Holy Thursday  April 17, 2014

Holy Thursday the day Jesus celebrated the last supper with his disciples.  On a day set aside by the Jewish people for the retelling of the story of the liberation of the Israelite s from slavery in ancient Egypt.

Ten Plagues:  Blood of a Lamb / Doorpost:

From the book of Exodus we hear the command that Moses and Aaron are to tell the Whole Community of Israel.  God helped the Children of Israel escape from slavery in Egypt by inflicting ten plagues upon the ancient Egyptians before Pharaoh would release his Israelite slaves.  The tenth and worst of the plagues was the death of the Egyptian first-born. To help the Israelite’s escape this tenth plague, a year old lamb without blemish was to be slaughtered and it’s blood applied to the two door posts and the lintel of each house.

Seder Meal — the Night Every Fist born struck down:

On this night, I will go through Egypt striking down every first born of the land, both man and beast.  This day shall be a memorial feast for you.  It is called the Seder meal and is to be remembered, shared and celebrated with pilgrimage to the Lord, as a perpetual institution.

Elitism:

We hear in the Letter from Paul to the Corinthians, what I received from the Lord I handed on to you.  Do this in remembrance of me until the day the Lord comes in glory.  Paul was confronting difficulties which had arisen within the Corinthian community.  Rival factions were excluding the poor from the Eucharist in the place of the more wealthy and influential.  Elitism had penetrated the Corinthians community.  Elitism was preventing the wealthy and influential from sharing the sacred Eucharist with the downtrodden, the poor, the stranger and the outcast.

There was a young engaged couple who were to soon be married.  They each had a serious problem the other knew nothing of.

Stinky:

The young man was very concerned that if his bride discovered he had such stinky feet she would not sleep in the same room.  He approached his Father and asked for advice.   His father suggested he wash his feet each night and then put on socks before he went to bed.

The young lady was also concerned that her husband would refuse to sleep in the same room with her if he discovered how stinky her morning breath was.  She asked her mother for advice.  Her mother told her to develop a habit of waking up early before her husband to prepare breakfast and on the way go to the bathroom and brush her teeth before he got out of bed.

For the first six months of their married life things went along smoothingly.  Then one restless night of tossing and turning the young husband woke up at 4 AM and discovered he lost one of his socks in the night.  As he frantically searched the bed for this lost sock, he bumped his wife, who awoke, sat up and asked him.  What in heaven are looking for?  He replied, Oh my, you swallowed my sock!

Stinky Pride:

All use us have some hidden stinky business about us.  For some, it’s our feet, others our breath and for others it’s our pride.  Today our Lord calls each calls us to love one another even tough we each suffer from one form of stickiness or another.

If we are not careful stinkiness can penetrate our own church.  We are called to reflect upon how inclusive we really are to the people of our community and to strangers.  Those who hold positions of control and influence are called to reflect and ascertain that they themselves have not become an impediment to the inclusion of Gods people. 

Jesus Took a Towel – Basin – Water – Got down on His knees:

In the Gospel Jesus handled two stinky problems.  Jesus took a towel and wrapped it around his waist, poured water into a basin and began washing his disciples feet.  Jesus models for us the role of a true servant.

1^st We hear Peter object, “Master are you going to wash my feet?  You will never wash my feet!  Stinky!  Unless I wash your feet, you will have no inheritance with me!  – Master then wash me head to toe.  2^nd Jesus washes of Judas’s feet which sends a powerful spiritual message.  Jesus washed the feet of all his disciples.  Jesus did not exclude Peter for his stinky pride or his betrayer Judas.  We are called to ponder whose feet we would exclude?

If I wash your feet ………… God became servant:

Do you realize what I have done for you???  If I, the Master, wash your feet, then you should wash each others feet.   He came to as the Son of God to be a servant, he suffered and died giving his whole body and blood leaving us an example that we might follow in his footsteps.   We are each called to wash the feet of another – yes even those who have stinky feet, stinky breath and stinky pride.

