3 x 5 Card

7^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Cycle C

1 SM 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

1 COR 15:45-49

LK 6:27-38

Some things are easy to say, yet hard to do.

When I first started out in business in a leadership role, I really wanted to become a great leader. I read lots of books and articles on leadership, and all of them seemed to have a system, a bunch of things to do that would make me a great leader. I used to write these tips on pieces of paper and tape them to the walls of my office, or I’d write them on 3 x 5 cards and sort through them from time to time, to remind me of what I was supposed to do.

But invariably what happened is that eventually I stopped seeing those pieces of paper on my wall and stopped pulling those cards out of my drawer, and I went back to my more established, comfortable way of leading, which was centered around me and what I wanted to achieve. At least until the next bright shiny system popped up and I started all over again.

I thought that if I could just get one or two ideas out of each of them and changed my behavior a little bit each time, eventually I would develop into the leader I thought I should be; someone who people would follow, respect and admire. It was all about how I saw myself, not the people I was leading. I was always looking for the things I could do to change, the little corrections I could make to my behavior that would make the difference.

It was all about me, and it was getting me nowhere. I could never remember to do all those things, I could never get in the habit of doing them without consciously thinking about doing them. And it was mentally exhausting. It is so much easier to just go with my instincts, so much easier to react rather than be proactive. And so nothing much changed. I had to find a way to start focusing not so much on the behaviors I wanted to foster in myself as on the people I was leading. I needed to stop thinking in terms of the things I needed to do and start thinking about the people on my team.

Jesus gives us his famous teaching about loving our neighbors today. I think we all are familiar with this passage. Love your enemies. Turn the other cheek. The Golden Rule. Judge not. Much of what it means to be a Christian disciple can be found here. These things are recognized as good not just in the world of faith but in Western society as a whole. They transcend religion. All people think these are worthy practices. They are great behaviors and if we all just put them into practice the world would be a better place. They show the loving side of Jesus, the merciful prophet, the really great guy who is tolerant and loving towards all. We like this Jesus. We like these teachings. They are something we can all agree on.

They fit very well on a 3 x 5 card. They are behaviors we can emulate and strive to live by. We can practice them in concrete ways. I can lend without expecting repayment. I can give to the poor. I can try not to be judgmental. See, Lord, I am giving it my best effort. I’m a good person because I am trying to be good.

All these teachings of Jesus today seem countercultural and maybe even unnatural. Love your enemies isn’t the first reaction we have when someone wrongs us. Giving without expecting anything in return is not a good business practice. And that don’t judge stuff? If we did that then Twitter would go out of business. And if something is not natural to do, it’s difficult to do. And if it’s difficult to do, it’s easy to fail. It takes a bit of mental and spiritual effort to remember and put into practice.

The problem is, I think that too often we see these things as part of some spiritual self-help program. Just like me with my leadership development plan, we see them as skills to develop, not ways of changing our world view for the better.

And, if we see them simply as tasks to complete, eventually we lose interest in them. We only hear these words spoken every once in a while. We keep the cards in the drawer, and we do not make them habits, part of our regular, comfortable way of doing things. How can we make the life giving changes to our lives that will make us true disciples?

Stop focusing on the things and start loving the people. We too often these teachings as being the thing, when they’re not the thing. They only are results of the thing. They are the things we do because of the real thing.

The real thing is people.

How we see people. How we think about people. How we treat people is directly related to who we think they are and how we see them in relation to ourselves. The reason we fail so often in living these teachings of Jesus is because we don’t see people the way Jesus sees them. Jesus did all these things. He fed the hungry, gave sight to the blind, cured the lame, gave to the poor, came not to judge but to show mercy. And I bet you he didn’t have to tape a list of these behaviors on his bedroom wall to remind him and help him get better. He did them because they were the natural result of how he viewed everyone he came in contact with. It was easy for him to do them because they were the direct outcomes of who he is and who we are.

How many of you have children? As you raise them, do you ever think twice about feeding them, clothing them, giving them shelter, taking care of them when they are sick or hurt, consoling them when they are upset? Do you have to put up a list of these behaviors on the refrigerator next to their artwork to remind you how to act? Of course not. You do them easily and naturally and without complaint because you love your children. You want the best for them not because you want to be the best parent in the world, but because that’s what love is and what love does. We do these things for the ones we love easily and naturally, without planning or a second thought.

