God-Sib5/31/2019 Feast of the Visitation
"Mary set out in haste and travelled to the hill country to a town of Judah where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth." On this feast of the Visitation I’d like to share with you a homily I gave on the 4thSunday of Advent 2000. The Gospel that Sunday was the one we hear on this feast. “Are there any gossips here this morning? Now, don’t be embarrassed by the question. Will you own up to your love of gossiping? Are there any godparents here? Sponsors for baptism? I thought so. Did you all know that you are gossips? That’s what the word means, a sponsor at someone’s baptism. It literally means God-sib or “someone who has a special relationship, special kinship through God.” Gossips, in its original meaning were those who rejoiced and made merry at the birth of a child. (I learned this about gossiping from a chapter titled “Visiting Women” in Anne Thurston’s book on women in the scriptures called “Knowing her Place”) So all you gossips, or want to be gossips, why a homily about gossiping? Because we hear this morning the beautiful gospel of two women, gossiping. Mary and Elizabeth are already related by blood, but now their kinship as God-sibs is something so much more. God has worked marvels for each woman in their unexpected pregnancies. They recognize God’s mothering them in a new way, mid-wiving their births to-be. As Elizabeth says to Mary, "At the sound of your greeting, the babe in my womb leaped for joy! Blessed are you who believed that the Lord’s word to you would be fulfilled!" Or as Mary sings, “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my savior!” Women’s words! Words of faith, of hope, of joy! Women gossiping! Revealing God’s life stirring, leaping and dancing within them. So let me be silent and stand in awe of such great mystery and such great gossip! And finish this brief “visitation” with another woman’s words. Dancing God by Joyce Rupp Dancing God tumbling from somewhere into Jewish territory whirling Spirit seeding Mary's womb with alluring divinity Dancing God uncontainable granduer kicking and rolling in Mary's flesh while untamed cousin echoes the dance in aunt Elizabeth In 1980, almost 40 years ago I choreographed a dance to Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending that tried to capture the movement of the Spirit through the Annunciation, Visitation and Nativity. In the Visitation section there is a moment when Mary and Elizabeth seeing make haste toward each other and with one arm wrapped around the other’s waist and the other held high, they spin and whirl around each other. I found this photo of Carol Faherty as Mary and Diana Daly as Elizabeth from 1984. I think it captures the joy of this moment, although in "haste" it did not make it to the "waist."
1 Comment
Eye-Opening Irises5/30/2019 Feast of the Ascension of the Lord/ Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter
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!) Today is the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, 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 21stCentury 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 Valjean, 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. Redolent Rhododendrons5/29/2019 Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
I’m pretty sure that this is the first time I’ve ever used the word “redolent” in speech or writing. I was searching for a word to describe the beauty of rhododendrons “popping” out in beauty and splendor. Raucous and rambunctious were two that came to mind. Rhododendrons thrive on Cape Cod because of the sandy soil. Like the wisteria, they can be really wild, unruly and untamed. Hence, “raucous and rambunctious.” Then the word “redolent” came to mind. I had some sense of its meaning but I was delighted when I found this: Redolent: strongly reminiscent or suggestive of something/ evocative, suggestive, reminiscent, remindful/ fragrant or sweet-smelling. Watching a rhododendron bush form its buds over a long period of time and then waiting for the “popping” is one of the beauties and marvels of nature. Like the wisteria blooming, the “rhodos” with their riot of color make my spirit soar. When you have the chance to focus on nature, you notice the many marvels that are manifestations of the beauty and power of creation and the Creator. That’s what Paul was working with in his speech to the Athenians in today’s reading from Acts. To paraphrase Paul, “Look around at this world and recognize the One in whom all things “live and move and have their being.” “Think Big! Or Think Small! There is One God who made all.” I hope these rhododendrons might be “redolent” for you, beautiful in themselves but also evocative reminders of the creative Spirit of God who gifts the world with such rambunctious, riotous, raucous beauty. (And God's spirit can be pretty rambunctious, riotous and raucous. Think Pentecost!) Now that I think of it, I could have titled this “Merry Poppins”! Wishteria5/28/2019 Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
I’ve been wishing for wisteria. The sight of wisteria blooming has always lifted my spirits. I realize they are “unruly” and have a tendency to take over wherever they are planted but what vine doesn’t? This spring, in particular, I‘ve been wishing to see wisteria. I even googled “Wisteria on Cape Cod” but only found an antique store with the name “Wisteria.” The irony is that there is a wisteria vine in the backyard of a friend’s family’s home that I frequently visit. The wisteria was planted about 25 years ago and each spring they have waited for it to bloom but it never has. They had given up on ever seeing the beauty of wisteria blooming in their backyard but still had to grapple with its unruly reach. Just yesterday I was visiting and volunteered to do some pruning and what to my wondering eyes should appear? A few fragile blooms, hidden from sight behind the leaves. After waiting for 25 years, the vine was blooming! Not in great abundance, not