My homily from the Easter Vigil 2015
When I went to college, I was blessed to have a wonderful second hand car to take with me to school. On one occasion, feeling a bit guilty at having such a benefit, I loaned my car to a friend who wanted to take a new girlfriend to dinner. He got into a small fender bender. As the car was in my dad's name, I had to tell him. I told him the truth of what happened and he did not doubt me. He said he knew me and believed that I would feel that way, do what I did, and not lie to him.
This night we are told the story of God's work in salvation history: creation, covenant, freedom from slavery, and hope by prophetic message. The story ends with Mark's account of the Gospel. The tomb was empty and they went and told no one. Wait...told no one? Yes. This is the actual ending of Mark's Gospel account.
We are left simply with the empty tomb and asked, rather challenged to believe. Having heard all that Jesus did, hearing all that God accomplished, and having the covenant and promises of God revealed, we are left with an empty tomb ans asked...do you believe? Do you trust that God is, and always has been, truthful to us? Then what does the empty tomb mean? That God has raised Jesus from the dead and given life to those in the grave and all believers for all time. God has conquered sin and death and given us hope for all ages.
In a moment we will be asked to affirm our yes to this promise of God in the new waters of Easter. We will then be asked to go out and live a life of Easter joy for and with others. Let us go knowing our God and that he would not lie to us for he has the words of everlasting life!
Christ is risen! Indeed he is risen! Alleluia!
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Friday, April 3, 2015
Holy Thursday Homily: Grain and Grape Crushed
When I was teaching Theology some year back, a course on Christian
Justice, we read a story about the power of a snowflake. During a snow storm,
snow began to accumulate on a tree branch. Each snow flake nearly weightless
fell on the branch. Eventually, the culmination of the many, many snowflakes
brought down the sturdy tree branch. No one snowflake could know that it would
be the one to tip the balance, but they all did their part together.
Tonight we gather to celebrate the mystery of the passion
memorialized and lived in the Eucharist. The Eucharistic elements of bread and
wine, St. Augustine
comments, are the image of the Church. The bread we use that becomes the Lord’s
own body is made up of many, many grains and the cup of wine, made up of many,
many grapes. But first, these grains need to be crushed. They need to die to
themselves to yield something more, something greater, the body of the Lord.
The grapes, too, must first be crushed, many of them at a time to yield the
wine which is his blood.
Thus, our first image and lesson from tonight is we must
each be willing to be crushed for something greater. We must be willing to
sacrifice ourselves to be the Body of Christ. We must be willing to be less significant
on our own, but something greater together in the community of the Church given
shape at this meal.
Second, for what is this something greater? Our Lord answers
this, as well... love. “Do you know what I do for you? Then you must do this
for each other.” We sacrifice ourselves, unite our desires, and become the very
Body of Christ in and for love. Our sacrifice becomes a power beyond
understanding, a power to transform, a power to give life. Jesus’ being crushed
finds ultimate power in the uniting with his Body in the world, to transform
all of creation in the new life of the resurrection.
Like the snowflakes, we can not know the power individually
we can assert until we are united together to bring down a mighty branch. But
first, like Christ we much be willing to be crushed, serve others first,
forgive in mercy, and then be untied in the love and power of the resurrected
Body of the Lord.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from Violence!
Again religion, faith, freedom, and violent terrorism grips our world. And, many different voices are taking different stances and focusing on different aspects of the tragedy in France and across Europe. I offer my own simple reflection on these events as I see them relate to larger issues from my perspective as a liberal Christian.
