Invasive Species. Weeds. Response. (2023-07-23. Sunday - 16)

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Homily file for July 23, 2023  --  16^th Sunday (Year A)

 ●● Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 ● Psalm 85 ● Romans 8:26-27  ● Matthew 13: 24-43

● ●   Title:    Invasive Species. Weeds. Response

[_01__]  A scammer is someone who commits a “scam” or fraud or participates in a dishonest scheme, and are predators who take advantage of a person’s good intentions.

          I bring up “fraud” or scams as one particular example of an invasive species or “weed” that has grown up in our own high-tech “field” or world.

          Contrary to what we might expect from our Savior, we are not told to eliminate the invasive species, which in our high-tech world today could be a computer virus or just old-fashioned – fraud or dishonesty.

[_02__]       Have  you heard of this type of scam or fraud?

          Someone calls claiming to be from PSE&G, or Con Edison or your gas, water, or electric utility company. They say your service will be cut off if you don’t pay them “within 45 minutes”.

          If you do call back thinking it was real – as I did once – I was told to go out to the store and buy VISA cash-like gift cards.

          At this point, we knew this was fraud, a scam.

[_03__]       I cite this example as one in which someone with bad intentions takes advantage of people with very good intentions. And, this is all possible in a world with a great deal of technology.

          In such instances, I wish there were no technology, as though I could turn back the clock to a world without online banking, PayPal and Google Wallet.

          In these and other cases, there is an invasive species – the cheaters  with bad intentions – growing among the hard-working honest people with good intentions.

 [_04__]    In the parable we have just heard, we are told by Jesus about a landowner who owns a Google data center with hundreds of computers …and there is a virus infecting some of the hard drives and it happens while the people are sleeping and the computers are awake. Viruses do not sleep.

          No, that is not the parable. That would be “Silicon Valley” update to the parable.

          What happens in the parable is not a computer virus but the “agricultural equivalent” in that a bad, invasive species or plant a weed – is growing amid the good healthy stalks of wheat. The invasive species of weed  does not sleep. It is not wild. It was put there, allowed to be there.

          What should this landowner and do?

 

[_05__]    The man does something illogical in that he does not immediately build some “agricultural” firewall against the invasive species in his field.

          He does not try to destroy the virus. He also does not “trade in” or “sell off” his field for an upgraded device.

          The landowner in the parable lets the bad stuff – the invasive species – grow in his field.

 [_06__]   The “invasive species” represents evil temptations and the evil spirit, the works of the devil to which we might think we already have a pretty good firewall or security system to stop.

          In Matthew, chapter 10, Jesus said, “And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell.”  (Matthew 10:28)

[_07__]  It is true that many material and monetarily valuable things are vulnerable – fones, computers, bank accounts.

          It seems that we have learned to tolerate – even to expect – some level of fraud, some level of “bad intentions” to exist in a world of many people with “good intentions”

          The way that we survive is that we take precautions against the evil that we know is present.

          As a small child, I recall being with my parents in Macy’s or some large department store and they were writing a check to pay for some clothing. The store cashier asked my parents for a phone number to go with the check. My parents gave an intentionally incorrect phone number.

          Being a small child, I thought my parents had just forgotten what our phone number was, so I corrected them, right out loud in front of the cashier. Everyone smiled. My parents knew what they were doing. They did not want the store to have our correct phone number. The store seemed not to care about our supposed “fraud.”

          It is a broken, sinful world in which we do what we can to survive until the end of time, until Judgement Day which Jesus warns us is coming and we are all subject to His Judgment.

[_08__]  While evil as “invasive species” exists in the world, perhaps, we can take some cues from how we manage technology and apply it to our pursuit of true virtue and goodness.

          Unfortunately, we cannot remove all the brokenness and sinfulness we encounter.

 [_09__]  [1^st Use Caller I.D.]

          IMHO, Caller I.D. is the greatest thing since sliced 7-grain bread.  And, when you have to have a difficult or nerve-wracking conversation with someone, it allows you take a breath, say a little prayer, ask that the Gospel Good News would truly be on our mind, lips, heart.

          Also, I seem to notice that in a world with caller I.D. it’s easy to forget the courtesy of calling people by name, saying “hello” by name or even using a person’s name in conversation.

          Caller I.D. – calling someone by name is not just for the machines, it’s also for us to do.   But “caller I.D.” is something we can do in person – IRL in real life too – i.e., to remember that no matter how angry we might be with someone, or hurt, the other person also has a calling from God, he or she is also called by God.  For the difficult people in your life, pray that God will give them what they need. That they will use caller I.D. to hear God’s voice.

