Michel de Verteuil
General comments
According to the liturgical practice of our Church, when a
teaching of Jesus is continued over several weeks, each Sunday’s reading begins
with a reminder of the context. Today’s passage therefore begins, “Jesus
instructed the twelve as follows”, or “Jesus said to his apostles”. This
practice reminds us that in our Catholic tradition we always read the bible
“historically” – with the awareness that each book, indeed each passage, was
composed in a certain historical context and is also to be read in a historical
context.
Applying this principle to today’s passage, we read it not
as a list of commands (far less of threats) but as a “story” – this is what
Jesus said when he sent his disciples into their world. It is a living story so
that in our meditation we ask the question, who is the Jesus who said (is
saying) these things – to us? to the modern world? The passage also issues a
challenge to us as individuals and as communities (as the Church) – this is how
Jesus wants us to be present in the world.
The passage is in two sections, very different both in
content and in atmosphere:
Verses 37 to 39 speak of the demands Jesus makes
on people and wishes his followers to make on their contemporaries. We remember
with gratitude the people who have made such demands on us, lifting us out of
mediocrity and giving us something for which we are willing to risk everything
we hold dear. Martin Luther King once said, “People who haven’t
discovered something they will die for, are not fit to live.”
Each verse ends with “is not worthy of me”. This reminds us that as followers
of Jesus we have the option of watering down his teaching in such a way that it
is no longer “worthy” of him.
“Prefer” in verse 37 is biblical language, and we must be careful to
interpret it correctly. The bible takes for granted that hurting “father or
mother”, “son or daughter” causes very deep pain; we must read this verse then
as part of the “cross” which Jesus’ followers must “take up” (verse 38), and of
“losing one’s life” (verse 39).
“Follow in my footsteps” in verse 38 shows that Jesus only imposes on others what he has imposed on himself.
Verses 37 and 38 can give the impression of Jesus’ followers as a surly lot, suffering from “victim syndrome”; verse 39 corrects such wrong interpretations – the overall effect of the following of Jesus is positive, it calls for self-sacrifice as a way to fuller life.
The verse presents two sharply contrasting possibilities; we stay with
each one in turn, getting a feeling for both and letting them play off each
other like contrasting colours in a painting.
– On the one hand, there is complacency – “I can relax now that I have
found what I was looking for”. We feel Jesus’ sadness at mediocrity where there
was immense potential.
– On the other hand, we feel his exhilaration at
people who have taken risks (lost life) and discovered new vitality (found
life).
Verses 40 to 42 speak of the presence of Jesus in his community
after he has left them. Many leaders want their followers to be always
referring back to them; Jesus is different, he sends his followers out so
selflessly and with so much trust that they feel his presence long after they
have gone on their own.
In accord with the original context of the passage, we focus on ourselves sent
into the world by Jesus with our different vocations – as parents, teachers,
community leaders, Church ministers etc.
Like all caring leaders Jesus is concerned that his
missionaries should be “welcomed”, a powerful image we need to spend time on.
We are “welcomed” when we are invited to feel at home with others while at the
same time being allowed to remain true to ourselves
– a rare and very precious experience.
In verse 40 Jesus tells the twelve, “Don’t be
afraid, I am so completely with you that when people welcome you they welcome
me”. The secret of non-possessiveness is the sense of “being sent” by a higher
power; we find it easier to entrust our authority to others when we remember
that it is not “ours” but entrusted to us by God.
In verse 41, we need not make a distinction
between “prophet” and “holy man”; they are different names for great people
sent by God to a community. The verse brings out that Jesus’ “missionaries” (in
the widest sense as explained above) and those who welcome them become one.
Missionaries are not “givers of objects” (not even “spiritual objects”); they
have had a deep experience and invite others to share in it. We remember times
when we experienced that those who welcomed us shared in our blessedness.
In our preaching we tend to stress that God is “offended” by
our sins. The God whom Jesus reveals in verse 42 is not concerned about
himself. Like a good parent, teacher or church minister, his concern is for the
“little ones” he has formed and sent into the world. He fusses over them (note
“certainly”) and rewards generously anyone who looks after them. We think of
parents who declare themselves “eternally grateful” to a teacher for
befriending their children.
The designation “little ones” is very significant. Jesus
does not want his missionaries to be overly concerned at being treated with
honour or respect. In his eyes, they are (and must see themselves as) “little
ones”. As many have noted, one of the root causes of many of the recent
clerical scandals is that we church leaders have encouraged the culture of
elitism, forgetting that we were sent by the Lord as “little ones” grateful for
“as much as a cup of cold water”.
We think too of the church’s call to be a humble presence (a
little one) in non-Western or non-Christian cultures.
“Only those are great whose faith lifts them higher than
themselves and who give themselves entirely to this faith.” …Yves
Congar
Lord, we remember with deep gratitude those moments of grace
when we had an experience which changed all our values and gave a new direction
to our lives:
– we met someone whom we loved more than anyone else in the
world;
– a new leader gave our community a new vision for itself;
– we read a book which changed our lives;
– a bible passage touched us deeply.
The experience affected us so much that we looked with new eyes
at those who up to then were very dear to us, father or mother, son or
daughter,
we were ready to give up things that up to then were very
precious to us.
It was the only attitude worthy of this new call we
had received.
Looking back on that moment we realise that had we not made the choice, we
would have lost ourselves; because we made it we found ourselves.
Lord, your will is that the message of Jesus should bring
life
to societies torn apart by racial and ethnic hatred.
Forgive us that we have watered down the message
allowing it to be second to father and mother, son and daughter.
Followers of Jesus are concerned to protect their ethnic and class identity
but are in fact losing it, whereas if they lost it for your
sake they would find it.
Lord, we pray for the leaders of our country.
Don’t let them impose burdens on others which they have not borne themselves.
Teach them that, like Jesus, they must first take up their
cross,
and only then invite others to follow in their footsteps.
Lord, we remember today those who are taking an important new step in their
lives:
– getting married or becoming parents;
– taking public office;
– committing themselves to a new form of service.
Give them the courage to risk losing themselves,
for it is only then that they will find their true selves.
Lord, we thank you that in many countries of the world your Church has made an
option for the poor,
– preferring them to father and mother, son and daughter
– risking everything for the sake of the gospel.
It has lost many of its privileges but has found life as the Church of Jesus.
“When I walk with Jesus, he always leads me to the poorest, the
lowliest, and the lost so that I may open my heart to them.” …Jean Vanier.
Lord, many leaders today, even in the Church,
are concerned only for the important members of the community,
for their friends or for those who can help them.
We thank you for Jesus and all like him,
men and women who feel deeply for the little ones in the community,
and are grateful to those who give as much as a cup of cold water to them.
“The more faithfully you listen to the voice within you,
the better you will listen to what is sounding outside.” …Dag Hammarskjold
Lord, we thank you for the holy men and women,
the prophets you send into our lives.
How true it is that when we welcome them we share in their greatness.
Lord, we thank you for sending us into the world as parents,teachers,
community leaders, ministers in your church.
Don’t let us be possessive of those you entrust to our care.
Help us like Jesus, to have a sense that you sent us,
so that when we have done all we have to do,
we can let ourselves live in those we have formed,
trusting that whoever welcomes them welcomes us
and in welcoming us welcomes you who sent us.
Lord, forgive us that the leaders of your church
have come to others with a sense of superiority.
We thank you for the times that life teaches them
that you have sent them as little ones
who are grateful for as much as a cup of cold water to slake their thirst.
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Thomas O’Loughlin
Introduction to the Celebration
Welcome! Welcome to this assembly of the baptised who have gathered to give thanks to our Father in heaven. ‘Welcome’: it is such a simple word, and one we use freely and often with little thought. We welcome friends and guests to our homes; from time to time we welcome visitors; we talk about giving and receiving warm welcomes; and we sometimes have little plaques near our front door with ‘Welcome’ written on them or even have it bound into the weave of the front door mat.
Because we have been baptised into Jesus the Christ, we have been welcomed by the Father as his daughters and sons. Because we are disciples we are welcomed now to the Lord’s table. Because we are followers of the Way we look forward to being welcomed to the banquet of heaven. We can thank the Father that we are a welcomed people.
But do we always welcome the Christ in his teachings in our lives? Do we always welcome the Christ in the stranger? Do we always welcome the Christ in the poor? Do we always welcome the Christ in those in need in our society?
