Trajectory of Repentance. Coming Home (2024-07-14, 15th Sunday)

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 Homily – July 14, 2024    15^th Sunday (Year B)  ● Amos 7:12-15 ●  Psalm 85  ●  ● Ephesians 1:3-14 ● + Mark 6:7-13 ●

Title:  Trajectory of Repentance. Coming Home

FYI / Reference: https://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2015/5/29/8683385/home-run-trajectories-and-pitchers

[__01__] We are in the season of baseball. Baseball has a baseball diamond with 4 bases, a pitcher and a batter. The goal in baseball is to score runs by coming back home. Yes, the batter is swinging a bat so as to run to 1^st base and beyond, but the ultimate goal is to come back to home plate. The best possible result is a “home run”. And the best way to connect with the ball and score with a home run is to launch the ball very high in the air, so the ball will travel far, 400 feet or more, beyond the outfield fence.

And in baseball games, have you noticed there are calculations that are made, mathematical calculations, geometric calculations, angle of the ball off the bat into the air, because the higher the ball travels, the easier it is to come home, to get back home.

This is the trajectory.

 

[__02__]     I bring this up because the gospel of Mark Jesus is sending his disciples out --- on  a trajectory -- but he's also sending them out so that they can get home, so that they can come back home. He's sending us out so that we will also come home, come home to Him. Jesus is calling His disciples to get off the ground first, to make some changes. He's sending them out on a mission to preach and to teach. The disciples are given instructions about simplicity, about material things, preparing them to aim higher. And sometimes we have to make changes in order to aim higher.

To … make sacrifices. Maybe we make sacrifices by cutting calories, cutting spending, or cutting out pleasures.

Maybe we have to cut calories or cut spending, reduce spending or cut back on some pleasures we're enjoying. These are ways in which we can follow Jesus by making sacrifices to love God and love our neighbor. But the trajectory, the way to come home to God and Jesus is also talking about, is repentance, repenting of our sins.

[__03__] ### Raising the Bar Through Repentance

Now, you and I might think that repentance is a way to keep the ball really low or the bar low, but I'm suggesting repentance is a way to raise the bar. Repentance is a positive trajectory, a way to help us be raised up. Repentance is a salutary reminder that we're all sinners in need of God's mercy.

[__04__] ### The Sense of Sin

In 1984, Pope John Paul II wrote: “The restoration of a proper sense of sin is the first way of facing the grave spiritual crisis looming over man today. But the sense of sin can only be restored through a clear reminder of the unchangeable principles of reason and faith which the moral teaching of the Church has always upheld.”

(Pope John Paul II, Reconciliatio et Paenitentia, 1984, n. 18)

[__05__] ### 3 Types of Repentance

I'd like to touch on the fact that there are three trajectories – or “directions” of repentance, each one can get us off the ground, get a home run, and draw us closer to Jesus. But depending on the curveball you're facing in your sinfulness, or the curveball I'm facing in my sinfulness, we may need a different swing, a different type of repentance to get the ball in the air and to come home.

[__06__] ### Repentance Right Away

A classic example: the thief on the cross who comes home.  As soon as he is aware of the holiness of Jesus, Christ crucified with him, he repents of his sins. He doesn't demand or expect forgiveness. He just repents. He does it immediately, right away.

Sometimes we can do this too when we realize the error of our ways quickly, perhaps due to the personal holiness or virtuous example of someone around us.  If we really desire someone's friendship, or love, we often repent right away.

Such repentance is a home run and leads us home to Jesus, getting the ball in the air.

[__07__] ### Repentance Readily, Rapidly

Classic example: the Prodigal Son who come home.  The prodigal son didn't repent right away. It took a little while, but he did repent readily when he arrived at his father’s house. He makes repentance a priority.

