MEMBERS of the DIVINE HOUSEHOLD

“What has been seen cannot be unseen, what has been learned cannot be unknown. You cannot change the past, but you can learn from it. You can grow from it. You can be made stronger. You can use that strength to change your life, to change your future.” ~ C.A. Woolf

Ezekiel sets up two hypothetical cases: the first case focuses on what will happen if a wicked person repents. Their repentance will bring about three positive outcomes: remission of the death penalty (the lot of the wicked), complete forgiveness by God, and the gift of God’s compassion. The God of mercy, takes great joy in the repentance of those who have erred. The second case focuses on what will happen if a virtuous person does abominations. The virtuous deeds will not serve as a justification for transgressions. The God of justice will deal with those who have erred. “What has been learned cannot be unknown.”

This makes sense, right? Wicked + lived repentance = life & Virtue + lived evil = death. Yet, this simple equation has caused division in Israel and seen as “unfair” by the chosen people. Jesus, in the Gospel for today, attempts to get at the root of division—namely, anger can cause future harm. Anger is an appropriate response to unjust situations. It becomes inappropriate when expressed violently (physically or verbally; publicly or privately; externally or internally). This passage, equates anger to the abomination of murder.

The link to worship, highlights the connection between human and divine reconciliation. “…if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall your brother [or sister] has anything against you, … go first and be reconciled with your brother [or sister], and then come and offer your gift.” The gift of your reconciled self. You we must be “free” to offer ourselves. If we are harboring things against our brother or sister or clinging to past wounds, we are not “free” to give ourselves completely, our pure gift of self to God. The good news is that God hears the cry from the depths of our hearts. Confess, be reconciled, and let it go! God is inviting us to be open to His grace, a grace that transforms our lives, to become members of the divine household.

Even better news, is this fact, if we leave God’s household, backsliding in moments of human weakness and frailty, we can always come home. This opportunity to come home is the grace, compassion, mercy, and steadfast love that cannot be pulled away from God and His love is meant for everyone, even hardened sinners.

The season of Lent encourages us to examine our lives, are there ways we cause or allow division in the divine household? All our worship and righteousness cannot overcome the offenses and divisions we commit against others. This is not to scare us into being good boys and girls but to inspire us to become who God made us to be: reconciled members of the divine household.

TIME OF PREPARATION

[1]The history of Alcoholics Anonymous clearly indicates, it was working with others who were still suffering that kept Bill W. and Dr. Bob sober. The same principle is true for all members of 12 step groups: "to keep it you have to give it away."

The last of the 12 Steps is to carry the message to others and to put the principles of the program into practice in every area of your life. For those in recovery programs, practicing Step 12 is simply "how it works," as the founders of the fellowship discovered for themselves in those early days.

What is Step 12? In Alcoholics Anonymous the twelfth step reads "try to carry the message to alcoholics" and in Al-Anon it says "try to carry the message to others." But the principle is the same. In order to work all 12 of the steps, you must try to help others. Carrying the message to others by sharing experience, strength, and hope reinforces the spiritual principle of the 12 steps in the person being 12th-stepped as well as the one doing the sharing. Step 12 also calls for members to put the spiritual growth they have found to work—not only within the fellowship but it all aspects of their lives. It requires practicing these principles in all your affairs.[2]

Noah is best known for his construction of the ark that would serve to carry the remnant of creation, carved out by God after he vowed to destroy “the wickedness of human beings.” (Gn 6:5) Peter uses the image of the ark to discuss God’s patience as he waited for Noah to complete the ark’s construction that alludes to God’s patience in waiting for sinners to turn to the cleansing waters of Baptism.

The forty days spent by Noah riding on the waters of the flood, like the forty days Moses would spend on the mountain with God, like Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness, like our 40 days leading to the glory of the Easter glory, represents the time of preparation necessary to receive fully the promise of a new creation.

After Jesus’ Baptism, “the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.” (Mk 1:12) In some way, this sojourn into the wilderness resembles the journey people make when they are trying to turn their lives around and make a fresh start. Some are quite dramatic as the person who suffers from alcoholism or any other addiction going into a treatment center. They leave their homes, their families, their work, and their friends, submitting themselves to a routine of solitude, discipline, and self-examination, where they face themselves and their past. To emerge, from this time of testing, with a resolve to make a new beginning[3] a new life.