Freedom. A word many like to throw around but few really understand. Many focus on the individual aspect of this word that one can act, think, proceed as they like. I am free to do as I wish. However freedom has a cost...you have to be willing to honor and respect the freedom of the other the same as your own. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." We have freedoms that often contradict. The challenge is to do the hard work that respects them all. You can not claim freedom to practice your religion while denying others the right to do the same, or none at all. If you have none, you must respect those who do, even when aspects are displayed in public, within reason and law. You can not claim freedom of speech or expression if your speech tears at the heart of others most treasured identity. You can not claim freedom of speech if your speech is somehow seen as ultimate truth beyond all other. There are subtle difference between good reasonable criticism and passionate debate, and violent disrespect. Political discourse and the sharing of ideas was the intent of the constitutionalists, not hate speech designed to incite rage or violence against another. I mean for right and left to reflect here. The words of our lips give indication to the desires of our hearts. (Augustine of Hippo)
Responsibility: Freedom requires a sense of adult responsible respect. The right is quick to denounce acts of Islamic terror as fundamentally evil, and it is, and does not represent the best of their faith teaching. However, Chrisitan fundamentalism has brought about the death of doctors and personnel at women's clinics, the bombing in Oklahoma, and acts of violence against LGBT persons. "Before you take the splinter out of your neighbor's eye, remove the beam from your own." The left also has failures in this regard. The inflammatory disrespect with which faith is often treated dilutes the real and honest criticisms of religious practice in public life that are often necessary.
Faith and Religion: Persons of deep faith use their religion as a tool or set of tools and practices to help them develop their spiritual relation with their God, higher power, etc. Religious people often elevate their religion beyond their faith putting the former before the a priori latter. One can be a deeply faith rooted and religious person in healthy maturity, some are just spiritually mature not claiming an organized religion, but it is often fear and spiritual immaturity that leads one to hide behind their religious practice without prioritizing and doing the really challenging work that their faith demands. Fundamentalists on the right often are guilty of this, while extremists on the left fail to understand or appreciate the struggle and difference between faith and religion in which the vast majority of religious people engage.
Today's readings from scripture both Hebrew and Christian relate stories about God calling and human response. Samuel first missed God's call as coming from Eli. He did not understand. It took time and inquisition before he could say, "Here is your servant Lord, I am listening." Jesus' first disciples were originally John's who came to Jesus by experiencing his mission and John's testimony and then their numbers grew again by word of mouth and personal experience. "We have found the Christ...come and see"
For us as lovers of freedom, we can take example here how to have freedom of both religion and speech and freedom from violence: take time to listen to your faith's source and spend time seeking the truth by lived example and personal testimony. Listen, watch, pray, and respond with love and deep awe that God has reached out to us, and we are graced enough to recognize the Spirit in our midst. Finally, respond to God's call for others in the same gentle and loving way God deals with us. This is the true strength and deep conviction of the freedom of God's children which we all are.
Freedom. A word many like to throw around but few really understand. Many focus on the individual aspect of this word that one can act, think, proceed as they like. I am free to do as I wish. However freedom has a cost...you have to be willing to honor and respect the freedom of the other the same as your own. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." We have freedoms that often contradict. The challenge is to do the hard work that respects them all. You can not claim freedom to practice your religion while denying others the right to do the same, or none at all. If you have none, you must respect those who do, even when aspects are displayed in public, within reason and law. You can not claim freedom of speech or expression if your speech tears at the heart of others most treasured identity. You can not claim freedom of speech if your speech is somehow seen as ultimate truth beyond all other. There are subtle difference between good reasonable criticism and passionate debate, and violent disrespect. Political discourse and the sharing of ideas was the intent of the constitutionalists, not hate speech designed to incite rage or violence against another. I mean for right and left to reflect here. The words of our lips give indication to the desires of our hearts. (Augustine of Hippo)
Responsibility: Freedom requires a sense of adult responsible respect. The right is quick to denounce acts of Islamic terror as fundamentally evil, and it is, and does not represent the best of their faith teaching. However, Chrisitan fundamentalism has brought about the death of doctors and personnel at women's clinics, the bombing in Oklahoma, and acts of violence against LGBT persons. "Before you take the splinter out of your neighbor's eye, remove the beam from your own." The left also has failures in this regard. The inflammatory disrespect with which faith is often treated dilutes the real and honest criticisms of religious practice in public life that are often necessary.
