November 1st is All Saints’ Day when Roman Catholics honor all saints, known and unknown of the Christian church. This solemnity comes from Christian tradition of celebrating the martyrdom of saints on the anniversary of their death.
Why are costumes worn on Hallowe’en or All Hallows’ Eve?
(Photo of costume party in 1890)
Rev. Dr. Eddie J. Smith offers a religious perspective in his book Halloween, Hallowed Be Thy Name.
He suggests that by dressing up as creatures “who at one time caused us to fear and tremble,” people are able to poke fun at Satan “whose kingdom has been plundered by the Savior.”
Our Blind Eyes Opened, Spread God’s Love
Mark 10:46-57 Intention: Jubilarians
The story of Bartimaeus rings with a familiarity of the plight of many people today. He once had a family, a job, a house, kids, the whole works. He was active at the local synagogue. He would tell his children stories of their ancestors. Then things started to change, he started to get these real bad headaches and his vision would become blurry. At first he did not allow this to bother him but kept on working and living, but eventually the blurred vision got worse and worse and eventually he could barely see his wife and children. He told them to leave because he wouldn’t be able to support them or protect them. Then things went black and that’s the way it was.
He would lay his cloak on the ground so people could throw their loose change on the ground next to him. Most people avoided him altogether because in those days many people felt that blindness was caused by sinfulness either by the person or by their parents, so they were avoided. That’s the way it was for years. He struggled to survive, always hungry and thirsty and everything always black.
Despite all the hardships that he faced he still loved God. He remember the stories that he told his children and he saw in his mind the people in those stories and how God always came through for them in the end. Now Bartimaeus sat daily next to the road listening to the people passing by. The conversation lately had been about this guy named Jesus who had healed people, even blind people. Some had even said that he was the messiah that had come to redeem Israel. Bartimaeus thought, “Wow, if only Jesus would come around here.”
Then one day there was a commotion. There were more people on the road than usual and then he heard the name, Jesus. He was coming. Should he say something? Would Jesus come to him? Could he restore his vision? Something deep inside said “Yes, call out the name.” Bartimaeus opened his mouth: the crowd around him tried to silence him. Yet Bartimaeus persised, calling out more loudly and with greater urgency. He will not be silenced or deterred from getting Jesus’ attention. We notice how quickly the crowd’s reaction changes when Jesus calls for Bartimaeus. Those who sought to quiet him now encourage him.
Bartimaeus recognized power and authority when he saw it. We do the same thing. If we had a broken leg we wouldn’t go to AutoZone to have it fixed. If the doctor came in overalls, we might have a few questions, but if he was in a white coat, with a stethoscope and a pocket protector we would have no problem. Even though it might be some Joe Schmo from the street dressed as a doctor, we recognize the uniform as power and authority; we don’t ask for credentials or references, we simply accept what experience told us was the situation.
Bartimaeus recognized Jesus’ authority. Jesus didn’t have on a uniform, even if he did Bartimaeus was blind he couldn’t see him anyway. He had heard stories, but he had heard false rumors, too. This recognition came from a place deep within him.
We have that some recognition of Jesus. We have never seen Him. We’ve see artistic renditions of Jesus but our recognition originates from a different sense than sight.. It comes from a spiritual sense. It comes before anything. It is grace that allowed us to have that first moment with God, when God was not just a figure in religion classes or in the Bible but God became personal, a friend.
When Bartimaeus recognized Jesus, he still had a choice to make: act on that recognition or let it pass by. Bartimaeus cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” He addressed Jesus by name and by title, Son of David, the messianic title reserved for the redeemer of Israel. We cry out as well when we get to the last point, the straw that breaks the camel’s back. We cry, “Help me, Jesus.” “Have mercy, Jesus” Or simply, “Jesus” “Got in Hiemel.” “Mi Dios!” We realize that only God can help us in whatever situation we are in. God’s grace not only gives us the ability to perceive God’s power and love. It also gives us the strength to respond to it. Unlike Bartimaeus however, we are not limited to a once in a lifetime response. We must continually respond to the gift of grace and power in our lives.
