June 2016 – Journeying Into Mystery

Scratch that off your list – a homily for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

If I were to ask you what you hold as the most important value in your life, the loss of which would make life unbearable and intolerable for you, what would it be?

About 20 years ago, I attended a seminar on suicide and the elderly. While the suicide of the elderly is not the largest demographic in our society, it is the demographic that is most successful in dying by suicide. There are many losses a person experiences while aging. All these losses can lead to depression, and depression is an illness that can kill people just as readily as heart disease, cancer, and many other illnesses. To illustrate the enormity of loss plays on human life, the psychologist presenting the seminar, had all of us attendees take 5 minutes to list in order of importance the ten things or values in our lives that we held most important. He then told us to scratch out two of them, then three of them and so on until we were down to just one. I really struggled as I scratched out item after item on my list. He then had us scratch the lone remaining item. As a group, we all acknowledged to the presenter how hard it was to choose what to scratch out. He looked at us and remarked, at least you had a choice as to what to eliminate from your list. The elderly have no choice.

In the gospel today Jesus is doing something similar to what I experienced at that seminar. Jesus is telling his apostles to examine what they consider most important in their lives. Is it popularity and acceptance by others? Jesus told the apostles, popularity, acceptance, scratch that off your list. The apostles wanted to call death and destruction on the Samaritans when the Samaritans refused to welcome them. Jesus did not rebuke the Samaritans, Jesus rebuked the apostles.

Are the things we own, the homes in which we live the most important in our lives? Jesus turns to the apostles and tells them to scratch that off their list. They are not to hold their homes and that which they own as the most important value in their lives.

Are our families, our spouses, our children that which we hold the most important in our lives? Jesus pushes the apostles to their very limit by telling them to scratch even their families off their list. Not even the burying of one’s dead family members, which is a very high value for most of us, can even be held as the most important value in one’s life.

What point is Jesus trying to make here? It is simply this. Everything that is tangible and attainable in human life is not long lasting. One’s standing in a community, one’s popularity and acceptance by a community is easily lost. It rarely will last a lifetime. Our homes, all that we have and own is also not lasting. Homes are easily destroyed. All those things that we own can easily be broken, stolen, or lost. All the relationships that we have and value, our family members, our friends, are just as easily lost by disagreements, distance, or death. As important as they may be to us, these important relationships will eventually leave us at some point in time in our life.

What is the most important value in our life? What is everlasting? The most important thing in our life is our relationship with God and God’s relationship with us. That is ultimately the highest value in our lives! Jesus refers to this special relationship as the Kingdom of God or the Reign of God. It is only the Reign of God that can withstand time and hardship in our lives. The Reign of God cannot be stolen. It cannot be destroyed. It is indestructible and timeless. The Reign of God is forever. That is why Jesus insists that the Reign of God must be the highest and most important value in our lives. Jesus asks us whether we are willing to abandon everything that has value in our lives for the Reign of God. When we hold God’s relationship with us as such a high value, we will find that everything we hold important, even our family relationships, pale in comparison.

St. Paul expresses the permanency of God’s relationship with us in his letter to the Romans when he asks the question, “What will separate us from the love of Christ?” Paul writes, “Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neithouer death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(Epilogue) If you are wondering what I listed as the highest value on the list I made in that seminar twenty years ago, well so did Ruthie when she heard this homily yesterday. She asked, “Where was I on that list, number 9?” I said, “no darling, you were number two. I can’t tell you how much it pained me to scratch you off the list.” The words I wrote as number one on my list that day were the words, “the love of God.” I didn’t have to scratch that one out because I knew that the love of God, my relationship with God, the Kingdom of God is permanent. It is forever.

WHAT’S UP POP? A Reflection of Father’s Day

(picture from left to right) Me, my brother Bill, and my son, Andy.

I think that I share the sentiment of many other children in saying that my Dad was the best father of all. Yet, he didn’t want any recognition or anyone going to fuss all over him on Father’s Day. I remember asking my Dad why he never made a big deal out of Father’s Day. He basically told me that becoming a father, that is fathering a child, was something that was quite easy. If the conditions are prime, it takes all of about seven seconds. He reminded me that there are many men who never biologically fathered a child who are more “fathers” than many who are biological fathers. For my Dad, honoring one’s father was not something that was done on one Hallmark Card day a year. As in parenting, honoring one’s father is something that must be done every day of the year.

I have been a dad now for close to 41 years, and I understand why my own Dad thought this way. This past Father’s Day, Ruthie and my kids treated me with great kindness and love, yet, this is something they do daily. Like my own Dad, I didn’t want anyone to make a big fuss over me. Contrary to honoring me, it is I who wish to honor them.

