Homily Reflection 26th OT - GiGi and the Pope

GiGi and the Pope

Numbers 11:25-29; Psalm 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14;  James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Hubris is a word that I learned in high school or college. It was probably a word I had to learn for a vocabulary test. I probably memorized then forgot it. I learned it again in studying for the Diaconate. I learned it was a sin.

Hubris is having excessive pride. It’s the opposite of humility. Joshua and John may have had a little issue with hubris.

Eldad and Medad were in camp (among those they loved) when the spirit of God came upon them and they preached God.

Joshua comes to Moses “stop them.” They can’t be prophesizing, they weren’t at the meeting. Moses’ answer “Are you jealous for my sake?”

John came to Jesus "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us." John’s concerned was he does not follow us, not that he is following Jesus.

Joshua and John protective of who they were and their relationships were guilty of hubris. Pride is sin. Most of us are guilty. I am.

GiGi Thrasher is a minister in Moss Point, Ms. You've probably never heard of her or her ministry; but, I asked if I could tell her story and she said yes. Her blog Tents, Tarps, and Tears is about her ministry, family, and life.

Her ministry began because she saw people living under bridges. She acts as a go between for the homeless and help organizations. Along with her husband, she goes into camps, brings food, helps with appointments, helps find housing, and shares what God has done for her.

GiGi’s words to me “YOU know what a mess I was.”

Her ministry works with transitional shelters, councils, and coalitions for the homeless. This has enabled her to tap into funds for housing and rehabilitation of the homeless.

Seeing her wonderful ministry, I was guilty of hubris. It was after my ordination that I saw the announcement of GiGi’s ordination.  

I was like Joshua and John, STOP-IT. She doesn’t follow us; a woman being ordained. She’s been married twice and non-denominational. But, my biggest issue was I knew what a mess she was!”

But praise God, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. Don’t be jealous and full of self-pride. Get rid of it; cut it off.

The words of Moses “Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!"

The words of Jesus "There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

The Holy Spirit showed me “What a mess I was!”

This week Pope Francis addressed Congress (speaking of a mess.) The Catholic News Service paraphrased his address "Stop bickering, the world needs your help.”

I didn’t remember those words. I printed up the address to read and didn’t find the words; but, I found the message. A message passed by Pope Francis from the testimoney of the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton. Americans whose lives and actions speak of God, humility, service, and love.

Francis compared these peoples humility to the problems in the world that have arisen from hubris in the human condition. It’s the things James wrote about. “You have fattened your hearts ….” Hearts fattened by greed, bigotry, injustice, hatred, and the disregard of human dignity.  

Christians, the world needs our help. The Pope speaks to the world. Father Joe serves you and I. GiGi’s ministry is to the homeless and addicted.

To whom do you offer a cup of water for the sake of Christ?

Don’t be full of yourself; don’t say I can’t; don’t say I’m too messed up.

Instead, be like Eldad and Medad, go to those you care about: as spouse, parent, child, sibling, friend, neighbor, and co-worker. By our baptism, God calls each of us to lead others to Christ. Christ sends us the Holy Spirit to share his love with others.

What’s stopping you: hubris, jealousy, or self-bickering? These things keep us from allowing God to work through us.

Believing in and loving God with all our being is the potent message of our life. It is a potent message for the life of others. We bring others to Christ by the way we live, prayer, and faithfulness to God.

Police officer, firefighter, and first responder pray for those who need your help. Doctors, Nurses, and caregivers ask God to guide your care. Teachers see the needs of your students through the eyes of God.  

Look around you; who needs your ministry?

Homily Reflection 25th Sunday - Things We Argue About

Things We Argue About

Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; Psalm 54:3-4, 5, 6, 8;  James 3:16-4:3; Mark 9:30-37

Last week, we heard Jesus words “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.”

I see it all the time across the country and in our area. People standing along the road with a cross on their shoulder, smiling and waving; usually, it’s a man. He is following Jesus’ words.

But, how many ask the question. Is that what Jesus meant – stand by the highway and wave at people? Is he denying self or looking for attention? Is it following Jesus?

I’m guilty of judging them. But I still argue, usually to myself. (My wife warns me, you’re talking to yourself again. No, I practicing my Homily.)

