1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51
Psalm 144:1-2, 9-10
Mark 3:1-6
52.
That’s the magic number.
Only 52 days...until NCAA March Madness begins.
Selection Sunday is March 14, tipoff of the 65/64 seed matchup is March 16, and first round action starts on March 18th. Ok, so maybe you’re saying to yourself, “Mark, that’s 8 weeks away! We’ll be halfway through the semester and already back from ‘Spring’ Break, why are you bringing it up already?”
My answer, “Come on now, I know there’s at least one person in this room whose blood runs a little hotter with the thought of Selection Sunday, the office pool, the underdog, the bracketbuster, the tiny 14 seed knocking off the second-seeded powerhouse in the first round, the Cinderella story, the last second buzzer-beating half court shot for the victory, David v. Goliath, Cleveland State over Wake Forest, Dayton over West Virginia, Western Kentucky over Illinois AND THAT’S JUST UPSETS from the Midwest!” Are you fired up?
Ok, really, I only brought this up to show you how familiar the story from our first reading tonight is in secular culture. David and Goliath, who doesn’t know about those two? The young, unproven, untested, unexpected ‘little guy’ unbelievably defeats the champion of all champions. But for me, this story isn’t about how to win, it’s about discernment.
On the 8-day silent retreat last week, which I would highly recommend, I hoped to discern where God is leading me. I went in saying “God, talk to me! Say something, I don’t care what, just tell me what you want me to do! Then I got specific: Doctoral work, teaching, or something else entirely? Married life or priesthood? Date girl A or girl B?”
I struggle with questions like this all the time. Some of you probably do too. For me, the story of David and Goliath illustrates the answer I heard on retreat. So a simple question: how does David do it, how does he go into battle? I have two observations.
First, true to Catholic form, the reading skipped over vvs. 38 and 39 where it says that Saul, Israel’s King, suited David in his own armor: tunic, chain mail, bronze helmet, and sword. But David was uncomfortable in them, saying “I cannot go in these, because I have never tried them before.” So he took them off.
This is simple, but insightful. If David wears the armor and fights like Saul, he probably dies. If he tries to be someone other than who God created him to be, he probably fails. We do this every day when hide our true-selves behind worldly armor, behind somebody else's armor, forgetting to live life as WHO WE ARE.
Second: Yes, David goes into battle as a shepherd – as who he is – but he also is clearly confident that his victory won’t come by his own might, but by God’s. David’s confidence to be exactly who he is, even facing death, comes from knowing WHOSE HE IS. David is confident that God works through him when faces the world as his true self.
There it is, a phrase I’ve used here before, “remember who you are and Whose you are.”
On retreat this is what I heard: “Mark, any of those paths would be a good path. Choose one, choose the one that most excites you, that you’re most passionate about, that feels as if it fits. Don’t put on somebody else’s armor – wear the armor that fits you – and then, trust Me. But in whatever you choose, be like my Son, do good rather than evil, even when the world says you shouldn’t. In whatever you choose all you have to do is love the best you can.”
Discernment isn’t about figuring out what God wants you to do; it’s about choosing to love in whatever you do. So if you’re like me, if you struggle with making decisions and you wonder what God is calling you to do, take my mom’s advice: go with your gut, make a choice, and despite what voices you hear in the world, love even when it doesn’t seem like you should.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Reflection for November 11, 2009
Wis 6:1-11
Ps 82:3-4, 6-7
Lk 17:11-19
Every Thursday morning, from 8 – 8:30, I meet with a group of men, all either faculty or staff, to discuss spirituality. I am easily the youngest by a decade and our oldest participant has more than 40 years on me. Even with such a depth and diversity of wisdom on manhood we find ourselves discussing a book about male initiation. Richard Rohr’s “Adam’s Return: The 5 Promises of Male Initiation.”
The ‘5 Promises’ are realizations which need to occur before adult maturity is possible. They’re a bit on the dark side, but I’d like to share them with you.
1. Life is hard
2. You are not that important
3. Your life is not about you
4. You are not in control
5. You are going to die
Harsh, I know, but the Psalm today addressed the very same issue: “Yet like all men you shall die and fall like any prince.”
Ok, so how do we respond to such negativity? I’ll suggest two ways:
1. Remember who you are.
As the Psalmist begins:
Defend the lowly and fatherless; render justice to the afflicted and needy.
Rescue the lowly and poor; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
At our baptism we were anointed ‘priest, prophet, and king’. Take these roles seriously.
Be a priest – minister to those around you; celebrate joy, listen attentively, embrace warmly, care for those you encounter.
Be a prophet – identify and proclaim injustice in the world; tell people when they hurt you, ask for forgiveness when you hurt them.
Be a king – work to bring about government that defends the defenseless; whether it’s the unborn, the poor, those without health care, inmates on death row, or children without education. Be a man or woman for others.
