Fifteen years ago, Jane Knuth, a math teacher and mom, began
volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop in Kalamazoo,
Michigan. She approached the work with typical baby-boomer hard-charging
determination to “fix the world” — but over the years, the experience changed
her. The poor and desperate she has been able to help have deepened her
own faith and brought her to a new understanding of what it means to be a
disciple of Jesus.
Jane Knuth has collected stories of her experiences at “St.
Vinnie’s” in a delightful book Thrift Store Saints: Meeting Jesus 25c at a
Time. Thrift Store Saints includes some two dozen stories about the
volunteers and patrons of the St. Vincent’s thrift shop. The Kalamazoo
thrift store sells everything from furniture and clothing to basic household
items, but also offers financial assistance, referral services — and prayerful
and emotional support — to the needy and lost.
Rather than viewing society’s poor as problems to be solved,
Jane and her colleagues see them each in a completely different light: as
saints who can lead us straight to the heart of Christ. Jane Knuth
writes:
“From all appearances, it looks as if we are running a
thrift store at St. Vincent de Paul. At our meetings we frequently get
into discussions about how to better run the store. Should we raise our
prices? Give away less? Not accept so many donations? Lock
our dumpster? Move to a better retail location? All these issues
would come up with any resale shop. Eventually, it occurs to us that our
purpose is not to run the most profitable, shrewd, efficient, riff-raff-free
store in town. Our purpose is to help the poor and to change our way of
thinking and being. It only looks as though we run a store. The
store is just our cover . . .
“I still keep looking for the ‘deserving poor’ – the
innocent ones who are blatant victims of injustice and hard luck. I want
to help them and no one else. From what I can see, apart from children,
most poor people’s situations seem to stem from a mixture of uncontrollable
circumstances, luck, and their own decisions. Same as my situation.
Do I deserve everything I have? Am I somehow more moral, smarter, or a
harder worker than poor people? Sometimes I am, most times I’m not.
Do poor people deserve their daily struggle for existence? Are they
immoral, stupid, and lazy? Sometimes they are, most times they aren’t.”
God’s image of his human family is realized in the kindness
and charity extended by a small thrift store. In today’s Gospel, Jesus
articulates the Father’s vision for humanity: a “banquet” at which all are
respected and honored for who they are and the goodness they bring to the
king’s table, be it the “table” of the classroom, the clinic, the playground,
the home. If we are to be truly faithful to God’s vision, the compassion
of God must transform our heart’s perspective, enabling us to see beyond ethnic
stereotypes, economic distinctions, class and celebrity, to recognize every
man, woman and child as made in the same image and likeness of God in which we
were all created; we must be willing both to give joyfully what we have and to
accept humbly what others bring to the table. God’s “banquet” is only
realized when we embrace a radically new vision of humanity, a perspective that
ignores suspicions, doubts and stereotypes and, instead, recognizes everyone,
first, as a child of God, worthy of respect, love and compassion.
***
In the first reading, Isaiah proclaims the goodness of God,
who is preparing a banquet for all his people on the holy mountain. The banquet
symbolizes God's closeness to us and the celebration of the final victory over
sin, suffering and death. This feast is not exclusively for the Israelites but
for all people. God desires to invite all to his kingdom with no one excluded.
The Lord comes to bring consolation to those who are sorrowing and to give new
sight to those blinded by the disasters that afflict them. The call of the
Christian is the call to hope in the Lord, who is concerned about everything
that affects us, and will lead us to new joy that comes from being with the
Lord.
Wiping away tears
The venerable servant of God, Canon Cotolengo, when but a
boy of five years, was measuring with a cord one room after another. His mother
rather confused, asked him what he was trying to do. “Dear mother,” was the
reply, “I want to see how many beds can be placed in this house; when I grow up
I should like to fill the whole house with sick people.” A tear of emotion
glistened in his mother’s eyes. In 1832 he founded in Turin the ‘Little Asylum
of Divine Providence’. And today it is world famous. It shelters 5000 men and
embraces within its precincts a church, a number of houses, terraces and
courtyards. – God invites us to get caught up with his desire for humanity and
work with him to wipe away tears from cheeks and to take away people’s shame.
Like Canon Cotolengo, there are some who respond to God’s call with passion and
reach out to others to realize God’s vision for the human race. Vima Dasan in
‘His Word Lives’
The Gospel parable tells us that a king desires to celebrate
the marriage feast for his son and so he sends out his messengers to summon all
guests. Those invited refuse to come, thus insulting the king. The king is
still patient with the guests and sends a second reminder but again those
invited scorn the invitation and maltreat and kill the servants, which incenses
the king who destroys them. Since the banquet is all set, the king now sends
his messengers to invite anyone whom they can find. And the servants went out
into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the
banquet hall was filled with guests. What is the point the Evangelist is trying
to make through this parable? Firstly salvation is centered in Christ; it is
always God who takes the initiative for salvation. We cannot do anything to
start the process, faith is always a gift and it is through our faith that we
are invited, as it were, to a royal banquet. If a VIP invited us to a very
special occasion would we reject the invitation? Would we not think we were
privileged ones to be invited? Yet, when it is Jesus who invites us, we are
indifferent to His call, and busy ourselves with other matters which we believe
are more important. Secondly, the parable reminds us of the patience of God,
who does not give up on us. The servants in the parable stand not only for the
prophets but also for the apostles and special messengers whom God sends into
our lives to remind us of his call. God can call us through His word, through
prayer, he can call us through the preaching, teaching and witnessing. He can
call us through the least expected of people. What is important is to heed his
call when it comes and not to make excuses. He sent his only son and even when
he was rejected and killed God did not abandon His people. God’s response to
man’s infidelity and ingratitude is unconditional love!
How can I live without my excuses?
A middle-aged woman went to a distant monastery for her
first-weekend retreat in many years. When she arrived at the guest house, one
of the monks approached her and surprised her with a brusque question.
"Why not?" "That was the first thing he said," she relates.
"He had never seen me before. I hadn't even said a word. “Why not?” he
questioned. I knew he had me. After all he was the retreat master." I
brought up excuses: "It was a long trip.... I'm tired... the kids... the
people I work with... not enough time... I guess it's my temperament." The
retreat master took a long sword off the wall and gave it to the woman.
"Here, with this sword, you can cut through any barriers you have."
