Learning the Meaning of Life

January 18th, 2015

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sam 3: 3b-10, 19; 1 Cor 6: 13c-15a, 17-20; John 1: 35-42

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

So, what is the purpose of life?  The first thing we have to do to understand the meaning and purpose of our lives is to recognize that God is trying to communicate with us about just that all the time.

In the first reading, we see young Samuel learning this lesson.  Samuel is dreaming about someone calling to him- but he doesn’t recognize who or what it is.  Not once, not twice, but three times he has the same dream; and only with the help of Eli does Samuel recognize it for what it truly is-  God calling him and asking him to listen to him in a dream.

Now let’s hold on to that thought for a moment and talk about it because you are probably thinking “Is God talking to me in my dreams”?  Maybe, and maybe not. But you see, that isn’t the point.  The point is that whether it is- a dream; a funny feeling or fleeting impression when we are awake; something we read; something we see; or something we experience- whatever it might be- God is trying to talk to us all the time.  We just need to be open to it; we need to listen to him.

Some time ago my wife and I watched the film “About Schmidt”.  The main character in the film, Warren Schmidt, was ably played  by Jack Nicholson;  Warren saw a TV add called “Child Reach”, calling for folks to sponsor a poor child in the third World for $22 a month.  Moved by compassion, Warren sponsors a child named Ndugu.  Now Warren is a man who holds it all in- and doesn’t have anyone to share his anger or frustration with.  He retires after having devoted his life to his job at the expense of spending time with his family.  Then he discovers he wasn’t appreciated by his company; he loses his wife; and he finds himself frustrated by his daughter’s choice of a mate.

And so, throughout the film, we hear Warren venting his anger in letters to his foster-child Ndugu.  At the end of the film, Warren is feeling very, very discouraged and despondent over all his misfortunes.  He doesn’t see the value in his life.  And then, all of a sudden, he gets a letter from Ndugu’s teacher who talks about how much Warren’s sponsorship has meant, and how much Ndugu loves him.  Ndugu has also sent a crayon drawing.  It shows a smiling Ndugu linked hand in hand with Warren, and a great big bright sun shining in the background.  And Warren cries, because he can see that he has made a difference after all.

It is just a story, yes; but the point is clear.  God nudges, cajoles, and whispers to us all the time.  And some of the time, we are not even conscious that we have responded.  But the little voice inside has made its mark, and we do things responding to our call by God.  These things are part of God’s plan, and they can make a big difference.  We just never know when we will get such a call  It could happen when you are on a cruise, for example, right there on the open sea, in the midst of 3,000 people, most of whom have put God on the sidelines for the duration;  and yes, it can even happen when you analyze one of your dreams.  But the point is that it is happening all the time.  God is calling you to do his thing for you.

Second, the message and mission God has for you is personal, much more personal than you might think.  Samuel’s message was certainly in that category; and so was the message to the Apostles in the Gospel.

When we read how God called people in the Bible, or when we hear stories about great saints who have responded to God’s call like St. Paul or Mother Theresa or Saint Francis, it was personal; it was directed to them and was specific to them.   Our calls are personal as well.  And likely they are right there unfolding for us- right in front of us. like helping a stranger when you’re on a ship.

And the fact that God is calling us to something right in front of us is both a relief and a challenge.  It is a relief because more often than not, we are not being asked to make a drastic change in our lives.  Rather, we are just being asked to be a little more sensitive; a little more giving in our own situations.  But it is a challenge, because it means making a sacrifice, the kind of sacrifice that involves putting our personal goals on the back burner.

Our gospel today demonstrates this so well.  These men that became Apostles were called quietly one by one.  And they left to follow Jesus.  It all started out slowly, but ended up changing their lives forever.

As you begin your new year, now is the perfect time for you to listen carefully for God’s voice in your lives.  If you can stop the train you are on, and find the time to reflect reflect- that would be great.  Maybe the days you spend on vacation, like a cruise, are a way to help you find the time.  So, listen for it; be ready for it.  Put aside the many forms of self-absorption when the call comes.  Make a sacrifice; say “Speak your servant is listening”.  And God will say to you: “Come and see”.

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Looking For a Messiah?

January 8th, 2015

Thursday After Epiphany

John 4: 19 – 5: 4; Luke 4: 14-22

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

We keep looking at things the wrong way, and we take things too literally, as we journey through life looking for meaning.   