Jesus, in taking on all of our humanity, didn’t travel straight from baptism to the glory of the transfiguration or his ascension into heaven. He went to the wilderness, because it’s a place that haunts our fragile humanity, no matter where we are, and it demands redemption. Jesus’ redemption of humanity begins with the incarnation, but we see it advance in his obedience, unlike Adam and Eve, to the will of God and in his steadfastness to resist temptation. The model Jesus presents to us is one grounded in the reality of human life. Life can be hard, life can be unfair, and life can knock you to the ground. A promise to relax in the car, on the way to work, can deteriorate into cursing against the first driver cutting us off, or a promise not to drink, all the hard work accomplished in rehab, can fall apart in one visit to the bar, resulting in a sense of frustration and ineptitude. The evil one is crouching nearby, to tempt us in our struggles, our losses, and our sufferings.

The Church was built for this ongoing battle. When evil threatens to overcome us and drive us into the wilderness alone. Recall how Jesus emerges from the wilderness, proclaiming “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” (Mk 1:15) Repentance is a sign of why the Church was built: for salvation. It is Christ, through his battle with evil in the wilderness, his suffering and death, his resurrection; who has gained salvation for us[4] and all who will submit themselves to a routine of solitude, discipline, and self-examination.

In this time of preparation, we are encouraged to fearlessly grasp our baptismal mission, including repentance when we stumble in our personal life. For you, who are seeking Baptism, whom we are sending to our beloved Bishop who will welcome your decision to join this family of faith. Baptism “is not a removal of dirt from the body, but an appeal to God for a clear conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (1Pt 3:21) This life of faith is something we all must continually work at, seeking the guidance of the Spirit of Life, to be working Step 12 in such a way to safeguard our own spiritual awareness as we carry the message to others by sharing: our own faith experience, the strength drawn from this faith, and the hope of salvation.

---

[1] New American Bible Revised.  Genesis 9:8-15; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15

[2] Verywellmind.com. “A Study of Step 12 of the 12-Step Program”, by Buddy T. Medically reviewed by John C. Umhau, MD on January 14, 2021

[3] Sundays with Jesus. “This is the Time of Fulfillment” by James DiGiacomo, SJ. © 2008.

[4] The Word on the Street. “In the Wilderness”, by John W. Martens © 2017.

GIVING UP “SOMETHING”

Lent is a special time of reflection and faith, practiced in prayer and by the act of giving up something. That “something” depends on the person observing Lent, with the main guidelines being that it has to be something that’s challenging to give up during this period. (In other words, giving up the “honey do” list, guys, wouldn’t fit the bill.) In all, the act of giving up something for Lent is to practice self-discipline (fasting) mindful of the sacrifices Jesus made for our salvation.[1]

Today Isaiah gets to the heart of the matter of fasting, one of the three pillars of a holy life—not only during Lent. On Ash Wednesday we heard Jesus tell us what fasting should look like, “…when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” (Mk 6:18) We did something interesting on Ash Wednesday, we reinstituted the ancient practice of sprinkling the ashes on the crown of the head. Some had issue not receiving the ash cross on their forehead, as it was their way to publicly display their faith. So many Christians just have to have those public symbols of their professed faith and yet their actions cause the onlooker to question. As Isaiah calls out God’s people in our reading today, “Lo, [in our] fasting [we] carry out [our] own pursuits…” living as we would always as work, in school, at play. In other words, the symbols and the visible fasting are saying one thing and our behaviors saying another, which makes the symbols and fasting worthless, for the self and the ability to draw others to the light and Truth of God’s love and mercy.

If we are to counted as a faithful Christian there has to be a congruent behavior that links the symbols and fasting. When we truly live our faith, we hear from the Prophet Isaiah, what fasting should be. “This, is the fasting that I wish: Releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own."

This is the why of fasting, as Jesus and Isaiah talk about it, fasting is about conversion. It is about deepening our relationship with God and turning away from self and sensual attachments. It’s about redirecting our focus toward God and His people,[2] especially those most in need for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.

