On the Way ... (2021-03-28, Palm Sunday)

PALM SUNDAY 28 March 2021,    GOSPEL PASSION OF MARK

Title:  Simon of Cyrene / On the Way.

[__01__]      There is supposed to be a procession at the beginning of Palm Sunday Mass which we are not doing this year, to simplify the liturgy for the sake of our special circumstances of the pandemic.

          But, nevertheless – the procession.

          What is a procession?

          A walking-in, entering. We process into our homes via the threshold and front door. Or we process into Penn Station on our way to the train, we process every time we walk.

          And, we welcome the procession of Jesus walking into church.  We stand up at the beginning of Mass, not because  Father _____, Father ____, or Father ____ is walking up the center aisle, but we stand up because Jesus our Lord and Savior is here. We stand up for the procession at the start of Mass.

          I encourage you to read the procession Gospel which we would normally read, because I am sure that each day you try to welcome Jesus walking into your life that he is processing, walking to us  and walking with us.

          That’s the procession.

I’d like to discuss the “procession” [P]

as….

-         [P] of some Sixth Graders

-         [P]  of Simon of Cyrene.

And, the connection to the [P] of our Savior.

[__02__]     This is the procession of the Sixth Graders (i.e., kids in Grade 6 in school.). Recently, a friend of mine shared with me an incident about "listening to instructions” and what

happened as a result of the instructions.  It is also about his particular hesitation and reluctance to listen. Sometimes, we are all reluctant.

We were in grammar school in Grade 6 - sixth grade. After school, in the afternoon, one day, my friend, and and some other classmates  did a “procession” of bicycles in the neighborhood on a busy street.

No one was hurt, no no one was injured. Absolutely nothing bad happened except for the intentionally caused  traffic jam in the neighborhood,. They were intentionally trying to stop traffic.

As a result, one of the neighbors called the school office and Principal to report this dangerous incident. The school principal, rounded up the usual suspects and brought all of them to the Principal's office. My friend was one of them.

The principal's solution was to make each of them listen to her, listen

to her instructions about their bicycle “procession” which had caused the traffic jam. And each of my classmates was instructed to call his parents from the principal’s

office from the “land line” as we say.. Each had to explain what they did wrong.

And, to this achieved two things immediately (1) responsibility taken by each young person and (2) message transmitted

to the parents.  The principal did not have to wonder if the young person actually told his parents or not.  And, the principal did not have to send a letter or note home.

          My friend was watching the clock carefully as they went

around the room and took turns at the telephone.   The time on the clock was

important.

When my friend’s turn came around to pick the phone, he picked up the phone and called the number which he had memorized by heart - the . telephone number of the local

Pizzeria, pizza shop.   The time on the clock was important because he was not sure if they were open yet or not. Fortunately, for him, the restaurant and pizza shop was open and they picked up the phone and allowed him to play out this role and charade and pretend to speak to his mother, and he told the  pizza counter person of his offense and the traffic jam.

          He did not try to order pizza.

[__03__]       I bring this incident up only because in a general way, it illustrates something about INSTRUCTIONS and a ROLE and RESPONSIBILITY

In this incident, the principal was playing her role, as the giver of instructions and protector of the children and as the connector to their parents.

The principal played her role perfectly and I remember

her very  fondly

My friend, however, had

found the equivalent of a IRS tax loophole in  her instructions and was able to avoid telling his parents. They only learned about this “phony phone call” a few years ago… more than 30 years later. That call was really late in coming.

          He also played his role perfectly. He should have won an Academy Award for acting.

 

[__04__]      What is the role of Simon of Cyrene in the passion? Simon of of Cyrene is the person at the 5^th station in Stations of the Cross and he is at the Passion Gospel.  Remember Simon of Cyrene is the person who was pulled - against his wishes (not his idea) - from the crowd. Simon of Cyrene was instructed by the strong Roman  soldiers to help Jesus carry the cross.

