Can we imagine the conflict and turmoil that upset the families of those men and women who accepted Jesus of Nazareth, the son of a carpenter, as the Messiah? Can’t we just hear family and friends saying, “Are you out of your mind?” Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Who ever heard of such nonsense? Call the Rabbi and get him to talk some sense into this person. The Scribes or Pharisees wouldn’t have anything to do with this Nazarene. They were the ones who had him executed and put an end to his nonsense. The disillusioned follower of Christ could be the father, the wife, a son or a daughter or any member of the extended family. Whoever they were they were turning their backs, deserting the faith that went back generations in favour of a wandering preacher and do-gooder. It was same reaction today as if your son or daughter told you they joined Scientology. (more…)
Author Archive
Homily – August 18, 2013
Sunday, August 18th, 2013Homily – August 4, 2013
Sunday, August 4th, 2013The lessons of today’s scripture are so evident. We know we can’t take anything with us when we die. We know we’ve never seen a Brink’s truck following a hearse. Yet we are surrounded by voices telling us to shop, shop, and shop. The message is accumulate. Our success, our worth is measured by what we possess whether it is big full barns, bank accounts or successful investment portfolios.
I had a funeral a number of years ago. It was for a C and E Catholic – Christmas and Easter. A nephew gave a eulogy at the Mass. He told of his uncle’s career in the construction business and all the projects in which he was involved and all the properties he owned. He’d built up his own little empire. He was so proud of his uncle’s accomplishments. When we arrived at the grave site I thought, ‘the only real estate he owns now is this 6x6x4 hole in the ground.’ I made the judgment his life wasn’t about storing up treasurers in heaven.
Today’s parable was the result of the request of someone in the crowd asking Jesus “tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” You know, there is nothing like a will to divide a family and bring out the worst in people.
We’re all familiar with today’s gospel. It brings us up short. We know that our worth does not consist in an abundance of possessions. Our worth depends on our own sense of integrity before God and others. We all know that but do we know that?
We’ve all heard the questions: do you own the car or does the car own you? Do you own the cottage or does it own you? Do you own the business or does the business own you?
We are rich, maybe someday we will have money.
The rich fool is a man who lived his life without reference to God and was caught in the toils of futility and meaninglessness. He lived his life as if God didn’t exist. He was the centre of his whole world. God blessed him with this great harvest. What was he to do? Being a good business man he looked ahead. He’d build bigger barns and play the options. If he was lucky maybe next year’s crop would fail and he could make a big profit off his bunker crop. He lived his life without reference to God or his neighbours. His life was all about himself. When he asked himself the question ‘what shall I do with this windfall’ it never enters his mind to say “I will feed the hungry, I will open my barns and call in all the poor. I will imitate Joseph in proclaiming my good will toward everyone. I will issue the generous invitation: ‘Let anyone who lacks bread come to me. You shall share, each according to need, in the good things God has given me.’”
Someone wrote these very wise words to help us as we reflect on today’s parable; ‘first, it is good to avoid a number of things: To begin with, we must never idealize poverty and see wealth as a bad thing in itself. God is rich, not poor, and heaven will not be a place of poverty. Poverty is something to be overcome, eradicated. The poor don’t enjoy being poor.’
I heard this story a long time ago, it is a bit corny but its message is for real. A newly married couple were out for a walk one evening and friends of theirs drove by in a classy new car. They waved to each other. The young husband, who could barely make ends meet, said to his wife, “just you wait, one day we’ll be rich too.” She replied, “honey we are rich maybe someday we will have money.”
Think of this, good people: we are rich with or without money.
Look at our spouse, look at our children, look at a trusted friend – we are rich. Think of our own health, our ability to walk, go to work, see, talk, remember – we are rich. Think of the faith we share knowing we are loved unconditionally for all our faults and failings. We are rich. These are the realities that are the sources of our wealth. Maybe someday we will have money.
Whatever shape or form our riches take may we always remember that they are meant to be shared with those who have less. We are to open the doors of our own full barns and share our blessings with others. In that way we will be rich before God.
Homily – July 28, 2013
Sunday, July 28th, 2013Teach us to pray as John teaches his disciples. Prayer was always important in the life of Jesus. We read in the gospels how he would take the apostles away to the mountain to be in a place of solitude and spend time in the presence of his Father. (more…)
Know Your Place – Homily – July 21, 2013
Sunday, July 21st, 2013Recently there was a very uplifting piece of news on TV. A 16 year old girl named Malala spoke at the UN. On October 9th 2012 this young woman was shot in the head by member of the Talban in her village in the Swat Valley in Pakistan. The Taliban wanted to stop her from encouraging other young girls to get an education. On her 16th birthday at the UN Malala spoke to the world appealing for education for all young people of the world. (more…)
Homily – July 14, 2013
Sunday, July 14th, 2013Last Monday Pope Francis made his visit first outside the Vatican by going the southern Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, a major point of arrival for impoverished immigrants, mostly from Africa and the Middle East, seeking to reach Europe. Some 20,000 migrants have died at sea trying to make this journey to the island located off the Sicilian coast at the continent’s southern edge. The Pope thanked the people of the island for doing what they can for these landless people. (more…)
Founded by St. Paul of the Cross, every Passionist takes a special vow to spend his or her energies in promoting remembrance of the sufferings of Jesus, the memory of the Cross, and reflection of the meaning of the Cross for the world.
