Of Underwear & Humility - Reflection 4th Sunday OT

Of Underwear & Humility (Readings)

The people of our country protests, name call, and bicker. It is a battle of egos, a shouting match on social media and the news driven by a concept of perfection in ideologies that are different. The demand for perfect is the enemy of the possible good. Each believes they are smarter and wiser and more devout in their opinions than others.

Ego emphasizes individuality. Our ego pushes us away from God and others. In our ego we tend to limit our interpretation of redemption and grace to those like us. That is not very many.

Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr., realized that our egos battle our reality; yet, even in humbleness we can achieve great things. “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep the streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, “Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.””

Grand egos tend to lose peace and find conflict. They lose contact with simplicity of humility.

Maybe they should hear Paul’s words:  Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, to reduce to nothing those who are something.

In this time and in this country we need to stop and listened to the Good News. For the same way the Bible tells us what not to do in the Ten Commandments, Jesus tells us what to do in the Beatitudes. I like to call them the “Blessed Be(s)”

These “Blessed Be(s)” are the recipe for humility.

To live humbly and show grace is not easy. The thing that is easy is to be a sinner. Sinners are likely to be: Arrogant, Autocratic, Coveting, Disdainful, Envious, Egotistic, Greedy, Hard Headed, Judgmental,Opinionated, Prideful, Spiteful

You get the idea!

But it is the very words of Jesus that tell us to be humble.

Blessed be the poor in spirit for they shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed be the meek, for they will inherit the land.

Blessed be the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed be the clean of heart, for they will see God.

Because of sin, it is not our natural talent or ability to be humble. For many, humility is impossible without “outside help.” That is where we find Jesus; no other help makes us humble and allows us grace.

Blessed be they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed be the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed be they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed be you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

As a Deacon, I want to live these blessed be(s). I want my ministry touch people. When I proclaim the Gospel, the Good News and words of our Lord Jesus Christ, I want it to touch people’s hearts. I want my preaching filled with the Holy Spirit. I want those who hear those words or read them to be moved.

It is for all those “I wants” that one beatitude or “blessed be” is about. For me it is the hardest.

Blessed be they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

I have to die to myself. I have to mourn all those “I wants.” God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. I have to mourn for the loss of my ego, my want for adulation, my arrogance, my vanity, and all the other things I worship in myself.

St. Paul gets it. He writes in 1 Corinthians. By God’s favor, I am what I am.

I pray that I am not too wise. I am not too powerful. I hope by His grace, I am one of God’s chosen foolish ones.  

Today many have no humility or they need to change their idea of humility. Times have changed. God hasn’t changed. The beatitudes haven’t changed. “Blessed be” all who strive to live by them.

Grand egos tend to lose peace and find conflict. They lose contact with the simplicity of humility. In fact, author Helen Neilson writes “Humility is like underwear, essential, but indecent if it shows.”  

Two simple things I learned as a child:  Always wear good and clean underwear and blessings and happiness come from the Lord.

Yall be good, yall be holy, preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

breakfast song

1 Ptr 4:10 - God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

Fishing with Light Tackle - Homily Reflection 3rd Sunday OT

Fishing with Light Tackle

(Readings)

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone….”

For most of us, a child lights up our life. A child can light up our family and our Church. So we celebrate the child. January 22 (January 23^rd this year) is a special day of prayer, For the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.

As I was getting ready for my first mass this Sunday morning, the day after the Women’s March on Washington, the news served pictures of the protest in the name of women’s rights.

In one picture a sign, “My body. My right,” and next to it the sign “Love trumps hate!” I thought what a contradiction.  A sign obviously pro-abortion was followed by message that this women’s protest was about love.

I am for women’s rights. I am for freedom, justice, and recognizing the dignity God has given each human life. I am for fair and equal treatment of each and every person.

Still today, women are passed over for promotions when they are the most qualified by skill, education, and background. Women are passed over for a raise because someone decided the men need it more. This is wrong, yet, so is ending an innocent human life; calling it a non-life and not human because to someone it is an inconvenience.

I will protest and argue the rights of every human being. I will stand-up for dignity, justice and freedom for every human life. You should too. But is it standing for freedom, justice and dignity if it doesn’t protect every human life.

Treat every human life (woman, man, born or unborn) with the dignity, justice, and in freedom God has given to us. Pray for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. Those are the worlds of a daddy proud of the young women that are my children.

It was as a child God came to us. A child was God’s sign of simplicity. He made himself small for us. The King of kings didn’t come in visible power and apparent splendor. He didn’t come to overwhelm us or to rule with fear.

He came as love that asks for our love; a child.