Take the quote from Isaiah that Jesus read for example.  Isaiah talks about freeing captives, good news for the poor, sight for the blind, and relief for the oppressed.  And when we hear that, we think of all those things literally.  That’s what the Jews of Jesus time were looking for as well- a literal rendering of all those things.  They were yearning for the “Christ” to come  to end the harsh, oppressive Roman rule; and restore Israel to greatness and prosperity.   

Now Jesus, fired up by the Holy Spirit after his Baptism, spent 40 days in the desert fending off temptations by the devil and sorting out what God’s mission was for him.  And so he emerges from the desert, all fired up with zeal for God.  He was the Messiah, and it was God’s will for Him to spread the good news of eternal life to everyone.  And who better to share that exuberance with than his own people- the people he grew up with.   

So, he returns to Galilee; and goes to Sabbath service in the temple.  Jesus boldly chooses the Isaiah scripture and reads it to tell the people through the prophecy that predicted him, who he really was.  But they didn’t get it, not at all.   So, he comes right out and tells them that He is the long awaited Christ;  He is the one who will free the captives, give sight to the blind, spread good news to the poor, and relieve the oppressed.    At first they were in awe; but then the reality sunk in.  And it didn’t take long for his own people to turn on him.  In the next few verses after today’s Gospel, the town people drive him away, angered at the preposterous notion that this simple carpenter’s son, poorly educated and without means, would dare to describe himself as the one and only Messiah.   

And it was kind of a wake-up call for Jesus as well.  His People were looking for the wrong things from the Messiah as they journeyed through life looking for meaning.  They didn’t want to be poor, sick, or burdened in this life; and they didn’t want their eyes opened up to the truth.     

Is it any different today?  I visit one of the local hospitals twice a week to help the chaplain.  I saw an elderly man in his mid-80’s recently who was suffering from serous heart disease.  He knew he didn’t have long to live.  He was resigned to that, but was concerned about his daughter, who he believed really needed his help.  She was financially strapped and abandoned by her husband.  He wanted to get out of the hospital as soon as possible so he could help her.   He didn’t want any open heart surgery that would slow him down or affect his ability to help her even if it meant shortening his life.  He was frustrated by the reality of the life he was in.  He wanted relief for the poor, healing for the sick, freedom from captivity; and that wasn’t likely to happen. 

I was moved at the situation he was in.  Many of us will find ourselves in these kinds of situations in real life.  But the reality is that the Messiah did not come to save us from the pain and suffering of this world.  Rather, He came to set us free from captivity to it in the next world; to open our eyes for God’s will for us now, so we can share in the Kingdom of God, where there will be no more poor or captives.  But most folks are looking for relief in this world- after all, it is the human thing to do.   

You know, even if somehow by magic this man could be cured of his heart ailment right away so he could help his daughter, that wouldn’t solve the problem.  Because such a miracle would last for another few years before the next reality would hit.  The solution Jesus promises, on the other hand, lasts forever.  That’s what Jesus was all fired up about and wanted to share.   

In the first reading, John talks about loving God, trusting God, and keeping His commandments.  That is what we all need to do to follow the Messiah in this life.  If we do that, all of the saving predictions from Isaiah will come true for us.

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Your Mission as a Christian Family

December 28th, 2014

Feast of the Holy Family

Gen 15: 1-6; 21: 1-3; Col 3: 12-21; Luke 2: 22-40

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

Today is a really special day for our Parish because this is our Feast Day, the feast of Holy Family.  And our parish is named after the Holy Family for good reason, because the family is critical to the well-being of all of its members physically and spiritually; and the Holy family is God’s revelation to us of what family is all about.   

The first thing we should take notice of is that the Holy Family was not like the Norman Rockwell poster picture of the ideal American Family at all.  We know that Mary was a teen who had a child out of wedlock; that the child was born away from home in difficult circumstances and placed in a manger; and that the Holy Family fled for fear of the authorities after the birth, becoming refugees in a flight to Egypt, living in a tent in a foreign country for months.  We know that when Joseph brought his family back, he was a poor laborer, a simple carpenter, working in a remote area  of Israel; and that Jesus was lost in the temple at age 12, with his parents returning days later in panic to try to find him.  At some time in his life, Jesus became an orphan.  After that, He was responsible for his mother Mary as Jewish society dictated.  Yes, the Holy Family experienced a rocky road.   

In fact, what we have described would be described today as a blended, poor family with many hardships.  Why, then is the Holy Family so special?  Well, because of the values that the Holy Family lived while facing all those hardships. 