Homily notes
1. It is always worth giving time to a few unpalatable facts! Here is one: religions are forces for conservatism in societies – in effect changes (such as the arrival of new people) tend to be seen as frightening and sources of danger. Here is another: religions tend to build cohesion between groups that engage in ritual together – in effect they establish a status quo that becomes increasingly rigid and adverse to change (so adding hymns that make the assembly more friendly to parents with young children will be a war of attrition [‘attrition” in its military rather than its theological sense!]). Here is a third: most religious groups tend to have high perceptions of their own identity and so, in effect, become either excluding of members drifting in from outside or positively exclusive. In effect, you might come to the group as a visitor, but either you would always feel on the periphery as a ‘blow in’ or you would get a set of signals that this was not really your kind of place.
2. This might appear to be an interesting piece of religious anthropology, but it certainly would not apply to our community: surely it was only last week that we all shook hands at coffee with the two foreigners that bought the house round the corner that old Mrs Smith lived in! Alas, there is a fourth fact: we all drift down this route of being unwelcoming and must positively choose to act differently if we are to answer the Lord’s call to be welcoming. We want to be like this precisely because we have been so warmly welcomed by the may be two housing estates: one detached properties with gardens, the other high-density local authority housing. Are they represented pro rata in the groups in the church? Does the community only reflect the liturgical needs of the middle-aged or the young families? Does the community show its acceptance of immigrants from other cultures in those who read or assist with the sharing of the Eucharist? These are hard questions for any community because it tests ‘welcoming’ by practice. And, once someone says in reply: ‘But they don’t want to be involved anyway!’ you can be certain the community has a problem because they are already thinking of brothers and sisters in Christ in terms of ‘them’ and ‘us’.3. Every congregation, and every group within it, must audit its practice: is this group inclusive and including; is this group exclusive or excluding; are there subtle signals being sent out that there are ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’; are there ways of sending out subtle signals that we are all poor and needy of the Lord’s mercy and glad to be welcomed to the Lord’s table?
4. If the perfect expression of our existence as the church ~ our gathering for the Eucharist – is an event of true welcome, then those attitudes of welcome and social concern will begin to embed themselves in the community’s discipleship as a whole. And the converse also hold true: if a community cannot be genuinely welcoming in its liturgy, then it is most unlikely that it will be concerned with the poor, the needy, or the stranger.
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John Litteton
Gospel Reflection
Rocketing divorce rates and the now widespread practice of cohabitation in preference to marriage are two examples among numerous of the difficulty, especially in western societies, of people making lasting commitments to one another. Even many couples who claim to love each other are reluctant to make vows that bind them for life.
This apparent inability to make definitive commitments has also affected the priesthood and religious life. After the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), many priests and religious abandoned their commitment in their droves. Nowadays it is not uncommon to hear the suggestion that priesthood and religious life should only be a temporary arrangement, that young people might commit to these lifestyles for a specified period of time and then be free to do other things.Jesus was very clear about the commitment that he expects from his disciples: ‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me’ (Mt 10:37-38). Christians are called to put Christ first. Total commitment, nothing less, is required.
In the scale of relationships, then, Christ is unquestionably first. Not even the closest of family relationships is more important than our relationship with Christ. Nothing less than total commitment is acceptable. The same applies in the case of suffering. Whatever sufferings come our way, whether physical illness or mental anguish or spiritual distress, we accept them for the love of Christ.
To underline the importance of nourishing this total commitment of his followers, Jesus promised rewards to those who give even a drink of water to those in need. It is incumbent on us, then, to re-examine our Christian commitment.
For example, how do we understand the obligation to attend Sunday Mass? For some of us, it may be based on a sort of turgid duty that arises from fear or guilt. For others, it may be due to an unreflected lifelong habit. Or it may be a result of our love of God and the desire to offer praise and worship in the context of a believing community.
If our religious observance is to be transformed into a duty of love, then we need to reflect carefully on the words of Jesus that no human being, nothing on the face of the earth, should be more important to us than him. Only when we appreciate the pre-eminence of Jesus in our lives, will everything else fall into its correct perspective.
For meditation
Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me. (Mt 10:40)
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Fr Donal Neary, S.JThe simple cup of water
The examples are stark in the gospel today: about not preferring mother and father to Jesus; about how, in our care for others, we care for Jesus, and how, in our neglect of others, we neglect him. We need to go beyond the practical example to finding out what is central in our lives and how we see God as central. When God is central, our love can be in the smallest of services to people, like ‘the cup of cold water’.Jesus is not central outside our humanity, and our human relationships. In the real needs of ordinary people we meet his needs. We give the ‘cup of cold water’ to the person who needs it, not just to Jesus. It’s like many stories in the gospel of Jesus helping those in real need. This is the central point of faith.
We help in simple ways. This is what Pope Francis refers to in his encouragement of simple love, ‘like the warm supper we look forward to at night, the early lunch awaiting someone who gets up early to go to work. Homely gestures. Like a blessing before we go to bed, or a hug after we return from a hard day’s work. Love is shown by little things, by attention to small daily signs which make us feel at home. Faith grows when it is lived and shaped by love’ (September 2015).
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From the Connections:
THE WORD:
Today’s Gospel is the conclusion of Matthew’s collection of Jesus’ missionary discourses, in which Jesus speaks of the sacrifice demanded of his disciples and the suffering they will endure for their faith. In today’s pericope, Jesus clearly is not attacking family life; he is warning his disciples of the conflict and misunderstanding they will experience for their proclaiming the word. To be an authentic disciple of Jesus means embracing the suffering, humility, pain and selflessness of the cross; to be an authentic disciple of Jesus means taking on the often unpopular role of prophet for the sake of the kingdom; to be an authentic disciple of Jesus means welcoming and supporting other disciples who do the work of the Gospel.
HOMILY POINTS:
God calls every one of us to the work of the prophet: to proclaim his presence among his people. Some are called to be witnesses of God's justice in the midst of profound evil and hatred; others are called to be witnesses of his hope and grace to those in pain and anguish; and many share in the work of the prophet/witness by enabling others to be effective witnesses and ministers of God’s love. The gift of faith opens our spirits to realize and accept our call to be witnesses of God's love borne on the cross and prophets of the hope of his Son's resurrection.The most difficult part of imitating Jesus is the cross and what it stands for: unconditional forgiveness, the totally emptying of ourselves of our wants and needs for the sake of another, the spurning of safety and popular convention to do what is right and just.
To “receive the prophet’s reward” is to seek out every opportunity, to use every talent with which we have been blessed, to devote every resource at our disposal to make the love of God a living reality in every life we touch.
Authentically committed disciples of Jesus possess the vision of faith and determination of hope to use anything — from a cup of cold water to a sign to protect the most helpless of creatures — to make God’s reign of compassion and peace a reality in our time and place.
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Fr. Jude Botelho:
Today’s liturgy centres on the theme of hospitality. Hospitality, as a virtue, is still practiced. We still visit people and most people make us feel welcome into their homes. In the first reading we see Elisha is welcomed by an elderly woman in Shunem, who urges him to eat some food. He is touched by the welcome hospitality and by the fact that whenever he passes that way he is offered a meal. Seeing that he is a regular visitor, the couple decide to build a small room so Elisha can rest comfortably. Touched by their generosity he decides to reward them. Finding out that they are childless, he promises them the gift of a son as God’s blessing on them.
Shoes
As Gandhi stepped aboard a train one day, one of his shoes slipped off and landed on the track. He was unable to retrieve it as the train was moving. To the amazement of his companions, Gandhi took off his other shoe and threw it back along the track to land close to the first. Asked by a fellow passenger why he did so, Gandhi smiled. “The poor fellow who finds the shoe lying on the track,” he replied, “will now have a pair he can use.”
Author unknown
In today’s gospel Jesus instructs his disciples about how they have to be hospitable and welcoming even though they themselves may not be welcomed and may sometimes be rejected as they preach the good news. They will also experience the warm hospitality of some who will welcome them. He also reminds them that even a small gesture of offering a glass of water given in hospitality will be rewarded. The practice of receiving a guest or a stranger was common to many social groups at that time. It was a sacred duty practiced by many. The guest was treated with respect and honour and was provided with shelter. A significant feature of hospitality was Israel’s deep sense of God as its host. Israel treasured its identity as a pilgrim people. They remembered that their home belonged to God and that they like their ancestors remained pilgrims and passing guests in God’s house.
