My thanks to the readers who noted that my MMO hadn't appeared this morning! By mistake I had left it in draft form when I thought I had scheduled it to publish. It's now up, just scroll down one post.
Every week, in the intercessions, we pray for generosity in the hearts of us who have more than we need…
So many of us have so much more than we need,
which we so easily take for granted
and, so often, jealous of others, even with more than we need,
we want for more than we already have.
In the gospel here,
Jesus tells us not to worry about what we have or don’t have:
not to worry about food or drink or clothing
but rather to seek God first in our lives
- and not to worry about tomorrow.
Is it God we seek first in our lives?
In the midst of all we have and all we want,
are we "seeking first the kingdom of God"?
Perhaps the best way for each of us to get at that question
is to ask, What do I seek in my life? What do I seek in the work I do? What do I seek in my family life? in my retired life? Who and what - consume my time and effort? - command my fullest attention? - receive my quickest response? - get priority on my calendar and schedule?
And in all of this, Whom and what do I worry about the most? Of what in my neighbors’ lives am I jealous? Whom and what do I long for? wait for? work for? hope for? dream of?
If we take an honest self-inventory guided by those questions,
how then will we respond then to Jesus’ words,
Seek first the kingdom of God…?
Most of us do a fairly accurate job of looking at others
and assessing what they seek first in their lives.
Can we, with the same 20-20 vision view ourselves and ask, “What do I seek first in my life?” “What do others see me seeking?”
This is not, of course, a case of “either / or.”
Often, the way I seek the kingdom of God is in and through
the many other good things I seek in my life.
But the fine point on the question is this:
when push comes to shove, when the rubber hits the road,
when I have to discern the good things from the bad,
when I have to make difficult choices among many good things,
are my decisions and choices shaped by my desire to seek God first
in and above all other things in my life?
Have I the courage to ask that question?
Or better: can I afford not to ask it? to avoid it?
These are tough questions.
This is a hard saying -- a great challenge -- that Jesus puts to us here.
Certainly, this would be good food for thought and prayer in Lent
which is just around the corner.
We ponder these words in the shadow of the Cross,
our reminder that Jesus himself sought the kingdom of his Father
before anything else - before life itself.
And at the table of his sacrament here
he nourishes us with the life that is his to share
because of the sacrifice he offered for us.
May we find in the Eucharist the wisdom, the grace and the courage
to seek in our lives, above and beyond all else,
to seek, first, the kingdom of God.
Especially on FaceBook, I see that many of my friends are longing for Opening Day for the Red Sox as the promise and beginning of spring. As I noted in an earlier post, I live by a different calendar.
It seems that the pope and I share the same calendar and we're looking forward to the springtime of Lent. As you know, our word Lent actually means springtime, its root referring to the lengthening of days.
Benedict XVI has thought it not too early to publish his Lenten Message for 2011. In it, he encourages us to see how Lent is a season for us to prepare to renew the promises of our baptism at Easter. In this Year A of the lectionary, he notes of the importance of this round of gospel texts for the Sundays of Lent, especially the 3rd, 4th and 5th accounts from John of the Woman at the Well, the Man Born Blind and the Raising of Lazarus.
Ash Wednesday falls on March 9 this year, preceding the Red Sox debut in Texas on April 1and their first game at Fenway on April 8 by about a month.
While you're waiting for your own home-town team to step up to the plate for the first time this year, take a look at what's ahead on the other calendar by which we mark our days. The pope's Lenten message is here on the Vatican website.
See this earlier post for Sunday's readings and commentary on them.
There's no better way to prepare to celebrate Mass on the Lord's Day than to read, study and ponder the scriptures we'll hear proclaimed in our prayer!
If you see something like this around your home...
... please remove the palm branch, put it in your car and bring it to Mass with you this weekend where, in many parishes, you'll find a basket or a box for collecting blessed palm branches from last year's Palm Sunday celebration...
Those old, dried palm branches will be burned and made ready for Ash Wednesday which, this year, falls on March 9...
...when the branches of last Palm Sunday will sign us as those in need of God's mercy this Lent...
We run into an old friend we haven't seen for a long time, chat briefly and take leave bidding each other, "It's been too long - we'll have to get together" and "Absolutely, we'll do that!"
But we don't.
The busyness takes over and more quickly than you can say "good intention" - the encounter and the promise to reconnect are forgotten.
