Birthday celebrations hopefully evoke happy memories for all of us. It's hard to think of an institution such as the Church as having a birthday, but Pentecost is when the church came into existence. There was no building, but rather what emerged was a community. This community was something new and different from anything else in a very religious society. What was it that characterized this community as different? Well, during the entire season of Easter we've heard the Acts of the Apostles - the story of this early community. In it we find a community that cared deeply about its members; they pooled their resources, they held everything in common, they took care of the poor. They were involved in service to the greater community. They broke from traditional Jewish ritual and came together for "the Breaking of the Bread." They experienced the Risen Christ in their midst. People were healed and even more importantly, saved. They were underground, considered criminals, yet they reached across borders and boundaries and accepted and converted people from outside of their area, their race, even their nation. They recognized a "giftedness" among them- many diverse gifts: speaking in tongues, prophecy, healing, preaching, teaching, serving and they celebrated these gifts.
But they were not without their problems. Today in our second reading, St. Paul writes to a community divided by problems that would encourage any pastor to plan for early retirement. There were factions gathered around particular leaders, followed by a host of strange sexual problems including incest and prostitution. There was a virtual theological food fight, marital issues and divorce. There were questions about the participation of women in public worship and disputes even over the celebration of the Lord's Supper. Sound familiar? And yet in the midst of all these difficulties, the Church grew, even though its members were being tortured, arrested and executed, numbers increased. This was only possible due to the gift of the Holy Spirit. This gift was promised by Jesus, and once it was received, everything changed. The disciples came out of the dark, locked room of fear and went forth into a hostile world to do great things. They recognized gifts they never knew they had, they encountered friends they never would consider, they lived and died for one another empowered by the Spirit’s profound love, courage and strength.
Certainly our Church today has problems of its own, the struggles of our time, although different and complicated, are not entirely new. What St. Paul did was to remind them all that Jesus died for their sins that they might live again, in a whole new way. He celebrates their diversity and calls for unity. Though they may have abandoned Jesus, he will not abandon them. Though they may have failed Jesus, he would never fail them.
So you see, ever since the Church was born there have been difficulties. But we are always being called back to Christ. He is always being held up for us as the way, the truth and the life.
Today we celebrate the birth of a community to which we belong- it is not made of brick and mortar, wood and stone, it is made up flesh and bone; a people- a people set apart, called to be somewhat different from the rest of society or culture. How are we different? What are our gifts? Is there still a unity that shines through our diversity? Do we still care deeply about one another? Do we pool our resources and help those most in need? When we come together do we experience the presence of the Risen Lord in our midst? Do we reach across borders and boundaries and invite people into the love of Christ, the salvation of Christ experienced here? Do we recognize our gifts and share them? Do we believe that we have something to offer, or let others do the work? This is a worthy reflection for our parish today as we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost. Happy Birthday!
Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul – June 29, 2008 - Fr. Alberto Tamayo
"PILLARS OF THE CHURCH"
Today we celebrate two great men – St. Peter and St. Paul, two giant figures of the early Church and our Fathers in the Faith.
Our Gospel this evening reveals something wonderful about St. Peter, the first Pope of our Church. You see, St. Peter was an impulsive man, sometimes arrogant and he often overestimated his own personal characteristics. An example of that is just before Jesus is to go to his death, Jesus tells the disciples what is about to happen and that he [Jesus] will be betrayed and handed over. Peter, in his grandiose way, rejects all this and says, I will never abandon you, even to the death. Jesus looks at him and says, “Peter, Peter before the rooster crows, you will already have denied me three times.” Just a little while later, there Peter was shouting a third time, “I tell you, I don’t even know the man you’re talking about.”
Peter abandons the Lord at the moment when he needed him most. Pter thought that he was a bigger man with a greater courage than he actually was. Over and over again, we hear Peter making great claims about himself and his commitment and yet falling so short of his own ideas about himself.
