Homily - Veterans Day Prayer Service - 20171110 - On His right or His left - Delivered at Memphis Catholic

Homily – Veterans’ Day Prayer Service – 20171110 – Memphis Catholic

Good morning!  Today, we celebrate and we remember.  We remember those we know as Veterans.  Veterans who are our friends, our family members, our teachers, our bus drivers, and women and men who we don’t even know, but who have served our country and the ideals that we hold as Americans.

And, we hear reflections and songs that help us to remember. 

This morning, we’ve again broken open God’s Word through the first reading from the Book of Ruth, our Psalm and the Gospel reading all of which we just shared. 

Let’s look at some of what these Scriptures might say to us this morning for just a few minutes.

We know the words of the song:

Our God is an awesome God he reigns; From heaven above with wisdom, power and love
Our God is an awesome God!

And, some of us get really inspired and fired up when we sing this song.  But, do we live it?  Do we live like God is the almighty, the Creator, the all-knowing, the all-loving, Redeemer and Provider?

As we read and listen to the words of King David in the first reading from the Book of Ruth, we hear David exclaim “The Lord is my rock”!  “My God is my rock, my shield”!  He goes on “I called to the Lord”.  This call to the Lord sounds like prayer to me!   

Do we take the privilege to pray for granted?  When your teacher ask you to offer petitions or prayers for loved ones, do you embrace the opportunity?  Or, do you let the opportunity pass by, because it’s just a silly prayer thing?  And, besides, you don’t want to be vulnerable around my friends.  Heaven forbid, that in a Catholic, Christian, school, we should let down our guard a little bit and acknowledge God as “My Rock”, “My Shield”!

And, David’s song goes on to share how “the waves of death” and his “enemies” are surrounding him and he is being overwhelmed!  Do you ever feel like that?  Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your family situation, your struggles with some of your academic work, the challenges you find in maturing into adulthood.  Or, maybe, a better question is how many times in the past week have you felt that overwhelming feeling and the weight of the world upon you?  We, like David, can call out to our AWESOME GOD and ask for His guidance, His love, His presence of calm in the storm.

In our Gospel, we see images of Jesus and the Father.  Images of “the Son of Man” seated on His glorious throne; the image of a shepherd separating the sheep from the goats; and, the image of Christ as “King” speaking to those on His right and those on His left.   How will we be recognized by the King when we die?  Brothers and sisters, we clearly know from watching all that is happening in our world from Las Vegas to New York City to First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, that we do not know when our own death will come, do we?  I pray that we all live long, loving lives, but we just don’t know. 

And, in our Gospel, there is confusion among those on the right and the left.  First, those welcomed into the kingdom, did not realize that they had been serving the King all along.  But, they were.  They were caring for the least of Christ’s brothers and sisters.  They weren’t deciding whether it was convenient or socially acceptable to care for the sick, the hungry, the naked.  No, they were caring for people everywhere and at all times! 

And, then there are those on the left, who are presumably “nice people” who ignore the needs of others.  They are self-absorbed, clueless of the plight of those around them.  Or, even worse, they are aware of the needs, but could care less to do anything about those needs.  Maybe, they think that their time to serve will happen someday “when I’m older and I have more money”. 

The reality, guys, is that someday never comes and when we are being separated as sheep or goats, our intentions won’t matter.  Did we serve Him?  Did you and I serve His people? 

So, back to the beginning to one of our favorite songs, yes, “our God is an Awesome God”.  He does reign with “wisdom, with power, with love”!  Do we glorify Him by caring for Him in His people? 

Today, I invite you to spend a moment hear, NOW, to think of where you stand?  Are you on His right or on His left?  Would you like to move over to the right? 

Come follow Him!

Homilia - 26 Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario Ano A - acciones de las comunidades

Mi homilia para el 26 Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario - Ano A

¿Alguna vez sientes como si estuvieras en el exilio como católico cristiano en nuestra sociedad americana? ¿O piensa en la gente en el exilio, de los días del Antiguo Testamento? En nuestra primera lectura, el profeta Ezequiel es oír el grito del pueblo en el exilio, desterrado a un país lejos de su templo, su cultura, su lengua. ¡Imagina la gente en el exilio clamando a Ezequiel que " 'No es justo el proceder del Señor"! Y Ezequiel gritando aún más fuerte “¿No es más bien el proceder de ustedes el injusto?”