Recently I ran into an old friend, another pastor, whom I'd not seen in several years - or even longer. We had the brief chat and pledged to email to set up a time to get together.
And we did!
We had lunch yesterday, a long lunch with conversation far more satisfying than even the great food we were served. While we did talk some about things "back in the day," the better part of our exchange centered on what's happening in the Church: universal, archdiocesan and our own parishes. And the heart of our conversation was about our lives and our own ministries: where we've come from, where we are and where we hope to go.
It was one of those times when a conversation, interrupted years ago, picked up where it left off and led to sharing on a significant level. When it was time to leave I thanked my friend and said our time together had been like rediscovering an old mine and finding its veins still rich with gold...
We pledged that years won't pass before we get together again. (And that's also something old friends often do.) I hope, I pray and I believe that this time we'll be faithful to that pledge.
Is there an old mine of friendship you haven't visited for a long time?
Perhaps it's time to write an email, send a letter or make a phone call...
Indeed, there just might be gold in those hills...
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (CNS)—A devastating midday earthquake Feb. 22 caused at least 75 deaths, seriously damaged the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament and put the Diocese of Christchurch "out of action."
If you read these Word for the Weekend posts frequently, you know how I like to track our approach to seasons and feasts. This coming weekend is the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, after which there'll be only one Sunday left before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.
It's especially worth paying attention to these texts because we haven't heard them proclaimed at Sunday Mass for a long time. How long? Twenty years!
The Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A, occurs this year for the first time since 1990 because Easter is the last Sunday in April and counting backward from that date until Ash Wednesday leaves eight Sundays between the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of Lent.
The readings for this Sunday and commentary on them can be found here.
The first lesson, from Isaiah, is a brief two verses but full in its imagery and the comfort it offers those who fear being abandoned. The same theme plays out in the gospel where Jesus cautions us not to worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will take care of itself and God will provide for us, his beloved, as he does for the birds of the skies and the wild flowers in the fields. In the second scripture of the day, St. Paul continues to address how the Corinthians related to their leaders. Paul defends himself by indicating clearly that the Corinthians' opinion of him matters little - Paul answers to a much higher power!
Bringing children to Mass with you this weekend? Here are some hints to help them prepare to hear the Word of the Lord.
So, now you have an opportunity to preview this Sunday's readings, study them a bit and begin to understand how they speak to your life. Click on those links above - it's the best way to prepare to celebrate the Lord's Day!
I told TM I found this to be a theological diamond in the rough: not perfect, not all squared away and yet, at the same time, possessed of facets sparkling in clarity. A first year theology student will easily spot the uneven flaws here while a theology professor won't fail to see flashes of truth in Bono's remarks. And viewed in contrast with how so many celebrities speak of faith - this is a jewel!
I don't mean to overstate the value of the content here but I think you might find it interesting to see how this entertainer speaks of what he believes: the interview.
Wellington, New Zealand The mayor of New Zealand's second-largest city, Christchurch, has declared a state of emergency in the aftermath of a 6.3-magnitude earthquake that rocked the "garden city" shortly before 1 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
Prime Minister John Key said that at least 65 people are known to have died in what "may well be New Zealand's darkest day."
The New Zealand earthquake is already the deadliest to strike the country in the past 80 years and the death toll is expected to rise. It's the second major earthquake to hit Christchurch in five months, the first causing an estimated $3 billion in damages from multiple aftershock, but no deaths.
(Read the article from the Christian Science Monitorhere.)
My blog enjoys the faithful readership of a number of New Zealanders. I'm confident that I can assure them of my prayerful support and that of my readers around the world.
Here are two prayers by Alden Solovy over at To Bend Light: Prayers from a Jewish Heart, written after the earthquake in Haiti and now adapted for the people of New Zealand.
Let us pray...
In Devastation (Prayer for the People of New Zealand)
G-d beyond my understanding,
The earth has turned violent,
Sweeping our brothers and sisters off their feet,
Crushing homes and lives,
Upending dreams,
Toppling the foundations of hope and sustenance.
A shallow breath beneath the rubble
And wailing in the streets.
The injured, the dead, the starving.
The new widow,
The new orphan,
The newly bereft turn to You
Divine Source of abundance and grace.
G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of New Zealand,
And the victims of any disaster,
Any violence, suffering or despair.
Grant them shelter and solace,
Comfort and consolation,
Blessing and renewal.
