Beloved Weeds

Deep down, we all like happy endings.

That’s part of human nature.

And this parable of the wheat and the weeds 
Seems to have a happy ending.

Justice is served.

The righteous end up shining like the sun
In the kingdom of their Father.

But I have to admit, I find this parable troubling.

Even when I’m feeling like I’m part of the wheat.

The wheat is gathered into the barn.

But the weeds are burned.

The righteous shine like the sun.

But the evildoers wail and grind their teeth.

This is not the happiest ending imaginable.

Certainly not for the weeds.

And not even for those of us shining like the sun 
In the kingdom of the Father.

We’re in the presence of God, and maybe we’re in such ecstasy 
That nothing else matters.

But might our joy be dulled by the distant sounds 
Of wailing and grinding?

Might we miss a family member, a friend—a loved one?

And weren’t we told to love everyone?

Wasn’t that a chief requirement for getting into the kingdom?

I’m glad that in organizing today’s scripture readings
The Church includes some reassurances.

They help to balance the stern warning of the parable.

They suggest that, if for no other reason, God might deliver us 
For the glory of his own name.

Other passages are sometimes joined with today’s Gospel.

And they’re even more assuring.

They assure us, God is kind and merciful, good and forgiving, 
Lenient to all.

He judges with clemency.

His children have good grounds for hope

That he will permit repentance for their sins.

So we can hope that all of us will make it to heaven.

We can trust that heaven will be all that Jesus said it would be.

And we can do more.

We can work to build the kingdom of heaven.

We can get down in the weeds—and deliver God’s message.

By our words and actions, and by our example.

Maybe that message will touch a beloved weed.

(I imagine that we all fear we have at least one beloved weed)

Touch it with the right word, or the right act, at the right time.

Maybe it will infuse the weeds with a little bio-engineering antidote, 
A little gene therapy.

An impossible dream? 

Maybe so.

But we can also try our best to pray for an 
Unquestionably happy ending.

Pray that when the angels come to bundle the weeds for burning—
None are found.

That God, for whom all things are possible, 

Will have already transformed them all into wheat.

Tuesday 17th Week of Ordinary Time

Mt 13:36-43   Read this Scripture @usccb.org

Lead Me

It’s hard to know what to expect.

Where we’re headed next, and what to do when we get there.

We’ve come to a point where it seems that division is everywhere.

Wars and terrorist attacks around the world.

In Syria, Iraq, France and Belgium, and right here.

Brexit in Europe, an attempted coup in Turkey.

Racial issues and ideological polarization here at home.

Tweets and posts and sound bites from all sides, 
With little regard for truth.

It’s enough to make you long for a simpler time.

I remember one such time.

A childhood summer, back in the 1950’s,

My brother and I spent a couple weeks with my aunt. 

She was living in the quiet, little town of Columbus, Indiana.

The streets, at least in her part of town, were still dirt roads.

At the corner of two dirt streets was a little Pentecostal church.

A typical little mid-western country church – but in a town.

And my aunt was living in the house right next door.

We’d sit on her porch in the hot night air.

And listen to the lively hymns 
Pouring out the open windows of that church.

Some were hymns I’d never heard before.

Others, I’d heard – but not in any church.

I’d heard them when my father would take us to listen 
To Dixieland bands.

When they came up the river from New Orleans to Cincinnati.

Songs like When the Saints Go Marchin In.

And Down by the Riverside.

I still remember one of those songs I’d never heard before.

It comes to mind whenever I read today’s Gospel passage.

Because it’s like the Psalm refrain that’s often paired with this Gospel.

Guide me Lord along the everlasting way.

I can’t remember the words from the verses of that song.

But I can still hear the refrain booming out those church windows.

Lead me, lead me, lead me along the everlasting way.

In our recent scripture readings.

We have a lot of people on the move.

All led along on their journeys, by God.

Guided by his teaching and his word.

Leading them through situations they could never have predicted.

Today we find Abraham and Sarah living in their tent.

On a hill overlooking Sodom and the cities of the plains.

Planning to make their way to a more permanent settlement.

Never expecting that those cities would soon be destroyed.

Never expecting that Sarah would soon become a mother.

A few days ago the Gospel spoke of Jesus sending out his disciples.

First his 12 apostles, and then 72 more disciples.

Never expecting that they would have the power he gave them.

The power to heal, the power to preach and be ambassadors of God.

They served as Jesus’ advance men.

As he himself also journeyed—to Jerusalem.

Today he comes upon the little village where Martha and Mary live.

Bethany, just outside Jerusalem.

Martha is trying to be the perfect host.

She’s nearly frantic, concerned about so many things.

So much to do, and so little time.

And Mary won’t help her.

Mary has planted herself on the floor next to Jesus.

To just sit and listen for any truth or teaching he might offer.

To take in his wisdom and guidance.

When Martha complains to Jesus, he doesn’t give her any sympathy.

He tells her that she herself has made her choice.