Como ves en la descripción de los pecados de los impíos en la primera lectura y el de los publicanos y las prostitutas en el Evangelio, ¿ puedes relacionar esto a su propio pecado? La mayoría de nosotros somos pecadores "menores", ¿no? ¿Nos relacionamos con estas palabras acerca de "publicanos" que engañó a todo el pueblo y había traicionado a sus vecinos? ¿O podemos vernos en las acciones de las prostitutas? Se atreven decir que nos fijamos en los pecados que cometemos como pecados menores, y queremos comparar nuestras luchas con aquellos que han cometido hasta ahora acciones "más pecaminosas" que nosotros. ¿Sin embargo, no juzgamos, no?

¡Ezequiel habla de la salvación de los corrompidos por sus malos caminos! No tenemos la tentación de saltar y decirle a Ezequiel, sí, esa gente son malvadas! ¿Se puede creer las cosas terribles que ha hecho? ¿Puede creer que ella está haciendo tal y tal? Pero ¿qué dice Ezequiel de aquellos que se vuelven de sus malos caminos? Cuando el pecador se arrepiente del mal que hizo y practica la rectitud y la justicia, él mismo salva su vida. No debemos escuchar y levantar un "Aleluya, alabado sea Dios, mi hermano fue muerto en el pecado y su vida se ha guardado". Pero, vamos a ser real, no somos generalmente impresionados? Somos escépticos y nos gusta juzgar a los demás. Tal vez, nos hace sentir mejor sobre la menor pecaminosidad que tenemos hacia nuestros familiares y compañeros de trabajo.

San Pablo escribe a los Filipenses acerca de cómo deben comportarse y cuidar de su comunidad. Pablo estimula y corrige las acciones de las comunidades en todo el mundo gentil en todos sus escritos. En la actualidad la segunda lectura, Pablo se dirige a la comunidad en Phillipi y exhorta a "llénenme de alegría teniendo todos una misma manera de pensar, un mismo amor, unas mismas aspiraciones y una sola alma. Nada hagan por espíritu de rivalidad ni presunción; antes bien, por humildad, cada uno considere a los demás como superiores a sí mismo y no busque su propio interés, sino el del prójimo."

Y, luego, Pablo cita el himno de vaciado que seguramente fue cantado por la comunidad en la iglesia primitiva en Phillipi durante las celebraciones eucarísticas.  Qué significa para uno mismo? Significa que Pablo ha dicho actuar con humildad.  Vemos rasgos de cómo “nada hagan por espíritu de rivalidad ni presunción", no?
Cuando el niño está enfermo y tiene nausea, no pensamos nada cuando nuestro precioso bebé vomita sobre nuestra ropa. Agarramos la mano de nuestros padres ancianos ya que cerca de la muerte a menudo en casos donde se han olvidado de quiénes somos. Pero, estamos allí, ¿no?

Pero entonces, nos fijamos en la familia inmigrante que tenga miembros que son indocumentados. Y nosotros podríamos convencer por nuestro trasfondo político a olvidar que estamos hablando de seres humanos, hermanos, madres y padres, hijos y hijas. ¿Nuestra retórica a menudo de rivalidad ni presunción como presentamos económicamente sonido razonamientos de por qué no deberíamos tener mas amor y compasión para aquellos que buscan vivir como familias y cuidar de otros?

Y luego escuchamos el himno vaciado y escuchamos las hermosas palabras hablando de cómo Jesús despojó a sí mismo. Nuestro Señor y Salvador, la palabra hecha carne, Emmanuel, “Cristo, siendo Dios no consideró que debía aferrarsea las prerrogativas de su condición divina, sino que, por el contrario, se anonadó a sí mismo, tomando la condición de siervo, y se hizo semejante a los hombres.” WOW, un siervo! Piensa en las imágenes que trae a tu mente. Dios, en la persona de su hijo, hizo siervo de la humanidad, por obediencia aceptó incluso la muerte,”, Pero, no sólo una muerte, “una muerte de cruz!”

Y yo, este hombre de pecados menores, no llevo algunas cruces muy importantes a lo largo de esta vida? Pero, ¿cuántas cruces he puesto sobre los hombros de los demás? Necesito ser más consciente de cómo cargo otros con cruces. Es necesario permitir que otros ven junto a mí que me ayude a soportar el peso de mi cruz, y cuando puedo, puedo ser el Simón el de Cirene y la Cruz de mi vecino. O por lo menos puedo ayudar a llevar el yugo de la de otra dolores al andar con ellos. ¡No, a juzgar y destruirlos! No, ser demasiado terco o derrotados, para no permitir que un amigo o familiar que me ayude!

