In the beginning was the word...
God spoke and it came into being...
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a word as, "a single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing." The theology of both Old and New Testament recognize that words are something more.
In the first story of creation the word of God is the power that brings the universe into existence. With his ruah (breathe/spirit),God gives life to humanity. Thorough his Word we are made.
The scriptures also tell us that we are created in his image and likeness. A part of that similarity is that God has given us an intellect and a will. We can think and we can choose, and we can speak. And like God, our words have power, the power to create and the power to destroy, the power to lift up and the power to tear down, and the power to inspire.
This weekend we have suffered the tragic deaths of six people, and wounding of twelve others. Did the shooter suffer from some degree of mental illness? It would seem from what we know so far that the answer to that question is yes. But the deeper question is what inspired him? What words focused his anger on this person at this time?
The sheriff who clearly has more pieces to the puzzle than he is able to share at this time, spoke passionately about the danger of the vitriol that has become a regular part of our political speech, and the particular susceptibility of the mentally ill.
Over the next few days and weeks I'm sure we will hear the purveyors of this vitriol on each side vilify each other while absolving themselves of any responsibility for such heinous actions. The press will try to ignore the reality that the constant retelling of this kind of story inspires "copy cats", looking for their 15 minutes of fame.
Ultimately we must face the truth of the Scriptures, words have power. And every time we prepare to open our mouths and speak, every time we retell what we have heard, we need to think. Words have an effect, and the effects over time are cumulative.
Will we create or destroy?
Will we build up or tear down?
Who will we inspire and how?
What will we say today?
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The constant struggle.
The gospel today ends with the words of John the Baptist, "He must increase; I must decrease." His disciples are concerned that more people are going to Jesus to be baptized. While it seems petty to us and we may look at the disciples of John and think that we would never be like that, the reality is that we are.
As human beings we face the constant temptation to turn in on ourselves. We can only perceive what our senses allow us to perceive. We cannot step outside ourselves, and truly see as God sees. As Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians reminds us, now we see only a poor reflection.
Over and over we are reminded in the gospels of the paradox, as Matthew puts it, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Like John the Baptist, we must decrease, and allow Christ to increase in us. That means a constant self monitoring, for attitudes and actions that reveal a self-centeredness, the subtle ways that we ask "What do I get out of this?" or "Why should I have to help them?" or "What about me and my family?"
Even something as simple as the way we drive can be selfish. "Why won't this person get out of my way?" or "I'm stuck in traffic", as if the traffic is everyone on the road but you. Wake up. You are part of the traffic!
The myriad of tiny ways that we make ourselves the center of the universe.
The good news is that each time we catch ourselves in one of these thoughts, it is an opportunity for us to recenter ourselves on Christ, and to make the constant choice to decrease.
As human beings we face the constant temptation to turn in on ourselves. We can only perceive what our senses allow us to perceive. We cannot step outside ourselves, and truly see as God sees. As Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians reminds us, now we see only a poor reflection.
Over and over we are reminded in the gospels of the paradox, as Matthew puts it, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Like John the Baptist, we must decrease, and allow Christ to increase in us. That means a constant self monitoring, for attitudes and actions that reveal a self-centeredness, the subtle ways that we ask "What do I get out of this?" or "Why should I have to help them?" or "What about me and my family?"
Even something as simple as the way we drive can be selfish. "Why won't this person get out of my way?" or "I'm stuck in traffic", as if the traffic is everyone on the road but you. Wake up. You are part of the traffic!
The myriad of tiny ways that we make ourselves the center of the universe.
The good news is that each time we catch ourselves in one of these thoughts, it is an opportunity for us to recenter ourselves on Christ, and to make the constant choice to decrease.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Liar, Liar
In the first reading for today John reminds us that there is a time for sensitivity and there is also a time when we must plainly state a difficult truth. His message is simple and direct, "If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar"
It is difficult because there are people in this world who hate, and like many other emotions hate often has no rational basis. It is also, however, often a learned behavior. In the words from South Pacific, "You have to be taught, before it's too late, before you are six, or seven or eight, to hate all the people your relatives hate. You have to be carefully taught."