Believers argue. Too many time the witness of our faith is an argument between believers about things we’re certain and others are wrong. That’s a conflict, an oxymoron, being certain about the mystery of God. 

These arguments/discussions are we spend our passion - human things. Things we can go on and on about that are core aspects of our religion.

Jesus asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest.

Interesting, it wasn’t about Jesus. They had just finished a trip where Jesus fed the multitude, revealed He was the messiah, and Peter, James, and John witnessed the transfiguration. But they were not discussing Jesus. It was about them - “Why I am better than you.”

We are guilty of that too. If Jesus Christ is brought up, “Oh yea, Jesus, I know Him and love Him; He’s my Savior and my Lord.” But let's argue about how great the (fill in the denomination) are. Everybody look, these are OUR things.

Things . . . ? Things that set us ablaze; things we’re stuck on it; things we’re obsessed with; things we’re fascinated by; things we love. If we’re not careful these things become about us and not about Jesus. It’s the things believers argue about, like these things:

• Evangelism: We do it better - missions; discipleship; testimony.
• Perfection: We know how - Perfect marriages; perfect children; perfect health; perfect life.
• Right and Wrong: We teach it - Inerrancy of the Bible; fallibility of the Bible; Conservatism or Liberalism (in Religion, in Politics); what’s right or wrong with our culture.
• Worship: We do it right – We’re entertaining; We have a band and videos; faith v. works; spiritual gifts; secret to salvation; end times; prosperity.

And we argue these are a mature faith. Really, mature faith is about things and not Jesus! Hmmm, Jesus put a child among those arguing apostles and said, come to me like this child. 

There is nothing wrong with these things if they are innocent, pure, and about Jesus. Yet, too many times, “Jesus,  I’ve know Him and love Him; He’s my Savior and my Lord.” But let’s discuss who’s better. We’re beyond preaching Jesus.  

We begin to worship these things and difference instead of Jesus. And, the enemy divides and conquers us with “jealousy and selfish ambition.” The enemy uses these things because we fail to bring Jesus to them. Things that are about our passion not about His passion. 

In our passion there is argument. We have a world view that is hard but simple to us. We bring the same arguments found in the book of Wisdom.

• What Jesus asks is too much;
• What He ask is not what we like;
• Forget what Jesus asks, what does the world ask.

In Jesus’ passion there is no argument. He gives us simple things to do that are hard to us.

• Love God with all that you are and love your neighbor.
• Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.
• Do this in remembrance of me.
• Preach the Gospel; baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus there is no argument only Wisdom that is “pure, peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.” 

These things can be good. If in these things we proclaim Jesus Christ, the Lord that upholds our life. Preach in these things the Good News that leads others to Him.

God doesn’t call us to argue among ourselves. God calls us to profess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the cross we take up when we follow Him.

So let’s ask the question. Are we carrying that cross, so everybody can see us or so they can see Jesus in us?

Sunday Reflection 24th "Answer the Question"

Answer the Question

Isaiah 50:5-9a; Psalm116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35

Jesus asked them “But who do you say that I am?” God is “I am.” Maybe it is better to ask, “But, who do you say God is?”

The answer that Peter gives in Mark is “You are the Christ, You are the Messiah.” In Matthew, the answer is “You are the Christ the Son of the Living God.” Luke says “the Christ of God.” In John the words are, “We have come to believe and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

If Jesus asked us, we might say something similar.” We might say “Savior of the World, Lord and Savior, Redeemer, Word of God, Shepherd, King of kings, Bread of Life,” or one of many descriptions of Jesus in the bible.

How do we answer when Jesus asks - “But, who do you say that I am?”

It’s a questions we answer by who we are in the world. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

Someone sent me a video titled “I am Christian, But I am not…”  You can watch it here.  

It’s a collection of young adults making statements about being Christian. They say:

I’m Christian but I’m not homophobic; I’m Christian and I’m definitely not perfect; I’m Christian but I’m not close-minded; but I’m not unaccepting; but I’m not uneducated; but I am not judgmental; but I’m not conservative; I’m not ignorant; but I don’t place myself on a pedestal; I’m Christian but I don’t have all the answers.