She took it and slipped away without saying a word. Back in her room, alone,
she sat down and kept looking at the sword. She knew that what he said was
true. But the next day she returned the sword. She muttered, "How can I
live without my excuses?” Brian Cavanaugh in ‘Tales of a Magic Monastery’
Tea time with God
At the turn of the century, a man wrote in his diary the
story of a young newsboy he met in the street near his home in London. It was
well known in the neighbourhood that the boy was an orphan. His father had
abandoned the family when the boy was a baby, and his mother had died shortly
after he began selling newspapers. All attempts to place the boy either in an
institution or foster home were thwarted, because the boy refused each offer of
help and ran away when attempts were made to confine him. "I can take care
o' myself just fine, thank ye!" he would say kindly to the old ladies, who
questioned whether he had his porridge that day. Indeed he never looked hungry
and his persistence in selling papers, load after load, gave the impression he
spoke the truth. But the streets are a lonely place for a child to live, and
the man's diary reflects a conversation he had with the child about his living
arrangements. As he stopped to buy his paper one day, the man bought a little
extra time by fishing around in his pocket for coins and asked the boy where he
lived. He replied that he lived in an impoverished district of the city near
the river bank. This was something of a surprise to the man. With more
interest, he inquired, "Well, who lives with you?" The boy answered.
"Only Jim. Jim is crippled and can't do no work. He's my pal." Now
clearly astounded that the child appeared to be supporting not only himself but
also someone who was unable to contribute any income, the man noted,
"You'd be better off without Jim, wouldn't you? The answer came with not a
little scorn - a sermon in a nutshell: "No sir, I couldn't spare Jim. I
wouldn't have nobody to go home to. And say, Mister, I wouldn't want to live
and work with nobody to divide with, would you?” Alice Grey in ‘Stories from a
Kindred Heart’
Excuses, excuses, excuses!
Once there was a tailor who mended the clothes of everybody
in town, yet he himself went about with his coat in tatters. And to the
embarrassment of everybody he appeared like that in Church on Sundays. One
Sunday a friend said to him, “It’s a disgrace that you, a respectable tailor,
should go around in a tattered coat. Shame on you for coming here dressed like
that.” “But what can I do? I’m a poor man and I have to work all week to make a
living.” the tailor replied. “Where am I going to find the time to mend my own
clothes?” “Look,” said the friend. “Here’s £20. Think of me as one of your
customers. I’m paying you to mend your own coat. “I’ll agree to that,” cried
the tailor as he took the money. However, when he came to Church the following
Sunday the friend noticed that once again he was dressed in his old tattered
coat. Extremely annoyed, the friend said to him, “Now there is no excuse for
this kind of behaviour. Didn’t I give you £20 last Sunday to mend your coat?
Yet I can see that you never even touched it.” “What can I do?” said the tailor
apologetically. “When I went home last Sunday and examined my coat, I realized
that I’d be losing money on the job if I did it for £20!” A man like that will
always find excuses! Anonymous
Film –‘Chocolat’
This movie takes place in a small town in France in 1959.
The town has always expressed their community life using the word “tranquilite”
(tranquility). You knew what was expected of you, you knew what your place was.
And if you happened to forget, someone would remind you. They trusted the
wisdom of ages past, lived with the values of tradition, family, and morality.
Into this town comes Vianne. She does not go to church, has a daughter without
a father present, and has the gall to open a Chocolaterie right in the middle
of Lent! As she opens and conducts her business, it becomes clear that she is
anything but traditional. Vianne does nothing by the book. She does nothing out
of obligation, but everything out of love. It is her encouragement that brings
Josephine out of her abusive marriage. It is her encouragement that brings
Armande together with her grandson. It is her encouragement that brings a widow
of 30-some-years out of mourning and into a new relationship. The town is
transformed by her Chocolaterie and her grace! –Going by our rules can bring
death, living by love gives life!
Carla Thompson Powell
Banqueting at the Borders
Walking through Delhi’s Ridges, I see joggers buying bananas
to feed monkeys, and in Ahmedabad, pujaris feeding chapatis to cows while
starving children beg for their share. Today, Niger’s children eat weeds,
Haiti’s youth eat mud cakes, while Mali’s mothers only drink water to stay
alive. Today’s readings must awaken our consciences that we might conscientize
the unawakened. O that today we can truly say, “take, eat, this is my body!” Francis
Gonsalves in ‘Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds’
Accepting His Invitation –Doing His Will
A woman was touring a piano factory. First the guide showed
her a large warehouse where workers were shaping wood. Next, the guide took the
woman into a room where workers were building frames. Then, the guide took the
visitor into a room where people, wearing face masks, were carefully sanding
and varnishing the piano frames. Next, the woman visited a room where a few
skilled technicians were assembling metal strings and ivory keys into the
frames. Finally, the guide led the woman into a showroom, where a musician was
seated at a piano playing incredibly beautiful music. Afterwards the woman
thought to herself: The difference between what I saw in the warehouse room and
the showroom is the difference between doing my thing and letting God do what
he wants to me. The difference between what I am now and what God intends that
I become.
Mark Link in ‘Challenge’
****
Fr. Tony Kadavil
1) Post-World War II: At the end of World War
II, the Russian head-of-state gave an elaborate banquet to honor the British
Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The Russians arrived in their best formal
wear — military dress uniforms — but their honored guest did not. Churchill
arrived wearing his famous zipper coveralls that he had worn during the German
bomb attack in London. He thought it would provide a nostalgic touch the
Russians would appreciate. They did not. They were humiliated and insulted that
their prominent guest-of-honor had not considered their banquet worthy of his
best clothes. Wearing the right clothing to a formal dinner honors the host and
the occasion; neglecting to wear the right clothing is an insult. Weddings were
such an important occasion in Palestine in Christ’s days that people were
expected to wear the proper clothing to show appreciation and respect for the
invitation — clothing, in fact, provided by the host! In today’s Gospel, Jesus
demands, and provides, the wedding garment of righteousness from his followers.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
2) “When I am grown up, I should like to fill the whole
house with sick people.” The venerable servant of God, Canon Cottolengo,
when but a boy of five years, was measuring with a cord one room after another.
His mother, rather confused, asked him what he was trying to do. “Dear mother,”
was the reply, “I want to see how many beds can be placed in this house: when I
am grown up, I should like to fill the whole house with sick people.” A tear of
emotion glistened in his mother’s eyes. In 1832 he founded at Turin the ‘Little
Asylum of Divine Providence’, and today it is world famous. It shelters 5000
men and embraces within its precincts a Church, a number of houses, terraces
and courtyards. [Joseph Aloysius Krebs How to Comfort the Sick (New York:
Benziger, 1898) in Kelly Library, University of Toronto; see Google, USA
Archives] -Like Canon Cottolengo, there are some who respond to God’s call with
passion and reach out to others to realize God’s vision for the human race. But
there are many who, like the invited guests in the parable (Mt 22:5), are
complacent in their response to the Lord’s invitation. (Vima Dasan in His Word
Lives; quoted by Fr. Botelho). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
3) “We didn’t know you had Catholic grandparents.”
