In today’s first reading the prophet Isaiah begins with a feeling of deep depression almost forgetting what happiness could mean. This is man’s reaction in the face of death, or the prospect of isolation, want or chronic ill-health.
Is this the end of it all? Then the prophet remembers what God has revealed of his mercy and he speaks words of hope as he describes final salvation and the joy of the chosen ones of God, who replied to the Lord’s invitation, in terms of a banquet. With the reawakening of faith comes the feeling of peace. The souls in purgatory have this peace as they wait in patience for the Lord’s coming and the fulfilment of his promise. What is certain is that He will come and bring his peace and consolation to all who await his coming.I Am God’s Man!
During the Second World War I had something to do with
a canteen which was run for the troops in the town in which I was working.
Early in the way, we had billeted with us in the town a number of polish troops
who had escaped from Poland. Among them there was a Polish airman. When he
could be persuaded to talk, he would tell the story of a series of hair-raising
escapes. He would tell of how somehow he had escaped from Poland, how somehow
he tramped his way across Europe, how somehow he had crossed the Channel, how
he had been shot down in his aeroplane once and crashed on another occasion. He
always concluded the story of his encounter with the same awe-stricken
sentence: “I am God’s man!”
William Barclay
In today’s gospel we see Jesus with his friends Martha
and Mary as he goes to meet them on the occasion of receiving the news of the
death of Lazarus. The narrative tells us that he did not immediately rush to
Bethany on hearing this news, but went almost four days after Lazarus was dead
and buried in the tomb. Why did he hesitate and delay? Did he not care for his
friends? Could he not do anything for those who were in pain and loss? These
are questions that come up in our mind not only about the family of Lazarus,
but also each time we are confronted with the death of near and dear ones. When
Martha and Mary hear that Jesus had finally arrived, their reactions were
different. While Martha went out to meet him, Mary remained sitting inside the
house. Martha immediately voices her hope in a plaintive voice: “If you had
been here, my brother would not have died.” At the same time she expresses her
faith in Jesus: “But I know even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant
you.” Jesus responds to her faith by reassuring her, “Your brother will rise up
again!” “I am the resurrection and the life!” –this statement of Jesus is the
centre piece of this gospel on the raising of Lazarus. To believe in Jesus,
Messiah and Son of God, is to have in oneself eternal life, which no physical
death can overthrow. When we believe in the power of the Lord Jesus the
impossible becomes possible, where there is death life is restored. This
happened for Jesus after he died on the Cross submissive to the Father’s will,
and the same happens to all who accept death as the will of the Father, who let
his son die on the cross, and who allows us to suffer pain and even death. We
cannot understand why this has to happen but we know that only through death do
we reach the fullness of life.
Be Not Afraid!
I should like to read to you some passages of a letter
from a man, Captain Scott of the Antarctic, written in the tent, where it was
found long afterwards with his body and those of some other very gallant
gentlemen, his comrades. The writing is in pencil, still quite clear, though
towards the end some of the words trail away as into the great silence that was
waiting for them. It began: “We are pegging out in a very comfortless spot,
hoping that this letter may be found and sent to you. I write you a letter of
farewell. I want you to think well of me and my end. Goodbye – I am not at all
afraid of the end, but sad to miss many a simple pleasure which I had planned
for the future in our long marches. We are in a desperate state –frozen feet
etc., no fuel, and a long way from food, but it would do your heart good to be
in our tent, to hear our songs and our cheery conversations…. We are very near
the end…We did intend to finish ourselves when things proved like this, but we
have decided to die naturally without.” - I think it might uplift you to stand
for a moment by the tent and listen, as he says, to their songs and cheery conversation.
J.M. Barrie in ‘Quotes and Anecdotes’
Looking in the Mirror
There is a story about a Jewish man who survived the
concentration camps. The night after his liberation, he went to stay in a
nearby house. There he found about thirty other survivors gathered in the room.
Seeing a mirror on the wall, he went over to it. He was anxious to see what he
looked like. But in the same mirror he saw the reflection of some other people
as well. There were many faces in the mirror. And he could not tell which one
belonged to him. He had to make faces and gestures, in order to be able to
distinguish himself from the group. And when he did distinguish his own face,
he got a terrible shock. Because the person he saw in the mirror was one he had
never seen before. He was so changed that the person in the mirror didn’t bear
any resemblance to the person he had seen before the war. A strange story but
true.
Flor McCarthy in ‘New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies’
The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away!
There is a sacred story from the Jewish tradition which
tells of a certain rabbi and his wife who had two sons to whom they were
extremely devoted. One Sabbath morning while the rabbi was teaching the Law in
the synagogue, both boys were struck by a sudden illness and died. The mother
laid them out on a bed and covered them with a white sheet. When the rabbi came
home for his meal and asked where the children were, the wife made some excuse
and waited till the rabbi had eaten. She did not answer her husband’s question
but instead asked one of him. “I am placed in a difficulty,” she said,” because
some time ago a person entrusted to my care some possession of great value
which he now asks me to give back. I am unsure of what to do. Am I obliged to
return these great valuables to him?” “That you should need to put this
question surprises me” the rabbi replied. “There can be no doubt about what you
must do. How can you hesitate to restore to anyone what is his own?” The wife
then rose from the table and asked the rabbi to follow her. She led him to the
room where the two bodies lay and pulled back the sheet. “My sons, my sons,”
groaned the father in pain. “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away,” said
his wife through her tears. “Blessed be the name of the Lord. You have always
taught me to restore without reluctance what has been lent to us for our
happiness. We have to return our two sons to the God of all mercies.” –Like the
Jewish women in the story, we are consoled by our faith in difficult times. Of
course, faith does not banish our sense of loss, but it affirms the great truth
that all life is a gift from God. Who we are is what we have been given. Death
is not a door in the dark, but a dark door into the light.
Denis McBride in ‘Seasons of the Heart’
One day a priest was preparing a group of children for the
sacrament of Confirmation. He wanted to know how much the kids understood the
Church’s teaching on Final Judgment. He asked one of the little boys, “What
will God say on Judgment day to those who have led a very good life on earth?”