Modern Samaritan
A salesman had had a busy week and was returning to his home town. He stopped his car for a break at a roadside coffee shop. As he sat drinking his coffee he heard a girl quietly crying in the next booth. He didn't want to get involved but he was moved by her obvious distress. The girl was about 17, the same age as his daughter. Against his better judgement he introduced himself and asked if he could help. The girl, whose name was Lisa, told him that she was from a broken home and had got into bad company. She was into drugs and had turned to prostitution to pay for them. Moved as he was, he just bought the girl a meal and continued his journey. Later that evening he shared his experience with his family. His family suggested that he return to that town and try to find Lisa again and offer to help. He eventually located her. He discovered that she was but one of a number of girls in that town in similar circumstances who were being exploited by the pimps and drug pushers. He was so moved by Lisa's plight that he took her home to his family, and that started a ministry to try and get those girls off the streets. Out of that simple beginning over a cup of coffee that man now has three full-time workers and has seen scores of girls come off the streets and get their lives back together. The ministry became so successful that it earned the man a Presidential citation.
Ron Clark
Two Brothers
Two brothers worked together on the family farm. One was married and had a large family. The other was single. At the day’s end, the brothers shared everything equally, produce and profit. Then one day the single brother said to himself. “It’s not right that we should share equally the produce and the profit. I am alone and my needs are simple.” So each night he took a sack of grain from his bin and crept across the field between their houses dumping it into his brother’s bin. Meanwhile the married brother said to himself. “It is not right that we should share the profit and the produce equally. After all I am married and have my wife and children to look after me in years to come. My brother has no one, and no one to take care of his future.” So each night he took a sack of grain and dumped it into his single brother’s bin. Both men were puzzled for years because their supply of grain never dwindled. Then one dark night the two brothers bumped into each other. Slowly it dawned on them what was happening. They dropped their sacks and embraced one another.
Author Unknown from “More Sower Seeds by Brian Cavenaugh”
Finding God in my neighbor
One American family was travelling in their motor home through Alaska, when the axle broke and they were stranded in the middle of nowhere. So the father left the family in their motor home and began to walk in search of help. To his good luck, he came upon an isolated farmhouse. He knocked on the door and a very friendly farmer responded. When he learned of the man’s distress, the farmer just patted him on the shoulder and said he could help him. Without wasting a minute he got into his tractor, drove out and towed the motor house to his yard. And then, in a very short time, he used his welder and fixed the problem. The American family were extremely relieved and grateful. Taking out his wallet the father of the family offered to pay, but the farmer would have none of it. “It was my pleasure” was all he said. “As you can see, I live in isolation and often do not see anybody for weeks and even months. You have given me the pleasure of your company. That is more than adequate compensation.” The American family were greatly impressed. It certainly enhanced their belief in the essential goodness of human beings.
James Valladares in ‘Your Words, O Lord, Are Spirit, and They Are Life’
Rescued
A little girl whose parents had died lived with her grandmother and slept in an upstairs bedroom. One night there was a fire in the house and the grandmother perished while trying to rescue the child. The fire spread quickly, the neighbours called the fire department, and then stood helplessly by unable to enter the house. The girl appeared at an upstairs window crying for help. Suddenly, a man appeared with a ladder, put it against the side of the house and disappeared inside. When he reappeared, he had the little girl in his arms. He delivered the child into the waiting arms below, and then disappeared into the night. As the child had no known relatives, weeks later a meeting was held to determine who would take the child into their home and bring her up. A teacher said she would like to raise the child. She pointed out that she could ensure a good education. A farmer offered her an upbringing on his farm. Others spoke, giving their reasons why it was to the child’s advantage to live with them. Finally, the town’s richest resident rose and said, “I can give this child all the advantages that you have mentioned here, plus money and everything that money can buy.” Throughout all this the child remained silent, her eyes on the floor. “Does anyone else want to speak?” asked the meeting chairman. A man came forward from the back of the hall. His gait was slow and he seemed in pain. When he got to the front of the room he stood directly before the little child and held out his arms. The crowd gasped. His hands and arms were terribly scarred. The child cried out, “This is the man that rescued me!” With a leap, she threw her arms around the man’s neck, holding on for dear life, just as she had that fateful night. She buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed for a few moments. Then she looked up and smiled at him. "This meeting is adjourned" said the chairman.
Author unknown
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Fr. Tony Kadavil:
1) “Paid in full for
one glass of milk.” The special joy of nature-loving boy Howard Kelly
was hiking great distances and studying animals in the wild. On a walking trip,
up through Northern Pennsylvania one spring, young Kelly stopped by a small
farmhouse for a drink of cool spring water. A little girl answered his knock at
the door, and instead of water, she brought him a glass of fresh milk. He
thanked her profusely and went on his way. After years of medical studies, he
became Dr. Kelly. Dr. Howard Kelly (1858-1943) was a distinguished physician
who was one of the four founding doctors of Johns Hopkins, the first medical research
university in the U.S. and, arguably, one of the finest hospitals anywhere. In
1895, he established in that school the department of Gynecology and
Obstetrics. Over the course of his career, Doctor Kelly advanced the sciences
of gynecology and surgery, both as a teacher and as a practitioner. Some years
later, that same little girl from Northern Pennsylvania who had given him that
glass of milk years ago, came to him for an operation. Just before she left for
home, fearful of a huge bill, her bill was brought into the room and across its
face was written in a bold hand, “Paid in full for one glass of milk.” That was
Dr. Kelly’s style of showing gratitude and hospitality. While he charged the
rich patients substantial fees, he provided his services free-of-charge to the
less fortunate. By his conservative estimate, in 75% of his cases he neither
sought nor received a fee. Today’s Scriptures challenge us to practice
hospitality, seeing Christ in others. Adapted from http://www.snopes.com/glurge/milk.asp.
See the Thai version of this story in YouTube. (https://youtu.be/BhEvzF8GOKQ).
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
2) Catholic Worker
Houses of Hospitality. The eighth of November marks the 123rd anniversary
of the birth of Dorothy Day (November
8, 1897 – November 29, 1980), the uncanonized saint of
the homeless, an American journalist turned social activist, and
a devout member of the Catholic Church. She
was also an outspoken advocate for the poor. For most of her life
she agitated for better treatment of the disadvantaged.
The Catholic Worker Movement, which she started in May 1933, was a
further extension of her interest in the poor. With the help of her
friend Peter Maurin she revived the idea of hospitality once fostered by
monasteries. All were welcome: the poor, the downtrodden and
losers. She also started the first House of Hospitality where
she could care for the poor. Dorothy and Peter suggested that every
Catholic parish should have such a place of hospitality. Today there are
nearly 175 of these Catholic Worker Houses of Hospitality.
“Those who cannot see the face of Christ in the poor,” she used to say, “are
atheists indeed.” “If I have achieved anything in my life,” she once
remarked, “it is because I have not been embarrassed to talk about God.” In
today’s Gospel, Jesus instructs Christians on how they should be hospitable and
generous. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
3) Amish
hospitality: Years ago, on a trip through the Amish country of
Pennsylvania, I took the occasion to visit several of the shops. Many of them
had signs of greeting hung on the door or in the window, which read, “Welcome!
There are no strangers here — only friends we haven’t yet met.” In keeping with
the sign was the warmth and kindness with which visitors were received and
tended to. Unfortunately, hospitality such as this has become an uncommon,
albeit pleasant surprise in today’s world. But it was not always so. In ancient
times, hospitality was considered a sacred duty and in Scripture the patriarchs
are cited as models of this virtue (Genesis 19:2; 24:17-33; 43:24). Recall, in
particular, the visit of Yahweh to Abraham (Genesis 18:2-8); Abraham and
Sarah’s generous welcome of their guests was rewarded with the promise of a
son. As Xavier Leon-Dufour [Dictionary of Biblical Theology (Geoffrey
Chapman, London: 1973)] explains, hospitality was to be valued as a work
of mercy as well as a means of witnessing to the Faith. The
visitor who traveled through and requested assistance (Proverbs 27:8, Sirach
29:21-27) was to be regarded as a living reminder of Israel’s former struggle
as enslaved strangers in Egypt (Leviticus 19:33-34). The stranger in need was
also to remind Israel of its present status as a wandering pilgrim on earth
(Psalm 39:13, Hebrews 11:13, 13:14). In today’s Gospel, Jesus impresses upon
his disciples the importance of hospitality; those who labor for the sake of
the Gospel are to be provided with a ready welcome by those to whom they
minister. (Sanchez Files). — All this reminds us that the hospitality and
generosity expected of us should be given here and now.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
4) “It’s hard just to
make it past the suffering part!” : St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother
Teresa), like some early Christian writers, notes, “suffering has to come
because if you look at the cross, Jesus has got his head bending down — he
wants to kiss you — and he has both hands open wide — he wants to embrace you.