In the weakness of a child, Jesus came as the light to the world. His light was not great as we understand greatness. It was not a bold harsh light on the ugliness in our life. His light was great in a new way like the light of a simple candle, soft and gentle coming in love so that we could find our way out of darkness.

By this light, Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of Heaven. This light called the disciples to become fishers of men. It was in this light He went around all of Galilee, teaching, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.

In the soft and gentle light of Christ, gruff hardened fishermen became children again.

If a parent smiles at their baby long enough, the baby smiles back. As the parent speaks with a smile and a voice of love, the child grows in that love. It is the smile and voice of love that the person a child  becomes, develops.  

Every person enters this world in the same way. As a child our consciousness was shaped so the self-expression of who we are is possible. Then we meet the world.

The lucky meet those called to be fishers of men bringing the light of Christ, the gospel to the world. And in this light, the gruff hardened sinner becomes a child again.

The word of God speaks, “follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

If we have truly follow Christ and have given ourselves to the Lord, we have given him everything. We give our heart, our mind, and our body. Who do you follow? I follow Christ.

Then we too become fishers of men. We preach, teach, and witness the gospel by the light that is Christ; the light that continues to come to us in the smile and voice of our Heavenly Father thorough the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. The light that is the Word of God smiles love to the world

In His gentle light, we see our sins and come out of darkness. We who have walked in darkness have seen a great light; in his light we are called to follow him.

Christ comes no matter where we are in our lives. He comes to children, simple fishermen, or whatever we are and “Says follow me, walk in my light, and I will make you more.” He recognizes that each of us is one of the poor in spirit, to whom the kingdom of heaven belongs.

With love more innocent and pure than a parent and child, God comes to us. In the light of faith, we see the love Christ offers. In the light of His love, the one who came as a child endured the cross for us. In the light of Christ, the darkness of sin is gone and we are forgiven.

The world needs more fishers of men.

Y’all be good, y’all be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Driving Life in Today's World - 2nd Sunday OT

Driving in Today's World

This has been a busy week. Last Sunday, I preached at two masses. That evening, I drove to Shreveport for a Rosary Service for my cousin.  The next day was the Rite of Christian Burial which I participated. The graveside was performed by a Charismatic non denominational Protestant.

On Wednesday, I preached the mass for the children of Our Lady of Fatima elementary school. That evening and every day for the rest of the week I was either at a vigil service or funeral mass to attend or to serve.

During this time I was preparing a Safety Training Presentation called Driving In Today's World. I thought about that this week working with the children who are preparing to drive their life in today's world.  I thought about those whose earthly life had just ended and how they had driven and lived their lives in today's world.

Three funerals, two were for people who had lived a long life, both were in their late eighties, an age when one expects death. One, my cousin, was only in his mid-fifties, the same age as me. His death was a surprise.

Two waited for the Lord. They had lived long. They were faithful. They were dutiful. And one thought there were many more years to come. Two had priests, deacons and friends to celebrate their lives. One had many friends and many preachers, both Catholic and Protestant.

These three people lived very different lives. The way each came to the Lord was different. They were all Catholic. By their lives they witnessed for God. By the way they lived in today's world, by the way they loved, by their generosity, and the example they set they strived to preach the gospel.

The Psalmist sings, "Here I am Lord! I come to do your will." That is what the Lord wants, God wants you. God is not interested in all the fancy stuff. God wants our obedience and our heart. God wants us to say, Behold, I come.

We are called to be apostles. We are called to be his church. We are called to be holy people, no matter where we are. We are called in our flesh and in our lives; in how we are living in today's world.

We are to be like John the Baptist letting the world know the good news of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our lives are to proclaim the kingdom of God.

We might follow the example of an 88 year old man who went to daily mass, prayed for souls in purgatory, a great husband and the father of a Deacon. Or, maybe we might follow the example of an 87 year old church secretary, a wife, a mother, and a teacher to so many. The gospel may be preached to us by the generous and loving heart of a 56 year old riding a Harley Davidson.

This are the things driving life in today's world. This is how the message of salvation reaches out to each of us. This is how the message of Salvation reaches to the ends of the Earth.

Y'all be good, y'all be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen

Then He Smiled At Me - Homily Reflection Epiphany Sunday

Then He Smiled at Me (Readings)

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. When I think of the Epiphany, I remember a favorite Christmas television story from my childhood “The Little Drummer Boy.”  It was a based on a song by Katherine Davis.

The story takes place at the time of Jesus’ birth. It’s about a little orphan boy facing the twists and turns of a hard life. The little drummer boy, Aaron, witnessed the murder of his parents. Because of this, his heart was hard with hate for people. The only joy in Aaron’s life was to play a drum his father had given him. As he played the drum, his companions, a lamb, a donkey, and a camel, danced.