[_10__]    [2^nd Shut Down & Restart Regularly. Get Updates]

          Our computers and phones are often automatically updated when we shut them down and then restart them.

          What about when you and I are in the midst of a moment of frustration, anger, temptation, envy, jealousy, pride, lust or any of the deadly sins?

          Confession – going to confession, receiving penance and absolution is a “shutdown and restart process”

          Can we recognize that would benefit from the “shutdown ” and restart process that happens by turning to God in prayer, by praying for and trying to love our enemies?

          Such an effort is implied in St. Paul’s words: “when you are insulted do not return an insult, but return a blessing instead.”

          This would be an example of receiving God’s word to “change the password” or attitude we might normally fall into.

[_11__]  Each Sunday, there is a new word for us. This Sunday, we are reminded of the delight of heaven and also warned of the reality of sin, punishment, hell.

          Jesus, our Savior, died for you and me and asks us to recognize that he does not come just to give us prayers as “memorized passwords.”

          Yes, it is important to memorize prayers as these bring great consolation in crisis and remind us of humility in celebration.

          Yet, we also come hear not to learn prayers but simply to “pray” and learn that God wants to be in unlimited contact with you and me. [_END__]

His Burden is Light (2023-07-09, Sunday 14th)

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Homily for July 9, 2023  14^th Sunday (Year A)  ●● Zechariah 9:9-10 ● Psalm 145 ● Romans 8:9, 11-13  ● Matthew 11:25-30 ● ●

Title:    His Burden is Light.

 [_00__]   In February of this year, a few months ago, a few hours after an earthquake on the border of Syria and Turkey, some exceptionally trained rescuers arrived and immediately contributed to the collective - team - effort to find people buried beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings.

          Just 1 of these trained rescuers - arriving from the Dominican Republic, Switzerland, the U.S. and elsewhere - was able to do the work of 50 “regular” rescuers. Was it because they had better

devices, GPS?  This was not the reason. They were German Shepherds, Labradors, and other dogs or K-9’s specially trained for search and rescue to use all their senses - especially smell - to find people in earthquake.

          I learned there is an acronym - SAR = Search and Rescue dogs. There’s always an acronym!

      

[_01__]                 At the earthquake in Syria-Turkey, the animals are not delivering “random acts of kindness”, but performing what they have been taught to do and what they enjoy doing.

          Of course, there are also spontaneous example of a particular wild animal on land or sea  - lion,  dolphin - coming to the rescue of a man, woman or child in distress.  This is true. But, is not also remarkable that animals can be trained and rejoice in making rescues over and over again?

One thing that we - as a human  community - have succeeded in doing is getting animals to serve our needs, to teach them to do the right thing and even the right thing to be “easy” with continuous training and practice.

 

[_02__]    In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus does not explicitly mention any animals – certainly not German Shepherds or K-9’s - but he does refer to something that animals are known to work at and to wear.

          Regarding this, Jesus said, “take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” (Matthew 11:29)

          What is this struggle that animals ‘work at”; what is this style that they “wear”?

          Jesus is referring to the yoke which is a harness that would be put over an animal. In terms of farming and plowing the field, it allowed the animal to pull the plow - it was, shall we say in our terms, “wearable technology”.

          And, the animal wearing this yoke, is also “sustaining” and “promoting” life - even its own life - by preparing the ground to be planted for corn, wheat, or other food.

          Jesus said in the Gospel: “take my yoke upon you and learn from me” (Matthew 11:29)

 

[_03__]     What is this yoke?

          The yoke equals all of God’s commandments. In the ancient Jewish tradition of the rabbis and the Temple, a devout Jewish man would even “wear” a scroll of biblical verses attached to his forehead.

          In our own Catholic rituals of being married, the wife and husband are joined to each other - sometimes by a cord at the wedding ceremony - or a veil – and certainly by wearing of rings. This ring is “placed on” husband by his wife, and wife by her husband.

          So, we still wear symbols to indicate devotion. It is a yoke, it is a burden.

 

[_04__]    Can this yoke be a challenge,  a burden, a problem?

          God has given us the 10 Commandments, all the commandments for our well being and good.

          In the Our Father, there is a command that we would “forgive those who trespass against us ”. This is burdensome! Sometimes, it is painful.

 

[_05__]   The British writer, C.S. Lewis, in a book called “The Problem of Pain“ wrote that we sometimes have difficulty “reconciling human suffering with the existence of a God who loves.” (The Problem of Pain, p. 40)

          Lewis asserts that we do not come into existence so that we may love God, but so that God may love us.

          As Jesus said, “it is not you chose me, but I who chose you. ”

          Also, while we describe very young children as “all loving”, this is possible, because the child has received love.