What is Jesus’ response to Bartimaeus? “Go; your faith has made you well.” It is interesting to see that Jesus says that it is Bartimaeus’ faith that produced his healing not Jesus’ faith that made him well. Bartimaeus’ faith, and ours too, is not born out of nothing, it does not come out of thin air, but it is a response to the love and grace of God. It was Bartimaeus’ response to God’s initial contact through grace that made him well – restored his sight. Our response to the power or grace is also a restoration and a reconnection. We might not be blind, physically but spiritually we may be walking around aimlessly. Our spiritual vision may be black as night, but God still initiates the reconnection through grace and gives us the freedom to respond or reject His gift.
That’s the end of the story, right? Not quite. What does Bartimaeus do once he has been restored? Immediately he follows Jesus on the way. It is not the end, but the beginning of a journey. We don’t receive the fire of the Holy Spirit, the connection with God, only to sit it in the corner or in the closet, or even the chapel. Instead we must take up the invitation and follow Jesus on the way. The question facing us is: Am I going to do for God today, or for myself? Am I going to spend today in connection and in conversation with God or am I going to satisfy my own selfish wants and desires? Our blind eyes opened, we have a unique opportunity to spread God’s love in the world. Lord, we pray: open our eyes and strengthen us to following your prompt to be an expression of your compassion and mercy in our world.
By Sister Roberta Bailey, O.S.B.
Continue Reading29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading Isaiah 53:10-11 Second Reading Hebrews 4:14-16
Gospel Mark 10:35-45 (shorter form Mark 10:42-45)
Often, it is said, when looking for a job it is not what you know but whom you know that counts most. In China, people often speak of guanxi, ” (guan-shee) connections” with people in the right places.
Today we see two brothers, who belong to the innermost circle of Jesus’ disciples, trying to exert their guanxi. But listen to Jesus: the last be shall first and the first shall be last.” He reminds us that the way to heaven is not in sitting on thrones, living in fine houses, driving luxury cars, having the latest tech gadgets or having holidays in exotic places. Greatness consists not in what we have, or what we can get from others but in what we can give of ourselves to others.
Jesus asks us: Can you drink the cup I am going to drink? These two brothers, in their eager ignorance, answer without hesitation:: “No problem!”
For us as Benedictines – in Benedict’s view, we are all called to cultivate a humble awareness of our place in creation. Being humble brings the realization that we are capable of making gods of the very things that should be serving and enriching our lives. It requires a humble trust in God’s providence. For St. Benedict, everything a monastic does must be done for the glory of God – that is why we were created. Remember your Baltimore catechism: we were made to know, love and serve God. A fifth century monk says it well: A proud monk needs no demon. He has turned into one, an enemy to himself.
In our own lifetime, Mother Teresa gives us a few ways to practice humility that sound much like Benedict’s steps of humility:
To speak as little as possible of one’s self.
To mind one’s own business.
Not to want to manage other people’s affairs.
To avoid curiosity.
To accept contradictions and correction cheerfully.
To pass over the mistakes of others.
To accept insults and injuries.
To accept being slighted, forgotten and disliked.
To be kind and gentle even under provocation.
Never to stand on one’s dignity.
To choose always the hardest.
This Prayer for Humility by an Anonymous Abbess is worth pondering line by line…:
Lord, you know better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from becoming too talkative, and especially from the unfortunate habit of thinking that I must say something on every subject and at every opportunity.
Release me from the idea that I must straighten out other peoples’ affairs. With my immense treasure of experience and wisdom, it seems a pity not to let everybody partake of it. But thou know, Lord, that in the end I will need a few friends.
Keep me from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point.
Grant me the patience to listen to the complaints of others; help me to endure them with charity. But seal my lips on my own aches and pains — they increase with the increasing years and my inclination to recount them is also increasing.
I will not ask you for improved memory, only for a little more humility and less self-assurance when my own memory doesn’t agree with that of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be wrong.
Keep me reasonably gentle. I do not have the ambition to become a saint — it is so hard to live with some of them — but a harsh old person is one of the devil’s masterpieces.