But then, when he hears the third crow come forth from the rooster, realizing that he had run away, hid in fear, denied the one he loved, he’s heartbroken. The illusions of himself come crumbling down and he’s filled with sorrow…but he’s not crushed, nor does he despair. Rather, in humility, Peter acknowledges what he’s done and when Jesus appears after the Resurrection, there’s this incredible exchange between Jesus and Peter. Unfortunately, the beauty of what is being expressed gets lost in the English translation. You see, in English there is really only one word for love, but in Greek there are three: they are eros – which is a romantic love, filo – which is a frail, imperfect human love (like that of friendship), and agape – an absolute and total self-giving love which is the highest of loves.
Now this is how the exchange really goes:
Jesus says to Peter, “Peter do you agapas me?” [Do you love me with an absolute, total self-giving love?]
Peter says, “Yes Lord, you know I filo se? [I love you with my frail, weak, imperfect human love.]
Again Jesus asks, “Peter, do you agapas me? [Do you love me with an absolute, total self-giving love?]
Peter responds, “Yes Lord, you know I filo se? [I love you with my frail, weak, imperfect human love.]
But this time Jesus says, “Peter, do you filo me? [Do you love me with your frail, weak, imperfect human love?]
Peter responds, “Lord, you know everything, you know I filo se.” [You know I love you with my frail, weak, imperfect human love.]
Peter is no longer the arrogant man with great claims about his own courage and the greatness of his love. He’s finally honest and humble before Jesus, he can no longer has the luxury of his past self-delusions. And what does Jesus do? He stoops down to him and says, “Good Peter, finally you’re being honest with yourself and with me – I know you do not yet agapas me, but you will.” The amazing thing is that once Peter admits the weakness of his frail faith and love, its in that moment that he begins to become a real man of courage, a real man of agape – absolute, total self giving love. He finally begins on the road to becoming a man capable of leading the Christian Community.
How much we can learn from him and from that other great saint, St. Paul of Tarsus, who once said, “I am weak but it is in my weakness that I am strong.” St. Paul knew from his own personal experience that it is only when we honestly confess our weakness, our lack of faith, and our failures to love and live the moral life, its only then that the Spirit of God has a pathway into our hearts so that He can mold us into great men and women of faith.
Those who think themselves strong by natural abilities or accomplishments are never open to the gift of strength, real strength that only God can give. Those who think themselves strong will never really be strong. It is only to those who kneel down in faith, who know that they are weak, it is only to them that real faith and strength are given.
Both of these great men recognized the weakness of their love and to both of them God gave the gift of undying faith and great love and made them giants and heroes of the Faith. And in the end, both of them gave their lives for this One whom they loved so deeply and, on his behalf, suffered many other hardships besides.
I invite you now to close your eyes and pray with me:
Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you but that my love is yet a weak, imperfect human love. Help me to love you with that love which you most deserve – absolute, total self-giving love. I’m not there yet, I can not love like that on my own. I don’t know how to love like that, but you do. Fill me with that love. I am a weak sinful person, but with your grace [your love], make me one of your great saints. +Amen
St. Peter and St. Paul, pray for us now and always!
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time – July 20, 2008 - Fr. Alberto Tamayo
"BEAUTIFUL WHEAT"
Today’s parable is a difficult one, as is often the case when Jesus talks about some being condemned and thrown in the fire. Many of us - I hope all of us – have a true desire to see everyone saved. In Today, Gospel and at many other times, Jesus clearly stated that not all will be saved…some indeed, will not go to heaven.
It seems harsh but really its not at all harsh. If we say that simply by virtue of being born and having lived that we go to heaven…that would be a radical denial of human freedom. God does not drag us against our wills to the doors of salvation, nor does his chain us to himself in such a way that there is no escape. What kind of love would that be? What kind of love could you have for the people in your life if there were no ability to choose whether or not you will love them. And even worse, imagined being loved like that – being loved only because you happen to be there – who wants a love like that. No, love must be free – free to accept and free to reject.
This is true most especially of God…God loves us enough to set us free, knowing that we may use that freedom to love him or even to reject him. He offers a free invitation. If we accept the invitation, he fills us with his Spirit and will transform our lives and perfect our humanity and, ultimately, bring us into his kingdom of love and joy and peace.
