Athens and Jerusalem

Learning how the devil divides and Jesus joins

05/09/2018

Acts of the Apostles 17:15, 22—18:1 After Paul's escorts had taken him to Athens, they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said: "You Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious. For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even discovered an altar inscribed, 'To an Unknown God.' What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything. He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us.

Sooner or later in your studies you will come across a famous phrase uttered in the second century by the Church Father, Tertullian. He scoffed sarcastically: “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Tertullian wasn’t just talking about two towns, but about two worlds and their fundamental incompatibility. Athens was the home of Greek philosophy and Jerusalem was the home of Christian faith. Tertullian believed Athens and Jerusalem were like two ships passing in the night, or more like two battleships trying to blow each other into oblivion. His famous dictum suggests that reason and religion, philosophy and faith, will never get along.

Even a quick and dirty survey of history reveals that Tertullian may have been right. In 1616, the Catholic Inquisition condemned Galileo for saying science proves the sun is at the center of the solar system instead of the earth (as people generally believed back then). That is, what does science have to do with the Scriptures; what does Athens have to do with Jerusalem? In 1925, the state of Tennessee was home to the infamous Scopes Monkey Trial. A high school teacher, John T. Scopes, was prosecuted (and found guilty) for teaching evolution in a public school. In those days in the Volunteer State, only creation was allowed to be taught, and evolution was illegal. That is, what does biology have to do with the Bible; what does Athens have to do with Jerusalem? Even today, controversies rage about monuments of the Ten Commandments in Courtrooms around the country. That is, what does the Constitution penned by men in Pennsylvania to have to do with the Covenant signed by God on Mt. Sinai; what does Athens have to do with Jerusalem? Are reason and religion forever doomed to be at war with one another?

In Acts 17, St. Paul gives an answer to Tertullian by going precisely to Athens. Paul, the former, fearless Pharisee, educated in Jerusalem, travels to Athens, the headquarters of human reason, not to condemn but to combine, not to tear asunder but to unite and join in Jesus. The Apostle to the Gentiles preached to the Greeks: “You Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious. For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‘To an unknown God.’ What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you.” Paul then proceeded to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, who had come to save everyone, Jews and Gentiles. St. Paul was looking for common ground between Athens and Jerusalem, trying to build a bridge between two worlds. Why? So, that these two ships might not blow each other up, but turn their guns against their mutual enemies of ignorance and idolatry. St. Paul hoped that reason and religion, instead of arm-wrestling and trying to conquer each other, could walk arm-in-arm and raise humanity to new heights. St. Paul was convinced that the devil divides, but Jesus joins, and therefore, Athens and Jerusalem have a lot in common.  Indeed, they have everything in common because both reason and religion come ultimately from God.

Boys and girls, don’t be so foolish as to feel that Tertullian’s phrase has nothing to do with you. Athens and Jerusalem not only have a lot to do with each other, they have a lot to do with Fort Smith. Always remember what St. Paul argued: the devil divides, but Jesus joins. Have you experienced division in your life? I bet you have. This past weekend I heard about two groups of girls that were bitterly divided and resorted to name-calling. Some of those girls may have been tempted to think like Tertullian: “What does our group have to do with their group? Nothing!” We are tempted to try to destroy each other with a war of words. But St. Paul would answer: the devil divides, Jesus joins. Try to find a way to reconcile and be united, or at least respectful of your differences. Sometimes you form clicks or small groups based on where you live, or your ethnic heritage, or your primary language, or your physical appearance. You may be tempted to ask like Tertullian: “What do we have to do with them??” Cultural differences can tend to tear people apart. But St. Paul would answer: the devil divides, Jesus joins. Find common ground, like food and football, Sriracha and sports, to bring people together. Tertullian’s question also touches the heartbeat of Trinity Junior High, where we teach religion alongside science, the Bible next to biology, the Constitution right after a class on the Commandments, and why you come to Mass every Wednesday, even though not all students are Catholics or Christians?