April 12, 2014 Palm Sunday

Though Jesus was in the form of God he did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped.  Rather we are told he emptied himself.  In our world today many want to play the role of God.  Jesus had the wisdom to know his job was not to play the role of His father.  Rather he emptied himself!  The question for us today is what heck does it mean to empty oneself and what happens to one who is empty?

What the heck is Empty Oneself?

Empty is the place where creation of new life begins.  Empty is the place where hope lives.  Empty is the place (like spring) from which new life explode anew.  When one is empty God’s creative hope can fill the space, thus opening the possibilities of an encounter with new life.

In the reading from Philippians, Paul tells us Jesus did not selfishly cling to his exalted position.  He emptied himself.  He was able to take on the form of a slave in human likeness and appearance.  He was able to set his face like flint as he marched to Jerusalem.  He steeled himself to endure the worst humanity can dish out while humbling himself, becoming obedient to death on a cross.

He cam to fulfill Prophecy – a trusting Lamb:

He fulfilled what the Prophet Isaiah foretold of in the Suffering Servant Song– a message of hope passed.  I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.  Jeremiah who told of a trusting lamb lead to slaughter.

Paul wants us to contrast the actions of Jesus and Adam.  Adam chose to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree as he grasp at equality with God.  Rather Jesus took on Adams’ human condition, and with it bore our slavery to sin and corruption.

In the beginning was the word.  In the beginning how many could see the word?  How just much space did the word occupy?

Where would we look to find Hope in the World today?

Where would you look to find hope that new life is possible?  Today’s scripture describe what we encounter when we encounter hope.  Can anyone describe for me what they would expect to find in an empty container?  Have any of us encountered a situation in life we would describe as we came up empty?  When something that is empty is something that contains nothing becomes a room to be filled with Hope.  Conversely, many of us have met people who are full of something!  ( modern selfie?? )

Marks Gospel marks a final turning point for Jesus.  He knew it was time to move on.  Time to face the most serious phase of his life.  Time to empty himself completely.  Time to humble himself and fulfill the will of his father.  Time to suffer through his passion and his death on a cross in obedience to his Father.

Handing Over His mission to Who / Whom?:

During this final Passover feast he would hand over his mission to his disciples.  Along with Gifts his disciples and followers where initially unprepared to receive.  The creation of a new covenant, the sacrament of Eucharist and a handing over of the reins of the new Church.  A church that was to born from the water and blood that flowed from his side to the ground from the cross.

The empty tomb:  Where Hope is Encountered:

All of of this took place so that we would encounter and empty tomb.  The place where hope lives.  The end of the Gospel of Mark and the place where the possibilities of new life explode before us.  Empty the place where an end is the beginning becoming something new.  Empty the fact, that Mark’s ending of the Gospel leaves the reader with a startling realization!  We each have the opportunity to conclude the gospel by living out its values.

What is the next spiritual challenge, the spirit is calling each of us to individually and collectively face up to in obedience to the will of the Father?

April 12, 2014 Palm Sunday

Empty Oneself:

Though Jesus was in the form of God he did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped.  Rather we are told he emptied himself.  In our world today many want to play the role of God.  Jesus had the wisdom to know his job was not to play the role of His father.  Rather he emptied himself!  The question for us today is what heck does it mean to empty oneself and what happens to one who is empty?

Empty the Spirit of Hopes Doorway:

Empty is the place where creation of new life begins.  Empty is the place where hope lives.  Empty is the place from which new life explode anew.  When one is empty God’s creative hope can fill the space, thus opening the possibilities of an encounter with new life.

In the reading from Philippians, Paul tells us Jesus did not selfishly cling to his exalted position.  He emptied himself.  He was bale to take on the form of a slave in human likeness and appearance.  He was able to set his face like flint as he marched to Jerusalem.  He steeled himself to endure the worst humanity can dish out while humbling himself, becoming obedient to death on a cross.

Suffering Servants Song:

He fulfilled what the Prophet Isaiah foretold of in the Suffering Servant Song– a message of hope passed.  I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.   Jeremiah who told of a trusting lamb lead to slaughter.