But we are free also to reject this, to say no…No to him, no to the gift of his Spirit, no to a transformed more human life, no to his goodness and mercy. Instead we are free to pursue a life of total self-reliance, a life of self-consumed blindness which makes us less and less human. And over time, we wither and wither until making our way to an outward hell that reflects the hell we’ve already made within us.
Today’s parable tells us that those who accept God’s invitation are like wheat in the field which nourish and give life to the world, and those who reject his invitation are like weeds who poison and choke out the very life of the world.
Now the weeds that Jesus is probably referring to is called “darnel.” It’s a poisonous weed that as its growing looks very much like wheat. Its not until its fully mature that you can distinguish between these darnel weeds and real wheat.
Its for this reason that you can’t just go in and tear it out as soon as it begins to grow. If you do that you take the chance of pulling out good wheat, which you can easily mistaken for darnel weed.
In this parable, Jesus is showing us that its not easy to distinguish between the two. And so it is among believers. We might look out at our congregation or at a fellow believer and think – Look at him, he’s such a curmudgeon. He’s impatient, sometimes rude, he falls into this sin or that sin. He’s often not a very pleasant person to be around. We might think that here we have found a perfect example of a weed, growing up in the midst of beautiful wheat…if only he were not in this Church or in our group…ahh, how much better off we’d be.
And then we look out and see another man – he’s a good, honest family man. He’s easy going, patient, pleasant to be around. He’s smart, speaks well and has a good sense of humor. Ahh, he’s obviously good, solid wheat.
But not so fast, --- we have no way of knowing. We only see the outward manifestations, but God pierces through to the heart.
Now, the first curmudgeon of a man may have had everything working against him…bad genes, a poor upbringing, and other things in his life…he may simply have been born with a bad disposition. Yet he knows it, and he falls to his knees in sorrow over his failings and imperfections. He knows he needs God’s mercy – he confesses his sins and strives to be more open, more flexible to the work of the Holy Spirit – and God is slowly, over time aiding this man toward greater and greater holiness.
God who sees into the heart, knows what this man started with and how far he’s progressed by his openness to the grace of the Spirit, even if that progress is imperceptible to us. He reminds me of a rude and impatient man I once heard about – someone said to him, “And you call yourself a Catholic?!” to which the man replied, “Just imagine how bad I’d be if I weren’t!”
The second man that I talked about, the good family man with all the natural virtues, the one that everyone admires…Maybe its true, maybe he is wonderful wheat growing up with in the field of the Lord - - - or, maybe not. His virtue and goodness may simply be the product of good genes, a good upbringing, the product of a stable, peaceful life. Maybe he’s born into this, and hasn’t grown a bit. He’s never opened himself to the gift of God’s grace and so, while he’s good, he’s stagnant, unmoved by the Spirit. God holds out to him the possibility of great holiness and he’s simply satisfied where he’s at….or, even worse, he actually thinks he’s made himself good and he looks with disgust on the curmudgeony man – and he prays like the publican “Thank you God that I’m not like that man.”
God knows too what this man started with and how little he’s progressed because he doesn’t think he needs God’s grace at all. This man looks like wheat to us, but he is an illusion - - he’s a darnel weed growing up in the field of the Lord, filled with the poison of spiritual pride.
God sees all of this, all these things which our human eyes are blind to. He pierces into the depths of our souls and we cannot hide from his perfect gaze.
Jesus is telling us that there will come a day when we will see that some of those we thought were weeds will shine like a million stars in the sky…while some we thought were holy wheat, will fall into the darkness of their own self-satisfied hearts.
Which are we? Are we the illusion of wheat, or the real thing? May we be more like the curmudgeony man who recognized his absolute dependence on God and strove with all his heart to open himself to God’s grace and so become fully human, fully alive with the life that only God can give.
No more illusions or pretending…instead, may we recognize that we cannot hide anything from him who sees into our depths…and we need not hide from him. He loves us and if we lay ourselves before him, he will set us free from all that is not good, from all that is not beautiful and from all that is not true.