He has his heart opened wide to receive you. Then when you feel miserable
inside, look at the cross and you will know what is happening. Suffering, pain,
sorrow, humiliation, feelings of loneliness, are nothing but the kiss of Jesus,
a sign that
you have come so close that he can kiss you. Do you understand, brothers,
sisters, or whoever you may be? Suffering, pain, humiliation — this is the kiss
of Jesus. At times you come so close to Jesus on the cross that he can kiss
you.” But, Mother Teresa added, “I once told this to a lady who was suffering
very much. The lady answered, “Tell Jesus not to kiss me — to stop kissing me.”
(Rev. Paul Andrew)
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
5. Funny truths: You may sleep in the Church,
but don’t snore. William Muehl, professor of preaching at Yale Divinity, spoke
the following famous words to generations of seminarians: “Always remember that
most of the people you have on a Sunday morning almost decided not to come, to
stay in bed and sleep instead.” Hence, it is no wonder that a recent study in
Great Britain found that 42 percent of regular Churchgoers fall asleep in
Church. Ever feel like yawning in Church yourself? This’ll wake you up:
“Yawning is of medical importance because it is symptomatic of pathology such
as brain lesions and tumors, haemorrhage, motion sickness, chorea and encephalitis.”
So says a 1987 University of Maryland report in the journal “Behavioral and
Neural Biology.” So, while you’re yawning, be sure to tell yourself: “Don’t
worry. There’s only a small chance it’s a tumor.”
6. Southern
hospitality: Two women, a Yankee and a Southern Belle, are sitting next to
each other on a plane. The Southern Belle turns to the Yankee and asks, “So,
where y’all from?” The Yankee replies, “I am from a place where we do not end
our sentences with a preposition.” Without missing a beat, the Southern Belle
bats her lashes and asks, “So, where y’all from, Rude, lady?”
7. Overdose
hospitality: A farmer, who
went to a big city to see the sights, asked the hotel’s clerk
about the time of meals. “Breakfast is served from 7 to 11, dinner from 12 to
3, and supper from 6 to 8,” explained the clerk. “Look here,” inquired the
farmer in surprise, “when am I going to get time to see the city?”
23- Additional
anecdotes:
1) Benedictine
hospitality: Hospitality is one of the cornerstones of Benedictine
spirituality, and it is based on seeing Christ in the guest, just as he is seen
in the monks. In the Rule of St. Benedict, Chapter LIII is dedicated to
the reception of guests. Christ told his disciples that their service and
disservice of others would also be directed at him, and this teaching is the
foundation for the Benedictine attitude on hospitality: “Let all guests who
arrive be received as Christ, because He will say: ‘I was a stranger and you took
Me in’ (Mt 25:35). And let due honor be shown to all, especially to those ‘of
the household of the faith’ (Gal 6:10) and to wayfarers.” When a guest arrives,
the Rule of St. Benedict prescribes that he be greeted by the
superior and the brothers, and they all pray together before anything else. The
Abbot attends to the guest and teaches the guest about “Divine law.”
Hospitality also involves flexibility: in the Rule, it prescribes a
separate kitchen with a couple of monks dedicated to meeting the guests’ needs,
even when they are not following the monastery’s schedule for mealtimes and
other activities. (E- Priest)
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
2) Saints and
preachers who lived for others as Jesus did: John Chrysostom, who lived in
the fourth century, was one of the most powerful preachers in Church history.
Yet, he devoted more time and energy to the poor than to preaching. He
established many Christian charities, hospices, and hospitals for the destitute.
Bernard of Clairvaux, a Cistercian abbot and renowned monastic theologian and
preacher, led many people to Christ. He also established a network of hostels,
hospices, and hospitals that survive today. John Wycliffe, who translated the
New Testament into English, led a grass-roots movement of lay-preachers and
relief workers who ministered to the poor. General William Booth was a
Methodist preacher when he started The Salvation Army. Dwight L. Moody, one of
the best known of all the pastors in America established more than 150 street
missions, soup kitchens, clinics, schools, and rescue outreaches. [John Wimber
and Kevin Springer, Power Points (New York: Harper San
Francisco, 1991), p. 189.] — The Christian Faith is about giving. We only have
to survey the ministry of Jesus to see that. There was nothing self-serving in
anything Jesus ever did. He was truly the Man for others. And Jesus calls us to
be men and women for others. At the very heart of our Faith is a spirit of
giving.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
3) Heroic suffering
of the baseball player Kirk Gibson: Suffering and pain are integral to
life’s experience but they need not humiliate, defeat, and destroy us! A Detroit
News article some years ago carried the story of Kirk Gibson during
his glory days with the Tigers. Few really knew the price of pain and agony
paid by Gibson for that glory. According to the article, Kirk Gibson was a
baseball player who knew how to live with pain. In 1980, he tore the cartilage
in his wrist. Two years later, he had a sore left knee, a strained left calf
muscle, and a severe left wrist sprain. In 1983, he was out for knee surgery,
and in 1985 he required 17 stitches after getting hit in the mouth with a wild
pitch. In addition, he bruised a hamstring muscle, injured his right heel, and
suffered a sore left ankle. His worst injury involved severe ligament damage to
his ankle in 1986, a year predicted to be his best. When asked about pain,
Gibson was quoted as saying, “There are pluses and minuses in everything we do
in life. But the pluses for my career, myself, and my family make it worth it.
It’s the path I chose.” He accepted Jesus’ challenge in today’s Gospel,
“Whoever does not take up his cross* and follow after me is not worthy of me.”
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
4) The agony and
ecstasy of Michelangelo: A few of you perhaps have had the privilege
of visiting Rome to view some of the world’s most splendid artistic productions
in sculpture, on canvas, and in architecture. While there, perhaps you saw what
is regarded by some as the most outstanding of all artistic expressions, the
ceiling of the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo. What many people do not
know is that he suffered beyond imagination while producing that unparalleled
masterpiece. In Irving Stone’s novel, The Agony and the Ecstasy,
Michelangelo’s agony is vividly described. For thirty days, he painted from
dawn to darkness, completing the Sacrifice of Noah, the four large male figures
surrounding the Ark and the Prophet Isaiah opposite. He returned home late each
night to work on the scene of the Garden of Eden. For those thirty days, he
slept in his clothes without even taking off his boots. When at the completion
of that section, utterly spent, he asked a friend to pull his boots off for
him, the skin came away with them. He grew dizzy from standing and painting
with his head and shoulders thrown back, his neck arched so that he could peer
straight upward, his arms aching in every joint from the vertical effort, his
eyes blurred from the dripping paint, even though he had learned to paint
through slits and to blink his eyes shut with each brush stroke, as he had
learned to do against flying marble chips when sculpting. He did his painting
on a platform on top of the scaffolding. He painted sitting down, his thighs
drawn up tight against his stomach for balance until the padded bones of his
legs became so bruised that he could no longer bear the agony. Then he would
lie flat on his back, his knees in the air, until he could no longer endure
that and would switch to another position. But no matter which way he leaned,
crouched, lay, or knelt, on his feet, knees, or back, eventually there always
came a painful strain. Yet, the greatness of the agony of his painting
experience was more than matched by the greatness of the glory the marvelous
production and end result gave him.– Today there are many people who want to
live a godly life, who want to assist in seeing the Kingdom of God grow, but
whenever effort, strain, or suffering is involved, they beg off. Jesus
challenges them in today’s Gospel: “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow
after me is not worthy of me.” Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
5) Long living, hardy
Bristlecone Pines: Some time ago a fascinating article appeared
in Reader’s Digest, telling about a most unusual tree called the
“Bristlecone Pine.” Growing in the western mountain regions, sometimes as high
as two or more miles above sea level, these evergreens may live for thousands
of years. The older specimens often have only one thin layer of bark on their
trunks. Considering the habitat of these trees, rocky areas where the soil is
poor and precipitation is slight, it seems almost incredible that they should
live so long or even survive at all. The environmental “adversities,” however,
actually contribute to their longevity. Cells that are produced as a result of
these perverse conditions are densely arranged, and many resin canals are
formed within the plant. Wood that is so structured continues to live for an
extremely long period of time. What happens if these trees are grown in more
welcoming circumstances? Says author Darwin Lambert in his article on the
subject, “Bristlecone Pines in richer conditions grow faster, but die earlier
and soon decay.” The harshness of their surroundings, then, is a vital factor in
making them strong and sturdy. –How similar this is to the experience of the
Christian who graciously accepts the hardships God allows to come into his
life! In Hebrews 12:11 we read that such chastening produces “the peaceable
fruit of righteousness.” (KJV) For those not rooted in Christ, suffering can be
decimating.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
6) “You one day gave
a coin to Baron de Rothschild in the studio.” Baron De Rothschild was one
of the richest men who ever lived. Legend has it that the Baron once posed
before an artist as a beggar. While the artist, Ary Scheffer, was painting him,
the financier sat before him in rags and tatters holding a tin cup. A friend of
the artist entered, and the baron was so well-disguised that he was not
recognized. Thinking he was really a beggar, the visitor dropped a coin into
the cup. Ten years later, the man who gave the coin to Rothschild received a
letter containing a bank order for 10,000 francs and the following message:
“You one day gave a coin to Baron de Rothschild in the studio of Ary Scheffer.
