One People #2

<Opening Presentation to Interfaith Thanksgiving Service>

As we gather to give thanks in this Interfaith Service, 

It’s clear from the very name

That we’ve made our spiritual homes in different faith communities. 

For many of us the choice was made for us, by our birth into a particular family. 

For all of us, we firmly believe that our own particular faith is the right faith,

Or we would have moved on. 

But we also believe in religious tolerance,

And we believe in loving our brothers and sisters regardless of their religious beliefs

—and even if they have no religious beliefs. 

What I’d like to read for you are excerpts

from a Catholic document regarding different groups within the People of God.

It came out of a worldwide meeting of bishops in 1964—the Second Vatican Council. 

So it is, of course, written from the Catholic perspective.                                                                                                                       

But I think if you reorder the groups according to your own perspective,

You’ll see it’s a good expression of an interfaith spirit

and a hope for a common spiritual home that we can all share.

The document is called Lumen Gentium, Latin for The Light of the Nations.

Its official title is the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church.

And the section I’m quoting from is titled The People of God:

It says:

At all times and in every race

God has given welcome to whosoever [respects] Him 

and does what is right.

God, however, does not make men holy and save them 

merely as individuals,

without bond or link between one another.

Rather has it pleased Him to bring men together as one people,

a people which acknowledges Him in truth 

and serves Him in holiness.

Though there are many nations there is but one people of God,

which takes its citizens from every race,

making them citizens of a kingdom

which is of a heavenly rather than of an earthly nature.   

And there belong to or are related to it in various ways,

the Catholic faithful,

all who believe in Christ,

and indeed the whole of mankind,

for all men are called by the grace of God to salvation.

They are fully incorporated in the society of the Church who, possessing the Spirit of Christ, accept her entire system 

and all the means of salvation given to her. 

The Church recognizes that in many ways 

she is linked with those who,

being baptized, are honored with the name of Christian,

though they do not profess the faith in its entirety

or do not preserve unity with the [Church of Rome].

They share with us in prayer and other spiritual benefits.

We can say that in some real way 

they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit,

for to them too He gives His gifts and graces.

Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel

are related in various ways to the people of God.

In the first place we must recall the [Jewish] people

to whom the testament and the promises were given

and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh.

[This] people remains most dear to God,

for God does not repent of the gifts He makes 

nor of the calls He issues.

But the plan of salvation also includes 

those who acknowledge the Creator.

In the first place amongst these there are the Mohamedans,

who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham,

along with us adore the one and merciful God.

Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images

seek the unknown God,

for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things,

and as Savior wills that all men be saved.

Those also can attain to salvation who 

through no fault of their own

do not know the Gospel of Christ...,

yet sincerely seek God

and ... strive by their deeds to do His will

as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.

Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, 

have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God 

[yet] strive to live a good life. 

One People #1

<Homily on Lk  10:21-24>

As we enter this Advent season we might each ask ourselves—

How much do I really know about God?

Where did I get what I do know?

Today’s Gospel passage draws my mind to those who don’t know the truth.

And then I recall a favorite document that gives great hope regarding those people.

Lumen Gentium (The Light of the Nations), a Vatican II document from 1964.

Officially titled The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church.

Written, of course, from the perspective of the Catholic Church,

And adopted by her bishops throughout the world.

Excerpts from the chapter on The People of God state:

At all times and in every race

God has given welcome to whosoever [respects] Him and does what is right.

Though there are many nations there is but one people of God,

which takes its citizens from every race,

making them citizens of a [heavenly] kingdom.  

And there belong to or are related to [that kingdom] in various ways,

the Catholic faithful—

all who believe in Christ—

and indeed the whole of mankind—

for all men are called by the grace of God to salvation.

They are fully incorporated in the society of the Church who,

possessing the Spirit of Christ,

accept her entire system and all the means of salvation given to her. 

The Church recognizes that in many ways she is linked with those who,

being baptized, are honored with the name of Christian,

We can say that in some real way they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit.

[Also], those who have not yet received the Gospel

are related in various ways to the people of God.

In the first place we must recall the [Jewish] people

to whom the testament and the promises were given

and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh.

[This] people remains most dear to God.

But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator.

In the first place amongst these there are the Mohamedans,

who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham,

along with us adore the one and merciful God.

Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images

seek the unknown God,

for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things,

and as Savior wills that all men be saved.

Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own

do not know the Gospel of Christ...,

yet sincerely seek God

and ... strive by their deeds to do His will

as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.

Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who,

without blame on their part,

have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God [yet] strive to live a good life.

Today’s Gospel passage tells us how fortunate, how blessed, we really are.

We could have easily been among those seeking in shadows for an unknown God.

Or those who haven’t yet arrived at any explicit knowledge that God exists.

Clearly, there’s a lot we don’t know—

We’re still searching for many answers.

But we do know who God is.

The Son has revealed Him to us.

He’s revealed a God we can call Our Father.

He’s revealed the Trinity.

He’s revealed the plan for salvation and the gift of eternal life.

We’d know very little about God without that revelation.

Without the Scripture, especially Jesus’ own words.

And without what we’ve since learned through the Holy Spirit and our Church.

Where would we be without that gift of knowledge?

We are truly blessed.

We see and hear what others can only long for.

Tuesday, 1st Week of Advent

Lk 10:21-24     Read this Scripture @usccb.org 

We Can't Stand Pat

In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened,                    
and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will be falling from the sky.

Scary Stuff.

This is the year’s last Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Next week is the Feast of Christ the King.

That’s the last Sunday of the liturgical year.

And then we move into Advent, a new year, a time of new beginnings.

But today, our focus is on the end times.

All of our Scripture readings speak of those end times and the life beyond.

Especially our first reading from the Book of Wisdom,

And our Gospel excerpt from Mark.

They tell us to be vigilant, to be always ready.

Our Gospel warns of the Great Tribulation—the end times.

Followed by the glorious, triumphant, second coming of Jesus.

That end-time is coming. 

But probably not now.

We might wonder, with the wars and bombings and terrorist attacks.

And other injustices and miseries throughout the world.

These are dark times, but the world has seen worse.

Christians have been watching for the Second Coming for 2000 years now.

So odds are slim that it will happen to come in our lifetime.

But our own individual time is indeed short.

For many of us, that end will almost certainly come within the next few decades.

For any of us, it could come tomorrow.

And yet, in the mean time we plod along with our daily routines.

We don’t often stop to think about how we’re spending our limited remaining days.

Until we’re personally struck by some tragedy or loss that grabs our full attention.

Or unless some message, like today’s Scriptures, gets through to us.

I sometimes pray:

God help me to be mindful,

But do it without giving me a dramatic wake-up call.

Today should have been one of those chances,

To simply take a more gentle reminder from Scripture.

But now we have the added emphasis of that massacre in Paris.

Still somewhat distant, but too close for comfort.

So let’s take this opportunity to step back and look at where we’re headed.

How we’re spending the days of our lives.

Are we preparing for our end times?

What adjustments should we be making?

These are the kinds of questions we need to revisit often.

The Church repeatedly calls our attention to them.

Especially during Lent and during this end-of-year time.

Today we have the added encouragement and example of our RCIA group.

(Those pursuing the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.)

They’ve each stepped back and decided to make a significant change in their lives.

To become new, active members of the Catholic Church.

Theirs may seem a rather big step, a rather big course adjustment for their lives.

But many of us may also be ripe for a comparably big adjustment.

Maybe a move to much greater action.

Or a move to devoting much more time to talking with God and listening to him.

Or maybe just some fine-tuning.

As we think about change and as we approach this election year,

I remember a six-time presidential candidate—deadpan comedian Pat Paulsen.

He used the Smothers Brothers TV show as his forum.

And announced his platform for great change.

He had a large poster with his smiling face and, at the top, his name:

PAT PAULSEN.

And at the bottom, his catchy slogan for change—

WE CAN’T STAND PAT

That was certainly (and intentionally) an unfortunate slogan for a candidate named Pat.

But it is a general truth.

We can’t stand pat.

If we’re not moving forward, we’re falling back.

So, motivated by warnings of the end times, by the terrors of the day,

And by the example of our new members,

Let’s step back and try to take in the big picture.

Let’s ask God’s guidance for how to spend the remainder of our lives.

And then let’s listen for the answer promised in our Psalms today:

[He] will show me the path to life,

Fullness of joys in [His] presence,

The delights at [His] right hand—forever.