Huey Long was a very colorful Louisiana politician who had hopes of running for
the presidency in 1936. He began as an unschooled farm boy and ended up in the
governor’s mansion, one of the most popular politicians in the history of the
state. Long was born in the central part of Louisiana, and when he first
campaigned for governor, he was given some advice about the voters in the New
Orleans area. “South Louisiana is different from the northern part of the
state,” he was told. “We have a lot of Catholic voters down here.” Long nodded
knowingly and went out to make his speech. It began, “When I was a boy, I’d get
up at six every Sunday morning, hitch our old horse up to the buggy, and take
my Catholic grandparents to Mass. I’d bring them home and then take my Baptist
grandparents to Church.” The speech was a rousing success. Afterward, a New
Orleans political boss said, “Huey, you’ve been holding out on us. We didn’t know
you had Catholic grandparents.” Huey looked at him slyly and said, “We didn’t
even have a horse!” [Joe Claro, The Random House Book of Jokes (New York:
Random House, Inc., 1990).] Don’t let anybody mislead you. Around the banquet
table of God there won’t be Baptists, or Catholics, or Methodists. There won’t
even be a head table reserved for the very saintly. There will only be sinners
for whom Christ died. That includes you and me. Everyone is invited. Fr. Tony
(http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
4) Late have I come for the Heavenly Banquet! An
old couple, having been married almost 60 years, died in a car crash. They had
been in good health for the previous ten years mainly due to the wife’s
interest in health, food, and exercise. When they reached the pearly gates, St.
Peter took them to their mansion which was decked out with a beautiful kitchen
and master bath suite, Jacuzzi and lavish buffet breakfast. “How much can we
eat?” asked the old man. “Don’t you understand?” Peter replied. “This is
Heaven, it’s all free!” After a sumptuous breakfast the old couple went
to the clubhouse of Heaven’s extensive golf grounds and saw the lavish buffet
lunch. “Well, where are the low-fat and low-cholesterol tables?” the old man
asked timidly. Peter replied, “That’s the best part…you can eat as much as you
like of whatever you like and you never get fat and you never get sick. This is
Heaven.” The old man looked at his wife angrily and said, “This is all your
fault. If it weren’t for your bran muffins and sugar-free diet, I could have
been here ten years ago!”
5) Heavenly banquet reserved for women?
“Mummy,” asked a little girl, “do men ever go to Heaven?” “Why, yes, of course,
my dear,” answered the mother. “Why do you ask?” “Because I have never seen
angels with mustaches, whiskers or beards.” “Well,” replied the mother, “some
men do go to Heaven, but they get there only by a close shave!”
6) Toothless grandma at the heavenly banquet. A
little girl came home from Sunday school and said to her mother: “Mummy teacher
told us that God puts people in this world so that they can get ready for a big
banquet in Heaven.” “Yes, that is right,” she said. “But why doesn’t grandma
get ready for that banquet by getting a set of new teeth from her dentist?”
Mother replied: “It is because she knows that God will give her a brand-new set
of strong and beautiful teeth in heaven.”
7) “That’s a preacher.” The writer Bill Henderson
recalls meeting a man aboard a cruise ship who claimed to be an expert in
guessing professions. “See that man over there,” he said. “He is a physician.”
Bill checked and sure enough that was right. “How could you tell?” he asked the
man. “Well,” he said, “I saw the caring lines on his forehead and could tell he
was a person of great compassion.” Bill Henderson pointed to someone else and
said, “What about him? What does he do?” “That’s a lawyer,” the expert said.
Bill checked and sure enough, he was. The expert explained that the man had a
scholarly look and was somewhat formal, indicating an attorney. Then Bill
pointed to another man. The expert studied him and said, “That’s a preacher.”
Bill approached the man and asked, “Are you a preacher?” “No,” said the man.
“I’m just seasick; that’s the reason I look so sad.” How strange that many
Christians have a long-faced reputation. Jesus could not have been that way; if
he had been, children would not have clung to him so readily. (Sermons.com).
8) “Laughter and good red wine.” Hilaire Belloc
wrote: “Wherever the Catholic sun does shine, // there is always laughter and
good red wine.” Would Belloc say that about us? We are told it takes seventeen
face muscles to smile but forty-three to frown. Laughter is the only
tranquilizer yet developed that has no side effects. Our expression is the most
important garment we wear. Yet, how many of us know fellow-Christians who never
smile? Maybe somebody should try smiling at them!
23-Additional anecdotes:
1) Sunday Mass with helium balloons? At an
Evangelical church conference in Omaha, people were given helium-filled
balloons and told to release them at some point in the service when they felt
joy in their hearts. All through the service worshippers kept releasing
balloons. At the end of the service it was discovered that most of them still
had their balloons unreleased. If this experiment were repeated in our Church
today, how many of us would still have our balloons unreleased at the end of
the Mass? Many of us think of God’s House as a place for seriousness, a place
to close one’s eyes and pray, but not a place of celebration, a place of joy.
The parable of the Great Supper in today’s Gospel paints a different picture.
The Christian assembly is a gathering of those who are called to the Lord’s
party. In the Eucharist, we say of ourselves, “Blessed are those called to the
Supper of the Lamb.” — The Lord invites us to a supper, a banquet, a feast. Can
you imagine a wedding feast in which everyone sits stone-faced, cold and quiet?
(Fr. Essou M.) Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
2) J.J & Soli Deo Gloria: Johann Sebastian Bach
understood that musical talent is a grace of God. On almost all of his
manuscripts Bach placed two sets of initials. At the end he wrote the letters,
“S.D.G.” and, at the beginning, “J.J.” S.D.G., SOLI DEO GLORIA = to God alone
be the glory. And J.J., JESU JUVET=Jesus, help me.” (3) That sounds like a
pretty good theme for worship: “Jesus help me,” and “To God alone be the
glory.” — People who understand that we are not here because we deserve to be,
or because we have to be, do not have to make excuses on Sunday morning (Rev.