Without any hesitation the boy replied, “Come and enter heaven and live with
me.” The priest asked a second boy, “What will the Lord say to those who have
lived a very bad life?” The boy said, “You cannot come to heaven. You will have
to go to hell.” Then the priest went on: “Now what will God say to those who
are not good enough to enter neither heaven at once nor bad enough to go to
hell?” After a pause a little girl put up her hand and said, “God will say, I
will be seeing you soon!”
Elias Dias in ‘Divine Stories for Families’
On Dad’s Shoulders
In Kohima, Nagaland there is a War cemetery, where the
allied soldiers who died during the War are buried. On the door of the
Cemetery, it is written, “Tell them that we gave our today for your tomorrow.”
Like the soldiers of World War II, the memory of our near and dear ones is a
reminder that we need to be grateful to them because what we are today is
mainly due to their efforts and sacrifices. A Scottish poet has written, “If I
have done anything in life, it is because I was able to stand on the shoulders
of my dad.”
Elias Dias in ‘Divine Stories for Families’
May we pray for those who have gone ahead of us on the way
home!
From Fr. Tony Kadavil:
1) Elephantine shock therapy. The story has been told of a
lion who was very proud. He decided to take a walk one day to demonstrate his
mastery over all the other creatures. He strutted his way through the
forest until he came across a bear. “WHO IS THE KING OF THE JUNGLE, BEAR?”
“Why of course you are, mighty lion.” He went on until he found the
tiger. “WHO IS THE KING OF THE JUNGLE, TIGER?” ‘Why you are, great lion.”
Next the lion found the elephant. “WHO IS THE KING OF THE JUNGLE,
ELEPHANT?” The elephant instantly grabbed the lion with his trunk and
spun him around a few times and slammed him to the ground. He then
stepped on him a few times, picked him up and dunked him in the water and then
threw him up against a tree. The lion staggered to his feet and said, “LOOK,
JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER, YOU DON’T HAVE TO GET SO UPSET!’
The lion was the one who wasn’t getting it. He was missing the
truth, just as were many of the scribes and Pharisees and Jewish priests to
whom Jesus gives an elephantine shock treatment in today’s Gospel.
2) “First President of the U. S. to lose a war.” People do crazy things out of
pride. One of the people whose reputation is being somewhat enhanced by the
changes in the Soviet Union is Nikita Khrushchev. Some of us remember
Khrushchev simply as the man who pounded his shoe on the table at the United
Nations and said, "We will bury you." Actually, Khrushchev was a
reformer and a relatively responsible man. At the time of the Cuban missile
crisis, Khrushchev was advised by his military experts to confront the United
States. These advisors felt that the biggest tragedy would not be a nuclear
confrontation but rather a perception by the Chinese or the Albanians that they
were weak. Fortunately, Khrushchev did not listen to them. He called them
maniacs and said, "What good would it have done me in the last hour of my
life to know that, though our great nation and the United States were in
complete ruins, the national honor of the Soviet Union was intact?"
Contrast his attitude with that of a former President of the U. S. who,
during the Vietnam War, was determined not to be the first President of the U.
S. to lose a war. We don't know how many lives were lost because of that
attitude. Pride can be a deadly emotion, and it is not the sole possession of
those at the top of society. In today’s Gospel, Jesus criticizes the proud
Pharisees.
3) Acquired situational narcissism. Someone in our day who
has a prideful self-centeredness, we say, has the disease of Narcissism.
The name comes from Greek mythology and refers to a handsome young man,
Narcissus, a proud hunter. He was the son of the River God Cephissus and the
nymph Liroipe and was known for his physical beauty. Narcissus was arrogant and
scorned those who loved him. His conduct offended Nemesis (the goddess who
punished evil deeds, overweening pride and undeserved good fortune). She drew
the young man to a clear pool where he saw and fell in love with the beauty of
the one he saw reflected there. He was obsessed with the image he saw, neither
ate nor drank, and finally died (From Wikipedia: Narcissus, Nemesis). Both the
prophet Malachi in the first reading and Jesus in today’s Gospel react strongly
against such narcissism among the religious leaders of their times. Even
though most of our religious leaders will never be at risk for getting Acquired
Situational Narcissism, they, too, have the temptation to become overly
self-involved. They, too, sometimes imagine minor-league celebrity status
for themselves and become prima donnas in the office or at Church or in pubic
places. Today’s Scriptures have a strong warning for them.
4) A horrible mistake: “Father, I have a besetting sin, and I want your help.
I come to church on Sunday and can’t help thinking I’m the prettiest girl
in the congregation. I know I ought not to think that, but I can’t help
it. I want you to help me with it." The pastor replied,
"Mary, don’t worry about it. In your case it’s not a sin. It’s
just a horrible mistake."
5) Big grasshoppers: On a vacation to Australia, a Texas
farmer meets an Aussie farmer and starts talking to him about his farm.
The Aussie takes him to see his big wheat field, but the Texan isn’t
impressed. "We have wheat fields that are twice as large as this
one," he told the Aussie. The Aussie farmer drives him around the
ranch and shows off his big herd of cattle. "Oh, our longhorns are
at least twice as big as these," the Texan bragged. The Aussie
farmer is getting frustrated, when the Texan suddenly notices a herd of
kangaroos hopping across a field. "What on earth are those?" he
asks. The Aussie turns to him with a mischievous smile. "Don’t you
have any big grasshoppers like this in Texas?"
6) “You and I both know you
ain’t." When Harry Truman was thrust into the presidency
by the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, his closest friend Sam Rayburn took
him aside. "From here on out, you’re going to have lots of people
around you. They’ll try to put up a wall around you and cut you off from
any ideas but theirs. They’ll tell you what a great man you are, Harry.
But you and I both know you ain’t."