          Is repentance a priority for me? For you?  In the Gospel, Jesus says that if you or I were to come to pray at the altar and there recall that a brother or sister has something against us, we should go first to our brother or sister, then come and offer our gift and prayer. (Matthew 5:23-24)

Another example of this would be not letting the sun set on your anger or sinfulness. (Ephesians 4:26)

We are called to repent readily, which might mean putting off something else in order to repent. Maybe we put off finishing a project at work, watching TV, going out to dinner, or some other pleasure, because repentance is the priority. This kind of repentance is a home run. It gets the ball in the air and brings us home.

[__08__] ### Repent Repeatedly

Classic example: King David. Though also a great king, David has multiple sins and coverup’s of his sins This has to do with his affair with Bathsheba, the taking of the life of Bathsheba’s husband and more!

          And, David does all of this in his own home! David repents when gets caught!

Let's face it, each of us might face sins that are very vexing, repeatable in our lives, and troublesome. We may need to repent more than once and ask God to help us amend our lives, even if it takes a while. Just as we might have to forgive 77 times, we may have to repent 77 times. Repenting 70 x 7 is a home run.

[__09__] ### Prayer, Fasting, and Charity

Jesus is asking us each day to pray, to fast/sacrifice, and to give charitably not only for our own salvation but also for that of our loved ones. And, actually, not only for those we love and know but also those we do not love and do not know, those we do not like. Jesus said to his disciples:

“For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:46-48).

Jesus reminds us that we are called to love our enemies and to pray for those who might persecute us or cause us difficulty. But, because there are so many problems in the world, we might resist doing this.

[__10__] ### Reflecting on Destruction and Peace (09)

Father Ronald Knox, reflecting on life in England and the European Continent after World War II in the 1940-1950s, wrote about physical destruction. We have also witnessed physical destruction such as 9/11 in NYC and now much more recent violence affecting people in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, and now an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate and former U.S. President.

“We are sad at the disappearance of old landmarks, uneasy at the changes in our familiar habits of life. Travel is more difficult and more wearisome; we find it hard to make contact with old friends, even when we are little divided from them by distance. All that sets up a restlessness in our minds which perhaps is good for us in a way; it may save us from falling too much into a rut and taking life too easily. But it does not make the business of our souls a more encouraging task. For that, we need tranquility, recollection; how are we to think about God or eternity, with daily needs and worldly preoccupations and public cares so weighing on our minds? The thought of God seems to get crowded out; our own sins get overlooked – they are so petty, compared with the needs of a distracted world, the perils of an uncertain future.”

(Ronald Knox, “Peace in Ourselves”, Pastoral and Occasional Sermons, Part VII. The Eucharist, p. 281)

[__11__] ### Understanding the Eucharist

What is the Eucharist – what is Holy Communion? How are we to understand the effect of the Blessed Sacrament in our lives and our call to fast and pray for others?

I invite you to check the websites of Relevant Radio.com, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, and other media to watch and listen. You are also invited here to pray, especially Wednesday and Thursday from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, and confessions will be heard.

The Holy Eucharist and Holy Communion remind us that the world is saved by the Precious Body and Blood of our Savior who proclaimed from the Cross, “Forgive them Father, they know not what they do.”

[__12__] ### The Goodness of the Holy Spirit

The goodness of the Holy Spirit is poured out for me, for you, for us to see the good in ourselves and also to see the goodness in others.

 

In a little while, we will bring forth up the center aisle the gifts of Bread and Wine which are blessed and consecrated in the sacrament and Eucharistic prayer. These gifts of Bread and Wine also signify you and me, in a way that we are also called to be transformed:

“There is something to be done on our side. The wheat must be ground into bread, the wine must be pressed out of the grape, before we can give our Lord the opportunity to work his miracle of transubstantiation. The offertory first, man stretching out his hands to God; then the consecration, God accepting and transforming man's gift. We must come to meet him early in the morning, when sleep has smoothed away the memories of yesterday, and no cares have yet assailed us to disturb the equilibrium of our lives. We must hand over the direction of our lives to him if we are to know what it means to live an ordered life, “heart-whole” and “mind-whole” in a world like ours. Then, we can go to Communion.”

