Going in Circles1/31/2024 Wednesday of the 4th Week in OT/ Memorial of St John Bosco
Do you ever feel that you are “going in circles” in your prayer? You’re reflecting on some verse of scripture, or some personal experience and then something else comes into your mind. This happens over and over and you feel like you are “going in circles.” That’s what my prayer experience was like this morning. When I went to the Chapel at EP I saw the sliver of sunlight that reminded me of another morning 4 years ago when the sky looked like a veil or a stage curtain ready to be raised. It evoked a memory of To Know A Veil, a poem that I wrote waiting for the curtain to be raised and for “who knows what” to be revealed or unveiled. to_know_a_veil.docx But then my thoughts turned to the Samuel reading in which David is punished for his taking a census of the armies of Israel. All I could think of was that God is “one like us.” Usually that phrase describes Jesus who we believe is “one like us” in all things but sin. Today, however, hearing the petulance and cruelty of God who sends a pestilence on the people because of David’s poor judgment, I couldn’t help thinking that the God who is “unveiled” is “one like us.” God appears with some of the worst traits of human beings; hardness of heart, cruelty, vengeance etc. The rational part of me believes that God in these stories is made to act in the image of “man” and not the other way around. Even if God regrets the calamity that is about to afflict the people and stays the angel’s hand, the image of God is of a deity who is all about murderous threats and not mercy. But then my mind wandered to the Psalm of the day and I was surprised to hear this verse: “With glad cries you will ring me round.” That’s where the image of going in circles came from. But this, “ring me round” is not a frustrating exercise of going nowhere but feels like a circle dance, like you may have at a wedding, with the spouses circled in love by family and friends with hands joined ringing round them. And I tried to image God’s Trinitarian circle dance around each of us? Oh to hear glad cries and be in the center of this circle! Was it my imagination or was the “unveiling” that I wrote about in the poem seeing this divine circle dance with many of my own beloved friends and family? So let me close the circle by inviting you to reflect on that image of the circle dance around you? Who is “ringing round you” with glad cries?
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Strait Away1/29/2024 Monday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time
Both David and the Gerasene “demoniac” are in such dire straits that you can feel their anguish. David’s son Absalom has turned against him and seeks his death. "Up! Let us take flight, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Leave quickly, lest he hurry and overtake us, then visit disaster upon us and put the city to the sword." As David went up the Mount of Olives, he wept without ceasing. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. All those who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went. Then Shimei throws stones and hurls insults at him. Not a good day for David! Nor for the Gerasene “demoniac” who inflicts punishment on himself. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Yesterday, I wrote about the whirlwind of activity in Jesus’ ministry in Mark. As you may know, the word “immediately” (kai euthus) is used more than 50 times in Mark’s Gospel. It’s meant to create the sense of urgency and Jesus showing up where he is needed. Another translation for “immediately” is “straight away.” That’s what came to mind this morning as I thought of the anguish of both men who are in dire straits. The origin of anguish and strait is “narrow.” So, I thought of Jesus’s coming straight away to deliver the Gerasene from the dire straits he is in. “Strait away” took on a new meaning for me. Could today be an invitation to reflect on times when you have been in “dire straits” or at least felt the kind of anguish that comes when your life’s paths are “torturous” with its twists and turns. Have you felt the presence of Jesus coming ‘”straight away” to deliver you and make those rough pathways and rocky roads smoother and more “passable?” I'm not sure why I chose the photo of the lone wanderer on the mountain top to frame this reflection. Something about it speaks to me of the journey that we all are on and find ourselves in the most unexpected places. Stormy Whether?1/28/2024 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Yesterday, one of our Jesuit elders gave a brilliant homily at the daily Mass comparing Jesus to the storm at sea which was the Gospel for the day. He spoke of how the storms on the Sea of Galilee would come out of nowhere. Like these storms, Jesus in Mark’s gospel comes out of nowhere and is a whirlwind of activity as he goes about healing and casting out demons. He also referred to Jesus as a “cyclone,” creating a kind of whiplash as people