Just Right Bed

Seeing our whole earthly life as a long vacation

07/16/2023

Gn 49:29-32; 50:15-26a Jacob gave his sons this charge: "Since I am about to be taken to my people, bury me with my fathers in the cave that lies in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, facing on Mamre, in the land of Canaan, the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial ground. There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried,and so are Isaac and is wife Rebekah, and there, too, I buried Leah– the field and the cave in it that had been purchased from the Hittites." Joseph remained in Egypt, together with his father's family. Joseph said to his brothers: "I am about to die. God will surely take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land that he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." Then, putting the sons of Israel under oath, he continued, "When God thus takes care of you, you must bring my bones up with you from this place." Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten.

What is the best part of returning home after a long vacation? I have enjoyed seeing our parish families post pictures on social media of splashing on the beach, showing off their large mouth bass, or quietly gazing over the mountain peaks that raise their minds to God. But invariably all families agree the best part of returning home, no matter how enchanting their breaks were, is sleeping in their own bed.

Their whole vacation they slept in other beds, like the story of the little old lady and the three bears. She eats their porridge and then tries each of their beds. One is too soft, another is too hard, but the third is just right. So, too, on vacation our parishioners sleep on some beds that are too soft, an others that are too hard. Only when they return home do they find the bed that feels just right. By the way, that is why I say my vacation starts when our parishioners leave Fort Smith (and leave me alone!). And I get to sleep in my just right bed every night.

The first reading today is taken from the conclusion of the book of Genesis, that is, from chapters 49 and 50. In each chapter the two great patriarchs, Jacob and Joseph, express their dying wishes on where they want to be buried. They are at that point in the history of Israel living comfortably in Egypt, indeed, in the most luxurious part of Egypt called Goshen. But where do Jacob and Joseph demand they be buried? Back home in the Promised Land of Israel.

Jacob says, “Bury me with my fathers (Abraham and Isaac).” And Joseph states: “When God thus takes care of you (frees you from Egyptian slavery), you must bring my bones up with you from this place.” In other words, both patriarchs saw their journey in Egypt like a long vacation – indeed a 430 year vacation!

They had slept in many Egyptian beds in that centuries-long sojourn. Some were too soft (like in Goshen), and others were too hard (when they were slaves). But both Jacob and Joseph knew that there is nothing like sleeping in your own bed after a long vacation, and they demanded they would be laid to rest in the land of Israel.

I have noticed a shift in thinking among many of our Hispanic immigrants regarding where to be buried in the 26 years I have been ordained. In my first five years as a priest, if a Hispanic parishioner died, they always desired to be taken back to their home country to be buried. Like Jacob and Joseph, they felt a need to be laid to rest in the land of their fathers. I suppose if any of our Anglo families were on vacation in Europe or South America or England, and tragically died, we would also insist on returning to the U.S. to be buried in Fort Smith, in our family plot.

But more recently, that thinking has changed, and more Hispanics are buried here in Fort Smith. Perhaps they feel their vacation in America has turned into a home-coming, and they have found the beds here are not too soft or too hard, but feel just right. Today, many of our Hispanics travel on vacation to Mexico or El Salvador, but they cannot wait to come home and sleep in their own bed.

Of course, all this business about where to be buried is secondary. What is primary is how we die - hopefully in a state of grace and receiving the sacraments and we are remembered at the altar at Mass. One of my favorite vignettes in St. Augustine’s book “Confessions” is when Monica is dying and Augustine and his brother are discussing where to bury their mother: in Italy or in their home land of Carthage in Northern Africa.

St. Monica, unlike Jacob and Joseph (who did not have the benefit of the revelation of Christ) chides her children saying: “Bury my body wherever you will; let not care of it cause you any concern. One thing only I ask you, that you remember me at the atlar of the Lord wherever you may be.”

St. Monica understood that our whole earthly life is like one long vacation. And that all beds here on earth should feel either too soft or too hard. We should not really desire any earthly bed. Only when we sleep in heaven will we find eternal rest and peace. That is why she wanted to be remembered at the altar at Mass. The best part of every vacation is coming home and sleeping in your own bed.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

 

Donkeys and Dogs

Learning to read the two books that God has written

07/09/2023

Mt 11:25-30 At that time Jesus exclaimed: "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Last week someone sent me a cartoon of Denis the Menace. The single-square scene showed Denis walking out of church on Sunday morning, holding his mother’s hand, and his father walking along behind them. As Denis walked by, the minister was greeting people at the doors after Sunday services. Denis looked up at him and remarked: “For a preacher…you sure know a lot about sin!”