(Ronald Knox, “Peace in Ourselves”, Pastoral and Occasional Sermons, Part VII. The Eucharist, p. 282)May this remind us of our upward angle, our true trajectory, our journey à HOME.

Hope (2024-06-30) 13th Sunday

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Homily, 2024-06-30 (13^th Sunday, year B)  ●●  Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24 ●● Psalm 30 ●● 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15●● + Mark 5:21-43  ●●

[__01__] Losing My Wallet: An Inconvenient Experience.  I once had the inconvenient and distressing experience of losing my wallet while on a trip and being several hours away from home by myself. I was also supposed to fly home that same day. Back then, however, you could fly within the United States without having to show any i.d. This was a good thing, because I had none!

But, that “permission” alone did not grant me any peace. It was an opportunity on the one hand to put my confide in and trust in a co-worker - whom I hardly knew - who loaned me some money so I could travel and I paid him back a week later.  I also just had to keep moving forward, though my sense of peace and “faith and hope” were seriously disrupted.

By a great act of charity, someone did recover and return my wallet to me – that was a good thing. But, that did not happen right away.

I was just glad when I was able to get home that night, even without the wallet in my possession. Is it possible to have faith and hope while things are simultaneously going wrong around you?

 [__02__] Components of Hope and Faith

What enables us to have hope and faith? According to one psychological viewpoint I read, hope or confidence consists of three dimensions: a goal, a pathway, and  freedom. In my case, my goal was to get back home. The pathway was the co-worker who loaned me money, and my freedom was admitting I needed help.

[__03__] Gospel: Hope in Action
In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus encounters two individuals in trouble. The woman with the hemorrhage and Jairus, whose daughter is dying. PAUSE

Both demonstrate hope. The woman had a GOAL to touch Jesus’ garments, and found a PATHWAY  through the crowd and had the FREEDOM to make contact. Jairus had the goal of bringing Jesus to his daughter. Both faced obstacles but showed real hope by moving toward Jesus, continuously.

Sometimes, our moves toward Jesus and God are small incremental steps that add up – later. 

However, in the short term, they may not seem to yield results, but they are important.

As Jesus says in the Gospel, “Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”.

Sometimes, all we can do is rest and pray in God’s presence.

Doing so is a worthwhile goal, a pathway and a sign of own freedom. 

[__04__] The Virtue of Hope: Mother Frances Cabrini

This is the final weekend of June, the month of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and I would like to touch on the virtue of hope demonstrated and delivered by a Catholic religious sister and one known as the “first American saint”. This is Mother Frances Cabrini. Or, Saint Frances Cabrini, of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Recently, a movie “Cabrini” was released about her life as the first American saint.

One notable example of Mother Cabrini's perseverance and hope was her work in Chicago. Initially intending to establish an orphanage for the Italian immigrant community, she was directed by the AB [Archbishop James Quigley] to instead establish a hospital. Faced with the challenge of raising $25,000 to purchase the North Shore Hotel in Lincoln Park, she successfully raised the necessary funds through her sharp business acumen and organizational skills.   25,000 in her day in the mid 1800’s is the equivalent of $1 million today.

Mother Cabrini was not respected for 3 reasons in her day: a woman, an Italian, Catholic.

Her determination was further demonstrated when she discovered discrepancies in the property measurements – using her own ruler and tape measure --- and negotiated a fair price.

Mother Cabrini's life exemplifies the three components of hope: goals, pathways, and freedom. Her goal-setting was diligent and prayerful, always seeking divine guidance and not settling for less. She sought out pathways illuminated by her faith, often choosing more challenging routes that required deeper trust in God. Her freedom, or capacity, was not only in her belief in her own abilities but also in nurturing the gifts of others around her. 

[__05__] Hope Beyond Personal Goals

  Living in hope and having hope is not about the attainment of our own goals and material comfort.