Why do we keep pushing you together? We are convinced like St. Paul that Athens has everything to do with Jerusalem.  What unites us is far greater than what divides us, and what joins us is Jesus.  The Church will not fire her canons against the ship of science any more, but rather invite her to become part of the armada that wars against stupidity and segregation. In the end the devil divides and Jesus joins.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Partnership of the Paraclete

Sharing the Good News with the help of the Holy Spirit

05/08/2018

Acts of the apostles 16:11-15 We set sail from Troas, making a straight run for Samothrace, and on the next day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, a leading city in that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We spent some time in that city. On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river where we thought there would be a place of prayer. We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there. One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. After she and her household had been baptized, she offered us an invitation, "If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home," and she prevailed on us.

The job of a priest can easily feel extremely overwhelming. Jesus gave us our basic “marching orders” at the end of the gospel of Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus commanded his first captains: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” And how are we supposed to accomplish this daunting duty? Basically, we are armed with Scriptures, the Sacraments and our good looks. The prospects of success are bleak at best.

But we see a glimmer of hope and encouragement when we remember we have Someone on the inside. That is, we priests preach the Good news and our words hit people’s ears. But the Holy Spirit resides inside people’s hearts and whispers words that echo and enlarge what we say. Sometimes when I feel I have delivered a sub-par homily, someone will come up to me afterwards and exclaim: “That’s exactly what I needed to hear today!” The real efficacy of evangelization depends not so much on my efforts, but on the work and the words of the Holy Spirit. That’s why the rest of Matthew 28:20 provides these comforting words: “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Priests always have a partner, Someone on the inside, the Holy Spirit.

This partnership with the Paraclete (the name sometimes attributed to the Spirit) is demonstrated again and again in the Acts of the Apostles; indeed, it is the source of all the confidence of the apostles. For instance, in Acts 16, St. Paul and companions arrive in Philippi. They share their good news with whomever they meet, utilizing all the persuasive power of the Scriptures, the sacraments and their good looks! And what happens? We read: “One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying.” She and her household were later baptized. Paul and the other apostles were undeterred and undaunted by Jesus’ commission to go to the whole world and convert everyone on earth to Christ. Why? Well, because they knew they had Someone on the inside, whispering to every heart, and so they marched forth cheerfully to meet the challenge.

My friends, every Christian must shoulder the struggle to share the Good News. Evangelization may be a priest’s “official job, “ but it is every Christian’s “unofficial job.” And your arena of evangelization begins with your family and friends, your immediate sphere of influence, your inner circle. But don’t feel discouraged by thinking all you have to rely on are the Scriptures, the sacraments and your good looks. Some of you may feel more discouraged than others. You also have Someone on the inside, a partner called the Paraclete. I know evangelization can seem impossible when we see so many people leave the Catholic Church, maybe even close family and friends.

But take heart in these words by Pope Francis from his recent exhortation called “Be Glad and Rejoice.” The pope reminds us: “Do not be dismayed, for the power of the Holy Spirit enables you to do this, and holiness, in the end, is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life” (Gaudate et exultate, 15).  Your partner, the Paraclete, will whisper in the heart of your spouse, in the heart of your children, in the heart of your neighbor. But most importantly he will whisper in your own heart how good the Good News is. When your partner is the Holy Spirit nothing feels impossible.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

I Hate Buttermilk

Hammering our swords of war into ploughshares of peace

05/06/2018

Acts of the Apostles 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, "Get up. I myself am also a human being." Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him." While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?" He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

If Jesus came to accomplish anything it was to teach us how to turn hate into love, and how to see our foes become our friends. This gradual transformation can be illustrated by an unusual prayer a farmer once uttered. A visiting priest was attending a men’s breakfast in Ohio farming country. He asked one of the impressive older farmers in attendance to say grace that morning. After all were seated, the older farmer began: “Lord, I hate buttermilk.” The priest opened one eye and wondered where this was going. Then the farmer loudly proclaimed: “Lord, I hate lard!” Now the priest was overly worried. However, without missing a beat, the farmer prayed on: “And Lord, you know I don’t care much for white flour.” Just as the priest was ready to stand up and stop everything, the farmer continued: “But Lord, when you mix ‘em all together and bake ‘em up, I do love fresh biscuits. So, Lord, when things come up we don’t like, when life gets hard, when we just don’t understand what you’re saying to us, we just need to relax and wait till you are done mixin’ and probably it will be something even better than biscuits. Amen.” This is why I don’t let the deacons lead the prayers - I never know where they’re going! God takes things we may hate or fear and turns them into something we can love; foes become friends.

