3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C - January 23, 2022

 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Cycle C

January 23, 2022        8:30 and 11am

Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton 

 

A Healed Femur 

 

Some years ago I read an article about Dr. Margaret Mead.

 

You probably know that Margaret Mead was a renowned cultural anthropologist. She was an American, and she died in 1978. 

 

Dr. Mead was once asked what she regarded as the earliest sign of civilization on this earth. Was it an axe-blade, an arrowhead, a fishhook, a musical instrument, a ceramic bowl, or what?

 

Margaret Mead’s answer surprised her interviewer. She said, “A healed femur.” “A healed femur.”

 

Not something made by a human, but something human. Not an artifact, but a part of someone who once walked this earth, who was hurt and healed – of a broken femur.

 

Dr. Mead explained that where the law of the survival of the fittest reigns, a broken leg means certain death. If you cannot make it on your own, you’re doomed.

 

But a healed legbone, a healed femur is physical evidence that someone cared. Someone gathered food for the injured person until their leg was healed.

 

Someone cared for them until they could once again care for themselves. So, Dr. Margaret Mead says: the first sign of civilization is compassion.

    

Compassion 

 

Compassion – that is also the very heart of Jesus’ message.

 

In today’s gospel, Jesus begins his public ministry by speaking in his hometown synagogue. He invokes the six hundred year-old vision of Isaiah.

 

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me [1] to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me [2] to proclaim liberty to captives and [3] recovery of sight to the blind, [4] to let the oppressed go free.”

 

Maybe we would call this Jesus’ mission statement. I also see this as my mission as a priest, and as our mission as a Church.

 

Mission of Compassion 

 

So, first, Jesus proclaims “glad tidings” – and that means good news, the meaning of the word gospel – he proclaims good news to the poor. Here the word “poor” does not mean financially or materially poor.

 

Instead, it means everyone who knows deep down that they are in need, that they are yearning for something more or beyond life on this earth.  Jesus satisfies this deepest need, and now we too are to share this good news in the same positive way that Jesus does.

 

Then, Jesus proclaims “liberty to captives.” He comes to free us from being captive to a life where we feel little purpose and meaning, a life that sometimes feels empty.

 

He frees us to live in the way of love – with the awareness of God’s love for us and, in return, our love for God and for one another. And now we too are to proclaim the freedom to live with this purpose to those held captive today.

 

Next, Jesus gives “sight to the blind.” He declares that he himself is “the light of the world.”

 

So he offers us light in times of darkness – like the darkness of grief, loss, sickness, depression, loneliness, anxiety, financial stress, whatever it is. His light helps us to see enough to make our way through darkness, and now we are to offer that same light to others.

 

Finally, Jesus comes to “let the oppressed go free.” He consistently reaches out to the three “Ls” – the last, the least, and the lost. 

 

He does whatever he can to free people from poverty or prejudice or whatever is oppressing them. He gives hope to them and now we are to offer that same hope to today’s oppressed peoples. 

 

Civilization 

 

So, what it all amounts to is compassion. This is the core of Jesus’ mission and the mission that he entrusts to us – compassion.

 

If we embrace this, we bring God’s kingdom more fully to this earth. And, in Dr. Mead’s words, we enhance and grow civilization on this earth. 

 

 

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C - January 16, 2022

 2^nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Cycle C

January 16, 2022        11am

Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center, Marriottsville 

 

John’s Gospel

 

This morning, I want to do a kind of “Bible-study” approach to my homily.

 

There are many details in this familiar story of the wedding feast of Cana, and at least some of them are enriching in what they tell us about Jesus and our relationship with him. So, let’s get started.  

 

The Wedding: The Problem 

 

To begin with, Mary says to Jesus, “`They have no wine.’” Jesus’ mother could simply be concerned about the embarrassment of the newly married couple in running out of wine.  

 

But on another, deeper level, “`They have no wine’” also means that they – and all of humanity – have no way to God. Their relationship with God has run out and run dry.

 

Then, Jesus seems to respond to his mother rather disrespectfully: “`Woman, how does your concern affect me?’” In other words: “So, what do you want me to do about it?”

 

And, on top of that, Jesus addresses his mother as “’Woman’” – definitely not the usual way in that culture to speak to your mother. But, as you might guess, there is some significance here.

 

Jesus uses this same word when he is dying on the cross and entrusts his mother to the disciple John and entrusts John to his mother. So, in using this word, Jesus is transforming the relationship between his mother and himself.