James E. Rimmer) Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
3) Lame Excuses: The Toronto Star invited teachers to
submit excuses they had received from their students. They received these
examples: A student explaining why he was late: “I was kidnapped by aliens and
interrogated for three hours.” Another student, telling why he had failed to
turn in his essay: “The bus driver read it and liked it so much he kept it to
show to his passengers.” Another: “I got mugged on the way to school. I offered
him my money, my watch, and my penknife but all he wanted was my essay.” Mike,
a 14-year old, came up with a “watertight” excuse for arriving at school an
hour late with his pants soaked to the knees: “I was just about to board the
bus when I found I’d lost my ticket. Since it would take too long to walk to
school, I hopped a fence onto a golf course. I headed for a creek that
criss-crossed several fairways until I found a likely spot for lost balls.
Retrieving three balls from their watery graves, I then made for the clubhouse
where I sold the balls for bus fare! And that’s why I’m late.” Mike’s entry
won. — In today’s Gospel, Jesus narrates a list of such lame excuses from the
invited guests. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
4) Who has time for God’s Banquet? There is not
enough time. Particularly is that true for today’s wives and mothers. A study
by Bryn Mawr College one hundred years ago (1920), stated that women then
devoted more than eighty hours a week to cleaning the house, cooking meals, and
taking care of the children. Did things get better? You know the answer to
that. Another study fifty years later reported that full-time housewives spent
more hours doing laundry in the 1970s than they did in the 1920s, despite all
the new washing machines, dryers, detergents, and bleaches. The main change was
that the family had acquired more clothing and now had even higher expectations
about cleanliness and grooming. In the second decade of the twenty-first
century (2020), few women can even afford to dream of devoting full time to
their families. Thus, the extraordinary demands of running a home are added to
running an office or a classroom or a business. Who has time for God’s Banquet?
Many men have the same problem. A University of Michigan study found that
one-third of all physicians in the United States are so busy working that they
are two years behind the breakthroughs in their own field. That’s scary. Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
5) “I’m too old to make new friends.” When John
Kennedy was president of the United States, he invited a number of accomplished
artists to a White House banquet. Among those invited was the then aging
William Faulkner. He was an American writer from Oxford, Mississippi. Faulkner
worked in a variety of media; he wrote novels, short stories, a play, poetry,
essays and screenplays. Faulkner turned down the invitation, saying, “I’m too
old to make new friends.” It is possible, you know, to turn down an invitation.
It is thinkable to do the unthinkable, to excuse yourself from a fabulous
opportunity. — According to today’s Gospel text, the Lord God, Creator, Ruler,
Sustainer, and Heir of the universe gives an open invitation to all people to
come and feast with Him at a banquet table. And? Fr. Tony
(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
6) “Happy Birthday, Agnes. “A few years ago, that
wonderfully creative Christian sociologist, Rev. Tony Campolo, traveled to
Honolulu, Hawaii, for a speaking engagement. He flew all the way from
Pennsylvania to Hawaii and had an awful case of jet lag. Therefore, at 3:00 AM,
he was wide awake. Tony found a donut shop near his hotel. As he sat, there
sipping coffee and glancing at a newspaper, the door to the diner swung open
and in marched eight or nine provocative and boisterous prostitutes. Their talk
was loud and crude. Tony was just about to make his getaway when he overheard
one of the women say, “Tomorrow’s my birthday. I’m gonna be thirty-nine.” One
of her friends responded in a sarcastic tone, “So, what do you want from me, a
birthday party?” “No,” she said. “I’ve never had a birthday party in my life.
Too late to start now.” Suddenly, Tony Campolo had an idea. As soon as the
women had left, he said to Harry, the owner of the diner, “Do those women come
in here every night?” “Yep,” he said, “about this same time. Hope they weren’t
bothering you.” “No,” Tony said, “but I have an idea. The one sitting next to
me is going to have a birthday tomorrow. I’ll pay the bill if we can have a
little birthday party for her.” A smile spread across Harry’s face. “That’s a
good idea. Her name is Agnes.” He called his wife out of the kitchen area and
told her about it. They agreed to bake the cake. The next morning by 3:00 AM
Campolo had decorated the diner with crepe paper and had made a big sign
reading, “Happy Birthday, Agnes.” Word had gotten around somehow because by 3:00
AM every prostitute in Honolulu was in the place. Wall-to-wall prostitutes and
Tony Campolo. At 3:30 AM on the dot, Agnes walked in and confronted the cake
with burning candles and the crowd singing loudly, “Happy Birthday.” She was
flabbergasted, stunned, shaken. Her eyes moistened. Then after she blew out the
candles, she completely lost it and openly cried. After the party was over,
Tony asked the group if he could say a prayer. He prayed for Agnes and everyone
else in the group. Then after everyone was gone, he thanked Harry for going
along with the party. Harry said, “Hey, you didn’t tell me you were a preacher.
What Church do you belong to?” In one of those moments when just the right
words came, Tony answered, “I belong to a Church that throws birthday parties
for prostitutes at 3:00 AM.” — Today’s Gospel describes a King’s party for the
ordinary people. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
7) “Would you please hand me my green dress?”
Television journalist Hugh Downs and his wife once attended a function in
Washington. When the time came to return to New York, they discovered that
their flight had been cancelled due to bad weather. Downs immediately called
the front desk and was informed that they could catch a five o’clock train,
which was leaving in 45 minutes. Mrs. Downs was showering, and to save time,
Hugh hurriedly packed all their belongings, called the bell captain and asked
that the bags be rushed right over to the station and put on the train. A
bellhop came immediately and got them. Five minutes later, Mrs. Downs stepped
out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. “Dear,” she asked, “would you please
hand me my green dress?” — We’re not told how Mr. and Mrs. Downs resolved this
dilemma, but it reminds me of Jesus’ parable of the king’s wedding banquet and
wedding garment. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
8) “It’s the only thing!” When Vince Lombardi was
hired as head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1958, the team was in dismal
shape. A single win in season play the year before had socked the club solidly
into the basement of the NFL, and sportscasters everywhere used it as the butt
of loser jokes. But Lombardi picked and pulled and prodded and trained and
discipled the players into become a winning team. They were NFL champions in three
consecutive seasons, and took the game honors for the first two Super Bowls.