In Mother Cabrini, we see someone with both resilience and prayerful reflection seeking to God’s will.

If we look only at the her success only in terms of finance/money, publicity and “real estate”, we would Mother Cabrini compares to celebrities in our own day such as Jeff Bezos of Amazon or the author and executive Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook.

It is true that Mother Cabrini also got her name out there, but the many hospital, orphanages, colleges and buildings with her name were done so after her death.  Nor did she accumulate any personal wealth during her lifetime. Similar to Mother Teresa of Calcutta who came later,  Mother Frances Cabrini took a vow of poverty.

[__06__] Serving the Downtrodden: Italian Immigrants

Mother Cabrini sought to give hope to others by imitating Christ and just as Jesus was sent first to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel”, to the Jewish people and then to the whole world…Mother Cabrini was sent first to the lost and downtrodden among her own people, Italian immigrants in the 1800’s in the big cities of NY, Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles.

          Italian immigrant were treated extremely poorly in the United States in the 1800’s though the United States is the “land of the free”. What we know value as racial / ethnic equality and dignity did not exist in the 1800’s

For most of the 1800’s slavery was still legalized and followed by Jim Crow laws in many states.

          Living at that time, if the government said it was OK to own and keep human beings as property, why not look down on newly arrived Italian and other immigrants as well? It was a slippery slope and still is!

[__07__] Bringing the Good News

Mother Cabrini ‘s goal was not just to bring the hope of a warm bed and better food and clothing but also the Good News that Jesus also gave his life for the neediest among us.

Mother Cabrini sought no “brand identity”, but only God’s identity in all her efforts.

Jesus himself also does not seek to be known but to glorify is Heavenly father. And, we are also not called to glorify ourselves but God as well. Do you resist sharing the credit for jobs well done in this way? I do too..

Jesus gives us the example.

At the end of the Gospel today, Jesus himself also shuns the “photographers” and the publicity, not wanting his name in any papers or on any papers.  Jesus simply suggests that the girl he has healed be given something to eat.

He is instructing us to eat as well, to prepare our hearts to be healed by repenting of our sins and then to receive the feast of his wisdom and the feast of his Body and Blood.

In this may we also be able to serve others who need to know God’s love and that through Christ, we may discover both goal and a path. And through his grace, a commitment and will to know that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13)

[__end__]  

Trust. (2024-06-23, Sunday 12th)

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Homily, 2024-06-23 (12^th Sunday, year B)  ●●  Job 38:1, 8-11 ●● Psalm 107  ●● 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 ●● + Mark 4:35-41 ●●

[__01__]  Have you ever been on someone's boat, on a lake or the ocean? If you have, you've probably encountered some rules for safety and caution regarding wearing  lifejackets, not falling overboard and the parts of the boat. Bow = front. Stern = back. Etc.!  

          Boating “commandments” and information are essential to avoid trouble and to promote communication and trust on board and on the water. Trust – and confidence in another person - is crucial in many aspects of life, however, not just on a boat.

When my friend was [living in California], he took classes in order to learn how to sail and navigate on the water and in the wind. After completing this course, be began not only sailing on his own on the bay in San Francisco where he lived, but he also bought a sailboat and moved into the sailboat living there, as a single person, full time.

          He does not live on his boat anymore, partly because he is now married. His wife would rather live in an apartment on dry land rather than on a sailboat. While their apartment is a modest 1-bedroom, the boat is even smaller. She has chosen wisely.

          Nevertheless, my friend still enjoys sailing on his boat and has invited me to join him a couple of times.

          Before setting sail, my friend gives a safety presentation. He explains that while we're on the water, he might interrupt our “leisure” or our “lunch” or our “laughter” us and give direct instructions.

          “I'm not doing this to be a tyrant or a dictator, but because I really care about you, because I care about your life. And this is an example of trust.”

          I learned from a university professor’s presentation that trust has 3 elements: empathy, logic, and authenticity.  (https://hbr.org/2020/05/begin-with-trust )

          I would like to apply these to the Gospel and our call to follow Jesus. Trust = empathy + logic + authenticity.