This year we mark the beginning of our own civil war. We like to pretend that now that we have elected a black president, we're done with that past. But ask yourself, when was the last time you went out to dinner with someone not of your own color. At best what we have is an uneasy detente, made more complicated by the edition of brown, that is Hispanic, to the palette of colors that make up our nation.
We would never want to use the word "hate", it is far too harsh for our modern sensibility. In most cases we have learned to disguise it. Call it tensions, resentment, anger, fear. It slips out in looks, comments, jokes. We hide it in discussions of national security. We can outlaw the speech, but that alone does not truly change hearts.
John cuts through all the carefully nuanced language and gives us two simple categories for our relationship to our brothers and sisters, love or hate. Do we really love one another? Perhaps we need the stark language of St. John to remind us just how much, to borrow a favorite phrase of Bishop DiLorenzo, "unfinished business" we still have a century and a half after the beginning of the civil war.
It is difficult because there are people in this world who hate, and like many other emotions hate often has no rational basis. It is also, however, often a learned behavior. In the words from South Pacific, "You have to be taught, before it's too late, before you are six, or seven or eight, to hate all the people your relatives hate. You have to be carefully taught."
This year we mark the beginning of our own civil war. We like to pretend that now that we have elected a black president, we're done with that past. But ask yourself, when was the last time you went out to dinner with someone not of your own color. At best what we have is an uneasy detente, made more complicated by the edition of brown, that is Hispanic, to the palette of colors that make up our nation.
We would never want to use the word "hate", it is far too harsh for our modern sensibility. In most cases we have learned to disguise it. Call it tensions, resentment, anger, fear. It slips out in looks, comments, jokes. We hide it in discussions of national security. We can outlaw the speech, but that alone does not truly change hearts.
John cuts through all the carefully nuanced language and gives us two simple categories for our relationship to our brothers and sisters, love or hate. Do we really love one another? Perhaps we need the stark language of St. John to remind us just how much, to borrow a favorite phrase of Bishop DiLorenzo, "unfinished business" we still have a century and a half after the beginning of the civil war.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
No fear
As we continue to read from John's letters in these last days of Christmas, and first days of 2011, we hear two of his most concise but profound phrases.
In the first, "God is love," we see that for Christians love is not an emotion but the very presence of God in us. Secondly, and perhaps even more important to us these days, he writes "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear...."
As we begin this new year we seem to be surrounded by conditions and events that raise our sense of uncertainty about the future, which in turn raises our level of fear. Perhaps what is really happening is that we are being forced into a more realistic assessment of the limits of our power.
How do we live with a sense of very limited power and not be afraid? Faith. By faith I don't mean some kind of intellectual assent to a list of propositions about God, but an abiding trust in that loving presence of God in us and with us. Only if we keep ourselves grounded every moment of every day in that love can we have a life in which, as John says, "There is no fear."
And when we feel those fears and anxieties rising up in us, let them simply serve as a call to pause and reground ourselves in the only true power, God .
In the first, "God is love," we see that for Christians love is not an emotion but the very presence of God in us. Secondly, and perhaps even more important to us these days, he writes "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear...."
As we begin this new year we seem to be surrounded by conditions and events that raise our sense of uncertainty about the future, which in turn raises our level of fear. Perhaps what is really happening is that we are being forced into a more realistic assessment of the limits of our power.
How do we live with a sense of very limited power and not be afraid? Faith. By faith I don't mean some kind of intellectual assent to a list of propositions about God, but an abiding trust in that loving presence of God in us and with us. Only if we keep ourselves grounded every moment of every day in that love can we have a life in which, as John says, "There is no fear."
And when we feel those fears and anxieties rising up in us, let them simply serve as a call to pause and reground ourselves in the only true power, God .
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Elizabeth Ann Seton
Today we celebrate one of the great women of American Catholic history. Elizabeth Ann Seton was born in 1774 in the colony of New York and raised in the Episcopal Church. When her husband fell ill, they took him to Italy for the climate and it was there that she was first exposed to the Catholic Church. After his death she returned to the still relatively new born country and came into full communion with the Church.
It was a French Sulpician priest who first sparked her interest in the thing she would later be most renowned for, education. So this former Anglican who would be the first saint born in what would be the US, owes her faith and fame to the Italians and the French.
