On the Feast of St. Matthias: Make a Splash!

At Mass today our pastor's homily centered on St. Matthias.

He observed that the apostles wanted to choose a good man to replace Judas, and that the 12 apostles paralleled the 12 Tribes of Israel from the Old Testament.

He also observed that we know very little about St. Matthias, the man who was chosen to replace Judas after Jesus' death and Judas' suicide. All we know about him is that he was picked. He's not famous like Peter and Paul. But he was picked to carry on the ministry, to "go out to all the world and tell the Good News."

Our pastor commented that we are very much like St. Matthias. We're ordinary people. We'll probably not make a big splash in the world. But we can--and should--make a little splash in our own little corner of the world. We can--and should--live our lives with the intention of doing good for others, doing good in the name of God. We can--and should--take the opportunity to perform works of mercy--both spiritual and corporal.

Corporal Works of Mercy

Feed the Hungry
Give Drink to the Thirsty
Clothe the Naked
Welcome the Stranger
Visit the Sick and Imprisoned
Bury the Dead

Spiritual Works of Mercy

Counsel the Doubtful
Instruct the Ignorant
Admonish the Sinner
Comfort the Sorrowful
Bear Wrongs Patiently
Pray for the Living and the Dead

While we have time, let us do good!

Words to live by

I am enjoying Father H's homilies at daily Mass this Lent. He begins each one by reminding us that in Lent it is more important to pay attention to what our Lord Jesus Christ is telling us in the Gospel of the day than it is to worry about "giving up this or giving up that or not doin' this or not doin' that." Father H tells us daily that sacrifice is a good thing, but it is only a first step--there's not a lot of point to it if we are not putting the Word of the Lord into practice.

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

I remember reading The Song of Bernadette when I was in high school. It was from my parents' collection of Reader's Digest Condensed Books.

This morning my children's school celebrated Mass in honor of the day. (Instead of First Friday Mass, the school chooses feast days of certain saints and celebrates Mass on those days. And the children learn about those saints ahead of time!) Today the deacon preached about the Gospel (the wedding at Cana) and how the Blessed Mother told the waiters to do whatever Jesus told them to do. Then he told them the story of the apparitions at Lourdes, and how Saint Bernadette also did the will of God. Finally, he reminded them that they, too, should do whatever Jesus tells them.

I never did get around to reading the full version of The Song of Bernadette. But I think it's time I did.

From a Homily

From my pastor's homily at Tuesday daily Mass:

"We forget his presence when things are going well, but doubt his existence when things are going poorly."

Turning the Other Cheek

This morning Father H. gave us some interesting background on the story behind the story of "turn the other cheek."

He explained that every culture has its own signals that are used to insult other people or so display superiority. In our culture, as he put it, we put up our hand to salute someone without using all our fingers. In Jesus' time, if you wanted to insult someone, you would use your open right palm to slap someone in the face.

But if you wanted to show that you were ready to reconcile with someone, you would slap them, backhand, on the other cheek.

So Jesus's urging his disciples to "turn the other cheek" was really urging them to always approach others with a spirit of reconciliation--to be ready to forgive. (And by the way, you were really putting someone on the spot with that attitude, because they would be shamed if they refused you that reconciliation). As Romans 12:21 says, "Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good."

I'm not always certain whether my kids are listening to the homily, but Middle Sister paid good attention today. When we were in the kitchen making lunch, Big Brother and I were teasing each other about something, and I pretended to swipe at his face with the back of my hand. Middle Sister said, "Mom, you used the wrong slap! You just told Big Brother that you want to be reconciliated!"

Remember Who You Are

Father H is on a "sign of the Cross" kick again. He reminded us today that at Baptism we are claimed for Christ when the priest signs us with the sacred oil. So, he said, the sign of the Cross helps us remember who we are--and whose we are. And that's why we use this gesture often, in our liturgical and sacramental lives.

Remember who you are.

Remember whose you are.

Saturday Link to Sunday's Homily

Sunday's homily from Friar Charles: why God is better than retail therapy. (Those are my words, not his. His are way more eloquent. Go! Read! Learn!) Maybe I'll remember this tomorrow when I hear the Gospel, instead of being reminded of Peter, Paul and Mary's "Jesus Met the Woman at the Well."

Today's Homily: Our Lenten Task

AND NOW...it's time for another installment of...

"What did we learn from Father's Homily today?"

During Lent, we should look to the catechumens and follow their lead. They are preparing intensely for their upcoming Baptism at the Easter Vigil. We who are already baptized are preparing to renew our Baptismal promises at Easter.