Contrast Adam to Jesus:

Paul wants us to contrast the actions of Jesus and Adam.  Adam chose to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree as he grasp at equality with God.  Rather Jesus took on Adams’ human condition, and with it bore our slavery to sin and corruption.

In the beginning was the word.  In the beginning how many could see the word?  How much space did the word occupy?

What would you look to find hope that new life is possible?  Today’s scripture describe what we encounter when we encounter hope.  Can anyone describe for me what they would expect to find in an empty container?  Have any of us encountered a situation in life we would describe as we came up empty?  Something that is empty is something that contains nothing.  Many of us have met people who are full of something!

Turning Point –  Time to Move On

Marks Gospel marks a final turning point for Jesus.  He knew it was time to move on.  Time to face the most serious phase of his life.  Time to empty himself completely.  Time to humble himself and fulfill the will of his father.  Time to suffer through his passion and his death on a cross in obedience to his Father.

Is it Our Time? to be Gifted:

During this final Passover feast he would hand over his mission to his disciples.  He Gifted his disciples and followers even when they  where initially unprepared to receive.  The creation of a new covenant, the sacrament of Eucharist and a handing over of the reins of the new Church.  A church that was to born from the water and blood that flowed from his side to the ground from the cross.

Preparation for Empty:

All of of this took place so that we would encounter and empty tomb.  The place where hope lives.  The end of the Gospel of Mark and the place where the possibilities of new life explode before us.  Empty the place where the end is the beginning becoming something new.  Empty the fact, that Mark’s ending of the Gospel leaves the reader with a startling realization that we each have the opportunity to conclude the gospel by living out its values.

What is the next spiritual challenge, the spirit is calling each of us to individually and collectively face up to in obedience to the will of the Father?

2^nd Sunday of Lent March 16, 2014

One is lead up onto the mountain top to expand ones mind so as to open ones spirit.  And it is necessary for ones mouth to be silenced so one can finally listen with ears and eyes.  While one is listening one becomes open to an encounter with God’s design.

The Transfiguration was an event that stopped the apostles in their tracks, yet Peter’s human nature wanted to continue to speak.  To be open one must stop talking and listen!

Anyone listening?  Words do not have to be spoken for communication to take place.  Remember our Christmas party when Fr. Liem asked us to move to a table with people who spoke another language.  The people of this parish spoke loud and clear!  We were not ready to be that open!  Many of us were not ready to take ownership of our own closed spirit.  Let’s cut out the bilingual Mass.  What will happen at our St Patty’s party?   “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Lets press on!  Anyone heard of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370?  The modern Boeing 777 passenger airplane with 239 people on board, that  mysteriously disappeared over Viet Nam our Pastors home land.  Fr. Liem what did your people do with that airplane?

I told my wife as soon as I heard what had happened to MH370 that it had been hijacked.  Ask my wife for verification.  Some might poo poo my assertion.  That is OK.  But how might have I arrived at that conclusion so quickly?  Perhaps 42 years of watching the aviation system work and analyzing untold recorded voice and flight data.  But I would say it was listening to the language that was not spoken that opened my ears.

Do not be fooled by modern day imagery!

People do not be fooled by the voice of modern day imagery designed to mislead, please and capture our focus!  Rather be open and listen to the voice of the one whose sole purpose was to speak the truth!

On the final night of the parish’s Lenten mission, at the end of an eloquent sermon, the missionary said.  “Stand up, those of you who want to go to heaven.”  The whole congregation stood up.  When they were once more seated, he paused and then said.  “Now stand up, those who want to go to hell.”

An elderly man at the back of the church stood up, and the missionary said, “Do you really want to go to hell?”  “No Father” replied the old man.  But I didn’t like to see you standing there alone.”

This is my beloved Son – Listen to Him!

Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here.  If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Stop talking – to Peter the symbolic head of the Church stop talking and listen to him!  Could it be that we the people of St. Peter the Rock need to stop talking and start listening so as to discover God’s design for us?

Who is behind the Source of Our Vision?