I wish to honor Ruthie through whom I first became a father. In fact, I am envious of her who carried our children within her womb for 9 sometimes 9+ months (Luke liked it so much in there he stayed in her womb for 10 ½ months, and yes, we tried to induce him twice). She has an intimate connection to our children which I will never have.

I wish to honor my children, Andy, Luke, Meg, and Beth, who have taught me and continue to teach me what love means in thought and in action. I remember when Andy, our first child was born. Ruthie, after 24 hours in labor, gave birth to him in the, then, new Windom hospital (it was so new they hadn’t had time to install televisions in the rooms … the hospital has since been torn down for the new, new Windom hospital). It was around 3 in the morning, following all the phone calls to our parents, that I began the drive home to our little rented house in the farmer’s village of Jeffers (population 200 something). I was 23 years old and still one of the biggest screw-ups on earth. The frightening realization that I was now a father fell on me like a ton of bricks on that 30 miles drive north to Jeffers. I was a father. This is completely different from raising a puppy. I’m suppose to teach this baby something. What was I going to teach my son, when I was not too sure what my own values are? It was the beginning of an ever deepening introspective examination that has continued to this very day.

The long and the short of it is it is all about learning how to love. How to love as God loves me, and I, in turn, loving others in the very same way that God loves me. My kids have taught me how to love them even during those times during their teenage angst when I would metaphorically be delighted to sell them to the gypsies. Loving them as I have taken on their joys, their sorrows, their confusion, their searching, their craziness, their own love as they experience it. It wrenches my soul when they are depressed, confused, and filled with sorrow. It exhilarates me when they feel joyful, proud of their accomplishments, proud of who they themselves are. It is in all of this that I feel the most honored. They allow me to share in all of their lives and I am a better man, and a better father for it.

So to you, my beautiful Ruth, to you my wonderful children, my greatest legacy, who carry within you both the best and the worse of my genetic make-up (sorry about those defective genes), I honor you for giving me the great honor of being a father. I don’t need anything else and don’t want anything else but to be your dad. Every day for me is a “happy father’s day”.

The one to whom little is forgiven, loves little – a homily in the Year of Mercy

HOMILY FOR THE 11^THSUNDAY IN ORDINARY

Last December, Pope Francis declared this Church year as the Year of Mercy. Today’s gospel is a beautiful reflection upon the mercy of God and what is called of us who call ourselves, disciples of Jesus. As we listened to the gospel today, we may have found ourselves identifying with two of the principle characters in the story, namely, Simon the Pharisee, or the sinful woman.

There are times I think we can all identify with Simon the Pharisee from today’s gospel. There is not a one of us here who has not criticized others. Often times, as human beings, the critical judgment we level on another person’s character or flaws generally is a judgment on our own character or flaws. In other words, those actions and flaws of others that we criticize are often a judgment about those same actions and behaviors in our own lives.

Repeatedly in all four gospels, Jesus addresses our human tendency to condemn others. Jesus tells the people in Matthew’s Gospel, “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”

We see this played out in everyday life. No matter what religion or political party, how many religious leaders or politicians have been found guilty of the very same behaviors or issues they preach against? This is reminiscent of the gospel story of the woman caught in adultery. Jesus tells those ready to stone the woman to death, “let the one among you who is without sin cast the first stone.” As you recall, everyone dropped their stones and silently walked away. I have often wondered how many of those men holding stones were guilty of the same sin as the woman they were ready to kill?

In today’s gospel account, Jesus challenges the behavior of Simon the Pharisee. Simon treats the woman, who was more than likely a prostitute, with a superior air of scorn and disgust. The woman, contrite to the point of being distraught, weeps upon the feet of Jesus. She then dries his feet with her hair, then, anoints his feet with perfumed ointment. Jesus challenges Simon, “I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven because she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” Jesus makes it very clear to us that we will be judged and forgiven by God in the same manner we judge and forgive others. God will hold us accountable using the same measure by which we judge and condemn others. Everytime we pray the Our Father, do we not petition God to forgive us our sins in the same manner we forgive those who sin against us? Pope Francis has declared this Church year, “The Year of Mercy.” If we are to be disciples of Jesus, we are to be merciful as God is merciful.

On the other hand, we might find ourselves identifying with the sinful woman in this story. At one time or another in our lives, most of us have committed a sin that, even though it has been forgiven, has left us with a tremendous amount of guilt and regret. We might even think of this sin as unforgiveable. In his tremendous gesture of compassion, love and mercy given to the woman Jesus tells us that in God’s eye there is no such thing as an unforgiveable sin.