7) "Yankee, that ain’t nothin.” A Texas rancher
met up with a Wisconsin dairy farmer. The two men began talking about
their land and the milkman told the cattleman that he operated his business on
125 acres. The Texan scoffed at such a small parcel of land. He
said, "Yankee, that ain’t nothin’. On my ranch I can get in my truck
at sunrise and I won’t reach the fence line of my property until sunset."
The dairy farmer snorted, "Yeah, I used to have an old truck like
that."
8) “You don’t need a life jacket.” A sailor once took
a group of young people boating for the day. One young man bragged the
whole way about all he knew about the sea. Every time the sailor began to
give instructions this young man would interrupt with his supposed knowledge.
After some time, a squall blew up. The sailor began to hand out
lifejackets. “Where’s mine?” cried the know-it-all. “Don’t worry
son,” replied the old sailor. “You don’t need a life jacket. With a
head as full of hot air as yours, you will float forever!”
****
20-Additional anecdotes:
1) "Okay, now give me the names of the pilot
and copilot."
A man, returning from a business trip, was met at the
airport gate by his wife. They walked from the gate together and were standing
waiting for the baggage to be unloaded. An extremely attractive stewardess
walked by. Suddenly, the man came to life. Beaming, he said to the stewardess,
"I hope we can fly together again, Miss Jones." "How come you
know her name?" his wife asked suspiciously. The man replied smoothly,
"You see, my dear, her name was posted right up front in the plane, under
the names of the pilot and co-pilot." To which the wife replied,
"Okay, now give me the names of the pilot and copilot." The man's
hypocrisy was uncovered. Jesus criticizes hypocrisy in today’s Gospel.
2) “Just get me a battleship then.”
American Humorist Robert Benchley was leaving an elegant
salon one evening. As usual he had imbibed excessively. He found himself face
to face with a uniformed man whom he took to be the doorman. "Would you
get me a taxi, my good man?" he requested. The uniformed man drew himself
up proudly. "See here, I happen to be a rear admiral in the United States
Navy." Benchley said belligerently, "Just get me a battleship
then." In Benchley's condition, the plumage of the admiralty was no
different from that of a doorman. Uniforms are important to us, aren't they?
Listen as Jesus describes the uniforms of the Pharisees: They do all
their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their
fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats
in the synagogues (Mt 23: 5-6).
3) "And also with you!" An Army Major
was attending a military ball at a fancy hotel and made the
mistake of standing by the entrance in his formal dress mess
uniform. An arriving guest thought this
officer was the doorman and handed him his bags! We
sometimes order God around, forgetting that
He’s the Master, and we live for Him. But God chooses
to correct us occasionally as He did one
Lutheran pastor who
always started each service with "The Lord be with you." The
people would
respond, "And
also with you.” But, one Sunday he thought the PA system wasn’t working
when
he tried it, so the first thing he said was, "There’s
something wrong with this thing!” The people
responded, "And also with you!"
3) Greatness of humble people: In 1884 a young
man died. After the funeral, his grieving parents
decided to establish
a memorial to him. With that in mind they met with Charles Eliot,
president of
Harvard
University. Eliot received the unpretentious couple into his office and
asked them what he
could do. After
they expressed their desire to fund a memorial, Eliot impatiently said,
"Perhaps you
have in mind a scholarship." "We were
thinking of something more substantial than that... perhaps a
building," the woman replied. In a patronizing
tone, Eliot brushed aside the idea as being too expensive
and the couple
departed. The next year, Eliot learned that this plain pair had gone
elsewhere and
established a
memorial named Leland Stanford Junior University, better known today as
Stanford.
They gave $26 million
dollars!
4) Human stubbornness: In the summer of 1986,
two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia.
Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy
waters below. News of the disaster
was further darkened when an investigation revealed the
cause of the accident. It wasn’t a technology
problem like radar malfunction or even thick fog. The
cause was human stubbornness. Each captain
was aware of the other ship’s presence nearby. Both
could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted
to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the
time they came to their senses, it was too late.
5) Nobody likes hypocrites. When two prominent
evangelists were revealed to have indulged in certain sexual sins a couple
years back, the hue and cry was widespread. It was not that they were the only
persons in our society who have committed such sins. In fact, polls indicate
that the majority of Americans have indulged at some time or another in illicit
moral behavior. The outcry was rather over their hypocrisy. They preached one
thing and practiced another.Recently, there has been a minor hubbub over the
Sierra Club. Officials of this important force in the environmental movement
have recently admitted that they don't use recycled paper in their lushly
illustrated nature calendars. Why not? They say that photographs do not
reproduce well on recycled stock. Two Denver area club branches, calling that
stance hypocritical, have stopped selling the annual fundraising calendars, and
a state chapter official warns a "real revolt" is possible among
members statewide. "As a group, we can't walk one way and talk another
way," said Michael Reis, a spokesman for another branch. "How can we
take a hard stand in promoting recycling when our own group doesn't use
recycled paper?" Other branches are being equally vocal. The Sierra Club
faces some hard choices. There is one sin that the American public will not
forgive and that is hypocrisy. That does not mean, however, that the American
public cannot be guilty of hypocrisy.
6) Angry peacock or ugly duck? Carlton Van
Ornum tells this story. A large crowd of people gathered near an enclosure in
the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston as a peacock slowly spread his great tail and
displayed its stunning plumage. The great bird stood erect and noble and
strutted regally. Just then an old, dun-colored duck waddled slowly from the
pond and passed between the proud peacock and the admiring crowd. Enraged, the
peacock drove the duck back to the water. In a moment, the beautiful bird had
become ugly with fierce anger. The plain and awkward duck, having returned to
its natural habitat, was no longer unbecoming. In the water it swam and dived
gracefully, unaware that many eyes were watching. The people who had admired
the peacock loved the duck. Each of us was reminded of the dangers of pride,
and that happiness comes from just being
ourselves.
