Blood brother
An eight-year-old boy had a younger sister who was dying of
leukemia. His parents explained to him that she needed a blood
transfusion and that his blood was probably compatible. They asked if
they could test his blood. Sure, he said. The results showed that
his blood would be a good match. Then they asked the boy if he would give
his sister a pint of blood, that it could be her only chance at living.
He said he would like to think about overnight.
The next day he went to his parents and said he was willing
to donate his blood to his sister. So they took him to the hospital where
he was put on a gurney beside his sister. Both of them were hooked up to
IVs. A nurse withdrew a pint of blood from the boy, which was then put
into the girl’s IV. The boy lay on his gurney in silence while the blood
dripped into his sister.
The doctor came over to see how he was doing. The boy opened his eyes and
asked, “How soon I until I start to die?”
[Jack Kornfield, cited in Bird by Bird by
Anne Lamott.]
Every word of the Gospel comes down to love – love that is
simple enough to articulate but so demanding that we shy away from it.
The mystery of God’s love is that the Being of Supreme and Omnipotent Power
should love his creation so completely and so selflessly – and all God seeks in
return is that such love be shared by his people throughout his creation.
The little brother, thinking that giving his blood would mean he would die,
nonetheless is willing to give his life to his sister so that she might live;
in his generosity, he models the great love and compassion of the God who
spares nothing to bring us to him. May we seek to follow the great
commandment of the Gospel: to love with the same selfless compassion, care and
completeness of God.
****
1. Fr. Tony Kadavil
1: The inspiring six-word sermon: There is a
legend handed down from the early Church about John, the beloved disciple of
Jesus. Of the twelve original apostles, only John lived to a ripe old age. In
his later years, not only his body but also his eyesight and his mind began to
fail him. Eventually, according to the legend, John’s mind had deteriorated to
the point that he could only speak five words, one sentence, which he would
repeat over and over. You can imagine the high regard in which the early Church
must have held the last surviving apostle of Jesus. The legend says that every
Lord’s Day, John would be carried into the midst of the congregation that had
assembled for worship in the Church at Ephesus, where John spent the last years
of his life. Total silence would fall over the congregation, even though they
already knew what John was going to say. Then the old man would speak the
words, “My little children, love one another.” Over and over, he
would repeat them until he grew tired from talking, and no one yawned or looked
at his watch or gazed off into space absentmindedly. They listened as John
preached his five-word sermon over and over: “My little children, love
one another.” Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
2: “Christians love one another.” In the second
century AD, a non-Christian named Aristides wrote to the Emperor Hadrian about
the Christians. He said, “Christians love one another. They never fail to help
widows; they save orphans from those who would hurt them. If one of them has
something, he gives freely to those who have nothing. If they see a stranger,
Christians take him home and are as happy as though he were a real brother.
They don’t consider themselves brothers in the usual sense, but brothers
through the Spirit, in God. And if they hear that one of them is in jail or
persecuted for professing the name of their Redeemer, they give him all he
needs. This is really a new kind of person. There is something Divine in them.”
No wonder the non-Christians of the first century used tell one another, “See
how these Christians love one another.”
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
3: Love them anyway: In Calcutta, India, there
is a children’s home named Shishu Bhavan (Children’s Home), founded by Mother
Teresa. The home continues to be operated by her community, the Missionaries of
Charity. On the wall of the home hangs a sign which reads:
People are unreasonable,
illogical, and self-centered.
LOVE THEM ANYWAY.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
DO GOOD ANYWAY.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
SUCCEED ANYWAY.
The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow’
DO GOOD ANYWAY.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY.
What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight.
BUILD ANYWAY.
People really need help but may attack you if you help them.
HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU’VE GOT ANYWAY.
Mother Teresa counsels her young charges that the challenges
offered by this sign can be met only if human beings are motivated by a love
and a respect for one another which looks beyond faults, differences, ulterior
motives, success and failure. Mother Teresa once said of herself, “By blood and
origin, I am all Albanian. My citizenship is Indian. I am a Catholic nun. As to
my calling, I belong to the whole world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to
the heart of Jesus.” (A Simple Path, Ballantine Books, New York: 1995).
It is this relationship of belonging and the loving service which grows out of
that belonging which the Scriptural authors called Covenant. (Sánchez Files)
Fr. Tony
4:Spousal love: One Sunday the pastor was
finishing up a series on marriage. At the end of the service he was giving out
small wooden crosses to each married couple. He said, “Place this cross in the
room in which you fight the most and you will be reminded of God’s commandment
of love and you won’t argue as much.” One woman came up after the service and
said, “You’d better give me five crosses.”
5: “How much would you give me not to love my big
sister?” A pastor was speaking to a Sunday school class about
the things money can’t buy. “It can’t buy laughter and it can’t buy love” he
told them. Driving his point home, he said, “What would you do if I offered you
$1000 not to love your mother and father?” Stunned silence ensued. Finally, a
small voice queried, “How much would you give me not to love my big sister?”
6: “I’m tired of you too.” An old couple was
sitting by the fireside. He looked over at her, had a romantic thought, and
said, “After fifty years, I’ve found you tried and true.”
The wife’s hearing wasn’t very good, so she said, “What?”
He repeated, “After fifty years, I’ve found you tried and true.”
“After fifty years, I’m tired of you too,” she replied.