All of us are products of our environment to some extent. The Holy Family was no different.   Indeed, Jesus became a role model for all of us as he rose above all the difficulties in perfect harmony with His Father.   

How did this happen; how did Jesus manage to grow up in perfection despite the fact that the environment the Holy Family lived in was not the picture of a perfect family?  Basically, it happened because the Holy Family shows us how one can live a difficult life and still be loving and obedient and faithful to God’s will.   

We know that Mary was loving and obedient to God’s will.  Despite the very special role she knew she would play as the Mother of the Son of God, she was not haughty and self-absorbed.  Rather, Mary nurtured Jesus as mothers do, and was submissive to her husband Joseph.  We know little of Joseph from the Bible.  But we see that Joseph is a loving committed husband and parent, and that he was obedient to God’s will for him also.  Joseph put his family first; and at the same time, was the provider for his family.  And we know that Jesus loved and supported his parents; the bible tells us Jesus was obedient during his childhood “in all things”.   

You know, we were all made in the image and likeness of God.  But there’s more to it than that.  God has revealed to us that he is relationship.  Yes, the Trinity is a relationship between the three persons in one God.  God is not “all alone up there”; rather, He is a relationship- Father Son, and Spirit.   

So, not only were we made in his image and likeness as individuals; but we are made in his image and likeness in relationship too.  The primary relationship that mirrors God is called our family.  God the Father is the architect of all life.  He begot his only Son, who has been with him forever.  And the expression of the love; the energy and charisma of that relationship between the Father and Son, is the Holy Spirit.   

The family mirrors that special relationship of the Trinity- the Father is head of the family.  Fathers are joined together in a relationship of love with their spouses, and they “become one”.  The expression of the love between moms and dads is the children, who mirror the Holy Spirit.   

Now I mentioned love and obedience in the Holy Family.  Love implies a whole lot of things- self-sacrifice, mutual respect, forbearance, and presence for example.  Likewise, obedience implies a lot of things as well-  like belonging to a hierarchy, knowing one’s place, mutual cooperation, and respecting authority.  These are all values that we can learn from the experience of the Holy Family.  They are byproducts of the ultimate in relationship- the Trinity.  And this is God’s way of revealing His plan for the Kingdom of Heaven as well.   

I believe it is God’s intent that we build on the family by projecting the family structure and values forward.   First, the family relationship is perpetuated generation after generation through itself.  We dedicate our children in Baptism to live a life as Christians.   And they go off and do the same, spreading the faith and the Gospel along the way.  They do that by praying together and learning about role models in real life situations from their parents and family.  They learn from their parents about the prime of life; and they learn from their elders- especially grandparents- how fragile life is and that life in this world is not the end.  Finally, they learn from the saints, and from the Gospel, to love as Jesus loved.   

For all of this to happen, this basic cell of our society, the family needs support.  That is where the Church comes in.  Indeed, the Church is our “mother” collectively.  We are called to belong to that larger family, as well as the Diocese, and the whole Church.  And belonging means participating- as we worship weekly here at Mass, partaking of Communion with the mystical body of Christ, and participating in parish events and activities; just as we worship by prayer in our homes; and participate in family activities.   

Our families then become part of a very important mission.  In fact, it is that mission that gives meaning to our lives.  We are called to evangelize in word and deed by living the example of the Holy Family.  That example will speak loudly to all our brothers and sisters in the secular world.  This is how the whole Western World was converted to Christianity in the first millennia after Christ- through the example of the individual Christian families and the collective family, the Church.  Nowadays, our secular World is ready and ripe for another conversion because our society seems to be losing touch with the family values Jesus taught us.   

Today, each family here will receive a free book called “Mission of the Family” as you leave the Church.  I appeal to each of you to read this book; it is a quick read.  This book makes some of the same arguments I have just made, plus many more.   

At a time when the secular world is walking away from traditional family values, it is important that we Christians take a stand for God’s plan in the world.  The Holy Family taught us that family relationships mirror the Trinity, with primary values such as obedience, love, and Faith in God.  This is God’s plan for this world. 

Your mission, if you decide to accept it, is to spread that message by living as a Christian Family and supporting the Church’s effort to evangelize that model to the whole world.

