The "Wright" Way5/19/2024 I was struggling with how to preach the “Good News” of Pentecost in the light of so much trauma and human suffering in our world today. The Spirit led me to N.T. Wright’s book, “Into the Heart of Romans: A deep dive into Paul’s greatest letter. His chapter on verses 22-27 (the Spirit groans…) was, for me, the “Wright way” to preach today for our community Mass at Campion Center.
Pentecost 2024 50 days ago, we gathered here in this sacred place to celebrate the Great Vigil of Easter. In my homily that evening, I took the editors of the lectionary to task for omitting the last verse of Mark’s Gospel, where the women flee from the tomb in “fear and amazement.” And told no one what had happened. I mentioned that the original Greek was “tromos kai ekstasis” which I translated as “trauma and ecstasy.” I know now that “tromos” is correctly translated as “trembling with fear” and there is another word, “trauma” which means “wound.” But given their witness of the crucifixion of their beloved friend, and the confusion of the empty tomb, it sounds pretty traumatic to me. Today, however, on Pentecost Sunday, I want to praise the editors of the lectionary for assembling a series of readings for the Vigil of Pentecost that are dynamic and powerful and are in direct relation with the Easter Vigil. I’m not speaking of a Pentecost Vigil Mass on Saturday afternoon that may cherry pick the first reading, but rather the “extended Vigil.” And I wonder if the only places where the “extended Vigil” is celebrated is in monastic communities. In the Easter Vigil, we hear the story of Creation. In the Pentecost Vigil we hear of the Tower of Babel, and the human desire to build our own world in competition with what God has created. In the Easter Vigil, we hear the story of God’s saving his people from the slavery of the Egyptians through signs and wonders. In the Pentecost Vigil we hear of the signs and wonders on Mount Sinai and God claiming the people of Israel as God’s precious possession. In the Easter Vigil, we hear the prophet Isaiah speaking of God’s ways, which are not our ways, and Ezekiel speaking of giving his people a new heart. In the Pentecost Vigil, we hear Ezekiel’s parable of the “dry bones,” where God gives life where there was only death and decay. In the Easter Vigil, we hear the prophet Baruch speaking of God’s wisdom. In the Pentecost Vigil, the prophet Joel speaks of that wisdom and God’s spirit being poured out on God’s people. In the Easter Vigil, we hear Paul’s letter from the Romans in which he aske the question, “Are you not aware that we who have died with Christ have been raised with him.” But in the Pentecost Vigil, we hear another section of Romans. “All creation is groaning…..” And the song that is sung at the beginning of the Easter Vigil, “Lord send out your spirit and renew the face of the earth, is the same that is sung throughout the Pentecost Vigil and we hear it again today. But of all the Pentecost readings, for the Vigil and today, the one that speaks most powerfully to our present reality of a world torn into pieces by war, hatred and violence of all kinds is Romans 8. I think the Spirit led me to NT Wright latest book, “Into the Heart of Romans: A deep dive into Paul’s greatest letters. In the Chapter on Romans 8, vs. 22-27 he says this: In this passage we see a key to pneumatology, to understanding the Holy Spirit: God comes into this world, into the hearts and lives of puzzled and frightened believers, who don’t know what to pray for as they ought, so that precisely in their prayer of unknowing, their prayer from within the darkness of their own lives and the world around them, God will be at work, interceding from within his creation. God is working with these praying-in-the-dark people for the wider good of the world…. And when he speaks of “those who love God” he is referring to those who, precisely at the point where they are at the end of their mental, emotional and spiritual tether, find within themselves the deep sorrow of all the world, and find that they are part of the dialogue of love between Father and the Spirit. This, Paul says, is what we are called to do and be. Yes, I know that’s a great deal to take in, but the principle point is that God is not only with us in the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus, but in us through the Spirit who cries out with us for the healing of our broken and wounded world. Just a little more Wright: We must start with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God who grieves over the pain of the world and the failings of his own people, the God who in the end reveals himself in and