          Also, love is going to invite us to conversion, to change, even it is painful. Is that a problem?

          Lewis wrote that he would not care for a friend “who cared only for my happiness and did not object to my becoming dishonest.” (Lewis, Problem of Pain, 42)

[_06__]   So, it is not God’s will to erase or eliminate all pain and suffering.  C.S. Lewis uses several biblical examples of how we connect to God. Each “connection” is a different level - each one has “more bars” which suggest both a greater risk in the intimacy but also a greater reward.

 

 [_07__]  [Level 1]  “Possession. Property” .    You and I can live our lives as the “possession” of God, or the property of God. And, living this way, we can learn to do many good things, and be a “service animal”.

          The problem with this is that unlike the German Shepherd - you and I were not “born and bred” to follow commands. We have free will and are called to learning.

 

[_08__]  [Level 2]  “Progeny. Offspring” .   

          It is true that each of us is God’s “daughter” or “son”.  And, we benefit from God’s direction, discipline.

          As an actual child - under the care of parents - I benefited from my parents’ correction. This was not done as a parental shock and awe  -“power” - but to show me the goodness in me.

          I still need correction!

         

[_09__]    [Level 3]  “Partnership” .   

It is good to be “possessed by God” and to be the “progeny (child) of God”.

          But, you and I are also called to be the partner of God.

          This is symbolized in the sacrament of matrimony and marriage.

The ultimate goal is not to be God's property, not just to be God's progeny. The ultimate goal is to be God's partner. And the sixth is expressed in the Sacrament of Matrimony in being married. What is exists between husbands and wives. Marriage is a life

To which not all of us are called to live with another person, not all of us are married, I'm not married.

But we're all called to a marital type of commitment to God, EXCLUSIVE.

          (cf. Exodus 20, 1^st Commandment – thou shalt have no idols before me)

→ i.e., to exclude idols that hinder us from following God, $, comfort, popularity… an idol is something that’s good but could become a “god”

 and to recognize that our relationship with God is based on Jesus laying down His life for us with the church as a spouse.

He gives himself up for us. And he gives us a model to treat others.

→ [practice - forgiveness]

In terms of “heavy burdens”, one of the heaviest to carry around is the burden of revenge or resentment if we have been trespassed against. If we choose “revenge / vengeance”, we may like it for a while, but it is a heavy burden.

             It is a “lighter” state – and a weight-loss condition – to forgive someone… but we may have to practice this over and over again.

            Also, FORGIVENESS does not mean we cannot invite the other person to change, or to conversion.  God forgives us not to keep us where we are but to help us to change.

In this state of “marriage of Jesus to the Church” and to you and me , we are called to choose mercy not because it is what we want, but what God wants.

To paraphrase C.S. Lewis (p. 98) – I may hope that being a priest in my ministry is in accord with God’s will, but I do not learn this purely being my feel-good comfort zone. Sometimes, going out of my comfort zone, I learn that I am truly free, not doing only what I would choose to make me comfortable.

Jeuss is not making us do anything!   He's not just making us his property, not just making us keeping up with a state of perpetual childhood. He's making us his partners. And he told his disciples this that the Last Supper, “I no longer call you servants for a servant does not know what his master is doing. I call you friends. Because I have told you everything I've learned from my father,”   Jesus doesn't want us just to be his property, or just his progeny. He wants us to be his partner. And his yoke is easy, and His burden is light.   [_END__]

Hospitality. Humility. (2023-07-02, Sunday - 13)

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Homily file for July 2, 2023   13^th Sunday (Year A)  ● 2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16 ● Psalm 89 ● Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 ● Matthew 10:37-42 ●

 Title:  Hospitality, Humility

[_00-a__]   I would like to make a connection in God’s Word today between hospitality and humility.

          Many years ago, there was a book by a famous restaurant owner in New York called “Setting the Table” in which the author shares ways in which hospitality can be extraordinary. Some think that he set the bar, the standard, too high.

          This was a particularly good experience of one customer and his family/friends at NYC Manhattan restaurant.  When he arrived at the restaurant, he was upset because he realized that he just left his cell phone, mobile phone, in the taxi. 2 workers at the restaurant jumped into action.

          Worker # 1 calmed down the group, and got everyone seated. Worker # 2 dialed the customer’s number and the taxi driver picked up the phone, but in this case could not drive directly back to the restaurant. I suppose he was already driving in a different direction with a new passenger.

          Worker # 2 had to go out and met the taxi driver at an unfamiliar NYC location. Fortunately, the worker # 2 safely went out and returned.

          But, one writer asked – what is the true value of and true cost of such “hospitality”?