7) Mosquito or honey bee: If you think a
mosquito is small and has little influence, try sleeping in a hot room at night
with but a single blood-sucking insect. Its high-pitched whine and sharp
proboscis can leave you sleepy, itchy, and furious. On the other hand, consider
the lowly honeybee. One single winged creature lurching from flower to flower
can make the heart leap for joy as it brightens your day, spreads pollen about,
and makes honey in the hive. We mortals, not unlike mosquitoes and honeybees,
have our own influence. We can be the bane of a room or the blessing of a
family. Here in the text, Jesus talks about it all with a group of religious
leaders of his own day.
8) I am going to vote for? I am reminded of a
story about Theodore Roosevelt. During one of his political campaigns, a
delegation called on him at his home in Oyster Bay, Long Island. The President
met them with his coat off and his sleeves rolled up. "Ah, gentlemen,"
he said, "come down to the barn and we will talk while I do some
work." At the barn, Roosevelt picked up a pitchfork and looked around for
the hay. Then he called out, "John, where's all the hay?"
"Sorry, sir," John called down from the hayloft. "I ain't had
time to toss it back down again after you pitched it up while the Iowa folks
were here." This is hypocrisy. As we go to the polls next time I know whom
I am going to vote for. Let me tell you, I am going to vote hypocrisy out of
office and humility in. I am going to vote greatness out and servanthood in. I
am going to vote public honors out and duty in. That's whom I am going to vote
for, and I wish it were that simple. Truth is, leadership, the way Jesus
described it, is hard to find, even among the religious.
9) “All my life I've been a nobody.”
During the classic time of Greece a terrible thing happened
in one of the temples. One night the statue of Zeus was mysteriously smashed
and desecrated. A tremendous uproar arose among the inhabitants. They feared
the vengeance of the gods. The town crier walked the city streets commanding
the criminal to appear without delay before the Elders to receive his just
punishment. The perpetrator naturally had no desire to give himself up. In
fact, a week later another statue of a god was destroyed. Now the people
suspected that a madman was loose. Guards were posted. At last their vigilance
was rewarded; the culprit was caught. He was asked, "Do you know what fate
awaits you?" "Yes," he answered, almost cheerfully.
"Death." Aren't you afraid to die?" "Yes, I am." he
answered. "Then why did you commit a crime which you knew was punishable
by death?" they asked. The man swallowed hard and then answered, "I
am a nobody. All my life I've been a nobody. I've never done anything to
distinguish myself and I knew I never would. I wanted to do something to make
people notice me...and remember me." (1) The need to be recognized, to be
appreciated, to have people know your name can carry a tragic price tag.
10) Honest leadership needed:
In Washington, the standards that the Democrats set for the
Republicans, they themselves are not willing to live by. And the standards that
the Republicans set for the Democrats, they themselves are not willing to live
by. Why? Because if you let down your guard for one moment and admit that you
are wrong, your political opponents will seize the moment and go for the kill.
I am reminded of a story about England's Prince Philip who was toasted at a
banquet once with four lines from the poet John Dryden:
“A man so various that he
seem'd to be
Not one, but all mankind's epitome.
Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong;
Was everything by starts, and nothing long.”
I don't know who that person was who quoted that poem to
Prince Philip, but he sure got his point across. Washington needs a prophet
like that, to step up and expose the abuse, the hypocrisy, the buffoonery.
Jesus was that prophet in his day. He demanded honest leadership. Jesus was
saying that leaders must guard against hypocrisy and aim toward humility, set
aside greatness and strive for servanthood, wait for public honors and act now
out of duty. Jesus reminded the Pharisees and Scribes, leaders of the people,
that they had to practice what they had preached.
11) The proud scientist:
There was once a scientist who discovered the art of cloning
himself so perfectly that it was impossible to tell the reproduction from the
original. One day, he learned that the Angel of Death was searching for him, so
he produced a dozen copies of himself. The angel was at a loss to know which of
the thirteen specimens before him was the scientist, so he left them all alone
and returned to Heaven. But not for long, for being an expert in human nature,
the angel came up with a clever device. He said to the scientist and the 12
reproductions before him, "Sir, you must be a genius to have succeeded in
making such perfect reproductions of yourself. However, I have discovered a
flaw in your work, just one tiny little flaw." The offended scientist immediately
jumped out from among his clones and shouted, "Impossible. Where is the
flaw?" "Right here," said the angel as he picked up the
scientist from among the reproductions and carried him off. [Anthony de
Mello, Taking Flight (New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell
Publishing Group, Inc., 1990)]. You will find proud people in every profession
and in every Faith.
12) But he looks good:
In a May 2002 issue of Us Weekly, a
celebrity magazine, model Marcus Schenkenberg claims that he often gets paid
$5,000 a night just to hang around top nightclubs and look good. The nightclub
owners reason that Schenkenberg's good looks will draw in customers. (Us
Weekly, April 29-May 6, 2002, p. 53). Is Marcus Schenkenberg a young man of
character, intelligence, or great talent? We don't know. But he looks good, and
in our society that's all that matters. In today’s Gospel, Jesus has very harsh
words for pious-looking and status-seeking Pharisees.
13) Proud officer: A newly-commissioned
colonel had just moved into his office. A private entered with a tool box. To
impress the private, the colonel said "Be with you in a moment, soldier! I
just got a call as you were knocking." Picking up the phone, the colonel
said "General, it's you! How can I help you?" A dramatic pause followed.
Then the colonel said "No problem. I'll phone Washington, and speak to the
President about it." Putting down the phone, the colonel said to the
private "Now, what can I do for you?" The private shuffled his feet,
and said sheepishly, "Oh, just a little thing, sir. They sent me to hook
up your phone!”
14) "Shut up, you fool”:
A clergyman had reached the end of his rope, and he decided
that he was swimming against the tide trying to get any response from his
congregation. He decided to try some other way of life that might give him a
greater personal satisfaction. He was very disappointed to discover that a job
was hard to come by. In fact, he got to the point that he was prepared to take
any job at all that came his way. At last, he landed a job in the local zoo.