One possible view of Simon of Cyrene is that he is the perfectly cooperative and loving and devout - and eager - assistant  or carpenter’s helper picking up one  end of the wooden cross.

          He was young, strong, capable and he could get the soldiers out of their own traffic jam  and congestion / tie-up. The “procession” and walk of Jesus had stalled stopped,  from exhaustion.  The soldiers could not leave Jesus here. They had to complete the “procession” and way of the Cross on time.  Simon was the solution…

What role is Simon of Cyrene playing? Is he really taking responsibility?

 Some of us might say Simon of Cyrene is the paragon or epitome of discipleship.  We see Simon of Cyrene as the opposite of Simon Peter the Apostle who had denied

Jesus 3x and cannot relocate from the neighborhood fast enough.

          Yet, we might recall that Simony of Cyrene is really not given much of a choice. He does not really volunteer. He starts out on the Gospel Way of the Cross, all Simon of Cyrene is play the role" and do his part.

Simon of Cyrene may not want to do this. He may wish he were not there. However, the Roman soldiers would have or could have overpowered him into this task of carrying.

At this point, Simon of Cyrene is only playing a role.

[__05__]      Nevertheless, because he played a role, a significant role role, Simon's name is recorded in the Gospel – and even his family is remembered by name in the Gospel -- , we might imagine that he goes through some conversion, metanoia, some change of heart and that this affects, not only him but his family.

          The roles we play - whether

as a son or daughter, wife or husband, mother or father, friend or neighbor, sister or brother  may call us to do things for which we feel unprepared or unmotivated.  We may feel the timing is not right.

Hey, sometimes, we are not "ready" and have to get ready  along the way.

          Have you ever studied for an academic test at school in the car on the way to school in the car or on the bus? Or studied for a test while on a plane, train or automobile or bus.

And we can get ready along the way, along the way of a pandemic, along the way of a marriage along the way of being a religious sister o brother or a priest, along the way of parenting, along the way of a friendship,

We get ready … along the way of the Cross.

What Simon of Cyrene learns and we learn - is that our

acts of charity, goodness, honesty and

sacrifice do draw  us closer  to

God and to  our neighbors, even

those whom he can hardly know.

Simon of Cyrene hardly knew Jesus in a when they were so "suddenly put on the same team. And these acts of

sacrifice change us from

playing a role  or pretending to make

phone call - but  to  taking over to responsibility  and receiving the call

hearing the voice of Jesus  to you and me.

[__fin_] 

Can you keep a secret? (2021-03-21, Lent - Sunday -05)

 [__ver-03__]    SUNDAY 21 March 2021, 5^th Sunday Lent    [5th Sunday Lent  •• Jeremiah 31:31-34 •• Psalm 51 •• Hebrews 5:7-9 •• + John 12:20-33 •• ]

Title:  Can you keep a secret?

[__00__]    Can you keep a secret? In The Big Bang Theory TV show,  Sheldon – 1 of characters has difficulty keeping a secret. When asked to do so, he says the following:

Sheldon Cooper:  You must release me from my oath. I can't keep your secret, Penny. I'm going to fold like an energy-based de novo protein in conformational space... like a Renaissance triptych... like a cheap suit.

Then, Sheldon is asked:   Why is it so hard for you to keep one little secret?

Sheldon:   I'm constitutionally incapable. That's why I was refused clearance for a very prestigious government research fellowship at a secret military supercollider located beneath a fake agricultural station 12.5 miles southeast of Traverse City, Michigan…. Which you did not hear about from me.

[__00-a__]     So, Sheldon is bursting emotionally to reveal secrets, what only he knows.

In the Gospel, this SUNDAY, a a secret is being revealed and it’s not only "nature of the secret”  that is important but also the “nationality of the listeners”to whom the secret is revealed and told.