33rd Sunday Ordinary Time

Mk 13:24-32     Read this Scripture @usccb.org 

Beyond the Bare Minimum

The end is near.

We feel the cold morning air as we trudge along through mounds of dead leaves.

Our liturgical year comes to an end this month.

And our Scripture readings have begun to focus on the end times.

The words from the Book of Wisdom tell us that

God formed man to be imperishable.

But then death entered the world through the Devil.

Yet still, the just, the worthy, the blessed, the faithful, the elect live on.

How can we get counted among those blessed who live on?

We all want to be in that number, when the saints go marchin’ in.

We’ve been taught that two things we need to pursue are Faith and Good Works.

And the verses that lead into today’s Gospel give us some guidance on that.

Regarding faith, we need to keep asking for increased faith.

As for Good Works, we at least need to do what we’re commanded.

Those verses also give a few example commands. 

Don’t lead others into sin.

Forgive those who ask for forgiveness.

In today’s Gospel Jesus takes his guidance a bit further.

When you have done all you have been commanded say,

‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what were obliged to do.’

He clearly urges us to do more than the bare minimum.

Our presence here today shows that we recognize that.

Our daily Mass may be one of our little extras above the minimum.

We have a lot of examples of people who have gone well beyond the minimum.

Today’s example is Pope Leo the Great.

One of those who has been numbered among the saints.

Dedicating his life to serving the Church—serving God’s people.

Writing, preaching, teaching, leading; a Doctor of the Church.

Adding understanding to the mystery of Christ as one person with two natures.

Fighting heresies.

Saving 5^th Century Rome from Attila the Hun.

Do we have to do as much as Pope Leo?                                                            

With an eye to those end times, now is a good time to consider our progress.

How much faith do we need to have?

How many Good Works are we obliged to perform?

Considering all God has given us—

What are we ready to give him in return?

Tuesday, 32nd Week Ordinary Time

Lk 17:7-10    Read this Scripture @usccb.org 

Little Things

Yesterday I took a little trip, driving alone over to the Eastern Shore.

And I used that time to think about today’s Scripture readings.

What point was Jesus making with these stories of the mustard seed and the yeast?

Clearly it had something to do with little things.

Little things being important.

Little things growing into big things.

Little things having great impact.

Our Gospel excerpt itself was just a little thing; four short verses.

Thinking about it started an old song playing in my head—Little Things Mean a Lot.

When I got home, I checked it out on You Tube.

And the version I remembered was by Kitty Kallen back in 1954.

I was only seven then, but it was the #1 hit that year and I probably heard it over and over.

It’s been redone a few times over the years, so maybe even you younger folks have heard it.

The lyrics are nice, but it’s the title and the refrain that sum up the message—

Little things do mean a lot.

Then last night I walked past my seven-year-old grandson’s bedroom.

And he was singing, This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.

So little things was definitely the recurring theme for my day.

And it’s the theme for Jesus’ two little parables.

So, what about all these little things?

We sometimes tend to discount little things.

We don’t even bother doing some things because they seem too little.

We say, I only have a little time or talent or treasure to offer.

It’s not enough to make a difference.

There’s no sense even starting.

What good would my little donation do to solve the refugee crisis?

What good would my little volunteer time do to end world hunger?

What good would my little prayer do; who am I that God would listen?

Well, today Jesus assures us that little things are important, they do mean a lot.

He reminds us that little things grow, and they enable other things to grow.

Like that mustard seed and that yeast.

So, let’s not be discouraged because something seems too little.

Let’s not be impatient because we don’t see quick growth.

Let’s just jump in and get started, and keep going.

Our little donations, our little volunteering, our little prayer—have great impact in two ways.

They grow within us, increasing our capacity to give and pray.

And they combine with the little gifts and prayers of others.

Growing in combination to become something truly big and important with world-changing impact.

Each of us has our own little light. 

Let’s let them shine as brightly as they can.

Tuesday, 30th Week Ordinary Time

Lk 13:18-21     Read this Scripture @usccb.org 

Hear Kitty Kallen

Table for Two

Our master has been away at the wedding for an awfully long time.

And yet, he tells us to stay ever ready to open the door immediately upon his return

Even into the 2^nd and 3^rd watch of the night.

The early Christians thought his glorious Second Coming would happen very soon.