 

He is adding an additional level of relationship with his mother – that of disciple. He is seeing his mother as a disciple who will join him in doing God’s saving work on this earth.   

 

Then, Jesus goes on to say, “`My hour has not yet come.’” Maybe Jesus just wants to enjoy himself and not be bothered with anyone’s problems.

 

But, Jesus’ words “`My hour’” are very significant: they are consistently used in the gospel, and they specifically refer to the time of his suffering and death. So, apparently, Jesus knows, here at Cana, that as soon as he starts his divine mission, opposition and hardship will also start. 

 

The Wedding: The Solution 

 

So, Jesus seems to dodge his mother’s request, but Mary is undeterred and says to the waiters: “`Do whatever he tells you.’” In one way, I can imagine Mary rolling her eyes, shaking her head, and taking a deep breath.

 

But maybe the bigger point here is that Mary already shows herself as a disciple. She already trusts in Jesus, her son.

 

And in her trust and faith, she – a good disciple – calls us to be disciples: “”Do whatever he tells you.’” And if we do, we too will experience the action of God in our lives.

 

Then John’s gospel carefully notes that there are 6 water jars. To his audience, this means 1 less than the perfect number, which is 7, a sign of fulfillment or perfection.

 

The idea here is that Jesus himself will become the 7^th jar, the fulfillment or perfection of humanity’s relationship with God. And he will become this when he gives us not a water jar but a chalice of wine as his blood. 

 

And then, there is the great statement of the headwaiter. “`Everyone serves good wine first, but you have kept the good wine until now.’”

 

On one level, the headwaiter voices the common sense practice of not holding the good wine until people are a bit high, and then they won’t appreciate it. On another level, these words also say that in Jesus, the best, has been saved until this moment. 

 

Conclusion: Signs

 

Finally, John concludes this story by saying that “Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs.”

 

So, Jesus’ actions are signs – signs of God’s presence and action in our lives. We Christians are a people of signs.

 

We have the signs of the sacraments. The question is: do we bring to these signs the trust or faith that the first disciples bring?

 

For example, do we bring this trust or faith when we say “Amen” to the words “The Body of Christ” before we receive the Eucharist? If we do, then we too will be able to experience Jesus doing great things in our lives.

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Cycle C - January 9, 2022

 Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

 Cycle C

January 9, 2022          

Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton 8:30 and 11am 

 

Adam and Eve 

 

One day a religion teacher asked her second graders to take their crayons and draw a picture of their favorite Old Testament story.

 

One little boy drew a picture of a man dressed up in a tuxedo, wearing a top hat, and driving an old car. In the back seat were two passengers: a man and a woman, both dressed in bathing suits.

 

The teacher said, “Brian, that’s a nice picture, but what story does it tell?” Little Brian was surprised at the question.

 

He responded, “Well, doesn’t it say in the Bible that God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden?” Little Brian’s picture, in a light-hearted way, helps to introduce what I want to talk about today.

 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, I want to share some ideas about the meaning of our own baptism. 

 

Human Condition 

 

Little Brian was trying to depict what happened after Adam and Eve sinned.

 

As he said, God drove them out of the Garden of Eden. We call what Adam and Eve did “Original Sin.” 

 

In our Catholic teaching, we have also said that we all inherit Original Sin and that baptism cleanses us from this. Well, I think we have to understand this carefully.

 

We do not inherit Original Sin in the way that we inherit dark hair or hazel eyes. Innocent little babies whom we bring here for baptism are not made sinful by something they didn’t do.

 

Instead of that, some of our theologians say that Original Sin is more like the human condition into which we are all born. The truth is that our world is imperfect and fractured and, in that way, sinful.

 

Just think about our unconscious, knee-jerk reaction when someone offends us. At least at first, we usually react by wanting to get back at them.

 

That is a sign of the human condition, the imperfect, fractured, sinful world into which we all born. I find this to be a helpful way to think about Original Sin.

 

Spiritual Opportunity

 

That takes me to the question: what does baptism do about this?

 

I would say that baptism is the spiritual opportunity that responds to our human condition. It brings us into a relationship with God and ignites the life of God within us. 

 

In this way, Baptism starts a process of transformation. It gives us the opportunity to live in a new way.

 

Examples of This Opportunity

 

For example, we now have the opportunity to live with a clear vision about life.

