A Regular Joe: July 2020

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

ATTACK of FLESH-EATING BANANAS

If you ever need proof of human gullibility, cast your mind back to the attack of the flesh-eating bananas. In January 2000, a series of chain emails began reporting that imported bananas were infecting people with “necrotizing fasciitis” – a rare disease in which the skin erupts into livid purple boils before disintegrating and peeling away from muscle and bone. According to the email chain, the FDA was trying to cover up the epidemic to avoid panic. Faced with the threat, readers were encouraged to spread the word to their friends and family.

Of course, the threat was pure nonsense. But by January 28th, the concern was great enough for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a statement decrying the rumor. Did it help? Rather than quelling the rumor, they had only poured fuel on the flames. Within weeks, the CDC was hearing from so many distressed callers it had to set up a banana hotline. The facts became so distorted that people eventually started to quote the CDC as the source of the rumor.[1]

The world, and the individuals in it, are a mixture of good and evil. “Let them grow together until harvest.” (Mt 13:30) the Master said. The weeds, the wheat and the gullible. Setting up today’s Gospel explanation of the Parable of the Weeds. “The Son of Man will send his angels” (Mt 13:41). Jesus is saying, God will sort things out in the end. In the meantime, we are not to assume the role of judges because we cannot tell the weeds from the wheat.[2]

Election season seems to get harder and harder for people. People who truly desire to cast their vote for the person who they believe has the best interest of our nation and is most closely aligned with Gospel values and the moral and social justice teaching of the Church. Often, we discover within ourselves warring spirits, because there just isn’t the perfect candidate who fits perfectly all our ideals. Some of our brothers and sisters can get very passionate about which side of the fence they camp and the vigor in which they attempt to pursue others to join them.

The Catholic bishops of the United States are offering the Catholic faithful a teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics called, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.” The document urges us to be engaged in the political process, with an fully informed consciences and it provides suggestions on how to contribute to civil and respectful public dialog.[3]

Let’s ask the Lord to take possession of our ‘field’ – our heart and our life – so that we may not be gullible to ‘the evil ones’ power to deceive. To let our unique light shine in the world, just like “the righteous who shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” That we may develop an informed conscience and a discerning spirit this election year.

[1] BBC, Future. “Why are people so incredibly gullible?” by David Robson, March 24, 2016.

[2] Sacred Space

[3] United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship

Sunday, July 26, 2020

WHAT IS YOUR PEARL?

[1]If Aladdin loaned you his lamp, giving you just 1 wish, what would you ask for? You have 10 seconds to make up your mind… Times up!

What did you ask for? According to some modern philosophers, whatever you picked was based on one of the four most basic human hungers—wealth, health, pleasure, or power. These they say, are what makes the world go round.[2]

The first book of Kings presents us with a somewhat similar scenario, but with the storied wisdom of young King Solomon on display. God “appeared to Solomon in a dream; and said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’” (1 Kgs 3:5) Because of Solomon’s love for God and his own profound humility, he proclaims himself God’s servant and requests, “an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” (1 Kgs 3:9) so I may serve God and the people of God.

In response to this request, God granted Solomon “a wise and discerning mind” and two other things: “I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life” and “if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and commandments, then I will lengthen your life.” (1 Kgs 3:13-14)[3]

What did you ask for? Notice, Solomon didn’t ask to be smart, he asked to be wise. There is a big difference. Wisdom is more than intelligence; it goes much deeper. Some of the smartest people are not wise at all and many people with modest IQ’s have a real down-to-earth wisdom.

Where can we obtain this wisdom? Some look for it in philosophy. If that’s too heavy for you, there’s always the library or bookstore that have selves full of self-help books. Or, we can listen to God’s own Word, best expressed in the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. Here’s where we find the clues to discover the pearls of wisdom for life.

The fellow in today’s Gospel finds something of great value—that famous pearl, something that he desires above all other things—that he’s willing to let go of all he has to purchase it. Likewise, with the fellow who finds the treasure in the field, who sells all he has to buy the field. They know what’s important in their life and, moreover, they didn’t let anything get in the way of acquiring the object of their heart.

So, the question to ponder becomes: What’s your pearl? Sometimes, when our lives are not ordered correctly, that pearl could be wealth, health, pleasure, or power. Other times, when they’re ordered a little better, the pearl is family, friends, or love. But the greatest pearl, the biggest treasure is God. It’s Jesus. It’s following “The Word” in our lives, in big & small ways.

