Gospel, Homily and Coffee

Long relationships are good, but they can become awkward. In new relationships there is that energy, that passion. We spend time getting to know the new friend, the new love, the new baby. Everything is new and exciting. Then the passion, the energy subsides...and the real work begins. One of the hallmarks needed in a relationship for it to continue to grow is the space to grow. We need to permit the other to change and develop; to become more themselves; and we need the space for ourselves to grow. In marriage preparation this is part of the conversation; we cannot change anyone else including the spouse, nor can we stop our spouse from changing. Marriage is that commitment to remain with the other, to help them, and the other help us, become our best. Things will catch us by surprise in relationships. Each time I visit with my folks I almost always catch something new about them; a like or dislike, a new interest, something faded away. The Trick is to be alert to those mome...

In the Old City of Jerusalem are two bricked up gates. The legend is that they will be opened at the second coming. In the United States in the 1800’s, after what's called the Great Awakening and then the 2nd Great Awakening, certain christian sects believed on a certain day and time, the Second coming of Jesus would occur; it didn’t. When they recalculated, the same happened or rather did not happen. Then they got a little smarter and didn’t set a specific day and time, but preached it was imminent, and they knew how to save us. These gave rise to groups like Seventh Day Adventist and others. Dominionalism, and its followers believe that by instituting certain political changes, they can begin the Second Coming of Jesus. Like moving embassies to certain cities, making certain laws... Then throughout the world is destroyed and only the “faithful” remnant are saved. “Faithful” meaning those who fit their' ideas, which are often narrow and focussed on a set of criteria of...

Maybe a regret in life when looking back: why didn’t I take advantage of XYZ; what a difference it would have made!  Listening to advice from someone? A Financial venture? Relationship? Simply taking more time for fun with family and friends and less time at work?   Then again, maybe we were not just ready for it at that time. And maybe now we who are older, we see our young persons, and we ourselves are a bit frustrated...why aren’t they listening to me? Why aren’t they taking advantage of what I can give? I sometimes wonder if the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit don’t sit around and watch us, roll their eyes, and wonder why we don’t take advantage of what has been given to us? A key dogma of our Christian Faith: Jesus Christ, the Son of God was killed upon the cross and was then raised from the dead by the Father.  We call this the Paschal Mystery. One must believe in this to be Christian.  Yet, what do we believe of this? Do we simply give our assent t...

Wisdom, what is it?  It might be like an old adage: I may not know what it is, but I know it when I see it! Wisdom; the Old Testament speaks of it a lot. It is often given a feminine persona. Generations passed this wisdom down through proverbs, psalms; through an oral tradition. The Jewish Wisdom books were compiled several hundred years before Jesus in response to the Greek conquerors coming into the land and bringing their own form of wisdom. A wisdom that presented a threat to the Jewish people. Wisdom in the Christian sense connects to the Holy Spirit. It comes from this Jewish wisdom. Wisdom, the intersection of intellect and emotion. It comes from a practice of discernment; a practice of patience. It is foresight. It is vision. It has depth, it relies on community. Wisdom comes from, is with, and will be with Love. One of our great aspects of our Catholic faith is our belief in Sacraments. A Sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible reality. By nature, our belief...

What does it mean to be human?   Whether we are conscious of it or not, we all have an idea of what it means to be human. Technically, the concept or the philosophy of what it means to be human is called “anthropology”. Humans are simply complex chemical reactions contained in matter, nothing more. This would be the anthropology of materialism, or those who think we are nothing more than machines.  This also believes we can be predicted and therefore manipulated. It also believes when “Faulty” or undesired, it is okay to shut them down. Another anthropology: Humans are animals, complex animals, but animals nonetheless. Our actions are all about preserving ourselves, getting more and more to survive. We consume and consume and we are driven by basal drives.  Yet another one: Humans inherently seek their own well being; are self-serving. Humans are isolated from others. Therefore all will disappoint us, including politicians. We don’t need anyone else, only “I...

When we speak of Jesus and his revelation of God; there may be a temptation to think that what Jesus had to reveal of the Father was truly innovative, new, progressive. He proclaimed God that has never been hear before.  In part yes, but... Jesus was also firmly rooted in the history of his people and rooted in their Scripture. What Jesus revealed of the Father was the fullness of that Revelation that the Father had begun with the people of Israel.   To paraphrase: to be ignorant of Scripture is to be ignorant of God. God revealed God’s self to humanity; Israel in Scripture understands God as one who loves the people and wants the people to know this and to respond to this love through their love of others. These are in the foundational stories of Genesis: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel.  It was inscribed in the law given to the people as we heard in Exodus.  Through word and deed, Israel was to show to the rest of the Nations God! The Pharisees, and the Sadducees, ...

Imagination is one of those distinctly human qualities. Children develop their imaginations when they play. We adults too need to be child-like and engage our imaginations.  The lack of imagination is what can hinder us in life and in our relationships and how we live life well. Some of the religious leaders could not imagine God as Jesus revealed. This led them to react with hostility against Jesus. The gospel for today makes it very clear.   Jesus came and He revealed all who God is. We know that this revelation angered some; it threatened them and their ideas or their so-called power. So in their hostility some religious leaders, with their lack of imagination, try to trap Jesus. A lack of imagination that divides. A lack of imagination that sees only divisions. That only sees themselves.  Jesus with his imagination overcomes that trap and reveals their lack of imagination. Jesus's imagination sees Unity Harmony between all Israel had to learn in their exi...