Make me sympathetic without being sentimental, helpful but not bossy. Let me discover merits where I had not expected them, and talents in people whom I had not thought to possess any. And, Lord, give me the grace to tell them so. AMEN
Just remember, as an ancient monk said: “When we become aware of our humility, we’ve lost it.”
Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
Continue Reading27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
I think it a shame that pastors have the option of omitting the last portion of the Gospel just proclaimed – the part about the children. I hope they don’t exercise that option especially after Pope Francis’ display of affection and regard for children.
In this Gospel the people were bringing their children to Jesus, much like they did to Pope Francis. It was the children (urged on by their parents) who could manage to break through security the lines and approach Pope Francis – the preoccupied attention of the disciples to get to Jesus. Again the disciples just don’t get it. This has been demonstrated in the readings for the last two Sundays. Jesus has summed up his lessons pointing out the value and importance of these “little ones” in the Kingdom of God.
But once again in today’s Gospel, the disciples try to prevent people from bringing their children to Jesus. Jesus reprimands them and welcomes these children. Jesus offers the children as an example of the kind of complete trust and dependence upon God that ought to be the attitude of all believers.
The popular spiritual writer, Henri Nouwen, in his powerful meditations on Rembrandt’s painting of the Prodigal Son – says:
I saw a man in a great red cloak tenderly touching the shoulders of a disheveled boy kneeling before him. I could not take my eyes away. I felt drawn by the intimacy between the two figures, the warm red of the man’s cloak, the golden yellow of the boy’s tunic, and the mysterious light engulfing them both. But, most of all, it was the hands – the old man’s hands – as they touched the boy’s shoulders, that reached me in a place where I had never been reached before.”
His attention moves to the elder brother and finally to the father’s role in the family dynamic. Nouwen came to the realization that in life we all must mature from son (or child) to father (or parent and adult). But, he says, there is a subtle pressure in church and society to remain a dependent child. Who is it (in life) that truly challenges us to liberate ourselves from immature dependencies to accept the burden of responsible adults?
It would be comfortable, wouldn’t it, to remain in the warm embrace of childhood – on Jesus’ lap in the place of blessing. But, we don’t really want to be a child all our lives using our role as child to keep us in a safe place distanced from others. We grow in recognition that we have had blessings bestowed on us and now it is our turn to offer God’s immense love to others.
So how can we heed Jesus injunction to accept the kingdom of God like a child – or risk never entering it? What does it mean to be childlike, and not childish? What qualities is Jesus asking us to hang on to in order to enter the kingdom not only beyond the “pearly gates” but right here on earth, in our community, where God’s kingdom exists?
A few qualities I think he might encourage would be:
- Live Spontaneously – taking in every moment and the opportunities in unplanned instants.
- How about never letting a lack of qualifications deter you –If you’ve never done something before, be fearless like a child who pulls out a kitchen drawer to scramble up to the cabinet to get the peanut butter. Isn’t this how Olympic gymnasts start?
- Kids Know Exercise Can Be Fun –It’s just a matter of finding an active, healthy activity we actually enjoy doing.
- Keep an Open Mind – Keep a childlike wide open mind and you’ll learn something new every day – maybe more than one thing. Don’t let force of habit slow you down. Ask questions: you’ll never get an answer if you never ask. So, she might say NO – but did you give her a chance to say YES?
- Express your feelings – nurture and value relationships – Open, honest, direct face-to-face expression of feelings makes communication easier, maintains sincerity and integrity in your life. Children like nothing better than to “hang out” with their friends. Do you look forward to unstructured time with community members – your “sisters?”
- Use Your Imagination – Robert Kennedy get credit, but Walt Disney said it first:: If you can dream it, you can do it! If you have a creative idea, share it. If its aster, smarter or better and see what happens. You’ll never know unless you try.
- Learn by Imitation – have you ever seen a little boy walking behind this father, trying determinately to imitate his father’ stride? Or a little girl who has practiced putting on make-up just like Mommy? St. Benedict was a firm believer in the axiom: “fake it til you make it.” Live monastic traits until they become part of you.
- Play – Sometimes it’s healthy to fool around and engage in recreation for the sole purpose of having fun.