He has invested it and today sends you the capital which you entrusted to him,
together with the compounded interest. A good action always brings good
fortune. Signed, Baron de Rothschild.” [Bits and Pieces (February
4, 1993), p. 24.) — A simple act of kindness was bountifully rewarded. Now hear
the words of our Lord: “And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of
these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you he
shall not lose his reward.” Even a cup of cold water, says the Master, water
given to one of His little ones, will be rewarded. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
7) “I give while I’m
still living!”: In a fable of the pig and the cow, the pig was
lamenting to the cow one day how unpopular he was. “People are always talking
about your gentleness and your kind eyes,” said the pig. “Sure, you give milk
and cream, but I give more. I give bacon, ham, bristles. They even pickle my
feet! Still, nobody likes me. Why?” The cow thought a minute and then replied,
“Well, maybe it’s because I give while I’m still living, and I give milk which
is meant for my child.” — Today’s Gospel reminds us that the hospitality and
generosity expected of us should be offered here and now, and not just by way
of something left for others in our Last Will and Testament. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
8) Imitation of
Christ or Presentation of Christ? In 1418 the first copy of what would
become the most widely read volume on Christian spirituality appeared. The
Imitation of Christ was first published anonymously but is now
accepted as the work of the priest Thomas a Kempis. This book of devotions
holds up Jesus’ teachings as the greatest counsel and truths one could ever
find and urges all Christians to follow Jesus’ words at every juncture. The
Imitation of Christ quickly became popular with the educated laity,
then was accepted, read, and followed by such diverse groups as religious
orders and monasteries, the Jesuits, and the Methodists. What a Kempis offered
was “soul-steeping” in Christ’s words: inward meditation, outward devotion,
committed contemplation. It’s a great book. I encourage you to read it. But in
today’s Gospel text, Jesus is not interested in growing a new generation of
mere “imitators” of the Christ.” In fact, Jesus’ words are startling. When
disciples go out, those who welcome them are welcoming JESUS! Disciples are not
“imitations.” Disciples are the real deal. Disciples are not “copies,” or a
copy of a copy. Disciples are “originals.” Do you hear it? Jesus IS present,
God IS present, when disciples come in the Name of the One Who has sent them.
It’s not about “imitation.” It’s about implantation. No wonder “welcoming” is
such a mandate! Instead of a Kempis’ “imitations” of Christ, better to envision
Paul’s “Body of Christ.” Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
9) Pastoral ministry
is a tough occupation: Did you hear about the farm boy who always wondered
what would happen if he twisted the tail on the mule? One day he tried it. And
now they say about him, he’s not as pretty as he used to be, but he’s a whole
lot wiser. Ministry is not for cowards, the lazy, the easily discouraged, the
thin-skinned, or those without endurance. It is a tough occupation! And it’s
getting tougher! I love the cartoon that shows a man saying, “I don’t get
America’s fascination with the television show Survivor. I’ve
occupied an island of strenuous and dangerous activities with hostile cohorts
with a chance of getting voted out. I’ve been a pastor for thirty years!”
Today’s Gospel lesson gives us Jesus’ final words of instruction to his
disciples, as he commissions them to undertake their mission and continues
instructing them about their purpose. The text also urges us to see that our
ministers get rest. Jesus talks about giving our prophets a break, time off for
a cup of cool water. Let’s face it; a minister’s job is never done. There is
always another sermon to write, a book to read, prayers to pray, a person to
meet, a wrong to right, a meeting to attend. Even the pace of ministry is
accelerating, thanks to e-mail, faxes, and cell phones. And a pastor, to
survive, must learn to work under a load of unfinished work. Why, today’s
pastor is like a man juggling a dozen balls well! The people of his
congregation keep tossing him more balls until he’s up to 64! Then he drops
them all and people walk away, shaking their heads in disbelief.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
10) One unsung hero
of the Bible is Onesiphorus. He is forever known as a minister to the
minister, the one who kept the Apostle Paul on his feet. In 2 Timothy 1:15-18,
Paul confided, “You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me,
among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the family
of Onesiphorus because he often gave me new heart and was not ashamed of my
chains. But when he came to Rome, he promptly searched for me and found
me. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. And
you know very well the services he rendered in Ephesus.” (II Tim
1:16-18).
http://www.usccb.org/bible/2timothy/1
– 63001018-o — Just listen to the action verbs: He often gave me new
heart. He was not ashamed of my chains. He promptly searched for me. He found
me. May we be that sort of person to one another, and especially to our
pastors! Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
11) “The Messiah is
among you.” There is an old legend about the famous monastery which
had fallen on very hard times. Its many buildings were once filled with young
monks, and chapel resounded with the singing of the choir. But now it was
deserted. People no longer came there to be nourished by prayer. Only a handful
of old monks remained. On the edge of the monastery woods, an old rabbi had
built a tiny hut. He came there from time to time to fast and pray. No one ever
spoke with him, but whenever he appeared, the word would be passed from monk to
monk: “The rabbi walks in the woods.” One day the abbot decided to visit the
rabbi and bare his heart to the rabbi. As he approached the hut, the abbot saw
the rabbi standing in the doorway, his arms outstretched in welcome. It was as
though he had been waiting there for some time. The two embraced. As he entered
the hut, he saw in the middle of the room a wooden table with the Scriptures
open. They sat there for a moment, in the presence of the Book. Then the rabbi
began to cry. The abbot could not contain himself. He covered his face with his
hands and broke down. After the tears and all was quiet again, the rabbi lifted
his head. “You and your brothers are serving God with heavy hearts,” he said.
“You have come to ask a teaching of me. I will give you a teaching, but you can
only repeat it once. After that, no one must ever say it aloud again.” The
rabbi looked straight at the abbot and said, “The Messiah is among you.” The
Abbot stood in stunned silence. Then the rabbi said, “Now you must go.” The
abbot left without ever looking back. The next morning, the abbot called his
monks together in the chapter room. He told them that he had received a
teaching from the rabbi who walks in the woods, and that this teaching was
never again to be spoken aloud. Then he looked at each of his brothers and
said, “The rabbi said that one of us is the Messiah.” The monks were startled
and thought to themselves: “What could it mean? Is brother John the Messiah?
No, he’s too old and crotchety. Is brother Thomas? No, he’s too stubborn and set
in his ways. Am I the Messiah? What could this possibly mean?” They were all
deeply puzzled by the rabbi’s teaching. But no one ever mentioned it again. As
time went by, though, something began to happen at the monastery. The monks
began to treat one another with a reverence. They were gentle with one another.
