUT JESUS DOESN'T SAY YES OR NO, BUT SEEMS TO SPEAK AS THOUGH HE HASN'T EVEN HEARD WHAT HE WAS ASKED. AND WE NEVER DO FIND OUT IF THE GREEKS GOT TO SEE HIM.
WHAT MADE THEM WANT TO SEE JESUS? WAS IT BECAUSE THEY HAD HEARD HE HAD WORKED MIRACLES OF HEALING, RAISING THE DEAD, FEEDING HUGE CROWDS WITH ONLY A LITTLE BREAD? PROBABLY. AND YOU CAN'T BLAME THEM. I THINK A LOT OF US CHRISTIANS ARE LIKE THOSE GREEKS. WE WANT THINGS; IN FACT SOME MINISTERS PREACH SOMETHING CALLED THE “PROSPERITY GOSPEL” WHICH BASICALLY SAYS THAT IF YOU ENTER INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS, GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU – YOU MIGHT EVEN GET RICH. THERE ARE BOOKS YOU CAN BUY THAT TELL YOU HOW YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT ON A GOSPEL – BASED DIET, OR MAKE OTHER PEOPLE DO THINGS FOR YOU USING THE BIBLE AS A GUIDE. AND EVEN HERE IN OUR CHURCH YOU WILL SOMETIMES FIND LITTLE PAMPHLETS THAT TELL YOU IF YOU DO THE NOVENA TO SAINT JUDE NINE TIMES A DAY NINE DAYS IN A ROW AND LEAVE NINE COPIES OF THE NOVENA IN THE CHURCH EACH DAY, YOU WILL GET WHAT YOU ASK FOR NO LATER THAN THE EIGHTEENTH DAY AFTER STARTING. WE HUMAN BEINGS ARE ALWAYS PREPARED TO GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING, OR NEARLY NOTHING, AND IF WE COULD GET ON THE GOOD SIDE OF SOMEONE WHO CAN WORK MIRACLES, GREAT!
AND EVEN WHEN WE DON'T MEAN FOR THIS MESSAGE TO COME ACROSS, WE STILL DO IT INADVERTENTLY. IF A PASTOR WOULD LIKE TO GET HIS CONGREGATION TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE TO THE CHURCH, HE'S GOT TO SHOW THAT THIS IS IN THEIR INTEREST – BECAUSE IF YOU SIMPLY SAY THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVING MORE BECAUSE CHRISTIANS ARE SUPPOSED TO, THAT PROBABLY WON'T SOLVE THE CHURCH'S MONEY PROBLEMS. SO WE POINT OUT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP THE CHURCH WARMER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO FUND MINISTRIES BETTER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ATTEND TO MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER – IT'S IN YOUR AND MY INTEREST TO INCREASE OUR CONTRIBUTIONS,WHETHER OF MONEY OR TIME.
SO MAYBE JESUS IS ANSWERING THE GREEKS. MAYBE HE IS SAYING THAT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE JESUS, YOU HAVE TO SEE HIM DYING. THAT'S WHAT HE MEANS WHEN HE SAYS, “IF I AM LIFTED UP, I WILL DRAW ALL THINGS TO MYSELF.” GOD IS CALLING FORTH A NEW CREATION, AND IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, THERE HAS TO BE DEATH AND RESURRECTION. JESUS HAS TO DIE ON THE CROSS. AND IN HIS ANSWER, JESUS TELLS US THAT IF WE WANT TO BE PART OF THIS NEW CREATION, WE HAVE TO DIE AS WELL. UNLESS A SEED IS BURIED IN THE GROUND IT WILL NOT BEAR FRUIT. ONLY IF YOU HATE YOUR LIFE WILL YOU KEEP IT.
FOLLOWING JESUS TO HIS DEATH IS EASY IN ONE WAY. WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE. NOBODY WILL ESCAPE THAT. WE DON'T THINK ABOUT IT MUCH MOST OF THE TIME; IT'S ALMOST BUILT INTO OUR BIOLOGY TO TURN AWAY FROM SUCH THOUGHTS. SOME MONKS UPON ENTERING THE MONASTERY BUILD THEIR OWN COFFIN AND AFTERWARDS, SLEEP IN THE COFFIN EVERY NIGHT. THE FACT THAT THEY WILL DIE IS SOMETHING THEY LIVE WITH, AND BRINGING THAT TO MIND EVERY DAY MAKES EVERY MOMENT OF LIFE MORE TREASURED. SOMEONE SUGGESTED THAT WE CALCULATE HOW MANY WEEKS WE HAVE LEFT BEFORE WE REACH THE AGE ACTUARIES PREDICT WE WILL DIE. THEN EACH WEEK, WRITE THE NEXT LOWER NUMBER. I HAVE 416 MORE WEEKS IN MY LIFE. I HAD 417 LAST SATURDAY.
SO FOLLOWING JESUS TO HIS DEATH IS EASY. WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT OUR DEATHS BECAUSE IT MAKES THE TIME WE HAVE MORE PRECIOUS.
BUT GOD HAS INITIATED A NEW CREATION IN JESUS, AND THAT'S WHAT RESURRECTION IS ALL ABOUT. AND WE WHO ARE BAPTIZED HAVE BEEN INVITED TO BE PART OF THE NEW CREATION. BAPTISM, AFTER ALL, IS A SYMBOL OF DYING AND RISING AGAIN – DYING BECAUSE WE GO UNDER THE WATER; RISING BECAUSE WE COME OUT OF THE WATER AS THOUGH WE ARE BEING REBORN. THE WORK OF OUR BAPTISM IS NOT A ONE-TIME EVENT, IT IS ON-GOING; GOD IN CHRIST IS PUTTING TO DEATH OUR SINFUL SELVES, WHO GIVE ONLY IN THE HOPES OF GETTING, AND RAISING UP NEW CHILDREN WHO GIVE LOVE AWAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN INFINITE LOVE. IN GOD'S PLAN, THAT IS HOW THE WORLD WILL SOMEDAY BE. BUT WE WHO HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED ARE CALLED TO LIVE THIS FUTURE IN THE PRESENT, TO LIVE THE FUTURE AS THOUGH IT WERE ALREADY HERE. FOLLOWING JESUS MEANS FOLLOWING HIS WAY OF BEING IN OUR WORLD.
SO IT ALL BEGINS WITH SEEING JESUS CLEARLY, DYING FOR US AND WITH US. IT'S THERE THAT WE SEE HIM FOR WHO HE TRULY IS, AND WHAT HE CAME TO DO. AND WHEN WE SEE HIM AS HE TRULY IS, WE HAVE THE FAITH TO FOLLOW HIM TO DEATH AND GOD'S NEW LIFE, AND LIVE IN GOD'S FUTURE NOW. WHEN WE SEE JESUS LIFTED UP ON THE CROSS, WE REALIZE THAT THIS IS THE ONLY PATH TO ETERNAL LIFE.
BEFORE I GOT ENGAGED I WAS THE CENTER OF MY WORLD. BUT ONCE I GOT MARRIED, LOVE – GRADUALLY, NOT SUDDENLY – MOVED MY CENTER TO MY WIFE AND MY CHILDREN. GOD'S WORK IN US, GOD'S NEW CREATION, IS SOMETHING LIKE WHAT HAPPENS IN A LOVING MARRIAGE – HE MOVES US OUT OF OURSELVES INTO THE TRINITY – BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE, AND JESUS DYING FOR US AND SHOWING US THE WAY TO RESURRECTION IS THE ASSURANCE OF THAT LOVE.
I REMEMBER WHEN I ASKED MY WIFE TO MARRY ME. I WAS DEEPLY IN LOVE AND I KNEW I WANTED HER IN MY LIFE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. I KNEW SHE WOULD BE GOOD FOR ME. I KNEW MY LIFE WOULD BE BETTER THAN IT WAS. DO YOU HEAR AN ECHO? I LOVED HER, BUT IT WAS ALL ABOUT ME AND WHAT I WANTED. AFTER WE GOT MARRIED, I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT SHE WAS A HUMAN BEING WITH HER OWN WILL AND HER OWN LIST OF THINGS SHE WANTED. AND GRADUALLY I HAD TO MOVE OUT OF ME INTO US, AND SHE DID AS WELL. AND WHEN THE CHILDREN CAME ALONG, I HAD TO MOVE EVEN MORE OUT OF ME AND OUT OF US, INTO ALL OF US. AND YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T DO THIS PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY ALTHOUGH I'M SURE THAT WAS THERE. I MOVED OUT OF ME IN RESPONSE TO HER LOVE FOR ME, AND WE MOVED OUT OF US INTO ALL OF US BECAUSE OF OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER. AND NOW ALMOST 50 YEARS LATER, WITH THE CHILDREN GROWN AND THE TWO OF US BACK TO JUST US, WE HAVE BEEN CHANGED; NEITHER OF US CAN REALLY MAKE A MOVE WITHOUT THINKING HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT THE OTHER.
SOME GREEKS WANTED TO SEE JESUS. THEY ASK PHILIP, WHO ASKS ANDREW, AND THE TWO APOSTLES GO TO JESUS. BUT JESUS DOESN'T SAY YES OR NO, BUT SEEMS TO SPEAK AS THOUGH HE HASN'T EVEN HEARD WHAT HE WAS ASKED. AND WE NEVER DO FIND OUT IF THE GREEKS GOT TO SEE HIM.
WHAT MADE THEM WANT TO SEE JESUS? WAS IT BECAUSE THEY HAD HEARD HE HAD WORKED MIRACLES OF HEALING, RAISING THE DEAD, FEEDING HUGE CROWDS WITH ONLY A LITTLE BREAD? PROBABLY. AND YOU CAN'T BLAME THEM. I THINK A LOT OF US CHRISTIANS ARE LIKE THOSE GREEKS. WE WANT THINGS; IN FACT SOME MINISTERS PREACH SOMETHING CALLED THE “PROSPERITY GOSPEL” WHICH BASICALLY SAYS THAT IF YOU ENTER INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS, GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU – YOU MIGHT EVEN GET RICH. THERE ARE BOOKS YOU CAN BUY THAT TELL YOU HOW YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT ON A GOSPEL – BASED DIET, OR MAKE OTHER PEOPLE DO THINGS FOR YOU USING THE BIBLE AS A GUIDE. AND EVEN HERE IN OUR CHURCH YOU WILL SOMETIMES FIND LITTLE PAMPHLETS THAT TELL YOU IF YOU DO THE NOVENA TO SAINT JUDE NINE TIMES A DAY NINE DAYS IN A ROW AND LEAVE NINE COPIES OF THE NOVENA IN THE CHURCH EACH DAY, YOU WILL GET WHAT YOU ASK FOR NO LATER THAN THE EIGHTEENTH DAY AFTER STARTING. WE HUMAN BEINGS ARE ALWAYS PREPARED TO GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING, OR NEARLY NOTHING, AND IF WE COULD GET ON THE GOOD SIDE OF SOMEONE WHO CAN WORK MIRACLES, GREAT!