May a world of justice, righteousness and mercy
Come swiftly to their aid.
Grant them endurance to survive,
Strength to rebuild,
Faith to mourn,
Courage to heal,
And devotion to each other.
Heavenly Guide,
Hand of love and shelter,
Grant the people of New Zealand Your protection,
Your radiance,
And Your peace.
Prayer For First Responders (to the New Zealand Earthquake)
Crisis and chaos,
Confusion and loss,
A scene of sweeping destruction,
The first responders arrive
Among the breathless and dazed,
The frenzied, driven wild with fear and grief,
The incapacitated, the dead,
The weary, the lost, the injured,
And survivors forcing themselves
Beyond their limits
To fight devastation.
G-d whose ways are secret,
Bless these first responders with endurance
To be of maximum service in this moment of immeasurable need.
Bless their limbs with strength,
Their eyes with courage,
Their hands with gentleness,
So that they become a source of hope and love.
Give them the tools they need in the days and hours ahead.
Protect them from physical harm,
Shield them from emotional pain,
And guard them from taking this trauma into themselves.
G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of New Zealand.
Let the world rally on their behalf.
May the deeds of the first responders
Find favor in Heaven
And bring healing on earth.
The photo above shows Dublin's Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and Cardinal Sean O'Malley prostrate before the altar of Dublin's St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral at a Liturgy of Lament and Repentance on Sunday, February 20.
In the blogosphere, this service and the remarks delivered in it have received mixed reviews, as do virtually every word and gesture the Church makes in response to the tragedy of the sexual abuse of children by priests and bishops.
A related story in the Boston Globe sketches a history of apologies that have marked the abuse crisis. You'll find Lisa Wangsness' article, The Church's song of sorrow has evolved and deepened,here.
And an informative video news report on the Liturgy of Lament can be found here, from RTE News.
I refer to a post and its combox over at Deacon Greg's Bench.
Deacon Greg preached on Sunday's scriptures and on the same day received an email very critical of his homily. The deacon published the email and at this point, 12 readers have posted comments. In the comment thread, the critic's position is responded to with respect and the critic has written again to indicate that he sees he needs to be more open minded on the topic of the homily.
I'm sure that in the past I must have seen, at least once, such such civility and reason in combox discourse - but for the life of me I don't remember where or when...
I found this helpful reflection in the combox on James Martin's fine post on this weekend's gospel:
If you want to love someone more, you do not have to go and sit down and force yourself to feel warmer about him. If you want, out of love for Jesus, to obey Him by loving your enemy, you do not have to sit down and force yourself to feel that you like your enemy. All you have to do is to be concerned about his interests, to take care of him, to do good to him. Do good to your enemy because you love God, and you are loving your enemy; you are concerned about him and his welfare because God is concerned about him and his welfare. Your love is genuine even if your emotions make you feel you cannot stand the sight of him...
Likewise...
If you want to love someone more, you do not have to go and sit down and force yourself to feel warmer about her. If you want, out of love for Jesus, to obey Him by loving your enemy, you do not have to sit down and force yourself to feel that you like your enemy. All you have to do is to be concerned about her interests, to take care of her, to do good to her. Do good to your enemy because you love God, and you are loving your enemy; you are concerned about her and her welfare because God is concerned about her and her welfare. Your love is genuine even if your emotions make you feel you cannot stand the sight of her…
There's uncommonly good sense in these simple words and they offer a helpful and healthy response to the one who asks, "But how do I love the person who....?"
As noted in an earlier post, a liturgy of Lament and Repentance was celebrated on Sunday afternoon, February 20, at St. Mary's Pro Cathedral in Dublin.
There are moments where silence and listening are more important than words and what we say.
What can I say to you who are victims of sexual abuse by priests of the Archdiocese of Dublin or by religious? I would not be honest and sincere if I were to say that I know what you have suffered. I may try to understand, but that suffering is yours. Only you know what it means to have been abused sexually or in some other way. I can try to imagine the horrors of being abused when just a child, helpless and innocent. I can try to imagine how this abuse has haunted your life until today and sadly may continue even for the rest of your lives.
I can recognise the humiliation you suffered, the assault on your dignity and self-esteem, the fear and anxiety, the isolation and abandonment you experienced. I can listen to you tell me about your nightmares, your frustrations and your longing for a closure which may never come. I can imagine your anger at not being believed and of seeing others being cared for while you were left on your own.