It’s because love is focused always on the other, not on the self. I bet you if suddenly someone in this congregation today suffered a heart attack and collapsed we would all rush to help. Not because of what Jesus taught in today’s gospel but because of the concern and compassion we would have for the person suffering. Because we are Christians and because it is a natural human instinct to help others. We wouldn’t give it a second thought. At times of crisis or need we forget about ourselves and instinctually help one another.

St. Augustine once said, “Love, then do as you will”. You cannot love outside of God, because God is love. Jesus acted the way he did because he is love itself. He could not act any other way. We are all called not just as disciples but as human beings to act out of love for one another. Augustine went on to preach, “If you hold your peace, hold your peace out of love. If you cry out, cry out in love. If you correct someone, correct them out of love. If you spare them, spare them out of love. Let the root of love be in you: nothing can spring from it but good.”

It really isn’t that hard to live out the teachings of the Lord. Just keep it simple. Hear the word of God in today’s readings and use those behaviors as measurements of how well you are loving. Don’t focus on the doing, focus on love. Get yourself out of the way and stop trying to force your behavior to change. If you strive to serve others out of love, you will do all those things Jesus asks of you, and more besides. See others as Jesus sees them, and you will treat them as Jesus treats them. See each and every person you come in contact with as having the worth and dignity of a beloved son or daughter of the Father, and your behavior towards them will follow.

And the best thing, by focusing on loving others, you will also be loved. You will get as good as you give.

Give, and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.

Maybe we should put that on our 3 x 5 cards instead.

Submit

2^nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Cycle C

IS 62:1-5

1 Cor 12:1-11

Jn 2:1-11

This Thursday will be the 15^th anniversary of my ordination as a deacon. That means, including the five years of formation that preceded it, I have been involved in this ministry for 20 years. And, as you may know, because the Sunday readings are on a three year cycle, these readings today are the first readings I preached on as a deacon, from this ambo. And I think the second reading from St. Paul is all about the diaconate – service – not just the ordained ministry but for all Christians.

So much has changed in those years. The White Pine Canyon Church had just been dedicated when I was ordained. I’m on my third pastor. I’m a bit grayer and a bit heavier. And I hope that I have grown and mellowed as I’ve aged.

I’ve changed. And you’re the ones who’ve changed me.

Every year around this time I try to stop and take stock of my faith life and my role as a deacon. It is so easy to get caught up in all the activities and stuff to do. It is hard to continue to focus on the calling I have been given, on the Spirit of God working in my life, and how I can better use the gifts he has given me to bring people closer to Him.

I have found the diaconate to be an extremely humbling experience. People tend to put priests and bishops on pedestals, but deacons are a bit different. Many of you knew me before I was ordained, and so we have a familiarity with one another, a casualness in our relationships that I don’t know that many priests and bishops experience very often. I have been humbled by the amazing faith I have witnessed in you, the people of St. Marys. I have shared your highest joys and your deepest sorrows. I have seen you live the wonderful gifts the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon you, and you have been my role models in so many ways. So many of you are so much better at this deaconing thing than I am. And the most humbling experiences have been when I have made some terrible misstep and have had to try to make amends.

But the word deacon – diaconos – literally means servant, and it is that viewpoint and self-knowledge that truly should be what drives me and inspires me to continue. It is the concept that St. Paul is trying to convey in today’s second reading. It is the idea of the servant leader, and it should drive and inspire all of us.

St. Paul gives a list of the spiritual gifts. And he links them with the one Spirit that gives them purpose. These are gifts, not rights, and everyone receives them. We are called to be stewards of those gifts, realizing that we have them through no merit of our own, and must use them for the benefit of the whole and the glory of God. They are supposed to be a unifying force, because they all radiate from the unity of the Holy Trinity so that we can be of one mind and purpose.

We must decrease and Christ must increase.

It is not so much an aptitude as an attitude. Think of some of the best professionals you know. The best doctors, or teachers, or managers. They have developed great capabilities and skills, but what sets them apart is how they view themselves and the people they interact with. They are true servant leaders who do not focus on their degrees or titles or authority. They do not make their authority felt nor do they feel superior. They instead focus on the other. They did not choose their professions because they wanted status or power or money. They wanted to make a difference in the world. They wanted to help other people.

Those are the people who most greatly affect our lives. A skilled surgeon may heal you physically. A great doctor will make you want to change your life.

We cannot hear today’s 2^nd reading without also understanding the passage that immediately follows it: the famous Body of Christ analogy.