AND EVEN WHEN WE DON'T MEAN FOR THIS MESSAGE TO COME ACROSS, WE STILL DO IT INADVERTENTLY. IF A PASTOR WOULD LIKE TO GET HIS CONGREGATION TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE TO THE CHURCH, HE'S GOT TO SHOW THAT THIS IS IN THEIR INTEREST – BECAUSE IF YOU SIMPLY SAY THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVING MORE BECAUSE CHRISTIANS ARE SUPPOSED TO, THAT PROBABLY WON'T SOLVE THE CHURCH'S MONEY PROBLEMS. SO WE POINT OUT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP THE CHURCH WARMER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO FUND MINISTRIES BETTER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ATTEND TO MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER – IT'S IN YOUR AND MY INTEREST TO INCREASE OUR CONTRIBUTIONS,WHETHER OF MONEY OR TIME.
SO MAYBE JESUS IS ANSWERING THE GREEKS. MAYBE HE IS SAYING THAT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE JESUS, YOU HAVE TO SEE HIM DYING. THAT'S WHAT HE MEANS WHEN HE SAYS, “IF I AM LIFTED UP, I WILL DRAW ALL THINGS TO MYSELF.” GOD IS CALLING FORTH A NEW CREATION, AND IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, THERE HAS TO BE DEATH AND RESURRECTION. JESUS HAS TO DIE ON THE CROSS. AND IN HIS ANSWER, JESUS TELLS US THAT IF WE WANT TO BE PART OF THIS NEW CREATION, WE HAVE TO DIE AS WELL. UNLESS A SEED IS BURIED IN THE GROUND IT WILL NOT BEAR FRUIT. ONLY IF YOU HATE YOUR LIFE WILL YOU KEEP IT.
FOLLOWING JESUS TO HIS DEATH IS EASY IN ONE WAY. WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE. NOBODY WILL ESCAPE THAT. WE DON'T THINK ABOUT IT MUCH MOST OF THE TIME; IT'S ALMOST BUILT INTO OUR BIOLOGY TO TURN AWAY FROM SUCH THOUGHTS. SOME MONKS UPON ENTERING THE MONASTERY BUILD THEIR OWN COFFIN AND AFTERWARDS, SLEEP IN THE COFFIN EVERY NIGHT. THE FACT THAT THEY WILL DIE IS SOMETHING THEY LIVE WITH, AND BRINGING THAT TO MIND EVERY DAY MAKES EVERY MOMENT OF LIFE MORE TREASURED. SOMEONE SUGGESTED THAT WE CALCULATE HOW MANY WEEKS WE HAVE LEFT BEFORE WE REACH THE AGE ACTUARIES PREDICT WE WILL DIE. THEN EACH WEEK, WRITE THE NEXT LOWER NUMBER. I HAVE 416 MORE WEEKS IN MY LIFE. I HAD 417 LAST SATURDAY.
SO FOLLOWING JESUS TO HIS DEATH IS EASY. WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT OUR DEATHS BECAUSE IT MAKES THE TIME WE HAVE MORE PRECIOUS.
BUT GOD HAS INITIATED A NEW CREATION IN JESUS, AND THAT'S WHAT RESURRECTION IS ALL ABOUT. AND WE WHO ARE BAPTIZED HAVE BEEN INVITED TO BE PART OF THE NEW CREATION. BAPTISM, AFTER ALL, IS A SYMBOL OF DYING AND RISING AGAIN – DYING BECAUSE WE GO UNDER THE WATER; RISING BECAUSE WE COME OUT OF THE WATER AS THOUGH WE ARE BEING REBORN. THE WORK OF OUR BAPTISM IS NOT A ONE-TIME EVENT, IT IS ON-GOING; GOD IN CHRIST IS PUTTING TO DEATH OUR SINFUL SELVES, WHO GIVE ONLY IN THE HOPES OF GETTING, AND RAISING UP NEW CHILDREN WHO GIVE LOVE AWAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN INFINITE LOVE. IN GOD'S PLAN, THAT IS HOW THE WORLD WILL SOMEDAY BE. BUT WE WHO HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED ARE CALLED TO LIVE THIS FUTURE IN THE PRESENT, TO LIVE THE FUTURE AS THOUGH IT WERE ALREADY HERE. FOLLOWING JESUS MEANS FOLLOWING HIS WAY OF BEING IN OUR WORLD.
SO IT ALL BEGINS WITH SEEING JESUS CLEARLY, DYING FOR US AND WITH US. IT'S THERE THAT WE SEE HIM FOR WHO HE TRULY IS, AND WHAT HE CAME TO DO. AND WHEN WE SEE HIM AS HE TRULY IS, WE HAVE THE FAITH TO FOLLOW HIM TO DEATH AND GOD'S NEW LIFE, AND LIVE IN GOD'S FUTURE NOW. WHEN WE SEE JESUS LIFTED UP ON THE CROSS, WE REALIZE THAT THIS IS THE ONLY PATH TO ETERNAL LIFE.
BEFORE I GOT ENGAGED I WAS THE CENTER OF MY WORLD. BUT ONCE I GOT MARRIED, LOVE – GRADUALLY, NOT SUDDENLY – MOVED MY CENTER TO MY WIFE AND MY CHILDREN. GOD'S WORK IN US, GOD'S NEW CREATION, IS SOMETHING LIKE WHAT HAPPENS IN A LOVING MARRIAGE – HE MOVES US OUT OF OURSELVES INTO THE TRINITY – BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE, AND JESUS DYING FOR US AND SHOWING US THE WAY TO RESURRECTION IS THE ASSURANCE OF THAT LOVE.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Fourth Sunday in Lent, cycle B
JOHN 3:14-21
ONE TIME A SMALL GRANDCHILD WITH WHOM
I AM ACQUAINTED WAS BEING PUNISHED FOR REPEATEDLY IGNORING HIS
MOTHER'S ORDERS. TOTALLY FRUSTRATED, HE SAID TO HER, “I HATE
YOU!”. EVERYTHING WAS VERY QUIET UNTIL THE MOTHER SAID, “WELL, I
LOVE YOU.” THE CHILD REPLIED ANGRILY, “I DON'T WANT YOU TO LOVE
ME, I HATE YOU!” THE MOTHER REPLIED, “WELL, I LOVE YOU WHETHER
YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.”
THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE WAY GOD LOVES
US. HE DOESN'T ASK OUR PERMISSION TO LOVE US, TO SEND US HIS ONLY
BEGOTTEN SON. HE DOESN'T REQUIRE THAT WE LOVE HIM BACK, IN HIS PLAN;
HE WANTS TO SAVE US, HE WANTS TO REDEEM THE WORLD. BUT IN THIS
GOSPEL PASSAGE, THERE IS THAT PHRASE, “FOR AS MANY AS BELIEVE IN
HIM WILL NOT BE CONDEMNED; BUT THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN HIM HAVE
ALREADY BEEN CONDEMNED.” SO IT WOULD SEEM THAT BELIEVING IN JESUS
IS PRETTY IMPORTANT – BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT'S EVEN MORE
IMPORTANT, BECAUSE OUR ETERNITY DEPENDS ON GETTING THIS RIGHT.
THE NEW TESTAMENT IS FULL OF
REFERENCES TO BELIEVING IN JESUS, TO HAVING FAITH, WHICH IS MUCH THE
SAME THING. AND AS SAINT PAUL TELLS US IN THE LETTER WE HEARD TODAY,
THERE REALLY ISN'T ANYTHING YOU AND I CAN DO TO INFLUENCE GOD; IF WE
ARE SAVED, IT IS THROUGH FAITH. BOTH THE GOSPEL AND THE EPISTLE
TODAY EMPHASIZE THAT GOD TAKES THE INITIATIVE. WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR
NOT, HE GIVES US SALVATION. BUT BOTH THE GOSPEL AND THE EPISTLE SEEM
TO IMPLY THAT GOD'S GIFT IS NOT THE WHOLE STORY. SOMETHING HAS TO
HAPPEN ON OUR PARTS.
I HAVE ANOTHER STORY. ONCE THERE WAS
A LITTLE GIRL WHO HAD A PLASTIC NECKLACE, ONE OF THOSE THINGS MADE
WITH DIFFERENT COLORED BEADS. SHE LOVED THE NECKLACE, AND WOULDN'T
TAKE IT OFF, EVEN TO SLEEP, EVEN TO TAKE A BATH. ONE DAY HER FATHER
SAID TO HER, “I'D LIKE YOU TO GIVE ME YOUR NECKLACE.” THE LITTLE
GIRL LAUGHED AND SAID, NO! BUT THE FATHER PERSISTED. EVERY
EVENING, AFTER BEDTIME PRAYERS, HE SAID, “I'D REALLY LIKE YOU TO
GIVE ME YOUR NECKLACE.!” AND SHE WOULD SAY “NO!” FINALLY, ONE
DAY WHEN HE ASKED HER THIS QUESTION, SHE BROKE INTO TEARS AND TOOK
THE NECKLACE OFF AND HANDED IT TO HIM. THE FATHER REACHED INTO HIS
POCKET AND BROUGHT OUT A BEAUTIFUL NECKLACE MADE WITH RUBIES AND
SAPPHIRES AND OTHER PRECIOUS STONES, AND PUT IT AROUND HER NECK.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT JESUS IS TALKING
ABOUT. WE HUMAN BEINGS CAN'T DO A SINGLE THING TO WIN OUR SALVATION
– NO AMOUNT OF GOOD WORKS IS GOING TO DO IT. THE ONLY THING WE CAN
DO IS LET GO – LET GO OF THE IDEA THAT WE ARE IN CHARGE OF OUR OWN
DESTINY; LET GO OF THE NOTION THAT GOD WILL BE SATISFIED WITH THE
PART OF ME I'M WILLING TO GIVE HIM; LET GO OF THE IDEA THAT GOD CAN'T
REALLY BE TRUSTED AND I HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON. AND
THESE IDEAS ARE NATURAL TO US, AND THE BIGGEST BARRIERS TO BELIEVING
IN HIM.