Of course, all this requires freedom—detachment or “indifference” as St. Ignatius would say—making sure nothing gets in the way of our walking in God’s ways, keeping God’s statutes and commandments. Because it’s not about what you do as much as it is for whom you do it.[4]

Like the greatest pearl and the biggest treasure, the Kingdom of God is worth giving up everything else to obtain. This invitation is open to everyone. The kingdom is a gift, but one that comes at a price. Those who understand are able to accept both the “new” teaching and way of living, as well as recognize it is a reflection of the “old” teaching of the law and the prophets.[5]

Jesus in asking his disciples, “Do you understand all these things?” (Mt 13:51) reinforces a point that disciples must ponder and study his teachings until they see how to put them into practice. This is why in the Rite of Baptism for Children parents are asked, “What do you want?” What do you want from the Church? After their response of Baptism there is an explanation of responsibilities, and another question, “Do you understand this responsibility?” Godparents and the community present are also asked, “Are you ready to help the parents in their duty?” To BE the example of Christian love so that the child will grow in the knowledge of Christian discipleship.

Likewise, in the Sacraments of Initiation for adults, the catechumen is “instructed in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 13:52) so they may freely accept the gift of the kingdom, acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior, embrace the charge of mission, and accept the cost of being Jesus’ disciple, to go forth, like their sponsors modeled and lived to get them to this moment. To BECOME the example of Christian love in the world.

This week, ponder what you asked for with your 1 wish, then ask yourself, what is my pearl? If your pearl is truly Jesus and the Kingdom, then it’s worth giving up everything else to obtain it.

[1] New American Bible, Saint Joseph Edition. © 1986. Scriptures: 1 Kings 3:5,7-12; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52.
[2] Sundays with Jesus, by James DiGiacomo, SJ © 2007.
[3] The Word on the Street, by John W. Martens © 2016.
[4] Naked, and You Clothed Me, Edited by Deacon Jim Knipper © 2013. Ask something of me and I will give it to you, by Fr. James Martin, SJ.
[5] Living the Word, by John R. Barker OFM & Karla J. Bellinger © 2019.

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

A CENTERED IDENTITY

Have you ever sat in the pew and felt like an outsider? Wondering about your relationship with Christ. We want a personal relationship with Christ and envy those who seem to have it. Spiritual people are different. They are the saints who don’t get their hands dirty with everyday life. Or are they? Do they have bills to pay and a family to raise? We may consider life’s burdens an obstacle to having a close relationship with Jesus.

When we consider the nation of Israel’s history as it ebbed and flowed through the many peaks and valleys in their relationship with God. The prophet Micah, in today’s reading, offers a prayer reminding God of his promises to the people and urging Him to act as He has always done, with mercy and compassion. Israel’s prayers always appeal to the exodus. Whether asking for forgiveness, seeking assurance, or promising amendment, Israel recognizes that her very identity is bound up in the covenant executed by God’s rescuing the people from slavery and bringing them to the land of promise.

In the Gospel we find Jesus’ family described as “standing outside” the circle of the crowds, with Jesus’ disciples in the center. In the Gospel of Matthew, Mary is not a significant character as evidenced by the infancy narratives. So, halfway through this Gospel, Jesus’ family remains undecided about his identity.

Addressing the relatively open statement of a bystander, Jesus asks rhetorically “Who are my mother and brothers?” (Mt 12:48) He then answers that his redefined family are those who do his Father’s will. Stretching out his hand to his disciples, Jesus adopts them as his family and challenges them to exemplify the Church in carrying out God’s will.

We are the adopted children of Christ. To think of we are as anything less is like deciding to be “standing outside,” cut off from, the amazing grace of knowing Christ.

Now we know there’s been some bumps in the road and dark valleys in our own lives. We also know that Jesus lived in the middle of all the action. He embraced life surrounded by ordinary people living ordinary lives. He laughed with his friends and cried at funerals. He talked about fishing, planting seeds, and going to parties. He lifted his disciples up when they felt low, rebuked their wrongs, and forgave their disbelief.

Jesus was a regular guy who was also extraordinary. He shows us the way to have a relationship with God. Being a spiritual person is simply living the life we have been given. We gather around the Eucharistic table regularly to pray the exodus prayers of acknowledging our own faults and reminding God of His great compassion and mercy so we can be counted in the center of the crowd around Jesus. This is how we know that our identity, as ordinary a life as we may have, is in the center, to be a member of his family. “For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother." (Mt 13:50)

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

IT’S AS GOOD AS DONE

Maybe you’ve heard this saying, “It’s as good as done.” I have a friend who God has gifted many material blessings, who often says, “It’s as good as done.” He had such wealth and connections that he was sure of the ability to accomplish what was needed in the life of the person in need. He would just declare it “done.” Once he made that statement, the only thing left was to work out the details and accomplish the task. His words secured it in my mind and in the mind of the person in need. Anxiety disappeared and hope swelled in the heart of the person who heard my friend’s “It’s as good as done.”[1]

As the Lord sends Isaiah to meet Ahaz He encourages him to remain tranquil and not to fear as he engages the warring camps. Telling him that, “Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm!” (Is 7:9) This passage attests to the presence of the Divine in the amidst of human history and highlights the importance of faith and trust in God as foundational virtues linked to personal security amid life’s uncertainties and unexpected struggles.[2] God is saying, Trust Me Isaiah!

