Sunday Readings

The Jeanne Jugan Canonization and our Celebration in the Bronx
Higher Vision

It's rather easy to say that God blesses us. We can count our blessings and even take them for granted. That is human nature. But regardless of God's goodness or our appreciation of that goodness, we feel a little tinge of something when we find that God has blessed someone else. I remember there was a parish event and its annual raffle and I know people who were truly upset at who won because they honestly felt they didn't deserve to win.

But hold on here -- a raffle is based on random numbers. Those numbers do not care about the family history, job situation, local reputation or anything else of that sort. There seems to be a hidden standard in each of us that determines who goes where and who gets what. Even the nicest of us can do this. So what's really going on?

In the first reading in the Gospel today, that strange dynamic is at work. Two of the appointed leaders were not at the ceremony and yet they receive the spirit from God. The people objected; these two did not do it the right way. They weren't officially initiated and they had the audacity to use the gifts God had given them. In the Gospel, the power of Jesus' name was strong enough that people were using it but they were not initiated into the company of the disciples.

Jesus, tender and loving as He is, blows the disciples out of the water. He says that anyone who is not against us, is with us. And then using standard Jewish hyperbole, He speaks to them of getting rid of whatever keeps us from being perfect. This is not a matter of self-mutilation or exclusion. This is a matter of divine vision.

We can be so sure of what we think we see that everyone else is wrong. It has been proven that a dozen witnesses can see the same crime and describe it 12 different ways. Our education, intelligence, and experience all color what we see. There's nothing wrong with that, as long as it is never absolute. When it comes to spiritual matters, like we hear in the readings today, we are being warned to avoid this human tendency.

The most correct interpretation of things and vision of what really is belongs to God alone. In God's own eternity, no one is new or old. No one is in and no one is out. The only thing that separates us from God and one another is sin. But those human varieties we called the ‘spice of life’ do not carry the weight of divine authority. As much as we may feel one way of doing something is the best, we have to refer to the entire matter to God. For example, some may be convinced the best way to show charity to the sick is to run a hospital. Others may believe that writing a check is the best they can do. Still others, believe getting a medical degree and going out into the field to work directly with the sick is superior to all others.

Another example: to feed the hungry we can sell all we have and go across the globe distributing food. Others, may help out at a food pantry. Still many others, will come home at the end of the day and put food on their family table.

From God's point of view, what matters is not how the sick are cared for but that they are cared for. What counts is that the hungry are fed more than the ego of the provider is fed. In other words, it is not about us. Obviously, we need prudence here as well because we are faced with moral issues in health care today that complicate this task. Assisting others should never require the price of our soul.

Remember, God is the one who blesses; we just sometimes happen to be the instruments. It is God who chooses us not we who choose how he chooses us.

There is a great secret to happiness in this. If we spend our time determining who is on what list, we are missing the main event. Instead Jesus is giving us the freedom to not be God. For all of our definitions, God does as God chooses to do. We are free to rejoice, receive, and celebrate the wonderful things in life. Unless something is contrary to the will of God, it can be good. It is a matter of vision; can we see as God sees?

I am not really a big fan of playing secular music at religious events. It too often can come off as trite and even vulgar. But there is one song I can make a grudging exception to: Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World.” In each verse, he sings of the ordinary things of life: trees, children, people in love. And at the end of each verse he sings, "and I think to myself, what a wonderful world." In a secular way, it is a litany of the vision of God. It affirms the good in this life.

As Christians, we take this one step further. We refer the good in this life to the Origin of all that is good. This is one time we really focus on the end result more than anything. No, maybe it is not our idea of how things should be or operate. But still, God works and often his ways are not really all that mysterious.

On October 11, I will be in Rome, privileged to be at the canonization of blessed Jeanne Jugan and Father Damien of Molokai, known as the "leper Priest." Both of these saints did not follow the script others so easily and so usually set for everyone else. Damien was on track for a successful career in the church. He gave it up for a work few would consider appropriate or productive. And for a good portion of her life, Jeanne Jugan dedicated her efforts on behalf of the elderly poor who, to put it bluntly, were not what would be called "productive members of society." Sadly, many today still do not. Both of them heard the voice of God later in life. Despite objections from those who knew them, they were able to see things from the vision of God.