The gift of Vision – Vision is leadership.  If we are dissatisfied with leadership our scriptures today suggest we consider if we can define the vision we are looking for and who is the source of that vision?  And perhaps we should reflect upon what is not spoken, yet spoken without saying a word.  The Pope and even our own Archbishop have initiated a survey open to the people of the Church.  I think the Holy Spirit wants them to listen!  And I pray our Church will be lead by the Holy Spirit to listen to both what is written and what people do.

Perhaps a clue?  “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”  Stop talking and listen!  While one is listening one can encounter God’s design – one can begin to see the spoken and the unspoken!

Living Stones = Church:

We are one family, one body, we united in one Christ.  This church is built of living stones and until the living stones become open to the spirit of Christ no bricks or mortar can build a church.

Put on your spiritual ears and listen to Him!

30^th Sunday Ordinary Time October 28, 2012

Faith is what one finds when they are all alone but discover they are not.

Well all of us here have made it to church today!  Some of us were drawn by some invisible force.  Some of us came on our own because it’s what we do.  And some of us came because someone else insisted we come!

Why Are We Here?:

Well we are here.  So what is in this for me?  What we are looking for while we are here?  What are hopes and our dreams?  What are the nagging problems of our life?  What needs fixing in our life and that of our family?  Just what are we are hoping to get out of coming to Mass this morning?  What is it we would ask from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David if he passed by us today?

Oh He is here?!  So what is it that we want from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David today!

Have eyes to see – Yet Blind?

Perhaps some of us could learn from the scriptures and the blind beggar in the gospel story today?  Some of us may think we are different from the beggar because we can see but the fact is because we can see — we might just be blind.  So let’s take a trip and have a test!  Who’s ready?

A trip on the Road = The Way:

Where was the beggar sitting?  On the road leading away from Jericho – as Jesus was leaving – on a road called “The Way”.  The people of Jesus time knew this was no ordinary location – it was on the way.  This beggar was sitting on the Old Testament road, known by the people Israel as the way to the Promised Land.  Do any of you young people know another name we might use to describe the Promised Land?  Could it be a place we call the final destination, a land of no more tears flowing with milk and honey?

So now let me ask what was the name of the Beggar?  And who was his father?  Bartimaeus and his fathers name was Timaeus and together these names mean the Son of Honor.  So let’s examine the significance of that name.   A man with a name that means son of honor is reduced to the level of a beggar who can not see but worse – one who must sit by the road side and beg for the basic essentials of staying alive.  How many folks here would willingly trade places with Bartimaeus?

Can you Hear?

Like most people with a disability they have strength.  Bartimaeus was blessed with really good hearing.  Sitting along that road side he had heard the stories of Jesus and knew who he was.  And even though there was a crowd he was able to determine Jesus was in the crowd walking past.

He began to cry out – Hey Jesus Christ my Lord, the Son of David hear me!  Many in the crowd began to rebuke him, be quite, stop calling out, hush up, stop pestering Jesus.

But Jesus stops walking and tells the crowd – “tell the Beggar to come to me”.  Are we paying attention?  Jesus gave the crowd following him a job! The crowd reverses its attitude and immediately becomes the beggars advocate – take courage, man, get up Jesus is calling you!

Take courage my blind friend, do not fear Jesus is calling you!

Bartimaeus threw aside his cloak and sprang to his feet and came to Jesus – was he ready or what?

What do you want from me Today?

Jesus asks – What do you want me to do for you?  Well Jesus is here asking – What do you want me to do for you today?

Faith is what one finds when they are all alone but discover they are not.

Bartimaeus responds – Master I want to see!  Go your way, your faith has saved you.

Gifted yet Blind that He May See:

The blind beggar asks for sight – the blind man could once see but lost his ability to see and wants it back.  Ironically the story is about a blind man who unknowingly discovered he could spiritually see (he was gifted with faith and didn’t know it) because he had suffered the loss of his physical sight!

As extraordinary, the blind man not only immediately received his sight but answered Jesus call and began following Jesus on the road, on The Way to the Promised Land.

