• 2019 June 23 • Corpus Christi Sunday •
• Genesis 14:18-20 • Psalm 110
• 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 • +John 9:11b-17 •
[_01_] The multiplication of the loaves miracle is
the Gospel reading for today = Corpus
Christi Sunday – which is Latin for the Body of Christ. I’d like to
reflect on the meaning and celebration of the Eucharist… for us … using this
Gospel and using this example.
On May 25, 2006, I stopped
in at ... and later departed from my the home of my mother and father. I
stopped there because there were family visitors and it was a few days before
my ordination as a priest at the cathedral in Newark – the Mass of my
ordination as a priest. I had just
finished my seminary studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall
University.
As I was
leaving the house, somewhat hastily, I went to the door – to go out – and I put
on a pair of black shoes at the front door, left and later wore those black shoes
to the cathedral. They were not my black
shoes.
The shoes
belonged to my future brother-in-law and my sister’s boyfriend, Jeff … he found
it humorous that I was not wearing my own shoes – but rather his shoes … on my
feet throughout the entire celebration of my ordination, my first blessing as a
priest in the cathedral after ordination and later, celebrating Mass in church as
a priest for the first time on the next day on Sunday.
Well, I
had to wear some shoes – like they says at the retail establishments and at the
Jersey shore and boardwalk in the heat of summer -- no shirt, no shoes, no service.
I needed
those shoes, those borrowed shoes.
[_02_] There is a borrowing and lending going on in
the Gospel this Sunday, this Corpus Christi Sunday. And, the borrowing is also for serving, for
service, for love.
In the Gospel of the
Multiplication of the Loaves “borrowing” is a necessary component … not a
borrowing of any article of clothing or money but a borrowing of the loaves of
bread and fish to make the miracle possible.
This miracle is similar to
the wedding at Cana in which water H2O is borrowed and used to be
transformed into the bountiful and best wine.
[_03_] The
material for the miracle is not borrowed from the Temple …it is not borrowed
from the Pharisees or the scribes. And the apostles do not go into town to
purchase it in person or online.
It is borrowed from an
ordinary person.
In some
renditions of the miracle, the one who possesses and shares the loaves of bread
and fishes is a young boy …whose youth indicates his simplicity and poverty.
So, also,
our simple and sometimes impoverished gifts to God mean something – God can
transform and multiply what we give Him.
Jesus wants to use what we
have – what is brought to him – in order to perform the miracle.
The apostles, on the other
hand, want to dismiss the crowd, send them into town to buy food … the apostles
– at least right now – do not recognize that what the people bring is already
enough for Jesus to work
with.
Certainly, in my own
ministry as a priest, I have to remember that my own talents are enough for God
to work with …that your talents are enough for God to work with …and that
together we can do something beautiful.
[_04_] BORROWING
..is necessary in order to get started.
Often, the hardest part
about any endeavor or project is to get STARTED …or if we have been
interrupted… to get re-STARTED. Because getting re-started ourselves is not as
easy as just turning ON a device.
We may
have to contribute something ourselves. The re-start happens also here in our
worship.
Of course,
the re-start of our worship happens at the beginning of Sunday Mass when we
stand for the procession and make the sign of the cross, listen to the readings
and homily …which I can only hope is somewhat engaging.
But, as
another priest once told me… the goal is not for me to re-write the Gospel you
…but for you – in your own conversion to re-boot, to re-start and – in a sense
– write the message yourself or complete the message yourself. If you come up
with something for next Sunday, let me know !
But,
truly, I welcome your comments, your questions about anything I may say or what
I may not say.
[_05_] So,
the hardest part about a new project is to get started – and each Sunday Mass,
we re-start, we re-boot, with the preparation of the altar for the Liturgy of
the Eucharist.
It is
quite easy for us to treat the readings and sermon – which vary from week to
week – as somehow more important than the Liturgy of the Eucharist – which at
first glance – appears exactly the same each Sunday.
But,
actually, it is different each Sunday – because each Sunday you are different. Every
Sunday, I am different. God is the same, but you are ever changing.
The theologian Josef Pieper wrote that to be
made in God’s image – to be a child of God – as we are – we recognize that we
are never fully completed – we are continually receiving our being and our
essence from our heavenly Father. (Josef Pieper, Faith, Hope, Love, San Francisco:
Ignatius Press, 1997, p. 62)
What is
different in the Liturgy of the Eucharist is each Sunday – for example – is
that a different person – or group of persons – brings forward the bread and
the wine to the altar.
It’s
almost like a different person lends the loaves and fishes each time. You are this
person.
And, this
ritual – symbolic action – also reminds us that your gifts are important to
this celebration. For this reason, we also want to include you in this gifts
procession and we welcome you also to volunteer to bring up the gifts of bread
and wine. We are often looking for volunteers ! (Please do not run away… you
may want to start preparing excuses …)
But,
whether you volunteer to walk up the aisle or no – your prayer intentions are
also being brought the altar to be raised up and consecrated before God.
Your
prayers – your prayer intentions - are on this altar.
In the 141st
psalm we read:
“I have cried to thee, O Lord, hear me: hearken to my
voice, when I cry to thee. Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight;
the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice.” (Psalm 141)
Your
prayers are like the fire and smoke of incense rising up to God.
[_06_] On the day of my ordination as a priest, I was
standing – literally – in someone else’s shoes, my future brother-in-law…
But, was I
not also meant to be standing in someone else’s shoes…and you are as well, when
we come before God for Holy Communion.
Receiving
Holy Communion, you and I are also meant to stand, called to stand and walk in
someone else’s shoes …or, perhaps, sandals. Jesus Christ, our Savior.
It’s
sometimes strange and uncomfortable to wear someone else’s shoes. In this case, in my 2006 ordination day, it
worked out quite well, because it turned out – future my brother-in-law, Jeff,
and I were about the same size.
And, I was
thinking about so many other things that I hardly noticed I was wearing someone
else’s shoes.
But, this is
good news!
Jesus does
not want us to notice that we are wearing his shoes.
What we
read in the Ash Wednesday Gospel … It is good news to be able to give without
our left hand know what our right is doing (or in my case… without my left foot
knowing what my right was doing).
It is good
news not to notice … to forget that we are fasting and sacrificing -- just to
make it part of our routine.
And, isn’t it true that our
many of our most loving and prayerful generous actions are the ones that do not
get noticed or notoriety, fame or fortune, maybe the ones that we do not notice
ourselves doing.
And, I
believe this also applies to our own actions of forgiveness – to forgive one
another’s trespasses, and sins … in other words … it is often hard to forgive
someone else… and it’s hard when the other person does not know or “appreciate”
the forgiveness.
But, the
forgiveness is not just for the quote unquote “perpetrator” to feel less
guilty. The perpetrator may not yet acknowledge his or her sin or guilt.
The
forgiveness is for you and for me to be free… even if it goes unnoticed.
It is good
news when Jesus’ shoes and sandals and ways of walking start to feel like our
own.
[_07_] Looking
back on the incident of the borrowed shoes and my ordination, I also recall that
these shoes came from someone who was not yet a part of our family … yes, he
was my sister’s boyfriend… but they were not yet engaged and 2 years away from
being married…
Today,
Jeff is my brother-in-law …and I would regard him as a brother… not just because
of the interest-free loan.
We are
called to lend ourselves to God, to neighbor.
We are
made as brothers and sisters, sometimes with those we do not yet know.
But, when
we lend ourselves and give, God can do the multiplying and provide for all.
[_fin_]
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