[__02__]  Trust is essential in relationships, including our relationship with Jesus, who is the cornerstone of our lives.

In the Gospel, the disciples are afraid during a storm, and they turn to Jesus.

Trust, as mutual confidence, is the cornerstone of relationships. And, Jesus is the cornerstone of our lives.  But, in Jesus’ case – the “cornerstone” was rejected for a while. [ repeat / version / last: But the message of the Gospel is that even the storm – the evil of a storm or crisis – can be transformed by God’s grace and become the foundation of new-found trust and faith. Do we not grow in trust by enduring crises with each other? ]

 

[__03__]  Why is trust a good thing?

When we have TRUST in a relationship – e.g., at work –we voluntarily and readily admit when we are wrong rather than simply waiting to get caught or punished.

          When we have TRUST in a relationship, we voluntarily and readily affirm and praise others. We share the credit for a job well done rather than promoting ourselves with “bragging rights”

          Trust brings us together.

          And lack of trust drives us apart.

 

[__04__]   Empathy is the 1^st element of trust. To gain your trust, I am called to show that you care about you. If you sense my empathy, you are more likely to trust me.

Consider this example: a child or a younger earlier version of you is refused something by your mother/father. What's are 1^st words out of your mouth: “Mom you lack empathy” … no, actually, “Mom/Dad, you don’t care”

Empathy is, however, more than just giving people what they want; it's about understanding their needs and sometimes saying no.

Empathy alone, however, is not enough for trust.

[__05.01__]   Logic is the 2^nd element. Communicating the logic behind your actions is important. This doesn't mean giving long speeches, but rather being clear and courageous enough to explain your reasons.

In the Gospel, Jesus appears illogical by sleeping during the storm.

Why is this illogical? Because he is not being “productive”.

Why does Jesus seem illogical? Because during the storm, He's asleep and not responding as expected. Is it logical to go to church every Sunday, especially if it interrupts other activities like sports, music, recitals, special academics and other activities that , for example, seem so important to help our children prosper.

[__05.02__]   This is a common logic, but there's another perspective. Attending church every Sunday has its own logic: as a married person, it’s about renewing your wedding vows and values through going to Communion

All of us – as part of a family of faith – are reaffirming your commitment in faith and each other, not just through words but through actions, silence, and prayer. This different logic challenges the conventional one, emphasizing the spiritual and communal benefits of regular church attendance.

          Coming to Mass on Sunday helps us to renew and repent and receive grace and energy which is not available anywhere else.

Doesn’t the ability to pray and talk to God teach all of us that God is primary source of prosperity, to enable to know that God’s is the primary voice we are called to listen to and trust?

 [__05.03__]   St. Paul writes in 2^nd Corinthians:

“For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Learning “how to sail in the wind” is also about navigating through the unseen.  You cannot “see the wind”, but you can see the direction the wind is pointing. Isn’t the same true of the good and the bad in our lives. We may not see the evil or the good clearly, but can we not see the direction they are taking us?

This is logic.

          [extra idea – future develop ? that evil often – always ? – lacks visibility because evil = privation of good. Examining our lives, we might ask not “how is there evil” but rather “how is the good absent ?” (Augustinian)]

What really lasts forever is God’s love for you and for me. This gives us the logic not only be empathetic but to to pray for and work for the eternal salvation of others.

Trust is based on empathy and logic.

 

[__06__]  Third. Side 3.   Authenticity. Being real in reality.

          In order to love God and neighbor, we are called not only be real but also see – envision – what is real.

          The Church teaches, e.g., to see the dignity of every person and this dignity is not based on productivity or profitability.

          Our belief in the inherent dignity of the unborn child or terminally ill older person is an act of TRUST in God and is also a REALITY-based trust.

          An unborn child is real.