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God Is With Us- All the Time

December 18th, 2014

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Blessed Anna Rosa Gattorno

Jer 23: 5-8; Mt 1: 18-25

Dc. Larry Brockman

“God is With Us”   That is what Immanuel means,   I think it is really important to understand what that really means.   You see, we were saved from our sins by Jesus, and the passion and resurrection that we observe each year during the Lent and Easter Season tells that story in a literal sense.   But the promise this morning is that “God is with us”.   And that means something different.   It means that God came among us and lived as we do- the Incarnation.   The realization of that promise forever made God present,  relevant, and personal in our lives.   He is not remote, distant, and separated from us.   He is with us, even now; he is still with us.   

Part of that presence is the Eucharist, to be sure because we can be certain that God is in us at any time by receiving Communion.   But the promise is even more basic than that.  It is that God is present to us always, at every waking moment.   Of course, we have to be open to God in order to recognize that presence and allow Him to be with us.   But if we are open, then we will be saved from our own sins.

Jeremiah kind of predicts a new order, one separate from the Old Testament promise to Moses.   You see, the Jews did not recognize God’s presence in their lives in Jeremiah’s day.   They thought they were in control despite the warnings of the prophets,   So, the rulers of Israel, along with the people, ignored the prophets and did things their way.   And as a result, God could not help them.   God cannot help those who don’t listen to Him.   

The consequences of the Israelis infidelity were the exile; they were scattered all over the ancient world.   This morning Jeremiah is predicting a new order.   An order in which God will send Jesus, the root of Jesse; and after that, God’s presence will bring all the people of God back together to live in their own land- the promised land. 

One of the reasons we read of this Old Testament cycle of disobedience and then conversion is because it is the pattern of history.   Things are no different in the modern world than they were in the ancient world.   Our society goes through cycles like that.   There are times when communities, groups of communities, and even nations listen to the word of God, obey his commands, and walk with   God as they go through life.   And there are times when society thinks that it is in control.   When people ignore God and his commands, and think they are in control rather than God.   Then the consequences are effectively the same as Jews experienced.   Things go badly; society is ravaged; and the people of God are effectively scattered among the non-believers.   

I don’t know about you, but I see all kinds of signs in today’s world that society is not listening to the word of God.   Let me give an example.   Instead of saying Merry Christmas, it is Happy Holidays for most  folks.   That really sums it up- because that is celebrating a secular holiday, not the coming of Christ.  That’s why we hear holiday music and not Christmas Carols this time of year.   Don’t think that this doesn’t have consequences.   Because if our focus is on a Holly, Jolly Christmas; Santa Baby,   and a Marshmallow World for the 4 weeks of Advent rather than on the coming of Christ heralded by Silent Night, O Come O Come Emmanuel, and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen;  then inside of ourselves, we are ignoring the real meaning of Christmas-  that “God is with us”.   

Starting right now Let’s all of us recognize that “God is With Us” in all we do, every hour of the day; that he is there to pick us up when we falter, when we are ill, and when we are down.   And that will bring “Joy to the World”. 

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Advent is Like Being in Prison

December 11th, 2014

Advent Reflection Service

Dc. Larry Brockman

Expectation!  Advent is the 4 week long season of joyful expectation before Christmas.  So, the question is, what are we joyfully expecting?  What are you all charged up and waiting for in these four weeks?

Are you waiting for the arrival of a relative, perhaps Mom and Dad from Chicago or some other distant place, for a Christmas and New Year’s visit?  Perhaps you’re waiting on your son or daughter coming home from College?  Maybe it’s the latest doll or lego toy set or video game you’re expecting under the tree; or a new IPAD; or a new dress; or some designer Jeans?

But as nice as all of these things may be for us to expect, Advent and Christmas are not about waiting for any of those things.  Tonight we have carefully selected readings to guide you through the real meaning of what we are waiting for.  They tell the story of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.  That means, they tell the story of how God sent His only son, Jesus, to become man, and take on our human nature.  And Jesus became intimate with us, living and experiencing life as we do.  He, though God, was not and is not, some distant, remote God who we cannot identify with.  No, He lived as one of us, suffered through life like all of us do; and died like all of us will.

Only he was resurrected, returned in glory, and promised all of us who believe the same glory.  That’s what is so special about Advent and Christmas- the realization that we will not just live this life; but, we will live forever with Jesus in glory if we believe and follow the Gospel message.

So, just what should our experience of this expectation for this four weeks of Advent really be then?