We are all given roles in the Body of Christ. God has a plan for his Church, and in order for the Body of Christ to function and serve as deacon to the world, with the ultimate goal of the salvation of souls, many parts must work in harmony with one another. It is not about power. It is not about prestige or honor or even responsibility. It is about serving the world. Or at least it should be.

The human body is not governed by democratic principles. The hands do not choose to become hands in the womb. The mouth, eyes and ears don’t get a choice either. Each is given its place, and its role, in the body by their creator. It is not a question of fairness nor equality nor diversity, it just is. Just as it is with the human body, it is the same with the Body of Christ.

We get so hung up on who does what in the Church. Instead, rejoice in the wonderfulness of the Spirit of God that directs everything we do. The Spirit does not divide, He unifies. Everyone is given his or her specific gifts, and is called to use and express those gifts for the benefit of the entire Church. We get so worried and concerned about roles and titles and prestige, honor and power, on who has it and who doesn’t, and in doing so we get in the way of God’s plan for us and the world.

Remember that even the apostles argued amongst themselves about who was the greatest. Jesus admonished them that the greatest should be the least among them, the servants of the rest. Instead of jostling and positioning for the best seats at the banquet they should be fighting over the lowest. Instead of worrying and complaining that I am being discriminated against because this person can do this or that thing and I can’t, I should be rejoicing that God has chosen someone to do it, for the good of the Church, and she is doing it so well.

We are each called to submit to the needs of others. That is what humility is. Humbling ourselves and offering the unique spiritual and temporal gifts to one another should be how we compete. Who can be the kindest? Who can be the best stewards of the gifts that God has given us? Who can most closely model Jesus?

Our wants and desires oftentimes have nothing to do with what we are called to do and who we are called to be. Just because you would like to become a doctor does not mean you have what it takes to study, prepare, and practice medicine. I know I couldn’t do that. I don’t have the right to be a doctor just because I think I should be one. I remember Bishop Neiderauer telling my formation class that we should have such a submissive attitude that if he came to us six months before ordination and told us that he had discerned that we were not being called to the diaconate we should be disappointed but not crushed by the news.

I believe that we should be constantly discerning God’s will and plan for us in all our roles. Are you called to marriage or the single life? Are you called to the priesthood or diaconate? Are you called to be a parent? What career should you choose? Should you change jobs at this stage in your career and why or why not? Should you move to another state or country? So often we spend more time working on our resumes than we do trying to discern our true calling in the world. It would be so much easier if we relinquished control.

We are such take-charge people, aren’t we? We like to plan out everything in our lives. We plan our vacations to the nth degree. We sock away our retirement funds for the future. We post our profiles on online dating services so that algorithms can find the perfect match for us. God laughs at our plans, doesn’t he? His plan for you is probably not what you had in mind. We see the greatest goal in life as our own personal happiness, and we think we know what will make us happy. But unhappiness and unfulfillment and lack of joy comes when we try to live according to our plan, not His.

The only way we can be happy, truly happy, is if we submit. Every member of the body is necessary for its proper functioning. There is no insignificant part. Find your role, accept your role, and embrace your role. You’ll never deserve it, but you are called by Christ to do it. That’s what it means to be a disciple.

First, understand and accept that you have been given these gifts. St. Paul says everyone has them. Then, pray. Make prayer a central part of your life. Actively pray, fervently pray for guidance and support. Actively discern your gifts, then cultivate and grow them. Ask others what they think you are being called to. Use your gifts with all your enthusiasm and energy. Live an attitude of diaconia. See yourself as a humble steward of those gifts, and always focus on other people. Be a true servant leader.

If you do these things, you will find your place in the Church and in the world. There is so much at stake. Your own personal salvation and the renewal of the face of the Earth. For us Christians, this is not optional. God has a plan for each and every one of us, and I truly believe that until we find that place and then submit completely to it we will never be happy. We will be fighting our own natures and fighting against God.

That’s a battle we cannot win.

Apocalypse Now

33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Cycle B

DN 12:1-3

Heb 10:11-14, 18

Mk 13:24-32

We are nearing the end of the liturgical year, and so our readings take a turn to the future. At the end, we focus on the end. Jesus spoke so many times of the end times, of the second coming of the Son of Man. And to the Jews of the first century, this made perfect sense, because they were people looking for deliverance. They were actively searching for a messiah, someone who would deliver them from Roman oppression. One reason the disciples believed Jesus to be the promised messiah was his constant references to and predictions of the coming judgement. And that judgement was not one of punishment but of restoring justice to the world. The judgement of the Son of Man was the restoration of what once was, of setting things right.