          Our belief in the inherent dignity of a person is also an act of trust in God when we realize we are at fault or that someone has sinned against us.

[__07__]       We are called to pray for mercy for sinners – for ourselves and for others. 

          When encounter physical injury or illness, we have a choice – to ignore it and hide it…or to seek treatment and bring it out into the open. The same is true of sinfulness – in our selves or in others. If it is hidden, and ignored, it can become a feeling of undue guilt or shame or sadness.

          Our belief in the inherent dignity of the person reminds us that all of us are sinners in need of God’s mercy.

          Our belief in the value of mercy and “getting mercy” is not  based on getting everything 100% right all the time…but knowing – trusting – that we can be redeemed by our Lord and Savior who died for us, for our sins. This is His logic which he shares with us.

[__08__]  And, the Lord in His Mercy does care if we are perishing….

He is still reaching out to us – if we listen to him, we may be aware that he is able to speak to us in our hearts, to interrupt our conversations and thoughts, to turn us in a new direction for our good.

Jesus’s Good News is the basis for our empathy, logic, authenticity.

The message of the Gospel is that even the storm – the evil of a storm or crisis – can be transformed by God’s grace and become the foundation of new-found trust and faith.  Our Savior is our cornerstone of trust in God and in each other.

Being invited on board Jesus’ boat – the Church – we realize that we are still, each day, learning how to navigate and how to sail with the wind of the Holy Spirit.

[end]  

Heart Healthy. Seed Growth (2024-06-16, 11th Sunday)

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Homily, 2024-06-16 (11^th Sunday, year B)

●● Ezekiel 17:22-24    ●● Psalm 92  ●● 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 ●● + Mark 4:26-34●●

[__01__]   Our Catholic calendar of worship is not only divided up by Lent, Easter, Advent, Christmas -- but also divided up devotionally by month – with the month of June dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a feast day, 2 weeks after Pentecost. Devotion to the Sacred Heart emphasizes the transformation of Jesus' love and compassion in our lives.

          I’d also like to make a comparison between what we value and strive for in the heart “physically” and “medically” and what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

          I’d also like to connect this to the Gospel Good News about the seed which is buried in the earth and grows into a plant or tree.

          Having a healthy heart, physically, is not just about how we live as solitary individuals but also how we interact with others and go out of ourselves. For example, having a healthy heart invites us to be active not completely sedentary… having a healthy heart invites us to manage stress and anxiety. We will always live in a world with stress-inducing “people” and “problems” and “computers” and traffic jams. How we live this out emotionally affects us physically. And, these habits of the heart also apply to our spiritual lives.

[__02__]  Do we not recognize – or are we not frequently reminded – to take care of our hearts – our heart health?

          Perhaps, you or someone you know has a heart condition. There are many amazing things done by doctors today for circulation, blood pressure, and more. But if your heart is not right, you cannot really put that off. The heart may need treatment or therapy for everything else to function.

          A couple of years ago, I was meeting a friend for dinner, but he called me up to say he could not make it because his heartbeat was once again quite irregular and he knew he had to go the hospital. Our dinner plans turned into a drive to the Emergency Room. We still had time talk on the way. The heart was the priority. We could not go to Star Pizza to get a table and then drop by St. Barnabas later.

 

[__03__]   In last Sunday’s readings and this Sunday, St. Paul is writing to the Corinthian church and we are reading “2^nd Corinthians, ch. 4 and ch. 5”.

          Paul is reflecting on the apparent contradictions of our lives, writing, “although we know that our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day”. (2 Corinthians 4:16)

          One commentator on the Catholic radio station pointed that this “wasting away” really refers to the experience of getting physically and chronologically older.

          Physically, cognitively, mentally, we are not getting any younger, but our inner self is being renewed all the time.

          As an example, have you ever met someone who is at an advanced age, or suffering an illness and that person demonstrates a peacefulness and tranquility that others who are younger and stronger do not have?

          St. Paul goes on to say that we all have “momentary light afflictions” which can produce an eternal weight of glory.