as the crucified Messiah, the God who then sends the spirit into the hearts of his people so that God himself may, in and through his people, stand at the heart of the pain of the world so that the world may be healed. I think these are the Wright words to hear this Pentecost day. (Pun intended.) Given the trauma of our world with wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and the immense suffering all around us, it feels to me, at least, that we are living an “extended Vigil,” still waiting for the Spirit and waiting still, hoping against hope that God is with us, especially in these challenging times. Yes, there is reason to celebrate with joy, with song and dance, knowing that God’s spirit has been poured into the hearts of believers and that we are called to proclaim, Jesus is Lord. But it may be the words of the sequence that we need to pray again and again, and especially today. Heal our wounds, our strength renew; On our dryness pour your dew; Wash the stains of guilt away: Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the frozen, warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray. On the faithful, who adore And confess you, evermore In your sevenfold gift descend; Give them virtue’s sure reward; Give them your salvation, Lord; Give them joys that never end. Amen. Alleluia. I also include the link to Paul Melley’s “All Things Work for Good” which is a musical setting to Romans 8 which I choreographed for “For the Greater Glory of God.” All Things Work for Good
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PinPoint5/18/2024 Vigil of Pentecost
I didn’t post yesterday since I had a very early morning golf outing with a friend, but more importantly I was able to see my dear friend, Jamie Huggins for the first time since his traumatic car accident on Easter Monday. Jamie is the dancer you have seen so often portraying Jesus. What was the chance that this Jesus-figure for me and for so many, would have a near-death experience the day AFTER Easter? Yesterday, I had the opportunity to hear the story of the crash, the car he was driving flipped over with the impact of the other car running a light at high speed, as well as Jamie’s hanging upside down, saved by an airbag inflating and the seat belts he was wearing. Needless to say, along with four broken ribs and some other injuries, the primary “trauma” was the memory of the impact and the instant when his world literally turned upside down. His experience has marked my own “eastering.” In my homily for the Easter Vigil, I spoke of the trauma and ecstasy that the women who fled from the tomb in Mark’s Gospel experienced. (Although the word, tromos, in Greek means “trembling with fear” and the word “trauma” means “injuty,” finding the empty tomb after the events of Good Friday must have added to the trauma of Jesus’ death. I have not been able to enter into the “joy” of Easter with all the trauma in our world which was “pinpointed” in Jamie’s near-death experience. The good news I heard yesterday from Jamie was that in addition to his broken ribs healing, his trauma was being treated by a therapy called EMDR, (eye-movement-desensitization and reprocessing.) Jamie told me that after two therapy sessions, he was able to feel much freer from the memory of the crash and its traumatic aftermath. He has been able to drive again after fearing that he never would be able to and even driven past the crash site without a high level of anxiety and fear. One of the stories he shared after the EMDR treatment, was his imagining himself surrounded by a bubble of healing energy, and as he revisited the crash, it became smaller and smaller until it became a “pinpoint” in his consciousness. (Sounds a great deal like the experience we have in prayer when we use our imagination.) Sometimes it is easy to “pinpoint” the source of our fear and anxiety. But do we let it be only a “pinpoint” in our visual and emotional field? Listening to him tell of how he is overcoming the trauma, was an “Easter” experience for me, but even more accurate, a “Pentecost” experience. In the Pentecost story, the disciples are freed from any fear that may still hold them bound because of the trauma of suffering and loss of their friend, Jesus. Seeing my friend, Jamie, returning to himself was a source of joy but also felt like a gift of the Spirit, releasing some of my own fears. I hope that sharing this story of Jamie’s ongoing recovery can be an “Easter/Pentecost” experience for you as well. No Post Today5/17/2024 I'm passing on posting this morning since I have an early morning appointment. I hope to share some reflections tomorrow on the Vigil of Pentecost..