¿Pero, Dios no simplemente nos pide rivalidad ni presunción,? Dios padre no solo dice "Bien, gracias hijo, hiciste una gran cosa para mis hijos en la tierra cuando murió, Jesús". ¿Qué hizo Jesús, y lo que él puede hacer por usted y yo?  ¡ Por eso Dios lo exaltó sobre todas las cosas!, y le otorgó el nombre que está sobre todo nombre!, para que, al nombre de Jesús, todos doblen la rodilla en el cielo, en la tierra y en los abismos!

Y por favor exclamar conmigo lo que y todos ereconozcan públicamente «Que Jesucristo es el Señor», que "Jesucristo es el Señor" para gloria de Dios Padre.  AMÉN!!!!!!

Homily for 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year A - The actions of the community

My homily for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary a Time

Do you ever feel like you’re in exile as a Catholic Christian in our American society? Or do think of people in exile being only from Old Testament days? In our first reading, the prophet Ezekiel is hearing the cry of the people in exile, exiled to a country far from their temple, their culture, their language. Imagine the people in exile crying out to Ezekiel that “God is not treating us fairly”! And, there’s Ezekiel yelling even louder that the Lord’s ways are not only fair, but the people’s sins are what are not fair!

As you look at the description of the sins of the wicked in the first reading and that of tax collectors and prostitutes in the Gospel, can you relate this to your own sinfulness? Most of us are “minor” sinners, aren’t we? Do we relate to these words about “tax collectors” who cheated all the people and betrayed their neighbors? Or can we see ourselves in the actions of the prostitutes? I’d dare say that we look at the sins we commit as minor, and we want to compare our struggles with those who have committed far “more sinful” actions than us. But, we don’t judge, do we?
Ezekiel speaks of the salvation of those corrupted by their wicked ways! And, aren’t we tempted to jump in and tell Ezekiel, yeah, those wicked people! Can you believe the awful things he has done? Can you believe that she is doing such and such? But what does Ezekiel say of those who turn from their wicked ways? He says that when she or he turns from these wicked ways and does good and loves others, their lives are preserved! Shouldn’t we hear this and raise an “Alleluia, praise God, my brother or sister was dead in sin and his life has been saved”! But, let’s be real, we aren’t usually impressed are we? We are skeptical and we enjoy judging others. Maybe, it makes us feel better about the minor sinfulness we have toward our family members and co-workers.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Phillipians about how they are to conduct themselves and take care of their community. Paul encourages and corrects the actions of communities throughout the Gentile world in all his writings. In today’s second reading, Paul speaks to the community at Phillipi and exhorts them to “complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.”

And, then, Paul quotes the Kinosis hymn (the emptying hymn) that was surely sung by the community in the early Church in Phillipi during Eucharistic celebrations. What does it mean to empty oneself? It means as Paul has said to act out of humility. We see glimpses of how we “do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory”, don’t we? When our young child is sick and nauceous, we think nothing of holding our precious baby as he or she vomits on us late at night. We will hold the hand of our elderly parent as they near death often in cases where they have forgotten who we are. But, we are there, aren’t we?

But then, we look at the immigrant family who may have members who are undocumented. And, we might be swayed by our political background to forget that we are talking about human beings, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters. Does our rhetoric often tend toward selfishness or vainglory even as we present economically-sound reasonings for why we should not have complete love and compassion for those seeking to live as families and care for others?

And then we listen to the emptying hymn and we hear the beautiful words speaking of how Jesus emptied Himself. Our Lord and Savior, the Word made flesh, Emmanuel, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped, something to boast about, something to lord over others. No, Jesus emptied or humbled himself in the form of a slave. Wow, a slave! Think of the images that brings to your mind. God, in the person of His Son, made himself a slave to mankind, becoming obedient even to death. But, not just death,
DEATH ON A CROSS!!!

And, I, this man of minor sins, don’t I carry some pretty major Crosses throughout this life? But, how many crosses have I laid on the shoulders of others? I need to become more aware of how I burden others with crosses. I need to allow others to come alongside me to help me bear the weight of my cross, and when I am able, I can be the Simon the Cyrenian and carry the cross of my neighbor. Or I can at least help carry the yoke of another’s pains by walking with them. Not, judging and tearing them down! Not, being too stubborn or defeated, to not allow a friend or
family member to help me!

But, God does not simply ask us to act humbly, without vainglory, does he? God the Father didn’t just say “Well, Jesus, thank you Son, you did a great thing for my children on earth when you died Jesus”. What did he do for Jesus, and what might he want to do for you and me?

God greatly exalted him!

And he and bestowed on him the name which is above every name!

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth!

And please exclaim with me what every tongue will confess "That JESUS CHRIST is LORD” , that “Jesus Christ is Lord” to the glory of God the Father. AMEN!!!