THAT'S WHAT JESUS IS REFERRING TO WHEN
HE SAYS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHT CAME INTO THE WORLD, THERE WERE
SOME WHO PREFERRED DARKNESS TO LIGHT. SOMETIMES WE THINK THAT WE SIN
AND GOD THEN OFFERS GRACE SO THAT WE CAN BE FORGIVEN. IT'S THE
OPPOSITE. GOD GIVES IS ALWAYS SHOWERING US WITH GRACE, AND
SOMETIMES WE RECOIL FROM ALL THAT LOVE AND THAT IS THE ORIGIN OF SIN.
IF WE RECOIL FROM GOD'S GRACE, IF WE PREFER THE DARKNESS TO THE
LIGHT, WHAT WE TRY TO ACCOMPLISH IS EVIL, THAT IS, NOT OF GOD. SUCH
WORKS ARE STERILE, THEY DID NOT BEAR FRUIT, THEY DID NOT ACCOMPLISH
ANY GOOD. WHEN WE ALLOW GOD TO WORK IN US, WHEN WE EMBRACE THE
LIGHT, OUR WORKS ARE CLEARLY SEEN AS BEING DONE IN GOD, BECAUSE THEY
BEAR FRUIT, THEY ACCOMPLISH WHAT GOD WANTS THEM TO ACCOMPLISH..
SAINT PAUL SAYS MUCH THE SAME THING; “WE ARE HIS HANDIWORK,
CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR THE GOOD WORKS THAT GOD HAS PREPARED IN
ADVANCE...”.
MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT JESUS WAS A
HISTORICAL PERSON, NOT A MYTH. MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE HE WAS A WISE MAN
AND AN INFLUENTIAL TEACHER – IT'S HARD NOT TO BELIEVE THAT IF YOU
COUNT THE MORE THAN TWO BILLION PEOPLE ON THIS EARTH WHO IDENTIFY AS
CHRISTIANS. A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE BELIEVE JESUS WAS A PROPHET
SENT FROM GOD. HINDUS BELIEVE HE WAS ONE OF MANY; MUSLIMS BELIEVE HE
WAS THE GREATEST PROPHET AFTER MOHAMMED, AND WILL COME AGAIN AT THE
END OF TIME TO LEAD THE FAITHFUL IN A BATTLE AGAINST THE ENEMY –
WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS THE MESSAGE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS.
AUTHENTIC CHRISTIANS BELIEVE THAT IN ADDITION TO ALL THIS, JESUS IS
GOD INCARNATE, GOD BECOME MAN, GOD BREAKING INTO THE WORLD OF MATTER
AND ENERGY THAT WE INHABIT. SO BELIEF CAN TAKE MANY FORMS. BUT
SAINTS BELIEVE IN JESUS. FOR A SAINT, BELIEF IS MUCH MORE THAN
ACCEPTING SOMETHING AS FACT WITHOUT STRICT SCIENTIFIC PROOF. FOR A
SAINT, BELIEF IN JESUS IS SOMETHING LIKE THE LITTLE GIRL WHO GAVE HER
TOY NECKLACE TO HER FATHER – SHE DID THIS TRUSTING THAT HE KNEW
BETTER THAN SHE DID, THAT HE WOULD SEE TO IT THAT THINGS CAME OUT
RIGHT IN THE END. A SAINT TURNS OVER HIS OWN WILL TO JESUS, TRUSTING
THAT BEING LED BY JESUS IS A FAR BETTER THING THAN GOING HIS OWN WAY.
A SAINT SURRENDERS TO THE LIGHT.
DURING THIS LENT, LET US SEEK OUT
JESUS AND GIVE HIM CONTROL OF OUR LIVES. HE PROMISED US THAT IF WE
DO SO, WE WILL BE GLAD WE DID.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Third Sunday in Lent, cycle B
JOHN 2:13-25
THE OLD TESTAMENT IS FULL OF PROPHETS
WHO PERFORM PROPHETIC ACTIONS. UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF GOD THEY
WOULD ACT OUT A MESSAGE. EVENTUALLY PEOPLE WOULD ASK, WHAT IS ALL
THAT ABOUT? AND THEY WOULD THEN GIVE THE ANSWER. JEREMIAH WAS TOLD
TO TAKE AN EARTHEN POT AND BREAK IT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE. WHEN
ASKED, HE SAID THAT THIS WAS WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ISRAEL,
BECAUSE OF THEIR UNFAITHFULNESS. EZECHIEL WAS THE MASTER OF
PROPHETIC ACTIONS. HE WAS TOLD BY GOD TO LAY ON HIS SIDE FOR 300
DAYS, SO HE DID. WHEN ASKED, HE TOLD THE PEOPLE THAT THIS WAS HOW
LONG THEIR EXILE WAS GOING TO LAST. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, HIS WIFE
DIED. HE DID NOT MOURN PUBLICLY, AS EVERYONE EXPECTED HIM TO. THE
LESSON WAS THAT ALL THE EXILED ISRAELITES MIGHT AS WELL SETTLE DOWN
AND QUIT MOURNING THEIR LOST TEMPLE AND HOMELAND, BECAUSE THEY WERE
GOING TO BE GONE A LONG TIME. WELL, YOU GET THE IDEA.
I THINK THAT'S HOW WE SHOULD LOOK AT
TODAY'S GOSPEL. JESUS WAS PERFORMING A PROPHETIC ACTION.
IF YOU WERE A JEW, THE TEMPLE WAS THE
VERY CENTER OF YOUR RELIGION. THANKS TO CYRUS, THE RULER OF PERSIA,
THE JEWS HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY
BEEN DESTROYED. THE GREEKS, AND LATER THE ROMANS, ALLOWED THE JEWS
TO WORSHIP THEIR OWN GOD IN THEIR OWN TEMPLE, A PRIVILEGE NOT
EXTENDED TO ANY OTHER PEOPLE. FOR THE JEWS, THE TEMPLE WAS GOD'S
DWELLING ON EARTH. THE TEMPLE WAS LAID OUT LIKE A RECTANGLE; AT ONE
END WAS THE HOLY OF HOLIES, A ROOM WHICH COULD ONLY BE ENTERED BY THE
HIGH PRIEST AND ONLY ONCE A YEAR. THE NEXT ROOM WAS THE COURT OF
PRIESTS, THEN THE COURT IN WHICH JEWISH MEN IN GOOD STANDING COULD
ENTER. BEHIND THAT COURT WAS THE COURT OF WOMEN. AND FINALLY,
BEHIND THAT WAS THE COURT OF THE GENTILES. THESE WERE SPECIAL
GENTILES – PEOPLE WHO WORSHIPED THE JEWISH GOD BUT HADN'T
CONVERTED. SURROUNDING THE TEMPLE WAS A COURTYARD, AND THEN A LARGE
WALL, FENCING OFF THE TEMPLE AND ITS GROUNDS FROM THE REST OF THE
WORLD. IN THE COURTYARD, MONEY CHANGERS AND PEOPLE SELLING ANIMALS
PLIED THEIR TRADE. FOR THE JEWS, THIS WAS ACTUALLY A GOOD AND
IMPORTANT THING; IF YOU WANTED TO OFFER A SACRIFICE, ONLY A PERFECT
ANIMAL WOULD DO, AND THE ANIMALS BEING SOLD IN THE COURTYARD HAD BEEN
CERTIFIED ACCEPTABLE. BUT IF YOU WANTED TO BUY AN ANIMAL FOR
SACRIFICE, YOU DIDN'T WANT TO USE ORDINARY MONEY, SO YOU CHANGED YOUR
MONEY FOR TEMPLE MONEY. THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T
ALLOWED ON THE TEMPLE GROUNDS. LEPERS, PEOPLE WITH DEFORMITIES,
PEOPLE WHO DID BUSINESS WITH OR FOR THE ROMANS; SAMARITANS, PEOPLE
WHO WERE KNOWN TO BE SINNERS, AND OF COURSE SHEPHERDS AND TANNERS AND
OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD TRADES WHERE THEY COULDN'T HELP BUT BE UNCLEAN.
WOMEN WHO HAD RECENTLY HAD A BABY COULDN'T GET IN EITHER; NOR COULD
MOST GENTILES.
IN THE BOOK OF ISAIAH, GOD SAYS, “MY
HOUSE WILL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL PEOPLE”. BUT AS YOU CAN
SEE, THERE WERE VERY FEW PEOPLE WHO COULD PRAY IN THE TEMPLE.
THE OTHER THING ABOUT THE TEMPLE WAS
THAT IT HAD INDEED BECOME A PLACE WHERE YOU HAD TO BUY ACCESS TO GOD.
OF COURSE THAT HAD GONE ON FOR A LONG TIME, NOT ONLY AMONG THE JEWS
BUT ALL THROUGH THE WORLD. BUT THE PRINCIPLE WAY YOU WORSHIPED GOD
WAS BY SACRIFICE, AND SACRIFICES COST MONEY. AND THAT AUTOMATICALLY
SEPARATED PEOPLE. YOU REMEMBER HOW JOSEPH AND MARY COULD NOT AFFORD
A LAMB, SO THEY OFFERED TWO PIGEONS AT THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS.
THAT SEPARATED POOR PEOPLE FROM RICH PEOPLE.
TEMPLE JUDAISM HAD GOTTEN MORE AND
MORE RESTRICTIVE, MORE AND MORE EXCLUSIVE. BEFORE YOU COULD EVEN GO
INTO THE TEMPLE, YOU HAD TO KNOW YOUR STATUS, YOUR PLACE. THAT'S WHY
THE PHARISEE STOOD IN THE FRONT OF THE MEN'S COURT, AND THE TAX
COLLECTOR IN THE FAR BACK.
WHEN THE JEWS ASKED JESUS WHY HE WAS
DOING THIS, WHY HE WAS DRIVING OUT ALL THE MERCHANTS AND MONEY
CHANGERS, THEY RECOGNIZED THAT HE WAS DOING A PROPHETIC ACTION.
INSTEAD OF ARRESTING HIM FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT, THEY WANTED HIM TO
EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANT. AND JESUS TELLS THEM “DESTROY THIS TEMPLE
AND IN THREE DAYS I WILL RAISE IT UP.”
JOHN WRITES THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT
HIS BODY AND THE RESURRECTION HE WOULD UNDERGO, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY
TRUE. BUT JESUS IS ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE VISION OF ISAIAH, IN WHICH
ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD WOULD STREAM TO THE HEAVENLY TEMPLE IN
JERUSALEM. ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WOULD COME TO THE TEMPLE
PROPHESIED BY EZECHIEL, FROM WHICH STREAMS OF LIVING WATER WOULD
FLOW.
JESUS IS THE NEW TEMPLE. JESUS IS
WHERE YOU AND I GO TO FIND GOD. JESUS, BEING MAN AND THEREFORE OUR
BROTHER, IS GOD AS WELL. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN ENTER THE TEMPLE IS TO
GET TO KNOW JESUS. AND JESUS PUTS NO RESTRICTIONS ON PEOPLE. ANYONE
CAN APPROACH HIM, ANYONE CAN BE HIS BROTHER OR SISTER. HE WAITS FOR
US TO COME TO HIM.