Lombardi was a drill sergeant and a strategist, finding and developing the best
in each of his players individually and then crafting a team community that
could visualize the prize. “Winning isn’t everything,” he was often quoted as
saying, “It’s the only thing!” His Packers proved him true, time and time
again.– This is the problem Jesus pointedly identifies in today’s parable. God
is the greatest coach, but the team is unwilling to follow. Fr. Tony
(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
9) God’s grace is a costly gift. A small boy was
consistently late coming home from school. His parents warned him one day that
he must be home on time that afternoon, but nevertheless, he arrived later than
ever. His mother met him at the door and said nothing. His father met him in
the living room and said nothing. At dinner that night, the boy looked at his
plate. There was a slice of bread and a glass of water. He looked at his
father’s full plate and then at his father, but his father remained silent. The
boy was crushed. The father waited for the full impact to sink in, then quietly
took the boy’s plate and placed it in front of himself. He took his own plate
of meat and potatoes, put it in front of the boy, and smiled at his son. When
that boy grew up, he said, “All my life I’ve known what God is like by what my
father did that night.” — Our sin is serious business. God’s grace is a costly
gift. Jesus explains it today through the parable of the wedding garment. Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
10) “No, Jesus is in my heart.” An amusing story appeared
recently in the magazine Today’s Christian Woman. A woman took her
four-year-old granddaughter, Amanda, to the doctor’s office with a fever. The
doctor looked in her ears and said, “Who’s in there? Donald Duck?” She said,
“No.” He looked in her nose and said, “Who’s in there? Mickey Mouse?” Again,
she said, “No.” He put his stethoscope on her heart and said, “Who’s in there?
Barney?” Amanda replied, “No, Jesus is in my heart. Barney is on my underwear.”
(“What’s Up, Doc?” “Small Talk,” May/June 1996, p. 25.) — I don’t guess it
matters who’s on your underwear if Jesus is in your heart. And if Jesus is in
your heart, your life will be clothed in proper apparel Faith, Hope, Love,
forgiveness, kindness, and all the virtues of the Christian life. And you will
not be speechless at the wedding feast, for you will be properly dressed. Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
11) “I’m too busy sending telegrams to build fires.” There
is a good story from years ago about a top executive with a telegraph company
who went on a trip. It was extremely cold outside when he arrived at the bus
station, so he went into a local telegraph station hoping to get warmed up.
When he got inside, however, it was cold. He noticed there was no fire in the
fireplace. He said to the young telegraph operator, “Why don’t you build a fire
in this place and warm it up?” The young man said, “Listen mister, I’m too busy
sending telegrams to build fires.” The man then told this boy that he was the
vice-president of the company and that he wanted him to send a telegram to the
home office at once. The message was, “Fire this man immediately.” A moment
later the young telegraph operator brought a load of wood into the office and
began to build a fire. The executive asked, “Young man, have you sent that
telegram yet?” The young telegraph operator said, “Listen mister, I’m too busy
building fires to send telegrams.” –The point is that somewhere in life we have
to set priorities. We have to decide what really matters and make certain that
the really important things are done. Time with our family, service to our
community, attention to our work, relaxation, self-improvement we could develop
a list of important issues that would go on and on. Somewhere we must draw a
line. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
12) We have crowded out God. A mental hospital developed an
unusual test to determine when their patients were ready to go back into the
world. They would bring the patient being considered for release into a room
with a sink. When the patient entered the room a faucet over the sink was
already on, the sink was overflowing, and water was pouring onto the floor. The
patient was handed a mop and asked to clean up the mess. If the patient had enough
sense to turn off the faucet before starting to mop up the water, the doctors
concluded he was ready to go back into society. But if he started mopping with
the water still running, more treatment was needed. [Vance Havner, The Vance
Havner Devotional Treasury: Daily Meditations for a Year (Grand Rapids: Baker
Book House, 1976).] — You and I need to stop mopping long enough to look up and
see if the faucet is still running. We need to go to the root of our restless,
confused lives. We have crowded out God, and without God life is simply a
whirlwind of meaningless activity. We need to center our lives in Him and His
purpose. Then we discover that life truly is a feast. He offers an invitation
to His banquet table. Will you take time to accept? Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
13) “I am Jewish and this Star of David… .” A first-grade
teacher gave her 6-year-olds an assignment. The next day they were to bring in
a symbol of their religion. The next morning, she called on Isaac, who stood up
and said, “I am Jewish, and this Star of David is the symbol of my religion.”
The teacher then called upon Mary, who stood up saying, “I am Catholic and this
Rosary is a symbol of my religion.” Next came Bobby. “I am Presbyterian,” he
said, and held up a casserole dish. — Have you ever noticed how often food and
drink are mentioned in the New Testament? How about banquets and weddings?
Jesus even called the Church, his Bride! In our text for today, Jesus compares
the Kingdom of Heaven to a royal banquet. Fr. Tony
(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
14) “We looked so gorgeous we went to the Episcopal Church.”
Perhaps you have heard of the family that moved into the neighborhood, and the
little country Church decided to reach out to the family. When they arrived at
the doorstep the members of the Church were surprised to find that the family
had 12 kids and were for the most part poor. They invited the family to
services and said goodbye. Later that week the Church responded to their need.
They delivered a package to the family and said, “We want you to know that you
and your entire family are welcome at our Church anytime. We have bought you
these gifts and we want you to feel comfortable and at ease in our
congregation. We hope you can use these,” and they left. The family opened the
package to find 14 suits of clothing, beautiful clothes for every member of the
family. Sunday came and the congregation waited for the family, and they
waited. The family never showed. Wondering what could have possibly happened,
the members of the Church returned after lunch to the home and found the family
just getting back, all dressed in their new clothes. “We don’t mean to be nosey
but we would like to know what happened. We had hoped to see you this morning
in Church,” the leader of the Church said. The father spoke up. He said, “Well,
we got up this morning intending to come. And we sure do appreciate your
invitation. But after we showered, shaved, and dressed, why we looked so
gorgeous we went to the Episcopal Church.” — That’s a funny way of talking
about a serious problem. Invitations are sent to many to come to Church but so
few people respond, it’s frustrating. Many of you have reached out to neighbors
or friends and asked them to come to Church, and you know all too well the disappointment,
how few respond. Maybe that is why we find this morning’s parable so familiar.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
15) “That’s a preacher.” The writer Bill Henderson recalls
meeting a man aboard a cruise ship who claimed to be an expert in guessing
professions. “See that man over there,” he said. “He is a physician.” Bill
checked and sure enough that was right. “How could you tell?” he asked the man.
“Well,” he said, “I saw the caring lines on his forehead and could tell he was
a person of great compassion.” Bill Henderson pointed to someone else and said,
“What about him? What does he do?” “That’s a lawyer,” the expert said. Bill
checked and sure enough, he was. The expert explained that the man had a
scholarly look and was somewhat formal, indicating an attorney. Then Bill
pointed to another man. The expert studied him and said, “That’s a preacher.”
Bill approached the man and asked, “Are you a preacher?” “No,” said the man.