Faith and Religion: Persons of deep faith use their religion as a tool or set of tools and practices to help them develop their spiritual relation with their God, higher power, etc. Religious people often elevate their religion beyond their faith putting the former before the a priori latter. One can be a deeply faith rooted and religious person in healthy maturity, some are just spiritually mature not claiming an organized religion, but it is often fear and spiritual immaturity that leads one to hide behind their religious practice without prioritizing and doing the really challenging work that their faith demands. Fundamentalists on the right often are guilty of this, while extremists on the left fail to understand or appreciate the struggle and difference between faith and religion in which the vast majority of religious people engage.
Today's readings from scripture both Hebrew and Christian relate stories about God calling and human response. Samuel first missed God's call as coming from Eli. He did not understand. It took time and inquisition before he could say, "Here is your servant Lord, I am listening." Jesus' first disciples were originally John's who came to Jesus by experiencing his mission and John's testimony and then their numbers grew again by word of mouth and personal experience. "We have found the Christ...come and see"
For us as lovers of freedom, we can take example here how to have freedom of both religion and speech and freedom from violence: take time to listen to your faith's source and spend time seeking the truth by lived example and personal testimony. Listen, watch, pray, and respond with love and deep awe that God has reached out to us, and we are graced enough to recognize the Spirit in our midst. Finally, respond to God's call for others in the same gentle and loving way God deals with us. This is the true strength and deep conviction of the freedom of God's children which we all are.
Friday, December 26, 2014
For You I Am Bishop
When I was 15, I had my first official tennis match as a member of the Varsity team. I looked fabulous, of course, in my uniform with matching colored striped socks, and wrist and bandana head band. But, I was scared to death of actually having to play. I even threw up before the match, but my coach would not let me sit out the match. I played! I ran, I hit, I served. I LOST. But, I played and was ready to play and do better next time.
"I am fearful of what I am for you, but I draw strength from what I am with you. For you I am a bishop, and with you I am a Christian. The former designates an office received, the latter the foundation of salvation."
These are the words of St. Augustine of Hippo on the occasions of his anniversary of ordination as bishop. He did not want to become a bishop and fought for a long time against the moves that were made to make it so. He had great fears about that office of ministry. He finally accepted out of obedience and a sense of love for the people to whom he was asked to serve. Love was always the bottom line for Augustine. Loving God whom you can not see, by loving those whom you can. He played and played well as history recounts.
Tomorrow I am to be ordained to the office of bishop for my Order of Augustinians of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Church community we have formed. This comes at a time when I was seeking to find ways to slimline my ministry, focus more on my religious life, and engage in less administration and more personal one-on-one/small group ministry. As my long time friend, and co-founder of the Order, Bp. Christopher always says, "If you want to make God laugh, then tell him your plans." Well, God must be getting quite a belly laugh at me right now. I for my part feel like I did before that first tennis match. But my brothers and sisters in community, like my first coach, won't let me sit out this match.
And growth and new life always comes with pain and a cost. The growth of our Order necessitates us leaving the church in which we found ourselves and some good people there. But, in the season of Advent and hope, you go where the Lord leads and trust in his providence to get you to where he want you to be. Now it is Christmas, and we must become the Word made flesh to others. This in fact is the motto I have chosen to govern my term of office. We must be pregnant and ready to birth the Word of God, the Good News of salvation, in what we do and say wherever God leads. God is found in our incarnate existence, the day to day life in which he formed us, It is in making that existence holy that he grants us a share in his divinity and life.
So, I and our Order/Church go forth now trusting in God's Holy Spirit in our midst, impregnating us with the Word, as he did Our Immaculate Mother of Grace, whose example is always in the forefront of our minds and prayers, to give birth to the Good News to those who have no hope, to be a voice of justice to the voiceless, a center of prayerful calm to the disturbed, a source of resource to those whose means are few. We go now inflamed with the love of God, one in mind and heart into His life made flesh here among us, and in the life promised us to come. It's time to play the match, we need not win, just play with our whole heart, mind and soul, for love of God.