24-Additional anecdotes
1) “Yes,” said God, “but not in My lifetime.” You
may not know it, but years ago Nikita Khrushchev, John F. Kennedy and Golda
Meir had a summit meeting with God. Each of them was allowed to ask one
question. “God,” asked Nikita Khrushchev, “do you think the U.S. and Russia
will ever have peace?” “Yes,” answered God, “but not in your lifetime.” Then
Kennedy spoke. “God, do you think there will be peace between blacks and whites
in our land and around the world?” “Yes,” replied God, “but not in your
lifetime.” Then it was the Israeli leader’s turn. “God,” she asked, “do you
think there will ever be peace between the Jews and the Arabs?” “Yes,” said
God, “but not in My lifetime.” Do you get the feeling, sometimes, that if there
is a third World War, it will not be over politics or over economics? Rather,
it will be over religion as it was in the Middle Ages when much of the killing
and torture and hatred in this world was done in the name of religion. Today’s
Gospel describes a confrontation between Jesus and the religious fanatics of
his day. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A HOLY WAR. The two words are a
contradiction in terms. Love of God and love for neighbor are oars of the same
boat. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
2) “How can you say you love me?” Hasidic Rabbi
Levi Yitzhak of the Ukraine was fond of saying that he had learned the true
meaning of love from a drunken peasant. While visiting the owner of a tavern in
the Polish countryside, the rabbi overheard the conversation of two men seated
at a nearby table. Both had had a fair amount to drink and both were feeling
quite mellow. With their arms around one another, they were professing how much
each loved the other. Suddenly, the older of the two, Ivan, looked at his
friend and asked, “Peter, tell me, what hurts me?” Bleary-eyed but slightly
sobered by such a question, Peter looked at Ivan and answered with a question
of his own: “How do I know what hurts you?” Ivan’s response came quickly. “If
you don’t know what hurts me, how can you say you love me?” In today’s Gospel
Jesus teaches us that the most important commandment is to love God living in
others. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
3) Love God living in your neighbor: “In the
most striking finding, Dr. Harold Koenig of Duke University Medical Center has
calculated that, with regard to any mainstream Faith, ‘lack of religious
involvement has an effect on mortality that is equivalent to 40 years of
smoking one pack of cigarettes per day.’” Further, “Another new study,
conducted mainly by researchers at the University of Texas, found that those
who regularly attended worship services lived an average of seven years longer
than those who never attended.” (The New Republic (July 19 &
26, 1999). Cited at tim@cybersalt.org (Tim Davis).) What can I say? Listening
to me each week is good for you! A healthy bank account and a healthy body will
take you a long way in our society. And if you have both, you are blessed
indeed. But neither will bring you any comfort if your own children hate you.
Neither will suffice for companionship if your neighbors avoid you. There are
plenty of lonely, rich, old people in this world who would give anything to be
loved. YOU AND I WERE CREATED FOR RELATIONSHIPS. It is built into every fiber
of our being. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
4) “Did you ask a good question today?” Isidor Isaac
Rabi, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics, and one of the developers of the atomic
bomb, was once asked how he became a scientist. Rabi replied that every day
after school his mother would talk to him about his school day. She wasn’t so
much interested in what he had learned that day, but how he conducted himself
in his studies. She always inquired, “Did you ask a good question today?”
“Asking good questions,” Rabi said, “made me become a scientist.” In order to
ask a good question I think you need to have noble motives behind the question.
You have to want to know the truth. The Pharisees, by contrast, already had the
answers to their questions. They felt they already knew the truth. The
Pharisees come to Jesus once again with a question designed to do damage to the
reputation of Jesus.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
5) “I am not much of a judge of religion.” In
our nation’s archives there is an account of two ladies from Tennessee who came
before President Abraham Lincoln at the conclusion of the Civil War. They were
asking for the release of their husbands, held as prisoners of war at Johnson’s
Island. Lincoln put them off until Friday, when they came again. Again the
President put them off until Saturday. At each of the interviews one of the
ladies stressed to Lincoln that her husband was a religious man. After the
Saturday interview the President ordered the release of the prisoners. Then he
turned to this lady and said, “You say your husband is a religious man. Tell
him when you meet him, that I say I am not much of a judge of religion. In my
opinion, however, the religion that sets men to rebel and fight against their
government is not the sort of religion upon which people can get to Heaven!” I
think Abe was a pretty good judge of religion. Any religion that tells me that
I can hate or exploit or mistreat any person regardless of their race,
nationality or religion is not the kind of religion upon which people can get
into Heaven. Love for God, love for neighbor. They must forever be one (Gerard
Fuller in Stories for all Seasons). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
6) “You’re still you, and I love you.” “Actor
Christopher Reeves had everything–wealth, fame, fabulous health. He was one of
the most handsome, physically fit men in Hollywood. Then he fell from a horse.
And suddenly he was a quadriplegic. When he awoke from his accident, his first
thought was that maybe he should go ahead and die. But one thing stopped him
and gave him the will to live. His wife, Dana, spoke to him firmly, yet gently.