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians says: When I was a child I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became an adult, I put away with childish things. Jesus might respond: Yes, put away childish ways but hang on to the delightful child-like traits that are the keys to the kingdom.
Continue ReadingHow are you Salting the World?
Not to make light of the Scripture just proclaimed, I would like to share with you the next verses after today’s reading – which liturgists omitted when they organized the Lectionary. We do get them sometime during the year. But, they will not be read next Sunday –They are too rich, I believe, to let them slip from our attention.
Everyone will be purified by fire, as a sacrifice is purified by salt. Salt is good; but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? (I like the translation that says “if salt become insipid.” “Insipid” is a rich descriptive word. If a person become “insipid” how can her tang be restored?
Everyone knows about salt. It has an interesting taste, doesn’t it? I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like at least a hint of salt. We use it every day to make our food tastier – even when the doctor dictates against it, most people crave it.
On the other hand, many of people are picky about spices. Some think food is distasteful unless it’s pepper-hot. The mere thought of hot spicy foods ties my stomach in a huge knot. I marvel at people who devour a whole jalapeno pepper.
Making food taste better is just one of many uses for salt. Reader’s Digest lists 60 everyday uses. I will not boar you – or entertain you with them all – just a few. It can be used to end an ant parade, deodorize your shoes, clean flower residue from a vase, freshen up artificial flowers, remove water rings from furniture, extinguish a grease fire, or a cloth soaked in salt water will prevent cheese from getting moldy. Remember S. Bernadette’s big dye pot! Well, salt is used in fixing the dye in fabric. Without salt, the bright colors that we wear today would quickly fade. It’s used in the production of over 14,000 different products – for instance in the making leather products. Each year, food companies use an amount of salt that is every bit as staggering as it sounds: 5 billion pounds
The usefulness of salt was a well-known fact prior to the time that Jesus walked this earth. At one time, salt was so important and valuable that people were paid with salt. Thus came the expression “are you worth your salt?” Is it any wonder that Jesus told us that we were to be like salt to the world? Listen to the words of Jesus. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” I think that he was saying that we should “salt” that is, flavor our world with love and that we should allow him to use us in making the world a better place.
Recently S. Elizabeth shared with me an Indian folk tale about salt. A Google search revealed that every culture has a variation of the tale – most have a princess (not a prince) as the main character.
The story line goes: Once upon a time there was a king who had several daughters. He was trying to decide which should inherit the kingdom. So he asked each one, “How do you love me?
The first three daughters answer: “I love you as sugar or honey and sherbet. ” To the last and youngest the king asked, “And how do you love me?” “I love you as salt.” On hearing the answer of his youngest daughter the king frowned, and, as she persisted in repeating it, the king was no longer listening and waved her away.
Some time later the daughter ordered the cook to prepare a meal for her father but not to add salt to any of the food. When the king sat down to eat, the first course included only sweets which he either passed by altogether or merely picked at with displeasure. Next he was served meat, which he usually enjoyed but this was AWFUL and he waved it away. But, he was very hungry, and was longing sorely for something which he could eat. The princess sent him a dish of common spinach, seasoned with salt, coarse salt such as farmers eat. The king signified his pleasure by finishing off the dish with relish.
Then the princess stepped forward to reveal herself saying, “Oh my father, I do love you so. I love you as salt. My love may be homely, but it is true, genuine and lasting.
Thus, as the saying goes, were the Scriptures fulfilled: let us “Have the salt of friendship among yourselves, and live in peace with one another.”
Certainly, Pope Francis is proving to be a “salty” personality. He speaks gently, with a voice of persuasion – not just to Catholics, or some denomination, not just to Christians nor his immediate audiences but to ALL peoples. As one columnist put it, he teaches the Gospel, not the catechism.
How about you? Are you allowing Jesus to use you to be salt to the world? How are you flavoring the world? Are you an irritant rubbing salt in the wound? Or are you a soothing poultice held lovingly to a tender hurt? Are you worth your salt? Are we drying the salt of tears for the abused? Salt seasons soup in order to fulfill its purpose Remember salt is no good by itself – it takes companionship to bring out its flavor? In whose life are you bringing out the flavor; who is salting your life?
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