Evidently, the sermon that Sunday was on sin and little Denis was shocked a preacher would know so much about sin. Denis’ observation was a really brilliant one – and a funny one – because he was suggesting the preacher knew about sin not just from reading books like the Bible, but also from personal experience. That is, we are all sinners, even Protestant preachers, and even us Catholic priests. That was Denis’ real point: we all know a lot about sin, especially Denis himself.

Now, the hard part is admitting we are sinners. We like to believe we are saints rather than sinners. Archbishop Fulton Sheen once quipped: “It used to be that only Catholics believed in the Immaculate Conception. Now everyone thinks he is immaculately conceived!” And sometimes it takes a little child, like Denis the Menace, to point out our sinfulness. Do you remember how it was a small boy who pointed out to the townsfolk, “The emperor has no clothes!” in Hans Christian Andersen’s famous folktale? To the innocent eyes of small children, the nakedness of our sins is hard to miss.

In the gospel today, Jesus notices how perceptive these “little ones” can be about sin and salvation. Our Lord exclaims: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to little ones.” Now, clearly one group Jesus has in mind when he refers to “little ones” is undoubtedly small children, like Denis the Menace and the little boy from Hans Christian Andersen’s tale.

But I believe there is another group of “little ones,” namely, Nature, the animals, trees, rocks, and sun and sky. We find some proof for this in the first reading from Zechariah, who prophesies: “See, your king shall come to you, a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass.” In other words, the “little ones” like a little donkey, intuitively get who the Messiah is because they are innocent of sin; their apprehension of reality is unclouded. When Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey (fulfilling Zechariah's prophesy), the Pharisees told him to tell his disciples to be quiet. But Jesus replied: “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Lk 19:40). Peter, the prince of the apostles, would deny his Lord three times, but a donkey did not deny Jesus even once.

Back in the fifth century, St. Augustine developed the idea that God had written two books. The first book was Sacred Scripture, and the second was the Book of Nature. Fr. John has written three books, but God has written only two. In other words, God reveals himself not only through the Bible, but also through his creation and his creatures. St. Paul wrote about this to the Romans: “[God’s] invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made” (Rm 1:20). We see the invisible Creator in his visible creation.

I am beginning to learn about this Book of Nature through my dog, Apollo. His needs are simple and straight-forward. He only barks when he wants to play, or pee, or poop. Otherwise, he is completely content; he’s a pretty uncomplicated guy. That is, there is an honesty and authenticity in his dog nature that sadly sin has corrupted in me and you, the “wise and learned.” People read the Book of Nature in loving and understanding their pets. We see the hand of the Creator through his creation.

Let me share a quotation from Pope Francis, where he noticed how St. Francis also assiduously studied the Book of Nature. The Holy Father wrote: “Saint Francis, faithful to Scriptures, invites us to see nature as a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of his beauty and goodness.” Did you catch that? Francis, like Augustine, noticed how God had written two books, not one.

The pope continues (and this is my favorite part): “For this reason Francis asked that part of the friary garden always be left untouched, so that wild flowers and herbs could grow there, and those who saw them could raise their minds to God, the Creator of such beauty.” And then the pope concludes with his take-home message: “Rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise” (Laudato Si, 12). Nature is not a problem we have to solve, on the contrary, the natural order (natural law) presents the solutions to virtually all our manmade problems. We are the problem, and nature is the solution.

My friends, what kinds of books are you diving into this summer? A history, or romance, a mystery, or a beach book? But could I suggest another book for this summer? Instead of books we had to chop down beautiful green trees to make paper for, crack open the Book of Nature, and listen to God’s little ones, the donkeys, the dogs, the birds, the trees, and the oceans. Put down your smart phones, and turns off your air-pods, and open your eyes and unplug ears to hear the symphony of Nature all around you.