THE OLD TEMPLE HAD BECOME JUST THE
OPPOSITE OF WHAT GOD WANTED. IT WAS RESTRICTIVE, IT DIVIDED PEOPLE
FROM EACH OTHER. IT EXCLUDED PEOPLE AND REMINDED THOSE WHO WERE
INCLUDED THAT SOME WERE BETTER THAN OTHERS. IT SAID THAT HOLINESS
HAD TO DO WITH HOLY MONEY AND PERFECT SACRIFICES, AND KEEPING OUT
THE WORLD. THE NEW TEMPLE SAID THAT ALL WERE INVITED, THAT THOSE WHO
WERE IN THE TEMPLE REACHED OUT TO THOSE WHO WEREN'T. IT SAID THAT
THE WHOLE WORLD WAS HOLY, NOT JUST A SMALL SPACE.
JESUS IS THE NEW TEMPLE. DURING THIS
LENT MAY WE LOOK AT OURSELVES AND FIND OUT WHETHER WE WORSHIP IN THE
OLD TEMPLE OR THE NEW TEMPLE. THANK GOD.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Second Sunday in Lent, Cycle B
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT, CYCLE B
MARK 9:2-10
A FEW YEARS AGO SOME CIRCUMSTANCES FELL INTO PLACE ALLOWING MY WIFE AND I TO SPEND SOME TIME IN BOULDER, COLORADO. ONE DAY WE DROVE INTO THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK AND PARKED IN ONE OF THE PARKING AREAS. WE DECIDED TO FOLLOW A TRAIL FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT THE LITTLE WHILE TURNED INTO ABOUT THREE HOURS. AS WE ASCENDED THE LANDSCAPE GRADUALLY CHANGED. ALL THE WAY WE HIKED ALONG A RUSHING STREAM INSTERSPERCED BY BEAUTIFUL LAKES, EACH DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER.. FINALLY WE REACHED THE END OF THE TRAIL AND SAT BESIDE THE HIGHEST LAKE, IN A BASIN WITH ALMOST VERTICAL GRANITE SIDES, STRETCHING UP TO MOUNTAIN PEAKS WHICH WERE IMPOSSIBLY HIGH. WE SIMPLY SAT AND LOOKED, AND FORGOT EVERYTHING FOR A FEW MINUTES, AS WE JUST TOOK IN THE MAJESTY AND SHEER BEAUTY OF WHAT WAS BEFORE US. AND WE EXPERIENCED SOME REGRET AS WE TURNED OUR BACKS AND STARTED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. WE KNEW THAT EVEN IF WE CAME BACK TO THAT SAME SPOT, IT WOULDN'T BE THE SAME. AND WE WONDERED WHEN WE WOULD EVER HAVE ANOTHER EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT ONE.
YOU MIGHT CALL THAT A MOUNTAINTOP EXPERIENCE. MAYBE THAT'S WHY JESUS TOOK HIS THREE FAVORITE DISCIPLES UP A HIGH MOUNTAIN. MAYBE HE KNEW THAT THEY COULD ONLY EXPERIENCE THE VISION OF JESUS AS HE REALLY WAS IF THEY HAD LITERALLY LEFT EVERYTHING BEHIND AND ALLOWED THE MOUNTAIN TO QUIET THEIR MINDS AND OPEN UP THEIR SENSES. MY WIFE AND I STILL VIVIDLY REMEMBER OUR MOUNTAINTOP EXPERIENCE, AND I'M SURE THE APOSTLES DID AS WELL. THE EVENT IS RECORDED IN THREE OF THE FOUR GOSPELS, AND ALLUDED TO IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN AND THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. IN FACT, SINCE THE GOSPEL OF JOHN IS ALL ABOUT JESUS REVEALING HIS GLORY, MAYBE IT'S ALSO ALL ABOUT THE TRANSFIGURATION. BUT WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF THE TRANSFIGURATION ON THE APOSTLES? WHAT MADE THE EVENT BURN INTO THEIR MEMORIES AND NOT BE DISMISSED AS A BAD DREAM OR HALLUCINATION?
THINK OF WHAT THEY LEARNED IN THAT MOMENT. FIRST, THAT THE REAL JESUS WAS HIDDEN IN THE JESUS THEY KNEW. THE REAL JESUS WAS GLORIOUS, SO BRILLIANT IN APPEARANCE THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND THE WORDS. AND IT WASN'T JUST THE WAY HE LOOKED, EITHER. WHEN HE WAS TRANSFIGURED, THEY WERE DUMBFOUNDED; NOT JUST THEIR VISION BUT THEIR VERY SOULS WERE BEING IMPACTED. AND DESPITE WHAT YOU MAY THINK, THEY WEREN'T BEING GIVEN A GLIMPSE OF HIS DIVINITY; SCRIPTURE TELLS US YOU CANNOT LOOK UPON THE FACE OF GOD AND LIVE. THEY WERE ACTUALLY SEEING JESUS AS THE FATHER SEES HIM.
SECOND, THEY LEARN THAT THE GREATEST LEADER AND LAWGIVER AND THE GREATEST PROPHET IN ISRAEL'S HISTORY ARE BOTH STILL LIVING. THEY SEE THEM CONVERSING WITH JESUS. TIME AND SPACE MEAN NOTHING TO JESUS, WHO CAN ENTER INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH ANY HUMAN BEING ANY TIME. AND IN THAT RELATIONSHIP AS MOSES AND ELIJAH DEMONSTRATE, IS ETERNAL LIFE. PERHAPS PETER SENSED THIS WHEN HE PROPOSED THAT THEY BUILD THREE TENTS FOR THEM; THE MOUNTAINTOP HAD BECOME HOLY GROUND AND THIS WAS A WAY OF BRINGING ETERNITY INTO A BIT OF OUR WORLD.
THIRD, THEY HEAR THE COMMAND OF THE FATHER: THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, LISTEN TO HIM! IT WAS A MOMENT IN WHICH THEY KNEW WITH CERTAINTY THAT JESUS SPOKE FOR THE FATHER, THAT THE FATHER SAW JESUS AS HIS OWN BELOVED SON.
AND FINALLY, IN A FLASH IT IIS ALL OVER AND THERE IS JESUS, FAMILIAR BROWN ROBE AND DUSTY SANDALS, A LITTLE SWEAT ON HIS FOREHEAD, LOOKING LIKE HE ALWAYS DID. AND THAT WAS THE MOST AWESOME REVELATION OF THEM ALL. AN ORDINARY MAN CONTAINED WITHIN HIMSELF ALL THAT MYSTERY.
WHEN JOAN AND I WERE ON THE MOUNTAINTOP, WE COULD SENSE A LITTLE OF THIS BECAUSE OUR SENSES WERE HEIGHTENED. WE COULD SENSE THE NEARNESS OF GOD TO HIS CREATION; THE BEAUTY AND THE MAJESTY OF WHAT LAY BEFORE US CERTAINLY POINTED TO GOD, AND WE KNEW THAT WHAT WE SAW HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE HUMAN BEINGS WALKED THE EARTH AND WOULD REMAIN FOR EONS MORE, AND THIS POINTED TO ETERNITY. AND WE REALIZED AS WE TURNED OUR BACKS AND WENT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN THAT WE WERE TAKING WITH US SOMETHING OF WHAT WE EXPERIENCED THAT WOULD BE WITH US TILL WE MET THE GOD WHO WAS BEHIND IT ALL.
WE ALL HAVE MOUNTAINTOP EXPERIENCES, BUT THEY SEEM TO COME FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. AND YET I THINK THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT. WE SEE ABRAHAM ENCOUNTERING GOD ON A MOUNTAIN WHEN HE WENT TO SACRIFICE HIS SON. WE WILL SEE MOSES ENCOUNTER GOD ON MOUNT SINAI AND ELIJAH ON ANOTHER MOUNTAIN WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED GOD NOT IN THE WHIRLWIND BUT IN THE STILL SMALL VOICE.
LENT IS A TIME FOR SUCH AN ENCOUNTER. MAYBE WE CAN'T CLIMB A MOUNTAIN, BUT WE CAN STILL SEEK THAT EXPERIENCE. IT CAN'T BE HAD IN THE MIDDLE OF NOISE AND BUSYNESS. WE NEED SILENCE, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE AWARE OF GOD BREAKING THROUGH THAT SILENCE, DRAWING OUR ATTENTION, COMMUNICATING WITH US. THERE IS A WONDERFUL BIT OF PROSE THAT I RAN ACROSS, BY A WRITER NAMED MARYLIN MCDONALD. IT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
I WHISPERED, “GOD, SPEAK TO ME” AND A ROBIN SANG. BUT I DID NOT HEAR. I YELLED, “GOD, SPEAK TO ME!” AND THE THUNDER ROLLED ACROSS THE SKY. BUT I DID NOT LISTEN. I LOOKED AROUND AND SAID, “GOD, LET ME SEE YOU!” AND A STAR SHONE BRIGHTLY, BUT I DID NOT NOTICE. I SHOUTED, “GOD, SHOW ME A MIRACLE!” AND A BABY WAS BORN, BUT I DID NOT KNOW. SO I CRIED OUT IN DESPAIR, “TOUCH ME GOD, AND LET ME KNOW YOU ARE HERE.” WHEREUPON GOD REACHED DOWN AND TOUCHED ME, BUT I BRUSHED THE BUTTERFLY OFF MY SHOULDER AND WALKED AWAY.
MAY WE SEE THAT WE ARE ON THE MOUNTAINTOP ALL THE TIME. AND MAY THE VISION OF THE TRANSFIGURED JESUS REMIND US THAT THAT IS HOW YOU AND I LOOK WHENEVER THE FATHER GAZES UPON US.