She’s chosen to focus on all her busy tasks.

While Mary has chosen the better part.

And also the more appropriate part for that moment – listening.

For most of us, it’s pretty easy to identify with Martha.

We all have busy schedules.

We all have more to do than we can ever get done.

But even if part of our load is doing “good works”.

Even if one of our busy-schedule items is getting to Mass—

Whatever our load, or overload—

We still need to take time out as Mary did.

We need to regularly take time—make time—

To just sit and listen to that voice of Jesus within us.

Because like Abraham and the 12 and the 72,

And like Martha and Mary,

And like the Indiana town-folk of half a century ago,

We’re all on a journey.

And we don’t know what will happen next.

But we do know that we can always rely on Jesus.

He’s always there, offering to lead us along the everlasting way.

If only we’ll set aside a few minutes a day to just sit and listen.

16th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Lk 10:38-42   Read this Scripture @usccb.org

America

America! America! God shed His grace on thee.

The refrain from our recessional hymn 
At all of our 4^th of July weekend Masses.

A little mixture of State into our Church celebration.

A plea—a prayer—for our country.

And God has shed His grace on America.

On all of us, individually and collectively.

There are a lot of collective references in today’s Scripture readings.

Massive groups of people lumped together by their city or nation names.

The nations of Aram and Ephraim are plotting, and will face destruction.

Jerusalem is blessed and protected.

Sodom and Tyre and Sidon are held up as models to avoid.

Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum are sternly warned.

Today we hear that Samaria, the capitol of Ephraim, will be crushed.

This past Sunday we heard Jesus’ parable

About one particular, righteous citizen of Samaria.

The Good Samaritan.

Who showed us how to follow the 2^nd Great Commandment.

Love thy neighbor as thyself.

Crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.

And beyond.

There’s a strong tie between the individual and the collective.

God knows us and loves us individually, by name.

But he also views us as part of the groups he has put us in.

And he holds us to some share of responsibility for those groups.

The families, the cities, the nations—humankind.

How are we feeling about our nation today?

Collectively, how are we doing with that 2^nd Great Commandment?

Or even the 1^st!  (Love God!)

God has indeed blessed America—over many years.

The Lord has done great things for us.

But it’s too easy to become unappreciative; presumptive.

Like the litany of peoples in today’s readings.

To presume, that, as our Psalm said,

God upholds his city forever.

Where is America headed?

What power do we individuals have over the collective?

We have substantial powers.

Not the least of which are the power of prayer and the power of example.

Remember Abraham bargaining with God over the destruction of Sodom.

God finally agreed that if there were ten righteous people there,

He would not destroy the city.

A few good individuals can save an entire city—a nation—a world.

We can continue to strive to be those good people.

We can continue to encourage others through our example.

We can continue to pray for the whole world.

But especially for our country.

Pray that God will uphold us during these dark times.

Pray, as we do in our other great patriotic hymn.

That God Bless America.

That He Stand beside her, and guide her,

Through the night with the light from above.

Tuesday, 15th Week of Ordinary Time

Mt 11:20-24   Read this Scripture @usccb.org

On the Run

A few years ago I met a priest who was director of priest vocations.

And he talked about the call to the priesthood.

He said it was very important for every parish to—frequently—

Include a prayer for vocations in the prayer of the faithful. 

That prayer right after the homily.

He hoped they’d do it every day.

Including it is powerful, of course, just as a group prayer to God.

But at the same time, it’s a reminder.

To the parents and the boys and men who pray it.

Reminding them that we really do need more priests.

He said it’s especially important as a constant reminder

To those young men who are “on the run”.

Many seminarians had confirmed

What he already knew from his own personal experience.

They hear the call to a vocation, but they run from it.

The call doesn’t fit into the plans they’d begun making for their lives.

Even if their plans were still pretty vague,

They didn’t include the priesthood.

But that constant reminder at Church works away at them.

It reinforces the internal call that they’re hearing.

And it stresses to them that they truly are needed.

When we make that prayer,

We’re doing just as Jesus directs us in today’s Gospel.

Asking the Master of the harvest to send out laborers.

Of course, to bring all the souls of the world to harvest,

The Master needs many kinds of laborers—not just priests.

But we can all run from a call just as hard as those young men.

So let’s be still.

Let’s deeply consider those internal thoughts we’re hearing.

Let’s not dismiss them too easily.

Maybe I really should get involved in that volunteer work.

Maybe I really should spend more time at my vocation to family.

Whatever I’m hearing—maybe it’s not just a thought, but a message.

Let’s listen for the Harvest Master’s call.

Tuesday, 14th Week of Ordinary Time

Mt 9:32-38   Read this Scripture @usccb.org

Doubling Down

Walk it Back or Double Down.

Those two phrases seem to sum up our options.

Our next step after making an outrageously extreme statement.

A statement that sounds obviously false or clearly crazy.

We can walk it back to something more plausible or defensible.

But if we really believe it—or if we’re crazy—we can double down.