          This is the secret which is either not well known or not yet well understood that Jesus our Lord & Savior would be giving up his life that he would be betrayed by a somone close to him (Judas Iscariot) and would be arrested, would be handed over to the judge and civil authorities, would be put to death and die.

          Oh, and by the way… this is all going to be for the proclamation of God’s love and mercy.

          In last Sunday’s Gospel, we heard the famous verse [John 3:16] For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that all who believe in him might not perish but might have eternal life.  [John 3:16].

          And, those words were spoken

in secret under the cover of night / darkness to Nicodemus the Pharisee. Was Nicodemus changed the “secret” – was he prompted share this Good News with others. Perhaps, he was like Sheldon on BBT and could not keep a secret.

          But, in last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus not super-precise or explicit about his actual demise in other words about his death, how his public “ancient TV ratings” as a hero and healer is going to decline into one who is now seen as a villain, as betraying God and blaspheming. Stay tuned: Holy Week starts with Palm Sunday on March 28, next week. Check your local listings.

[__00-b__]     This Sunday, Jesus ∑ summarizes the “nature of the secret” this way:

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  Amen, amen, I say to you,  unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,  it remains just a grain of wheat;  but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”  (John 12: ___)

[__00-c__]     So, the nature of the secret is that in Jesus’ suffering and in our own suffering and sacrifice, there is something redeeming, something good, something potentially energizing.

And, of course we are totally

logical & rational when we reject that idea, when we fear suffering and fear the loss of our status, strength, or stability, whether physically or financially or emotionally.

          Yet, the message of the Gospel is that there is something to be gained even by what we lose, in fact we gain eternal life.

          By losing or giving up certain things, such as during these 40 days of Lent – during any period of sacrifice, we can become more free, liberated.

          I read this about our “Transformation in Christ” (Dietrich von Hildebrand, p. 248)  - that’s the book title –

          “that certain moments of suffering actually increase the range of freedom.”

          For example, consider the suffering we may endure in order to forgive someone who has hurt us. It seems to cause us pain to forgive the other person from our heart.

          Maybe this happened to you before, is happening right now or is going to happen someday.

          You or I may be called to forgive someone we hold in a really low place in our mind/heart.

But, once we forgive, it allows us to have more compassionate and merciful not just to this 1 person but people in general.

          This forgiveness journey is like the burying of the seed in the earth. You and I are called to die each die to ourselves and rise to new life, to be the seed that is buried in the ground.

          That’s the nature of the secret.

[__00-d__]      What about the “nationality of the listeners” to this secret?

          We are told that some Greeks or Greek speaking people had come to see Jesus.

          And, in the Gospel/ancient world, these Greeks symbolize not just one ethnic group of tourists with a visa to stop in, take a selfie with Jesus and see the sights in Jerusalem.

          The Greeks of the Gospel really represent people everywhere.

          Greece and the culture of Greece is very influential in the Mediterranean and in the world.

          This endures today. In the study of Catholic theology, every theological candidate – every future religious sister or brother or priest – who takes theology – must be schooled for a year or more in Greek philosophy including Plato and Aristotle.

          St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas – in particular – were extremely well educated in Plato and Aristotle. They endeavored to integrate the Gospel with Greek philosophy to understand God’s Word better.

          And, while Plato himself is not a Christian, the “Platonic ideal“ that there is a person consists of both a spirit and body is very much a part of St. Thomas Aquinas’ theology.

          Also, the adoption and acceptance of the Good News in Greece –  we see this in the N.T. letters to the Corinthians, to Philippians – that the Gospel is being shared with the whole world and that Jesus is the Savior of the whole world.

          The Gospel today reminds us of promise and the nature of a secret that is not yet well understood, one that we may also struggle to understand.

          One that we are also trying not only to learn intellectually but to live.

          Many of us pray in secret for family members, friends, even people we have difficulty with, we pray and sacrifice for them in ways that others do not notice.

          In this way, the Gospel is not only part  one nation or nationality but goes out to all the world through you and through me.