Each one here is on the same road – on the way – many of us just don’t know it!  But if we did, what would we ask of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David?  The question is being asked.  What do you want me to do for you today?  Have courage, come He is waiting for our response.

26^th Sunday Ordinary Time September 30, 2012

Go!  Go forth!  And do What?  Whoops we are the beginning!

A Gifted Spirit:

The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses.  Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders.  Two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad, were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp.

They were not in the tent; yet the spirit came to rest on them also.  A young man quickly told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp”, Joshua, son of Nun, said, “Moses, my lord, stop them.”

Jealousy:

Listen to Moses  “Are you jealous for my sake?  Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!  Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!”

Today’s lesson begins with a question.  Hey who the heck do some folks think they are?  Who gave them the authority to operate beyond my idea of authority?   Who the heck said they could venture beyond the reserved and restricted limits established by many?

You Talking to me?

Who could Moses be speaking to?  Is it possible the Holy Spirit could fall on you?  Or what about that neighbor who is below you or someone who works for you or those we are absolutely sure we are better than they?  Stop – get back in back your box —  ‘er’ —  is that my box?

Today the Church is probing the limits of our human and spiritual insight into our own individual view of how spiritual things are supposed to be?  It questions the limits we place on the ability and the authority of even the Holy Spirit to operate.   Do we know it is our human nature that tends to do that?  Can the Holy Spirit do what the Holy Spirit wants?

Further it challenges and reveals the voice we all tend to listen to.  We all know that little negative voice that sits on our shoulder.  It can create obstacles and doubt!  It can tell us we are the expert in certain areas and someone is trespassing on our turf.  Or more often it can tell us we can’t be that spiritually good.  We are not good enough, don’t know enough, we are not gifted or qualified, or certified, nor trained, or not ordained, and anyway it’s not our job – it is reserved for a someone else, a higher authority, maybe the clergy, theologians or the scholars but not me.

The Voice of Doubt:

Don’t let that obstinate or disqualifying voice overpower the Holy Spirit.  Don’t let that voice trip us up and prevent us from venturing out into our next  spiritual adventure – Simply open our hearts and say yes to the spirit and then venture from the water well where we can begin giving passers by a drink from the wellspring of spiritual life.

Again we hear in the gospel of Matthew, John, the beloved disciple, say to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”

“Do not prevent him.  There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.  For whoever is not against us is for us.  Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

Human stumbling blocks:

These stories show we humans can have human road blocks to the Holy Spirit.  When another operates outside our comfort zone we want to disqualify and stop them.    In a sense, we would have to operate outside our own human made tent.  And for many of us operating outside our tent means operating outside our comfort zone where we may encounter the real pressure of being spiritually stretched.

Stretch – Risk

Will we stretch to see with the eyes of our spirit or accept the blinders our human condition tends to accumulate over time?  Are we willing to take a risk?  Are willing to return to the fountain of our youth, go back to basics and begin to draw a new spiritual picture?  Are we willing to become box openers who actively search for new possibilities beyond our current human limitations seeking to transform the world in Jesus name.

God is far bigger than any Tent and far bigger than the human limitations we or the world can create.

The Holy Spirit Escape human limitations:

Sometimes, it seems we don’t realize the Holy Spirit instantaneously escapes any human limitation we invent.

In case we have forgotten the spirit of the Lord is bestowed on all those who attend Mass every time, particularly during the Liturgy of the Word and the Eucharist.  No one gets excluded not even the sinner or the one for numerous reason is unable to receive communion.

The purpose of the Mass is to bestow the Holy Spirit on each and everyone who attends.  Jesus Christ sends the Holy Spirit which seeks to light a spiritual fire in each one present!

Go – Leave – Take the Spirit of Jesus out into the World:

The real presence of Jesus Christ is made present in the Body of Christ.  You and I, all of us are being prepared for the final dismissal.  Go, Go Forth get out of the tent, get out our limiting human tent.  Take the Holy Spirit we have received out into the world as real food to encounter and feed a hungry world.  Today is the Day we are sent on mission.  Go and do not confine the Holy Spirit to our human and secular world view!