Some of you may be familiar with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  He was a Lutheran minister imprisoned and executed by the Nazis because he spoke out, and acted on his convictions.  This is what Bonhoeffer once wrote about Advent while in prison:  “Life in a prison cell reminds me a great deal of Advent.  One waits and hopes and putters around; but in the end, what we do is of little consequence.  The door is shut and it can only be opened from the outside”.

Amazing, isn’t it, how clear things can be when we are forced to reflect on them.  Bonhoeffer had no choice- he was imprisoned.  He had the time, and he took it, to reflect.  Bonhoeffer recognized that while we live this life, it is like we are in prison.  We are imprisoned by our limitations- our body constrains us in many ways.  But our minds constrain us even more.  We are constrained from recognizing the magnitude, the complexity, and fullness of the love of God and what He has in store for those who love him. So, the question is, when, and if, the door opened to the Kingdom of God.  Will you be ready for it?

You and I are so fortunate that we have Advent every year to reflect on the meaning of Christmas and to get ready for the Coming of Christ.  The Christ child is one coming- the coming that brings us the hope of eternal life.  But the second coming of Christ is also heralded during Advent.  It is that coming that all of us simply must be prepared for.  And so, what really matters is whether or not you are ready when that door opens; and that coming will happen for each and every one of us.

We can hope for and kind of anticipate the joy of living in glory forever with Jesus.  We do that in joy every Christmas day with the celebration of Jesus’ birth.  That’s why we gather around with our families and celebrate at Christmas; and we share gifts with each other to show that we understand what God did for us- the fact that God shared such a very special gift with us, te gift of His son.  And so, we shower special gifts on others as God showered his gift on us.

But the cold, hard, fact is that we are imprisoned here until that door opens with the Second Coming.  And so Advent is really about reflecting on whether we are prepared for the Second coming of the Lord so we can benefit from the hope and the promise of everlasting life.

Just what is God asking us to do to get ready for that?  He is asking us to think about where we are going in our lives.  He wants us to find and root out the things that are hindering us from that goal; and then repent of anything that is holding us back before it is too late.  Repentance is what we are all called to do in this four weeks; repentance, a basic change in our lives.  So we can truly live to see the full glory promised us by the Lord.

And we need four weeks because we are always so busy- busy getting ready for the joy that only really comes if we repent.  Not only that, it is hard to face the reality of who we really are and change that.  The devil tries to mask, to shield, to hide us from facing that reality.  We need time to break through and think it through- all of us.

As you leave here tonight, take with you the great and unbounded joy that eternal life in the Kingdom is yours.  But also take comfort in the fact that God has given all of you time- time to repent and find your way to use this Advent season wisely; to get ready for the Lord’s coming.

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Advent is All About Repentance

December 11th, 2014

Thursday of the 3rd Week of Advent

Is 41: 13-20; Mt 11: 11-15

Dc. Larry Brockman

So, the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist!  This is what Jerome said about this Gospel:  “Every saint who is already with the Lord is greater than he who yet stands in the battle; for it is one thing to have gained the crown of victory, another to be yet fighting in the field.”  That’s what all of us are still doing, you see; fighting in the field.  And that’s how John the Baptist, who was as great or greater than any person born of a woman, could still be less than the least in the Kingdom of God.

Yes, we all still have a way to go in our battle to enter the kingdom of God.  But we have help, the kind of help Isaiah talks about.  For the Lord says:  “Fear not, I will help you”.  And it is as if he is talking to each and every one of us.  All of us are all being told to “Fear not, I will help you”.

Some of us have a whole lifetime of years left in the battle for our souls- 70, 80 years or more.  Others of us have already gone through most of the battle- 70 or 80 years of it.  Yet none of us knows when the battle will end; for the battle could end just minutes from now as well as years from now no matter how young or old we are.

The question for all of us this morning is simply this?  Are you ready for the battle you are engaged in right now?  Are you fighting as a soldier of God against the forces of evil, striving to enter the narrow gate, to enter the Kingdom of God.  Because you have to be ready and prepared for that constantly, at all times; there is never a break.

The rest of Isaiah’s words seem mysterious.  The Lord offers his help, yet he calls the people, his own people, worms and maggots.  That’s because the people of Isaiah’s time were not listening.  They were not heeding the warnings of the prophets; and they were faltering in their battle with evil.  They were failing as individuals; and they were failing as a nation.  They were depressed and turning from their God.  Yet, even so, God tells them that he is with them; and that to take heart, because no matter what, they will prevail if they accept his help.

