Dropsy It Like It’s Hot | October 30, 2015

October 30, 2015

Have you ever had a supervisor or superior observe you at work? It’s nerve racking right? When someone is watching my every move, I tend to play it safe, real safe, especially if that someone has already made their disapproval of me known. Years ago there was a woman at the parish I worked for that thought I was useless, I knew this because she told me so at a meeting with about 12 other members of the staff and volunteers. She looked me right in the eye and said, “You’re useless and everything you do is useless.” Can’t you picture the next scene where all 12 people come to my defense in outrage and horror, and this woman would be dramatically removed from the meeting? Well everyone, including me, sat there stunned and completely silent. It was awful. I literally felt the wind punched out of me by her words and her tone, and on top of it, no one came to my defense. It unraveled me for several weeks and I began to question whether everyone’s silence was really their own agreement with the idea that I was useless. Needles-to-say whenever that woman was in my presence, I played it as safe as possible or tried like hell to stay off her radar. I would do the complete opposite of what Jesus did in today’s gospel.

He wasn’t eating dinner at any random Pharisees’ house, but the text says that he was “at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.” We know that for the past several weeks Jesus had been engaged in heated debates, shameful arguments, and that the Pharisees were hanging onto his every word, not for spiritual enlightenment, but to use them against him someday. The gospel says that the guests at dinner “were observing him carefully.” My goodness, can’t the man even eat in peace? Instead of cowering from the scrutiny like I tend to do, Jesus took a big swig of wine, rubbed his hands together in excitement, and gave them what they were all hoping for, some delicious scandal (however, he really gave them a big heaping scoop of the Truth).

Since it says that the man with dropsy (a form of seizure disorder or epilepsy because they literally drop to the ground with a seizure) was in front of him, it might have seemed that this man was planted there on purpose, knowing that Jesus would feel the need to heal him. Bait taken, however, the Pharisees would be the ones with the hook in their mouths before long. Challenge question from Jesus, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath or not?” It was certainly not a trick question as they had already covered this topic and all that was required was a simple yes or no. Their silence to the question shamed them because they knew the right answer but refused to allow Jesus the upper hand. So Jesus heals dropsy dude (dropsy’s it like it’s hot, for the youngsters in the audience!!) and gives the guests a scenario more close to home and personal, “’Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?’  But they were unable to answer his question.” One more point for Jesus and one more strike against the Pharisees, however, they saw it as one more point for them and on more strike against Christ.

The sad part is that this kind of stuff still goes on in our churches today doesn’t it? We try like mad to prove others wrong, to prove ourselves right; we watch each other’s every move; we keep tallies of the score, etc. Today Jesus shows us that as long as we have the Truth, we stand on the Word, and we are with Christ, then we have nothing to fear, and on the other side, the only scrutiny that we should be conducting is toward our own behavior. If every one of us were observing ourselves carefully instead of others, we would not need to stifle our gifts ever, or feel useless. We could boldly live the gospel just like Jesus does in today’s story. I let one woman’s misguided opinion of me falsely convict me as useless for several weeks. I never want to falsely convict someone of anything (even though I know I have in my life), and I never want to withhold God’s healing and mercy from anyone when they are in front of me.

Reading 1 ROM 9:1-5

Brothers and sisters:
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;
my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness
that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. 
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my own people,
my kindred according to the flesh. 
They are children of Israel;
theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
theirs the patriarchs, and from them,
according to the flesh, is the Christ,
who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm PS 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Alleluia JN 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 14:1-6

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.
In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy.
Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking,
“Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?”
But they kept silent; so he took the man and,
after he had healed him, dismissed him.
Then he said to them 
“Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern,
would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?” 
But they were unable to answer his question.

A Pep Talk From Coach Paul | October 29, 2015

October 29, 2015

Don’t you just love being on the winning team? Don’t you feel different inside when your beloved football or baseball team has a winning record? It makes you feel good to know that your team is ranked, and if they are in the top 10 (cough cough, like Notre Dame this week!!), you might just get a little righteously smug. What about when you are on the correct end of an argument, you know those moments at parties, when someone consults Google on their phone, and Google agrees with you? That feels great, doesn’t it? There is something so fulfilling in being on the right side, in being a champion, and having the confidence that comes from that upright position. We all want to thrive and we all desire to be our best. That coincides with our universal call to holiness and trivial things like winning a sports game or rooting for the winning team can mirror or reflect that deep desire in all of us.

In today’s first reading, Coach Paul is giving the Romans a spiritual pep talk and speaks to that same longing in us to win!

“If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Can’t you just picture feisty Coach Paul at half time with his team feeling already defeated, battered, bruised, and ready to give up? He was probably one of those guys with that vein in the front of his forehead that popped out whenever he got all riled up!! I’m sure he stood on top of a bench or two when he wanted to make his point very clear. His words and his tone both pumped them up AND frightened them a little bit (or a lot). If you didn’t know Paul personally, you might think he was a crazy angry dude, but those that did know him knew that he was just extremely passionate about his message. For him it was life and death and a matter of utmost urgency. Maybe he was a yelling in his star players’ face kind of guy because his star players needed the push, and the closeness of yelling in their face moved them into action. He rode his teams hard, but was one of those sensitive coaches that also praised his team with lots of love, hugs, and I’m sure a few tears too. His teams had a healthy fear of disappointing him and a deep deep respect for his experience and his integrity. He pushed them to their limits and celebrated their successes. He never asked his team to do something that he was not willing to do himself. His locker room speeches have actually been recorded for all time and for everyone to read.

This particular one is one of my favorites. Read it with the above visuals and feeling and see if it doesn’t get under your skin in a good way.