But by the time the Gospels were written,

It was already clear that wasn’t the case.

It’s been nearly 2000 years since he went away.

It’s interesting to think and speculate about when that glorious final return might occur.

When he comes to judge the living and the dead.

The Last Judgment.

The General Judgment.

What’s the likelihood that he’ll return within the next 100 years?

One simplistic way to look at it might be to say, 50%.

One’s as likely as the other.

Maybe he will, maybe he won’t. 

A better estimate might be to say,

He has millions of years to choose from.

So the odds of his choosing one of the next 100 years is very low.

Just a tiny fraction of a 1% chance.

Or maybe we see signs that make us think it’s very likely that he’s coming soon.

Concern about the timing for that final return may be interesting.

But it’s not what’s most important for us.

What is urgently important, for each of us, is not the great General Judgement.

But our own Particular Judgement.

That knock is certain to come much sooner than in 100 years.

It could come any minute now.

The early Christians were wrong about the precise event they expected.

But they were right about the urgency.

Are we into that 2^nd watch, or even the 3^rd watch?

Let’s be ever ready to answer when he comes to knock on our particular door.

If we’re ready, today could be the day we dine with the Lord.

Tuesday, 29th Week Ordinary Time

Lk 12:35-38     Read this Scripture @usccb.org 

Now Serving

This week I came across a video clip from a Steve Harvey TV show.

I don’t really know much about him, but I know he’s a TV star.

He started out years ago as a stand-up comedian.

And now he hosts Family Feud and two or three other shows.

He’s a very busy man.

A celebrity; a star; to many a hero of sorts.

In the video I saw, his producers had arranged a surprise for him.

His wife and his seven or eight kids (mostly adults now) came onto the show.

And they each told a little story about why they considered him a great father.

They appeared to be a very close family.

He was clearly moved by what they said.

And then he responded to them.

He said something like:

I don’t work all these shows for myself.

I do it for you.

And I do it because I want you to know—I want to show you—

That there is somebody who cares more about you than they care about themselves.

And someday, I want you to be able to do that for someone else.

I don’t know if Steve Harvey reads the Bible or goes to Church.

I don’t know his background, or anything else about his personal life.

But his words show a pretty good application of Jesus’s message in today’s Gospel.

We are here not to be served, but to serve others.

Starting with our own families, and expanding out to the whole world.

We’re here not to be like James and John, seeking power and glory.

Or like the other ten apostles who were angry that James and John tried to get ahead of them.

We’re here to be like the good disciples they eventually became.

We’re here to join Jesus in his baptism and his drink—
His service, sacrifice, and even his suffering.

It feels good to get praise, even if we’re a little embarrassed by it.

We generally enjoy having power and authority.

We might even crave fame and glory.

A Pew Research poll found that younger Americans are keenly focused on wealth and fame.

Even more than prior generations.

Polling 18-25 year olds, 81% said wealth was one of their top two goals in life.

And 51% said fame was one of their top two goals.

Jesus repeatedly tells us to work at overcoming that kind of self-centeredness.

And he’s told us how to overcome it—through prayer, fasting, and good works or alms-giving.

We hear that especially at Lent, 
But these are things we have to do continuously throughout the year.

Exercises to build up our service attitude.

We can always make time to pray or fast.

And we can always find opportunities for good works and alms-giving.

Opportunities to serve others with our time, talent and treasure.

Actually, one opportunity will come our way in just a few minutes.

Our Pastor will asks us to increase our financial support of the parish.*

Supporting the Church is a good-work and a form of alms-giving.

It can also be considered a form of fasting and even as a prayer.

And of course, giving that support is one way we put others ahead of ourselves.

No doubt, we’ll each have many more opportunities to serve others today.

And every day.

Let’s keep an eye out for those opportunities and grab them when we see them.

They’re our chance to reshape not only ourselves, but those around us.

Especially our own children and the other young people around us.

Young people who will have to struggle with their society, with their culture.

A culture that’s even more absorbed with wealth and fame than the one that shaped us.

 29th Sunday Ordinary Time

Mk 10:35-45     Read this Scripture @usccb.org      

* This was the case for those listening at Mass.  Those reading might also consider what financial support they give to their Church.  We're familiar with raises and COLAs for workers and retirees, but it seldom occurs to us to give one to our Church.