flourishing but these few blossoms made my spirit soar. These days before Pentecost the scriptures are preparing us for the “sending of the Spirit.” Today I’m thinking the Spirit is as “unruly” as a wisteria vine. The Spirit doesn’t follow rules. You have to wait patiently for the Spirit and you may find her working in unusual and unexpected places. “The Spirit blows where it wills.” When it comes to the Holy Spirit, we are not in control. Sometimes it’s like a game of “hide-and go seek” with the Spirit. Sometimes it’s the Spirit who is hiding and we are seeking and sometimes it’s the other way around. One of the Spirit’s gifts to me at this time in my life is finding her hidden in the beauty of creation more than in any institutional structure. The Spirit is always “surprising.” I know I need to just keep looking. Speaking of looking, can you see the tiny bird hidden in the branches of these trees? That’s the Spirit!!! May, We Remember5/27/2019 Monday of the 6th Week of Easter
On this Memorial Day, we remember all those who have given their lives in military service to our country. It’s also a day when many remember their loved ones, placing flowers on their graves. The photos I have chosen speak for themselves. On this Memorial Day, I’m also thinking of the Church’s memory of strong women of faith who appear in the Acts of the Apostles. Lydia, whom we hear about today, is one of the most notable. She is a “dealer in purple, a business woman who is also in charge of her household. She sounds like a “super woman.” And she is open to hear the word of God in a new way and come to believe in the Good News of Jesus Christ through the work of the Spirit. On this Memorial day, I’m praying for two strong women of faith who like Lydia are “super women” in all they have accomplished professionally and in raising family. They also at this time are suffering physical, debilitating illnesses. I would ask your prayers today for Tina and Molly You know Tina from her frequent comments on my reflections. Yesterday’s was especially moving. My strength comes from the Lord. My struggle is to stop wondering why this awful disease happened to me and to focus instead on God’s love for all of us, including me. I will also try to enjoy the beauty all around me—the sun, the trees, the flowers, the sea. Only a very loving God could have created them. Molly is a former student from Boston College whom I directed in a one woman show, Julian, based on the life and writings of Julian of Norwich. Molly is an amazing “superwoman” who has continued performing this piece for decades, raised an extraordinary family and done incredible work in Tanzania with her husband Mark. You can check it out at partners4hopetanzania.org As I read Molly’s post on Facebook today asking for prayers after a very delicate surgery, I wanted to ask you for prayers for her and express my gratitude for her Lydia-like love for the Good News. I want to believe with Julian of Norwich that for Molly and for Tina “All Shall be Well.” Be Leaving5/26/2019 6th Sunday of Easter
I will most likely use the photo above for Ascension Thursday but I also thought it would work for today’s reflection about Jesus’ leave taking of his disciples.(It's clear from the picture that someone was taking off and going somewhere!) As Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “I will be leaving but I will come back to you.” What he doesn’t tell them is that he will not be returning the same way that he left. A transformation will happen through his cross and resurrection that will dramatically change the disciples’ relationship with him. There will be times when they don’t even recognize him. It will take the Advocate, the Holy Spirit to open their eyes so that they might know and understand the depth of his love for them. From now until Pentecost, the emphasis in the scriptures will be Jesus’ leaving and the sending of the Advocate. It is the Spirit who enables our “believing.” It is the Spirit who will help us in our struggles to believe in God’s presence in our broken world. As is my custom on Sundays, I’d like to share with you some part of a homily from the 6thSunday of Easter 2004. “Yesterday I picked up the phone and the person on the other end asked, “Is this the Home Depot.? I laughed and said, “No this is not the Home Depot. It’s St. Ignatius church.” The other person didn’t laugh with me. I think she couldn’t figure out how she got from the Home Depot to St. Ignatius Church. For some reason, that question, “Is this the Home Depot?” stayed with me all day. It even shifted my focus for preaching this morning. (I was planning to focus on the first reading, thinking how difficult it must have been for the early Jewish community to make such a radical change in thinking about their relationship with God. “We’ve always done things this way,” you can almost hear them say. “We have always recognized circumcision and dietary laws as signs of God’s covenant with us. How can we possibly change the way we look at the world and our covenant? We have always done it this way!” But God in Jesus is doing something totally new. God’s Spirit is building up the church in a new way) Building up! Back to the home depot! So how is the church like the home depot? I’ve been to the home depot lately. Too many times! And all I can say is that is overwhelming! I always have to ask for help. There are so many “unknowns” for me. I get the sense that I can find anything I need. Most of the time I stand there in awe and confusion! Where do I find what I’m looking for? I still didn’t know where I was going with this comparison between the Home Depot and the church until very early this morning, Guess what came on the radio? A commercial for Home Depot! I listened attentively. Was this the Holy Spirit guiding me? The last line gave it to me. “YOU CAN DO IT! WE CAN HELP!” I think that’s it. You can do it …we can help. This spiritual home, this church is where you come to be built up as the people of God. As Jesus says, “I am sending you the Holy