October 27, 2012. Homily, Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Luke 13:18-21

Jesus said, "What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches."
Again he said, "To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened."
The Gospel of the Lord.


Use Mother Teresa, 1910-1998: in 1946 riding a train back to Calcutta from a retreat, was watching the slums and heard a voice commanding her to help the people in the slums of Calcutta. She exchanged her habit for a white sari with blue piping, started a school, in 1950, she had 12 followers, by 1998 when when she died the Missionaries of Mary had over 4000 in 12 countries and today over 5,000 in 123 countries. Mother Teresa is the mustard seed; inn 50 years she had spread her campaign throughout the world, Something Beautiful for God, the title of Mellencamp's autobiography of Mother Teresa. 3 measures of flour is 50# with kneading the while batch may be leavened

Lex orandi, lex credendi = the rule of prayer, the rule of belief.
the rule of prayer may establish the rule of faith
the way you pray and how you pray shows what you believe
pray as if it all depends upon God and work as if it all depends upon you
The rule of faith is the word received; the Liturgy is the word expressed.
Liturgy confirms and deepens faith.
what you exhibit externally reflects what you believe internally.
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: if you don't behave as you believe, you will end by believing as you behave.
Practice what you preach.
Laborare est orare: work is prayer.

The Word of God became a zygote, scarcely visible to the naked eye. He was born a helpless infant. His first visitors were not religious and state dignitaries but simple shepherds from the hillside. If the entry of the Word of God into human history was so humble and simple, it is not surprising that the Kingdom of God should also begin with the smallest and the most humble. The mustard seed is very tiny, but it grows into a mighty shrub. The pinch of yeast can raise three measures (about fifty pounds) of dough. To discern the Kingdom of God we need close vision, and action close to hand – not big theories and acrimonious talk.


At the time of Jesus, people expected that the messianic kingdom would be established with great fanfare and triumph. There would be a lot to see and hear.

The ego always looks for a big deal: this is its trademark. When you hear intense people talking big, with phrases like “I strongly believe,” or “I'm deeply convinced,” you can be pretty sure that they mean just the opposite. The strength of the conviction shows the strength of the doubt.

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
`My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away".

Percy Byshe Shelly

October 26, 2012. Homily, Saturday, October 27, 2012

Luke 13: 1-9.

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they ere greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you that if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them - do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!"
And he told them this parable: "There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in this orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, "For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?" He said to him in reply, "Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it my bear fruit in the future. If not, you can cut it down."
The Gospel of the Lord.

This is about untimely death. My class-mate Don Pillsbury on our 50th anniversary class masthead even though he is deceased six months. We know his death was untimely because he was in my college class.

The genesis of these stories in the first part of this Gospel seems to be that Pilate wanted to build an aqueduct to bolster Jerusalem's inadequate water supply and to finance the project from monies taken from the Temple treasury. The Jews gathered to demonstrate and to protest; Pilate's soldiers mingled with the protestors. When the protestors grew unruly, the soldiers sought to put down the unruliness; violence ensued, and some of the protestors were killed and more injured.
Pilate pressed ahead with his aqueduct; one of the towers collapsed and eighteen workers were killed.
To become a deacon one goes through formation. As part of formation, each of the persons studying to be a deacon is to write an autobiography explaining the genesis of his desire to become a deacon. My submission started with the words of the parable from this Gospel:
 There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in this orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, "For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?" He said to him in reply, "Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it my bear fruit in the future. If not, you can cut it down."
I then continued. I am that fig tree. And continued, that I had been exposed to the Church from my grandmother, my mother, my uncle the priest and my aunt, the nun. Each had pressed me to follow in the way but I had refused. I kept refusing until finally I decided that the Church needed me, I would accept, and then let the administration of the Church reject me. But God interfered to protect me and to encourage me through the 58 years before I applied, my acceptance, the four years of formation, the class work, the administration of the Diaconate, and on to my ordination. I am that fig tree, the ground around me cultivated, fertilized, until I bore fruit to follow in the way of the Lord. I am that fig tree.

October 25, 2012

Luke 12: 49 - 53
"I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled!   I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished!  Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three;  they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

Reflection:  When my son was in 8th grade, he came to me and said that he had decided he no longer wanted to go to Religious Education; he did not want to become confirmed.

I asked, "Why not?"

He said, "I have decided that I am an atheist."

I said,  "You are too young and to uneducated to be an atheist."

He said, "Well, then I am an agnostic."

I said, "You could be an agnostic."

He said, "I have decided that I do not want to be confirmed,  because I do not believe,"

I said, "Look your grandmother, my mother, is a religious fanatic and your great-uncle, my uncle, is a priest, and his sister is a nun and you are going to be confirmed."