MARK 9:2-10
A FEW YEARS AGO SOME CIRCUMSTANCES FELL INTO PLACE ALLOWING MY WIFE AND I TO SPEND SOME TIME IN BOULDER, COLORADO. ONE DAY WE DROVE INTO THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK AND PARKED IN ONE OF THE PARKING AREAS. WE DECIDED TO FOLLOW A TRAIL FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT THE LITTLE WHILE TURNED INTO ABOUT THREE HOURS. AS WE ASCENDED THE LANDSCAPE GRADUALLY CHANGED. ALL THE WAY WE HIKED ALONG A RUSHING STREAM INSTERSPERCED BY BEAUTIFUL LAKES, EACH DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER.. FINALLY WE REACHED THE END OF THE TRAIL AND SAT BESIDE THE HIGHEST LAKE, IN A BASIN WITH ALMOST VERTICAL GRANITE SIDES, STRETCHING UP TO MOUNTAIN PEAKS WHICH WERE IMPOSSIBLY HIGH. WE SIMPLY SAT AND LOOKED, AND FORGOT EVERYTHING FOR A FEW MINUTES, AS WE JUST TOOK IN THE MAJESTY AND SHEER BEAUTY OF WHAT WAS BEFORE US. AND WE EXPERIENCED SOME REGRET AS WE TURNED OUR BACKS AND STARTED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. WE KNEW THAT EVEN IF WE CAME BACK TO THAT SAME SPOT, IT WOULDN'T BE THE SAME. AND WE WONDERED WHEN WE WOULD EVER HAVE ANOTHER EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT ONE.
YOU MIGHT CALL THAT A MOUNTAINTOP EXPERIENCE. MAYBE THAT'S WHY JESUS TOOK HIS THREE FAVORITE DISCIPLES UP A HIGH MOUNTAIN. MAYBE HE KNEW THAT THEY COULD ONLY EXPERIENCE THE VISION OF JESUS AS HE REALLY WAS IF THEY HAD LITERALLY LEFT EVERYTHING BEHIND AND ALLOWED THE MOUNTAIN TO QUIET THEIR MINDS AND OPEN UP THEIR SENSES. MY WIFE AND I STILL VIVIDLY REMEMBER OUR MOUNTAINTOP EXPERIENCE, AND I'M SURE THE APOSTLES DID AS WELL. THE EVENT IS RECORDED IN THREE OF THE FOUR GOSPELS, AND ALLUDED TO IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN AND THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. IN FACT, SINCE THE GOSPEL OF JOHN IS ALL ABOUT JESUS REVEALING HIS GLORY, MAYBE IT'S ALSO ALL ABOUT THE TRANSFIGURATION. BUT WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF THE TRANSFIGURATION ON THE APOSTLES? WHAT MADE THE EVENT BURN INTO THEIR MEMORIES AND NOT BE DISMISSED AS A BAD DREAM OR HALLUCINATION?
THINK OF WHAT THEY LEARNED IN THAT MOMENT. FIRST, THAT THE REAL JESUS WAS HIDDEN IN THE JESUS THEY KNEW. THE REAL JESUS WAS GLORIOUS, SO BRILLIANT IN APPEARANCE THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND THE WORDS. AND IT WASN'T JUST THE WAY HE LOOKED, EITHER. WHEN HE WAS TRANSFIGURED, THEY WERE DUMBFOUNDED; NOT JUST THEIR VISION BUT THEIR VERY SOULS WERE BEING IMPACTED. AND DESPITE WHAT YOU MAY THINK, THEY WEREN'T BEING GIVEN A GLIMPSE OF HIS DIVINITY; SCRIPTURE TELLS US YOU CANNOT LOOK UPON THE FACE OF GOD AND LIVE. THEY WERE ACTUALLY SEEING JESUS AS THE FATHER SEES HIM.
SECOND, THEY LEARN THAT THE GREATEST LEADER AND LAWGIVER AND THE GREATEST PROPHET IN ISRAEL'S HISTORY ARE BOTH STILL LIVING. THEY SEE THEM CONVERSING WITH JESUS. TIME AND SPACE MEAN NOTHING TO JESUS, WHO CAN ENTER INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH ANY HUMAN BEING ANY TIME. AND IN THAT RELATIONSHIP AS MOSES AND ELIJAH DEMONSTRATE, IS ETERNAL LIFE. PERHAPS PETER SENSED THIS WHEN HE PROPOSED THAT THEY BUILD THREE TENTS FOR THEM; THE MOUNTAINTOP HAD BECOME HOLY GROUND AND THIS WAS A WAY OF BRINGING ETERNITY INTO A BIT OF OUR WORLD.
THIRD, THEY HEAR THE COMMAND OF THE FATHER: THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, LISTEN TO HIM! IT WAS A MOMENT IN WHICH THEY KNEW WITH CERTAINTY THAT JESUS SPOKE FOR THE FATHER, THAT THE FATHER SAW JESUS AS HIS OWN BELOVED SON.
AND FINALLY, IN A FLASH IT IIS ALL OVER AND THERE IS JESUS, FAMILIAR BROWN ROBE AND DUSTY SANDALS, A LITTLE SWEAT ON HIS FOREHEAD, LOOKING LIKE HE ALWAYS DID. AND THAT WAS THE MOST AWESOME REVELATION OF THEM ALL. AN ORDINARY MAN CONTAINED WITHIN HIMSELF ALL THAT MYSTERY.
WHEN JOAN AND I WERE ON THE MOUNTAINTOP, WE COULD SENSE A LITTLE OF THIS BECAUSE OUR SENSES WERE HEIGHTENED. WE COULD SENSE THE NEARNESS OF GOD TO HIS CREATION; THE BEAUTY AND THE MAJESTY OF WHAT LAY BEFORE US CERTAINLY POINTED TO GOD, AND WE KNEW THAT WHAT WE SAW HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE HUMAN BEINGS WALKED THE EARTH AND WOULD REMAIN FOR EONS MORE, AND THIS POINTED TO ETERNITY. AND WE REALIZED AS WE TURNED OUR BACKS AND WENT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN THAT WE WERE TAKING WITH US SOMETHING OF WHAT WE EXPERIENCED THAT WOULD BE WITH US TILL WE MET THE GOD WHO WAS BEHIND IT ALL.
WE ALL HAVE MOUNTAINTOP EXPERIENCES, BUT THEY SEEM TO COME FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. AND YET I THINK THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT. WE SEE ABRAHAM ENCOUNTERING GOD ON A MOUNTAIN WHEN HE WENT TO SACRIFICE HIS SON. WE WILL SEE MOSES ENCOUNTER GOD ON MOUNT SINAI AND ELIJAH ON ANOTHER MOUNTAIN WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED GOD NOT IN THE WHIRLWIND BUT IN THE STILL SMALL VOICE.
LENT IS A TIME FOR SUCH AN ENCOUNTER. MAYBE WE CAN'T CLIMB A MOUNTAIN, BUT WE CAN STILL SEEK THAT EXPERIENCE. IT CAN'T BE HAD IN THE MIDDLE OF NOISE AND BUSYNESS. WE NEED SILENCE, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE AWARE OF GOD BREAKING THROUGH THAT SILENCE, DRAWING OUR ATTENTION, COMMUNICATING WITH US. THERE IS A WONDERFUL BIT OF PROSE THAT I RAN ACROSS, BY A WRITER NAMED MARYLIN MCDONALD. IT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
I WHISPERED, “GOD, SPEAK TO ME” AND A ROBIN SANG. BUT I DID NOT HEAR. I YELLED, “GOD, SPEAK TO ME!” AND THE THUNDER ROLLED ACROSS THE SKY. BUT I DID NOT LISTEN. I LOOKED AROUND AND SAID, “GOD, LET ME SEE YOU!” AND A STAR SHONE BRIGHTLY, BUT I DID NOT NOTICE. I SHOUTED, “GOD, SHOW ME A MIRACLE!” AND A BABY WAS BORN, BUT I DID NOT KNOW. SO I CRIED OUT IN DESPAIR, “TOUCH ME GOD, AND LET ME KNOW YOU ARE HERE.” WHEREUPON GOD REACHED DOWN AND TOUCHED ME, BUT I BRUSHED THE BUTTERFLY OFF MY SHOULDER AND WALKED AWAY.
MAY WE SEE THAT WE ARE ON THE MOUNTAINTOP ALL THE TIME. AND MAY THE VISION OF THE TRANSFIGURED JESUS REMIND US THAT THAT IS HOW YOU AND I LOOK WHENEVER THE FATHER GAZES UPON US.
Monday, February 23, 2015
First Sunday of Lent, cycle B
MARK 1:12-15
ONE DAY A BABY CAMEL ASKED HIS MOTHER, “WHY DO WE HAVE THESE HUGE THREE-TOED FEET?” THE MOTHER REPLIED, “SO THAT WE CAN WALK ACROSS THE DESERT WITHOUT SINKING INTO THE SAND.” THE BABY THOUGHT A MINUTE AND SAID, “WHAT ABOUT THESE LONG THICK EYELASHES?” THE MOTHER REPLIED, “SO THAT WE WON'T GET SAND IN OUR EYES IF WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A SANDSTORM.” A FEW MINUTES LATER THE BABY ASKED, “MOM, WHY DO WE HAVE HUMPS?” THE MOTHER REPLIED, “THEY ARE TO STORE WATER SO THAT WE CAN GO LONG DISTANCES WITHOUT DRINKING.” “MOM,” SAID THE BABY, “I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.” “WHAT IS IT NOW?” SAID THE MOTHER. “WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE BRONX ZOO?”
THE GOSPEL TODAY IS VERY SHORT. YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER MATTHEW'S VERSION WHERE THE DETAILS OF THE TEMPTATIONS ARE LAID OUT AND WE HEAR A DIALOGUE BETWEEN SATAN AND JESUS. BUT MARK SHOOTS RIGHT PAST THAT, AND WE ARE LEFT WITH THE QUESTION, “WHY”. WHY DID THE SPIRIT DRIVE JESUS INTO THE DESERT? WHAT WAS THE POINT? JESUS HAD JUST BEEN BAPTIZED; HE HAD HEARD THE VOICE OF THE FATHER CLAIMING HIM AS HIS BELOVED SON. AND WHEN THE DESERT EXPERIENCE WAS OVER, HE WENT ABOUT PREACHING REPENTANCE AND THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL. JESUS, LIKE OUR CAMELS, HAD TO GO INTO THE DESERT TO FIND OUT WHO HE TRULY WAS. HE HAD TO EXPERIENCE TEMPTATION; HE HAD TO CONFRONT THE WILD BEASTS; AND HE HAD TO RECOGNIZE THE REALITY OF GOD'S LOVE FOR HIM THROUGH THE ANGELS SENT TO MINISTER TO HIM. AND ONLY THEN COULD HE TAKE UP HIS MINISTRY.