"I am fearful of what I am for you, but I draw strength from what I am with you. For you I am a bishop, and with you I am a Christian. The former designates an office received, the latter the foundation of salvation."
These are the words of St. Augustine of Hippo on the occasions of his anniversary of ordination as bishop. He did not want to become a bishop and fought for a long time against the moves that were made to make it so. He had great fears about that office of ministry. He finally accepted out of obedience and a sense of love for the people to whom he was asked to serve. Love was always the bottom line for Augustine. Loving God whom you can not see, by loving those whom you can. He played and played well as history recounts.
Tomorrow I am to be ordained to the office of bishop for my Order of Augustinians of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Church community we have formed. This comes at a time when I was seeking to find ways to slimline my ministry, focus more on my religious life, and engage in less administration and more personal one-on-one/small group ministry. As my long time friend, and co-founder of the Order, Bp. Christopher always says, "If you want to make God laugh, then tell him your plans." Well, God must be getting quite a belly laugh at me right now. I for my part feel like I did before that first tennis match. But my brothers and sisters in community, like my first coach, won't let me sit out this match.
And growth and new life always comes with pain and a cost. The growth of our Order necessitates us leaving the church in which we found ourselves and some good people there. But, in the season of Advent and hope, you go where the Lord leads and trust in his providence to get you to where he want you to be. Now it is Christmas, and we must become the Word made flesh to others. This in fact is the motto I have chosen to govern my term of office. We must be pregnant and ready to birth the Word of God, the Good News of salvation, in what we do and say wherever God leads. God is found in our incarnate existence, the day to day life in which he formed us, It is in making that existence holy that he grants us a share in his divinity and life.
So, I and our Order/Church go forth now trusting in God's Holy Spirit in our midst, impregnating us with the Word, as he did Our Immaculate Mother of Grace, whose example is always in the forefront of our minds and prayers, to give birth to the Good News to those who have no hope, to be a voice of justice to the voiceless, a center of prayerful calm to the disturbed, a source of resource to those whose means are few. We go now inflamed with the love of God, one in mind and heart into His life made flesh here among us, and in the life promised us to come. It's time to play the match, we need not win, just play with our whole heart, mind and soul, for love of God.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Puting Mary in Your Living Room...
The following are some thoughts from my homily on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary as given at our St. Joseph Mission in Lancaster, PA this past Sunday, August 19.
"Do as I say, not as I do." Was something my father often said to me growing up. Yes, I know that is contorted. I guess my father was a humble man aware of his own limitations. In fairness, he had a lot to imitate in his behavior as well. We have all heard this saying at some point in our lives, often as children.
Today we have a mother, and model who can say both, "Do as I do and as a say!" That woman is Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the Mother of God. So, let us see what Mary said and do as she says.
1. Mary said, YES! More specifically, she said to the angel Gabriel, I am the servant of the Lord, let is be done unto me as you say." Mary's fiat to the angel expressed her deep faith and trust in God's promise that she grew up learning about and in which she professed her faith.
2. Mary said, all her greatness was due to God's promises and goodness. Always mindful of God's deep love for her she was able to do great things. and so can we.
3. God has a special place for those who are poor, outcast, and marginalized. Mary says that God needs to be the center of our lives and those free of the world's clutter more easily know this and live this.
4. Mary said at the wedding in Cana, "Do whatever he tells you." Mary again the servant of the Lord, knows that all of life's plans are in God's providence so we can let go and trust in following God's plans, no matter what the cost. Not that life will be easy, but that life will not be lonely without God's walking with us.
That is what Mary said, but what did Marry do?
1. Mary raised Jesus in the Jewish faith as a devoted mother and wife, and later widow and single mother. Yes, how do you like that...Mary was a single mother!
2. Mary placed her faith and trust in Jesus at Cana and sent him on his mission to do the will of the Father.
3. Mary stood by Jesus at the cross, with mostly other women, solid in her loving devotion and belief in his goodness and love.