In the first reading, St. Peter echoes the old farmer’s prayer by teaching the Jewish Christians to turn their hate into love. You may remember that Jews considered themselves the Chosen People, while everyone else was not chosen and therefore not saved and therefore to be despised and even destroyed. When these same Jews converted to Christianity, they continued to believe that only Jews could become Christians and therefore only Jewish Christians could be saved. They hadn’t let go of the notion of being the “Chosen People.” But Peter urged them to see the Gentiles also as an ingredient in the recipe of redemption that Jesus was cooking up in his Church. Just like the farmer loved fresh biscuits made up of thing he didn’t care for, so Peter taught the Jewish Christians to love the Church even if it included non-Jews (people they didn’t care for).

Even in the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah had predicted: “They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war again.” Jesus brought that embryonic prophesy in the womb of the Old Testament to birth in Bethlehem when in his own Person he made peace between Jews and Greeks, slaves and free, rich and poor, men and women, yes indeed even between heaven and earth. We must change the objects we hate into the subjects we love, or else Christ will have come in vain.

This weekend I would like to say a word about Trinity Junior High and ask your help in a second collection. One of the great blessings at Trinity is the rich diversity of the student body. We have many ethnic groups – African Americans, Caucasians, Vietnamese, Laotians, and even Indians (both the dot and feather kinds)! We boast a broad spectrum of socio-economic backgrounds, from all sides of the tracks! We see not only many Christians denominations, but we also have Muslims and Hindus, even atheists. While we respect all these differences, nevertheless, we gather every week at Mass and pray and worship as one student body. We begin to sense, however indistinctly and far off, that what unites us – namely Jesus – is far greater than anything that would divide us. At Trinity we teach students to beat their swords of war into ploughshares of peace, to transform hate into love. Our teenagers are coming of age in a nation bitterly divided, and they deserve to dream of another possibility for their future. This same lesson of unity and peace reverberates in all Catholic schools, including Immaculate Conception. The whole Catholic Church, and therefore every Catholic school, should be a microcosm of the unity that Jesus was born for in Bethlehem, that he died for on the Cross, and that he is enthroned in glory for in heaven. In a nutshell, love conquering hate is everything Jesus lived for. And so should we.

This evening we’re also honoring our high school graduating seniors. I love watching them process into church in their graduation gowns, each proudly sporting their school colors: Northside, Southside, Pocola, Poteau, Subiaco, Greenwood, Muldrow, and Homeschool. It’s like seeing the colors of the rainbow, which, after they graduate and get a job, will lead to a pot of gold! At least we hope they will no longer be dipping into their parents’ pot of gold. But that rich variety of colors, which on the football field or basketball court, symbolizes rivalry and sometimes animosity, here in the church becomes a sign of unity in diversity. Here, gathered in the presence of Jesus whose love conquered the hate of his enemies, we hammer our swords of war into ploughshares of peace.

Today think of things you may hate in a recipe – like buttermilk, lard and white flour – and remember what happens when a master chef mixes them all together. So, too, our Lord takes the things and people we may hates in our lives and, together with his secret ingredient called “grace,” brings about something far more beautiful than fresh biscuits. He brings about the Catholic Church.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Small Things

Paying attention to the small things and doing them with love

05/03/2018

John 14:6-14 Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to him, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it."

A common confusion that is running rampant today is that only big things matter. If you don’t win the Nobel Prize or a Pulitzer for your work, it wasn’t worth doing. But small things are also significant. Indeed, ninety-nine percent of our lives is comprised of a million small things done daily. Mother Teresa was famous for saying, “Do small things with great love,” and she ended up winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her humanitarian work with the poor.

This lesson came home to me in a personal and poignant way when we needed to build a wheelchair ramp for the church in Winslow. I asked a friend who’s a general contractor for a quote to build the ramp. I said sheepishly: “I know you have huge projects, and this is probably too small for you.” He replied: “If you take care of the small things, the big things will take care of themselves.” I will never forget his reply, and it has inspired me to “take of the small things” in my own life as a priest. Small things are also significant.