Books like the Prophet Daniel and Revelation were written during times of great persecution and distress. They use very symbolic language not necessarily to explain what was happening to the people at that time but to give them hope. Their distress was being caused by powerful political forces, by the superpowers of their time. What the authors of these books were trying to convey was the fact that no matter how mighty earthly powers may be, God is more powerful. No matter how much the rulers of this world think they are in control, God is actually the one calling the shots.

Take the first reading for today, from the Book of Daniel. We heard about a time unsurpassed in distress. We heard that Michael, our prince, the great archangel, joins us in the battle against evil. The name Michael comes from three short Hebrew words: Mi-Ka-El: Who Like God?  The ancient kings who ruled when Daniel was written were considered to be gods. So the prophet’s response is Mi-Ka-El? Who is like God? The answer, of course, is no one. God is the Source who has no source. He is the Light all light comes from. He is the one in charge.

The reading speaks about the end of time and the final judgement of the world. We heard that those whose names are written in God's book will escape the destruction coming upon mankind. We learned that the wise shall shine brightly and those who lead many to justice will be like the stars forever.

Those who lead many to justice will shine like the stars forever. This is where the readings about the end of time become less about something we hope will be in the far future and more about the way that we are living our faith now. We need to lead the many to justice. Biblical justice is more than fair treatment in a courtroom. In the bible, justice means living so united to God that our decisions reflect his presence.

We are called to lead others to justice. We are called to help them see his presence in our actions, our care for the poor, the struggling, the sick, and all who are dependent on our compassion. Pope St. Paul VI, proclaimed, "If you want peace, work for justice." This message has animated many areas of the Catholic Church, particularly the Catholic Campaign for Human Development here in the United States. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Catholic Relief Services, the Diocesan Development Drive, missions in Haiti, Africa and throughout the world, the Peace Corps, Doctors Without Borders, and so many other charitable organizations are examples of the wise shining brightly. These organizations of charity exist because there are people of faith in the world, people whose faith is so strong that no matter what horrors have been or are being thrust upon the world, they firmly believe that God will win the final battle against evil. 

Pope Benedict said, "the question of justice constitutes the essential argument - or in any case the strongest argument - in favor of faith in eternal life." True justice may be rare in this life, but eternal life is justice itself. Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead. In today's Gospel we see that after judgment Jesus will gather his elect. If we begin with that end in mind, then wouldn’t we want to know how we become part of the elect? That's the big question. In some ways, the only question. We should want to live as children of the light. Turn to God and renounce those things people do under the cover of darkness. We all bear a burden of shame. Don't run from it; take it to Jesus. Turn to him. As we hear in the second reading, he has offered one sacrifice for sin. In Jesus we can make a new beginning.

The disciples were very concerned about the end times. Mark’s gospel was the first written and that generation took Jesus at his word that he would return before some of them had even died. When the apostles started dying off they had to re-think Jesus’ words to see how they applied to them in particular.

Of course, two thousand years on, the people of today don't think like those early disciples. We tend to have the opposite problem; our temptation today is to think that the world will exist for thousands more years. Believing this we tend not to think too much about the end of the world or even for that matter about the end of our own lives. Like the disciples, we need to re-think Jesus’ words to see how they apply to us in particular.

But we need to prepare for our death, we need to put our lives in order, we need to confess our sins, we need to get ourselves in shape from a spiritual point of view so that we are ready to meet our maker whenever that day comes. But our death and the Final Judgement, while it is something we need to prepare for, is not something that we should be afraid of. Indeed, it is the very opposite, it is something we should hope for, something we should rejoice in. Pessimism is not the Christian attitude. Christians are optimists. Jesus Christ became one of us, died for us, gave us his life, and offers a personal relationship to each of us. He actually came so that we could be part of the elect.

This generation may or may not be around for the second coming of Christ. However, we can experience the second coming in our current life by keeping our eyes open and being aware of Jesus’ presence in our lives each and every day. By living lives of justice we can bring the hope of Jesus’ actual second coming to all those we come in contact with. That is the role of a disciple, that is the good news of the gospel.

This Thanksgiving be grateful for the gift of justice. This Advent and Christmas season commit yourself to performing works of justice. Go to confession and be at peace. Give a little bit more to church and charity. Surprise the people around you with simple gifts – a smile, a touch, an unexpected phone call. Reconcile with an estranged friend or family member. In a word, be the second coming of Jesus in their lives…for now.