4. Mary stood with and supported the early Church and apostles and was devoutly protected and watched over by them.
Mary is the preeminent model of Christian discipleship that ever lived. What did her complete devotion and trust in God's promise win her: that no corruption of sin and death befall her, she was taken body and soul to heaven in the pattern of the resurrection of her Son. She is the first to go where all the faithful will follow. She is the new Eve.
This feast is for all of us, because Mary was and is one of us. What God has done for Mary, he will do for all of us in the fullness of time. So we should really rejoice this feast. We should take Mary off the ledge, off the pedestal and place her right in our living rooms, and kitchens, and work offices. Her model of discipleship is real, her trust is real, her love for us is real, and her destiny is real for us as well.
As Elizabeth said..."Blessed are you among women!" (and men!)
"Do as I say, not as I do." Was something my father often said to me growing up. Yes, I know that is contorted. I guess my father was a humble man aware of his own limitations. In fairness, he had a lot to imitate in his behavior as well. We have all heard this saying at some point in our lives, often as children.
Today we have a mother, and model who can say both, "Do as I do and as a say!" That woman is Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the Mother of God. So, let us see what Mary said and do as she says.
1. Mary said, YES! More specifically, she said to the angel Gabriel, I am the servant of the Lord, let is be done unto me as you say." Mary's fiat to the angel expressed her deep faith and trust in God's promise that she grew up learning about and in which she professed her faith.
2. Mary said, all her greatness was due to God's promises and goodness. Always mindful of God's deep love for her she was able to do great things. and so can we.
3. God has a special place for those who are poor, outcast, and marginalized. Mary says that God needs to be the center of our lives and those free of the world's clutter more easily know this and live this.
4. Mary said at the wedding in Cana, "Do whatever he tells you." Mary again the servant of the Lord, knows that all of life's plans are in God's providence so we can let go and trust in following God's plans, no matter what the cost. Not that life will be easy, but that life will not be lonely without God's walking with us.
That is what Mary said, but what did Marry do?
1. Mary raised Jesus in the Jewish faith as a devoted mother and wife, and later widow and single mother. Yes, how do you like that...Mary was a single mother!
2. Mary placed her faith and trust in Jesus at Cana and sent him on his mission to do the will of the Father.
3. Mary stood by Jesus at the cross, with mostly other women, solid in her loving devotion and belief in his goodness and love.
4. Mary stood with and supported the early Church and apostles and was devoutly protected and watched over by them.
Mary is the preeminent model of Christian discipleship that ever lived. What did her complete devotion and trust in God's promise win her: that no corruption of sin and death befall her, she was taken body and soul to heaven in the pattern of the resurrection of her Son. She is the first to go where all the faithful will follow. She is the new Eve.
This feast is for all of us, because Mary was and is one of us. What God has done for Mary, he will do for all of us in the fullness of time. So we should really rejoice this feast. We should take Mary off the ledge, off the pedestal and place her right in our living rooms, and kitchens, and work offices. Her model of discipleship is real, her trust is real, her love for us is real, and her destiny is real for us as well.
As Elizabeth said..."Blessed are you among women!" (and men!)
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Mourning with the Sekh Community: Editorial
Below is an expanded version of my previous post which I sent as an editorial to the Delaware County Times and Philadelphia Inquirer.
Dear Editors,
Once again a tragedy, no an amoral act of hateful terror and cowardice, grips our nation. As I read more today about the shooting at the Sekh Temple in Wisconsin I grew very sad and angry. A deliberate act of hateful bigotry, ignorance, and murder was perpetrated by a person filled with hate against a peaceful religious group who seemed different. Our "founding fathers" must be turning in their graves, and certainly Our God is weeping for his children, yet again.
It seems tragically ironic that one of the founding impetuses that drove the founding of this land was the search for religious and political freedom by those who were different and in the minority. Now those today who seem religiously or ethically different are too increasingly often the victims of hate filled bigotry and violence.