          One by one.  [__fin__]    

St. Joseph Day (2021-03-19)

 [__ver-03__]  SOLEMNITY 19 March 2021, Feast of St.Joseph

  

[__00-a__]    On some ordinary everyday level, I admire St. Joseph and Jesus our Savior, because of their skills as carpenters and builders.

I admire those who can build, repair, or make, for example, a new door and floor out of raw materials or who can repair a house, room, or a structure.

My grandfather on my mother’s side was JOSEPH – and he had a toolshed in the Bronx that could have been its own home improvement show on HGTV. My mother told me how impressed she was with my grandfather and that others were also with his ability to respond and repair.

This led to a famous “ultimatum” or prediction by my grandmother who said to my mother: “You’ll never marry – or find – a man like your father.”

My grandmother’s words kind of fell on deaf ears because my mother – who adored my grandfather – knew she would not marry a man like my grandfather and has been very happily married to a man different from my grandfather for 50+ years.

“There will never be another man like him”, a statement made of “Joseph” my grandfather is also made of others in our own families – other patriarchs or matriarchs or loved ones.

My grandfather – Joseph – was known for his independent spirit, his loyalty, dedication and work which he passed on to my mother, to my aunt, and to my uncle (also Joseph).

So, I continue to admire those who can build, repair and those who – in material ways – can make the best out of a less than ideal situation or condition. Those who can manufacture– as the saying goes - LEMONADE out of LEMONS.

Those who can solve, fix, repair, and can use a powerdrill, router and chain saw. I can do some of these things, but my skills are limited.

[__00-b__]    Often, what we are praying for, petitioning God for is some kind of improvement or step up or step out of the trouble or difficulty we are currently in.

          And, it’s good to turn to God:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in times of trouble“ (Psalm 46)

          “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing” (Psalm 34)

          “If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do the builders labor” (Psalm 127)

          We are called to remember not only to pray for what we do not have, but also to pray for the grace, the peace, the spirit to recognize who we truly and what we are capable of right now.

          And, thus to accept the will of God.

[__00-c__]     Certainly, “conditions” or  circumstances could be better. Right now, we pray for our young girls and boys, young people who suffer because they cannot go to school, cannot be with their friends, teachers, coaches in a normal way.

          We pray for children around the world in such situations.  Our children bear a heavy burden.

          What I know so many mothers and fathers have been striving to give them is love, assurance, structure and to let them know that they are not alone, that they are loved, that they have a community – albeit a smaller community within the family and within the home  and that they have the love of God and that God watches over them and that through this connection to God and the church – whether virtually or in person – their prayers and voices and actions have meaning.

          And, because other children are going through the same things – what they experience now – apart from others – does have a big effect on everyone. They are not abandoned.

[__00-d__]         Joseph – husband of Mary – would have been someone who could easily have felt abandoned, alone and NOT part of a larger community.

          But, Joseph was able to hear God speaking to him in private. Thus, Joseph – father 1^st / carpenter 2^nd – did not have to fix or hammer out or sand down anything that was broken. He was already part of a beautiful structure, the whole and Holy Family for whom he was caring.

          He had what he needed. It is my prayer for you and for me  - that we will recognize the gifts we already possess and put them to good use.

 

[__01__]    What’s a novena?

          Officially speaking, a novena is a time of prayer over 9 days which are has become traditionally significant it in the church.  …. Over time, we as Roman Catholics have associated the  novena with Christian themes such as the 9 months Jesus spent in the womb, the giving up of His spirit at the 9^th hour of Good Friday, and the 9 days spent in Upper Room with 12 Apostles between the Ascension and Pentecost. That’s what a Novena is.

          Here is another possible explanation, but I am sure this does not apply to any of you.  I am sure this was someone else who came to rectory front door, ringing the bell.