Unfortunately, when he went there, the job was not exactly available just yet,
but the manager asked him to consider taking a temporary job, until the other
one was vacant. As it happened the chimpanzee had died, and had not yet been
replaced. The chimp was a great favorite with the children, and the cage could
not be left empty for long. They had a chimp suit, and the man was asked if he
would mind getting into the suit, and taking the place of the chimp. All he'd
have to do was to roll around a few times, eat a banana, go back in the back
for a rest, etc. He decided to give it a go. He was an instant success. The
children gathered around his cage. Every moment he made was greeted with
cheers. He soon discovered that he was now getting much more attention than he
ever got in the pulpit. One day, he decided to really get into the act. He
jumped up, grabbed an over-head bar, and began to swing to and fro, to the
delighted screams of the children. The cameras were flashing, and the crowd was
gathering, so he got carried away with himself, and he really began to swing
with full gusto. Unfortunately, after one huge effort, his hands (paws?)
slipped, and he went flying over the partition into the cage next door. A huge
tiger approached, and, forgetting that he was supposed to be a chimp, he
screamed "Help! Help,!" to which the tiger whispered sharply,
"Shut up, you fool; I'm a minister, too!"
15) “I am God’s Man!”
During the Second World War, I had something to do with a
canteen which was run for the troops in the town in which I was working. Early
in the war, we had billeted with us in the town a number of Polish troops who
had escaped from Poland. Among them there was a Polish airman. When he could be
persuaded to talk, he would tell the story of a series of hair-raising escapes.
He would tell of how, somehow, he had escaped from Poland, how, somehow, he
tramped his way across Europe, how, somehow, he had crossed the Channel, how he
had been shot down in his airplane once and crashed on another occasion. He
always concluded the story of his encounter with the same awe-stricken sentence:
“I am God’s man!” In today’s Gospel Jesus criticizes such God’s men. William
Barclay
16) The Lesson of a lifetime:
A monk was dispatched from one monastery to another as
abbot. When the unknown abbot quietly arrived at his new destination
unannounced, the holy monks checked out his humble person and unimpressive
demeanor. They immediately sent him to work in their kitchen at the most menial
tasks. Uncomplainingly, their new abbot spent long hours scouring pots, washing
floors, and shelling beans. Finally, the bishop of the diocese arrived at the
monastery. When he could not find the long overdue abbot, he went on a search.
Of course, he found him in the kitchen, preparing the night’s supper. When he
officially presented him to the monks in their chapel, they received a lesson
in humility, which would last them a lifetime. William Barclay (Fr.
Botelho).
17) Seeking recognition rather than service:
The coronation of the Austrian emperors used to take place
in the Cathedral of St. Steven in Vienna. But before the emperor designate was
allowed to enter the cathedral for his coronation there was one ritual he had
to undertake. As he approached the gates of the cathedral he would find them
locked. Then the emperor was obliged to knock at the door to gain entrance.
Upon hearing the knock on the door, a priest asks from inside the church, “Who
is it that desires entrance here?” “His apostolic majesty, the emperor!” calls
the guard. “I don’t know him.” answers the priest. A second knock follows and a
similar question is asked. This time the guard announces: “The highest
emperor”. Again, “I don’t know him” comes out through the locked door. Finally,
a third knock is heard. “Who is it?” asks the priest. This time the emperor
himself answers: “A poor sinner, your brother, requests admittance!”
“Permission is granted: enter sinner. You are known to us.” Then the door is
opened, and the royal coronation takes place. John Pichappilly in ‘The
Table of the Word’ (Fr. Botelho).
18) Life matching our performance:
Helen Hayes is still recognized as the ‘First Lady of the
Theatre’. She was a long-standing member of the Theatre Hall of Fame, won
Academy Awards in 1932 and 1970, and was named “Woman of the Year” in 1973 by
‘Ladies Home Journal’ but, besides her professional successes, Helen Hayes was
noted for her humanitarian services. When her only daughter Mary died of polio
in 1949 at the age of 19, Helen Hayes began helping the National Foundation for
Infantile Paralysis with her fund-raising. After her husband Charles MacArthur
died in 1956, Helen Hayes got involved in helping Fr. William Wasson with his
Mexican infants in Cuernavaca. During the Civil Rights Movement she played a
part in the desegregation of theatres in the Washington D.C. area. In 1980 a
new hospital was dedicated in her name on her 80th birthday in appreciation for
her 40 years of volunteer service at the old facility. At the dedication the
New York Governor Hugh Carey said: “In her work for the handicapped Helen Hayes
has acted out measure for measure one of her most moving performances in the
quiet dedicated service of her fellow human beings.” Albert Cylwicki,
in ‘His Word Resounds’ (Fr. Botelho).
19) Humility in Action: One of the best stories of
humility I know is that of a man who arrived in 1953 at the Chicago railroad
station to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He stepped off the train, a tall man
with bushy hair and a big mustache. As the cameras flashed and city officials
approached with hands outstretched to meet him, he thanked them politely. Then
he asked to be excused for a minute. He walked through the crowd to the side of
an elderly black woman struggling with two large suitcases. He picked them up,
smiled, and escorted her to the bus, helped her get on, and wished her a safe
journey. Then Albert Schweitzer turned to the crowd and apologized for keeping
them waiting. It is reported that one member of the reception committee told a
reporter, "That's the first time I ever saw a sermon walking. "We've
been given a great task - to live in harmony, to weep with the mournful, to
laugh with the joyful, to not be conceited. Especially, we are called to be
righteous, but not self-righteous. We are to be humble. (Roy T. Lloyd, Charades
and Reality).
20) Admired the Peacock, but Loved the Duck: Carlton
Van Ornum tells this story. A large crowd of people gathered near an enclosure
in the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston as a peacock slowly spread his great tail
and displayed its stunning plumage. The great bird stood erect and noble and
strutted regally. Just then an old, dun-colored duck waddled slowly from the
pond and passed between the proud peacock and the admiring crowd. Enraged, the
peacock drove the duck back to the water. In a moment, the beautiful bird had
become ugly with fierce anger. The plain and awkward duck, having returned to
its natural habitat, was no longer unbecoming. In the water it swam and dived
gracefully, unaware that many eyes were watching. The people who had admired
the peacock loved the duck. Each of us was reminded of the dangers of pride,
and that happiness comes from just being ourselves. In today’s gospel, Jesus
gives a strong warning to the proud Pharisees. (Jerry L. Schmalenberger, When
Christians Quarrel, CSS Publishing Company).