If we do this, in the end he will gather us up into his arms and in his arms we will find all we’ve longed for, all we’ve sought after, all we’ve hungered and thirsted for…and, in the end, he will carry us into the kingdom prepared for us by his beloved Son.
August 17, 2008- Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time- Fr. Kevin Keelen
"OLYMPIANS OF FAITH"
Have you ever felt like a foreigner? I really can’t relate since I was born into the majority, but there have been some times I’ve felt un-welcomed or ill at ease due to circumstances. A pretty funny story happened to me last year, I was on my way to a wedding in Lakewood and I got the name of the reception hall wrong. I went into the Ramada Inn, saw it set up for a wedding, sat down to prepare my book for any prayers that would be said and looked up to see the bridal party coming out, all wearing yakimas! I turned beet red, apologized that I was in the wrong place and explained I was not there to convert anyone as I made my way to the Quality Inn down the street for the wedding to which I was invited.
It is quite rare that all three readings and even the Opening Prayer itself all completely tie in together with one very direct theme as they do today. As the Olympics captivates the world with a view of a diverse and beautiful global community, we hear readings which speak to the necessity of acceptance and unity among all peoples.
In our first reading from Isaiah, we hear about God accepting foreigners into the realm of salvation which is to be revealed to the whole world in the coming of Christ; this would be a global phenomenon, not just something for the people of Israel. In our second reading, St. Paul calls himself the “apostle to the Gentiles,” radically unconventional, and completely unheard of to the people of his own faith in the first century. In the Gospel, Jesus encounters, listens to, and speaks with a Gentile woman, another incredibly unexpected action for his people and his time. Jesus refers to such foreigners as ‘dogs,’ using familiar and accepted notions from their culture and language; however he does so to shatter such divisions and misunderstandings as he says, “O woman, great is your faith,” and heals her daughter. Until St. Paul’s mission beyond Judaism, it was assumed that only Jews would be disciples. Paul’s mission was to all the peoples of the world, -as Isaiah foretold and as Jesus commanded. It even took him to Greece where the Olympics was born! In the 21st Century, the world has become much smaller, yet division, misunderstanding, prejudice, misgivings, mistrust, and resentment flourish still.
Not so long ago in American history anti-immigration sentiment arose even to the point of creating a political party dedicated to keep such foreigners out of the country. The party was known as the “Know Nothings” and the foreigners they wanted to persecute were Catholics. Churches were burned just miles away in Philadelphia. In our own time anti-immigrant sentiment is emerging once again, this time it is more subtle, but the prejudice and mistrust is still there. The new immigrants are from Mexico and South America, and do you know what religion most of these folks belong to is? Yes, they are brothers and sisters in Christ, most are Catholic. I don’t care what the political and economic reasons are, there is no excuse for any Christian to be un-welcoming or condemning to any foreigner or stranger. Jesus made this most clear in the call to love our neighbor, even to love our enemies. These people are not enemies; they are members of our family, not to mention members of the human family.
You’d think that humanity would have evolved more by now, but these readings, and the existence of things like the Olympics, give us real hope. It was amazing to see two athletes embrace during an Olympic medal ceremony this week. As Georgia and Russia seemed to be on the brink of war, one Georgian and one Russian showed the world that it does not have to be the way of the political arena, it does not have to go the same way as military leaders dictate. That image demonstrates what the Scriptures proclaim loud and clear this day.
There are always those who break out of the conventional, reaching beyond their own comfort zones to build bridges of love. 2008 is an Olympic year as well as the ‘Year of St. Paul,’ -who was truly a bridge builder to celebrate and emulate. If it were not for him we would not be in this Church today! St. Paul broke all the mistrust and misgivings about accepting Gentiles into Christianity. He truly understood what Jesus was doing when he went out of his way to evangelize and save those who were most un-welcomed and outcast by the rest of society.