TO EXPERIENCE TEMPTATION IS NOT THE SAME THING AS COMMITTING SIN. WE KNOW THAT GOD NEVER ALLOWS US TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND OUR ABILITY TO RESIST. IF WE LOOK AT OURSELVES CRITICALLY, WE HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WE ARE TEMPTED ALL THROUGH THE DAY. I'M OFTEN TEMPTED TO STAY IN BED FOR A WHILE IN THE MORNING INSTEAD OF GETTING UP AT MY USUAL HOUR. AND I'M RETIRED, I COULD EASILY SPEND ANOTHER HOUR SLEEPING. AND IF I DID SLEEP, I WOULDN'T BE COMMITTING A SIN. BUT IF THE FIRST THING I DO UPON WAKING IS TO YIELD TO MY ANIMAL NATURE, WHAT WILL THE REST OF MY DAY BRING? I HAVE A LITTLE WEIGHT PROBLEM, AND I'M OFTEN TEMPTED TO HAVE A SECOND HELPING, AND SOMETIMES I GIVE IN TO THIS. WHEN I HAVE A PROJECT THAT I DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO, I AM TEMPTED TO CUT CORNERS – WHO WOULD NOTICE? I'M TEMPTED TO MAKE SARCASTIC REMARKS SOMETIMES WHEN SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING I THINK IS STUPID; I'M TEMPTED TO LET MYSELF GIVE IN TO ANGER WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER CUTS ME OFF OR NEARLY HITS ME. AND SO IT GOES, ALL DAY LONG. WHENEVER I HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE, BETWEEN WHAT MY ANIMAL NATURE TELLS ME TO DO AND WHAT MY GODLY NATURE SAYS, THAT IS A TEMPTATION. MY ANIMAL NATURE WANTS COMFORT, PLEASURE, RESPECT, A FULL BELLY; MY GODLY NATURE WANTS TO IMITATE JESUS – TO PLEASE THE FATHER, SERVE HIS CHILDREN, AND MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE TALENTS I'VE BEEN GIVEN AND THE TIME I HAVE LEFT IN MY LIFE. WITHOUT TEMPTATION, I WON'T KNOW MYSELF, I WON'T KNOW WHAT I'M HERE FOR. JESUS HAD TO CONFRONT TEMPTATION, JUST AS YOU AND I DO.
TO BE AMONG WILD BEASTS IS TO LEARN THE ROOT OF OUR SINS, SO THAT WE CAN WORK TO ELIMINATE THEM. SAINT JEROME IN ONE OF HIS DIARIES RECOGNIZED THAT HE HAD A TENDENCY TO LOOK DOWN ON PEOPLE WHO WERE SUPERSTITIOUS OR OVERLY SENTIMENTAL; HE RECOGNIZED THAT HE WAS RULED BY THE DEADLY SIN OF PRIDE. HIS REMEDY WAS TO ROLL IN THORNS WHEN HE FELT PRIDE COMING ON – A LITTLE EXTREME, BUT JEROME RECOGNIZED THAT HIS PRIDE WAS THE GREATEST DANGER TO HIS IMMORTAL SOUL. ALL OF US COULD FIND ONE OF THE DEADLY SINS, AND MAYBE TWO OR THREE, THAT LIE AT THE ROOT OF OUR OWN SINFULNESS. THE DEADLY SINS, IN CASE YOU'VE FORGOTTEN, ARE NOT ACTUAL SINS, BUT TENDENCIES TO SIN. THEY ARE PRIDE, COVETOUSNESS (OR DESIRING SOMETHING BELONGING TO SOMEONE ELSE), LUST, ANGER, GLUTTONY, ENVY (DESIRING THAT SOMEONE LOSE A GOOD THING OR HIS GOOD FORTUNE), AND SLOTH. SLOTH WAS CONSIDERED BY THOMAS AQUINAS TO BE THE WORST OF THE DEADLY SINS, BECAUSE SINS ARISING FROM THIS TENDENCY DON'T FEEL LIKE SINS. SLOTH IS NOT THE SAME THING AS LAZINESS; ONE DEFINITION OF SLOTH IS NOT CARING ENOUGH ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. IT CAN BE SO BAD THAT I CAN CONVINCE MYSELF THAT SOMETHING IMPORTANT IS NOT IMPORTANT, SO I CAN NOT CARE ABOUT IT. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE SLOTH COMES IN MANY GUISES; I MAY PUSH PEOPLE AWAY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THEM. I MIGHT NEGLECT MY PRAYER LIFE OR THE SACRAMENTS BECAUSE I'VE TOLD MYSELF I DON'T REALLY NEED THEM, I'M A GOOD PERSON.
FINALLY, THE ANGELS MINISTERED TO JESUS. WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED GOD'S ANGELS ARE THERE OFFERING GRACE IF WE CLAIM IT. IF WE HAVE A DEADLY SIN TO OVERCOME, THEY ARE THERE TO SHOW US HOW. AND THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE TO REMIND US, AS THEY REMIND JESUS, THAT WE ARE BELOVED, AND THAT THE FATHER IS PLEASED . WITH US – NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING WE DO, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE WE ARE.
WE NEED TO SEE LENT AS OUR DESERT. WE GO OUT TO CONFRONT OUR TEMPTATIONS AND RE-COMMIT OURSELVES TO WORKING ON OUR GODLY NATURE. WE WANT TO REMIND OURSELVES THAT WE WERE MADE IN GOD'S IMAGE AND LIKENESS AND IT'S TIME TO ALLOW GOD TO TOUCH US UP A LITTLE. WE WANT TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS, WHO LIVED TO PLEASE THE FATHER, WHO SERVED THOSE WHO CAME TO HIM IN NEED, WHO SAID, “MY FOOD AND DRINK IS TO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER.” WE GO OUT TO CONFRONT OUR WILD BEASTS, THOSE TENDENCIES WHICH LEAD US TO CERTAIN KINDS OF SINS – AND IF I RECOGNIZE THAT MY WILD BEAST IS PRIDE, OR LUST, OR JEALOUSY OR WHATEVER, THE BEAST CAN'T HARM ME BECAUSE I'LL BE ON GUARD FOR SINS WHICH COME FROM THAT DEADLY SIN. AND MOST OF ALL WE HAVE TO BE AWARE THAT GOD'S ANGELS ARE MINISTERING TO US ALL THE TIME, HELPING US USE HIS GRACE TO BUILD UP HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS IN US.
WHATEVER ELSE YOU DO FOR LENT, CONSIDER MAKING THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS ON FRIDAYS AT 7:00 PM FOLLOWED BY MASS AT 7:30. CONSIDER JOINING US ON TUESDAYS AT 2:30 FOR THE ROSARY, OR 3:00 FOR THE CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY AND BENEDICTION – OR BOTH. AN HOUR OUT OF YOUR WEEK ISN'T GOING TO KILL YOU. MAY GOD GRANT ALL OF US A WONDERFUL AND GRACE-FILLED LENT.
ONE DAY A BABY CAMEL ASKED HIS MOTHER, “WHY DO WE HAVE THESE HUGE THREE-TOED FEET?” THE MOTHER REPLIED, “SO THAT WE CAN WALK ACROSS THE DESERT WITHOUT SINKING INTO THE SAND.” THE BABY THOUGHT A MINUTE AND SAID, “WHAT ABOUT THESE LONG THICK EYELASHES?” THE MOTHER REPLIED, “SO THAT WE WON'T GET SAND IN OUR EYES IF WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A SANDSTORM.” A FEW MINUTES LATER THE BABY ASKED, “MOM, WHY DO WE HAVE HUMPS?” THE MOTHER REPLIED, “THEY ARE TO STORE WATER SO THAT WE CAN GO LONG DISTANCES WITHOUT DRINKING.” “MOM,” SAID THE BABY, “I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.” “WHAT IS IT NOW?” SAID THE MOTHER. “WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE BRONX ZOO?”
THE GOSPEL TODAY IS VERY SHORT. YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER MATTHEW'S VERSION WHERE THE DETAILS OF THE TEMPTATIONS ARE LAID OUT AND WE HEAR A DIALOGUE BETWEEN SATAN AND JESUS. BUT MARK SHOOTS RIGHT PAST THAT, AND WE ARE LEFT WITH THE QUESTION, “WHY”. WHY DID THE SPIRIT DRIVE JESUS INTO THE DESERT? WHAT WAS THE POINT? JESUS HAD JUST BEEN BAPTIZED; HE HAD HEARD THE VOICE OF THE FATHER CLAIMING HIM AS HIS BELOVED SON. AND WHEN THE DESERT EXPERIENCE WAS OVER, HE WENT ABOUT PREACHING REPENTANCE AND THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL. JESUS, LIKE OUR CAMELS, HAD TO GO INTO THE DESERT TO FIND OUT WHO HE TRULY WAS. HE HAD TO EXPERIENCE TEMPTATION; HE HAD TO CONFRONT THE WILD BEASTS; AND HE HAD TO RECOGNIZE THE REALITY OF GOD'S LOVE FOR HIM THROUGH THE ANGELS SENT TO MINISTER TO HIM. AND ONLY THEN COULD HE TAKE UP HIS MINISTRY.
TO EXPERIENCE TEMPTATION IS NOT THE SAME THING AS COMMITTING SIN. WE KNOW THAT GOD NEVER ALLOWS US TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND OUR ABILITY TO RESIST. IF WE LOOK AT OURSELVES CRITICALLY, WE HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WE ARE TEMPTED ALL THROUGH THE DAY. I'M OFTEN TEMPTED TO STAY IN BED FOR A WHILE IN THE MORNING INSTEAD OF GETTING UP AT MY USUAL HOUR. AND I'M RETIRED, I COULD EASILY SPEND ANOTHER HOUR SLEEPING. AND IF I DID SLEEP, I WOULDN'T BE COMMITTING A SIN. BUT IF THE FIRST THING I DO UPON WAKING IS TO YIELD TO MY ANIMAL NATURE, WHAT WILL THE REST OF MY DAY BRING? I HAVE A LITTLE WEIGHT PROBLEM, AND I'M OFTEN TEMPTED TO HAVE A SECOND HELPING, AND SOMETIMES I GIVE IN TO THIS. WHEN I HAVE A PROJECT THAT I DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO, I AM TEMPTED TO CUT CORNERS – WHO WOULD NOTICE? I'M TEMPTED TO MAKE SARCASTIC REMARKS SOMETIMES WHEN SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING I THINK IS STUPID; I'M TEMPTED TO LET MYSELF GIVE IN TO ANGER WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER CUTS ME OFF OR NEARLY HITS ME. AND SO IT GOES, ALL DAY LONG. WHENEVER I HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE, BETWEEN WHAT MY ANIMAL NATURE TELLS ME TO DO AND WHAT MY GODLY NATURE SAYS, THAT IS A TEMPTATION. MY ANIMAL NATURE WANTS COMFORT, PLEASURE, RESPECT, A FULL BELLY; MY GODLY NATURE WANTS TO IMITATE JESUS – TO PLEASE THE FATHER, SERVE HIS CHILDREN, AND MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE TALENTS I'VE BEEN GIVEN AND THE TIME I HAVE LEFT IN MY LIFE. WITHOUT TEMPTATION, I WON'T KNOW MYSELF, I WON'T KNOW WHAT I'M HERE FOR. JESUS HAD TO CONFRONT TEMPTATION, JUST AS YOU AND I DO.