They lived with one another as brothers once again. Visitors found themselves
deeply moved by the genuine caring and sharing that went on among them. Before
long, people were again coming from great distances to be nourished by the
prayer life of these monks. And young men were asking, once again, to become
part of the community. Jesus said, “He who receives you receives me.” Hospitality…because
in one another we see face of Christ. It is the first step in Christian
Discipleship.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
12) No trespassers
allowed: Eleven times in the New Testament, Jesus either assumes or
receives the hospitality of others for his daily care and lodging. How else do
you think he survived? Furthermore, hospitality is assumed by Jesus in the
sending forth of the apostles (“He who receives you, receives me,” Matthew
10:40). And the early Church would never have made it, had it not “practiced
hospitality” as Paul mandated in Romans 12. Traveling missionaries stayed in
homes … conducted worship in homes … served the Sacrament in homes … and took
up collections for those engaged in the work of the Gospel in homes. In the
first two centuries of the Church’s existence, any talk about “the house of
God” literally meant a house … somebody’s house … where the people of God
gathered and where the servants of God bunked (while passing through). “What
happened to hospitality?” people cry. Well, what happened to hospitality was
insecurity. When people no longer felt safe, they buttoned things up. They
installed locks, buzzers, cameras, gatehouses and tall hedges … along with any
number of things that controlled access. They became “selectively social,”
given that you never knew who might be out there. But “security” was not the
only issue that privatized hospitality, turning “welcome” into a highly
selective verb. Privacy also entered in. People began to define their space
more carefully … setting limits … establishing parameters. All of which is
understandable. Maybe even laudable. But much of this runs counter to the
spirit of Scripture whose mandate was especially appropriate to “nomadic life,”
when people moved around a lot, but where public inns were a rarity.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
13) And so the House
of the Urchin was established: Shortly after World War II, the
bombed-out city of Naples was filled with bands of young orphans and outcasts
called scugnizzi. These scugnizzi lived on the streets, begging, pilfering, and
sometimes assisting older criminals. These kids were tough, wily, and
apparently unreachable. But 25-year-old Father Mario Borrelli wanted to try. He
felt it was his responsibility to love in the way Christ has loved. So, each
night right after his regular duties, he became a scugnizzi. Dressed in a
ragged and filthy get-up, he started begging at the Naples railroad terminal.
The other young toughs were impressed by his style, just the right mixture of
humor and pathetic humility. When a gang leader swaggered up and demanded half
his take, Mario beat him up. That really impressed the guys. This incognito
priest slept on basement gratings covered with old newspapers, just like the
others. Soon he was getting to know his new companions well as they talked
around fires, heating up their scraps of food in old tin cans. He had something
to express about the God who took on human flesh. And Mario discovered that all
of them, even the most bitter and hardened, had a longing for home, affection,
and security. After winter arrived, Mario informed the gang that he’d found a
place for them to stay, the abandoned ruins of the church of Saint Gennaro.
Slowly he transformed the structure into a home and started providing the boys
with nourishing meals. One night, Mario appeared in full clerical robes. After
his buddies stopped laughing, he explained that he was, in fact, a priest. By
this time, the bonds he’d established were strong enough to make them stay;
Mario had won their respect. And so the House of the Urchin was established,
where young throwaways could find a home, hope, and the streetwise spiritual
guidance of Mario Borrelli. [This story is a paraphrase of one recorded by
Frederic Sondern Jr. in “Don Vesovio and the House of the Urchin,” Reader’s
Digest Teenage Treasure, vol. 3 (Pleasantville, NY: Reader’s
Digest Association, 1957), pp. 28-32; found in Steven Mosley, Secrets
of the Mustard Seed: Ten Life-Changing Promises From the New Testament.] —
Christ is not asking most of us to make that drastic a change in our lifestyle,
but he is asking us to be in mission. There is no other path to true happiness.
We are to be in mission in our family, in our community and in our world and to
have a consciousness that we are the people of God, bringing God’s light to the
world. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
14) “Help yourself to
a cool drink.” Some years ago, Sam Foss, a writer and traveler, came
to a little rustic house in England situated at the top of a hill. Nearby was a
signpost that read: “Help yourself to a cool drink.” Not far away he found a
spring of ice-cold water. Above the spring hung an old-fashioned gourd dipper,
and on a bench nearby was a basket of summer apples and another sign inviting
the passersby to help themselves. Curious about the people who showed such
hospitality to strangers, Foss knocked at the door. An elderly couple answered,
and Foss asked them about the well and the apples. They explained that they
were childless. Their little plot of ground yielded a scant living, but because
they had a well with an abundance of cold water, they just wanted to share it
with anyone who happened by. “We’re too poor to give money to charity,” said
the husband, “but we thought that in this way we could do something for the
folks who pass our way.” [Donald E. and Vesta W. Mansell, Sure As The
Dawn (Review & Herald Publishing Association, 1993).] — That’s the
kind of hospitality Christ had in mind. It’s a simple thing, “a cup of cold
water,” but rarer than you might think.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
15) Shrinking and
growing angel: The Russian author Leo Tolstoy once wrote a story about a
shoemaker who was making his way home one night when he found a poor man
shivering and poorly clad. Moved by pity, the shoemaker took the man home. His
wife was not pleased. She complained about the cost of feeding another mouth.
As she continued to complain, the stranger grew smaller and smaller, shriveled
and wrinkled with every unkind word. But when she spoke kindly to the stranger
and gave him food, he grew and became more beautiful. The reason was that the
stranger was an angel from Heaven in human form and could live only in an
atmosphere of kindness and love. [Fulton J. Sheen, The Power of Love (New
York: Simon and Schuster, 1964).] The writer of Hebrews tells us that we are to
be hospitable to “strangers for thereby, some have entertained angels unawares”
(Hebrews 13:2).
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
16) “Broken bread.” Salvation
Army General Albert Osborn, in a favorite hymn [found in The Song Book
of the Salvation Army, American Edition (Verona, NJ: National Headquarters,
1987), 512], wrote:
“My life must be Christ’s broken bread,
My love his outpoured wine,
A cup o’erfilled, a table spread
Beneath his name and sign,
That other souls, refreshed and fed
May share his life through mine.”
— Cook food. Serve love.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
17) “My life must be
Christ’s the seminarian sponsored by the cobbler. There was a poor lad in a
country village who, after a great struggle, became a priest. His benefactor in
his days of study in the seminary was the village cobbler. In due time, the new
priest became an associate pastor in his benefactor’s parish. On
that day his benefactor, the cobbler, said to him, “It was always my desire to
be a minister of the Gospel, but the circumstances of my life made it
impossible. But you are achieving what was closed to me. And I want you to
promise me one thing — I want you to let me make and cobble your shoes–for
nothing — and I want you to wear them in the pulpit when you preach. Then I
will feel that you are preaching the Gospel that I always wanted to preach
standing in my shoes.” Beyond a doubt the cobbler was serving God as the
preacher was, and his reward would one day be the same. (Adapted from Barclay).
Today’s Gospel challenges us to help those in the ministry by using our
God-given talents. The Church and Christ will also always need those in whose
homes there is hospitality and, in whose hearts,, there is Christian
love. All service ranks the same with God. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
18) Following Christ
faithfully is tough, but it’s worth it! St Maximilian Kolbe is a
particularly eloquent example of how our faith in Christ gives strength
and meaning in the midst of this world’s sufferings. He was a Polish
Franciscan arrested by the Gestapo during World War II because of his criticism
of Nazism. Eventually, he was sent to the concentration camp
of Auschwitz, where he was treated with extra brutality because he was a
priest. We have all heard of the famous incident where a fellow prisoner, a man
who was married with children, was condemned by the guards to execution, and
St. Maximilian Kolbe offered himselfin the other prisoner’s place. His
offer was accepted, and he died with other condemned prisoners in a starvation
bunker. But even before that dramatic finish, he was already bringing
Christ’s light into the darkness of the concentration camp. Here is how a
fellow prisoner who survived the camp expressed the inspiring power of Fr
Kolbe’s presence, even in that hellish place: “Each time I saw Father Kolbe in
the courtyard I felt within myself an extraordinary effusion of his
goodness. Although he wore the same ragged clothes as the
rest of us, with the same tin
can hanging from his belt, oneforgot this wretched exterior and was
conscious only of the charm of his inspired countenance and of his radiant
holiness.”
(E- Priest). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
19) Cardinal Van
Thuan’s Reward: Many of us have heard parts of the amazing story of
the Vietnamese Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan. Just six days after he was named
coadjutor Archbishop of Saigon, South Vietnam fell to Communist controlled
North Vietnam. Soon thereafter, the future Cardinal was arrested by
the Communist authorities. For the next fourteen years, the
Communists tried to break his Faith, moving him among re-education camps,
prisons, and solitary confinement. When he was finally released, he was
expelled from Vietnam and forbidden to return. So, he went to Rome, was
welcomed by Pope St. John Paul II in 1991. He was made Vice-President of the
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and named President in 1998. [F.X..