This is a time in which each of us can be Olympians of our faith, examining our own prejudices and hearing the Scriptures, and our Lord himself, calling us to welcome the stranger, embrace the foreigner, and to love our neighbor, wherever he or she may be from. It is no coincidence that the Olympics is taking place this week. It has been amazing to see people from all over the world coming together for one beautiful and inspiring event such as this. And this year as I watch these amazing athletes from every corner of the world do things I can't even dream of accomplishing, I have perceived something like never before,, that being it does not matter who WON, but the fact is that we all are ONE.
September 7, 2008- 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time- Fr. Kevin Keelen
"THE SPIRAL OF DESPAIR"
I’m sure some of you have seen a movie a few years back called “The War of the Roses,” in it a couple going through an extremely bitter divorce decides to literally battle it out, inflicting hurt and pain on one another, seeking vengeance and hatred to the point of destroying everything they have, including each other. This is a Hollywood version of something played out all the time, not only with divorcing couples, but with families, mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, neighbors, nations, and even within our very selves. Every time I see this played out, it is never good. When people chose vengeance over forgiveness there is never a happy ending.
I call it the “Spiral of Despair” and I’ve spoken of it before, but I think it bears mentioning in light of today’s readings.
You see, none of us HAS to forgive. But what happens to us when we decide not to? This is when we become entitled, entitled to be a bitter, angry, nasty, back-biting, unloving person. We become wicked, for lack of a better word, and this is the word the prophet Ezekiel uses in our first reading. It is when we give ourselves over to the darkness and thus are enveloped in negative energy, we are angry and scornful, and that choice makes us as wrong as the person who wronged us in the first place!
When we chose not to forgive, it is as if we are saying to someone, “You are dead to me.” I’ve heard people say this in reference to others, have you? “he or she is dead to me!” But even if we don’t say it, we think it and act upon it at times. Ezekiel talks about this dynamic of darkness when he says, “If you tell the wicked, ‘Oh wicked one, you shall surely die and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked one from his way, the wicked shall die in his guilt. But I will hold YOU responsible for his death!”
We have to give peace a chance at some point before ultimately choosing NOT to forgive.
There are times that we can go down the spiral of despair on ourselves, when we have done something so wrong, even perhaps when nobody else knows about it, and we feel broken and battered. We feel unworthy of love of others or God. Our self worth and self esteem take a huge hit, inside we feel like dirt, a phony or a fraud. This is when we usually push God away- the very one who can pull us out of the mud and muck, is cast off, because we feel so unlovable. We think, “God can’t love me” and so give ourselves over to the darkness, we stop praying and believing. We are then wrapped in the negative energy of despair. This is when, quite often, depression and addiction set in, perhaps even a lifestyle of sinful behavior can ensue.
What is our other choice? It is by far the more difficult choice in such situations. It takes more work, more effort, more love, and quite often it takes some time, time to heal, time to simmer down, time to reflect and respond rather than react and reject. This is the choice of Christ.
This is a choice to be better rather than bitter. To do the hard work of loving someone and our self enough to let go of all the negative energy we have towards another, after all it hurts us even more than it hurts them. Or it can be at times when we decide that we have turned on our self, a time to learn and believe that we are lovable and forgivable once again and we can change. And so we chose NOT to hurt anymore, not to hurt another and not to hurt our self. We try to give the anger over, to release the desire for revenge, we surrender, -we let go and let God.
We surrender to love over hate, and then the chains of darkness that bind us are loosened. This is what Jesus is talking about in this Gospel! He is encouraging all of us to work it out if possible, and in the end, if we can’t we have to let it go. Otherwise we live in the dark energy, we have given in to evil and we are lost.
This Gospel is just one example of how Jesus invites us into the dynamic of love and forgiveness, for this is the dynamic of life over death. When he talks about the Prodigal Son, he says the son was dead and has come back to life when he finally chooses to come home. Over and over again, Jesus compels us not to give into the natural human knee jerk reaction to reject, not to give into the compulsion to hurt. He says, turn the other cheek, love your enemies, pray for your persecutors. For when we forgive, we truly give someone their life back again, just as when God forgives us we are given life over death once again. And how many times are we supposed to do this? Well when Peter asked him that question he responded with the equivalent of infinity- always. Never surrender to the darkness, God is not there. God is Light and in him there is no darkness. This is what Jesus died for. This is what we remember when the chalice of his Precious Blood is lifted up before our eyes at each Mass, as we say, “Take this all of you and drink, this is my blood, shed for you and for all, so that sins may be forgiven.”