May 3 is the double feast of two “small saints,” Philip and James, who barely twinkle like small stars next to the supernovas like St. Peter and St. John. They don’t even get their own feast day but have to share the same day. Philip is mentioned twice in the gospel of John, but both times his comments are less than stellar. James is called “the lesser” to distinguish him from James “the Greater.” The only certain fact about James the lesser is he was the son of Alpheus. James the Greater, on the other hand, was brother of John, both known as the sons of Thunder, and later Bishop of Jerusalem, and played a pivotal role in the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15. The reason these two lesser apostles are honored together is because their relics were transferred to the Basilica of the Holy Apostles in Rome in early May. They don’t even get their own church! But precisely their obscurity and lack of stardom serves as a great lesson for all Christians: very few saints are recognized as the rockstars of the spiritual life. Most of us will be like Philip and James, and my general contractor friend, taking care of the small things. The big things will take care of themselves.

Taking care of small things, doing small things with great love as Mother Teresa would put it, can have surprising, even salvific, effects in our lives. For instance, in conversations with other people pay close attention to their small comments, off-handed observations, or small gestures. Usually people are trying to tell us something in subtle ways but we miss those clues because we are not attentive to the small things. I’ve learned the hard way that when a bishop “suggests” I do something, he’s not “suggesting” it at all. That goes for your spouse’s suggestions, too. Some people tell me they are waiting to win the lottery to they can make a contribution to the church. I “suggest” that instead of buying lottery tickets, they put that money in the collection plate. Take care of the small things and let the lottery take care of itself.

Losing weight and become more healthy is not a matter of dramatic diets and running marathons, but paying attention to the small snacks we munch on all day. Do small things with great love for your body, the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Marriages often struggle not because of one big blunder (although that happens, too), but because of a million missed opportunities to show love and affection in small ways, holding hands, doing the laundry, washing the dishes, entertaining the in-laws, visiting elderly parents, etc. A vibrant prayer life does not require making a pilgrimage to a far-away land, but only making a pilgrimage to your bedroom, and sitting quietly with the Lord.

Be careful not to judge your Christianity by the rewards and recognitions you receive, like a Nobel Peace Prize. But pay attention to the details and the small things, and do them with great love. It is said the devil is in the details. But so is God.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Monologue in the Mind

Hearing the voice of God amid many other voices

05/02/2018

Acts of the Apostles 15:1-6  Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved." Because there arose no little dissension and debate by Paul and Barnabas with them, it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbyters about this question. They were sent on their journey by the Church, and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria telling of the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brethren. When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, as well as by the Apostles and the presbyters, and they reported what God had done with them. But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Mosaic law." The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.

Each person without exception experiences a funny phenomenon: as soon as we stop talking to other people, we start talking to ourselves. Have you noticed this silent monologue in your mind? For instance, right now, some of you are saying to yourself: how long will this homily last? Will he play us another song or speak in French again? Others are wondering: What’s for lunch today? It’s been two hours since breakfast and I’m starving! Some boy is reminiscing over last Friday’s dance and thinking, “I should have asked that girl to dance with me!” Some girl is thinking, “I’m sure glad that boy didn’t ask me to dance with him!” Some of you are worried about geography and so are repeating your notes in your mind: What is the capital of Kazakhstan? Others may be coming up with excuses why they didn’t complete their homework before class.

When I was in eighth grade I heard a voice in my head that said, “Maybe I should become a priest.” But I replied to that voice, “No thanks! I’d rather talk to that pretty blonde girl sitting in the front of class.” Many years later when I was in the seminary and thinking about leaving to do something else, I heard the voice of my brother in my head. When I first talked to my family about going into the seminary, my brother scoffed: “Oh, John, you’ll never make it.” So, I stuck it out in the seminary just to prove him wrong. Now, I am a priest for the rest of my life just to prove my brother wrong. I am not sure who won that argument. In the course of our lives we hear lots of voices (and their comments echo in our heads), and it’s not at all easy to know which one to trust and obey.

Chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles showcases a showdown of shouting voices, and the early Christians were not at all sure about whom to trust and obey. On the one hand was Paul and Barnabas, who rejoiced that non-Jews were becoming Christians, and they wanted to put as few obstacles as possible to their conversion. On the other hand, were Jewish Christians – former Pharisees – who said people had to be circumcised first before becoming Christians. If you don’t know what “circumcision” is, ask your biology teacher. These two voices were competing for the people’s attention, like how in my mind the Holy Spirit and my older brother were competing for my attention and really my obedience. In order to figure out which voice to obey, the apostles gathered together the first major council of the Church, called the “Council of Jerusalem.” There, in prayer, they heard the Holy Spirit, who told them new converts did not need to be circumcised. Whew! Thank God - literally! Somewhere in the middle of the monologue in our mind is the voice of God, and we only hear his voice clearly in the silence of prayer.

Boys and girls, here are some voices competing in your head for your attention and really your obedience. See if you can tell which one is the voice of God. One voice tells you to try alcohol and drugs and another voice tells you not to touch it. One voice suggests you be lazy and blow off the last few weeks of school but another voice says get your rear in gear and make the most of the little time left. (That voice probably sounds a lot like Dr. Hollenbeck.) One voice tempts you to talk trash about other students, while another voice suggests you just stay silent. Who knows, maybe you even hear a voice telling you to be a priest or a nun, and another one that scoffs, saying, “You will never make it.” Of all the voices you hear, which voice comes from God?

The great gift of attending Trinity Junior High is learning that among the array of the voices in my head is also the voice of the Holy Spirit. Only by trusting and obeying God’s voice will you find true happiness. The reason we exist as a school is to help you hear that voice and do what he tells you. And that’s why we gather the whole school to pray at Mass each week, like the Apostles gathered to pray at the first Council of Jerusalem. Only when we silence the monologue in our mind can we hear the voice of God.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Closer to Christ

Working to bring people closer to Christ

05/01/2018

John 14:27-31A Jesus said to his disciples: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, 'I am going away and I will come back to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me."

There’s an old saying in the church business that goes: “Working for the church doesn’t pay much, but the retirement plan is out of this world.” I think that’s how I was suckered into becoming a priest, and it’s also how I have snookered a few people into working for me. But when I arrived at I.C. almost five years ago, I figured I better come up with a better sales pitch than that. In other words, why do people work for the church, where they are paid with peanuts, the hours are long and you work weekends, your boss is a cranky, celibate priest, and your customers want everything for free?

I told the staff: “Your real job is to bring people closer to Christ.” Whether you are the pastor or the custodian or the sacristan or the youth director or the bookkeeper, there’s only one reason to get out of bed and drive to work (or ride your bike if you’re Ed). You bring people closer to Jesus. Sometimes we do that simply by a smile or a warm hello or a handshake or a hug. Far beyond counting the collection or cleaning the church or even preaching from the pulpit, the most important job we do is bring people closer to Christ. If you are not interested in doing that, please don’t work for the Church, or at least not for Immaculate Conception Church.

May 1st is the Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker. What was his job? Well, we all know he was a carpenter who lived in Nazareth. But was that his real job, or his most important occupation? Hardly. I would submit to you that his real job, above and beyond carpentry, was bringing people closer to Christ. How did he fulfill that job description? He raised Jesus to be a hardworking, honest and humble Jew. Before Jesus ever donned the mantle of the Messiah, he strapped on the tool belt of a carpenter. Later Jesus would use parables and examples drawn from the world of work to teach people about the Kingdom of God: the workers in the vineyard, the sower and the seed, the ten talents, and even the ten wise and foolish virgins. Each parable illustrates like the many colors of the rainbow how each honest job ultimately leads to the pot of gold that is the Kingdom of God. St. Joseph’s occupation of carpenter and foster-father brought people closer to Christ. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say he helped bring Christ closer to the people, which is the same difference.