*****
Jack Mc Ardle
Central Theme
Today’s gospel is a head-on attack on the religious leaders,
who preach one thing, and practise something else. Jesus shows them up as
phoneys who try to impress others by external show, while, within, they are far
from being what they pretend to be.
Parable
With the growth in global communication has come the spotlight that penetrates
into every corner, so that it is getting increasingly difficult to conceal, or
to suppress scandals. We see that in our Tribunals of Enquiry, where pillars of
society, who were telling us to tighten our belts, have been exposed as lining
their pockets with millions. All of the recent dictators, who have been ousted,
have been exposed as having bled the country’s economy dry, as they stashed
billions in other countries. Something similar has been exposed in the church,
when some of those who thumped the pulpit and told us how to live our lives,
have been exposed as people who themselves were living double lives.
Story
One day the father of a very wealthy family took his son on
a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing him just how poor people
can be. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what could be
considered a very poor family. On their return from the trip, the father asked
his son, ‘How was the trip?’ ‘It was great, dad.’ ‘Did you see how poor people
can be?’ ‘Oh yeah!’, said the son. ‘So what did you learn from the trip?’
The son answered, ‘I saw that we have one dog, and they have four. We have a
pool that reaches to the middle of our garden, and they have a creek that has
no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden, and they have stars at night.
Our patio reaches to the front yard, and they have the whole horizon. We have a
small piece of land to live on, and they have fields that go beyond our sight.
We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We have walls around our
property to protect us, but they have friends to protect them.’ With this, the
boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, ‘Thanks, dad, for showing me
how poor we are.’
There is a vast difference between being wealthy and being
rich. When I have genuine gratitude for what I have, I may begin discovering
the richness of others.
1. From Father James
Gilhooley
The boss was in his new office. An employee walked in.
The boss picked up the phone and started an imaginary conversation flattering
himself. He signaled the worker he'd be with him shortly. The employee said,
"Take your time, boss. I'm here to hook up your phone." "A proud
heart," wrote Ben Franklin, "is like a crooked fence.
All the paint in the world won't straighten it."
The problem of pride was as bothersome to the early Church as it is to ours.
Mark and Luke touch upon pride as well as today's Matthew. No century corners
the market on pride. Can anyone even remotely imagine a proud Christ? Yet, He
had much to be proud about. What disciple does Jesus seek?
A monk was sent to an abbey as abbot. He arrived at
the abbey. From his dress, the monks judged him inferior. They sent him to
their kitchen. Their new abbot spent weeks scouring pots and shelling beans.
The bishop arrived. When he could not find the abbot, he went on a search. He
found him in the kitchen preparing supper. He presented him to the monks in
chapel. They had received a lifetime lesson in humility. The abbot is the man
whom the Teacher wants. (William Barclay)
The proud, we are told, pray on Sunday and PREY on those
about them on Monday. Rather, pray with God on Sunday and walk with Him on
Monday. The abbot reminds us when we think we are humble, we are not. Many of
us even have a nasty habit of being proud of our humility. We become legends in
our minds. We go to church to find out what our neighbors should do to lead
better lives. He that is proud, said Shakespeare, eats himself up. Pride, says
the Bible, goeth before the fall. In Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland,"
Alice found a mushroom. When she ate one side of the mushroom, she found
herself getting smaller. When she ate the other side, she got taller. Of the
two situations, Alice decided smaller was better. For, as she was reduced in
size, all things and people about her looked more wonderful. Less, she
discovered, can be more. Small can be beautiful.
Walt Whitman ate the correct side of the mushroom, for he wrote, "As for
me, I know nothing else but miracles." We are forever circling that same
mushroom. If we allow ourselves the portion that makes us larger, everything
else about us will lack wonder. We will become puffed up with our worth.
Critics will put us down as studies in pomposity. We will develop in ourselves
the very faults which we detest in others. The proud, says the savant, detest
pride in others.
A man was awarded a medal for his humility. Shortly he was
stripped of it. He had begun to wear it proudly. Many of us have much in common
with him. Two ambassadors walked on Paris' Champs Elysees. They were grieved.
Though the Parisians had greeted them warmly, none had addressed them with
their title, "Your Excellency." If proud, one becomes the character
whom Peter Ustinov addresses in his play as "Your Altitude." We become
like those who ask, "What will the world do without me when I'm
gone?" Only those who permit themselves to grow smaller and smaller will
be able to see "the world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild
flower." Not only will they bring themselves joy but also they will share
that joy with others. They will be God's ambassadors. They will give pleasure
to the Christ.
They will become the children which the Nazarene asked us to be. They will rush
into the Kingdom laughing and singing "When the Saints Come Marching In."
A US senator attends a weekly prayer group. At its end, while other
participants rush to their jobs, the senator stays to stack chairs and clean
up. And he is the highest ranking person there. Looking for a role model? But
do not put off this thousand mile journey! Lewis Carroll must have had each of
us in mind when he wrote in his other classic "Through the
Looking-Glass": "It takes all the running you can do to stay in one
place. If you want to get anywhere, you have to run twice as fast." A US
president was working an old age home for votes while running for a second
term. He said to an old man, "Do you know me?" The fellow said,
"No, but if you ask the nurse, she'll tell you." No one, history
tells us, has ever choked to death from swallowing his own pride. Can those,
who really know themselves, afford to be proud?
****
Politicians in Washington play the gotcha game to perfection. To make matters
worse the news media feeds on it. Not only do they feed on it, they feed it,
hoping for a national scandal to make themselves appear relevant. These various
political events are a fitting context for our scriptural text about hypocrisy.