“I’m just seasick; that’s the reason I look so sad.” — How strange that many
Christians have a long-faced reputation! Jesus could not have been that way; if
he had been, children would not have clung to him so readily. In today’s Gospel
Jesus speaks about a royal banquet. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
16) Shirt of a contented man: According to an old fable,
there once was a King who suffered from a very painful ailment. The royal
doctor advised the King that he would be cured if he found a contented man and
wore his shirt night and day. Messengers were sent throughout the Kingdom in
search of such a person. Several months passed and finally the messengers
returned to the palace, but, with no shirt. “Couldn’t you find one contented
person in all my realm?” asked the King, his disappointment audible in his voice.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the messenger replied, “we found one, just one, contented
man in the Kingdom.” “Well then”, demanded the King, “where is his shirt?”
Quietly, the answer came back, “He had no shirt.” — Today’s second reading
tells us that Paul experienced similar contentment. So content was he in his
relationship with Jesus that Paul believed that everything else paled into
insignificance. If he were hungry or filled to satisfaction; if he were
humiliated or raised up in honor; if he had what he needed or if he were
totally bereft . . . it was of no consequence to Paul because his value system
centered on one priority. That priority was the person of Jesus Christ in whom
Paul found the strength for everything he was asked to do and for everything he
had to suffer for the sake of the ministry he exercised in Jesus’ name.
(Sanchez Files) Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
17) A parable applied to me, not to them: An old Baptist
preacher’s story tells of a parishioner who greeted his minister at the close
of the service with the same observation, Sunday after Sunday: “You really gave
it to them today, Preacher!” Over time, the minister became concerned that this
parishioner never seemed to consider anything in a sermon to be applicable to
himself. He always seemed to exult in the fact that the preacher had given it
“to them,” whoever them happened to be. At long last, there came a Sunday when
a heavy snowstorm kept everybody away from Church except for the preacher and
this particular parishioner. Abandoning the sermon he already had prepared for
that morning, the preacher decided to focus exclusively on the sins and
shortcomings he had noticed in the life of his singular captive audience. When
the sermon and the service were finished, the lone parishioner came to the door
and shook the preacher’s hand as he did every Sunday. The preacher waited,
wondering how this parishioner would react to the blistering sermon he just had
heard. “Well, Preacher,” the parishioner began, “If they’d been here today, you
would really have given it to them!” (Fr. Paul Andrew). Fr. Tony
(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
18) Do you remember the “come as you are” parties of our
youth? When I was young, right around the time when the Earth’s crust was
cooling, people used to have “Come as You Are” parties. For those under 30,
I’ll explain. You’d get a phone call and whatever you were wearing at that
moment, was what you had to wear to a party that weekend. Folks would show up
in jammies and slippers, in their gardening grubbies, in paint-spattered
overalls, and everyone thought this was hilarious. Really, they did. The honor
system was, well, honored, and people blushingly wore what you “caught” them
in. See, that was before pajamas, slippers, torn up jeans and ragged tops became
the outfit de rigueur for everything from the opera to fancy restaurants. Today
you see people in the most casual of attire everywhere – at weddings, at
airports, at the courthouse – places where, only a few years ago, a person
“wouldn’t be caught dead” in anything but their Sunday best. (Jomi Hilton). —
Today’s Gospel story tells us what happened to one such invitee for a royal
banquet who ignored the dress code. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
19) “Thrift Store Saints: Meeting Jesus 25c at a Time.”
Fifteen years ago, Jane Knuth, a math teacher and mom, began volunteering at
the St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She approached the
work with typical baby-boomer hard-charging determination to “fix the world” —
but over the years, the experience changed her. The poor and desperate she has
been able to help have deepened her own Faith and brought her to a new
understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Jane Knuth has
collected stories of her experiences at “St. Vinnie’s” in a delightful book
Thrift Store Saints: Meeting Jesus 25c at a Time. Thrift Store Saints includes
some two dozen stories about the volunteers and patrons of the St. Vincent’s
thrift shop. The Kalamazoo thrift store sells everything from furniture and
clothing to basic household items, but also offers financial assistance,
referral services — and prayerful and emotional support — to the needy and
lost. Rather than viewing society’s poor as problems to be solved, Jane and her
colleagues see them each in a completely different light: as saints who can
lead us straight to the heart of Christ. Jane Knuth writes: “I still keep
looking for the ‘deserving poor’ – the innocent ones who are blatant victims of
injustice and hard luck. Do poor people deserve their daily struggle for
existence? Are they immoral, stupid, and lazy? Sometimes they are, most times
they aren’t.”– God’s image of His human family is realized in the kindness and
charity extended by a small thrift store. In today’s Gospel, Jesus articulates
the Father’s vision for humanity: a “banquet” at which all are respected and
honored for who they are and the goodness they bring to the King’s Table, be it
the “table” of the classroom, the clinic, the playground, the home. If we are
to be truly faithful to God’s vision, the compassion of God must transform our
heart’s perspective, enabling us to see beyond ethnic stereotypes, economic
distinctions, class, and celebrity, to recognize every man, woman and child as
made in the same image and likeness of God in which we were all created; we
must be willing both to give joyfully what we have and to accept humbly what
others bring to the table. (Quoted by Fr. Tony Kayala). Fr. Tony
(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
20) Church: The Only Thing in Town That Has Not Changed: It
is instructive to drive through ritzy developments – or what David Brooks once
called “sprinkler cities” – and notice that everything a person could possibly
want was thought of by the real estate developers. This can be seen in lots of
places, including certain sections of northern Michigan along the Lake Michigan
coast, an area that has recently seen an explosion of multi-million-dollar
homes on the choicest lakefront lots. As that area has seen a sharp spike in
wealthy residents, lots of things expanded accordingly. Malls needed to be
built or upgraded, more movie screens and golf courses were required, lush
horse stables were erected, world-class restaurants opened and flourished, and
even supermarkets needed to add gourmet sections so that all the ingredients
for truly high-end cooking could be found. About the only thing in this town
that did not change was worship space. Despite a huge influx of new residents,
somehow or another the same old white clapboard country church that has been there
for years continues to suffice. Curious, isn’t it? But for those busy making a
life in this world, this is often the case. — So also, in this parable such
folks received the king’s engraved invitation and responded, “Sounds great but
I really need to keep an eye on the market today. Can I get a rain check?”