          One day, years ago, a young person came to door of the rectory [drove up to the rectory in an beat-up car ?] when Father Jim Chern was a parish priest here and asked: “Father, I really need to upgrade and I need a Range Rover Sport.  What type of Novena should I say to get a Range Rover Sport.” And Father Jim responded; “What’s a Range Rover Sport?”

          Then, a few years later the same person stops in again. [drove up to the rectory in the same beat-up car ?]  He did not get the Range Rover and he asks Father Bob Suszko: “Father, I need to upgrade and I need an Infiniti QX 56. What type of Novena should I say to get one?” And Father Bob says: “What’s an Infiniti QX 56 ?”

          Now this person obtained neither the Range Rover Sport nor the Infiniti QX 56, but he still desired an upgrade and rang the rectory doorbell one more time. This time, I answered.

          He said to me, “Father, I need to upgrade – I cannot get around like this. What type of Novena should I say to get a Tesla Model S?“     

          And, I said: “what’s a novena?”

 

[__02__]    When I was first introduced to the idea of prayer and praying not only for the needs of others … but also for my own needs, a spiritual director said this to me …

          At the time, I was not sure what it meant to pray – with the right attitude – for something.

          Ask God not only for what you want, but also ask God to help you to know what your greatest desire is.

          It also is helpful and necessary that we recognize the desires that are in us also may be of the good spirit (of God) or of the evil spirit (not of God).

          St. Paul says this about the assistance God gives to know what we really need and hope for:

          “Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.

In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness (Romans 8:___)

[__03__]    Each us has desires, hopes that we would like to see fulfilled, even miracles we are praying for. But we also need God’s help and guidance to discern and know our own selves.

          I am sure that many of you are praying for needs, petitions much more significant than a new luxury automobile, than a Range Rover or Tesla. In fact, I am sure that many of you are “sacrificing” or giving up on luxuries in your own prayer, fasting and almsgiving this Lenten season, because of your prayer intentions.

          But, we are called to remember that we are not doing this alone.

          The miracle of the Incarnation – made possible by both Mary Mother of God and Joseph as foster-father shows God’s plan coming to life, not our plan.  The miracle of the Resurrection shows God’s plan coming to life after Jesus willingly lays down his life for us, his friends.

          But, this would not have been my plan?

          Praying, we come to appreciate not only our own conclusions but to know God’s commitment to and belief in us, he wants to hear our prayers. Also, I am called to pray to God and to Jesus not just that I will be able to fix and repair everything…

          But, that I will participate in their architecture, their structure, their plan for my life, for our lives. That’s what a Novena is.

[END]

Undetected. Unfettered. Unrecognized (2021-03-14, Lent - 04 Sunday)

SUNDAY 14 March 2021, 4^th Sunday Lent

Title:  “Nicodemus: Undetected. Unfettered. Unrecognized.”

[__01__]   Once upon an I-95/Turnpike time, years ago, my grandparents and my aunt and uncle drove from here in the northeast to Florida to visit friends from their neighborhood.

          Arriving at their destination, they found out that the friends were in the Bronx. (Awkward). I am not aware how much longer my grandparents stayed on.

          They could have called first.

          The many communications devices  at our disposal enable us to avoid such pitfalls, such disconnections.

 

[__02__]     In the Gospel this Sunday, we read from the Gospel of John, Chapter 3, about a conversation between Nicodemus the Pharisee who has traveled some distance – though perhaps not a geographical distance in kilometers or miles – but rather across to a new spiritual ecosystem /climate-zone to see our Lord and Savior.

 

[__03__]     I’d like to touch on the example of Nicodemus as an aspiring disciple and the dynamics of what he experience – and we can experience – in our prayers and meditations.

          That is Nicodemus is [►UNDETECTED],  [►UNFETTERED], [►UNRECOGNIZED].

 

[__04__]     1^st . [►UNDETECTED]

Being undetected can be hazardous or inefficient if were to drive 18 ½ hours – Manhattan to Miami – and we arrive at our destination and the host knows not of our arrival. Not good news.