witness him moving suddenly from one place to the other. Jesus was God’s cyclonic presence in the world. I was quite taken with this image, and it has stayed with me since yesterday, even referring to “Cyclone Jesus” in my prayer this morning. We know the destructive power of storms, tornadoes, cyclones; these forces of nature that can wipe out whole landscapes. So, at some point the analogy of these forces of nature with Jesus does falter. And yet, the man possessed by a demon in today’s Gospel shrieks at Jesus, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" The demon within sees Jesus as a threat, as a destructive force. Perhaps even cyclonic? So, my question today is whether or not the comparison with the storm works for you? (That’s the reason for the title “stormy whether?”) For me, it does work to think of Jesus who is so disturbed by the evil he sees in the world that he will be like the storm, cyclone, or tornado that his desire is to eradicate it wherever he encounters it. But given the damage these storms do to the innocent, I think I’ll have to find another image for Jesus’s whirlwind of activity. Here I am writing about storms and I’m watching another kind of storm with gently falling snow. So beautiful! Perhaps we can think of Jesus being like a cyclone vis- a – vis the evil in the world, and like a gentle snow fall that blankets the world with his love. All in the Family1/26/2024 Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus
Each year on this day when we remember Saints Timothy and Titus, I have the opportunity to use the photo of my mother, Dorothy, and my grandmother, Augusta on the day of my first Mass. Of course, this comes from Paul’s asking Timothy to remember him to his mother and grandmother, Eunice and Lois. They were Timothy’s mentors not only in family matters but in faith. I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day. I yearn to see you again, recalling your tears, so that I may be filled with joy, as I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and that I am confident lives also in you. I also include the photo of my imposing hands on my parents on my ordination day. This, of course, refers to Paul’s reminding Timothy of the time he imposed hands on him for his ordination. This is why I chose “all in the family” as a title for today. I’m also thinking of Paul as a spiritual mentor/father to both Timothy and Titus. You hear his affection for them in his letters. Perhaps today you could spend some time reflecting on the spiritual mentors in your life. I know I will. The Horseless Head Man1/25/2024 The Conversion of St Paul
As I was reading the two versions of Paul’s conversion, I noticed again that the stories are “horseless.” Because of the way in which this moment in Paul’s life is dramatically portrayed by Caravaggio and others, there’s always a horse in the picture. A horse is a horse, of course, of course, unless it’s a missing horse whose name is Mr. E. And there’s the mystery. Did Paul fall riding a horse or as some suggest, horse or not, had he stopped at noon to pray and like Isaiah and others fallen prostrate, bowled over by the power and presence of God? And is the horse essential to the story? Just think of all the animals that are added to the Nativity story? The last time I wrote about this feast, I shared with you another “Story of Paul” where a camel plays a major role. Some suggest that Paul may have been riding a camel. Now that would really be a fall! Please forgive my “horsing around” with such an important feast in the life of the Church. We all know that without Paul, we would have a very different Church. It could possibly be a sect of Judaism that believed in Jesus as the Messiah. It’s interesting that the date assigned for this feast is one month after the Nativity. Could it be that Paul’s conversion experience was a birthing for him? After that day, his life would never be the same. Even his given name is changed to symbolize a new life. Praying with the scriptures today, I was struck by the coherence with the story of the Baptism of Jesus in which the heavens are opened and Jesus hears a voice that says “You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” In Paul’s story, there is another voice from heaven. This time it’s Jesus who speaks directly to Paul. As the baptism creates the possibility for the ministry of Jesus to begin, this conversion experience does the same for Paul. There is no “dove” descending, but there is the light that blinds Paul and Ananias who heals him. Sounds like the work of the Holy Spirit! And for ourselves, we may not experience dramatic conversion experiences, but there is the ongoing invitation to turn and turn again to God’s gracious love and Jesus’ companionship and the Spirit’s “enlightening.” Here's the Story of Paul again. the_story_of_paul.pdf "Fir" Ever1/24/2024 The scripture today speaks of a house for God made of cedar which was one of the woods common for house building. The cedar tree is a conifer, an evergreen.
