__ Click Here for Video of Mass __
Mass before St. Pat's Parade in West Orange.
2022-03-13 – 2nd Sunday Lent _ Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 __ Psalm 27 __Philippians 3:17-4:1 _ +Luke 9:28b-36 _
[_00-intro_] Welcome to Our Lady of Lourdes, to our
Parade Committee, Grand Marshal Mellen Dangler and family and to our Deputy
Grand Marshals and their families – John DeMars, Patrick Giblin, Bobby Lamb,
Robert Swenson and to our West Orange Township Officials.
We are blessed that Father Jim Chern,
once a parish priest of Lourdes and now Montclair State University chaplain can
join us. We extend our prayers to Monsignor Michael Kelly, parade chaplain who
cannot be with us this year, for his strength and recovery. We also pray for
all in our community who have died in the past 2 years and suffered due to the
pandemic.
The parade is rising to a new heights
in 2022, after a 2020 and 2021 rest. It is a blessing for us to gather as one
parish, one township and also as one country and one People of God to pray for
all those in need in our West Orange, our country, and world.
We say or sing the song “the times are
changing” to describe upheaval, uncertainty. And, things are not only uncertain
for many of us – but also for the disciples in the Gospel today.
Times have been uncertain for many an Irish
immigrant to our country, for many immigrants of all countries.
This is the time of year of St. Patrick's Day
parade in West Orange The Irish immigrants who have entered the United States
since 1500, were changed by America and they have changed our nation, just as
every immigrant group has contributed to and been changed by our country in
some way.
Some immigrants have even been out of step
with their age and with the times. One such example was the Irish immigrant
Mary Harris Jones a.k.a. nicknamed “Mother Jones” because of the way she cared
for workers and laborers.
Tragically, Mary Jones lost her husband and
children to disease/yellow fever, then lost her business, in the Chicago Fire
of 1871. She went on to be 1 of the first
labor union organizers. In 1902, Mother Jones was described as the “most
dangerous woman in America” for her success in organizing workers and their
families, she organized coal mine workers in Pennsylvania, workers at silk factories/mills,
she organized a children's march from Philadelphia to the home of President
Theodore Roosevelt.
[_02_] Right now, we may not feel ready for the time
change or the times to change.
With
tanks in Ukraine, civilians dying in Ukraine, we might feel as though we are at
ZeroDark30 of a long and new war and battle. For all of us, prayer and fasting
– some intentional sacrifice – helps us to recognize that while times are
changing, we are called to synchronize not with meal times alone or the next
time to eat, but with God’s clock/time, by our own choices to pray and fast.
We are called to pray and fast as part
of our Christian life, our Catholic life, both for those who have suffered
death, injury, poverty, and for our own
U.S. administration, NATO leaders, Russian and Ukrainian leaders, whether they
acknowledge it or not all these leaders need the light of the Holy Spirit at
this critical moment and things seeming out of our personal control.
Why do we fast? We do not fast in
order to prove ourselves or cling to rules. We fast to remind ourselves to
cling to God and to exercise self control and also to pray and give charitably
for those whose lives may be out of control.
In a Lenten lesson, St. John
Chrysostom asked about our “works” or actions during a fast :
[ Dost
thou fast? Give me proof of it by thy works! Is it said by what kind of
works? If
thou seest à
a poor man, take pity on him! à enemy, be reconciled to him! à friend gaining honor, envy him not! ]
Fasting doesn't deny that changes take
place, but helps to purify ourselves for a greater good.
[_03_] [DST /
clocks] On Friday
morning, 2 days ago, I set the clock here in church one hour ahead in
preparation for DST. These days, you and I may have fewer clocks to change. More
and more clocks automatically reset.
However, do you as a human being
“automatically reset” ? I often feel
that I am catching up to the time changes. I do not reset. And, then isn’t
there always that 1 pesky little clock on some device that you don’t notice or
change until 3 months later!
Years ago, a friend told me that she and her
family would prepare early, set their home clocks ahead one hour, several days
before the weekend of DST.
This seemed so practical and because they
were always one hour ahead of everybody else! It reminded me that I should make
an effort to be on time, not show up late and not make others wait, should I
set all my clocks ahead one hour at all times. That might not work. It might be
a bit too extreme.
[_05_] [Gospel
/ D – D – D]
The Gospel reading about the transfiguration
is about the… discipline of
the disciples, the darkness of
the disciples and the devotion of
the disciples.
It’s also an anticipation of the DYING and
RISING of Jesus.
[_05.01_] [DISCIPLINE]
The disciples are not always very
disciplined, which I can relate to…I am often not disciplined!
But, the P-J-J are disciplined enough to
climb the mountain. Doesn’t it require discipline for you and me to do anything
of value from making breakfast, lunch and dinner for our children, to waking up
in the dark for a child or someone in need, or to anticipate one hour ahead two
hours ahead of what someone else might need.
[_05.02_] [DARKNESS]
In the Gospel, there's darkness for Peter,
James and John. While a certain “discipline” got them to the summit, they fall asleep shortly after they arrive. Were they tired? Jet-lagged due to a clock
change? Did P-J-J lose an hour of sleep?
In any case, they are – temporarily asleep –
in the dark.
While
Jesus is praying, they doze off. This is not the last time they will fall
asleep. The same thing happens in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The TIMES ARE A CHANGING for the disciples;
the journey to Jerusalem and passion starts at this mountain
Through his appearance in dazzling white
Jesus is trying to free them from darkness. But he's reminding them that there
will also be dark days ahead, there will be the dark days of Good Friday of his
arrest of his crucifixion. They are receiving the image of the Transfiguration,
so as to remember that Jesus is truly the anointed Son of God, who will who
will die for them for you and for me. And after the disciples after the
discipline which gets them up the mountain and after the darkness that they
fall asleep. They are reminded to listen to Jesus to be devoted to him.
[_05.03_] [DEVOTION]
What is a measure of devotion? Devotion is
often measured these days and what we view or listen to or like. And, I often make decisions about what to read
or view or watch based on what is already popular or viewed or liked or talked
about or well regarded.
Recently, I was going to forward a YouTube
video by a college professor who had something valuable to say about
communication and public speaking. But I also felt moved to share it because it
had over 6 million views. Yes, I can be that superficial!
Do I use such a measure to discern right and
wrong? For example, if I see a truly poor man, am I moved to pity or prayer?
Or, if I am hurt or injured by someone else,
I am going to prove how “righteous” and “right” I am. That might get me some
attention. Forgiving or loving an enemy or praying for someone might be so
dazzling or appealing.
Jesus appears in dazzling white to show us a
new logic – his new LOGOS – his new word – and to show that even when he is
denied – and apparently destroyed – all is not lost.
Even if we sometimes don't fully pay
attention. He's still here. It is still early on our Lenten journey.
The
times are a changin’.
[_fin_]
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