          There is a down side to being undetected.

          But, there is also an up side, good news.

          There’s a special delight and pleasure taken in being undetected in our loving relationships. For example, do we not delight at the times we can surprise someone or please someone who did not expect a special favor.

          Girls and boys – my young brothers and sisters – you can bring great joy to your mothers and fathers by doing what they ask -- [►UNDETECTED], unreminded …

          Nicodemus also gives us an example of being [►UNDETECTED]. Nicodemus, as a Pharisee, is a partisan and party-member very much on the opposite side of the aisle from Jesus.

          (JBC 68:2 à “In view of the official opposition to Jesus, already suggested by John and borne out repeatedly throughout the Gospel, a prominent leader such as Nicodemus could only have come to see Jesus secretly [at night].”)

          It was a risk Nicodemus was willing to take.

          Nicodemus comes to Christ undetected. And you/I come ot pray sometimes [►UNDETECTED], by others about what our deepest desires, hopes, or joys might be.

          God alone knows.

          Also [►UNDETECTED], we rely on God to meet needs we may not even be aware of…

 

[__05__]     2^nd, [►UNFETTERED].

Nicodemus is unfettered, unburdened  in his encounter with Christ.  Nicodemus is unfettered.

          A “fetter” is something that burdens us, perhaps, as a constraint or even as a capability.

What is Nicodemus’ fetter, his prized possession?

          It is his education, learning, intellect.

          Earlier, Jesus had observed that Nicodemus is the “teacher of Israel.” (John 3:10)

          However, now, Nicodemus is in the dark, after regular-business hours and face-to-face with our Savior.  In John 3:1, we read that Nicodemus had come to see Jesus at night. This is Nicodemus unfettered, out of the spotlight, Nick@Nite.

          Our intelligence, our intellect are great gifts. But, do they, at times, not also become burdens as we might second-guess our choices or unfairly judge others.

          Nicodemus goes before Jesus to learn. He is unfettered, a reminder to ask God for help regardless of what we may have figured out.

          To be [►UNFETTERED] is a virtue.

         

[_06_]   3^rd.  [►UNRECOGNIZED].

          Nicodemus is unrecognized. We might assume that Nicodemus, the Pharisee, returns to his partisan ways, to his party, to his profession, to his career.

          And, maybe, at first, his connection to Jesus is not recognized or appreciated.

          Why?

          Was it because Nicodemus did not call first? Did not call ahead?

 

[_07_]    Sure, Nicodemus did not call first. But, then again, who among us, calls the Christ, Son of God first?

          Rather Christ calls us.

          Nicodemus was called; you were called; I was called.

          Nicodemus received and perceived a calling and went out, went out of his way, out of his comfort zone to learn about Christ.

          This was a risk, a risk to go [►UNDETECTED],  [►UNFETTERED], [►UNRECOGNIZED].

          In our own prayers and meditations, we may have to do the same – to be undetected, unfettered, unrecognized.

          However, over time, in our conversation with God, we can come to know Him, to learn His presence and to recognize Christ in our lives and know that he is detecting, he is watching over us each day … for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that all who believe in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 

THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD.   

PRAISE TO YOU, LORD JESUS CHRIST. [__fin__]   

God's Top Ten (2021-03-07, Lent Sunday -03)

March 7, 2021 –  Lent ,  3^rd Sunday  (Year B)

●● Exodus 20:1-17  ●●  Psalm 19 ●● 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 ●● + John 2:13-25 ●●

 Title:  God’s Top Ten.

[__01__]     God’s Top 10 are the 10 Commandments.

There are Top 10 lists for just about everything. There are lists of the top 10 most viral videos on the internet, the top 10 best songs or movies… there are even lists of the best top 10 lists.

          For many years, there was a TV and late night comedian David Letterman and one of his frequent comedy bits was to do a top 10 list.