Nguyen Van Thuan The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison (Boston:
Pauline Books and Media, 2001), pp. ix-xi]. In the year 2000, the Great Jubilee
Year, Pope John Paul II asked Cardinal Van Thuan to preach the annual
spiritual exercises – a retreat that lasts a full week – to the pope and
the other cardinals who work in the Vatican. In 2002, Archbishop Nguyen Van
Thuan was named a Cardinal, and had printed a book of his reflections, written
day by day while he was in prison on scraps of paper smuggled out by a young
boy who visited him daily. The short reflections were copied by his brothers
and sisters and so circulated among his flock. The Cardinal died in
exile in 2002, at the age of 74. (Ibid). After the Retreat of
2000, the Pope asked Cardinal Van Thuan to publish as a book the powerful
reflections he had shared on the retreat. That’s how a modern-day spiritual
classic was born: Testimony of Hope. In the introduction to that book,
Cardinal Van Thuan shares with his readers a moving coincidence, a coincidence
that was morethan a coincidence. It was a sign to Cardinal Van Thuan, just
two years before his death, that his suffering had not been in
vain. [“Today, at the conclusion of the spiritual exercises, I feel profoundly
moved. Exactly twenty-four
years ago on March 18, 1976, on the vigil of the Feast of St Joseph, I was
taken by force from my residence in Cay Vong and put in solitary confinement in
the prison of Phu Khanh. Twenty-four years ago, I never would have imagined
that today, on exactly the same date, I would conclude
preaching the spiritual exercises in the Vatican. Twenty-four years ago, when I
celebrated Mass with three drops of wine and a drop of water in the palm of my
hand, I never would have dreamed that today the Holy Father would
offer me a gilded chalice. Twenty-four years ago, I never would
have thought that today (the Feast of St Joseph, 2000) in Cay Vong – the very
place where I lived under house arrest – my successor would consecrate
the most beautiful church dedicated to St Joseph]. — Following Christ is
not easy, but it’s worth it – no matter how bad things get, if
we stay close to Christ, he stays close to us and gives meaning and
fruitfulness to everything we suffer.
(E- Priest) Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
20) Alaskan
hospitality: One American family was travelling in their motor home
through Alaska, when the axle broke and they were stranded in the middle of
nowhere. So the father left the family in their motor home and began to walk in
search of help. To his good luck, he came upon an isolated farmhouse. He
knocked on the door and a very friendly farmer responded. When he learned of
the man’s distress, the farmer just patted him on the shoulder and said he
could help him. Without wasting a minute, he got into his tractor, drove out
and towed the motor house to his yard. And then, in a very short time, he used
his welder and fixed the problem. The American family were extremely relieved
and grateful. Taking out his wallet the father of the family offered to pay,
but the farmer would have none of it. “It was my pleasure” was all he said. “As
you can see, I live in isolation and often do not see anybody for weeks and
even months. You have given me the pleasure of your company. That is more than
adequate compensation.” The American family were greatly impressed. It
certainly enhanced their belief in the essential goodness of human beings.
(James Valladares in Your Words, O Lord, Are Spirit, and They Are Life; quoted
by
Fr. Botelho). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
21) “Oh, no!” Satan
answered. “That’s my tool to wreck the Church.” There is an old legend
about Satan one day having a yard sale. He thought he’d get rid of some of his
old tools that were cluttering up the place. So there was gossip, slander,
adultery, lying, greed, power-hunger, and more laid out on the tables.
Interested buyers were crowding the tables, curious, handling the goods. One
customer, however, strolled way back in the garage and found on a shelf a
well-oiled and cared-for tool. He brought it out to Satan and inquired if it
was for sale. “Oh, no!” Satan answered. “That’s my tool. Without it I couldn’t
wreck the Church! It’s my secret weapon!” “But what is it?” the customer
inquired. “It’s the tool of discouragement,” the devil said. — Indeed! In
today’s Gospel text, Jesus is talking to the Church members about their
attitude and deportment toward the prophets God sends among us as shepherds. He
speaks frankly about acceptance and rejection, about kindness and trust. In
short, he promises that in the minister’s success among us shall come our own
reward as well as his.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
22) Shell-Shock: A
new malady was introduced to the human race through the First World War, a
disorder medical services had never encountered before: shell-shock. Soldiers
by the thousands “were being turned into zombies and freaks without suffering
physical injuries of any kind,” walking about in trancelike states, shaking
uncontrollably or freezing in odd postures, sometimes “unable to see or hear or
speak.” All without experiencing physical harm. The reason was the
incomprehensible firepower of the first modern war: earth-shattering artillery
bombardments, flamethrowers, poison gas, machine gun fire that cut whole
companies of charging men in half, etc. It was too much for the mind to endure,
more than it was meant to handle. The result was shell shock. –Everyday life
can likewise throw at us more than we can handle on our own, from financial
stresses to griefs to broken relationships to fears for the future. [G. J.
Meyer, A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918
(Bantam Books, 2006), pp. 393-7] — Our Heavenly Father gives us a cure in his
Word to this spiritual shell-shock: “Cast all your anxiety on him because He
cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) — He will be our refuge through the
battles of life. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
23) The little
prophet in the hospital cot: A young woman oncologist was a part of a
group of doctors from a Boston hospital who went to Haiti in January 2010 to
offer their help in the wake of the deadly earthquake. She told of being
totally overwhelmed by the situation in a very primitive tent hospital.
There was a seemingly endless barrage of impossible medical traumas, and they
were without proper medicines or instruments. At one point, she said, she
became paralyzed by her helplessness and fear. It was all too much.
Unable to function any longer, she began sobbing uncontrollably, burying her
face in her hands. She was at the bedside of a little boy, whose leg had been
amputated a few days earlier. The little boy, about six or seven years old,
saw her tears and her trembling and, with a smile, lifted his head from his
pillow and encouraged her to move on to some other kids nearby whom he knew
needed her attention more than he did. And remarkably she found she was able to
do so. For in that moment, the power of death and her overwhelming sense
of horror and hopelessness were broken open. She witnessed in that little
boy the triumph of love over pain and fear. In his generosity of heart and
compassion of spirit, this little boy is the kind of “prophet” that Jesus
speaks of in today’s Gospel. To receive the prophet’s reward is to seek
out every opportunity, to use every gift God has given us, to devote every
resource at our disposal to make the love of God a living reality in every life
we touch. The Gospel “cup of water” can be simple and ordinary, but
every kindness we offer, when given out of generous compassion, is a prophetic
act of God’s presence in our midst. (Quoted in Connections as reported
in The Boston Globe). Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
1. John died of extreme old age exiled to the island of Patmos.
2. Judas Iscariot, after betraying his Lord, hanged himself.
3. Peter was crucified; head downward, during the persecution of Nero.
4. Andrew died on a cross at Patrae, a Grecian Colony.
5. James, the younger, son of Alphaeus, was thrown from a pinnacle of the
Temple, and then beaten to death with a club.
6. Bartholomew was flayed alive in Albanapolis, Armenia.
7. James, the elder son of Zebedee, was beheaded at Jerusalem.
8. Thomas, the doubter, was run through the body with a lance at Coromandel, in the East Indies.
9. Philip was hanged against a pillar at Heropolis.
10. Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows.
11. Simon died on a cross in Persia (what we now call Iran.)
12. Matthew was first stoned and then beheaded.
What sacrifices! And I ask you why? Why did they choose to die this way? Why desert your father and mother, your wife and child, and your home? Why put up with the constant humiliation, and hunger, and persecution, and defeat town after town after town?
I'll tell you why, because, in the words of Apostle Paul, they were held captive by the words and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is Paul's way of saying they were slaves to Christ...
Your child is a guest at someone's home. Maybe a friend or a relative. When the meal is over, your child is the one who, without being told, spontaneously rises from the table, gathers their plate and even grabs another place setting, and takes them into the kitchen and put them either in the sink or in the dishwasher.
What parent doesn't live with the eternal hope that our ten thousand nudges to our kids -- "pick that up" and "put that in the trash" and "did you forget where the laundry basket lives?" -- will finally "stick"?
These reminders are not about household cleanliness. They are teaching a new generation of disciples about being thoughtful, compassionate, helpful, and loving followers of Jesus.
Discipleship is, by definition, something that is "learned." The Greek word for disciples or "mathetes" means literally learner as well as follower. Jesus himself said, "Learn of me." (Matthew 11:29). Part of what it means to be a "disciple" is to teach a new generation of disciples.
The whole sporting world is all about "World Cup" madness right now. In the USA we call it "soccer." In the rest of the world it is called "football." For those who love the sport, which seems to be all of the world with the singular exception the US, all eyes are on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as teams like Ghana and Germany, Nigeria and Argentina duke it out for a world championship.