“I am only going to say this once,” she said. “I will support whatever you want
to do, because this is your life and your decision. But I want you to know that
I’ll be with you for the long haul, no matter what. You’re still you, and I
love you.” Those words gave Christopher Reeves the strength to go on. [Jack
Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Mark & Chrissy Donnelly, and Barbara
DeAngelis, Ph.D. Chicken Soup for the Couple’s Soul (Deerfield
Beach, FL.: Health Communications, Inc., 1999), pp. 104-105.] There are times
in life when all of us wonder where we will find the strength to go on. Maybe
it will come from a spouse, or our offspring, or a friend. Other people are a
great source of consolation and comfort. But there will come a time when all of
us will have to lean on our ultimate Friend, God. There will be no one else who
can help. And why shouldn’t we turn to God? This is that for which He created
us –relationships. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
7) “No longer was Jesus only the handsome man.” One
day Ron was serving a hot meal at a soup kitchen. They were serving chili with
two pieces of buttered bread on that particular day. A man came through the
line who looked even more scruffy and broken than the others. Ron was
overwhelmed by his stench. “Like the pull of a magnet,” Ron recalls, “my gaze
went to the dirt and dried blood on his hands.” Before he realized what was
happening, the man clasped Ron’s hand in both of his. “Brother,” said the
scruffy man, “I love you. Thanks for being here.” “I’m glad you came,” Ron
replied after swallowing hard. Ron tried to smile as the man shuffled over to
one of the tables with his meal. The next man stepped up. As Ron handed him a
bowl of chili, a little of the chili spilled on Ron’s hand. Without thinking he
licked it off. Then it hit him. That was the hand the other man had just
clasped! Ron momentarily froze, repelled to think that he had licked something
that smelly, dirty man had just touched. It was a moment of revelation for Ron.
“The light of awareness changed my vision and my heart warmed with new
understanding,” Ron says. “No longer was Jesus only the handsome man I had
pictured in my mind and seen in paintings,” he continued. “Now he had a
scarred, stubbled face and fingers stained yellow; he was dirty, he smelled
bad, and he wore cast-off clothes. I had just served him chili and bread.” [Ron
DelBene, From the Heart (Nashville: Upper Room Books, 1991), pp.
32-33.] There’s a reason we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. When we love
God with all our heart, soul, and mind and love our neighbors as ourselves, we
experience the risen Christ. v
8) “He is going to get his hand blown off.” Charles
L. Allen, in God’s Psychiatry, tells about a scene from Amos
and Andy. “There was a big man who would slap Andy across the chest whenever
they met. Finally, Andy got enough of it and said to Amos, ‘I’m fixed for him.
I put a stick of dynamite in my vest pocket, and the next time he slaps me, he
is going to get his hand blown off.’ Andy had not reasoned that at the same
time he would get his heart blown out.” When we refuse to love our neighbor, we
blow out our own heart. It all goes together. The brotherhood of people can
become a reality only when we have the fatherhood of God. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
9) Self-hate leading to suicide: In an average
year in the United States, 22,000 people kill themselves, and 100,000 more try.
The real cause for such attempts, say the psychiatrists, is a sense of guilt
and a desire to punish oneself. G. K. Chesterton says the great lesson of
“beauty and the beast” is that a thing must be loved before it is loveable. If
we are God’s creation, and if we are created like God because He loves us, we
must think well of ourselves. We are well-made, we are God’s handiwork and we
are created like our Creator. There is an important message here – we are to
love ourselves. In a day when self-worth is low, in a time when so much
introspection is encouraged, and when human nature is looked at with suspicion,
we need to say boldly – we are God-made! And let’s remember, God makes us well.
It would be blasphemy to hate ourselves, since God is our Creator. Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
10) “That was John D. Rockefeller, Sr.” The story is
told of an East Coast fishing village that was nearly destitute. The
townspeople decided to hold a meeting in an attempt to resolve their
complicated problems. A stranger showed up to the meeting, and he tried several
times to speak. But there was a bit of community prejudice in that town, and
the visitor was interrupted each time he opened his mouth. The locals didn’t
care for an outsider to become involved. A latecomer to the meeting showed up
just as the visitor was leaving, and they passed each other in the entrance.
The latecomer asked, “What was he doing here? Did he offer help? Is he going to
aid us?” Not knowing what to make of this, the members of the assembly asked if
he knew who the stranger was. The latecomer replied, “I saw his boat docked in
the harbor. That was John D. Rockefeller, Sr.!” They ignored the one person who
had the resources to help them. How often God comes to us, but we do not
recognize Him or receive Him!
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
11) That’s loving God. An old Russian woman lay
on a sofa. Multiple sclerosis had twisted her body almost beyond recognition.
The simplest tasks had become almost impossible for her. Corrie Ten Boom
visited her at night, using the cover of darkness to escape detection by the
Lithuanian authorities. Corrie kissed the woman’s wrinkled cheek. The old woman
could respond only by rolling her eyes and smiling because the atrophied
muscles in her neck would no longer allow her to move her head. The only part
of her body she could still control was her right hand. With her gnarled
knuckles she stroked Corrie’s face. Corrie reached up to take her hand, and
kissed her index finger–for a special reason.
The routine was the same every morning as the old lady’s
husband propped her into a sitting position on the sofa. A battered old
typewriter was placed on a little table in front of her. Every day the old
woman would begin to type. She could only use that one index finger to peck out
the letters. This woman served God by translating Christian books into Russian.
It was slow going–sometimes only typing a page or two a day but this was her
way of loving God. She typed portions of the Bible as well as some of the books
of Billy Graham and other Christian witnesses. The woman’s attitude was
extraordinary. She saw her sickness as a prerequisite, not a detriment, for the
work she did. Every other Christian in the city was watched by the secret
police. But because she had been sick for so long the police took no interest
in her, and she could work undetected spreading the Good News of Jesus to a
people who were starving for good news.