 

We can now realize that everything in some way comes from God – the One who transcends the heavens and the earth. And so, we can now live with a desire to protect and enhance human life wherever it is found. 

 

We can also live with a respect for the earth and a commitment to use our resources wisely. The opportunity to live in this way comes from our baptism in the name of the Father. 

 

We now also have the opportunity to live with a clear idea of who God is and who we are called to be like.

 

We have the Son of God made flesh in Jesus Christ. And so, through Jesus, we now see God as loving, forgiving, and universal in his plan of salvation.

 

Through Jesus, we see ourselves as called to become merciful, peacemaking, and faithful to commitments. The opportunity to live this way comes from our baptism in the name of the Son.

 

And we also have the opportunity to live with a clear sense of God’s presence. 

 

Jesus has promised to be with us always through the Spirit. And so, we can now have an inner life where we know for sure that God is present within us. 

 

Even in our darkest and loneliest times, we are assured that God is with us. The opportunityto live this way comes from our baptism in the name of the Holy Spirit.

  

Conclusion

 

So, a human condition that is imperfect, fractured, and sinful, 

and a great spiritual opportunity in the sacrament of Baptism – 

that’s what I am thinking about on this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. 

 

 

 

 

Feast of the Epiphany, Cycle C - January 2, 2022

 Feast of the Epiphany

 Cycle C

January 2, 2022          

Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton 5pm and 8:30am 

 

A Stone and Ripples 

 

Imagine a stone being tossed into the middle of a pond.

 

It lands: Plunk! And immediately, a succession of ripples begins.

 

Each one grows in circumference. And the ripples continue to expand until they reach the shoreline.

 

This image is helpful in understanding the history of Christianity. Jesus, so to speak, was tossed like a stone into the pond of the ancient Middle East.

 

Jesus’ coming begins with a very private annunciation to one person, Mary. Then it goes out to Joseph, to the shepherds, to the magi, and then the ripples continue for the past 2,000 years.

 

And again, it all began with the original “Plunk” of a stone in a pond. And it has rippled out and down to us today.    

 

Jesus/Stone/Light

 

Now the Scripture is very clear in how it describes this stone, Jesus.

 

He is light, our light. Isaiah foresees this as we heard in the first reading: “Your light has come. Upon you the Lord shines.”

 

The gospel tells the familiar story of the magi being led by the light of a star. The idea is that Jesus is light for the world and starts a rippling effect of light that continues. 

  

We/Ripple/Light

 

For me, it follows that we are to see ourselves as a ripple in the pond.

 

Like any ripple, we have received energy from the ripple that was just before us. And we are to be and give energy for the next ripple in the pond.

 

So, maybe we have received the light of Christ from our parents. Maybe we have received it from religion teachers or Sisters or priests or our parish.

 

And now, we are empowered to create the next ripple in the pond beyond us. We are to be light and give light to others.

 

Another Ripple 

 

For example, parents and grandparents share the light of Christ with children. They teach them about God and about Jesus.

 

They guide them in learning how to pray and in learning certain prayers. They form them in knowing right from wrong.

 

Our words are very important here in creating this new ripple in the pond. And in doing this, we rely upon the Scripture, the Word of God, Christ himself, who is the stone in the pond.

 

And we are aided by all the ripples that have preceded us over the centuries. This is how we create a new ripple of light in our young children.

 

And then, with our older children and with other adults in general, we create a new ripple in a different way. Here it is far less with words and much more with example.

 

In fact, we may need to resist the temptation to use words here. With our young adults and other adults, what we do and how we live are paramount.

 

Our life and lifestyle will have the best possibility of leading them to become another ripple in the pond. This will have the best chance of passing on the light of Christ to them. 

 

The last way that I am thinking about in creating the next ripple is with our world or with people in general. And my idea is that most often, we can create a new ripple of light by pointing out the light that is already there. 

 

So, we point out the light in children who make a little Christmas present for their parents; or the light in our teens who give their time to some community service project.

 

We point out the light in so many parents who work hard to provide for their children; or the light in the man or woman who stops and assists an elderly person at the supermarket. 

 

In other words, we point out the light. We resist, and this is so important, we resist the temptation to curse the darkness because that will not produce even a tiny new ripple.

 

So, lift up the light that is there. Then, the energy created 2,000 years ago when that stone was thrown into the pond, when Jesus was born, that light will continue and new ripples will appear and spread.