(Hence the title, “Fir Ever” and the photo of the Evergreen tree I took this morning) God speaks to Nathan and asks his to deliver this message to David. In all my wanderings everywhere among the children of Israel, did I ever utter a word to any one of the judges whom I charged to tend my people Israel, to ask: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ The writer of this passage uses the word “beth” (house) to mean more than the physical structure made of cedar. The passage goes on to speak of creating a “house of David” that will be forever. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’” What is most striking about this passage is that it speaks of a new kind of covenant with the people of Israel. This covenant is unconditional. It does not depend on Israel’s fidelity to the law but rather it is God’s fidelity to the people, no matter what their faults or failings. The Mosaic covenant was conditional. “If you follow my commandments, you will be my people and I will be your God.” The Davidic covenant is revelatory of a God who is unconditional love. I remember growing up that we had a number of “cedar chests” in our home. It was where certain items were stored that needed to be protected and preserved. It also had a wonderful aroma. They were also referred to as “hope chests.” So, cedar is a firtree, an ever green that is sometimes used for houses but also for “hope.” Hence the title, “Fir Ever” The covenant that God makes with us is “forever” and is meant to preserve our hope, our faith and our love. As we hear in the responsorial psalm “Forever I will maintain my love for my servant.” The photo below is a wooden chest in our house and even though it’s not made of cedar, I hope it can evoke the memory and the aroma of cedar chests. What a Whirl!1/23/2024 Tuesday of the 3rd Week in OT
It should come as no surprise that today’s reading from the Book of Samuel where David dances with abandon before the Ark is one of my favorites. As someone who has spent his life choreographing dances whose purpose is to reveal the power and mystery of God, this text always felt like a validation. And I would always remind my critics of Michal’s response and David’s riposte to her. It’s not in the reading today. 16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart. 20 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” 21 David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.” 23 And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death. And here is my poem “What a Whirl!” It’s one of my favorites. What a Whirl! Ark advancing El Shaddai, Shy, yet asking Shall we waltz, King? or two-step or tango or try a tarantella? Shall we dance, King? And I, David answer with abandon, Ah! Yes! Today shall be our dancing day! David dancing, whirling, dervish-like bowing, bending, arc-like arms akimbo, swinging, swirling swaying in ecstasy, entranced. Suffice it to say, shamelessly. David dancing A warrior waltzing A leader leaping A Kingpin spinning, twisting, turning, casting care to the wind, carried away. clad only in ephod baring his body and soul to the whirl, for all to see. Suffice it to say, seamlessly. Watching from a window Michal sees and scorns the dancer and the dance. She cries and crows, How humiliating! How undignified! Your kingly bearing betrayed, barely clad, cavorting, leaping like a gazelle, A dancing King disgraced! Suffice it to say shamefully! David divining son Solomon’s song, “My lover leaps gazelle-like.” David rejoining “Praise God in the festive dance!” David rejoicing “with timbrel and dance” Suffice it to say, What a Whirl! - "One" for "All"1/22/2024
Monday of the 3rd Week in OT These are such troubling times in which we live. So much division! And now it seems clear that this year will be rife with even more political divisions, especially with the probable nomination of former President Trump who has always been someone who divides and does not unite. I’m sorry to begin the week on a “downer” but I can think of very few leaders who want to bring people together rather than find ways of uniting them with their differences. If you read today’s scriptures, you hear about King David who was a “one of a kind” as a leader of Ancient Israel. He would rule over all Israel and Judah for 46 years. And yet, he would rule by force and ultimately the kingdom would be divided. Jesus, too, speaks of division. He is accused of allying himself with Beelzebub. They cannot see God’s spirit working in him. We are presently in the Church Unity Octave where we pray for an end to division among Christian churches, but we may need to extend that prayer to include unity among all believers and non-believers. What is it within us that refuses to see the bond we share in a common humanity? If we believe that Jesus is the “One” for “All” humankind, how we can we not be instruments of unity and peace and not dissension and discord? Speaking of being a “downer,” I’m reminded of a reflection I did a few years ago that was inspired by the song “One” from a Chorus Line. It was part of a larger reflection for the Third Sunday of the Year. Although it was a different cycle, the Gospel was similar to yesterday’s “Call of the Disciples.” In the reflection, I said that there was no “audition” or “casting call” for the first disciples. (Remember they were fishermen casting their nets! ) Since “A Chorus Line” is all about auditions and casting calls, it worked for the reflection. But I also was inspired to write a version of “One” based on a chorus line of geese. (That’s the “down” connection”) Many years ago, I learned how to knit. I even succeeded in knitting a pair of leg warmers for the dance classes I was taking. I was very proud of myself but, honestly, I do knot know how to “cast on, knit and purl” anymore. I do hope I can leave you in stitches when you see the photos of the geese above and below. As I passed them by yesterday as I was reflecting on the “casting call,” I couldn’t help thinking that that’s what they were waiting for. Looks like some of them were cast in ‘A Canada Geese Line.” This would be the finale. (Oie is the French for Goose!) Oie! singular sensation every palmate step she takes Oie! Thrilling combination every waddle she makes Oie! Honk and suddenly nobody else will do You know you’ll never be gaggling with you know who! Oie! Moment in her presence and you can forget the rest For the goose is second best to none, son Oooh! Oie!, give her your attention. Do I really have to mention? Oie’s the One! Yes I am a silly goose! A Whale of a Tale!1/21/2024 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
