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Lent is coming soon …

That last line is quite a challenge, isn’t it??  “Be perfect.”

In this book: Be A Perfect Person, Stephen Manes writes:
Congratulation! You’re not perfect! It’s ridiculous to want to be perfect anyway. But then, everybody’s ridiculous sometimes, except perfect people. You know what perfect is? Perfect is not eating or drinking or talking or moving a muscle or making even the teensiest mistake. Perfect is never doing anything wrong – which means never doing anything at all. Perfect is boring! So you’re not perfect! Wonderful! Have fun! … You can drink pickle juice and imitate gorillas and do silly dances and sing stupid songs and wear funny hats and be as imperfect as you please and still be a good person. Good people are hard to find nowadays. And they’re a lot more fun than perfect people any day of the week.

So if we believe Manes that we can never be perfect, and perhaps we should not even try to be, what do we do with this difficult word from Jesus?  It’s helpful to learn that the word most often translated “perfect” actually comes from the Greek word telos, which means goal, end, or purpose.   Jesus is not urging us to be what most people think of as “perfect,” but rather to be more like what God intends for us to be.   You are a child of God, made in God’s image. Now live like it.

Now, that may not make things any easier, but it does help put the challenge into a more useful context. The only way we can possibly live as Jesus is asking – repaying evil with good, forgiving and praying for those who harm us, walking the extra mile – is by living into our God-given identity as beloved children.  You know you can’t give what you don’t know.  Only those who have known God’s love can possibly hope to share it with others.  Jesus isn’t asking us, like some demanding parents, to make all “A’s,” get lots of trophies, be named “member of the year.”  Jesus is nudging us to live the God-given identity you received at baptism: You are a child of God.

It is Jesus who gave us the greatest example – He was the perfect model – he talked the talk and walked the walk.   Is it easy to follow His example? Certainly not. We struggle to overcome past disappointments, to overcome old grudges, deep-seated prejudices, smoldering resentments.  It’s our greatest challenge … not to be perfect, but to be mindful of what is getting in our way and preventing us from being the people God wants us to be. So I ask …What is blocking you? What fears or memories or resentments keep you from being the person God wants you to be?

What is it that keeps us from living into our identity as a child of God?  Lent is the time to remove the impediments so that you can truly embrace our God-given identity as citizens of his Heavenly Kingdom. Recall the lines credited to Saint Teresa of Calcutta:

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis it was never between you and them anyway; it is between you and God.

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading  Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18    Second Reading  1 Corinthians 3:16-23

Gospel   Matthew 5:38-48

Reflection by S. Roberta Bailey, OSB

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The three readings we have this week are, I believe, an example of a woven piece of God’s mysterious message-giving.  It creates a colorful piece with threads that weave the way from Isaiah, through the Letter to the Corinthians, into the Gospel of John, laced with verses from the Responsorial Psalm 40.

From Isaiah we hear: “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.”  Then Paul tells us who the “you” is: “You who are called to be holy with all who call upon the name of Jesus.”  Now slip in a line from Psalm 40: “Sacrifice or offerings you wish not, but ears open to obedience you gave me.”  This leads us right into the Gospel and a declaration of obedience to listening.  John the Baptist speaks: “I did not know him (that is, when Jesus came to the River Jordan for baptism). I saw the Spirit and the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one’…”  Then slide back to Psalm 40 “To do your will, O my God, (to be obedient) is my delight.”  Obedience is the psalmist’s delight – John’s, Jesus’ and ours.

Today is the opening of the Week of prayer for Christian unity.  The theme is captured by the presence of the two groups at the Jordan, John’s and Jesus’ followers coming together in combination with the presence of our Triune God = the voice of the Father, Jesus in the Jordan, and the hovering Spirit in the form of a dove.

A question: How did John (the evangelist) come to know so many intimate details about John the Baptist’s encounter with Jesus at the Jordan?  It is generally assumed that James and his younger brother John were among the followers of the Baptist.   It is likely this is how they, along with Peter and Andrew, first met Jesus.  John was the only one of Christ’s original disciples who lived into old age and the only one who was not martyred for his faith.  He can tell the story of Jesus from an old man’s perspective laced with the wisdom and vision that is a gift of the elderly…. pondering the essentials, sifting out the riff raft of gossip, suppositions and guess work [or, spicing up the stories with borrowed memories and supposed tidbits].

As we in community (and in our families) know so well, stories are a gift given by older members to newer members – the elders are the torch bearers; the younger the keepers of the torch who coax the sparks to keep the flame burning.  Our future will be enriched by those who keenly listen and preserve the traditional word-of-mouth stories.  This is what enriches our present by helping us better understand the past and the people who gave shape to our present.  Stories of the “good old days” may get “old” but consider what we’d miss if John and the other evangelists had kept secret their experiences with Jesus.

As I said earlier: today we begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with the 2020 theme: “They showed us unusual kindness.” This week has a 100-year history in which Christians around the world pray for the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper “that they all may be one.”   It seems appropriate, too, that we have Teams of Our Lady sharing our space today.  Our Lady graciously shared her Son with everyone without distinction.

In today’s world, much like the days of early Christianity, people are facing crises of migration, prejudice, violence and indifference. How can we show “unusual kindness” that is a witness to God’s loving providence for all people? When we invite people to “come and see” they are looking for more than a tour of our parish and monastery buildings and a list of the volunteer ministries. Our spirit of hospitality will have a ripple effect that makes visible Jesus love in today’s world.

Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress

Isaiah 49: 3, 5-6          1 Corinthians 1: 1-3          John 1:29-34

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Traditionally, this feast of the Baptism of Jesus presents us with the 3rd epiphany or manifestation of our Lord: His birth, the adoration by the Magi and now the baptism by John in the River Jordan – (which today is so polluted John would have second thoughts about stepping in). But, next Sunday we will see a 4th manifestation at the Wedding in Cana when water is changed into wine.    In these latter two moments Jesus passed from relative obscurity in the village in Nazareth onto the public stage of his mission of proclaiming the God’s Kingdom.  It was, so to speak, His coming out party – that led eventually to his crucifixion and death.

This is an event that made it into all four Gospels – every author of every gospel found this event so inspiring and important that it was included. It’s an unusual story because there doesn’t seem to be any reason for Jesus to be baptized. For three and a half years, he did His thing and it ended with crucifixion. His baptism was the inauguration of that process.  It was an act of humility to submit to John’s baptism in the presence the people.   It was a commitment to His Father’s plan.  And this event was a baptism of identification: Jesus affirmed his Cousin John’s ministry and identified Himself with the people He’d come to save.

Our baptism is also about humility, commitment, identification and obedience: that’s really what it is all about.   When people witness a baptism their expectation level goes way up.  The same is true when they witness a profession of religious vows or an ordination of a deacon or to the priesthood.  People expect the one making the commitment to walk the talk.  Just like Jesus who was baptized to identify with us, we’re committed to identify with Him.

An understanding of baptism is really important to us as Christians, as Catholic Christians. It is doubly important to us as religious to comprehend the dimensions of this commitment because our pledge in vows is an extension of our baptismal promises – whether spoken by or for us.  The former understanding of the theology of the vows referred to religious profession as a “second baptism” and thus a new name was imposed.  The final vow profession ceremony had the newly professed rising from under the funeral pall symbolically to a new life – the new life originally conferred on us in baptism.  With a clearer understanding of baptism and the theology of the vows all that has changed.

Do you remember what happened when Jesus came out of the water?  “The heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove coming down on Him.  And there came a voice from heaven: ‘This is my beloved Son in whom I take great delight’.”   Humble obedience and commitment and identification with God always lead to His affirmation – usually not as dramatically as with Jesus – but it happens, always!

Simply put: Baptism is not just about where you find Jesus.  What is important is what you do once you’ve found Him. It opens up to us the possibility of finding God.  But it does not guarantee it.   It makes it a possibility, not a promise.   At best, (just like our vows) it’s a means, not the end.  It’s not where we find Jesus, it’s what we do after we’ve found Him.

Have you heard the story about the poor wandering soul who stumbled upon a baptismal service one Sunday afternoon.  This was a “down by the river” sort of baptism.  It was down south, back in the day, and this guy walked right down into the water and stood next to the Preacher. The minister finally noticed the older gent and asked, “Are you ready to find Jesus?”  “Yes, Preacher. I sure am.” The minister then dunked the fellow under the water and pulled him right back up.

“Have you found Jesus?” “No, I haven’t!” The preacher then dunked him under for a bit longer, brought him up and said, “Now, brother, have you found Jesus?” “No, I haven’t, Preacher.” The preacher in disgust held the man under for at least 30 seconds this time, brought him out of the water and said in a harsh tone, “Friend, are you sure you haven’t found Jesus yet?” The old man wiped his eyes gasping for breath and said to the preacher, “Naw, preacher, are you sure this is where he fell in?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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At the beginning of the first century, women were considered second-class citizens.  Their sworn testimony was inadmissible in court; they were considered the property of their spouses with no legal claim to property of their own.  So the only “property” a woman could call her own was her reputation.  At a precise moment in history, God entered the life of one member of the chosen people, a woman by the name of Mary, and asked her to sacrifice that one thing – her reputation – and become the mother of Jesus.  Surprisingly and at the initial consternation of her fiancé, Mary said yes to God and became the “God bearer,” the first and greatest title she continues to bear as a member of the human race.

God’s voracious enthusiasm and lavish gift-giving erupts in the person of Mary’s son, Jesus.  He called it “the kingdom.”  …  The kingdom was manifest, and, to this very day, we are on the way to experiencing the fulfillment of God’s long-range plan.”                                       By Albert Haase, O.F.M.

 

If we are alert, we witness or hear most every day stories of the spread of God’s kingdom.   It happens at Daystar. It happens when the Dade City police pay off lay-away charges so children get their Christmas gifts.  It happens when you discover that your tab in a restaurant has been paid or the person in the checkout lane at a grocery store tells the clerk, “put her items on my ticket.” It happens when you find a ride you were hoping for but reluctant to ask.  It happens when the mess you made is cleaned up before you can grab a rag.  It happens when your name is erased and someone else’s appears on the dish washing list.  It happens when you are able to surprise someone.  Like in this story I’ll tell you now … let it touch your heart and inspire you to “pay it forward.”

Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. “Is this your car, Mister?” he asked.

Paul nodded. “My brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was astounded. “You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you nothing? Boy, I wish…” He hesitated. Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels.

“I wish,” the boy went on, “that I could be a brother like that.” Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added, “Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?” “Oh yes, I’d love that.”

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, “Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?” Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again.

“Will you stop where those two steps are?” the boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car. “There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent. And some day I’m gonna give you one just like it…then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I’ve been trying to tell you about.”

Paul got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.

 

Reflection of 4th Sunday of Advent 2019

Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress

Benedictine Sisters of Florida

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