Look at the behavior of King David in the first reading. King David uses his power, and his privilege as King to commit adultery with a married woman. From his rooftop, which overlooked many other rooftops, he sees her bathing, and desiring her, orders his servants to bring her to him. Though she is married to one of his soldiers, he, nonetheless, forces himself upon her. In doing so, he commits the sin of adultery. As if this was not bad in itself, when the woman finds herself pregnant with King David’s child, King David plots and then has the husband of the woman murdered. By most human standards, David commits two unforgiveable sins, adultery and murder. How could God ever forgive David the things he had done? When David fully sees the horror of his actions, like the woman in the gospel, he falls to his knees in guilt and sorrow. While he must atone for what he has done, David is forgiven by God. As Jesus explains to Simon the Pharisee, God’s standards of forgiveness are the not the same as human standards. The compassion, love and mercy of God is never denied those who are sincerely sorry for their sins, whatever that sin might be.

I would like to close with a portion of Psalm 51. This psalm written by King David speaks to the love, compassion and mercy he received from God. May these words always be on our lips, in our minds and in our hearts. “Have mercy on me, O God, in accord with your merciful love; in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions. Thoroughly wash away my guilt; and from my sin cleanse me. For I know my transgressions; my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your eyes so that you are just in your word, and without reproach in your judgment. Cleanse me with hyssop that I may be pure; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. You will let me hear gladness and joy; the bones you have crushed will rejoice. Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my iniquities. A clean heart create for me, O God; renew within me a steadfast spirit. For you do not desire sacrifice or I would give it; a burnt offering you would not accept. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.” Amen.

Variations On A Theme – a Psalm Offering for Dave Barrett

(picture) Dave Barrett

I dedicate this Psalm Offering to Fr. Dave Barrett. I have known Dave since the Fall of 2010 when he joined the staff of St. Wenceslaus as an associate pastor, initially serving at St. Scholastica in Heidelberg, and St. Thomas, St. Thomas. When St. Wenceslaus was merged with 4 rural parishes, Dave, while celebrating Mass at St. Wenceslaus from time to time, has concentrated his ministry principally at St. Scholastica, Heidelberg and St John the Evangelist in Union Hill. Dave embodies the meaning of priest as servant. Over time, many of us who serve in parish life minister out of our own brokenness. It is out of our own brokenness that we are able to minister all the more authentically and effectively to those God has called us to serve. Dave has had his crosses and brokenness in life, yet his love of God, the people of God, and the Church has sustained him through many trials. He is a good, compassionate friend, and an excellent priest. To serve alongside him is a tremendous blessing and privilege.

About this music. There was a time that I experimented in composing through-composed hymnody e.g. “Holy God We Praise Thy Name,” or “O God Our Help In Ages Past.” The melody of this Psalm Offering is taken from one such past attempt of mine. I have reset this hymn tune in a musical form for piano called “Variations on a Theme.” Essentially, a melody is stated in the beginning and then the rest of the music is multiple variations on that melody. This is an old form of composition. It exists in a way in some of the old Mass settings of the Renaissance where a popular song of the time, “L’homme armé” (present in 40 known Mass settings) was used as a cantus firmus, over which the composer would compose new music. Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary composers have all used this musical form over the past several hundred years. Mozart once wrote variations on the children’s song, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Some of the more famous variations have been, Beethoven’s “Eroica Variations,” Brahms, “Variations On A Theme by Handel”, and Mendelssohn‘s Variations Sérieuses. I performed the Mendelssohn Variations at my graduation recital in college.

In this Psalm Offering the melody is introduced in the key of D major. The first variation of the melody is in triplet form with the melody running from the lower register of the piano to the middle register, then to the upper register and then progresses gradually back to the lower register. The second variation is the harmonic rhythm of the melody in running 16^th note arpeggios. The third variation modulates to B minor, the relative minor of D major. The lower register uses a technique of accompaniment used greatly in the Classical Period known as the “Alberti Bass”, a broken triad (3 pitch chord) played in either 8^th notes or 16^th notes underneath the melody. The fourth variation modulates to B major with an embellished melody stated in the lower register of the piano while a counter-melody in chords is suspended over the melody in the upper register. The fifth variation modulates back to D major, as the melody is presented in dotted rhythm in the higher register at the same time there are block chords in the lower register supporting the melody. The sixth and final variation continues in the key of D major and is presented in parallel 16^th note runs in both the upper and middle registers of the piano, occasionally punctuated by the dotted rhythm of the fifth variation.