TO BE AMONG WILD BEASTS IS TO LEARN THE ROOT OF OUR SINS, SO THAT WE CAN WORK TO ELIMINATE THEM. SAINT JEROME IN ONE OF HIS DIARIES RECOGNIZED THAT HE HAD A TENDENCY TO LOOK DOWN ON PEOPLE WHO WERE SUPERSTITIOUS OR OVERLY SENTIMENTAL; HE RECOGNIZED THAT HE WAS RULED BY THE DEADLY SIN OF PRIDE. HIS REMEDY WAS TO ROLL IN THORNS WHEN HE FELT PRIDE COMING ON – A LITTLE EXTREME, BUT JEROME RECOGNIZED THAT HIS PRIDE WAS THE GREATEST DANGER TO HIS IMMORTAL SOUL. ALL OF US COULD FIND ONE OF THE DEADLY SINS, AND MAYBE TWO OR THREE, THAT LIE AT THE ROOT OF OUR OWN SINFULNESS. THE DEADLY SINS, IN CASE YOU'VE FORGOTTEN, ARE NOT ACTUAL SINS, BUT TENDENCIES TO SIN. THEY ARE PRIDE, COVETOUSNESS (OR DESIRING SOMETHING BELONGING TO SOMEONE ELSE), LUST, ANGER, GLUTTONY, ENVY (DESIRING THAT SOMEONE LOSE A GOOD THING OR HIS GOOD FORTUNE), AND SLOTH. SLOTH WAS CONSIDERED BY THOMAS AQUINAS TO BE THE WORST OF THE DEADLY SINS, BECAUSE SINS ARISING FROM THIS TENDENCY DON'T FEEL LIKE SINS. SLOTH IS NOT THE SAME THING AS LAZINESS; ONE DEFINITION OF SLOTH IS NOT CARING ENOUGH ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. IT CAN BE SO BAD THAT I CAN CONVINCE MYSELF THAT SOMETHING IMPORTANT IS NOT IMPORTANT, SO I CAN NOT CARE ABOUT IT. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE SLOTH COMES IN MANY GUISES; I MAY PUSH PEOPLE AWAY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THEM. I MIGHT NEGLECT MY PRAYER LIFE OR THE SACRAMENTS BECAUSE I'VE TOLD MYSELF I DON'T REALLY NEED THEM, I'M A GOOD PERSON.
FINALLY, THE ANGELS MINISTERED TO JESUS. WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED GOD'S ANGELS ARE THERE OFFERING GRACE IF WE CLAIM IT. IF WE HAVE A DEADLY SIN TO OVERCOME, THEY ARE THERE TO SHOW US HOW. AND THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE TO REMIND US, AS THEY REMIND JESUS, THAT WE ARE BELOVED, AND THAT THE FATHER IS PLEASED . WITH US – NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING WE DO, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE WE ARE.
WE NEED TO SEE LENT AS OUR DESERT. WE GO OUT TO CONFRONT OUR TEMPTATIONS AND RE-COMMIT OURSELVES TO WORKING ON OUR GODLY NATURE. WE WANT TO REMIND OURSELVES THAT WE WERE MADE IN GOD'S IMAGE AND LIKENESS AND IT'S TIME TO ALLOW GOD TO TOUCH US UP A LITTLE. WE WANT TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS, WHO LIVED TO PLEASE THE FATHER, WHO SERVED THOSE WHO CAME TO HIM IN NEED, WHO SAID, “MY FOOD AND DRINK IS TO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER.” WE GO OUT TO CONFRONT OUR WILD BEASTS, THOSE TENDENCIES WHICH LEAD US TO CERTAIN KINDS OF SINS – AND IF I RECOGNIZE THAT MY WILD BEAST IS PRIDE, OR LUST, OR JEALOUSY OR WHATEVER, THE BEAST CAN'T HARM ME BECAUSE I'LL BE ON GUARD FOR SINS WHICH COME FROM THAT DEADLY SIN. AND MOST OF ALL WE HAVE TO BE AWARE THAT GOD'S ANGELS ARE MINISTERING TO US ALL THE TIME, HELPING US USE HIS GRACE TO BUILD UP HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS IN US.
WHATEVER ELSE YOU DO FOR LENT, CONSIDER MAKING THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS ON FRIDAYS AT 7:00 PM FOLLOWED BY MASS AT 7:30. CONSIDER JOINING US ON TUESDAYS AT 2:30 FOR THE ROSARY, OR 3:00 FOR THE CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY AND BENEDICTION – OR BOTH. AN HOUR OUT OF YOUR WEEK ISN'T GOING TO KILL YOU. MAY GOD GRANT ALL OF US A WONDERFUL AND GRACE-FILLED LENT.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle B
MARK 1:40-45
IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK, JESUS OFTEN TELLS PEOPLE TO KEEP QUIET ABOUT WHAT HE HAS DONE. THIS IS CALLED “THE MESSIANIC SECRET” AND SCHOLARS HAVE GIVEN DIFFERENT REASONS FOR ITS PURPOSE. IT'S INTERESTING THAT THIS DOESN'T COME UP IN THE OTHER GOSPELS, INCLUDING THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, IN WHICH 90% OF MARK IS CONTAINED. IT DIDN'T SERVE MATTHEW'S PURPOSE TO KEEP THIS STRANGE COMMAND OF JESUS – MATTHEW HAD A DIFFERENT SET OF REASONS FOR WRITING HIS GOSPEL.
IF WE LOOK AT THE TIMES JESUS TELLS THOSE HE CURES NOT TO TELL ANYONE ABOUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED, THOUGH, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH OUR OWN EXPLANATION FOR THE MESSIANIC SECRET, AND MAYBE THERE IS EVEN SOMETHING THAT WE CAN APPLY TO OUR OWN LIVES.
THIS GOSPEL IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS. JESUS ENCOUNTERS A LEPER – AND YOU'VE HEARD WHAT MOSES SAID TO DO WITH LEPERS. IN JESUS' TIME ANYONE WITH A PERSISTENT SKIN PROBLEM WAS A LEPER UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE, AND THAT MEANT THAT YOU STAYED AWAY FROM TOWNS AND OTHER PEOPLE; YOU HAD TO DRESS IN A CERTAIN WAY SO THAT PEOPLE COULD AVOID YOU; AND YOU COULDN'T GET A JOB. WHENEVER SOMEONE LOOKED AS THOUGH THEY WERE GOING TO CROSS YOUR PATH, YOU WERE TO SHOUT “UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN”. SOMEONE WHO EVEN TOUCHED A LEPER WAS CONSIDERED UNCLEAN FOR SEVEN DAYS. LEPERS SURVIVED THROUGH THE KINDNESS OF THEIR RELATIVES, OR SOMETIMES STRANGERS. IF YOU WERE UNCLEAN, YOU COULDN'T TAKE PART IN WORSHIP – OBVIOUSLY GOD MUST BE PUNISHING YOU FOR SOMETHING. NATURALLY, SOME LEPERS, BEING DESPERATE, WOULD COMMIT DESPERATE ACTS LIKE ROBBERY. IT WAS A TOUGH LIFE.
THE LEPER, DEFYING CONVENTION, CALLS OUT TO JESUS AND BEGS HIM: “IF YOU WANT TO YOU CAN MAKE ME CLEAN!” AND JESUS REACHES OUT AND TOUCHES HIM, DEFYING CONVENTION HIMSELF, AND SAYS, “I DO WANT TO, SO BE CLEAN!” THE LEPER IS MADE CLEAN, AND JESUS TAKES ON THE STATUS OF “UNCLEAN”. JESUS GIVES HIM TWO COMMANDS – ONE IS TO GO SHOW HIMSELF TO THE PRIEST, BECAUSE THE PRIEST COULD THEN DECLARE HIM CLEAN AND HE COULD COME BACK INTO SOCIETY. WE DON'T KNOW IF THE LEPER ACTUALLY DID THAT. THE OTHER IS “TELL NO ONE”. AND OF COURSE, OUR LEPER DOESN'T DO THIS – IN FACT, HE DOES JUST THE OPPOSITE. AND WE SEE THE CONSEQUENCES; JESUS CAN'T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT ATTRACTING A NEEDY, DEMANDING CROWD.
THINKING IN HUMAN TERMS, IT MUST HAVE REALLY BEEN HARD ON JESUS, WHO SAW HIS MISSION AS ONE OF PREACHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO EVERYONE WHO WOULD LISTEN. AND NOW IRONICALLY, HE HAS TO AVOID PLACES WHERE THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE.
HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO US? I THINK A LOT OF US BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER. WE PRAY FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN, OR SOMETHING NOT TO HAPPEN; WE PRAY FOR SICK FRIENDS AND DEAD RELATIVES; WE PRAY KNOWING THAT NOT EVERY PRAYER IS ANSWERED THE WAY WE WANT IT TO BE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, HOPING THAT MAYBE THIS TIME OUR PRAYER WILL BE ANSWERED IN THE WAY WE WANT IT TO BE. AND OBVIOUSLY SOMETIMES THEY ARE.
BUT ALTHOUGH JESUS HEALS THE LEPER, WHAT DOES HE REALLY WANT? IF WE GO BY OTHER MOMENTS IN HIS LIFE, HE WANTS CONVERSION, HE WANTS THIS LEPER TO GIVE HIMSELF TO GOD, TO REPENT HIS SINS AND SEEK GOD'S MERCY; AFTER HEALING HIS BODY HE WANTS TO HEAL HIS SOUL, BUT THAT REQUIRES THAT THE FORMER LEPER SPEND SOME TIME LEARNING FROM JESUS.
BUT THE LEPER MISSES ALL OF THIS AND GOES OUT TELLING EVERYONE WHAT HAPPENED AND WHO DID IT. AND IN SO DOING HE LOSES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COMPLETE HEALING, AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR JESUS TO REACH OTHERS WITH HIS MESSAGE. THE LEPER FAILS TO OBEY THE PLAIN COMMAND OF JESUS.