Brothers and sisters:

If God is for us, who can be against us?

He did not spare his own Son

but handed him over for us all,

how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones?

It is God who acquits us.

Who will condemn?

It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised,

who also is at the right hand of God,

who indeed intercedes for us.

What will separate us from the love of Christ?

Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,

or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?

As it is written:

For your sake we are being slain all the day;

we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly

through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither 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.

Being a Christian is hard sometimes and burnout, fatigue, defeat, and laziness can creep into our game plan and take our hearts out of it. Whenever we feel like that in our spiritual life, which if I’m being honest, is right now for me, read Romans 8:31-39 and hopefully Feisty Coach Paul’s words will remind each one of us that we are not only already on the winning team, but we have already won!! Nothing can separate us from that reality, not even sin or laziness or not feeling it or even when we try to quit the team. Let Paul’s pep talk enliven our game today and let’s get our hearts and heads back in there because our star player is Jesus and he has already won. At the end of the day, we can rest in the knowledge that God is for us and that IS the winning team. Now don’t make Feisty Coach Paul have to throw a chair across the locker room or anything crazy like that, just get out their and be who you were created to be, because that is enough.

P.S. Just like no matter what kind of record the Fighting Irish have, they are still Our Lady’s team and that makes them champions without even having to play.

Reading 1 ROM 8:31B-39

Brothers and sisters:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He did not spare his own Son
but handed him over for us all,
how will he not also give us everything else along with him?
Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us.
Who will condemn?
It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised,
who also is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
As it is written:

For your sake we are being slain all the day;
we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither 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.

Responsorial Psalm PS 109:21-22, 26-27, 30-31

R. (26b) Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
Do you, O GOD, my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name’s sake;
in your generous mercy rescue me;
For I am wretched and poor,
and my heart is pierced within me.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
Help me, O LORD, my God;
save me, in your mercy,
And let them know that this is your hand;
that you, O LORD, have done this.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
I will speak my thanks earnestly to the LORD,
and in the midst of the throng I will praise him,
For he stood at the right hand of the poor man,
to save him from those who would condemn his soul.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.

Alleluia SEE LK 19:38; 2:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 13:31-35

Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
“Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.”
He replied, “Go and tell that fox,
‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.
Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day,
for it is impossible that a prophet should die
outside of Jerusalem.’

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how many times I yearned to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
but you were unwilling! 
Behold, your house will be abandoned.
But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

My friend brought me toilet paper!!!

Thank you, Marie Farrentello, for the mother load!! (hee hee, the pun)

Sunday Funday | October 26, 2015

October 26, 2015

They still didn’t get it. At this rate, soon the Pharisees will ban breathing on the Sabbath. Work is labor that we do to bring in income to sustain our lives with food, shelter, clothing, etc. Work is a blessing that affords us comfort and yes, we should rest from it on the Sabbath so that we can replenish our bodies, our attitudes, and our souls. Resting from work is good and right and exactly what God wants, however, the commandment says “Keep ‘holy’ the Sabbath day.” That seems to have a different sound to it than don’t do any work doesn’t it? I always find this commandment ironic in my own life because as someone who works for the church, my busiest “work” day is indeed Sunday. What’s up with that? Well just because I “work” does not mean that I do not keep Sunday holy. In fact, my “work” on Sundays hopefully promotes holiness and focuses on passing that onto others, particularly the youth.

There is a big difference between a job and a vocation and today’s gospel is an example of Jesus continuing to live his earthly vocation most especially on the Sabbath! Fr. Bruce always says that “there is no vacation from vocation” and Jesus makes that clear for us today. Since we are all called to holiness, he points out that we are never to rest from fighting sin (and Satan), but also in an indirect way he admonishes the Pharisees for doing just that…even resting from God’s work on the Sabbath and that is unacceptable. They knew he was right and Luke tells us that they were humiliated while the crowd celebrated the fact that Jesus made the distinction between labor and love.

We are never to rest from living in love, and sometimes that requires that we reach out to those in need, especially on days set aside for holiness. In fact, the Sabbath should be a day of extra kindness, peace, love, joy, patience, goodness, gentleness, and self-control, if we are truly following the command to keep it holy. Holiness is not a knickknack to be kept on a shelf, it requires action. The good news is that the action of holiness comes directly from our resting in the arms of grace as received in the Eucharist and through the Word on the Sabbath day. The more we rest in grace, the more holy we will become.

I know that I am often tempted to scrutinize people for little things like not paying perfect attention in mass, or not singing the songs, or not looking happy enough when they receive Communion, or worshiping the Chargers on Sunday, but today’s gospel reminds me that God’s “work”, which is the practice of loving others and inviting them to holiness through my example and authentic piety (not my scrutiny), never really rests. If I focus on resting in grace every Sunday then keeping it holy will be a treasure for my soul and everything else will radiate out from that center. Now that should be the true meaning of Sunday Funday!!!

Reading 1 ROM 8:12-17

Brothers and sisters,
we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die,
but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received a spirit of adoption,
through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorified with him.

Responsorial Psalm PS 68:2 AND 4, 6-7AB, 20-21

R. (21a) Our God is the God of salvation.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
R. Our God is the God of salvation.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
R. Our God is the God of salvation.
Blessed day by day be the Lord,
who bears our burdens; God, who is our salvation.
God is a saving God for us;
the LORD, my Lord, controls the passageways of death.
R. Our God is the God of salvation.

Alleluia JN 17:17B, 17A

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 13:10-17

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
But the leader of the synagogue,
indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,
said to the crowd in reply,
“There are six days when work should be done.
Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”
The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?”
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.