Perhaps Joyce Kilmer said it best in his marvelous little poem called “Trees.” He wrote about God’s little ones: “I think that I shall never see, / A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest / Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast; / A tree that looks at God all day / And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear / A nest of robins in her hair; / Upon whose bosom snow has lain; / Who intimately lives with rain. / Poems are made by fools like me, / But only God can make a tree.”

Praised be Jesus Christ!

 

In Washington’s Boat

Asking Jesus to calm the seas and keep the peace

07/04/2023

Mt 8:23-27 As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?" Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. The men were amazed and said, "What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?"

One of the most iconic paintings that captured the bravery, leadership, and heart of the American Revolutionary War was Washington Crossing the Delaware River. Have you seen it? It is quite stunning. It was painted by Emmanuel Leutze in 1851. One copy of the massive 18ft by 12ft painting used to hang in the West Wing of the White House, but is now displayed in the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona, MN.

It shows General Washington standing in the stern looking in the direction the boat full of men is rowing. The American flag, the symbol of revolution against England, waves behind him. The men row not only against the fierce waves, but they must also break up the frigid ice because it was in the dead of winter on Dec. 25 and 26, 1776.

But because it was such a surprise attack, Washington and the American Continental Army are able to handily defeat the Hessians, mercenary soldiers fighting for the British. Because of several such victories the Americans began to believe they could defeat the mighty British and enjoy independence and freedom. All that happened because of a boat on water and a leader who saw and seized the symbolic moment.

In the gospel of Matthew this morning we see another fearless leader in a boat on the water, who seizes another symbolic moment highly charged with significance. Matthew describes with inspired pen and paper what Emmanuel Leutze depicted with paint on canvas, namely, Jesus in a boat with his disciples. Like Washington and his men, the disciples have to contend with adverse conditions of weather and waves. Instead of ice and darkness, Matthew writes: “Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea so that the boat was being swamped by the waves.”

But if we use a sort of biblical imagination, we should not think of this sea water as simply the lake water of the sea of Galilee. Rather, the wild water represents the forces of the world that try to sink the boat of Jesus and his disciples. In other words, the boat is the Church. Later in Rv 13, this symbolism of the sea will become stronger and clearer.

In Rv 13:1, we read: “Then I saw a beast coming out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads.” Most scholars agree and interpret this first beast in Revelation, the sea beast, to be the Roman Empire. In other words, when Jesus subdues the waters of the sea, and caused great calm, St. Matthew is trying to assure the early Christians that Jesus will not let his Church ultimately be overcome by worldly forces and kingdoms.

Washington’s peaceful presence on the boat crossing the dangerous Delaware River gave hope to the small band of American revolutionaries. In like manner, Jesus’ peaceful presence – indeed, he was so peaceful he was asleep! – should give great hope and confidence to the small band of Christian disciples of all ages throughout history.

Today, July 4th, we celebrate Independence Day here in the United States. That freedom and autonomy was not won without struggle and sacrifice. And it will not be safeguarded without struggle and sacrifice. Yesterday, my brother, Paul, packed up and sent his son, Isaac, who completed West Point last year, to Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX, and his first duty station will be Germany.

And by the way, I have never prayed for peace in the world as fervently as I started to do yesterday! It is one thing to admire the bravery of Washington crossing the Delaware and cheer them on. It is an entirely different matter when your nephew is in Washington’s boat. I felt like yelling: “Get out of the boat, Isaac!”

But whether we are in Washington’s boat, or in Jesus’ boat, there will always be storms at sea, and the forces of this world that will try to sink the ship. Today please join me in praying for the brave men and women who keep our country safe and allow us to enjoy freedoms and peace, while they stand watch all over the world. Let us ask Jesus who calmed the storm at sea to keep the world at peace also.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Cups of Cold Water

Learning to love the poor in the name of Jesus

07/02/2023

Mt 10:37-42 Jesus said to his apostles: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

I really like Jesus’ phrase in the gospel today: “give a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink.” Why? Well, because every Christian can do that, even a small child. In other words, maybe you feel you cannot be a missionary to India or China, or a martyr who sacrifices your life and dies for Jesus, or a monk secluded in a mountain monastery. Everyone cannot be a missionary, a martyr, or a monk.