          In April 2008, because Pope Benedict XVI was visiting NYC … Letterman imagined the Top 10 things that people said on the streets of NYC when the Pope from Rome visited which included the following:

1.     From NYPD officer: “Sir, when did you realize your Popemobile was missing?”

2.     In a coffee shop, the person at the cash register says…”I don’t care who he is! He can wait for his cappuccino like everyone else.”

3.     In Madison Square Garden arena: Wanna perform a miracle? Help the NY Knicks win a basketball game…

[__02__]     This is just a reminder that top 10 lists summarize the world, they structure the world for us.

          They bring things into focus for us. Also, the number 10 is symbolic, not just symbolic in sports such as soccer or basketball, but symbolic in the Bible.

[__03__]     It is a reminder that in the symbolism of the Bible, 10 represents perfection and power.   We also rate or evaluate or rank people and things on a scale of 1 to 10.

          And, in the Bible, 10 signifies perfection, not just in the 10 Commandments.  There were also 10 plagues in Egypt, representing God’s power.

          The thing is – with a top 10 list -- we are waiting for who’s or what’s going to be number one, what is numero uno on the list.

          In the 10 Commandments, the person of God is number 1:  “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery, you shall have no other gods besides me.”

          So, this reminds us that all the other commandments relate that 1 commandment.

          And, that our following of the Commandments makes God known – public – to others.

[__04__]    Anybody remember the Hollywood movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark” from the 1980’s with Indiana Jones?

In the movie, there was a search for the ark of the 10 Commandments. It was 1936 and Nazi Germany was trying to capture the ark of the covenant because they had heard it had magical powers and that it would make them invincible, they would go “undefeated.”

Indiana Jones has to rescue the ark to prevent this from happening.

At the end of the movie, Indiana Jones brings the ark of the covenant back to the Pentagon or Washington D.C. and he asks to see the ark.  They tell him …no, it is now a government operation and a research project, and “government property”

          And, in the final scene, we see the ark all boxed up in a government warehouse or crated up like inventory at an Amazon warehouse and stored among countless other crates.

          But, for us, the 10 Commandments are not just any other Top 10 list, or any other “box”.    Following the Commandments brings us into relationship with God as our heavenly father.

          So, on a top 10 list, we are always waiting for who or what is going to be number 1.

          Following the Commandments is always about a language we speak and practice toward others.  We follow Commandment # 1 – we love God - by loving others. We also love others because they were created by God. We have the same Father.

          I’d like to give 2 examples, because the Commandments give us a personal reason why we do what we do.

          We love God and we love others.

          We practice in other ways.

          Let’s say you are a child and we are all children in some ways and we are all children of our parents.

          And, as a child, were you ever asked, or are you still asked to do something because your mother or father wants you to do so, or to get along with somebody that you did not like?

          And, you did it - tried to - simply out of respect for your mother or father.

          Or, even today, do you or I not carry out certain ways of living out of respect for our mother/father/parents, because of their example?

          That’s an example – analogy – of why we love others, because they are loved by God who is also our father.

          In a similar way, whenever we encounter someone with a child, we praise the child and love the child, not because the child is our responsibility but because we love the person who is caring for the child.

          So, we show our love for the parent by loving the child among us. Love is always inter-generational.

          The 10 Commandments remind us of call to love God is our heavenly father that he is # 1, and to love persons made by God.

[__07__]      The Commandments are a top 10 list in which we are called recognize that # 2 through # 9 are connected with # 1,  who is God, who is love, who wishes us to memorize this list, to do whatever we have to do to memorize it, save it on our phones, put it on our refrigerator, on our mirror, above our desk. There are at least 10 places to keep this top 10, or in the ancient language of Moses:

Lay up these my words in your hearts and minds, and hang them for a sign on your hands, and place them between your eyes.  (Deuteronomy 11:18)

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