The first reading in today’s liturgy is from the book of Jonah. It doesn’t include the “big fish” part of the story but I refer to it in my homily that I’ll be giving shortly. It just so happens that the cover story of the NY Times Magazine is about a white whale. That’s the reason for the photo. 3rd Sunday of the Year If you were not familiar with the story of Jonah and only heard today’s very edited text, you would probably assume that Jonah was a good, obedient prophet, open to doing and saying whatever God asked of him. As you know, he was anything but! Well, he may have been a good guy or why else would God have chosen him? But obedient? No, he runs away from God because he knows that God is merciful and won’t punish the Ninevites if they repent. The wonderful irony of the story of Jonah is that he’s the one who is called to preach repentance and everyone in the story; the Ninevites, the animals, even God repents and has a change of heart. But Jonah? He’s the only one who doesn’t. He’d rather sit and sulk and complain to God. About 30 years ago I wrote a children’s play based on the book of Jonah. Its title was Jonah and Welly. Welly was the name of the whale in whose belly Jonah ended up. His name was Wellington the third but as he says to Jonah, “You can call me Welly, since you’re sitting in my belly.” In the play, Welly becomes a therapist for Jonah, trying to help him deal with his hurt, anger, resentment, lack of personal freedom. Welly’s diagnosis is that Jonah can’t let go of his disappointment with God and himself. As he says” Welly: My diagnosis is “narcissistic disturbance” fluctuating between depression and grandiosity. Jonah: What does that mean. Welly: It means you’re not happy with who you are, Jo but hey, who really is? That what’s neat about life… you can always change. That’s why God asked You to go to Nineveh and say “repent.” Maybe God wants You to have a change of heart, too. Find your true self and know that God loves you, the Nivevites, everybody. Might there be anything in the character of Jonah that we recognize in ourselves? How hard is it for us to let go of our fears, prejudices, resentments? How do we find the interior freedom that allows us to let go and have a “metanoia,” a change of heart? I’m presently directing someone in the 19th annotation and one of the exercises this week is the Three Classes of Persons. I have to be honest and say that this is my least favorite of all the major Ignatian Meditations in the Exercises. I remember when I made the 30 day in 1983, when it came to this meditation, I had a good deal of resistance. Where was that coming from? I knew that I could not measure up. I would never get to achieve the third class. I would never have the kind of interior freedom that Ignatius speaks of. To use Kevin O’Brien’s description from the Ignatian Adventure: The first class are those who procrastinate. They really want to have the freedom of letting go of their attachments but they keep postponing. The second class are the compromisers. They try to make up for their lack of freedom by working really hard, going the extra mile to prove that they are committed to Christ. But still there is resistance to letting go. The third class, as you know, are those who surrender themselves to God with complete detachment. When you hear today’s gospel, it’s easy to think that those first disciples had already achieved this third class. All they needed was to hear Jesus’ call to them and the left their nets, their livelihoods, their father and who knows what else to follow Jesus. As I wallowed in self-pity and sulked in sadness at my inability to “go to the head of the class” after all these years of procrastination and compromise, I returned to the story of Jonah to see if it could speak to me about interior freedom. The question that I ask is this. Did God love Jonah any less because he was a cranky, whiney, complainer? Did God love Jonah any less because he was so resistant to God’s being, “slow to anger, and abounding in kindness?” Or as I said at the end of the play, Jonah and Welly: And God loved Jonah, just as he was—grumpy, sulky, and stubborn – for God abounds in steadfast love. God’s love for us is bigger than a whale, bigger than the ocean, bigger than the universe. And then I thought again about the call of the disciples. If Peter is any example of interior freedom, he had a long way to go! He would need the encounter with the Risen Lord to give him the freedom to let himself be loved unconditionally, with all his faults and failures. Getting to the head of the class, achieving the interior freedom that Ignatius speaks of and to which Jesus invites us isn’t about steeling ourselves with determination to be the best. It’s not about our “will” but our willingness to let ourselves be loved in a way that gives us the freedom to know a change of heart and to love as we are loved. And here’s a link to Jonah and Welly j/uploads/8/4/8/1/8481096/jonah_and_welly.pdf 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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