Glorious!5/16/2024 Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter
Yesterday as I was walking around the grounds of Campion, I saw a dogwood tree that was “pristine” in its appearance. There were so many flowers and not one had fallen to the ground. It was really “glorious!” “And I have given them the glory you gave me,” God’s glory in us? Really? Sharing in the divine life? Yes. Jesus says over and over that we are united with him as he is with the Father. Isn’t “glory” reserved for the glorious? If you’ve ever felt “tarnished” or “lackluster,” you may be skeptical about Jesus’ claim that he has given you the glory that God has given him. Some of us may feel more “notorious”” than worthy of note or glory. Despite the famous words of Irenaeus, “The Glory of God is the human person fully alive,” it’s a challenge to see ourselves as reflecting God’s glory. Speaking for myself, it does seem like a stretch to imagine God’s glory within me. Love, yes, but glory? Glory is something reserved for God, or in human terms, for the rich and famous. Most of us don’t fit into those categories. And yet, Jesus says “I have given them the glory you gave me.” For the past week I have been directing a friend’s retreat. Frank is an Oblate priest who lives in San Antonio. I had directed his 30-day retreat two summers ago. It’s interesting how the spirit works during retreat time. Much of our conversation yesterday was about God’s “glory.” I hadn’t realized that it would be a focal point in today’s Gospel. I will be interested to see where the Spirit lead him as he prayed with this text. I also invited him to pray with today’s psalm which is quite “glorious” in its own way. This psalm sums up what it means to be totally devoted to God, trusting in God’s faithfulness. You will show me the path of life, Fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever Can you see God’s glory reflected in others? Can you see yourself as a reflection of God’s glory? Can you trust the Spirt to lead you on the path of life so that you may know the fullness of joy in God’s presence? Can I? Cheers!5/15/2024 Wednesday of the 7th Week of Easter/ Memorial of St. Isidore
“It is more blessed to give than to receive” Did Jesus really say this? We can’t know for sure but its sentiment is lovely. And was St Paul the first to say, “God loves a cheerful giver.”? We’ll never know but it too is a lovely sentiment. If I weren’t preaching today, I wouldn’t have taken the time this morning to find out more about San Isidro. (Saint Isidore.) I did know that he was the patron saint of farmers/ peasants. And is noted for his hard work and piety. What I didn’t know, although I’m sure I’ve heard this, that he was canonized with Ignatius, Xavier, Philip Neri, and Teresa of Avila. They are known as the 5 Spanish Saints. (Although Ignatius might bristle at that. Better 4 Spanish and a Basque) The first thing that came to mind was that Isidro was in “good company.” In a post from the Midwest Province website in 2022, it speaks of the friendship between Ignatius, Xavier and Philip Neri and it includes some delightful quotes from Philip and Teresa that caught my attention: Philip “ A heart filled with joy is more easily made perfect than one that is sad.” “Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us try harder to have a good life.” Like Philip, Teresa advocated for being cheerful and unconstrained in devotion, and she encouraged joy in the life of faith writing,” I am more afraid of one unhappy sister than a crowd of evil spirits.” And although we don’t have any quotes from Isidore, it does sound like he was a “happy farmer.” ( The memory of playing Schumann’s Happy Farmer on the piano when I was a kid, made me smile.) God loves a cheerful giver. Isn’t that what we want to be? There are so many reasons not to be cheerful these days, but aren’t we called to find reasons to bring cheer, light and hope to each other as Jesus did for his disciples and as he desires to do for us? I chose the photo of the purple and white lilac bushes against the blue sky since that cheered me up when I saw it. Re:Caps5/14/2024 Feast of St. Matthias
You may be wondering why the photos I have chosen to accompany this reflection feature two dancers, costumed as Renaissance Lords leaping in the air with a Christmas star in the background have to do with the feast of St Matthias and the Easter season. This morning when I turned on WCRB the classical music station, I recognized the music immediately. It was Respighi’s “Adoration of the Magi” from “Three Botticelli Pictures. I have shared my choreography to this piece with you before as well as the painting that was the inspiration for Respighi’s musical composition. Before I heard the music, I had been praying with today’s gospel in which Jesus says, “I call you friends.” “No greater love is there than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” So friendship was on my mind, especially friendship with Jesus. Then, when I heard the music, I was flooded with gratitude for these two very special friends and extraordinarily gifted dancers who have enriched my life so dramatically. Jamie Huggins and Andy LeBeau are two of the people in my life whom I am privileged to call friends. So, why “Re:Caps” for this reflection? Do you remember Sunday’s first reading? It’s the same one we hear again on the feast of St Matthias. Yes, this was the inspiration for my story “Just Us” which I shared with you two days ago. As it turns out there are many “recaps” of readings we have recently heard throughout this week. Sunday’s Gospel will be recapped tomorrow. It’s as if this week is a waiting room, giving us the opportunity to recap the stories we have heard during this Easter season before we celebrate Pentecost on Sunday. And, of course, given my propensity to play with words, I’m thinking of the “caps” that Jamie and Andy wore as the “lords a leaping.” I had asked to costumer to clothe them in Renaissance attire, inspired by the Botticelli painting. That’s where the “re:caps” comes from! So while wait for the celebration of Pentecost, can you recap your prayer during this Easter season? Can you remember how Jesus reaches out to you as “friend.” Can you also give some time to reflect on those friends who so enrich your life? Up Sweep5/13/2024 Monday of the 7th Week of Easter