(Rev. Scott Hoezee, Comments and Observations; Quoted by Fr. Tony Kayala). Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
21) Clothing and Spiritual Change: Clothing is a common New
Testament metaphor for spiritual change. Paul wrote in Romans, “Clothe
yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify
the desires of the sinful nature” (Rom 13:14). And in First Corinthians, “The
perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with
immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:53). In Colossians, we read, “Therefore, as
God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12). Finally, in First
Peter we are admonished, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward
one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble'” (1
Peter 5:5). Being clothed anew is a consistent New Testament expression for
holiness and righteousness. The old clothes have to come off and new ones need
to be put on. — Today’s Gospel text confronts us with the paradox of God’s free
invitation to the banquet with no strings attached and God’s requirement of
“putting on” something appropriate to that calling. The theological point is
that we are warned of the dire consequences of accepting the invitation and
doing nothing except showing up. (Rev. Mickey Anders, When Showing Up Isn’t
Enough. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
22) Strength for Everything: When World War II broke out,
Dr. William S. Butler of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, felt duty-bound to join the
Army Medical Corps. He was assigned to a post as remote as possible from his
family and his native village – the steaming forests of New Guinea. Treating
the wounded and victims of strange equatorial diseases was a good learning
experience. But Dr. Butler and his outfit were not in a medical school. They
were living right in the middle of a jungle war, constantly exposed to bombs
and heavy artillery. The army physician learned there was only one real
antidote to fright. “Prayer,” he wrote to his college roommate, has aided us in
many a ticklish moment and fortified our courage. I have said more prayers in
the past months than in all my life. It gives one the needed push when spirits
lag a bit and takes the bite out of the shells and airplanes. I wonder how men
get along who are without religion of any kind. Personally, I don’t believe
that man exists. Please remember us in your prayers.”– “….In Him who is the
source of my strength I have strength for everything.” (Philippians, 4:13.
Today’s second reading). ( -Father Robert F. McNamara). Fr. Tony
(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
23) July 4th celebration and the Gospel banquet: The
following modern-day account of a July 4 celebration gives a glimpse into the
importance of a shared meal and the abundant riches of the heavenly banquet
(cf. Erika Bentsen, Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 204). It’s the savory smell of
tri-tip barbecuing over mountain mahogany. It’s the sight of long tables loaded
down with countless macaroni or potato salads, baked beans, casseroles, fruit
and veggie platters. It’s overflowing baskets of rolls. It’s the pies and
homemade ice-cream waiting on ice in the shade. It’s the boisterous din of
conversation among country neighbors, almost clannish and isolated the rest of
the year, coming together en masse to celebrate Independence Day. It’s that
brief pivotal lull between irrigating and haying season in our valley; the last
chance for neighbors to get together and socialize before the long, arduous
process of gathering and storing forage against the coming winter. Most of us
won’t see each other for months, if not until next year. As the dinner triangle
clangs, there’s a whoop of joy and laughter. We bow our heads as one for the
blessing. I steal a glance over the assembled crowd: cowboys and Indians.
Retirees from California. Ranch kids. Old time families and recent imports.
Dear friends and complete strangers. Rich and poor. All races and all walks of
life. Each of us came to this valley in pursuit of the American dream. My heart
swells with pride at our great nation. (Lectio Divina). Fr. Tony
(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).L/20
****
Perhaps you have heard of the family that moved into the
neighborhood and the little country church decided to reach out to the family.
When they arrived at the doorstep the members of the church were surprised to
find that the family had 12 kids and were for the most part poor. They invited
the family to services and said goodbye. Later that week the church responded
to their need. They delivered a package to the family and said, "We want
you to know that you and your entire family are welcome at our church anytime.
We have bought you these gifts and we want you to feel comfortable and at ease
in our congregation. We hope you can use these," and they left. The family
opened the package to find 14 suits of clothing, beautiful clothes for every
member of the family. Sunday came and the congregation waited for the family,
and they waited. The family never showed. Wondering what could have possibly
happened, after lunch the members of the church returned to the home and found
the family just getting back, all dressed in their new clothes.
"We don't mean to be nosey but we would like to know
what happened. We had hoped to see you this morning in church," the leader
of the church inquired.
The father spoke up. He said, "Well, we got up this
morning intending to come. And we sure do appreciate your invitation. But after
we showered, shaved, and dressed, why we looked so proper we went to the
Episcopal Church."
That's a funny way of talking about a serious problem.
Invitations are sent to many to come to church but so few people respond. It's
frustrating. Many of you have reached out to neighbors or friends and asked
them to come to church and you know all too well the disappointment, how few
respond.
Maybe that is why we find this morning's parable so
familiar...
___________________________
After World War II the world entered a grey combat zone
known as the "Cold War." The two most powerful nations on earth, the
US and the USSR, stood face to face, toe to toe, and seriously considered
nuking each other. Thousands of nuclear warheads were armed and aimed by both
nations, targeting each other's homelands, in a strategy known by the acronym
MAD: Mutual Assured Destruction. President Truman even had to fire General
Douglas MacArthur because of his insistence that we use nuclear weapons against
the Chinese during the Korean war. Key players in the nuclear drama carried
endearing names like "Gadget" (1st atom bomb-1945), "Fat
Man" (Nagasaki-1945), "Little Boy" (Hiroshima-1945), "George"
(1951), "Mike" (1952). But there was anything endearing about these
weapons. Clearly this was madness.
Even madder was the "official" response to this
"Cold War" freezer burn. "Fall out shelters," both public
and private, were constructed, places where people could momentarily be
"safe" while the surface of the earth was scorched from radiation.
School children were instructed to dive under their plywood desks and cover
their heads in what were called "duck-under-the-desk" drills in order
to "survive" a nuclear bomb attack. "Duck and Cover" was
the 1950's and 60's version of "Dumb and Dumber."
It was during this "Cold War" freeze that a
smart-alecky, satirical magazine was born. It wasn't some well-heeled,
upper-crust publication, financed by any special "lobbyist" group. It
was "MAD magazine." A comic book. But a well-written comic critique
of the craziness that was driving countries "MAD."
MAD magazine dared to lampoon the possibility of global
annihilation. Written for a 10-100 year old audience, in its pre-internet
heyday MAD magazine was the place to peel back the looniness and manipulation
of the times and to challenge its very young readers to consider everything
they encountered with fresh eyes.
Oh, the magazine was also fun as well as
funny...
_______________________
Church: The Only Thing in Town That Has Not
Changed
It is instructive to drive through ritzy developments - or
what David Brooks once called "sprinkler cities" - and notice that
everything a person could possibly want was thought of by the real estate developers.