So #1 is to remember who you are: Priest, Prophet and King
2. Remember Whose you are:
In today’s gospel 10 lepers are cleansed. 9 do what Jesus tells them; they follow the Jewish law and visit a priest. The 10th, not needing to follow Jewish law because he’s not a Jew, returns to Jesus overwhelmed with gratitude. Jesus responds, “Your faith has saved you.”
In other words: we are put right with society by following the law, but we are saved by responding in gratitude, by acknowledging that God is not ours, but that we are His.
So #2 is to remember Whose you are: you are God’s; and then to respond in gratitude.
Finally, humor me by letting me re-interpret the ‘5 promises’:
1. Life is hard – we are all lepers in someway
2. You are not that important – BUT you do reflect God’s goodness, just as the moon reflects the sun
3. Your life is not about you – so be men and women for others
4. You are not in control – unclench your fist and let God take the reigns
5. You are going to die – but death is the central piece of the Christian Mystery – life, death, resurrection – so celebrate life by always remembering who you are and Whose you are!
Ps 82:3-4, 6-7
Lk 17:11-19
Every Thursday morning, from 8 – 8:30, I meet with a group of men, all either faculty or staff, to discuss spirituality. I am easily the youngest by a decade and our oldest participant has more than 40 years on me. Even with such a depth and diversity of wisdom on manhood we find ourselves discussing a book about male initiation. Richard Rohr’s “Adam’s Return: The 5 Promises of Male Initiation.”
The ‘5 Promises’ are realizations which need to occur before adult maturity is possible. They’re a bit on the dark side, but I’d like to share them with you.
1. Life is hard
2. You are not that important
3. Your life is not about you
4. You are not in control
5. You are going to die
Harsh, I know, but the Psalm today addressed the very same issue: “Yet like all men you shall die and fall like any prince.”
Ok, so how do we respond to such negativity? I’ll suggest two ways:
1. Remember who you are.
As the Psalmist begins:
Defend the lowly and fatherless; render justice to the afflicted and needy.
Rescue the lowly and poor; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
At our baptism we were anointed ‘priest, prophet, and king’. Take these roles seriously.
Be a priest – minister to those around you; celebrate joy, listen attentively, embrace warmly, care for those you encounter.
Be a prophet – identify and proclaim injustice in the world; tell people when they hurt you, ask for forgiveness when you hurt them.
Be a king – work to bring about government that defends the defenseless; whether it’s the unborn, the poor, those without health care, inmates on death row, or children without education. Be a man or woman for others.
So #1 is to remember who you are: Priest, Prophet and King
2. Remember Whose you are:
In today’s gospel 10 lepers are cleansed. 9 do what Jesus tells them; they follow the Jewish law and visit a priest. The 10th, not needing to follow Jewish law because he’s not a Jew, returns to Jesus overwhelmed with gratitude. Jesus responds, “Your faith has saved you.”
In other words: we are put right with society by following the law, but we are saved by responding in gratitude, by acknowledging that God is not ours, but that we are His.
So #2 is to remember Whose you are: you are God’s; and then to respond in gratitude.
Finally, humor me by letting me re-interpret the ‘5 promises’:
1. Life is hard – we are all lepers in someway
2. You are not that important – BUT you do reflect God’s goodness, just as the moon reflects the sun
3. Your life is not about you – so be men and women for others
4. You are not in control – unclench your fist and let God take the reigns
5. You are going to die – but death is the central piece of the Christian Mystery – life, death, resurrection – so celebrate life by always remembering who you are and Whose you are!
Reflection for Septmber 23, 2009
(The first few posts are old reflections from when I was a Resident Minister at John Carroll University in Cleveland)
Readings for Wednesday September 23, 2009
First Reading: Ezra 9:5-9
Responsorial Psalm: Tobit 13:2
Gospel: Luke 9:1-6
On the night of my first Murphy Mass, after my class let out late at 9:25 pm, I ran from the AD Building to this sacred space with just enough time to hand Fr. H. Paul a business card with my friend’s son’s name scribbled on the back. Earlier that day, a childhood friend lost her three-day old son Jonathan from complications due to his premature birth. We celebrated mass that night for him and also for a second John, Korean Archbishop John Choi Young-Soo. You were most likely not aware of the loss Fr. H Paul and I shared that evening, but you, this sacred space, this mysterious and ancient celebration of life, death, and resurrection, and the holy Communion that we are as a people gathered were great consolation and comfort me, and I am sure for H. Paul as well.
The readings today are reminders of God’s healing power and mercy. I would like to share with you my reflections on the hope I have discovered in them throughout the past weeks.