He said, "Do you want me to be confirmed even though I do not believe just to make you happy?"

I said, "Yes." And he was confirmed.

Prayer Service Wednesday, October 12, 2012

2) Gospel Reading - Luke 12,39-48
Jesus said to his disciples. 'You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.'
Peter said, 'Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?'
The Lord replied, 'Who, then, is the wise and trustworthy steward whom the master will place over his household to give them at the proper time their allowance of food?
Blessed that servant if his master's arrival finds him doing exactly that. I tell you truly, he will put him in charge of everything that he owns. But if the servant says to himself, "My master is taking his time coming," and sets about beating the menservants and the servant-girls, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
'The servant who knows what his master wants, but has got nothing ready and done nothing in accord with those wishes, will be given a great many strokes of the lash.
The one who did not know, but has acted in such a way that he deserves a beating, will be given fewer strokes. When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be demanded of that person; when someone is entrusted with a great deal, of that person even more will be expected.
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel presents again the exhortation to vigilance with two other parables. Yesterday, it was the parable of the Master and of the servant (Lk 12, 36-38). Today, the first parable is the one of the householder and the burglar (Lk 12, 39-40) and the other one speaks of the one of the master and the steward (Lk 12, 41-47).
• Luke 12, 39-40: The parable of the householder and of the burglar. You may be quite sure of this , that if the householder had known at what time the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the walls of the house. You too must stand ready, because the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. So just as the householder does not know at what hour the burglar will come, in the same way, no one knows the hour when the son of Man will arrive. Jesus says this very clearly: "But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, no one but the Father!” (Mk 13, 32). Today many people live worried about the end of the world. On the streets of the cities, we see written on the walls: Jesus will return! There are even persons who are in anguish because of the proximity of the end of the world, and they commit suicide. But time goes by and the end of the world does not arrive! Many times the affirmation “Jesus will return” is used to frighten people and oblige them to go to a determinate church! After that long wait and speculation around the coming of Jesus, many people no longer perceive the presence in our midst, in the most common things of life, in daily events. What is important is not to know the hour of the end of the world , but rather to have a look capable of perceiving the coming of Jesus who is already present in our midst in the person of the poor (cf Mt 25, 40) and in so many other ways and events of every day life.
• Luke 12, 41: Peter’s question. “Then, Peter said, Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone? The reason for this question asked by Peter is not clearly understood. It recalls another episode, in which Jesus responds to a similar question saying: “To you it is granted to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not granted” (Mt 13, 10-11; Lk 8, 9-10).
• Luke 12, 42-48ª: The parable of the householder and the steward. In the response to Peter’s question, Jesus formulates another question in the form of a parable: “Who then is the wise and trustworthy steward whom the master will place over his household to give them at the proper time their allowance of food?” Immediately after, Jesus himself gives the response in the parable: the good steward is the one who carries out his mission of servant, he does not use the goods received for his own advantage, and is always vigilant and attentive. Perhaps this is an indirect response to Peter’s question, as if he would say: “Peter, the parable is really for you! It is up to you to know how to administer well the mission which God has given you: to coordinate the communities. In this sense, the response is also valid for each one of us. And here the final warning acquire much sense: “When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be demanded of that person; when someone is entrusted with a great deal, of that person even more will be expected”.
• The coming of the Son of Man and the end of this world. The same problems existed in the Christian communities of the first centuries. Many people of the communities said that the end of this world was close at hand and that Jesus would return afterwards. Some from the community of Thessalonica in Greece, basing themselves in Paul’s preaching said: “Jesus will return!” (1 Th 4, 13-18; 2 Th 2, 2). And because of this, there were even persons who no longer worked, because they thought that the coming would be within a few days or few weeks. Why work if Jesus would return? (cf 2 Th 3, 11). Paul responds that it was not so simple as it seemed, and to those who did not work he would warn: “He who does not work has no right to eat!” Others remained looking up to Heaven, waiting for the return of Jesus on the clouds (cf. Ac 1,11). And others did not like to wait (2 P 3, 4-9). In general the Christians lived expecting the imminent coming of Jesus. Jesus would come for the Final Judgment to end with the unjust history of this world here below and to inaugurate a new phase of history, the definitive phase of the New Heavens and the New Earth. They thought that it would take place after one or two generations. Many people would still be alive when Jesus would appear glorious in Heaven (1Th 4, 16-17; Mk 9, 1). Others, tired of waiting would say: “He will never come back!” (2 P 3, 4). Even up until today the final return of Jesus has not yet taken place! How can this delay be understood? We are not aware that Jesus has already returned, and that he is in our midst: “Look, I am with you always, yes, till the end of time”. (Mt 28, 20). He is already at our side in the struggle for justice, for peace and for life. The plenitude, the fullness has not been attained, but an example or guarantee of the Kingdom is already in our midst. This is why, we wait with firm hope the total liberation of humanity and of nature (Rm 8, 22-25). And when we wait and we struggle, we say rightly: “He is already in our midst!” (Mt 25, 40).