          What is the momentary light affliction for you or a loved one?

          Is the affliction --  a stroke, heart disease, anxiety, dementia, a movement disorder or tremor such as Parkinson’s or confinement to a wheelchair?

          The reminder is that these afflictions can even lead us to God, if we will allow ourselves to be led there.

          Also, even if you yourself are not suffering a difficult illness, maybe you care for someone who is. Your life is beset with “afflictions”, the therapy, doctor’s appointments, safety concerns, medication schedules.

          In this regard, we are called to walk by faith, not by sight and we can be renewed internally and spiritually.

[__04__]     In today's Gospel, Jesus uses the mustard seed to show how small beginnings can lead to significant growth. Biblical scholar John Bergsma suggests that the mustard seed also represents Jesus Himself, who, though obscure at both His birth and His death, rose to bring life and hope to the world (John Bergsma, The Word of the Lord, Year B, p. 279). Your small acts of faith and love can grow into something much larger. Did you smile at someone today? Did you admit you were wrong? Did you forgive someone’s faults? These little things add up! This seed is God's Word, and we are called to share it with others.

[__05_]  This applies to the way we speak about and strive for health and wholeness and healthy transformation in our lives.

          Each of us is a seed growing to fulfillment.

          Yes, we are all growing and changing, but we are also called to recognize we already made good through God’s love and design.

 

[__05__]   Pope John Paul II taught us that we are called to see our bodies [as a gift. Your body is God’s gift to you and to all of] creation. [Each of us is] a unity of body and soul. Our bodies express the reality of who we are as persons [and as having a] profound freedom. We are not just somethings; we are “someones”—and our bodies testify to this.” (Source: https://focusequip.org/the-catholic-church-and-gender/)

          I recognize that there are both children and adults who may experience difficult identity crises and dysphoria. The medicines and treatments are available here are contrary to God’s plan for “change”. We are all changing and growing, but we also have to recognize that we already made good and whole in God’s eyes.

 

[__06__]  The Gospel message is about our own growing and changing. We may not get the results we want or expect all at once.

We cannot make the seed grow.

As Jesus said this about the mysterious growth:  “It is as if a man would were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and through it all, the seed would sprout and grow, and he knows not how.” (Mark 4:26-27)

I pray that this parable and all of God's word will remind me, remind you, remind us to put our trust in God's Holy Spirit amid our own changes and struggles.

St. Paul wrote: “For this  momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal. For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed,

we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven.”   (2 Corinthians 5:1)

This is how it is with the kingdom of God.  [__end__]   

Speed Trap. (2024-06-09, 10th Sunday)

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Homily, 10^th Sunday (year B)  ●●  2024 June 9 ●● ●

[__01__]         Do you know when to stop?  Sometimes, I don't know when to stop or slow down. For example: my 1^st speeding ticket

On the 1 hand, going out that day, I knew the speed limit and that there was police officer regularly parked about a mile from our house. I was pulled over for 43 mph in a 25-zone. Suddenly, I was no longer innocent. I also felt afraid as the police officer walked toward my car. There was now something on my record, though it wasn’t a terribly serious offense. I was horrified that I had broken the law and, even worse, gotten caught. I didn’t know when to stop or slow down.

Sin and sinfulness can be like that. How do you know when to stop? How do you know when to slow down? This is why we have commandments. They define certain LIMITS – and speed limits. They are not speed traps or sting operations.

They guide us, reminding us to check our actions and intentions. What is your attitude toward the law and the commandments and their purpose? God's law is said to be written in our hearts, as mentioned in Hebrews: “I will put my laws in their minds and write them upon their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

In Genesis, God’s law was initially not written down but told to Adam and Eve, inscribed on their hearts. They had no reason to fear the law and could have avoided sin by adhering to it. Adam and Eve were given one law—not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil—not because they were bad, but because they were good. Similarly, our laws and commandments serve to protect and guide us.