“Not only does she translate these books,” her husband told Corrie, “but she
prays while she types. Sometimes it takes a long time for her finger to hit the
key, or for her to get the paper in the machine, but all the time she is
praying for those whose books she is working on.” [Annie Chapman, Smart
Women Keep It Simple (Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1992),
pp. 151-152.] That’s loving God.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
12) “Don’t be foolish! You were my guest.” There
is a Jewish story about a Mr. Kleinman who finds himself alone in a strange
town on the Sabbath. He goes to the local synagogue. After services, a Mr.
Putterman comes over and invites Mr. Kleinman to be his guest for the evening.
They go to Mr. Putterman’s home. Mr. Kleinman takes a beautiful hot bath with
scented soap, and dries himself with fluffy towels. They have a delicious meal.
Afterwards Mr. Kleinman falls asleep on a comfy bed with fresh sheets. In
short, for the entire Sabbath the Puttermans treat Mr. Kleinman like royalty.
Now, it’s time to go. Mr. Kleinman says, “This was a delightful Sabbath. Thank
you so much. What can I do to repay you?” And Mr. Putterman presents Mr.
Kleinman a bit of paper on which is written: “Warm bath, six dollars. Two cakes
of soap, four dollars. Clean towels, three dollars. Full dinner, twenty
dollars. Overnight lodging, forty dollars. Fresh sheets, three dollars. Total:
Seventy-six dollars.” “You’re charging me?” asks the incredulous Mr. Kleinman.
“Certainly,” replies Putterman. “But you invited me!” Kleinman protests. ” I
was your guest! I’ve never heard of such a thing! This is outrageous!”
“Nevertheless, if you could just settle up,” says Putterman. “I will do no such
thing!” Kleinman responds. “All right,” sighs Mr. Putterman. “Let’s not argue.
Let’s take this case to the rabbi and let him decide.” “That suits me fine,”
says Kleinman and off they went to the local rabbi. In the Rabbi’s study
Kleinman lays out his case. The rabbi listens and strokes his beard. When Kleinman
finishes he asks Putterman, “Do you have anything to add?” “No,” says
Putterman, “It happened exactly as Mr. Kleinman described.” “In that case,”
says the rabbi, “based on numerous Talmudic precedents and on similar cases
found in the Reposa, it is my decision that Mr. Kleinman should pay Mr.
Putterman.” Kleinman is dumbfounded. Still a rabbi had heard, a rabbi had
considered and a rabbi had reached a decision. The two men thanked the rabbi
and left. Outside, Mr. Kleinman begins counting out his money. “What are you
doing?” asks Putterman. “I’m going to pay you,” says Kleinman. “Don’t be
foolish,” says Putterman. “You were my guest. I was honored to have you spend
the Sabbath with me. I hope you’ll come again.” “But you gave me a bill,” says
the confused Kleinman. “We had a dispute; a decision was rendered.” “Oh, that!”
says Putterman. “I just wanted you to see what kind of schmuck we have for a
rabbi.” (The Jewish Humor List, 5, pp. 140-41) The lawyer who came to
Jesus probably didn’t really want to know Jesus’ views on the great
Commandment. He simply wanted to show him up as a schmuck, as a fraud. Imagine
how surprised the lawyer was when Jesus answered his question in such a way
that Jesus’ authority could not be denied.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
13) “That’s how God works.” There is a story about a young
woman who was in great distress because she had lost a sense of God in her
life. She complained to her elderly grandmother, “Why doesn’t God let me
feel His presence? If only I could feel Him and know that He has touched
me.” Her grandmother said, “Pray to God, right now. Close your eyes
and pray to him. Ask Him to put out his hand and touch you.” The
girl closed her eyes and prayed fervently. Then she felt a hand on her
hand. “He touched me. He touched me,” she cried out. Then she
said, “You know, his hand felt just like your hand.” “Of course it was my
hand,” her grandmother said. “That’s how God works. He takes the
hand that is nearest and uses that.” (Fr. Pellegrino).
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
14) “The fire, Lord, not the scrap heap”: Arthur
Godfrey, the radio and early TV star, used to keep a sign that read: ‘”The
fire, Lord, not the scrap heap.” He said the sign reminded him of a story about
a blacksmith who suffered much illness but still maintained a strong Faith in
God. When an unbeliever asked the blacksmith how he could keep trusting God in
spite of his illness, he replied: “When I make a tool, I take a piece of
iron and put it into the fire. Then I strike it on the anvil to see if it can
take temper. If it does, I can make a useful article out of it. If not, I toss
it on the scrap heap.” When we suffer because of love, we can rejoice because
we know that God is using us (Mark Link in Sunday Homilies). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
15) “You must be related to Him!” Just before
Christmas, there was a boy who was wandering through a shopping complex. He was
admiring the colorful display of the Christmas gifts. A lady closely watched
him moving from one shop to another. Realizing the poverty of the boy, she took
him inside the shop and showed him the Christmas tree and explained him about
the meaning of Christmas. “God loves us,” she said, “And to save us from our
sins. He was born in a manager as little babe.” Then she bought him a set of
new clothes and a pair of shoes, along with some Christmas gifts and a candy
and some refreshments. The little boy was thrilled. As she led him out of the
shop, he looked at her and asked her, “Are you God?” “No,” she replied, “I am
only one of His children.” “Ah! Said the boy, “I knew that somehow you were
related to Him.” (John Rose in John’s Sunday Homilies; quoted by
Fr. Botelho).