It’s the same way for us.  No matter how grim things may seem for us, we need to fight on because God is with us the whole way.

These are great words of consolation for me.  Because no matter how hard I try to avoid some occasions to sin, it just seems like I falter and fail in the same ways over and over again.  But God doesn’t make junk.  All of us are loved by God else he wouldn’t have made us.  God doesn’t give up on any of us easily.  And so, yes, he is there always to help us in battle.  He doesn’t abandon us when we fall.  Rather, he is there beside us trying to get us to get up and fight on.  And if we keep doing that, resolving to get up, sin no more, and fight on, then things will be as he describes later in Isaiah.  Eventually we will break through; the way will we opened for us.

What I have just described is called “Repentance”:  Recognizing what we need to change in our lives, resolving to change them for the better, and moving out accordingly.  Advent is all about repentance.  It was John the Baptist’s message.  And the Kingdom of God belongs to those who repent.

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Getting Ready for Christ the King

November 23rd, 2014

Christ the King

Ez 34: 11-12, 15-17; 1 Cor 15: 20-26, 28; Mt 25: 31-46

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

“The last enemy to be destroyed is death!”  Did you hear that?  I mean, did you really hear it.  Christ our King has destroyed death- once and for all.  We are going to live forever!  And at the Second Coming of Christ, He will separate us into two groups- the sheep and the goats.  The sheep, his flock, are those who belong to Christ.

I don’t know about you, but as the old song “When The Saints go marching in” says-  “I want to be in that number, when the Saints go marching in!”    How about you?  Do you really believe that Christ has conquered death forever and that you will live forever if you belong to Christ?

I ask that because it just doesn’t seem that people of this world believe it at all.  The people of this world seem to be living as if there is no tomorrow. They are anxious to get all the loose “living” in they can in a short span of time. They have no time for God or his law.  If they really believed that there is a God and heaven, they would surely want to develop a relationship with God.  But most of the people of this world- present company excepted- have much better things to do on Sunday morning than attend Church to worship God.  Sadly, statistics show that less than half of the people in the US attend Church on Sundays.  In Europe, the number is less than 1 in 10.

Ask yourself a very simple question.  If Jesus saw you today and he asked you the questions that He posed rhetorically to the two groups in the Gospel, how would he judge your actions?

You know, it’s interesting that both groups responded to Jesus the same way.  They both said- when did we see you naked or hungry or imprisoned?  Jesus simply says that He was in “the least of my brethren” that we all encounter.  Yes, all of us encounter “the least of my brethren” each day, don’t we?  Here on this Island, you folks have an advantage over the people on the mainland.  You all know each other, and those who you don’t know, you know of.  So perhaps my perspective is different.  You see, every day I come in contact with total strangers who are “the least of my brethren”- on a trip to Walmart; while attending a movie; on the roads while in my car.  In all the little contacts you have in life, like these, you pass your brothers by as you go about your business.  Jesus is telling us that we must always, always, be open and kind to the people around us, not just to our families and friends.  But the thing is, it is so easy to just pass everybody by as we go about our business.  There are things we do not notice, don’t care to notice, and don’t want to notice.

This reminds me of the Gospel story of the rich man and Lazarus in that respect. During a good part of his life, the rich man was simply clueless to the plight of Lazarus while he just kept on enjoying life to the fullest.

Next weekend we begin the season of Advent.  Most of us use Advent to get ready for Christmas, the coming of Christ.  But I’d like to ask you to think of it a little differently.  This year, use Advent to get ready for both comings of Christ.  The first coming, the coming of the Christ Child, is the ultimate gift of God.  Jesus became man, showed us the way, and after his Resurrection, promised those who believe resurrection and eternal life.  For that, we should all rejoice and celebrate.  That’s why we always celebrate Christmas.

But there is the second coming, the one that Jesus speaks of in this Gospel.  Let’s all use Advent this year to get ready for that as well.

There was a famous World-br II era Lutheran minister  Imprisoned by the Nazis named Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  This is what Bonhoeffer once wrote about Advent:  “Life in a prison cell reminds me a great deal of Advent.  One waits and hopes and putters around; but in the end, what we do is of little consequence.  The door is shut and it can only be opened from the outside”.

All of us here will experience the second coming.  The door to Heaven will be shut until it is opened from the outside.  Until then, we are all imprisoned.  We putter around, dabbling in all of what this life has to offer.  But it is only a restricted life, a prison.  Our real goal is life with our heavenly Father.