Those phrases seem to have gained recent popularity.
I don’t think I’d heard them used that way before this election cycle.

But now we hear them a thousand times a day.

Well, maybe I should walk that back.

Now we hear them almost every day.

Not only regarding our own U.S. elections, but elsewhere.

Like with the victorious Brexit “Leave” proponents.

Walking back the grand benefits they claimed exit would bring.

In today’s Gospel,
The scribes perceive an outrageously extreme statement.

Jesus telling the paralytic Your sins are forgiven.

The scribes take offense at his words.

They’re thinking, Who does this guy think he is?

This is blasphemy!

Jesus tells them that he knows their thoughts.

That mind-reading alone could have given them some clue of his power.

But they could dismiss that as just a lucky guess.

It’s not too surprising that they’d be thinking blasphemy.

So Jesus does more.

He doubles down, asking:

Which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven” or “Rise and walk”?

Neither statement could be effective 

Unless it summoned the power of God.

Any fake healer could easily say the words, Your sins are forgiven.

And no one could prove or disprove that those words were effective.

But a fake healer would not so easily dare to say, Rise and walk.

The lack of true power and authority behind those words

Would be immediately evident to all.

So, the physical healing would be the more impressive act.

But which would be the greater gift?

The physical healing is certainly great.

It’s amazing, it’s immediate, it gives new life and happiness.

But what if we had to choose between the two gifts—

What if we wanted both but could have only one of them?

Physical healing or God’s forgiveness.

That question brings to mind a prayer from St Ignatius.

Take Lord and receive,

All my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my entire free will.

All that I have and call my own.

You have given it all to me, Lord.

To you I return it.

All of it is yours.

Take it and do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace.

That is enough for me.

Give me only your love and your grace.

He extends that deep Fatherly love and he never walks it back.

He doubles down with his abundant and extreme forgiveness.

We already have all that.

What more could we possibly need?

Thursday, 13th Week of Ordinary Time

Mt 9:1-8   Read this Scripture @usccb.org

Who Do You Say I Am?

Who do you say that I am?

That question comes up in our Gospel a number of times every year.

And it always makes me pause and consider my answer.

And my answer is always like Peter’s.

I say he’s the Christ of God—the anointed one.

But I go even further.

With the help of statements Peter had not yet heard.

Or not yet understood.

Before Abraham was I AM.

If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.

The Father and I are one.

With the Resurrection

And with all the Church has distilled for me from the Gospel.

I say that Jesus is not only the Christ of God, he is God.

But then I have to ask,

What am I doing about that?

Am I living like I know that?

Every day?

We have the teachings of Jesus, the guidance of God Himself.

He didn’t deny it when Peter said he was the Christ.

In fact, in Matthew’s account he highly praised Peter for that insight.

He said Peter could know that only because God had revealed it to him.

As he said elsewhere:

No one knows the Son except the Father.

And no one knows the Father except the Son,

And anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.

In this account from Luke he actually scolds or warns the disciples.

Saying they should tell no one.

He didn’t want people to start rejoicing in their misconception

Of what it meant to have the Christ, the Messiah, with them.

He was here to suffer.

And what suffering it was!

As they ask in the song Jesus Christ Superstar:

Did you know your messy death would be a record breaker?

By that suffering and death and abandonment he shows us

What he’s willing to endure for us.

And he also gives us something to compare our own suffering to.

Few if any could claim their suffering is greater than his.

And if he had to suffer, why would we be spared?

He gives us courage to pick up our comparatively light cross—daily.

And follow him.

While I’m quoting Broadway lyrics I should also mention Godspell.

A note on our daily work.

Day by day, day by day,

Oh Dear Lord, three things I pray.

To see thee more clearly,

Love thee more dearly,

Follow thee more nearly.

Day by day.

We all have some cross time in our days.

But for most of us, the bulk of our daily work is quite the opposite.

It’s joy.

Today we have a special day of rejoicing—Fathers Day.

We can rejoice at being fathers.

Or at having fathers, or at having had fathers.

Or having a spouse who is a father.

Or certainly at having a God who asks us to call Him Father.

The chief commandments that Jesus gave us for daily life are also joyful.

Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.

There’s an article in the current AARP magazine.

A few of you might be old enough to get that.

I think it starts coming when you turn thirty.

If you’re younger than that you surely know how to search for it online.

It’s about finding happiness.

And it confirms from a secular and scientific perspective,

What we already know from Jesus’ teaching.

If you want to be happy—

Go out and help someone.

Don’t focus on yourself.

Be a servant.

Those two commandments—all ten commandments,

Are not stumbling blocks to hold us down or trip us up.

They’re the recipe for happiness in this life and the next.

We know all that.

But it’s good to step back from time-to-time and check on ourselves.

To remind ourselves just who it is we’re following.

It’s surprisingly easy sometimes to lose sight of who He really is.

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lk 9:18-24   Read this Scripture @usccb.org