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
16) “I have broken the commandment of men…” In
the time of the desert monks, there was an abbot by the name of Moses who had a
great reputation for holiness. Easter was approaching, so the monks met and
decided to fast the entire length of Holy Week. Having come to this decision,
each monk went off to his cell to fast and pray. However, about the middle of
the week, two wandering monks came to visit the cell of Abbot Moses. Seeing that
they were starving, he cooked a little vegetable stew for them. To make them
feel at ease he took a little of it himself. Meanwhile the other monks had seen
the smoke rising from the abbot’s cell. It could mean only one thing –he had
lit a fire to cook some food. In other words, he had broken the solemn fast.
They were shocked. And in the eyes of many of them, he fell from his pinnacle
of sanctity. In a body they went over to confront him. Seeing judgment in their
eyes, he asked, “What crime have I committed that makes you look at me like
this?” “You’ve broken the solemn fast,” they answered. “So I have,” he replied.
“I have broken the commandment of men, but in sharing my food with these
brothers of ours, I have kept the Commandment of God, that we should love one
another.” On hearing this, the monks grew silent, and went away, humbled and
wiser. (Flor McCarthy in New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies; quoted
by Fr. Botelho).
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
17) Greater love than this…There was an article
written in Time magazine years ago, about an airplane suddenly
crashing into the sea. The writer claimed that it was one of America’s
worst tragedies because of the large number of lives that were lost. It was
also America’s hour of heroism. Immediately on hearing of the crash,
several rescue operations were set into motion and the rescue workers, saved
many survivors. There were several heroes who distinguished themselves that day
by their life-saving action. The first heroes were the rescue workers, and when
they were later interviewed on TV, they were asked one question: “Why did you
risk your life?” They said that it was their job, and they were expected to do.
These rescue workers perhaps symbolize people who will do things if it is their
job. “If it is not my job then I will not lift a finger to help.” The second
hero was one of the passengers, who was rescued and was being taken to the
lifeboats. He noticed a lady drowning, dived into the waters, and
pulled her to the safety of the lifeboat. When asked later why he had risked
his life he replied: “She called out to me and asked for help so I had to
help.” The hero could perhaps represent people who will do things if they are
asked. “If you want my help, ask for it!” The third hero was also one of the
passengers of the ill-fated plane. After the tragedy struck, he found himself
floating among the debris. Fortunately, one of the rescue helicopters noticed him
and lowered a halter, which he grabbed and held on to. He could easily have
saved himself but he saw a young lady drowning and he quickly put the halter
around her and the helicopter was able to rescue her. Soon the helicopter came
again and once again the man grabbed the lifeline. Instead of helping himself,
he looked around and noticed another old lady struggling and got the halter
around her and she was rescued. Six times the man had a chance to save himself
but six times he gave the lifeline to another, who, he felt, had a greater
need. The seventh time when the helicopter came to the spot where the man had
been floating, he was gone! History will never know who exactly this heroic
passenger was, but he symbolized what Christ meant when he said: “Greater love
than this no man has, than that he lays down his life for a
friend!” (Quoted by Fr. Botelho).
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
18) Film: Father Damien: The Leper Priest: Father
Damien: The Leper Priest is a movie made for television. The program
dramatizes the story of Fr. Damien who came from Belgium to the
Hawaiian island of Molokai in 1873 to serve the lepers
there until he too contracted leprosy and died in 1889. At that time in
history, the colony of Molokai was a dumping ground for lepers and it
was like a death sentence to be put there. There was little law and order,
medical help and supplies were non-existent, and housing and sanitation were so
bad that the island seemed like a sewer. At first Fr. Damien found the lepers
repulsive. But as he suffered with them, struggled with them and served them,
he overcame his revulsion towards the lepers and developed deep feelings of
love for them. Fr. Damien dedicated almost two decades of his life to the
lepers because he believed that in doing so he was demonstrating both his love
for God and for his neighbour. (Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds;
quoted by Fr. Botelho). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
19) On Hospitality: A man
attending a crowded Church service refused to take his hat off when asked to do
so by the ushers. The preacher was perturbed too, and after the service told
the man that the Church was quite happy to have him as guest, and invited him
to join the Church, but he explained the traditional decorum regarding men’s
hats and said, “I hope you will confirm to that practice in the future.” “Thank
you,” said the man. “And thank you for taking time to talk to me. It was good
of you to ask me to join the congregation. In fact, I joined it three years ago
and have been coming regularly ever since, but today is the first day anyone
ever paid attention to me. After being an unknown for three years, today, by
simply keeping on my hat, I had the pleasure of talking to the ushers. And now
I have a conversation with you, who have always appeared too busy to talk to me
before!” –- What do we do to make strangers welcome? Are we too busy that we
have no time to keep the greatest commandment? (Anonymous; quoted
by Fr. Botelho). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
20) Topping the List: There is an immortal
song written by an English poet, Leigh Hunt about a man named Abou Ben Adhem.
Abou Ben Adhem woke from his sleep one night and saw in his room an angel
writing in a book of gold the names of those who love God. “Is my name one of
those in your book?” inquired Abou. “No, Not so,” replied the angel. “I pray
you, then,” said Abou, “Write me as one who loves God’s fellowmen.” The
following day the angel came again and displayed the names of those who love
God, and Abou Ben Adhem’s name topped the list. This story makes the point that
true love of God and true love of our fellowmen are two sides of the same coin.
One cannot exist apart from the other. That is what we find in today’s Gospel.
(John Pichappilly in The Table of the Word; quoted by Fr. Botelho). Fr.
Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
21) Savior Heroes: Years ago, there was a
movie called Little Lord Fauntleroy. It was about a seven-year-old
boy who went to live with his grandfather, a wealthy man who had many people
working under him. The old man was basically selfish and mean. But the little
boy idolized him so much that he couldn’t see this. He thought his grandfather
was generous and kind. Over and over he would say to him, “Grandfather! How
people must love you! I’ll bet they love you almost as much as I do.” The
little boy’s love gradually softened the old man’s heart, and he became the
kind of person his grandson thought him to be. This story is like a parable of
Jesus. It shows how his love for us can change us and give us the power to
become the kind of loving people he sees we can be. -Arthur Godfrey, the early
TV star, used to keep a sign that read: ‘The fire, Lord, not the scrap heap’.
He said the sign reminded him of a story about a blacksmith who suffered much
illness but still maintained a strong faith in God. When an unbeliever asked
the blacksmith how he could keep trusting God in spite of his illness, he
replied: “When I make a tool, I take a piece of iron and put it into the
fire. Then I strike it on the anvil to see if it can take temper. If it does, I
can make a useful article out of it. If not, I toss it on the scrap heap.” When
we suffer because of love, we can rejoice because we know that God is using
us. (Mark Link in Sunday Homilies). Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
22) Neighbor and self: God’s way of saying thank you? Bill
was the head of an engraving firm in New York City. He and his wife, Billie,
wanted very much to have a family. Several years after their marriage, when it
seemed as though God intended them to be childless, they adopted a baby boy.
After a while they decided that they should adopt a girl, too. Among those
available for adoption, there was one sweet child who had a cardiac disorder.
Because of the ailment, the physician who examined the little girl advised
against taking her. To the doctor’s amazement, Bill disagreed. “No,” he said,
“we’ll adopt her anyhow. A daughter of ours might have been born with the same
condition.” After sixteen years of marriage, Bill and Billie welcomed a third
child into their family circle. This baby was their own flesh and blood…. God’s
way of saying thank you? The second commandment is like the first: “You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39. Gospel of the day). (Father
Robert F. McNamara)
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
23) “Love me, love my rag dolls.” There
is a natural, logical kind of loving that loves lovely things and lovely
people. That’s logical. But there is another kind of loving that doesn’t
look for value in what it loves, but that creates value in what it
loves. Like Rosemary’s rag doll. When Rosemary was three years old, she was
given a beautiful little rag doll, which quickly became an inseparable
companion. She had other toys that were intrinsically far more expensive, but
none that she loved like she loved the rag doll. Soon, the rag doll became more
and more rag and less and less doll. It also became more and more dirty. If you
tried to clean the rag doll, it became more ragged still. And if you didn’t try
to clean the rag doll, it became dirtier still. The sensible thing to do was to
trash the rag doll. But that was unthinkable for anyone who loved Rosemary. If
you loved Rosemary, you loved the rag doll too — it was part of the package. “Love
me, love my rag dolls,” says God, “including the one you see when you
look in the mirror. This is the first and the greatest commandment.” (Fr.
Lakra).
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
24) “I wouldn’t do that for £1,000.” Once a
British journalist visited Kolkata, India to see the works of the Sisters of
the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa. He went to their old-age
house at Kali-ghat Temple and watched an attractive young Nun dressing the
wounds on a man with gangrene in his leg. The journalist was appalled by the
very sight of the wound, but at the same time he was full of admiration for the
young nun who seemed to show no disgust as she was cleaning the suppurating
wound. “I wouldn’t do that for £1,000,” said the
journalist. “Neither would I,” said the Nun, “I do it
for love.”
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
“Scriptural Homilies” Cycle A (No.
56) by
Fr. Tony: akadavil@gmail.com
2. Fr. Jude
Botelho
The first reading from the book of Exodus reminded the
people of their obligations towards others, especially the widow, the stranger
and the orphan. The time of the exile was definitely a very painful and dark
part of the history of the people of Israel, during which they experienced what
it meant to be weak and dependant on others. Times were better now but they
were asked not to forget what they themselves had undergone and be sensitive to
the needs of the foreigners among them, the homeless, the helpless and the
dependant. Having felt the pain of injustice and oppression themselves, they
must never inflict pain on others. The health of a community can be measured by
the way it treats such people.
“I have broken the commandment of men…”
In the time of the desert monks, there was an abbot by the
name of Moses who had a great reputation for holiness. Easter was approaching,
so the monks met and decided to fast the entire length of Holy Week. Having
come to this decision, each monk went off to his cell, to fast and pray.
However, about the middle of the week, two wandering monks came to visit the
cell of Abbot Moses. Seeing that they were starving, he cooked a little
vegetable stew for them. To make them feel at ease he took a little of it
himself. Meanwhile the other monks had seen the smoke rising from the abbot’s
cell. It could mean only one thing –he had lit a fire to cook some food. In
other words, he had broken the solemn fast. They were shocked. And in the eyes
of many of them, he fell from his pinnacle of sanctity. In a body they went
over to confront him. Seeing judgement in their eyes, he asked, “What crime
have I committed that makes you look at me like this?” “You’ve broken the
solemn fast,” they answered. “So I have,” he replied. “I have broken the commandment
of men, but in sharing my food with these brothers of ours, I have kept the
commandment of God, that we should love one another.” On hearing this, the
monks grew silent, and went away humbled and wiser. Flor McCarthy
In the Gospel Jesus is asked the question: “Master, which is
the greatest commandment of the law?” Jesus’ answer is plain and simple. “You
must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with
all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment.” He adds: “The
second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself.” What is
absolutely certain is that God has to be the top priority of our life. Our
lives make sense only when He has the first place. Yet it is a fact that so
often God has second place. When we make important decisions about our life do
we take into account what God would say about it? The way we structure our
time, our energy, our efforts, our lifestyle, all these are realistic indicators
pointing to what has priority in our life. The special focus of the Gospel is
the fact that Jesus reminds us that the second law is just as important as the
first: “You should love your neighbour as yourself.” If I do not love the
neighbour whom I can see how can I say I love God? Love is seen in our attitude
and actions towards our neighbour. The challenge is to love others just as much
as we love ourselves. We all know how we take care of our own needs and wants.