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. This is the Gospel acclamation today and it seems like a good fit with the stunning photo of the Aurora Borealis. So many people’s attention was drawn to look and see this remarkable moment in time. Everyone is swept “up” in the beauty and the surprise of these Northern Lights. (In interest of full disclosure, I was not “up” to see this beautiful display of light in the sky. It was way past my bedtime!) The gift of the Spirit that Paul shares with the Ephesians through the imposition of hands sweeps them off their feet and they speak in tongues and prophesy. How often do we let ourselves be caught in the “up sweep” of God’s Spirit? Does the Spirit “sweep us off our feet” and surprise and delight us? Just Us5/12/2024 Since it's Mother's Day and yesterday was a Marian feast, I chose a photo of the statue of Mary which is in the rotunda here in Campion. We even had a "May Crowning" and sang, "O Mary, We Crown Thee"
7th Sunday of Easter “Jesuits are the brightest and best of all religious orders and clergy. “ I’m sure you have heard that somewhere in your life as a Jesuit. I know that I have. And we know from personal experience that it’s not true. Yes, there are many brilliant brothers with all sorts of higher degrees. Theologians, philosophers, professors, presidents of our many colleges and universities. Lots of PHD’s and credentials that distinguish some as the brightest and the best. I’ve heard stories of the old days when applicants to the Society in the NE province were denied acceptance because they hadn’t studied Greek. And found a home in the Maryland Province. As we know, there are winners and losers in life. And the perception was that we Jesuits are all winners. Winning and losing are on my mind this morning. And it’s not because of the Celtics winning last night and the Bruins losing two games in the playoffs. And what about those Redsox! Winning and losing are on my mind because of the story from the Acts we just heard in which a replacement for Judas is chosen by lot. Matthias is the winner and Joseph, called Barsabbas, aka Justus is the loser of the lottery. (A side note. The reading from the lectionary is incorrect in naming the loser, Judas. The Greek text clearly names him Joseph. An editor must have slipped up. And, yes, I did study Greek. As if it weren’t bad enough that Joseph lost the lottery. He’s called Judas!) Last night, I read a homily I gave 20 years ago on this Sunday. Even then, I was feeling for the loser. I wondered what Joseph, aka Justus felt as the Apostle Replacement Award went to Matthias. Did he feel that he wasn’t good enough? A few years ago, my Ignatian imagination led me to write a story about Joseph, aka Justus. Its title is “Just Us.” I’d like to share the highlights of the story with you. He disappeared among the crowd of 120 believers. The inner circle was surrounding Matthias, the winner of the lottery, patting him on the back, congratulating him. Matthias was the new “Benjamin” of the 12, the youngest of the tribe. Joseph aka Barsabbas wasn’t at all surprised when he drew the short straw, or stick. He was used to being the runner-up. It was his lot in life. He remembered what it was like growing up, playing games with his peers. He was always the last to be chosen. Joseph, aka Justus skulks away and sulks. He should be happy with just being a disciple and not one of the “chosen.” But it smarts. He longs for a closer relationship with the Rabbi Jesus. He continues to follow Jesus, but from a distance. After the death of Jesus and accounts of his rising from the dead, he even tells other disciples that he has “seen the Lord” just to make others think that he is special. Then he heard a voice call his name, “Justus.” He knew at once who was calling him. It was his older sister Miriam. It was she who gave him the name, Justus when they were growing up in Magdala. They spent so much time together alone that she would so often say “It’s just us.” Justus worshipped his older sister, even if it was forbidden by the first commandment. He loved her imagination and the games she would create. She would play at being “rabbi” and he would sit at the feet of Rabbi Miriam and learn from her. It was from her that he learned the psalms by heart. And her favorite passages from the prophet Isaiah. “Fear not, O Israel. I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. you are mine. You are precious and honored, and I love you. It’s Miriam who tells Justus to go to the upper room and wait. She trusts that the Risen one will appear to him as he did to her in the Garden. So, Justus made his way to the Upper Room wondering if it would be worth the wait as Miriam promised. He must have been very tired from the events of the day and the realization, once again, that he wasn’t very special. Certainly not one of the chosen. He found himself nodding off to sleep as he sat on the floor propped up against the wall. And then, he was startled awake as his head banged against the wall. Or was it the voice he heard that startled him. A familiar voice. “Justus, he heard. It’s just us, you and me. You can’t see me the way I appeared right after my rising. Yet, you can hear my voice. Justus, what can I do to help you believe in yourself? You look to others, thinking that they are the ones who make you special. Look within yourself. Believe that you are enough as you are. “I used to believe in myself. I learned that from my sister, Rabbi Miriam. She taught me the words of the prophet Isaiah. ‘I have called you by name. You are mine. You are precious and honored and I love you.’ “Your sister, Miriam is a very wise woman.” “Yes,” Justus said. “But then the losses, the rejections, the failures, my sins.( I never could keep the 613 commandments of the law), I always felt I had something to prove. I was never good enough.” “You are more than enough for me. Justus. Win or lose. You are who you are, and I love you as you are. It’s just -us.” So my brothers, we may or may not be the “brightest and the best” but as Ignatius reminds us we are all sinners embraced by the God who is Love. We are called into an intimate relationship with Jesus, who says to each of us. “I love you as you are. It’s just-us.” Here's a link to the full Just Us story, if you'd like to read it. It's really good, if I do say so myself! justus.pdf Antidote to Anguish?5/10/2024 Friday of the 6th Week of Easter
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you When I first read today’s Gospel, I immediately was drawn to the word, “anguish.” There is an intensity of pain and suffering captured in this single word. It is even more wrenching than the word “despair.” Anguish comes from the word “angustia” which means “tightness.” It’s as if everything within oneself is contracting inward and all that can be felt is this intense suffering. It feels like a good word to describe what life is like these days for so many people suffering the ravages of war and famine. And yet, the anguish that is felt is “time sensitive.” It is felt at a particular time for a length of time. In the case of the woman giving birth, the contractions and labor pains cease when the child is born. (I hope that’s the case!) Whereas the anguish is time bound, the joy that follows is timeless. Is this joy, when it comes, an antidote to anguish? The problem of course, is that when you are in a state of anguish, it can feel never-ending. The Gospel today tries to reassure us that “joy” is on its way. Remain hopeful, no matter what the pain and anguish you suffer in any given moment. At lunch on Thursday with friends who have made retreat at EP, we were sharing stories of the iconic pine tree whose wood became the cross that you see in today’s photos. I was struck by how “narrow” the wood of this cross is. An expression of anguish and a promise of joy? (These photos were taken on August 6th, the feast of the Transfiguration. Go figure!) Eye-Opening Irises5/9/2024 I’m repeating what I wrote last year. I don’t think there is much more I could say.
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord I owe this reflection to a dear friend whose favorite flower is the purple iris. Whenever I see them blooming, I think of her and feel that very special connection that transcends time and space. Carol also happens to be a mobility instructor for the blind, so she has an expert knowledge of the eye. I wonder if that is why the purple iris is close to her heart. (Yes, I know that pupil and purple sound very much alike! and I added some yellow irises just because they are so beautiful!) Today is the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. It comes 40 days after the celebration of Easter. I was particularly struck by this line from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, which quite honestly was the inspiration for Eye Opening Irises. “May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call.” This feast invites us to see with our hearts rather than with our minds. The imagery of the Ascension leaves a 21st Century listener skeptical, to say the least. It’s described in a way that boggles the mind and betrays the eyes. The visual image is of Jesus “taking off” and going “up” to heaven. What we know of the universe makes this description unbelievable, to say the least. If we see with the eyes of the heart, however, the Feast of the Ascension can be more meaningful and credible. I like to think of it is as the Feast of Homecoming, or God’s Reunion. If we can touch within ourselves the longing to be reunited with loved ones from whom we are separated, we may know that this feast is about Jesus’ longing to be forever united with the One whom he loves. The mutual exchange of Love between Jesus and the Father is so magnetic that the longing for reunion transcends the limits of time and space. This realization first came to me about 25 years ago at a performance of the musical Les Miserables. On his death bed, Jean Val Jean, having suffered and loved throughout his life, only longs to be reunited with God and with the people whom he has loved. He sings, “to love another person is to see the face of God.” In that moment I realized that the Ascension, which I was preaching about the next day was first and foremost about love and longing for reunion. I have never forgotten that, and I share it with you. On this feast of the Ascension can you see with the “irises” of you heart? Can your “irises” open to see the beautiful and wonderful truth of God’s longing to be united with Jesus the Christ? Since the word Iris is the Greek word for Rainbow and because it’s a “high-flying” feast I share again this photo with you. AuthorAs an ordained Catholic priest for 45 years and a member of the Jesuits for 57 years, I've had a great deal of "spiritual" experience! This is a place where I can continue to share my thoughts about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and what it means to live the "mystery of God." Categories |
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