Nonetheless, every Christian, whatever our state in life, can give a cup of cold water to someone in need. I would like to explore three different ways of giving a cup of cold water, that is, metaphorically-speaking, or symbolically-speaking In other words, a cup of cold water does not always have to come in a 12-ounce glass with ice and a lemon wedge.

At Immaculate Conception Church we have an elementary school. On the anniversary of my ordination each year, on May 25, the students write me cards which they decorate beautifully. You see, their cards are their cup of cold water for me, and some are pretty funny. Here’s a very poetic card, which read: “Fr. John, today, I am looking back to when I first met you. And since then, you have managed to come a long way and thrive! I am immensely proud that you have stood by our sides when the tides were high and the winds were low! Love, Julissa.” Kiley’s cup of cold water read: “Congratulations on being a priest for twenty-five years! That seems like forever since I haven’t been alive that long!”

Little Preston added in his card: “Fr. John, you’ve been a priest for 25 years, that is a quarter to a hundred!” Marcos said very philosophically: “Happy 26th anniversary, it must feel great and bad at the same time because you are getting closer to getting old. Enjoy it while it lasts because sooner or later it will be your 27th anniversary. Love, Marcos.” Wow, with water like that, who needs deserts? But I loved all the cards, funny and serious, because these precious students gave their own kind of cold water. And it was refreshing for me.

Here is a second kind of cup of cold water, namely, a simple prayer. Have you noticed the people on virtually every main street intersection, holding signs that say things like, “Anything will help!” and “God bless you!”? I don’t know about you, but when I pull up to a red light and see them standing there, I always feel a pang of awkwardness and anxiety.

I feel like I should do something but then I hesitate because maybe they will use that money for drugs or alcohol. Or, maybe my money will only perpetuate their laziness rather than helping them get a job. By the time I go through all these “what if’s” the light has changed to green and I breathe a sigh of relief, and speed off. But instead of doing nothing, I pray a sincere Hail Mary and I ask God to help them. Even though I may be stumped, God knows how to help them. In other words, prayer is my cup of cold water to help people in need.

Here is a third example of a symbolic cup of cold water, and this is the most important one. This weekend at I.C. a visiting priest will celebrate all the Masses, in English and Spanish, named, Fr. Pascal Kumanda. I met him on Friday night and he has a very big smile, laughs easily, and is fluent in six languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and two languages spoken in Congo, his home country. I decided not to brag that I can speak English and Spanish. He is visiting I.C. on behalf of an organization called Cross Catholic Outreach.

In other words, he will ask I.C. parishioners if they can give a cup of cold water to people in need in third-world countries by donating for basic needs, like food, shelter, clothing, and education. But if I.C. parishioners are smart – and they have a really smart pastor so they should be! – they will quickly see that Fr. Pascal is offering them a cup of cold water, too. How so? Well, his water will be his words, especially his words of preaching and consecration of the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, even if they come with an Congolese accent.

By the way, don’t forget the original twelve apostles were also strangers with foreign accents who evangelized all the nations. They gave the world that spiritual water that Jesus had foretold the Samaritan woman in John 4:14: “The water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” In other words, Jesus’ water (which is really the Holy Spirit) is not some metaphorical water, it is metaphysical water, more real than water in a 12 ounce glass with ice and a lemon wedge. That is the water we all truly thirst for, and we can only find it in Jesus and the Church, and through priests like Fr. Pascal Kumanda.

Back in 1971 Coca-Cola made a popular commercial on a hilltop in Italy where they gathered young people from all over the world singing in harmony. Do you remember that commercial? The words were quite beautiful, which went: “I’d like to buy the world a home, And furnish it with love, Grow apple trees and honey bees, And snow-while turtle doves. I’d like to teach the world to sing, In perfect harmony, I’d like to buy the world a Coke, And keep it company. That’s the real thing.”

Well, folks, the really real thing is not Coca-Cola but rather the refreshing water which is the Holy Spirit. Only that spiritual water will help the world to sing in harmony because it will keep the company of Christ. And we can give each other a cup of that living water every time we give an anniversary card, say a heartfelt prayer, or hear the preaching of a missionary priest.

Praised be Jesus Christ!