This can be seen in lots of places, including certain sections of northern
Michigan along the Lake Michigan coast, an area that has recently seen an
explosion of multi-million dollar homes on the choicest lakefront lots. As that
area has seen a sharp spike in wealthy residents, lots of things expanded
accordingly. Malls needed to be built or upgraded, more movie screens and golf
courses were required, lush horse stables were erected, world-class restaurants
opened and flourished, and even supermarkets needed to add gourmet sections so
that all the ingredients for truly high-end cooking could be found.
About the only thing in this town that did not change was
worship space. Despite a huge influx of new residents, somehow or another the
same old white clapboard country church that has been there for years continues
to suffice. Curious, isn't it? But for those busy making a life in this world
it is often the case. So also in this parable such folks received the king's
engraved invitation and responded, "Sounds great but I really need to keep
an eye on the market today. Can I get a rain check?"
Scott Hoezee, Comments and Observations
____________________________
All Night Long . . .
Some years ago, a friend of mine from church pulled me out
into the parking lot to listen to a tape in her car. Darlene Malmo wanted me to
hear her favorite Lionel Ritchie song. There was this song about life being
like a party, "all night long." She said, "I am going to party
all night long with God." That is what being a Christian is.
Some Christian say that it is not right to have such a mood
of happiness and joy. Especially when there is so much starvation. When there
is so much hunger. When there is so much suffering in the world, it is not
right to be happy.
But that is not true. I think of the hymn, "This Is My
Father's World" and the great words to that hymn. "This is my
father's world, o let me ne'ver forget. That though the wrong be oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet. This is my father's world, o let my heart by glad, for
the Lord is king, let the heavens ring. God reigns, let the earth be
glad."
Yes, in this world there is so much suffering and so much
starvation, but it is also a banquet. Joy, in the middle of suffering, is at
the core of being a Christian.
Edward F. Markquart, Excuses to Avoid a Wedding
________________________________
Clothing and Spiritual Change
Clothing is a common New Testament metaphor for spiritual
change. Paul wrote in Romans, "Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus
Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful
nature" (Rom 13:14).
In Colossians, we read, "Therefore, as God's chosen
people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12).
Mickey Anders, When Showing Up Isn't Enough
___________________________
Prayers Should Prepare Us
__________________________________________
Humor: No, I'm Just Seasick
approached the man and asked, "Are you a preacher?" "No," said the man. "I'm just seasick; that's the reason I look so sad."
How strange that many Christians have a long-faced reputation. Jesus could not have been that way; if he had been, children would not have clung to him so readily.
Bill Bouknight, Collected Sermons, Sermons.com
_______________________________
Our Hope, Our Terror
Several summers ago I spent three days on a barrier island
where loggerhead turtles were laying their eggs. One night while the tide was
out, I watched a huge female heave herself up on the beach to dig her nest and
empty her eggs into it. Afraid of disturbing her, I left before she had
finished. The next morning I returned to see if I could find the spot where her
eggs lay hidden in the sand. What I found were her tracks leading in the wrong
direction. Instead of heading back out to sea, she had wandered into the dunes,
which were already as hot as asphalt in the morning sun.
The ranger hauled her over the dunes and down onto the
beach. At the ocean's edge, he unhooked her and turned her right side up. She
lay motionless in the surf as the water lapped at her body, washing the sand
from her eyes and making her skin shine again. A wave broke over her; she
lifted her head slightly, moving her back legs. Other waves brought her further
back to life until one of them made her light enough to find a foothold and
push off, back into the ocean. Watching her swim slowly away and remembering
her nightmare ride through the dunes, I reflected that it is sometimes hard to
tell whether you are being killed or saved by the hands that turn your life
upside down.
Our hope, through all our own terrors, is that we are being
saved. But this does not mean we lie down before the terrors. For as long as we
have strength to fight, it is both our nature and our privilege to do so.
Sometimes God's blessing does not come until daybreak, after a full night of
emptying ourselves and wandering in the wrong direction. Our job is to struggle
with the terrors, neither surrendering nor stealing away until they have
yielded their blessings.
Barbara Brown Taylor, The Other Side - Tales of Terror,
Times of Wonder
__________________________________________
Living in God
In A Journey with the Saints, Thomas S. Kepler has written:
"The secret of the revolution in the lives of the saints lies in the fact
that their lives are centered in God. They never seem hurried, they have a
large leisure, they trouble little about their influence; they refer the
smallest things to God. They live in God." That is the great secret to
successful living: the realization that when one reserves time to come to God's
banquet, all of the rest of life will fall in place.
Adapted from Thomas S. Kepler
_____________________________
If We Miss a Deadline
A tough, old cowhand sauntered into a saloon and began
drinking whiskey by the bottle. The more he drank, the more unruly he became,
shooting holes in the ceiling and floor. Everybody was afraid to take on the
old cowhand. Finally, a short, mild-mannered storekeeper walked up to the
unruly cowhand and said, "I'll give you five minutes to get out of
town." The old cowhand holstered his gun, pushed the whiskey bottle away,
briskly walked out, got on his horse, and rode out of town. When he left,
someone asked the storekeeper what he would have done if the unruly cowhand had
refused to go. "I'd have extended the deadline," he said.
Many Christians have that concept of God: if we miss a
deadline, God will simply extend it. They do not take the judgment of God
seriously...
***********
From Father James Gilhooley:
Cannibals in New Guinea invited a priest to visit under a
truce. They had heard about Jesus. They wanted to see what influence He had on
his life. The priest was gloomy. He never smiled. They decided to forget about
Christ. They concluded that once the truce was over, they would not eat the
priest. His tough hide would cause them heartburn. Hilaire Belloc wrote:
"Wherever the Catholic sun does shine, there is always laughter and good
red wine." Would Belloc say that about us? We are told it takes seventeen
face muscles to smile but forty-three to frown. Laughter is the only
tranquilizer yet developed that has no side effects. Our expression is the most
important garment we wear. Yet, how many of us know fellow-Christians who never
smile?
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From Saint Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe,Pa
A friend of mine did his doctoral dissertation on food in the Bible. He pointed out that from Genesis to Revelation significant moments and events often times involve food. With Adam and Eve it was the forbidden fruit, for Moses it was the Passover Meal as well as the manna and quail in the desert, and for Elijah it was the widow of Zarephath. In the Gospels there is the wedding feast of Cana, the multiplication of the loaves and fish, and the Last Supper. The book of Revelation ends with the description of the Heavenly Jerusalem in all its' splendor, including the magnificent trees of life who each month produce fruit and whose leaves serve as medicine. There are many more instances of food in the Bible, but the point is made with above examples that they play a significant part in the stories, prophecies and teachings in the Bible.