When there are decisions to be made is our main consideration: “What’s in it
for me?” or “How will my decision/action or inaction affect others?” The
yardstick of our action should always be: “In every situation is this action of
mine the most loving thing?”
Greater love than this...
There was an article written in Time magazine years ago,
when an airplane suddenly crashed into the sea. The writer claimed that it was
one of America’s worst tragedies because of the large number of lives that were
lost. It was also America’s hour of heroism. Immediately on hearing of the
crash, several rescue operations were set into motion and the rescue workers,
saved many survivors. There were several heroes who distinguished themselves
that day by their life-saving action. The first heroes were the rescue workers,
and when they were later interviewed on TV, they were asked one question: “Why
did you risk your life?” They said that it was their job, and they were
expected to do. These rescue workers perhaps symbolize people who will do
things if it is their job. “If it is not my job then I will not lift a finger
to help”. The second hero was one of the passengers, who was rescued and was
being taken to the lifeboats. He noticed a lady drowning, dived into
the waters, and pulled her to the safety of the lifeboat. When asked later why
he had risked his life he replied: “She called out to me and asked for help so
I had to help.” The hero could perhaps represent people who will do things if
they are asked. “If you want my help, ask for it!” The third hero was also one
of the passengers of the ill-fated plane. After the tragedy struck, he found
himself floating among the debris. Fortunately, one of the rescue helicopters
noticed him and lowered a halter, which he grabbed and held on to. He could
easily have saved himself but he saw a young lady drowning and he quickly put
the halter around her and the helicopter was able to rescue her. Soon the
helicopter came again and once again the man grabbed the lifeline. Instead of
helping himself, he looked around and noticed another old lady struggling and
got the halter around her and she was rescued. Six times the man had a chance
to save himself but six times he gave the lifeline to another, whom he felt had
a greater need. The seventh time when the helicopter came to the spot where the
man had been floating, he was gone! History will never know who exactly this
heroic passenger was, but he symbolized what Christ meant when he said:
“Greater love than this no man has, than that he lays down his life for a
friend!”
Film: Father Damien: The Leper Priest
Father Damien: The Leper Priest is a movie made for
television. The program dramatizes the story of Fr. Damien who came from
Belgian to the Hawaiian island of Molokai in 1873 to serve the lepers there
until he too contracted leprosy and died in 1889. At that time in history, the
colony of Molokai was a dumping ground for lepers and it was like a death
sentence to be put there. There was little law and order, medical help and
supplies were non-existent, and housing and sanitation were so bad that the
island seemed like a sewer. At first Fr. Damien found the lepers repulsive. But
as he suffered with them, struggled with them and served them, he overcame his
revulsion towards the lepers and developed deep feelings of love for them. Fr.
Damien dedicated almost two decades of his life to the lepers because he
believed that in doing so he was demonstrating both his love for God and for
his neighbour. Albert Cylwicki
On Hospitality
A man attending a crowded church service refused to take his
hat off when asked to do so by the ushers. The preacher was perturbed too, and
after the service told the man that the church was quite happy to have him as
guest, and invited him to join the church, but he explained the traditional
decorum regarding men’s hats and said, “I hope you will confirm to that
practice in the future.” “Thank you,” said the man. “And thank you for taking
time to talk to me. It was good of you to ask me to join the congregation. In
fact, I joined it three years ago and have been coming regularly ever since,
but today is the first day anyone ever paid attention to me. After being an
unknown for three years, today, by simply keeping on my hat, I had the pleasure
of talking to the ushers. And now I have a conversation with you, who have
always appeared too busy to talk to me before!” –What do we do to make
strangers welcome? Are we too busy? Anonymous
Are you related to Him?
Just before Christmas, there was a boy wandering through a
shopping complex. He was admiring the colourful display of Christmas gifts. A
lady closely watched him moving from one shop to another. Realizing the poverty
of the boy, she took him inside the shop and showed him the Christmas tree and
explained to him the meaning of Christmas. “God loves us” she said, and so to
save us from our sins, he was born in a manger as a little babe.” Then she
bought him a pair of new clothes and shoes, along with some Christmas gifts and
a candy and some refreshments. The little boy was thrilled. As she led him out
of the shop, he looked at her and asked, “Are you God?” “No” she replied, “I am
only one of his children.” “Ah!” said the boy, “I knew that you were somehow
related to him.” John Rose
Love is Sacrifice
God-Jesus is love. Jesus’ bent body to wash feet and bloody
body, crucified, are supreme symbols of love. Champaben, a poor tribal widow of
Kanaghat village, south Gujarat, taught me quite literally what ‘mad love’ is
all about. Her teenage son Manoj, is severely mentally handicapped. To allow
her to care for her two small daughters, we had Manoj into an institution for
mentally challenged. A day later Champaben returned, weeping, “Father, I’m
sorry! I can’t live without my Manoj. Please bring him back!” And to this day,
despite Manoj’s violent behaviour and screams, Champaben lovingly cares for
him. Love is service and sacrifice. Francis Gonsalves
Topping the List
There is an immortal song written by an English poet, Leigh
Hunt about a man named Abou Ben Adhem. Abou Ben Adhem woke from his sleep one
night and saw in his room an angel writing in a book of gold the names of those
who love God. “Is my name one of those in your book?” inquired Abou. “No, Not
so,” replied the angel. “I pray you, then,” said Abou, “Write me as one who
loves God’s fellowmen.” The following day the angel came again and displayed
the names of those who love God, and Abou Ben Adhem’s name topped the list.