The twists and turns of Aaron’s life have him following three wise Kings, bringing gifts to the infant Jesus. During this journey, his beloved lamb was run over by a chariot. Aaron goes to the wise kings for help. The kings tell Aaron only the King of Kings can help him, “Go and look upon the infant Jesus.”

Seeing the baby Jesus, the little drummer boy was moved to give the only gift he had, to play for the baby Jesus on his drum.

The song begins,

“Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum”

“A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum.”

The infant Jesus smiled at the little drummer boy. The lamb is healed and so was the little drummer boy. The boy’s heart is changed. He no longer hates. In the smile of the baby Jesus, he finds joy.

This is a made up story. There is no drummer boy anywhere in the bible. But, this song tells the story of Epiphany. The realization there is something more; the realization that Jesus is our salvation.

The Gospel does tell the story of the wise men, foreigners to Israel. They were people different from the people of Israel. Yet, they realize the truth of Christ. The truth is Christ is for all - God’s salvation is for all. Lord all the nations shall adore you.

The birth of Jesus was for all so all are one in Christ - the lowly and the well born, Jews and Gentiles, male and female, all ages and all skin colors.  

The Gospel tells of King Herod, the Priests, and the Scribes. When King Herod heard what the Pharisees and scribes had to say about the birth of the messiah, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

The Priests and scribes knew prophesy. They knew the location of the new born king; yet, they did not run to worship him. Christ was not found in palaces. Salvation is not by might or by wealth or by force. God alone is the source of salvation.

The Gospel tells of the infant Jesus. He is God who showed up in person for our sake. The Gospel tells of salvation through Christ in this wounded world. Salvation is not God running away from this sinful world, but God showing up in person to be with us and to confront the problems we face.

Just like the wise men, we are on that journey to Jesus. We are searching for God. We look for truth in our life; looking for epiphany in the twists and turns of everyday life. For Christians, this epiphany is the revelation of Christ in our lives. Our epiphany is coming to know Jesus Christ.

The wise men found Jesus and it changed them. An angel appeared to them in a dream and told them to return a different way.

Finding Jesus will change us. When we come to Jesus Christ, we are changed forever. We don’t want to go back to our old way of life. When we reach a true Epiphany, when we know Jesus Christ, we change.

The whole world needs an Epiphany of Christ. The world is full of hate, violence, anger, and bloodshed. This week we’ve seen the twists and turns of a hard life. A reality of our world brought about by the hard hearts by those who do not know the joy Christ.

No one knows the truth of God before He comes into their lives. No person has ever recognized Him until He reveals himself. Only an epiphany changes hard hearts. This is when Jesus smiles on us.

I think of that song from my childhood. 

I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum. Me and my drum.

He will smile on shepherds and wise men and even a little drummer boy. He smiles on you and me. The world needs to know the joy of that smile. We bring it to the world.

Y’all be good, y’all be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen

You Know What Happened - Adoration Reflection

You Know What Happened (Acts 10:37-38)

You know what happened on the river Jordan and all over Judea, beginning in Galilee.

At the river Jordan, John was baptizing and Jesus came to be baptized. John protested but Jesus insisted. Jesus is baptized; Christ rises from the water. The world rises with him.

Jesus came to raise-up and sanctify his baptizer. He came to raise-up, sanctify, and ready the waters of baptism for our sake. Beginning in Galilee, anointed with the Holy Spirit and power of God, He went all over Judea doing good.

In baptism, we are to do the same. We rise with him and in him and through him. By our baptism and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are to do our tiny part to raise-up the world.

John asked Jesus, “How is it that you come to me?” How many times do we ask that same question?

He comes by love. He comes in the waters of baptism. He comes as the light of the world. In baptism, we are a washed in that light. By baptism in the waters and light of Christ, we are called to lift up those around us.

Realize and live your baptism. Bring the love of Christ to raise-up the world. In our baptism, we are anointed with the Holy Spirit and power of God. We are moved to do good things. We are moved to bring healing. We become witnesses of all Jesus did.

Dedicate one evening of adoration each month to pray in the presence of Christ. Pray for healing. Pray every day for healing; but, this hour is something special. Kneel before the LORD and ask Him for the healing of all of those who have asked for prayers, for healing, and especially for those who need the special healing brought by Jesus Christ in their lives.

Tonight, because of our baptism, because of Christ in our lives, we witness as active participants in all that Christ has done and will do. We live in the light of Christ: We pray for healing of our family, friends, neighbors, our community, our country, and the whole world.  Amen.