But the biggest story out of Rio may not about a winner, but about a loser...
One of the greatest deterrents to our spiritual progress is our inability to shake off the things done to us by others. We can't get on with our lives because we are still angry and hurt by another's sin against us. We must find ways of redirecting our antagonism into something higher. We must channel our hurt, our anger, our despair, and our disappointment into something positive. Let go. Unpack the baggage. Stop wallowing in the quagmires of the past. Get your passport stamped and move on to higher ground, to your next destination.
Jesus exhorts his disciples in Matthew 10. If the people do not receive you, don't get stuck. Don't waste your life away crying crocodile tears; "shake" the dust from your feet and keep on moving. Don't get put in spiritual, emotional, and psychological jail by the things other people do to you. After it's done, don't give them the keys to your jail cell by living in solitary confinements of unhappiness and pain. Get out of jail, pass go, and collect two hundred!
Carlyle Fielding Stewart, III, Joy Songs, Trumpet Blasts, and Hallelujah Shouts, CSS Publishing Company
We Replace the Lamb
In that marvelous vision known as the "Peaceable Kingdom" (which we find in Isaiah 65), there is the image of the wolf and the lamb feeding together. Well, let me tell you a story about that. Back in the days of pre-perestroika Russia ... when hers was a name that made all of us tremble: the Russians brought an exhibit to the World's Fair that was entitled "World Peace." In it was a large cage. And in the cage were a little lamb and a Russian wolf ... feeding peaceably together. As an exhibit, it was most impressive. And as the fair unfolded, it was spectacularly attended. One day, however, somebody asked the curator the obvious question: "How in the world do you do it?" To which he replied: "Oh, it's really very simple. We replace the lamb every morning."
William A Ritter, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com
For several weeks, Mrs. Sherman's first-grade class had waited for the field trip to the observatory. Notices had been sent home with instructions about the bus, lunch, and times of departure and return. To the students, waiting for the field trip was like waiting for Christmas.
Finally, the day arrived. We grabbed our lunches and coats and lined up for the bus. In the back of the room, one boy began to cry because he had forgotten to bring a lunch and would have to stay behind with another teacher. In a few minutes, the other children had contributed extra sandwiches, fruit, desserts, and drinks until the boy had a feast for his lunch. With new tears, this time tears of gratitude, he grabbed his coat, lined up, and climbed onto the bus.
We had given him a "cup of cold water." Acts of service are not always dramatic or earth-shattering. Simple caring is all that is needed. Discipleship means being alert for opportunities to care, to demonstrate God's loving-kindness, and to teach others to do the same.
Gene Blair
The Tool of Discouragement
There is an old legend about Satan one day having a yard sale. He thought he'd get rid of some of his old tools that were cluttering up the place. So there was gossip, slander, adultery, lying, greed, power-hunger, and more laid out on the tables. Interested buyers were crowding the tables, curious, handling the goods. One customer, however, strolled way back in the garage and found on a shelf a well-oiled and cared-for tool. He brought it out to Satan and inquired if it was for sale. "Oh, no!" Satan answered. "That's my tool. Without it I couldn't wreck the church! It's my secret weapon!" "But what is it?" the customer inquired.
"It's the tool of discouragement," the devil said.
In the text Jesus is talking to the church about their attitude and deportment toward the prophets God sends among us as shepherds. He speaks frankly about acceptance and rejection, about kindness and trust. In short, he promises that in the minister's success among us shall come our own reward
"It's the tool of discouragement," the devil said.
In the text Jesus is talking to the church about their attitude and deportment toward the prophets God sends among us as shepherds. He speaks frankly about acceptance and rejection, about kindness and trust. In short, he promises that in the minister's success among us shall come our own reward
Stephen M. Crotts and Stan Purdum, Sermons For Sundays: After Pentecost (First Third): Hidden In Plain View, CSS Publishing Company, Inc.
Helmut Thielicke says that during World War II, his students often wrote from the battlefield saying, "I am so exhausted from marching, my stomach is so empty, I am so plagued with lice and scratching, I am so tormented by the biting cold of Russia and so dead tired, that I am totally occupied, without the least bit of inner space for any speculative thinking." Sometimes they would write that they were too weak to leaf through the Bible and were even lazy about the Lord's Prayer. Dr. Thielicke would reply, "Be thankful that the Gospel is more than a philosophy. If it were only a philosophy, you would just have it as long as you could keep it in mind and it could afford you intellectual comfort. But even when you can no longer think about God, he still thinks about you."
Herchel H. Sheets, When Jesus Exaggerated, CSS Publishing Company
Cast-off Items
John Bowes, chairman of the parent company of Wham-O, the maker of Frisbees, once participated in a charity effort. He sent thousands of the plastic flying discs to an orphanage in Angola, Africa. He thought the children there would enjoy playing with them.
Several months later, a representative of Bowes' company visited the orphanage. One of the nuns thanked him for the wonderful "plates" that his company had sent them. She told him the children were eating off the Frisbees, carrying water with them, and even catching fish with them. When the representative explained how the Frisbees were intended to be used, the nun was even more delighted that the children would also be able to enjoy them as toys.
On one level, that story is rather amusing. On another, it is very sad. There are people who would prize even our cast-off items, who would be grateful to eat what we throw away.
King Duncan, adapted from Gary B. Swanson, Frisbees and Guerillas
Whoever Welcomes You, Welcomes Me
Recently I was sent this story. The author said, I saw him in the church building for the first time on Wednesday. He was in his mid-70's with thinning silver hair and a neat brown suit. Many times in the past I had invited him to come. Several other Christian friends had talked to him about the Lord and had tried to share the good news with him. He was well respected, honest, a man of good character. He acted much like a Christian would act, but he never came to church or professed Christ. After I got to know him well and we had talked about a wide range of subjects I asked him if he had ever been to a church service.
He hesitated. Then with a twisted grimace told me of an experience he had as a boy. He was raised in a large family. His parents survived the depression but they struggled to provide food and clothing for the family. When he was around ten years old a friend invited him to go to church with his family.
He went - the Sunday School class was great. The songs were fun to sing and the stories, oh the great Bible stories, were exciting to hear. He had never heard anyone read from the Bible before. As class ended the teacher pulled him aside and said, "Son, please don't come again dressed as you are now. We want to look our best when we come into God's house."
He looked down at his old hand me down overalls that were certainly worn and tattered. He thought about that for a moment and said softly, "No ma'am I won't ever." Then he looked at me, the author wrote and said, "And you know what... I never did." It was clear that he was done with that conversation.
The author reflected, I am sure that the Sunday School teacher meant well and in fact was representing the feeling of the majority of the folks in that church. But what if, what if she had put her arms around the dirty little boy in the ragged overalls and said, "Son, I am thrilled that you came this morning and I hope you will come every chance you get to hear more about Jesus because he loves you so much." Moreover what if she would have talked with her pastor or her friends in the church and mobilized a full blown outreach effort to help this family make ends meet.
What if that church would have thought, Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Or whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple will receive a great reward (v. 40 & 42)
The story ended like this: Yes I saw him in the church house for the first time on Wednesday and I cried as I looked at the immaculately dressed old gentleman lying there in his casket. He was looking his best. But all I could think of were those words of an impressionable little ten-year-old boy echoing in my mind, "No ma'am I won't ever."
David Wiggs, Who Needs a Welcome?
I remember an old story about a kindergarten teacher wrote a song about popcorn and then had her class crouch down on the floor as they sang it. At the appropriate point in the song, all the children would "pop up." The teacher had them "popping" all over the classroom.
One day, during the popcorn song, the teacher noticed that one little boy remained crouched down when all the other children popped up. "What's wrong?" the teacher asked. "Why aren't you `popping' like the other children?"
The little boy replied, "Cause I'm burning on the bottom of the pan."
Some of us are like that little boy. We feel like we are burning on the bottom of the pan. We feel like we have no worth as persons.
Billy D. Strayhorn, How God Gets His KicksAll You Have to Do Is Look Up
A substitute Sunday School teacher couldn't open the combination lock on the supply cabinet. So she went to the pastor for help. The pastor started turning the dial of the combination lock, stopped after the first two numbers, looked up serenely toward heaven, began moving his lips silently, turned to the final number, and opened the lock.
The teacher gasped, "I'm in awe of your faith, pastor."
"Really," he said, "it's nothing...