Ladies, maybe you have wondered yourself why should someone belong to the Ladies Auxiliary of Immaculate Conception Church? Maybe you bought that line about the retirement plan being out of this world – and that’s actually true! But there’s another reason and a better reward for being part of this elite women’s organization. You, too, bring people closer to Christ. Maybe you sew in the group that makes the baptismal gowns, or you help with the funeral meals to comfort grieving families, or you raise your voice in song in the Dead Choir, or your donations help buy new vestments for priests or new appliances for the rectory. But through all that, your real occupation and vocation is to bring people closer to Christ. And, by the way, when the priest is a little less cranky because he slept well on his new mattress that you bought, you are like St. Joseph and bring Christ (“in persona Christi” in the priest) a little closer to the people!

And even when you can’t do all these wonderful tasks, even when age and physical limitations keep you at home or in bed, even then you can bring people closer to Christ by your prayers and offering up your suffering. Maybe someday you will read “Sonnet 19” by the great British poet, John Milton. Did you know that toward the end of his life he was struck blind and doubts of faith clouded his usually clear sight? He felt useless and so he offered his uselessness to God and wrote: “They also serve who only stand and wait.” Even when we can only stand and wait, or maybe we can only sit and wait, we can bring people closer to Christ.

To bring people closer to Christ is ultimately the purpose of every human being who has ever walked upon the face of the earth.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Last Stand

Keeping our hearts close to the altar of Christ

04/27/2018

John 14:1-6 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.”  Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

It may be tempting to parrot the proverb, “Home is where the heart is,” but how do we define our home? If we take a second look, we will discover that our understanding of “home” undergoes quite an evolution over the course of our lives. That survey is well worth our serious study.

Every American dreams of one day owning their own home. We grow up in our parents’ home, then move into a college dormitory, then we rent an apartment, then we move into our parents’ basement, and then they finally kick us out and we buy our own home. But is that home where the heart is? Is that where we make our “last stand” like Colonel Custer in the Battle of Little Big Horn? I don’t think so.

When my parents moved from India to the United States in 1976, they always dreamed of going back “home” to India. But when the family went on vacation to India one simmering summer, where the temperatures hovered around 115 degrees, the kids all clamored, “We want to go home!” For my brother, sister and me, “home” was the United States and my parents dream of retiring in India seemed to us more like a nightmare. My parents are now comfortably retired in Little Rock; a new last stand for them. How many grandparents move from place to place chasing their millennial children who move frequently so they can be close to their grandchildren? No last stand for them. How often we see “white flight” because of undesirable ethnic changes to a neighborhood. Someone’s last stand feels more like a one night stand. Our home is indubitably where the heart is, but our heart has a hard time settling down. Where is our “last stand”?

Jesus suggests to us how we should ultimately understand our home, from an eternal perspective. He comforts his forlorn disciples saying, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places…And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” Jesus helps us take the next step in the evolution of our understanding of our home. Instead of looking at our “last stand” as anywhere on earth, he invites us to see our true home as the Father’s house in heaven. That heavenly home is where our heart should be: not in Montana at the Battle of Little Big Horn, not in a bungalow in Bangalore, India, not next door to where your kids and grandkids reside. Home is where the heart is, and our hearts should be in heaven, where Jesus has prepared a dream home for us.

Whenever we finish a funeral here in church, I return to the sacristy and announce to our sacristan: “Well, Isabelle, we sent someone else home.” That remark is not just a pious platitude, an off-handed comment to fill the awkward silence, but a sober statement of faith. Our beloved dead have moved closer to their “last stand” which we pray fervently will be a heavenly home (not somewhere too warm). Sometimes, we worry overmuch about where we will be buried, in a cemetery or in a columbarium, and how that home for our remains will appear. Some people have requested they not be neighbors to so-and-so in the columbarium for all eternity, as if that spot were their “last stand.”

St. Augustine recalled his mother St. Monica’s final wishes of where to be buried. Augustine’s brother, Navigius, did not want his mother to be buried in a foreign country (Italy). She reprimanded them both saying, “Lay this mortal body to rest wherever you will: do not worry about tending the grave. All I ask of you is that, wherever you may be, you will remember me at the Lord’s altar” (Confessions, IX, 11). St. Monica, and St. Augustine, had a clear conception of their “last stand,” namely, the altar at the Mass. The closer you get to the altar, the closer you come to your heavenly home, and that’s where your heart should be.

Praised be Jesus Christ!