Jesus, in the Gospel, echoes a similar sentiment, as he decries the lack of attentiveness among the people of three cities where he had lived, taught, preached, healed, and worked other miracles. The inhabitants of these three Jewish cities have their Scriptures and Jesus, who is the living Word of God, yet they cannot accept him.[3] It’s a reminder of Sunday’s Gospel message (the parable of the sower (Mt 13:1-23)) and Isaiah’s prophesy, “You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but not see. Gross is the heart of this people.” (Mt 13:14-15) It is as if Jesus is asking, why don’t you trust me?

The Church memorializes holy people whose faith and trust in God surpasses the human norm. Today is the memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, who, perhaps, could have been invoked during the COVID-19 crisis. At the age four, she survived the great “pandemic” of her time, smallpox, only to suffer loss, isolation, persecution, and servitude, especially after her Baptism at age 19. She died at age 24; yet her short life was marked by living constantly attuned to and trusting in Christ.

“Be attentive!” and Hopefully, our own time in exile for the good of others (social distancing) has helped us pay attention to the will and Word of God. When we face a fearful circumstance, let your faith be firm. Trusting in the Lord and acting in faith we will see the salvation of God become a reality. What God commands He completes.

“If today you hear [God’s] voice ...” (Ps 95:8) be firm in faith and trust that, “It’s as good as done!”

[2] Weekday HomilyHelps Exegesis of the First Reading by Dr. Carol Dempsey, OP.

[3] Ibid. Homily Suggestion by Leota Roesch.

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

WALKING ON A TIGHTROPE

You are on a rooftop, looking across empty air 1,350 feet above the ground. Your foot dangles over the ledge and touches a steel cable just centimeters wide. As you shift your body forward, hands gripped tight around a balancing pole, you find yourself suspended over a gut-wrenching void. Now what?

Acrōphōbics would surely hope to wake from this nightmare in a cold sweat. But for seasoned tightrope walkers, the dizzying feat can be accomplished if you understand the physics of the human body. “Posture is the absolute most important thing,” says a tightrope instructor. The key to balancing on a tightrope is to lower the body’s center of gravity toward the wire. Just as it's harder to topple a stout vase than a tall slim one, a human is less likely to fall if the bulk of their mass is closer to the ground, or in the case of walking on a tightrope, closer to the wire.

Amateurs often try to accomplish this shift by leaning forward. This does lower their overall mass, but it also interferes with your sense of location in space. Then, it's hello pavement.[1]

Hosea tells the people of the Northern Kingdom, straight up, they have lost their sense of location in space. They have made an amateur mistake and leaned forward seceding not only from Judah, but also from God. They’ve set up their own kingdom, created their own gods, and codified laws of their own making. Thus Hosea tells them, they are destined to fall.

Now, experienced tightrope walkers, will instead stand up straight and lower their hips by bending their knees. This brings a person's center of gravity closer to the wire while allowing them to keep their bearings.

In our Gospel reading, Jesus is undeterred by the rejection of the Pharisees. Standing up straight and keeping his bearings, he continues his Gospel tour, despite the murmurings, working miracles that verify both the origin of his message and the compassion he feels for people. From the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 7:27) through today’s reading, Matthew has been highlighting Jesus’ power and compassion: power over illnesses, storms, and evil spirits, and compassion for outcast lepers, sinners, and demoniacs.[2] Compassionate love is Jesus’ lower center of gravity. He will not be toppled.

God is a decisive judge bringing a just sentence against sinners; Jesus is a sympathetic healer whose heart is moved by divine mercy. It’s a narrow line God walks with us, a narrow line the Church must also travel. The Christian life is a tightrope, a balance of justice and mercy. How’s our posture for the walk?

[1] Smithsonian Magazine. “What Happens to Your Body When You Walk on a Tightrope?” by Katie Nodjimbadem, 10/13/2015.

[2] Weekday HomilyHelps. Homily Suggestion by Norman Langenbrunner.