Look around your life. See what good things and wonderful opportunities God is giving you. Don't beat yourself up with a silly form of guilt because you take some things for granted. Welcome to the human race! This is not something negative; it is a positive call to refocus on what God has given. We rejoice in what God has done in these two saints, and so many, many, others who were able to see a glimpse of the vision God has for this wonderful world of ours. Yes, there is no reason to limit what He is doing and giving to the world today.

God created us in love and even more wonderfully re-created us in grace. See that from His view point and our view will be so much clearer.

Sunday Readings

The Jeanne Jugan Canonization and our Celebration in the Bronx
We Are All Vegetables

Back in fifth grade, I was petrified. You see way off in the corner classroom on the top floor there was a teacher named Rolston Coles. His nickname was "red-hot Coles." His awesome stature was increased by his role as our Latin teacher. I feared his wrath so I tried to sit as far back from his desk as I could. In the comfort of the back row, I tried to convince myself that I was invisible.

But then it happened. We had been assigned to learn the conjugation of the verb "essere - to be.” And guess who was the first one be called upon to conjugate the verb in front of the whole class? It was evident very quickly that I was not able to fulfill the task because I had not done my homework. What I heard next can only be described as similar to the archangel’s trumpet signaling the end of the world. He said, "Dunn, you veg-it-able- come here.” I rose feeling the separation of body and soul and made my way to the front desk. He repeated those words of doom as he rolled up a newspaper. He demanded I extend my hand and he held up the rolled instrument of wrath as if to strike. And he did he by gently touching the tip of the newspaper to my extended palm. The entire class (and most especially myself) burst out laughing and I was told to be seated. I felt like Daniel rescued from the lions den, saved like a castaway discovered by a random ship.

By the way, sum, es, est, sumus, estis, sunt. Because of what happened that day, I doubt I will ever forget how to conjugate the present indicative active singular of the verb essere. In other words, I actually learned.

I bring up this childhood memory because it is an illustration of what I believe we find in the Gospel today. Mr. Coles’ method was designed to communicate what was foundationally important rather than to demonstrate how I was wrong.

In this section of the Gospel, Jesus predicts His passion, death, and resurrection to the disciples. They immediately engage in a schoolyard argument and a popularity contest. The disciples were paying no attention to the foundational belief of our faith but were jockeying over who would be number one. And Jesus sees this problem and takes it very seriously.

Jesus could have responded with divine anger, casting a few plagues here and there, and abandoning the disciples to eternal damnation. Instead, He literally holds up a child as the personification of our faith.

In the ancient world a child was loved but society did not treat them as we do. They were the future labor force, military force, and those who will be responsible for the biological continuation of the tribe or community. They were "precious cargo" only with respect to their potential. They were defenseless in world of high infant mortality and had no social safety net as we do today.

Discipleship had to be similar. Its sole reason would be to continue through the generations to come the grace won by Christ through His cross. Knowing the sad history of those trying to bring hope to the world, Jesus knew they would be defenseless before the worldly forces of despair. He knew they had to rely on the sustenance and the comfort of the family of God.

This method worked. The disciples got the message because we hear it at Mass today.

But it is not an easy message, is it? Human beings like to be number one. We've all said, in the middle of conflict, "I'm going to give them a piece of my mind." Our quickest solution is condemnation. Isn't it amazing how we can look back at certain times we were yelled at, punished, lectured and how easily we ignored it. But hopefully we can also see the "encouraging correction" we accepted when we knew our parents or teachers were not out for vengeance because we happened to be wrong.

A church that only condemns is condemned to close. A Christian who only points out faults will soon find themselves pointing to oblivion. Tearing down only tears down. Anger and rage are not inspiring even if they are satisfying to those who need to "tell it like it is."

To hold back condemnation is a humiliation. It means suppressing the ego out of charity for the other. It can often mean surrendering our rights of the moment for the benefits of the future. Good teachers and good parents know the truth of this. Explosive personalities can be powerful, self-assured, and even entertaining; but in the end they often leave large messes and build up nothing.