And when he taught us how to pray, he reminded us that we will not be forgiven unless we forgive those who trespass against us. As St. Paul concludes in our second reading from Romans: “Love does no evil to the neighbor, hence love is the fulfillment of the law.”
The church believes in forgiveness so strongly that she offers us the sacrament of reconciliation in which Christ forgives us and absolves us, washing away, cleansing the dirt within, giving us our lives back again as lovable and precious children in the eyes of God. God does not want us to be lost, but to be found. He does not want us to wander in the darkness, but to come home into the blessed light.
And so my friends, what do we choose today? Will we remain on a descent on the spiral of despair which leads to hell, or begin the difficult but wonderful climb upward toward the Kingdom of light? The choice is ours.
RESPECT LIFE SUNDAY- October 5, 2008- A Collaboration by Fr. Al & Fr. Kevin
"DEATH IS NOT A CHOICE"
Jesus tells a very sad story in our Gospel today. How sad that those entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of the vineyard took things into their own hands with no respect for the master and no respect for life, even the master’s son. What an opportunity they had to do the right thing, so much good could have been accomplished, and yet they thought that by killing the messenger, they would be better off. In the end, nobody benefited from their bad choices. Death is never an answer.
Today is Respect Life Sunday in the Church throughout the world. Last year we were encouraged by the Bishop to speak about stem cell research, and a positive impact was made in our State regarding that referendum. In years past we focused on Capital Punishment, and again, I am proud that NJ has put an end to that barbaric practice. Fr. Al and I have spoken many times already on various other issues that deal with respecting human life and dignity, but today, we think it is important to focus our attention once more on one of the most serious Right to Life issues, that is the Right to Life of the most vulnerable members of the human family, the child in the womb of its mother.
Before I do so, I want you to know that the despite what some people think, the Church’s position on the issue of abortion is not intended to inflict guilt, shame or add to the heartache of those who have experienced the unique and ongoing pain involved, nor cast judgment on any person, since nobody really knows the particular and terrifying circumstances one goes through. Hey, I’ve had to face this issue with members of my own family, people I love very dearly. All of us make mistakes, even very serious ones, and God offers his love and mercy to all who seek him, no matter what we have done in our difficult and complex lives. He is always there, always holding out his arms, always ready to embrace us, free us from the burdens we carry, heal us in his divine mercy, and make us whole again. This is why God sent his only son into the vineyard of our world, with this absolute message of love and forgiveness, a message he was willing to die to deliver, and one that is still rejected in many ways.
I think most of you know me well enough to know that I have made strides here at our parish to lay the bricks of compassion and hospitality above all else, so that nobody who sits in these pews ever feels judged or condemned. That is not of God; it has no place in God’s house. But that very compassion must be extended to the most vulnerable members of our world, namely those without a voice to defend themselves. Let’s face it, in a lot of cases women have been victims of pressures and manipulation that pushed them to the most difficult consequences in life, even into feeling there was no other way, no other choice, if you will. But as I said earlier, death is never an answer; it cannot be seen as a choice. I want to assure anyone who struggles with this in the past, there is much healing offered and it is hopeful and possible. Please tell those you know who struggle to have no fear, no one will judge them here, that’s not what we’re about, we just want to assist in the healing process and to let you know that no matter what has happened in the past, God loves you deeply and wants to heal us all from that which weighs heavy on our hearts.
And for anyone who is pregnant and needs help, -help is available, but don’t be deceived by the word which our country has coined as “choice.” There are many ways to chose life over death, there are thousands of help centers which provide financial assistance, medical services, legal advice, counseling, a place to live, jobs, education, and assistance to keep the child, or to place the child for adoption. I say this because we are talking about children here, our children, God’s children, not bundles of cells and tissues.