 

When we fall into sin, we often create justifications or stories, even if we don’t share them with others. I remember rushing to pick up a friend at the train station when I got the ticket. I didn’t tell that to the officer, knowing it wouldn’t help.

 

QUESTION – are commandments really necessary? Here is the thing:

 

Without commandments, there would be no personal freedom or choice. Commandments and laws define our freedom rather than restrict it. Some commandments we might think are irrelevant to us. Some commandments seem too “out there” too “extreme”.

 

Consider: 6^th , “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” This might seem unnecessary if we've been faithful, but it’s not only about staying within the boundaries and limits of a proper relationship.

 

     It’s about the foundations of morality in marriage and family, reminding us that God is the author and designer of love. Love is more than an emotion; it’s a commitment designed by God to nourish us physically and spiritually. When we are nourished in love, we feel satisfied; when we are starved of love, we feel unsatisfied – both physically and spiritually.

 

The commandment against adultery is not merely about physical or emotional relationships between men and women but about affirming the sanctity of marriage and family. It underscores that God created affection and love to be shared within the bounds of holy matrimony.

     It is not true to say that “Love is Love”, rather “God is Love”

 

The commandment against adultery also speaks to everyone, married or single. It calls for chastity and purity, which are expressions of God's desire for marriage as a sacred union. This commandment applies to everyone, not just those in consecrated life – those such as priest or nun or sister or brother who have taken vows to the Church.

 

[][][][]  Chastity and purity applies to those of us who are not married – to young people, single people – who are dating and trying to find a future spouse.

          The commandment about “adultery” is expressing God’s desire for marriage as the definitive and solemn gift of men and women to each other (CCC 2391)

          Also, marriage is meant to be the way in which children are brought into this world in a united couple relationship.  Sometimes, it does not work out this way. There are countless dedicated single fathers and single mothers around us. God bless them for their ability to carry out both parenting roles. They need our prayers and support.

          Yet, the couple relationship is created and consecrated in marriage as the way in which children are born into the world naturally.

          Now, it is important to note that we can and do love others unconditionally. What does this mean? This means we love our children – or siblings – simply for who they are – NOT -- for what they do. A man loves his wife and a wife her husband for the same reason.

          Your child does not earn your love and cannot lose your love.

          Yet, this commandment about chastity and purity does ask us at times to correct and teach others about God’s plan for our lives.  To correct and teach – e.g. – if someone is not living a chaste life outside marriage, if someone is in a same-sex relationship.

          These situations call for speaking the truth in love.  Regarding same-sex attraction, the Catholic Catechism CCC reminds us that every sign of unjust discrimination must be avoided. These persons – all persons – are called to fulfill God’s will,  while our “existence” fulfills God’s will, not all of our actions do. Not all relationships fulfill God’s will.

          Sometimes, we get ahead of ourselves. [][][][] 

 

The commandment to live with a pure heart also involves countless daily acts of compassion and service, like doing the laundry, helping someone in need, and doing dishes, scrubbing the bathroom.

 

The fall of Adam and Eve is a warning about human pride and fear. We all need to consider our pride and seek spiritual direction. Examination of conscience, confession, and absolution help us know ourselves better in Christ. Jesus is our true physician and healer. Just as God sought Adam in the garden, Jesus seeks us out. He will find us, and in finding us, we will find him.

Ultimately, laws and commandments are about living in harmony with God and respecting ourselves and others. They guide us in our relationships and daily lives, helping us to stay true to God’s plan.

The experience of getting a speeding ticket ruined my day. I could have just accepted the consequence and moved on, but my ego made it difficult. Taking responsibility for one's actions doesn’t mean being harsh on oneself but acknowledging our need for God’s grace. I got ahead of myself in self-recrimination. God’s plan for us is not based on labeling us as criminals, but rather as acknowledging our weaknesses and need for his help.

On this journey, Jesus the Way, the Truth and the Life and he goes ahead of us.

          “God proves his love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)