I can try to imagine all those experiences but I know that it is only you who have had that experience. Whatever I imagine, what you experienced must be a thousand times worse.
I can express my sorrow, my sense of the wrong that was done to you. I think of how you were not heard or not believed and not comforted and supported.
I can ask myself how did this happen in the Church of Jesus Christ where as we heard in the Gospel children are presented to us as signs of the kingdom. How did we not see you in your suffering and abandonment?
The Church of Jesus Christ in this Archdiocese Dublin has been wounded by the sins of abusers and by the response to you for which we all share responsibility.
Someone once reminded me of the difference between on the one hand apologising or saying sorry and on the other hand asking forgiveness. I can bump into someone on the street and say “Sorry”. It can be meaningful or just an empty formula. When I say sorry I am in charge. When I ask forgiveness however I am no longer in charge, I am in the hands of the others. Only you can forgive me; only God can forgive me.
I, as Archbishop of Dublin and as Diarmuid Martin, stand here in this silence and I ask forgiveness of God and I ask for the first steps of forgiveness from of all the survivors of abuse.
There is a time for silence. But there is also another silence: a silence which is a sign of not wanting to respond, a silence which is a failure of courage and truth.
There are men and women in this Cathedral today to whom we must express our immense gratitude for the fact that they did not remain silent. Despite the hurt it cost them they had the courage to speak out, to speak out, to speak out and to speak out again and again, courageously and with determination even in the face of unbelief and rejection.
All survivors are indebted to those who had the courage to speak out and let it be known what had happened and how they were treated. The Church in Dublin and worldwide and everyone here today is indebted to them. Some of you in your hurt and your disgust will have rejected the Church that you had once loved, but paradoxically your abandonment may have helped purify the Church through challenging it to face the truth, to move out of denial, to recognise the evil that was done and the hurt that was caused.
The first step towards any form of healing is to allow the truth to come out. The truth will set us free, but not in a simplistic way. The truth hurts. The truth cleanses not with designer soap but with a fire that burns and hurts and lances.
Again the Church in this Archdiocese thanks you for your courage. I in my own name apologise for the insensitivity and even hurtful and nasty reactions that you may have encountered. I appeal to you to continue to speak out. There is still a long path to journey in honesty before we can truly merit forgiveness.
There is a third level of silence in our midst this afternoon. It is the silence of the cross. I was asked who should preside at this liturgy. My answer was not a Cardinal or an Archbishop but the Cross of Jesus Christ. We gather before the cross of Jesus which presides over us and judges us. It is the Cross of Jesus that judges whether our words and our hearts are sincere.
The final moments before the death of Jesus were marked by darkness and silence. That silence is broken by the words of Jesus: He forgives those who kill him. He also brings forgiveness and new life to one of the thieves who surround him. But that forgiveness is not cheap forgiveness. One thief mocked Jesus; he did not recognise that act of injustice that was being carried out. The other recognised his own guilt and that recognition opened the door to forgiveness. No one who shared any responsibility for what happened in the Church of Jesus Christ in this Archdiocese can ask forgiveness of these who were abused without first recognising the injustice done and their own failure for what took place.
The silence of Jesus on the cross is again interrupted by his prayer of abandonment: “My God why have you forsaken me?” It is the prayer that so many survivors must have made their own as they journeyed with the torment of hurt which for many years they could not share and which haunted them day after day, from their childhood and into adult life.
But Jesus faces that abandonment and finally hands himself over to the Father bringing his self-giving love to the utmost moment of giving his own life in love. That opened the door to newness of life.
We gather under the sign of the cross which judges us but which ultimately liberates us.
This afternoon is only a first step. It would be easy for all of us to go away this afternoon somehow feeling good but feeling also “that is that now”, “it’s over”, “now we can get back to normal”.
The Archdiocese of Dublin will never be the same again. It will always bear this wound within it. The Archdiocese of Dublin can never rest until the day in which the last victim has found his or her peace and he or she can rejoice in being fully the person that God in his plan wants them to be.
Click on the bible above for links to Sunday's readings and for some commentary on them.
Homily: MAY 24
A prayer for when you're worried, anxious, afraid...
Help for Haiti
Reach out to the people of Haiti with health care, education and community development through Health Equity International (formerly known as the St. Boniface Haiti Foundation).