Every once and a while we need to stop what we are doing, reflect on life, and make some changes.  Advent is a perfect time for that- four weeks each year for us to get ready for the Coming of Christ.  So, take some time this Advent to reflect on those questions Jesus rhetorically asked in the Gospel.  How will you answer if Jesus comes today and opens the door?  Will you be ready?

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The Kingdom of God is Amongst Us

November 13th, 2014

Thursday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time

Phil 7-20; Luke 17: 20-25

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

“The Kingdom of God is among you”!  Just how did that strike you this morning?  Do you feel that the Kingdom of God is here already?

I’ll bet that Philemon, the person to whom our first reading was addressed, did not understand that.  Here was a well to do person whose slave had run away.  And now Paul was sending him back as a free man, asking the former Master to accept Onesimus as a brother, as an equal.  In those days, a slave was valued property. And although Philemon was a Christian, his culture was a strong influence; and a former slave was not easy to accept as an equal.  That must have been pretty hard.

But you know what?  That’s exactly what the Kingdom of God will be like for all of us.  There will be no more rich or poor; slave and master; boss and worker; teacher and student; or husband and wife In the Kingdom of God  Rather, we will all be on the same footing-   servants to the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father, but sharing the Glory of our Lord none the less.

And yet, Jesus is telling the Pharisees that one cannot sense the Kingdom, not because it isn’t real; it certainly is real; but because it is already amongst us, but we are blinded to seeing it for what it is.  We simply have to recognize that all of us are equal in the eyes of God and rejoice in that.

When you think about it, it is very clear that God values all of us the same, whether we are rich or poor; master or slave; boss or worker; or student or teacher.  How can it possibly be otherwise?  God made each of us, and God doesn’t willfully make junk.  It’s just that all of us have been blessed in our own way, and these blessings distinguish us from one another in this world by the areas mentioned.  But these blessings are God’s gifts to us; they are not of our own making.  And so when we move into the next life in the Kingdom, each of us will be glorified for how we lived with our gifts, not how we compared to anyone else.

Each of us will be content with our own status with the Lord in the Kingdom of God.  It is, after all, heaven.  So, if we can do the same here and now- be happy for everyone else in their gifts, then we will share now in the Kingdom of God.

So, our attitude here must be one of humble acceptance of our own gifts, and a lack of preoccupation with our neighbor’s gifts.  Such an attitude removes anger, greed, laziness, gluttony, pride, lust, and envy from the scene- the seven deadly sins because such a person is focused on their relationship with God; and they are content with their relationship with God.  Not only that, such a person is happy that others have a similar relationship with God.

Indeed, the Kingdom of God is amongst us!

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On Loving Our Neighbor- For Seniors

October 26th, 2014

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ex 22: 20-26; 1 Thes 1: 5c-10; Mt 22:34-40

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

It’s the thing that separates our Judeo-Christian heritage from other faiths, this idea of loving our neighbor as ourselves, especially when our neighbor is broadly defined to include everyone.  Not only that, Jesus tells us this is part of the greatest commandment, second only to loving God himself, so it is very important to love our neighbor.   

Our first reading is particularly clear about who our neighbor is because the Israelites were called upon to respect the rights of visiting “aliens”, that is, everyone visiting who came from outside of Israel.   That was a real challenge for the tribal culture of the Mideast.  Everything was tied up with your own tribe- outsiders were not usually welcome.  But Jesus was simply quoting the Law of Moses.  Besides, Jesus makes it clear in the Beatitudes who our neighbor is because he speaks of the poor, the persecuted, and the marginalized there.  Yes, we need to love everyone as we love ourselves.  And that is a tall order. 

But just what does that mean- especially for those of us who are getting older?  Elsewhere in the Gospel Jesus tells us that means sharing our food with those who have none; and even giving away a spare tunic if we have a second one!  We are to visit the sick and the imprisoned;  and we are to settle arguments amongst us before we bring an offering to the altar.  In other words, we are to be concerned with things other than our own comfort,   We should not become self-absorbed.   