Spirit to be with you. I am empowering you as my disciples.” You can do it! You can spread the good news of God’s love and compassion in me! You can have the gift of peace and give others the gift of peace. Not as the world gives it. A deep peace, like taking a deep breath, that calms all your fears and anxieties. Do not let your hearts be troubled! I am with you. I am giving you my spirit to be with you always! You can do it…God’s Spirit can help! Yes, the church is pretty overwhelming too! We come here with a sense of how overwhelming life can be! We stand here sometimes in awe and sometimes in confusion! How will I find what I am looking for? Do I even know what I need? Each of you comes with all your life joys and struggles, your concerns and cares for your families, your anxieties and your hopes for genuine peace. We are all here asking for help from God and from each other. That’s why we make this our spiritual home. We hopefully find here the help we need to build up our home life, our commitment to justice and peace in the world. Is this God’s Home Depot? You can do it … God’s Spirit can help! Par-Disciples aka Participles5/25/2019 Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Today’s reflection shares in yesterday’s grammatical gyrations. “Participles” provide the inspiration for this reflection. How did I come up with Par-Disciples? First the sound of the word. Second, its origins in the Latin word, “participare” or share. Third, my favorite pastime is playing golf and rejoicing when I make “par.” Fourth, this week’s Gospels have all been about discipleship. To be a disciple of Jesus means to share in his Spirit, his Life, his Love. He makes it very clear that as he has loved us, so we must love one another. To be a disciple of Jesus means that we are called to keep his commandment to love and serve as he did. Sadly, many of us who call ourselves his disciples are “sub-par” in our inability to love, forgive and accept differences. As the song goes, “They will know we are Christians by our love.” Unfortunately, judgment and condemnation score with more frequency than acceptance and compassion. You may have noticed in the past week, there is a great deal of repetition in the Gospels we have heard. It’s as if Jesus is “driving” home his message. He’s “pitching” love and service as hallmarks of discipleship. He’s “chipping” away at our defenses so that we can let his words “sink” in. He’s “putting” his way of self-gift over ours of self-interest. The invitation is always to be “on a par” with Jesus who calls each of us to follow him and share in his love, being Par-Disciples. (Today's photos are from two of the most beautiful courses I've had the privilege to play, Eastward Ho on Cape Cod and the one below from the Austrian Alps.) In-Tense5/24/2019 Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.” As the Father loves me, so also I love you.” Now that’s intense! But is it more intense in the present perfect tense or in the present tense? And what about the future and the future perfect? For some reason I’ve been wondering about the translations of this passage that we heard in yesterday’s Gospel. The present perfect gives the sense that this love is nothing new, that it comes out of a past relationship of love. The preset tense feels more immediate, even more intimate. I know it’s a very subtle difference but there is something very intense about “As the Father loves me, so I also love you.” (I couldn’t put my hands on my Greek New Testament so I’m not sure what the original tense is.) Tense can refer to something or someone being “stretched” and or “rigid.” Another sense of tense has to do with time; the tenses of a verb. Both uses may be useful for our reflection today. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you…. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” That’s pretty intense! It can be a real stretch to believe that we are in this intimate relationship of friendship with Jesus, especially when life's challenges are overwhelming. So that's when we may need to think about Jesus as friend "yesterday, today, and tomorrow." In the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius, he asks the retreatant to reflect on the questions: What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What will I do for Christ? In the light of the friendship Christ offers us, could we pose the questions this way? What has Christ done for me? What is Christ doing for me? What will Christ do for me? To paraphrase the Carole King song, “You’ve Got a Friend” Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call. And I’ll be there, yes, I will. You’ve got a friend. Now that’s INTENSE! I took the photo above of the rhododendrons beginning to bloom because it seemed to capture the “past, present and future.” You see the buds and some of them are blooming in the present, others will bloom in the future but all share in a past that has brought them to this spring. The other photos are meant to suggest the friendship of Christ who is “for all seasons." Heaven Scent? Lilac or Lily?5/23/2019 Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter Are there lilac trees in this part of town? Yes, definitely. There is no lack of lilacs. I’ve been looking at lilacs for the past week or so. I’ve also been waiting for a day when I could include them in my reflection. When Brenda mentioned in her comment the other day that the scent of lilacs was overpowering the fumes of cars and buses where she works, she gave me the inspiration for this reflection. There also happens to be a bed of "lily of the valley" near by. The fragrance of lilac is unmistakable. It is bold and can be overpowering. The fragrance of "lily of the valley" is subtle and understated. Both are evocative in their own way. These fragrances can awaken something in us. Like the scents of sauces cooking on a stove that awaken memories of meals and moments around a table with friends and family, these fragrances can open us up to beauty and bounty and God's creation.