One interesting thing occurred as I was listening to the playback on the second variation. I noticed that the harmonic rhythm of the melody resembles the same harmonic rhythm for an old Peter, Paul, and Mary song entitled, “Puff the Magic Dragon.” I swear that by the time I composed this melody, I was no longer smoking special cigarettes from the land of Honalee. The harmonic rhythm is purely a coincidence.

A Waltz for Kevin Clinton – Psalm Offering 6 Opus 6

I have written this Psalm Offering for Kevin Clinton, pastor of St. Wenceslaus Parish. The music for this Psalm Offering is directly related to the music for Psalm Offering 5 in Opus 6. Psalm Offering 5 was originally a setting of the Lord’s Prayer I had written for a Mass setting I was hoping would be my graduate project when I was in graduate school at the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, UST. The melodies in this music were taken from the Glory to God and Holy, Holy from the same Mass setting.

I first came to know Kevin, in 2007 when I was told that the parish in South Minneapolis at which I was a parish life administrator was going to receive a pastor. I talked to Kevin, who, at that time, had recently come to St. Wenceslaus as pastor, about possibly serving at St. Wenceslaus. We had a common friend in Denny Dempsey. The other common bond we shared was receiving our Masters in Pastoral Studies from the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity. I began serving with Kevin at St. Wenceslaus in 2009. I discovered very quickly that we shared similar views of ecclesiology and theology. I have had the honor of serving with many fine priests in 39 years of church ministry. Kevin is by far the finest of all the priests with whom I have served.

I never thought I would find myself writing waltzes, but as I composed this music, it came to me as one grand Viennese waltz. As I set these melodies down, I kept seeing in my mind’s eye couples swirling across a dance floor. This music is written in Rondo form, the dominant melody repeating in different variations. The tempo Vivace gioioso, lively and joyfully, best describes the joy of serving with Kevin these past seven years.

JUST WHAT DO YOU GOT THERE? – A reflection on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus

As a rule, deacons are the ministers of the Blood of Jesus at Eucharistic liturgies. At my ordination Mass, I was given a chalice that held 16 ounces of the Blood of Christ. My communion station was close by the northwest door of the St. Paul Cathedral. As I was distributing the Blood of Christ to the priests attending the ordination, a homeless man budged in near the front of their line. The general rule in the distribution of Holy Communion is that no one in line is refused. As the homeless man stood in front of me, he said to me, “Just what do you got there?” I replied, “This is the blood of Christ.” He said, “I’ll have some of that.” I handed to him the chalice. He nearly consumed 10 ounces of the Blood of Christ. Alarmed, I reached to get the chalice back from him. Smacking his lips as he handed it back to me, he said, “Amen to Jesus!” He then turned and walked out the west door as I and the rest of the priests looked on in bewilderment. Little did I know that 10 years later, I would be working with the homeless community at St. Stephen’s in South Minneapolis. Jesus comes to us in all sorts of disguises.

Some of us might look upon the homeless man with scorn for being sacrilegious. Some of us may merely pass this off as another one of those odd, amusing scenarios that arise within worship. I have, at times, harbored perhaps both of these feelings. However, what has become more important for me, is that the homeless man receiving the Blood of Christ has become a profound moment illustrating the need for all who receive the Body and Blood of Jesus to BE the Body and Blood of Jesus to others, especially to those who may seem, at least on the surface, to be less than worthy.

In the Gospel account of the feeding of the 5000, not all of those 5000 gathered were worthy to receive the loaves and the fishes that Jesus multiplied. Scattered among that number would have been those who would later plot Jesus’ death. Surely, his apostles, who would later betray and abandon him, were present. Yet, it mattered not to Jesus, who fed them generously, nonetheless.

As we look around us at Mass, we see that we sit in communion with those around us. Some may appear to be as we see ourselves, others overly pietistic, others eclectic, others distracted, and even others reluctant to participate. Yet the Body and Blood we receive unite us in communion with one another. In flesh, we are in “communio” as the living and breathing Body and Blood of Jesus.

In coming forward and receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus, we all share in communion a common mission. This mission is not to be merely receivers of the Body and Blood of Jesus. The grace we receive in Holy Communion is not be hoarded but rather to be shared with others. To use the story of the feeding of the 5000, we become the loaves and fishes that Jesus multiplies to be shared with others. We need the grace and the strength of Holy Communion as Jesus breaks us into his Body and Blood to be shared with those most in need in our world.

Every time we receive Holy Communion, every year when we celebrate this Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus, let us remember that as we say “Amen” to the real presence of Jesus in the bread and the wine, we say “Amen” to the real presence of Jesus in our own Body and Blood. Let us take and receive so that as the Body and Blood of Jesus others may take of us and receive his presence.

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