Easter is about celebrating Christ's resurrection with a renewed commitment to live the Gospel.

If this is not new to you, great! But it was new to me. Thanks, Father H!

Take Up Your Cross

This morning Father preached on the line "Take up your cross" from today's Gospel.

His homily was a fascinating tribute to the early Church and the traditions they have handed down to us regarding the sign of the cross. Here are some of the things I learned today:

The reason we touch our LEFT shoulder before our RIGHT shoulder when we make the sign of the cross comes from the Gospel of Matthew, when we are urged to try to stay on the right side of God (with those who are living as God has asked them to) rather than on the left side (with those who have turned away from God). Father said that was we cross ourselves we should remember that we are to strive to stay not on God's left side, but on His right.

The triple-cross we make just before we hear the Gospel read at Mass is one of the oldest forms of the sign of the cross in our tradition.

In Baptism when we are signed with a cross, we are claimed for Christ. In Confirmation, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

In the early Church, the sign of the cross was made with three fingers of the right hand, held together--a symbol of the Trinity--three in one.

Take up your cross, and remember--keep right!

2 Homilies, and Mother Teresa

Today at Mass our pastor spoke of (among other topics) Blessed Mother Teresa and her "dark night of the soul." He related it to the part in today's Gospel where Jesus says "If you wish to follow me, take up your cross...." Father H said that the spiritual barrenness that Mother Teresa experienced through much of her life was her cross, her burden. Her example to us is that she bore her burden patiently and without complaining. She took up her cross and did not let it deter her from following Christ through her life of service. He reminded us that all of us have a cross, a burden, to bear; and that we are called to do so with grace and reliance on God.

Today's Gospel also made Father Daren at Servant and Steward think about Mother Teresa's example to us--but his homily discusses how she put aside all things--family, possessions, life--to follow Jesus.

Both homilies give us a lot to think about today.

Banquets and Humility

Yesterday at Mass our pastor had a very interesting take on the Gospel. This is a summary of his homily, in my own words.

It's not about the party. It's about our need for approval.

He said that we all need approval, affirmation and recognition--and that it's OK to need those. It's not even a contradition of the virtue of humility to need these things.

But the Gospel is calling us to think about whose approval, affirmation and recognition we seek.

Do we seek the approval of our friends? Do we only do what they would consider acceptable and admirable, for fear of losing their approval?

Do we seek the approval of those with whom we wish to associate--those up a few rungs on the social ladder? Do we edit our actions and words so that they would meet the approval of those people?

Or do we seek the approval of those who are truly in need? Do we put aside our own desire to be liked by our friends, family and social class, our desire to climb higher on the social ladder, in order to do what we know is needed to help someone else who can use a hand? Do we encourage our children to include the less popular kids in their lunchtime games on the playground?

That's humility: being ready to take the social consequence of acting in a loving manner toward those that have been deemed "unlovable" by the very people whose approval we so fervently desire.

After all, whose banquet do we really wish to enjoy? If it's God's banquet we're after, then we need to think very differently about whom we want to impress.

What We Heard

Today, on the Feast of the Assumption.

Our priest's homily was a reflection on the first line of the Magnificat: "My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord."

First he reminded us that the month of August is full of celebrations of spiritual giants. He told the story of Edith Stein (St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross) whose feast we observe August 9, and referenced the meaning the Magnificat held in the life of this saint.

Next, Father discussed the work of Kathleen Sullivan in abstinence education for teenagers. He observed that God showed His own reverence for the human body by assuming Mary's earthly body into Heaven upon her death, and that it is our duty to also have reverence for the human body.

Finally, Father told the story of a young person approaching a wiser, older person and asking what he should do with his life. The advisor asked the young person: "What is it that you do that makes your being proclaim the greatness of the Lord, that makes you feel fully alive? THAT is what you should do with your life."

If you'd like to hear my favorite arrangement of my favorite Gospel Canticle, visit this site and click on "Magnificat." The composer is a Franciscan Friar from Holy Name Province. I learned this song back in high school when another Friar introduced Father Tamburello's compositions to our choir. A few years ago I contacted Father to request permission to use his "Magnificat" at our Secular Franciscan meetings as part of Evening Prayer. He generously gave the permission and mailed me the sheet music to the song. It is a beautiful, simple arrangement of the Gospel canticle--but nothing elaborate is needed with lyrics like these. Enjoy it!

Image Credit: Dan Paulos