Here at St.Barnabas, I have asked Fr. Al to help me re-organize and re-vitalize our Pro-Life committee, which is at work right now to provide a great deal of support for moms and dads in crisis, so that no mom feels like she has no other choice. They will be providing information and support which will be readily available regarding such assistance which is out there including retreats for those who have experienced this pain in the past and seek a comfortable and healing environment to help them move toward new life.
Jesus told the story about those entrusted with the responsibility of the vineyard, and how God sent messengers over and over again only to be rejected. It is an historical and biblical metaphor for what actually happened. I ask that we do not make this a reality today. Don’t kill the messenger- don’t snuff out the message of life that the church provides. Be open to hearing it once again, as if for the first time. This is not easy stuff to talk about, but talk about it we must. In silence and darkness we allow tragic things to happen to those for whom we all have been given the responsibility to protect and defend. Death is never an answer.
How sad it is that like the parable, we live in a time and a society that sees death as a choice. Abortion must no longer be seen as an acceptable choice, there’s no way around it. This stance may not make us popular, but God isn’t calling us to win a popularity contest. At the same time we must be vocal and sincere about the awesome and overflowing mercy and love of God as a constant and an absolute in every situation, but that very love calls us to wake up, to stand up. The right to life is the most basic human right, without that right, no other rights are possible.
Finally, I sometimes hear it said that the Church seems to only care about this one issue, and believe me, I understand that it may seem that way at times, but let’s remember that the Catholic Church is the largest charitable organization in the world… doing more charitable work in every area of human need, greater than any government or organization, and more than any other religion in the world. The church has worked to end genocide, supported peace initiatives, has often been a lone voice in crying out for human rights, against unjust war, and an end to injustices of all kinds. So the argument that we’re ‘one issued’ is simply untrue. Respecting life for us Catholics is holistic and complete from conception to natural death. It also includes care for the poor, the disabled, those in need, taking care of children born into poverty and violence, and working for real and lasting peace. So there is not one issue here, but a multitude through which we must bring our conscience informed by our faith, infused with the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit and the unconditional love of God.
My friends, we do not sin by voting for a particular party, we only sin if we vote without a Christ-like conscience. But what we speak about today far exceeds casting a vote, it is about striving to make a true and lasting difference in our world, it is about our discipleship, our commitment to Christ, and our resolute respect for life in all of its stages - precisely because of that commitment.
None of these are easy issues to tackle, but as Edmund Burke once said, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph, is for good people to do nothing.”
I can’t think of anything better to say as I conclude then to repeat those awesome words from St. Paul in our second reading: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, if there is any excellence, and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me . Then the God of peace will be with you.” Amen.
Sun. Nov. 16, 2008- The Epidemic of Mediocrity- 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time- Fr. Kevin Keelen
I’d like to talk to you today about a silent, yet lethal epidemic that has infected everything, including the Church. The disease is mediocrity, and the diagnosis is bleak. Mediocrity leads to laziness, which causes sloth, which is a sin. Sloth is defined as ‘apathy and inactivity in the practice of virtue, it is considered “a deadly sin;” these sins are called the capital sins because they destroy charity in the person's heart and thus may lead to final impenitence and eternal death. Sloth is defined as spiritual and/or actual apathy or laziness, putting off what God asks us to do, or not doing it, or anything at all.’
Now, one might think this epidemic has not spread to Bayville, as we look around and see the multiplication of good works being done every day around this parish campus. The hundreds being fed each month through STVD, the hundreds being visited in nursing homes by our dedicated parishioners, the sick being brought Holy Communion, and the many activities taking place each day and every night within these sacred walls.
Yes, for sure, we see many people involved here at SB, doing many wonderful things every day and night. It’s amazing, its inspiring, its edifying. Yet when you do the math, these wonderful people represent only a very small fraction of the people who belong to SB. So where is everyone else?
Our parish, like all parishes, represents what Jesus talks about in the parable in today’s Gospel. We are all given talents; we are all given responsibility through our baptism. Some take what they have and multiply it by sharing and serving. Some do what they can with what they have, often pressed down by other obligations and commitments. Then there are those who bury their talents in the ground, and like a seed that is never watered or nurtured, it dies.