You and I have a vocation to leave behind more than an impression; we are called to leave the world impressed with the image of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, this is what it means to serve one another. Anger and ego rarely help in this task. And that is why we look to the example of Christ.

Look, we are human beings prone to outbursts and limited by inflated egos that limit our long-term view. God's grace that we see in the gentleness of Jesus Christ is a wisdom we are assured will be given to us. Our effectiveness as servants of the Christian gospel desperately needs it. We, ourselves, know how often we refuse it -- even to ourselves.

This gospel is really more about vision than it is about service or hierarchy or simplicity. It is about allowing the vision of Mercy to take root in our own hearts and become active in our daily life.

The example of Christ almost demands that we see beyond the moment, beyond the offense, beyond the mistake to what is lasting. And in our prayer in this quest is that we be patient and merciful even with ourselves. God clearly is with us.

Mr. Coles was right; I was a vegetable. But what he showed produced a fruit far more lasting. May God grant us that same vision and the strength to first put ourselves last for the good of others and the salvation of our souls.

Sunday Readings

The new Jeanne Jugan Residence Website
and Canonization links.
After With

Now that school has begun, millions of children will be evaluated on how well they solve problems. For the rest of us, many aspects of daily life involves the same skill. Solving problems is a human requirement and each of us approaches a solution in one of two ways. The first is the simple, bottom-line result. The second, is learning the method to get to that result. For instance, if my engine is making noise I bring it to mechanic, he fixes it, problem solved. But if I took the time and put in the effort I could learn why my engine was making noise and take action to correct it. Both solutions achieve the same result but one is more personally involved. The second method needs a teacher. It goes to the old proverb of the person who is hungry can be given a fish or taught how to fish.

Religion poses the same question. If we ask the question ‘why do good people suffer especially for doing good’, we can be given two answers. The first is that it is God's will and that's all. That is said with a voice of authority and backed with documented theology. The second answer is found in today's Gospel. Jesus tells His disciples that He will suffer, die, and rise. He makes it clear that this will also be the lot of those who follow Him. But Jesus speaks this in a very particular setting. He doesn't offer the consolation and challenge of discipleship from the top of a mountain; He speaks to them on the way.

It seems as if Jesus is sending the disciples out to prepare the way for Him in the local towns and as they're walking, He tells them this distressing news. Peter immediately objects and Jesus turns around from where they were heading to correct him. And because this is a point so important to the vocation of being a disciple, He stops to speak to everyone. Jesus goes to great lengths to impress on the human heart that following after Jesus Christ always means following with Him.

This is a big shift because prophets and the great charismatic leaders of old were sent by God as if they were on a mission or an errand. But now, they were not only sent but actually accompanied the One who gave the message. In Christ, God is not some immovable deity who orders the universe from a convenient and permanent shrine. This is a God whose presence is immediate to those who are given the urgent message of hope. Jesus tells us to go forth and proclaim the good news as someone who has done it Himself. And the great consolation of our faith is the assurance that He still does.

I may be risking heresy here, but it seems every time we speak a word of hope or even correction, every time we reach out in love or suffer, Jesus is undergoing it as if for the first time. In the Eucharist, we reach back to that moment when God and man were reconciled by the blood of the eternal New Covenant. And as the Father eternally accepts the offering of His Son, He also looks with favor on those who accompany Him. In every good we do and every evil we endure, we see the shadow of the Christ who was walking beside us.

One of the great anxieties of life is the haunting fear that we are alone. At every age we know it. It is why the baby and the elderly cry. It is why the teenager misbehaves and the adult continues to. It is why so many are so fearful in the face of death. Many modern philosophies and religions try to assure people by reasoning things through and come to the conclusion that no one is ever truly alone. But our faith offers something so much more because it offers Someone greater.

There is absolutely nothing, in our lives that is outside the presence of God. And when things are bad, when life is not working out the way we would want, faith tells us that our God is even closer. When we carry the cross, we carry it not only in imitation of Christ who once carried it; in a very real way, He continues to carry it with us. We can look around at any person who is hungry or sick or imprisioned by addiction and we can see the suffering Christ. We are even so bold we take Jesus at His word and believe that in offering help to the weakest among us, we are offering it to Him.