          In this case, the restaurant received outstanding reviews and publicity for being so hospitable and helpful to a customer in need. But, what is the method or motivation of hospitality?

          In a business - and sometimes even in a family or among friends – we show hospitality in order to make a name or reputation for ourselves.

[_00-b__]   The recent COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that we give thanks to those “heroes” – women and men – by whom we are served in many service-oriented businesses – in food service, restaurants, food delivery, supermarkets.

          While many of us stayed home for extended periods in 2020 and 2021,  we were able to do so only because others did not stay home. They also took risks in order to show hospitality.

          This virtue of hospitality and service was not limited to dining and food service but also existed among countless health care workers, nurses and doctors, technicians, hospital workers and first responders in police, fire, EMS.

         

[_01__]       What we encounter in our biblical readings today are examples of God’s call to hospitality as a virtue which is also a call to humility.

          The author C.S. Lewis of England in the 20^th century wrote that humility, as a virtue, is not simply the opposite of notoriety or wealth.  “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; humility is thinking of yourself less.”  I.e., the humble person puts someone else’s needs ahead of her or his own.

[_02__]   In the selected verses from 2^nd Kings, chapter 4, we read about the prophet Elisha.  Prophet  Elisha is the beneficiary of one woman’s hospitality.

          She thought very highly of him and was going out of her way, together with her family to provide for Elisha. She does not want to send him to a hotel, but will provide in her own house.

          One commentator noted that poor people at this point in history and in this place would have often sat on the floor to rest. But, this woman is prepared to give Elisha not only a room but also a bed, table, chair, and lamp.  Fully furnished. If Elisha had been in a Verizon or Comcast house, he would been given the wi-fi password.

          In short, the woman of 2^nd Kings wanted her important guest to have a mind-blowing experience.

          That’s good, but Jesus reminds us that real hospitality and humility is not about material comfort or luxury.

 [_03__]       In the Gospel, we read our Lord’s view and “review” of true hospitality and humility that just a simple drink of water makes an impact:

“Whoever goes only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple – amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”  (Matthew 10:41-42)

[_04__]    Jesus says “cold water” not because you should bring a chilled beverage to a thirsty priest if she should stop at your house on Valley Way, but rather because “cold water” – in ancient times – represents water in its natural state.  That is, the water was not boiled or heated by the fire.

          Simplicity in giving is a good thing.

          Consider in the Gospel the widow at the Temple in whom we see the an act generosity that for her was a “large transaction”, because she gave all she had.

[_05__]   I am not suggesting that we must all empty our bank accounts for the next charitable cause or collection.

          Yet, we are called to ask ourselves –each time – did I do everything I could?

[_06__]  In terms of hospitality, we are are also called to consider that Jesus is the guest we are trying to welcome. This situation of Christ as the guest was famously recognized by the Roamn centurion soldier, not a Jewish believer but rather, by our standards, an atheist who said, “Lord I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” (Gospel reference ???)

           This soldier was welcoming Jesus but also recognizing his own worthiness.

What are you and I to do when we feel unworthy of a visitor or guest?

          In material and physical terms, we might change our clothes, do the dishes, and/or vacuum the living room.

          Elisha, the prophet of 2^nd Kings, has been a visitor before, challenging his people to reform and – in several cases – saving them from disaster.

          In one instance, Elisha successfully saved the people from the combined forces of both a dangerous storm and an enemy army.  Similar to the forecasts of the past week, the land was in danger of being flooded.

          Elisha urged them to get to work to dig deep trenches, ditches, in the desert so as to capture the coming rain.  His people do not want to dig, but they are persuaded. It is an example of a community doing all it can to receive God’s grace and mercy.

          We also are called to dig, to explore, to go beneath the surface of our lives to receive God’s grace and mercy for our sins.

          For we are not called to collect trophies, rewards or nice reviews of our hospitality.

          Rather, in the act of repenting of our sins, of going to confession, we are digging and going beneath the surface.

In our parish archives, I recall reading that the ground for this church was first broken by volunteers who came out with shovels to dig in the earth.

          While we do confess our sins “solo” and in person, it is helpful to know that others also turn to God for grace and mercy. So, we spread the good news not just by being forgiven but by demonstrating humility in the act of repentance. It is a teamwork  of digging to collect all this water of mercy.

          The purpose of this digging and repentance is not bring us to judgment and shame, but to alert us that there is nothing you and I have done which is beyond God’s mercy and love.

          Paul summarizes this in writing to the church at Rome, in Romans ch. 6 that we have been buried with Christ in baptism, but by digging deeper in our prayer, and repentance, and fasting and acts of love, we allow God’s mercy to fill us so that we might serve Him in hospitality and humility.  [_END__]