Just one more example of the mysterious and sometimes circuitous ways of God.
She is the patron saint of Catholic Schools so let us pray for our schools as they search discover how best to carry out their mission in the 21st Century. We see the old model failing around the country, as diocese after diocese closes school, may God, through the intercession of St. Elizabeth Ann grant us the wisdom and courage to discern and follow a new path to success.
Here is the link to the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
It was a French Sulpician priest who first sparked her interest in the thing she would later be most renowned for, education. So this former Anglican who would be the first saint born in what would be the US, owes her faith and fame to the Italians and the French.
Just one more example of the mysterious and sometimes circuitous ways of God.
She is the patron saint of Catholic Schools so let us pray for our schools as they search discover how best to carry out their mission in the 21st Century. We see the old model failing around the country, as diocese after diocese closes school, may God, through the intercession of St. Elizabeth Ann grant us the wisdom and courage to discern and follow a new path to success.
Here is the link to the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Living Tabernacles
Seven more days until the end of the Christmas Season. And in these last days we see the close relationship between Jesus and John reflected in his theology, his understanding of our relationship to Christ.
In today's reading he uses the verb "meno." It means to stop and stay, or to remain. Like a loved one, Jesus is the one who moves, not just in with us, but into us. And we move into him. He becomes our home, and we become his.
As wonderful as it sounds it does come with expectations. Much like my own mother who made it clear, "You live under my roof; you live by my rules", John links our dwelling in Christ to keeping his commandments.
To help us we have some tools. We have the sacraments, especially Eucharist and Reconciliation. Eucharist is the fullness of the presence of Christ avaiable to us in Catholic Churches around the world every day. And when we fall, we can always be assured of the perfect healing of our relationship with Jesus in the sacrament of reconciliation.
When did you last receive the sacrament of Reconciliation or stop by a church and spend a few minutes in quiet prayer before the Blessed Sacrament?
Today's Readings
In today's reading he uses the verb "meno." It means to stop and stay, or to remain. Like a loved one, Jesus is the one who moves, not just in with us, but into us. And we move into him. He becomes our home, and we become his.
As wonderful as it sounds it does come with expectations. Much like my own mother who made it clear, "You live under my roof; you live by my rules", John links our dwelling in Christ to keeping his commandments.
To help us we have some tools. We have the sacraments, especially Eucharist and Reconciliation. Eucharist is the fullness of the presence of Christ avaiable to us in Catholic Churches around the world every day. And when we fall, we can always be assured of the perfect healing of our relationship with Jesus in the sacrament of reconciliation.
When did you last receive the sacrament of Reconciliation or stop by a church and spend a few minutes in quiet prayer before the Blessed Sacrament?
Today's Readings
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Mother's Day
While in the civil calendar we celebrate Mother's Day in May, the Catholic Church, as of 1969, has closed the octave of Christmas with Mary, Mother of God. In addition, this January 1st marks the 44th World Day of Peace.
To the surprise of many the holy Father's talk for today focuses on religious freedom as the weapon for peace. In the first decade of the 21st century we have seen a resurgence of religious intolerance, in often subtle and not so subtle forms. Even some Christians have sought to suppress the religious freedom of others.
I invite you to read the Holy Father's address and pray as he does "May all men and women, and societies at every level and in every part of the earth, soon be able to experience religious freedom, the path to peace!"
PS. In case you were not aware the city of La Paz in Bolivia is actually Nuestra Señora de la Paz, Our Lady of Peace, one of the many titles for Mary our Mother we celebrate today.
To the surprise of many the holy Father's talk for today focuses on religious freedom as the weapon for peace. In the first decade of the 21st century we have seen a resurgence of religious intolerance, in often subtle and not so subtle forms. Even some Christians have sought to suppress the religious freedom of others.
I invite you to read the Holy Father's address and pray as he does "May all men and women, and societies at every level and in every part of the earth, soon be able to experience religious freedom, the path to peace!"
PS. In case you were not aware the city of La Paz in Bolivia is actually Nuestra Señora de la Paz, Our Lady of Peace, one of the many titles for Mary our Mother we celebrate today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)