Or will we hesitate and withdraw, thereby facilitating the enclosure and the confining of the spirit within the jail of our human expectations and limits?

The Lord is asking!  Will you listen to my words – fall to your knees for me – venture outside your comfortable tent and Go where you have never been?  Seek to open and touch by drawing upon the unseen spirit of imagination that lives within the observer and hearer of the spirit of the word fashioned in the picture.

21^st Sunday of ordinary Time August 26, 2012

What is the source of division and polarization that is dividing our nation in 2012?  Before anyone answers let me give you a clue.  It is hidden in the question being posed by the authors of each of the readings.  Joshua asks!  Paul asks!  And Jesus Himself is asking and is waiting for our answer today!

What is our testimony?  Do our actions validate our words?  Do our actions clearly and unequivocally point to following the one Lord and Master we are called to serve!

In Joshua’s time the people were immersed in tension and conflict.  Not unlike our world today.  They were a people who lived captivity, slavery and bondage.  They were a people thirsting and dreaming of returning to the promised land, a land of milk and honey.  They were hoping for answers.

Are we ready to respond as Joshua did for his people?  As for me and my family we will serve the Lord!  What Lord has led His people out of bondage, slavery and captivity time and again from antiquity?  We have the stories of scripture to remind us.  But do we know the sorties of salvation history?  Do we tell and teach our children the stories of salvation history?  Or do we reserve that job to the priest and deacon on Sunday mornings?

Again, what is the source of division in our nation?  The answer is hidden in Jesus use of the word flesh.  The flesh represents what we know because we can see it.  Scripture teaches us people tend to prefer what they can see, even slavery over freedom they can not see.

Jesus says eat my flesh and drink my blood!  The people responded, this hard to accept.  Scholars tell us the people understood Jesus words as to mean to gnaw on and chew on my flesh.  As if His flesh was the last source of life sustaining food to save one from starvation.

Jesus was using this analogy to speak of satisfying a real hunger for what was hidden in His flesh, unity of spirit and life.

Let me share with you a blessing.  When my grand daughter was 3 she led in the blessing of our food back in the year 2000.  “God is good, God is great,” (wait-wait I almost forgot, everyone close yours eyes and hold hands).

Think for a moment we are holding the hand and touching the flesh of a neighbor.  One who was created in the image and likeness of God which is hidden within their flesh.  God is good, God is great let us thank Him for our food, by these hands we are feed, Amen.

Whose hands where we holding?  What happened to us during that brief moment of blessing?  We where united in one spirit and life?  For a brief moment we became one body, the living body of who?  We are reminded we are the fruit of the earth.  Our hands extended in the life sustaining spirit of unity and love.  The fruit of divine grace flows from the one spirit of our creator.  One in spirit, one in body and the blood of that Christ signifies the goodness of creation.

The Church provides us these readings to cause us to remember the days of division and dissension that has existed within the people of God from antiquity and today is the day we are called to decide who we will serve.

Paul to the Ephesians adds more flesh to the equation, husbands and wives – no one wants to talk about this scripture today – one might get beat up about the head and shoulders.  In 2012 this scripture can serve as a trigger for cultural upheaval in the roles of men and women and is used in the war on women and gay marriage.  Yet hidden in Paul’s words is the building block spiritual foundation symbolized by marriage.  The foundation of the family, the smallest church, the bride and the groom, Christ and the Church, for the church serves as the building block of our nation!  Two become one flesh!

That precious grand child didn’t just magically appear – she is the result of the willingness of three couples (each one man and one woman) to enter into an intimate relationship open to the possibility of creating a new life!  But we know that is just the beginning.  Stepping up to the responsibility plate.  Being committed to be responsible for that child for at least 18, 26 with projections it will be until the mid 30’s.

No one can come to me unless it is granted by my Father.  Don’t be disappointed or discouraged.  Many who encountered Jesus Himself returned to their homes and former way of life.  How about you?  Peter gave us the answer.  Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life!