One of the greatest things about America has been the generosity and loving attitude of its citizens over our nation’s history.  In the days of the frontier, people would pitch in and help each other build houses, raise barns, and make it through tough times.  Families took care of their own, including their elderly.  Organizations like St. Vincent de Paul, the Salvation Army, and Good Will supply the poor with much.  And America came to the aid of many nations for the sake of liberty during the first and second world wars.  Our foreign aid has been critical to the recovery of Western Europe and Japan after the war.  We were for many decades the source of missionary efforts throughout the world.  Even today, people worldwide can count on the financial aid we give to others in our special collections.  Yes, Americans have lived the definition of what it means to love our neighbors.  All of us have shared in that time of American History.  We have shared our tunics, our treasure, our food, visited and cared for the sick, and been there for the “alien” in need.  All of this shows that we have been a people concerned not just with our own interests, but we have been concerned for others as well, even “aliens”.  And we have been blessed for it.   

But things are changing now.  Years ago, families stuck together and most households had three generations of folks in them.  Now, almost all of us value our independence more than family.  And so, we live separate from our families, and don’t see them as often.  Part of that is due to our ability to live anywhere, so that families are separated by great distances.  All of this means that newer generations have been taking more and more time for themselves.  Yes, a spirit of independence pervades our younger generations.  So much so that it transcends independence and becomes self-absorption.  We are a nation that is fast becoming self-absorbed.   

Those of us who are older have much to share with the younger generations about the meaning of loving each other.  Among the things we can share are:  The value of life itself; that we’ve been there, done that (or, there is nothing new under the sun);  the salvific value of the suffering in living a life with dignity; sacrificing your own agenda to care for someone else; the wisdom of the ages versus book knowledge; and many other things that come only through the school of life experiences.  But it takes contact, lots of real contact, with our families to accomplish a mission of sharing all of that.   

I know, in many cases it is easier to just let go.  Many in our families just don’t want to be bothered with us anymore.  But the facts are, they really need you more than you need them.  Because, you see, they just don’t realize it.  Because the real meaning of life is much more apparent to those of us who have lived a while, than it is to the young and restless.  We know that there is more to life than what the world has to offer, and that we will never be satisfied until we find God.   

Yes, love your neighbor as yourself.  Begin with your family.

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The Fire That Blazed the World- Has it Gone Out?

October 23rd, 2014

Thursday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time

Eph 3: 14-21; Luke 12: 49-53

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

It was a fire that blazed across the civilized world- Christianity.  And it was a phenomenon which conquered the Roman Empire at heart.  The passion and enthusiasm of its followers spread quickly over the whole world.  Christians believe in the great commandment- loving God and our neighbor as ourselves.  We believe in a loving God who blessed us with the presence of his own Son.  Not only that, after his death, His son returned here in Glory and told his disciples that   The same glorious fate waits for all those who believe- everlasting life in the Kingdom of God. Yes, Christianity was different.     

Whatever happened to that fire, to that zeal, to that commitment for Christ and his message that the early Christians had?  Where is it amongst us Christians today?   

Perhaps our Christian society has gone the way of other societies, like the Romans before us.  Complacency and comfort have sidetracked us.  Our focus is on this life; not on the life God intended for us.  That’s why over 50% of Christians have something else to do on Sunday mornings than worship God.  And so our society sort of believes,   But only half of us quietly on Sundays make a commitment at all.  And the rest of the week it is business as usual.   

And yet, we now see the storm clouds building, the consequences, just as the Israelites and the Romans faced the consequences of their complacency thousands of years ago.  Yes, indeed, all the changes happening here are heralds of a coming crisis.   They are eroding the Judeo- Christian basis for our Democracy.   

Elsewhere another group is rising up with a different message- the Radical Islamists.  They are located in an area of great suffering, persecution, and turmoil.  And, as distorted as their thinking may be, they have a purity of purpose and resolve like the early Christians.   

I don’t know about you, but I prefer the Christian God, a God of love who came among us to teach us the way;  a God who advises us to treat aliens with respect, as we will hear Sunday.  I prefer that to cutting peoples’ throats who won’t convert.  That doesn’t sound like love to me.   

St. Paul tells what is required of us as Evangelizers:  On behalf of the Ephesians he asks that God “May grant you in accord with the riches of His glory to be strengthened with power through his spirit in the inner self;  and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;  That you be rooted and grounded in love”.  Then he goes on to describe the magnitude of God’s love.   

There you have it.  That’s the kind of enthusiasm we need for our faith.  It’s the kind of enthusiasm that Jesus himself expressed when he said he was going to set the world on fire.

Brothers and sisters, it is time for us to set the world on fire for Christ.  Like the Christians who are losing their lives for the Faith in the Mideast today, we need to hold to our faith, practice it, and evangelize others with the fire and conviction and faith of our early Christian predecessors.  The time has come.

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