Last year, Judy and I gave up one night of dining out. I kept a running tab of what we would have spent and donated it to a local charity. Our Lenten fast developed into a lasting relationship with the receiving organization and their clients that we’ve maintained to date. One more quick example of an internal fast: in my prayers this morning it came to me that I should ask for the grace of a greater patience. If I do the internal work, the Spirit will reveal in me when I am losing patience, and if I further accept the grace the visible sign for others is a more calm and joyful me.

The ashes have been washed off, the chocolate, coffee, or other things will resume, the question is, did our giving up “something” (fasting) draw us to a closer, more intimate relationship with God and His people?

---

[1] www.countryliving.com. “Here’s What to Give up for Lent (And When to Start” by Brie Dyas, February 17, 2021.

[2] Weekday HomilyHelps. Homily Suggestion by Leota Roesch.

FAT TUESDAY

“Mardi Gras” is French for Fat Tuesday has its origins in medieval Europe. What became a legal holiday in Louisiana in 1875 was a Christian holiday with roots in ancient Rome. Where, instead of abolishing certain pagan traditions, religious leaders incorporated them into the new faith. Historically, people would spend Fat Tuesday, and sometimes the weeks leading up to it, indulging in the foods and behaviors they would abstain from during Lent. The holiday is also known as Shrove Tuesday, from an old English word meaning, “to confess”. Some would use the day as an opportunity to confess their sins to a priest before the start of Lent. Beyond the fun of it, there was a practical reasoning behind Fat Tuesday feasts—meat and dairy products would go bad before Lent was over—so the occasion became one big celebration, sometimes known as Carnival, a word derived from a Latin phrase meaning “to remove meat”.[1]

Alas, as is often the case over time, the original intent of things and events gets blurred, even lost, when “the indulging” becomes a year-round attraction and/or habit. Much like the bread metaphor Jesus uses to warn his disciples of the untrustworthiness of the Pharisees and Herod. Their teaching is like yeast that silently ferments the dough and spreads throughout the entire batch. The disciples miss the point of his warning, even after witnessing the miraculous feeding of thousands. “Do you still not understand?”

Noah’s story today follows a similar human unawareness and decline in moral living: “When the LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil,” God rethought his creation. Many people find this story troubling, as it sketches an angry and unforgiving God who destroys even those creatures seemingly innocent of any offense. Yet, Noah finds favor in God’s sight; therefore, hope is born anew. This has been and is the pattern of human existence. This mythic story speaks of the human struggle to be faithful, of hope, and of salvation in the waters of the flood.

Just as the waters of the flood cleansed the earth and saved Noah and all creation, in preparing for Baptism, catechumens are reminded that these waters cleanse them from the destruction of sin. It doesn’t remove temptations nor forgetfulness, but this baptismal focus is primary for them and us during Lent: death to sin (indulging) and self in order to rise to new life in Christ.[2]

While some of the practical reasoning behind Fat Tuesday feasts has lost its relevance, we cannot be unaware that the regular practice of indulging in Fat Tuesday foods and behaviors have NOT lost their influence on the human family, to distract, distort, or even block an awareness of our baptismal promise, this nourishment that is the Bread of Life, and our proclamation to know and to love God & our neighbor.

---

[1] Refinery29.com “What’s the Religious Meaning of Fat Tuesday?” by Erika W. Smith, March 5, 2019.

[2] Weekday HomilyHelps. Homily Suggestion by Leota Roesch.

WHAT IS OUR REACTION?

T.S. Eliot famously wrote in The Four Quartets, “The end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”

The reactions to John’s preaching, his unabashedly proclaiming the kingdom of God at hand at the Jordan, and speaking the truth to Herod concerning his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, sparks two distinct reactions. Herod is perplexed. Despite John’s condemnation of his marriage, and Herod being put off by John’s judgements against him, he likes to listen to John’s preaching. Herodias’ response is hatred toward John’s preaching. She seeks any opportunity to seize the moment to rid herself of John’s preaching, and she capitalizes on Herod’s rash oath.