Listen to what Jesus says about these politicians (in his
day they were called Pharisees): "They tie up heavy loads and put them on
men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move
them." Now what did Jesus mean? Simply this: The Pharisees made laws. They
demanded that the common person follow those laws. But they themselves found
ways to get around those laws. Get it? They were not willing to carry the heavy
loads they demanded everyone else carry. In a word: Hypocrisy.
In Washington, the standards that the Democrats set for the
Republicans, they themselves are not willing to live by. And the standards that
the Republicans set for the Democrats, they themselves are not willing to live
by. Why? Because if you let down you're guard for one moment and admit that you
are wrong, you're political opponents will seize the moment and go for the
kill.
I am reminded of a story about England's Prince Philip who
was toasted at a banquet once with two lines from the poet John Dryden:
A man so various that he
seem'd to be
Not one, but all mankind's epitome.
The prince liked the
lines so much he looked up the rest of the poem:
Stiff in opinions, always
in the wrong;
Was everything by starts, and nothing long:
But, in the course of one revolving moon,
Was chemist, fiddler, statesman, and buffoon.
I don't know who that person was who quoted that poem to
Prince Philip but he sure got his point across. Washington needs a prophet like
that, to step up and expose the abuse, the hypocrisy, the buffoonery. Jesus was
that prophet in his day. He demanded honest leadership. Jesus was saying that
leaders must guard against hypocrisy and aim toward humility, set aside
greatness and strive for servanthood, wait for honor and act now out of duty.
Leadership, the way Jesus described it, is hard to find,
even among the religious. It is difficult to find because....
Maybe both the best and the worst of us in humanity are far
better preachers than we are doers and deliverers of what we preach and teach.
And maybe maturity has everything to do with our genuine willingness to bring a
greater congruity between our esteemed words and those actions compatible with,
not contradictory of, those words. Jesus, fully divine and fully human, loved
and valued not just the right deeds, but also the right motives and attitudes.
We, being fully human and ever spiritually in need of completion, will often
settle for the right deeds and tolerate or overlook the improper attitudes and
motives behind them. We do so, in part, because we ourselves are a
contradiction in motion, either desiring to do right while we do wrong or
overriding contrary emotions and attitudes and doing right anyway.
When one does what's right, but one's heart and mind are not
fully in it, one is mastering showmanship. When one has matured enough to
choose actions that are first of all very rooted in certain valued attitudes
and motives, one is practicing and demonstrating authenticity. To think one
thing and to do another might at times carry its own validity, if the doing
proves preferable to what the thinking might have otherwise called into action.
But to do something good because your mind and heart are greatly convinced and
committed to it is not merely a sign of congruency. It's also an authentic
witness of a fully persuaded person, with all parts of himself/herself headed
in the right direction.
In the Matthew text we are studying, Jesus counsels all followers indeed to
do/to follow the teaching of the scribes and the Pharisees (v. 3). That's an
affirmative response, as far as it goes. But he also calls them, and all other
religious types similarly minded in the centuries since, to be more than
persons who preach and teach a good line but lack active follow-through (v. 3).
In verses 1 and 2, notice first the informal gathering of the crowds and
disciples around Jesus. If you and I could imagine ourselves in the midst of
such a gathering, I suspect we would consider Jesus being the only one in an
esteemed position of authority. The rest of us, regardless of our life-stations
before and after the gathering, are merely attentive spectators. Is it not our
desire, may we safely say, to move Jesus out of his esteemed seat as
teacher/rabbi/Lord? This is not so with the scribes and Pharisees. Verse 2
notes that they "sit on Moses' seat," that is, wherever they might
travel, sit, or stand, they have an authoritative air about them that often
also carries a kind of arrogance that wants to demote the stature of others
nearby. Their humility before God is darkened by their pride and arrogance
before others.
The scribes and Pharisees are an interesting kind of person.
They are the religious legalists of the day, knowing religious Law down to its
every detail. They've trained their minds to carry a vast knowledge of the Law,
and their hearts and wills reveal a very deep dedication or burning devotion to
God. Could we call this mixture of personhood legalistic lovers of God?
What is it that incurs Jesus' anger, recognized in and
between the lines of verses 3b-7? I think it has to do with his wise
unwillingness to allow showmanship to pass for authenticity and
congruency...
_________________________
Have you ever been the victim of identity theft? It is a growth industry. A
recent study found that 15.4 million people in the United States were the
victims of identity theft in 2016 and in the past six years identity thieves
have stolen over $107 billion from people like you and me.
What is identity theft? Identity theft is a serious crime.
Identity theft happens when someone uses information about you without your
permission. They could use your name, address, credit card or bank account
numbers, Social Security number, even medical insurance account numbers to do
you harm.
What are the most common ways to identity theft? According
to the U. S. Department of Justice there are several ways somebody can steal
your identity. In public places, for example, criminals may engage in
"shoulder surfing"--watching you from a nearby location as you punch
in your telephone calling card number or credit card number--or listen in on
your conversation if you give your credit-card number over the telephone.
If you receive applications for "pre-approved"
credit cards in the mail, but discard them without tearing up the enclosed
materials, criminals may retrieve them and try to activate the cards for their
own use without your knowledge. Also, if your mail is delivered to a place
where others have ready access to it, criminals may simply intercept and
redirect your mail to another location.
Many people respond to "spam"--unsolicited
E-mail--that promises some benefit but also requests some identifying data.
With this data, a criminal is able to conduct a wide range of crimes. For
example: False applications for loans and credit cards, fraudulent withdrawals
from bank accounts, fraudulent use of telephone calling cards or online
accounts, or obtaining other goods or privileges which the criminal might be
denied if he were to use his real name. (1)
Have I succeeded in making you paranoid yet? No need to be,
but I hope I've helped you be more vigilant. Identity theft is a threat to us
all. It could happen to anyone. Of course, you could be a victim of identity
theft purely by mistake....