HERE WE ARE IN CHURCH; WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE KNOW SOMETHING SPECIAL TAKES PLACE; WE KNOW THAT JESUS BECOMES PRESENT IN BREAD AND WINE, IN THE WORD AND IN EACH OTHER. WE KNOW HEALING GRACES ARE AVAILABLE, BOTH FOR BODY AND SOUL. WE HAVE A LIST OF THINGS WE WANT TO BRING TO JESUS' ATTENTION – SOME OF THEM AS A PEOPLE WHEN WE PRAY THE INTERCESSIONS AFTER THE CREED AND WHEN WE PRAY THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER; AND SOME WHICH WE BRING TO THE MASS IN OUR HEARTS TO SPEAK THEM PRIVATELY. AND AFTER OUR ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST, WE ARE GIVEN A COMMAND – IT MAY BE, “GO, LIVE THE GOSPEL” OR “THE MASS IS ENDED, GO IN PEACE” OR VARIOUS OTHER FORMULATIONS. THEY ALL BOIL DOWN TO THE SAME THING, THOUGH. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE MASS AND IN OUR CASE, BRING WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED INTO THE WORLD WHICH SO DESPERATELY NEEDS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
THE LEPER WASN'T READY TO BE SENT FORTH; HE NEEDED TO LEARN FROM JESUS AND BE FORMED BY HIM. YOU AND I HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED TO GO FORTH; WE HAVE EATEN AND DRUNK JESUS CHRIST; WE'VE RENEWED OUR BAPTISM, WE'VE STIRRED UP THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US; WE'VE BEEN INSTRUCTED THROUGH THE WORD AND SOMETIMES THE SERMON IF THE HOLY SPIRIT MAKES UP FOR THE DEFICIENCIES OF THE PREACHER. WHAT MORE DO WE NEED TO GO FORTH AND BRING CHRIST'S MESSAGE TO THE WORLD? AND YET, PROBABLY MUCH OF THE TIME WE AREN'T EVEN THINKING ABOUT THIS ONCE WE HIT THE PARKING LOT.
TODAY BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS MASS LET US THINK OF ONE PERSON WITH WHOM WE WILL SHARE THE GOSPEL THIS WEEK. WE DON'T HAVE TO WHIP OPEN A BIBLE OR OFFER TO PRAY WITH SOMEONE. THE GOSPEL IS THE GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS BROUGHT TO OUR WORLD, THE NEWS THAT WE HAVE IT IN OUR POWER TO TOUCH EACH OTHER'S LIVES. AND WHEN WE TOUCH EACH OTHER, THE RESULT CAN BE GOOD OR IT CAN BE BAD. A COMPLEMENT INSTEAD OF A CRITICISM. WELCOMING INSTEAD OF IGNORING. GIVING THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT RATHER THAN BLAMING. OUR BAPTISMAL GRACES ARE ALWAYS THERE TO TELL US WHAT WE SHOULD DO; ALL WE NEED TO DO IS LISTEN.
IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK, JESUS OFTEN TELLS PEOPLE TO KEEP QUIET ABOUT WHAT HE HAS DONE. THIS IS CALLED “THE MESSIANIC SECRET” AND SCHOLARS HAVE GIVEN DIFFERENT REASONS FOR ITS PURPOSE. IT'S INTERESTING THAT THIS DOESN'T COME UP IN THE OTHER GOSPELS, INCLUDING THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, IN WHICH 90% OF MARK IS CONTAINED. IT DIDN'T SERVE MATTHEW'S PURPOSE TO KEEP THIS STRANGE COMMAND OF JESUS – MATTHEW HAD A DIFFERENT SET OF REASONS FOR WRITING HIS GOSPEL.
IF WE LOOK AT THE TIMES JESUS TELLS THOSE HE CURES NOT TO TELL ANYONE ABOUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED, THOUGH, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH OUR OWN EXPLANATION FOR THE MESSIANIC SECRET, AND MAYBE THERE IS EVEN SOMETHING THAT WE CAN APPLY TO OUR OWN LIVES.
THIS GOSPEL IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS. JESUS ENCOUNTERS A LEPER – AND YOU'VE HEARD WHAT MOSES SAID TO DO WITH LEPERS. IN JESUS' TIME ANYONE WITH A PERSISTENT SKIN PROBLEM WAS A LEPER UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE, AND THAT MEANT THAT YOU STAYED AWAY FROM TOWNS AND OTHER PEOPLE; YOU HAD TO DRESS IN A CERTAIN WAY SO THAT PEOPLE COULD AVOID YOU; AND YOU COULDN'T GET A JOB. WHENEVER SOMEONE LOOKED AS THOUGH THEY WERE GOING TO CROSS YOUR PATH, YOU WERE TO SHOUT “UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN”. SOMEONE WHO EVEN TOUCHED A LEPER WAS CONSIDERED UNCLEAN FOR SEVEN DAYS. LEPERS SURVIVED THROUGH THE KINDNESS OF THEIR RELATIVES, OR SOMETIMES STRANGERS. IF YOU WERE UNCLEAN, YOU COULDN'T TAKE PART IN WORSHIP – OBVIOUSLY GOD MUST BE PUNISHING YOU FOR SOMETHING. NATURALLY, SOME LEPERS, BEING DESPERATE, WOULD COMMIT DESPERATE ACTS LIKE ROBBERY. IT WAS A TOUGH LIFE.
THE LEPER, DEFYING CONVENTION, CALLS OUT TO JESUS AND BEGS HIM: “IF YOU WANT TO YOU CAN MAKE ME CLEAN!” AND JESUS REACHES OUT AND TOUCHES HIM, DEFYING CONVENTION HIMSELF, AND SAYS, “I DO WANT TO, SO BE CLEAN!” THE LEPER IS MADE CLEAN, AND JESUS TAKES ON THE STATUS OF “UNCLEAN”. JESUS GIVES HIM TWO COMMANDS – ONE IS TO GO SHOW HIMSELF TO THE PRIEST, BECAUSE THE PRIEST COULD THEN DECLARE HIM CLEAN AND HE COULD COME BACK INTO SOCIETY. WE DON'T KNOW IF THE LEPER ACTUALLY DID THAT. THE OTHER IS “TELL NO ONE”. AND OF COURSE, OUR LEPER DOESN'T DO THIS – IN FACT, HE DOES JUST THE OPPOSITE. AND WE SEE THE CONSEQUENCES; JESUS CAN'T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT ATTRACTING A NEEDY, DEMANDING CROWD.
THINKING IN HUMAN TERMS, IT MUST HAVE REALLY BEEN HARD ON JESUS, WHO SAW HIS MISSION AS ONE OF PREACHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO EVERYONE WHO WOULD LISTEN. AND NOW IRONICALLY, HE HAS TO AVOID PLACES WHERE THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE.
HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO US? I THINK A LOT OF US BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER. WE PRAY FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN, OR SOMETHING NOT TO HAPPEN; WE PRAY FOR SICK FRIENDS AND DEAD RELATIVES; WE PRAY KNOWING THAT NOT EVERY PRAYER IS ANSWERED THE WAY WE WANT IT TO BE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, HOPING THAT MAYBE THIS TIME OUR PRAYER WILL BE ANSWERED IN THE WAY WE WANT IT TO BE. AND OBVIOUSLY SOMETIMES THEY ARE.
BUT ALTHOUGH JESUS HEALS THE LEPER, WHAT DOES HE REALLY WANT? IF WE GO BY OTHER MOMENTS IN HIS LIFE, HE WANTS CONVERSION, HE WANTS THIS LEPER TO GIVE HIMSELF TO GOD, TO REPENT HIS SINS AND SEEK GOD'S MERCY; AFTER HEALING HIS BODY HE WANTS TO HEAL HIS SOUL, BUT THAT REQUIRES THAT THE FORMER LEPER SPEND SOME TIME LEARNING FROM JESUS.
BUT THE LEPER MISSES ALL OF THIS AND GOES OUT TELLING EVERYONE WHAT HAPPENED AND WHO DID IT. AND IN SO DOING HE LOSES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COMPLETE HEALING, AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR JESUS TO REACH OTHERS WITH HIS MESSAGE. THE LEPER FAILS TO OBEY THE PLAIN COMMAND OF JESUS.
HERE WE ARE IN CHURCH; WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE KNOW SOMETHING SPECIAL TAKES PLACE; WE KNOW THAT JESUS BECOMES PRESENT IN BREAD AND WINE, IN THE WORD AND IN EACH OTHER. WE KNOW HEALING GRACES ARE AVAILABLE, BOTH FOR BODY AND SOUL. WE HAVE A LIST OF THINGS WE WANT TO BRING TO JESUS' ATTENTION – SOME OF THEM AS A PEOPLE WHEN WE PRAY THE INTERCESSIONS AFTER THE CREED AND WHEN WE PRAY THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER; AND SOME WHICH WE BRING TO THE MASS IN OUR HEARTS TO SPEAK THEM PRIVATELY. AND AFTER OUR ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST, WE ARE GIVEN A COMMAND – IT MAY BE, “GO, LIVE THE GOSPEL” OR “THE MASS IS ENDED, GO IN PEACE” OR VARIOUS OTHER FORMULATIONS. THEY ALL BOIL DOWN TO THE SAME THING, THOUGH. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE MASS AND IN OUR CASE, BRING WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED INTO THE WORLD WHICH SO DESPERATELY NEEDS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
THE LEPER WASN'T READY TO BE SENT FORTH; HE NEEDED TO LEARN FROM JESUS AND BE FORMED BY HIM. YOU AND I HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED TO GO FORTH; WE HAVE EATEN AND DRUNK JESUS CHRIST; WE'VE RENEWED OUR BAPTISM, WE'VE STIRRED UP THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US; WE'VE BEEN INSTRUCTED THROUGH THE WORD AND SOMETIMES THE SERMON IF THE HOLY SPIRIT MAKES UP FOR THE DEFICIENCIES OF THE PREACHER. WHAT MORE DO WE NEED TO GO FORTH AND BRING CHRIST'S MESSAGE TO THE WORLD? AND YET, PROBABLY MUCH OF THE TIME WE AREN'T EVEN THINKING ABOUT THIS ONCE WE HIT THE PARKING LOT.
TODAY BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS MASS LET US THINK OF ONE PERSON WITH WHOM WE WILL SHARE THE GOSPEL THIS WEEK. WE DON'T HAVE TO WHIP OPEN A BIBLE OR OFFER TO PRAY WITH SOMEONE. THE GOSPEL IS THE GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS BROUGHT TO OUR WORLD, THE NEWS THAT WE HAVE IT IN OUR POWER TO TOUCH EACH OTHER'S LIVES. AND WHEN WE TOUCH EACH OTHER, THE RESULT CAN BE GOOD OR IT CAN BE BAD. A COMPLEMENT INSTEAD OF A CRITICISM. WELCOMING INSTEAD OF IGNORING. GIVING THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT RATHER THAN BLAMING. OUR BAPTISMAL GRACES ARE ALWAYS THERE TO TELL US WHAT WE SHOULD DO; ALL WE NEED TO DO IS LISTEN.
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