Our living and eternal God is outside of time where there are beginnings and ends. We touch this eternity in the Eucharist and continue to be disciples in this world at this time.

Jesus said, "the disciple is not above his master." And along this way of the cross we all travel, we joyfully proclaim our faith in the God who is not below walking with us either.

Sunday Readings

The new Jeanne Jugan Residence Website
and Canonization links.
Good Hope

Good people believe in second chances for themselves and everyone else. There is something deeply rooted in us demanding to look beyond the present situation or the immediate disaster. Humanity, despite our history and tendencies, is founded on natural hope.

Just look at the world around us. The seasons change bringing the stark desolation of winter and yet spring blooms again. The abandoned lot of bricks and old pipes becomes a garden of wildflowers. On the Saw Mill River Parkway, up in Hawthorne, you can only make out the traces of the many trees felled in the tornado a couple of years ago. Kids who were expelled become executives. Adults who thrived on ego alone heroically serve others who have nothing. In the face of overwhelming evidence, creation seems to rebel against condemnation and annihilation. This is more than “survival instinct” because an instinct is only a reflex. Hope is active.

Today's Gospel is a gospel of hope. Jesus utters a word and a man is healed. The crowd who saw this gave testimony by saying, "he has done all things well." They echo those ancient words from prehistory: God looked at all he had made and saw it was very good.

That is the miracle of this healing. They gave glory to God because they saw the grace of hope. They witnessed His restoration in the Person of Jesus Christ. What was broken was fixed; what was scattered was now whole. And hearing this gospel, generation after generation automatically asks the same question: why not me? Why not now? It is the same question preyed in the anxious silence of a hospital waiting room and among the raised candles held by those singing Ave, Ave Maria in Lourdes. Reverence calls us to petition God in prayer; but faith demands it in the reality of difficult times.

This coming week we are marking two moments when we ask God's help in our world easily bruised by the disorder of sin.

The first event is Labor Day. We feel and experience the difficulties of our economic situation today. There are too many stories of people who have lost both their jobs and opportunities for work. People are hurting and we call out for solutions. Some are content to see those made wealthy by ill-gotten gains going off to jail. Others demand a version of justice that forcibly ensures equality of deprivation. Still others just want a job to feed their families. All these cries go up to God from whatever motives they originate. And we have confidence that they are not ignored because there is something deeply disturbing about parents who, through no fault of their own, cannot provide the basic needs for their families. Hope is put into action when the possible is firmly believed.

But for many, we will mark another violation of decency this week. We have come again to another anniversary of 9/11. Many of us remember, with painful detail, that ironically beautiful morning. If there was ever an icon of how wrong things can be in life, this would be very close to the top. Billboards swore we would "never forget" and yet that is precisely what happened. And sadly, you can hear it happening again in the exasperated sighs of those telling us to "move on” and “enough of 9/11."

Restoration is about honesty, not opinion. It is accomplished through inspiring stories and cautionary tales. Healing encourages the week and humbles the proud. It gives glory to what God has done more than what humanity has lost. And the grace of the moment is a surprise because God expects us to expect this. We are, in a certain way, to take for granted the hope God has planted within us. Restoration is a given for those who have been given the hope of glory.

The cynical world doesn't believe this. It believes nothing can change and people never will. We can even buy into it because we are tired and worn by life. We can be deaf to the word of God making all things new again. We can be blind to the light of God's mercy. It's understandable; things can get ugly.

But God is Beauty itself. His awesome power speaks to the disorder and injustice and says, "no, it shall not stand. The scars of sin will not destroy the beauty of what I have created. The arrogant stupidity of human pride will not have the final word. The wounded and hardened human heart will not have the final word of refusal. To those who wrongly believe the way to the good things of this life has been closed off, I say be opened."

It may be hard at times to see the beautiful things God has created and permitted in this world. It may be harder at times to see it in ourselves. But it is there because God is there. People lose jobs and people lose loved ones but God never loses us. He has done all things well and everything he has made is very good. That is our faith even when it is not our feeling.

Our prayer today, as it always is, is that we know this more and more even when we seem to have less and less.