Acedia is an old word from Greek describing a state of listlessness, of not caring or not being concerned with one's position or condition in the world. It can lead to a state of being unable to perform one's duties in life. It is distinct from depression. Acedia was originally noted as a problem among monks and other ascetics who maintained a solitary life.
Kathleen Norris- A Spiritual author and poet, who wrote many books in the past suddenly stopped. She disappeared from the literary radar screen. When she was asked why, she explained that she had to take care of her dying husband and mother. She slipped into a funk, which she describes as acedia. She finally wrote her latest book entitled: “Acedia & Me”- She says Acedia is an ancient word that basically means the inability to care, even to the extent that you can’t care - that you don’t care anymore. It’s sort of a really drastic, nasty form of indifference. She says in her book: “How can I find my way in this impenetrable darkness? I need to begin again, after I have been worn down to almost nothing by acedia? The danger in lowering one’s standards, with acedia, is that one might accommodate oneself to less and less, until one is lowered right out of existence. I ask myself why I am so willing to waste time, as if it were not a gift, mindlessly consuming and discarding my precious mortal life.”
“A way when where there is no way; this is what God, and only God, can provide. This is salvation. As we move from death to life. We experience grace, a force as real as gravity, and are reminded of its presence in the changing of the seasons, and in the dying of the seeds from which new life emerges, so that even our deserts may bloom.”
So what is the cure to this epidemic of mediocrity? What is the antidote? - For Kathleen it was rooted in prayer- the psalms particularly, as well as exercise, and connecting with the larger community, -getting involved. Reaching out of herself toward others was key.
It is a proven medical fact that activity is a huge antidote to depression, - connecting with the community does the same for acedia.
In our second reading today, St. Paul says that the day of the Lord will catch us off guard, it will come like a thief in the night. I witness this each week here as we say goodbye to parishioners and family members young and old. Death comes when we least expect it, it comes for us all. And when it does come, the opportunity arises for us to ask ourselves, “What is life all about anyway?’ Why are we here? What do we take with us, and what will we leave behind?
These are good questions to ask as we go about our busy lives which quite often can have little or no meaning.
The questions we need to ask ourselves throughout our lives are: How important is God? How important is church, the parish, the community to which I belong? How much does a relationship with God and Church play in my life? How does this play out in the time and treasure I give, the talents and service that is shared? All this is a symbol of our belonging, our commitment, or lack thereof. If there is very little time given, very little talent shared, and very little treasure offered, then perhaps the disease has struck, the diagnosis applies.
Someone once said: “Show me your calendar and checkbook and I will tell you your priorities.” These 2 things symbolize our very self- what we really care about and are invested in.
In the last few months our Parish Council and Stewardship Committee have decided to re-work our Mission Statement into something short and sweet, like a bumper sticker that people can remember. What we came up with is: SB Parish: Believing, Belonging and Becoming-
Yes, we are in the process of becoming all the time. Becoming more and more disciples, followers, Christians, Catholics, more and more the body of Christ, more and more Christ-like. This is the fruit of stewardship- recognizing all that we are and all that we have comes from God and making a return to the Lord- which involves sacrifice, gratitude, service, and love.
So I loving challenge each of us today to get involved, to become invested, to get connected, if you don’t already do so, share your time, talent and treasure in such a way that you take a risk, in such a way that leads to sacrifice and service- things which our society and church have forgotten along the way. After-all, what do we have to lose? Mediocrity leads to death of the soul. Connecting with the community in prayer and service leads to inner joy and peace. Do it, if for no other reason- as a true and proven cure to acedia! For that inner joy that no amount of money can buy, which nothing purchased, no material thing can give. If you don’t believe me, just ask those involved, ask those you see working and serving and praying here day in and day out. There is a joy, a happiness, an inner peace and it’s real.
This is a completely curable epidemic but it will take work: our working together because we belong, our working hard, because we believe, and our working each day to become what we receive.