The death of John the Baptist is marked by the noise of his absence. The herald of Jesus as the Christ known as a voice crying in the desert. How ironic, that his death occurs during a worldly birthday party with music and dancers. He is quite “present” but not in person, and he has no opportunity for final words before Herod and his guests. It seems, we can almost sense and feel Herod’s insides turning, as he finds himself caught up in the energy of the moment, cornered into having to fulfill the rash oath he is seduced into making.

Mark’s account of the death of John the Baptist takes place amid the disciples’ first mission to preach, returning with a report of how pleased they are at what they have done and taught (Mk 6:30). In their excitement and joy, they speak of the values shared in our reading from Hebrews. Values of mutual love for one another, hospitality, mindfulness of prisoners and those who suffer, and keeping marriage sacred. Yet, in the last two verses we hear a stark reminder: “Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb 13:7-8)

What’s your reaction to the preached Word? Does it leave you perplexed, confused? Because we hear it regularly does it lay dormmate or brushed off as irrelevant to your lived experience now? Maybe it angers you, you don’t understand why you listen, why you keep coming to church, because you are just angry at God.

John and Jesus are men unjustly judged, sentenced, and put to death, much like St. Agatha, whose memorial we celebrate today and so many other saints. The sequence of events leading to John’s death is a reminder of the potential cost of discipleship, the potential cost of preaching Gospel truths amid a materialistic, self-absorbed world. In the Christian tradition, all the apostles are remembered as martyrs for the faith.

Their legacy lives on, when the faithful continue to work to prepare the way of the Lord knowing “with confidence: The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid.” (Heb 13:6) We are all called to first hear, to be moved by the Word of God, and then we are sent in the dismissal at every Mass to “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord,” or to “Go in Peace, glorifying the Lord by our lives,” boldly to preach the Kingdom of God is at hand, in word and in deed, only to discover “the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know this place (this Eucharist) for the first time.”

JESUS’ PRESENCE MAKES A DIFFERENCE

There once was a young boy who was as naughty as can be. He’d been transferred between different schools to get him any available formative interventions, but to no avail. Finally, his parents transferred him to a Catholic school, and lo and behold, on day one, the boy changed. His parents asked him, “why the sudden change in behavior?” He replied: “When I saw that man nailed on the cross on every wall of my new school, I knew they meant business, like always being told, ‘Behave or else…’” The presence of the crucified Christ changed the boy, although for a wrong reason. But if God is always before us or present in us would it mean a big difference on how do we do things?

In celebrating todays Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, we are also celebrating two other occasions: The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Candelaria. The Purification of Our Lady, although she was not subject to the law of purification, she devoutly and with a zeal to honor God, obediently observes the prescribed Law of Moses ordaining that after childbirth a woman was declared unclean and was not to appear in public during the prescribed term of purification. This term was for 40 days following the birth of a son. When the term expired, the mother was to bring to the Temple an offering to God of a lamb and a young pigeon or turtle-dove. If the expense of a lamb was too great for a poor family, they were allowed to substitute a second dove. Such was the case for the Holy Family (Lk 2:24). These being sacrificed to God by the priest, she was cleansed of the legal impurity and reinstated in her former privileges.

In the image of Joseph and Mary presenting Jesus in the Temple, we have a wonderful model of husband and wife united together in practicing the faith and in raising their child in the faith. Together Jesus’ parents make the journey to Jerusalem to present their firstborn son according to the Law of Moses. This is the first time, Jesus enters the Temple, and His presence makes a difference, particularly on Simeon and Anna. Just look at Simeon, he was ready to die, not because of old age, but because of his encounter with the presence of Jesus, all his longings were satisfied, his life complete.

We also celebrate Feast of Candelaria. Candles are blessed on this day in commemoration of the words of Simeon concerning Christ. Simeon calls Jesus the Light and sings with joy: “Now my eyes have seen your salvation which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel,” (Lk 2:30-32). The candles are carried in procession, signifying the entry of Jesus as the light of the world. The light symbolized by the candles we use at Mass, particularly the Easter Candle, the Christmas candle and the Baptismal candle. All these candles represent the love, the warmth, and the joy of Christ. We too are called to be Christ’s candles. To be His presence that makes a difference in the world.