____________________________________
Humility in Action
One of the best stories of humility I know is that of a man
who arrived in 1953 at the Chicago railroad station to receive the Nobel Peace
Prize. He stepped off the train, a tall man with bushy hair and a big mustache.
As the cameras flashed and city officials approached with hands outstretched to
meet him, he thanked them politely. Then he asked to be excused for a minute.
He walked through the crowd to the side of an elderly black woman struggling
with two large suitcases. He picked them up, smiled, and escorted her to the
bus, helped her get on, and wished her a safe journey. Then Albert Schweitzer
turned to the crowd and apologized for keeping them waiting. It is
reported that one member of the reception committee told a reporter,
"That's the first time I ever saw a sermon walking."
We've been given a great task - to live in harmony, to weep
with the mournful, to laugh with the joyful, to not be conceited. Especially,
we are called to be righteous, but not self-righteous. We are to be humble.
Roy T. Lloyd, Charades and Reality
________________________________
Fall Back
Remember, Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend,
officially on November 5 at 2:00 am. Don't forget to set your clock back
one hour!
_________________________________
Admired the Peacock, but Loved the Duck
Carlton Van Ornum tells this story. A large crowd of people
gathered near an enclosure in the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston as a peacock
slowly spread his great tail and displayed its stunning plumage. The great bird
stood erect and noble and strutted regally. Just then an old, dun-colored duck
waddled slowly from the pond and passed between the proud peacock and the
admiring crowd. Enraged, the peacock drove the duck back to the water. In a
moment, the beautiful bird had become ugly with fierce anger. The plain and
awkward duck, having returned to its natural habitat, was no longer unbecoming.
In the water it swam and dived gracefully, unaware that many eyes were
watching. The people who had admired the peacock loved the duck. Each of us was
reminded of the dangers of pride, and that happiness comes from just being
ourselves.
Jerry L. Schmalenberger, When Christians Quarrel, CSS
Publishing Company
____________________________
Jesus' Criticisms
Here is a list of Jesus' criticisms about religious
leadership in his day:
They did not practice what they taught (hypocrisy).
They put heavy burdens on others but not themselves (legalism).
They sought and loved public recognition (pride).
Status, respect and titles were important to them (arrogance).
They locked people out of the kingdom (judgmental).
They established laws to benefit themselves (greed).
They neglected to emphasize justice and mercy (bias).
They were accomplices to silencing the prophets (oppressive).
George Johnson, Critical Decisions in Following Jesus, CSS
Publishing Company.
____________________________
The Young Seminarian
A young seminary graduate came up to the lectern, very
self-confident and immaculately dressed. He began to deliver his first sermon
in his first church and the words simply would not come out. Finally he burst
into tears and ended up leaving the platform obviously humbled.
There were two older ladies sitting in the front row and one
remarked to the other, "If he'd come in like he went out, he would have
gone out like he came in."
Jesus calls us to a real trust in God and to humble service
in his church and world. The temptation is ever before us to exalt ourselves -
to impress others, to make a name for ourselves. That was not how Jesus came,
nor was it why he came.
Peter J. Blackburn, Humble Before God
_______________________________
All Perfume, No Flowers
The brilliant behavioral scientist Gordon Allport spoke at
Appleton Chapel at Harvard University about how a code of ethics, however
highly approved, can be a hollow thing without something to back it up. Following
the RULES of faith-as if that was all that was required-was likened by Dr.
Allport to living on the perfume of an empty vase. It's possible to live,
perhaps for a long time, on the perfume of an empty vase, but sooner or later
one is thrust into a situation where there had better be some real flowers, not
just the aroma, or one is lost.
In our Gospel we see the tragedy of being religious without
being the real deal, of placing primary emphasis on outer conduct rather than
on inner character. Those to whom Jesus speaks did not recognize their need to
be changed. These people may talk a good fight of faith, but when they are
forced to fall back upon their inner resources of faith, they discover that the
tank is empty. Jesus says, "Don't imitate them for they don't practice
what they teach." All perfume, no flowers.
Roy T. Lloyd, Charades and Reality
_________________________
Hospitality Outdoes Erudition
One pastor tells of his excitement of bringing into parish
membership a university professor. The pastor endeavored to prepare and to
deliver better sermons from the pulpit, as this prospective member continued to
attend worship. Later, while reflecting with the professor after he joined the
parish, the pastor found that the professor's joining had less to do with the
sermons he heard and more to do with an elderly woman who consistently made him
feel so welcomed and valued. That was what moved him into Christian community.
Imagine that: the Christian spirit of hospitality outdid erudition. Servanthood
over showmanship wins hearts in many, many places.
Joseph M. Freeman, Where Gratitude Abounds, CSS Publishing
Company, Inc.
____________________________
The danger of pride is that it feeds on goodness.
Traditional
_____________________________
I Am the Path
The church in the world is a lot like the story that E.
Stanley Jones tells of the missionary in the jungle. He got lost with nothing
around him but bush and a few cleared places. He finally found a small village
and asked one of the natives if he could lead him out of the jungle. The native
said he could. "All right," the missionary said, "Show me the
way." They walked for hours through dense brush hacking their way through
unmarked jungle. The missionary began to worry and said, "Are you quite
sure this is the way? Where is the path?" The native said. "Bwana, in
this place there is no path. I am the path."
Our path out of the jungle of this world is God in Christ.
We may have some Rabbis, Masters, Father's, Teachers, and Reverends, but we are
all like the missionary. We rely not upon men but Christ who is our path.
Brett Blair,www.Sermons.com
__________________________________
Exaltation of the Humble - Service
During the dark days of World War II, England had a great
deal of difficulty keeping men in the coal mines. It was a thankless kind of
job, totally lacking in any glory. Most chose to join the various military
services. They desired something that could give them more social acceptance
and recognition. Something was needed to motivate these men in the work that
they were doing so that they would remain in the mines.
With this in mind, Winston Churchill delivered a speech one
day to thousands of coal miners, stressing to them the importance of their role
in the war effort. He did this by painting for them a mental
picture....