Ezra, a priest who led 5000 Israelites from their exile in Babylon back to Jerusalem, recalls the mercy God had on his people by returning them from exile. Ezra says that ‘God brightened our eyes’ and relieved us from our servitude. Again there was hope of rebuilding the Holy Temple, the house of the living God. Ezra extols the Lord for the chance to rebuild the dwelling place of the most high so that Israel can again be united to and in communion with God. For Ezra, and for his community, the temple is where God resides and Israel’s link to the Lord. It is a sacred space where ritual, sacrifice, and prayer make God present to His people.
Our psalm, from the wonderful story of Tobit, is a song to the exiled people of Israel, torn from their homes, their community, and their God to again praise their Lord. Often, our selected reading doesn’t tell the complete story. Reading on to the verse that follows the psalm, Tobit urges his exiled brothers and sisters:
“Praise the Lord for his goodness, and bless the King of the ages, so that his tent may be rebuilt in you with joy.” (Tobit 13:10)
For Tobit, unlike Ezra, the tent or temple of God can be rebuilt in US! What a beautiful reminder! WE, you, me, Fr. Francis, Lauren …my friends, Linda and Jena, visiting from Kent State, WE are the temple of God. Our hearts are the tent and dwelling place of the Lord. We are a sacred people whose ritual, sacrifice, and prayer make God present to others.
So, in this sacred place, this chapel, this residence hall, this university, in the books we read and the subjects we study, God is made present to us AND through us, through our community, our friendship, our prayer, God is present to others.
With this we can begin to live the gospel. We can join in the mission of proclaiming the kingdom of God because the kingdom is in us, flows through us, and is all around us. I cannot cure leprosy or cancer or HIV, but I can help heal those around me by inviting them into this holy communion, by inviting them to acknowledge that we are the dwelling place of the most high.
May God grant us the grace to allow God to rebuild his tent in us even when our hearts feel captive, to brighten our eyes when we feel as though all is darkness, and to help us invite exiles into the healing love of community.
Readings for Wednesday September 23, 2009
First Reading: Ezra 9:5-9
Responsorial Psalm: Tobit 13:2
Gospel: Luke 9:1-6
On the night of my first Murphy Mass, after my class let out late at 9:25 pm, I ran from the AD Building to this sacred space with just enough time to hand Fr. H. Paul a business card with my friend’s son’s name scribbled on the back. Earlier that day, a childhood friend lost her three-day old son Jonathan from complications due to his premature birth. We celebrated mass that night for him and also for a second John, Korean Archbishop John Choi Young-Soo. You were most likely not aware of the loss Fr. H Paul and I shared that evening, but you, this sacred space, this mysterious and ancient celebration of life, death, and resurrection, and the holy Communion that we are as a people gathered were great consolation and comfort me, and I am sure for H. Paul as well.
The readings today are reminders of God’s healing power and mercy. I would like to share with you my reflections on the hope I have discovered in them throughout the past weeks.
Ezra, a priest who led 5000 Israelites from their exile in Babylon back to Jerusalem, recalls the mercy God had on his people by returning them from exile. Ezra says that ‘God brightened our eyes’ and relieved us from our servitude. Again there was hope of rebuilding the Holy Temple, the house of the living God. Ezra extols the Lord for the chance to rebuild the dwelling place of the most high so that Israel can again be united to and in communion with God. For Ezra, and for his community, the temple is where God resides and Israel’s link to the Lord. It is a sacred space where ritual, sacrifice, and prayer make God present to His people.
Our psalm, from the wonderful story of Tobit, is a song to the exiled people of Israel, torn from their homes, their community, and their God to again praise their Lord. Often, our selected reading doesn’t tell the complete story. Reading on to the verse that follows the psalm, Tobit urges his exiled brothers and sisters:
“Praise the Lord for his goodness, and bless the King of the ages, so that his tent may be rebuilt in you with joy.” (Tobit 13:10)
For Tobit, unlike Ezra, the tent or temple of God can be rebuilt in US! What a beautiful reminder! WE, you, me, Fr. Francis, Lauren …my friends, Linda and Jena, visiting from Kent State, WE are the temple of God. Our hearts are the tent and dwelling place of the Lord. We are a sacred people whose ritual, sacrifice, and prayer make God present to others.
So, in this sacred place, this chapel, this residence hall, this university, in the books we read and the subjects we study, God is made present to us AND through us, through our community, our friendship, our prayer, God is present to others.
With this we can begin to live the gospel. We can join in the mission of proclaiming the kingdom of God because the kingdom is in us, flows through us, and is all around us. I cannot cure leprosy or cancer or HIV, but I can help heal those around me by inviting them into this holy communion, by inviting them to acknowledge that we are the dwelling place of the most high.
May God grant us the grace to allow God to rebuild his tent in us even when our hearts feel captive, to brighten our eyes when we feel as though all is darkness, and to help us invite exiles into the healing love of community.
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