Many mystics speak of their awareness of God’s presence through a floral fragrance. Heaven scent might be the smell of roses, or lilacs or lilies (Easter or “of the valley.”) Whether it be the overpowering fragrance of the lilac, the subtle one of the "lily of the valley" or the sweet smell of the rose, it can evoke a sense of the Other. One of the geniuses of St Ignatius of Loyola’s ways of praying is the use of all of the senses. They awaken us a longing for God and an awareness of the presence of God with us. In today’s Gospel Jesus says, “I have told you this that my joy may be in you and your joy be complete.” The fragrance of lilac, lily or rose can be a source of joy for us. Remember he “rose” and that is certainly a reason for joy! Fructi-For-US5/22/2019 Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Believe it or not, "fructiferous" is a real word and not my invention. As you can see by the title, I’m playing with yesterday’s “Splendiferous.” Where that means, “light bearing,” fructiferous means “fruit bearing.” I think it’s kind of “peachy,” pairing yesterday and today. It’s really grape! At this point you may be griping, whining or thinking “ouch.” Enough of the word play! If I had an editor, I’m sure she/he would be “pruning” this reflection so that it could be more “fructiferous.” The Gospel of the vine and the branches has always been one of my favorites. The intimacy between God, the vine grower, Jesus the vine and the disciples, the branches, is an invitation to reflect on the life source that Jesus is for us. Without the Jesus connection, we would be incapable of being fruitful in the way that he asks us to be. “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in them will bear much fruit because without me you can do nothing.” We might add, “With you, we can do everything.” (Or at least if feels like that!) As uplifting as these words of Jesus are, there is the “pruning process” that he speaks of that is necessary if we are to be “fructiferous.” I have to admit that when it comes to pruning, I have some sour grapes/gripes in that I feel bad for the branches that are cut off so that others can flourish. I don’t mind so much if the branch is dead but when it still has life in it, I just want to say “ouch.” I understand that for the tree, the plant, the bush to be healthy and grow, pruning is necessary but still… And what about us? Are there parts of us that need pruning? “The vine grower takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit and everyone that does, he prunes that it may bear more fruit.” Yes, the pruning process is painful but the point is a plenitude of peaches, pears, plums, pomegranates, papayas, pineapples, persimmons, pumpkins, and of course “prunes.” The photo above, which i did not take, looks "practically perfect" in every way! The symmetry of the vines, the height, width, length, breadth, depth, offer the promise of an amazing harvest of grapes, the fruit of the vines. It's clear, though, that they would not be looking that way or "fructiferous" had the vine dressers not taken care to nurture and prune them when needed. And what about us? Are we willing to subject ourselves to God's pruning, no matter how painful? (For me it depends on the day!) One of the Ritual Plays that I wrote years ago was called "The Silly Seed." It's about a "seed" that thinks it's the center of the universe. It has no idea that without Sun, Water and Earth it would be nothing. It could bear no fruit. When it hears about "pruning," it wonders whether it wants to grow at all! I'd be happy to send anyone who wants a copy since i can't figure out how to get a copy of the story on the site! Just let me know. If this reflection did not "whet your appetite" for the fruit of the vine and the fruits of the summer season, perhaps these images will. 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 |
Proudly powered by Weebly