To those in the political realm who use words and policy proposals of division and fear to plant these seeds of hatred for their own political gain and power, I say,"Stop, remember, think! We are Americans, all of us. Americans are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindu, Sekh, Buddhists, Pagans, and Atheists alike. We are Democrats, Republicans, Socialsts, Greens, Independents. We have settled this land with ancestors from all the inhabited continents. That is the unique greatness, glory, and ministry of this great country to the world community. This is what has always made us a shining light to the world."
We, as citizens responsible for the continuing struggle and this great experiment of freedom, democracy, and human rights, must hold our leaders and our communities responsible for living up to and fostering this ideal, and confront those who distort it and abuse it for power, fear, or control. We are the very seeds of the future, and we can do this. We can meet this challenge of our time in the same greatness that gave birth to this nation of liberty and people-power.
To any religious leaders who distort and abuse the tremendous power of people's faith entrusted to them by using this faith and their religion to oppress others beliefs, or place their own religion as superior to another, I say, "Shame on you. Would the God in whom you believe countenance such words or behavior? NO! We may understand the Divine differently, but it is the same Spirit that draws us to seek out that which is beyond our human imperfections to the light of the perfect love, and that which can bring us together."
Whether committed citizen, or devoted faithful believer, we should mourn together, make the tears of the Wisconsin Sekh community our own, draw strength from them, and vow to commit ourselves to fighting and resisting these subtle and overt acts of hatred and division. That which binds us is far greater than that which divides us!
Fr. Joseph Augustine Menna, AIHM
Pastor
St. Mary of Grace Independent Catholic Church
Media, PA
www.inclusivecatholics.org
Dear Editors,
Once again a tragedy, no an amoral act of hateful terror and cowardice, grips our nation. As I read more today about the shooting at the Sekh Temple in Wisconsin I grew very sad and angry. A deliberate act of hateful bigotry, ignorance, and murder was perpetrated by a person filled with hate against a peaceful religious group who seemed different. Our "founding fathers" must be turning in their graves, and certainly Our God is weeping for his children, yet again.
It seems tragically ironic that one of the founding impetuses that drove the founding of this land was the search for religious and political freedom by those who were different and in the minority. Now those today who seem religiously or ethically different are too increasingly often the victims of hate filled bigotry and violence.
To those in the political realm who use words and policy proposals of division and fear to plant these seeds of hatred for their own political gain and power, I say,"Stop, remember, think! We are Americans, all of us. Americans are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindu, Sekh, Buddhists, Pagans, and Atheists alike. We are Democrats, Republicans, Socialsts, Greens, Independents. We have settled this land with ancestors from all the inhabited continents. That is the unique greatness, glory, and ministry of this great country to the world community. This is what has always made us a shining light to the world."
We, as citizens responsible for the continuing struggle and this great experiment of freedom, democracy, and human rights, must hold our leaders and our communities responsible for living up to and fostering this ideal, and confront those who distort it and abuse it for power, fear, or control. We are the very seeds of the future, and we can do this. We can meet this challenge of our time in the same greatness that gave birth to this nation of liberty and people-power.
To any religious leaders who distort and abuse the tremendous power of people's faith entrusted to them by using this faith and their religion to oppress others beliefs, or place their own religion as superior to another, I say, "Shame on you. Would the God in whom you believe countenance such words or behavior? NO! We may understand the Divine differently, but it is the same Spirit that draws us to seek out that which is beyond our human imperfections to the light of the perfect love, and that which can bring us together."
Whether committed citizen, or devoted faithful believer, we should mourn together, make the tears of the Wisconsin Sekh community our own, draw strength from them, and vow to commit ourselves to fighting and resisting these subtle and overt acts of hatred and division. That which binds us is far greater than that which divides us!
Fr. Joseph Augustine Menna, AIHM
Pastor
St. Mary of Grace Independent Catholic Church
Media, PA
www.inclusivecatholics.org
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