October 20, 2012. Homily, Sunday, October 21, 2012

Mark 10:35-45

[James and John, the sons of Zebedee [sons of Boanges, which is Sons of Thunder], came to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?" They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one qt  your right and the other at  your left." Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized' but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared." When the ten heard this they became indignant at James and John.] Jesus summoned [them] (the Twelve) and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
The Gospel of the Lord.

James and John were singled out among the apostles for especial treatment by Jesus: It was James and John who accompanied Peter and Jesus for the Transfiguration and for the cure of the daughter of Jairus.  James was a leader of the Christian community in Jerusalem and the first of the apostles martyred (killed by Herod with a sword, Acts 12:2). It was John to whom Jesus entrusted the care of his mother, the Virgin Mary. John was the apostle whom Jesus loved. John was the only apostle not martyred but instead lived to old age, past 100. John was the 4th evangelist. Three letters of John are included in the New Testament.

In Mark 10:35–45,1 Jesus and His disciples have one of the most memorable dialogues in the New Testament. In these eleven verses, Jesus emphasizes the importance of humility and service. He insists that self-giving is the only path to greatness.
In so many words, Jesus insists that we must: Climb down the ladder to greatness. In other words, instead of ambitiously seeking to climb the ladder and attain greatness, we must sacrificially serve others. Jesus reveals that He is the King of an upside down kingdom. His rules go against the grain of what our world says.

Jesus asks whether they can drink of the chalice of which Jesus will drink. James and John confidently affirm, “We are able” (10:39a). This response consists of one word in the Greek: dunametha = “We are able; we are powerful!” These brothers assume they can endure all the suffering that Jesus might have to endure because they have not understood the full ramifications of what He has predicted. They are thinking of military and political greatness. As a result, these two brothers are self-confident like Muhammad Ali. Ali was on a plane preparing for take off when a flight attendant asked him to buckle his seat belt. Ali said to her, “Superman don’t need no seat-belt.” The flight attendant quickly answered, “Superman don’t need no airplane either.” If we’re honest, we too can exude this kind of overconfidence. Yet, we must keep in mind Paul’s warnings, “Do not think of yourselves more highly than you ought” (Rom 12:3) and “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (1 Cor 10:12). We must recognize our deep-seated need to depend upon Christ.
 Jesus predicts the suffering of these two brothers. Interestingly, James was the first apostle to die a martyr’s death (Acts 12:2) and John was the last disciple to die in exile on the island of Patmos. So these two brothers will suffer making themselves eligible for kingdom authority; however, Jesus informs that God the Father makes the final decision who will be seated where. 

October 13, 2012. Homily, October 23, 2012

Luke 12: 35-38
Jesus said to His disciples" "Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants."
The Gospel of the Lord.

Optional memorial of St. Paul of the Cross, the founder of the Passionists.

In the day time, the "second watch" is 9 AM to Noon; and the "third watch" is Noon to 3 PM. In the night-time, the "second watch" is 9 PM to Mid-Night and the "third watch" is Mid-Night to 3 AM.

Jesus often cautioned his disciples, and thus us, to be ready. For, we know neither the day nor the hour.

The people of ancient Palestine wore loose flowing gowns because of the heat and would adjust the gowns by pulling material up over their belts: ankle length for walking, knee length for work in the fields, thigh length for dragging in the nets.

We are all stewards and servants of the Lord.

October 13, 2012. Homily, October 20, 2012.

Saint Paul of the Cross


Luke 12:8-12:
Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.
"Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say, For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say."
The Gospel of the Lord.

Today is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Antioch, a bishop of the Church, martyred in 107, in his 80's, paraded before his churches on the way to Rome to be executed, and as such a martyr (witness), to Jesus Christ. He was executed in the Roman Coliseum; his form of execution was to be torn apart by wild animals. In his words, "I am God's wheat and I shall be ground by the teeth of beasts, that I may become the pure bread of Christ.” On his travel to Rome, he wrote seven letters that are part of the Scripture of the Church. Ignatius of Antioch is one of the ancient fathers of the Church.

Our entrance antiphon this morning: "With Christ I am nailed to the cross. I live now not with my own life, but Christ lives within me. I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and sacrificed himself for me."