The truest statement is “I’m a Christian and I’m definitely not perfect.”  And with that and the rest of the statements is the fault of the video. It’s all about the individual’s “I am” and not about Jesus’ “I am.”

But that fault is shared by many Christians in their answer to Jesus’ question, “But, who do you say that I am?”

Stand in front of a mirror and look for the “I am.” Look at yourself as other people see you. Look at yourself, your life, your prayers, your faith, the way you worship, your family life, and the way you treat other people, the poor, those you don’t agree with. Do you see love in your eyes, a smile on your lips, an absence of worry, anxiety or tenseness in your face?  Do you present yourself to the world with respect and honor as God’s creation? Do you see Christ in you?

We shouldn’t find in the mirror a cookie cutter version of a Christian. Every Christian is different and that is a gift from God.

Remember, “I’m a Christian and I’m definitely not perfect.” Christians live in the world. We are a mirror that shows others what we truly are. We live by what’s expected of us, what’s cool, or the “in” thing. We worry about life, bills, and things we can’t control. We try to keep up with the neighbors. 

Jesus asked “But, who do you say that I am?” And we answer like Peter, thinking as human beings do. We put the “I am” of our uniqueness, bigotry, and prejudices before God. The answer is what we show to the world.

Jesus tells us the true image of a Christian. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”

People can call themselves Christian, but without a transformation like Jesus taught; we cannot change the “I am” of who the world makes us.

Jesus is asking. We need to look at ourselves for the answer. Our answer is the worlds “I am” or Jesus’ “I am.”

Reflection 23rd Sunday OT - Arms Flailing

Arms  Flailing

Isaiah 35:4-7a; Psalm 146:7,8-9, 9-10; James 2:1-5; Mark 7:31-37

I was seven and a movie scared me. It was “The Miracle Worker” the story of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan. What scared me was the wild child Helen Keller. She was blind, deaf, and mute. At the beginning of the movie Helen tries to communicate in a foreign world; running around arms flailing with sobs, screams, and groans.

Annie Sullivan comes as a teacher. She enters Helen’s world. Annie communicates with Helen by letting her touch lips, tongue, and throat. Touch taught Helen.  

Jesus came to teach change. He entered our world to touch humanity and heal us. Here he comes into the life of a man who cannot hear or speak. Jesus enters his world. Jesus sticks his fingers in deaf ears and spits on the tongue. Jesus looks to heaven and with the groan the deaf man was able to feel prayed to God. Jesus touched him. Today the risen Christ touches each of us.

Why did Jesus tell them not to tell anyone?

Jesus wasn’t there to be a miracle worker. He wasn’t “Jesus Christ, Superstar.”  He hushed people to minimize the crowds. Jesus was there to be a teacher of change; but, the miracle seekers didn’t understand. Their ears were closed to Jesus true message.   

I was like that. Sometimes, I felt like young Helen, scared and frantically running arms flailing in the world reaching out with sobs, screams, and groans to God. Then Christ touched me. Where I was broken, He healed me. He has done that for many of us, yet so many keep quiet. Jesus is not telling us to be quiet.

We should follow the example of Christ’s servant, Pope Francis; a man living in the world as a humble Christian. He preaches a message of love. Like Jesus, the world can see and hear his message but does not always understand. Even some Catholics do not hear and can end up running around flailing, sobbing, screaming, and crying.

Pope Francis preaches the same message as James. Christ has chosen the poor. Don’t make decisions based on looks or by our fear. Don’t reject those different or unattractive or in a bad place. We are to see, hear, and speak Christ in these things. If we fail, we fail to love God. We fail “the promises made to those who love him.”

Jesus’ miracles were told by those He healed. Even the apostle’s had their eyes and ears opened to the Word. Their tongues were freed to bring the gospel to the world. Pope Francis preaches the Gospel as a voice for the voiceless. He shares it with the world. We are to do the same: share the Good News with opened eyes, opened ears, and proclaim it with our mouth.

Tell the world: Love and forgive sinners; Minister and care for the sick; Give to the poor; Take care of those who cannot care for themselves; Respect life; and, Respect those with who you don’t agree. Show the world how Christ has touched you.  

If Christ is in us, we won’t be scared running around arms flailing searching for God. Instead, we see and hear. We praise the Lord by sharing his love with the world.