This story makes the point that true love of God and true love of our fellowmen
are two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist apart from the other. That is
what we find in today’s gospel. John Pichappilly
In all things may love be the guiding light of our
lives!
******************
3. Sermons.com
Isidor Isaac Rabi, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics, and one of the developers
of the atomic bomb, was once asked how he became a scientist. Rabi replied that
every day after school his mother would talk to him about his school day. She
wasn't so much interested in what he had learned that day, but how he conducted
himself in his studies. She always inquired, "Did you ask a good question
today?"
"Asking good questions," Rabi said, "made me
become a scientist."
In order to ask a good question, I think you need to have
noble motives behind the question. You have to want to know the truth. The
Pharisees, by contrast, already had the answers to their questions. They felt
they already knew the truth. How many times have we had it in for someone,
asking a question designed to trap them? We do it to our loved ones all the
time. In a moment like this we are not trying to learn; we are trying to
injure.
The Pharisees come to Jesus once again with a question designed to do damage to
the reputation of Jesus. And once again Jesus proves he is equal to the task.
Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest? Now, even though this
question was used to test Jesus, it is nonetheless an important question.
Perhaps in the life of Israel at that time it was THE most important question.
But Jesus had a question of his own. A question, which signified that the times
were changing; a new theological season had come. He put this question to the
same Pharisees who had tested him: "What do you think of the Messiah.
Whose son is he?"
These were the two most important questions of that era and
my friends they are the two most important questions of our time. Let us consider...
1. Which Commandment Is the Greatest?
2. What Do You Think of the Messiah?
Last week we spoke of the power of "first
impressions." From a chronological standpoint, Paul's "First Letter
to the Thessalonians" was his first written words that have come down to
us. It is the "first impression" of a life of Jesus discipleship
written in the New Testament.
In this week's gospel text from Matthew, we have a kind of
closing bracket to that "first impression," a bookend "final
impression," a last word from Jesus to the various Temple authorities. We
have the third and final confrontation with those whom Jesus encountered as
soon as he entered Jerusalem for his final visit into the Temple in
Jerusalem.
His first encounter was with the Herodians (who were egged
on by the Pharisees) when he was grilled about the question of paying taxes to
Rome.
His second encounter was with the Sadduccees where his views
on resurrection and eternal life were sized up and audited.
Now in this third encounter Jesus is confronted by what
appears to be an organized, formal assembly of Pharisees. These were those Jewish
authorities who were most devoted to imbedding the force and focus of written
Torah law into the fabric of every jot and tittle of everyday life.
The Pharisees had catalogued a list of 613 commandments or
laws, which all faithful Jews should follow. But these 613 laws were also
divided into those that were "weighty" and those that were
"light." "Thou shalt not commit murder" was one of
the "Big Ten." Written by the hand of God on stone at Sinai, this commandment
was definitely weighty. Making a fire on the Sabbath, striking up some
firelight, that was definitely "light," and in an emergency,
absolutely expendable. The Pharisees' question to Jesus was tried to get him to
name which of the most "weighty" commandments were the "hefty,
hefty, hefty" ones. What commandment was #1, the big boss with the hot
sauce.
Jesus' response was his "final word," his
"last impression" in this series of Temple confrontations...
Two Hands
Lewis L. Austin, in This I Believe, wrote: "Our maker
gave us two hands. One to hold onto him and one to reach out to his people. If
our hands are full of struggling to get possessions, we can't hang onto God or
to others very well. If, however, we hold onto God, who gave us our lives, then
his love can flow through us and out to our neighbor." Lewis L.
Austin, This I Believe
Staying in Line
At the entrance to the harbor at the Isle of Man there are
two lights. One would think that the two signals would confuse the pilot. But
the fact is, he has to keep them in line; as long as he keeps them in line, his
ship is safe. It is the same with these commands of Jesus: love of self, the
love of God, and love others. When we keep them in line, we remain safe and
well in the channel of the Christian life. Jerry L. Schmalemberger,
___________________________________
Give It to Me in a Nutshell
Give it to me in a nutshell" -- an old saying -- it
means, Tell me what I need to know, but keep it short. Don't bother me with
unnecessary detail. Don't bore me with a long, technical explanation. Just get
to the bottom line.
We like things short and sweet. Network television news has
time only to hit the high spots and to show us a few pictures, but it gives us
the big picture in a few minutes. We like that.
I used to have to sit through weekly staff meetings.
Sometimes they would go on for two hours, because everyone wanted to have their
say. Then we got a new boss who limited each of us to one overhead slide. Each
slide had about ten lines, so each person could show us the status of ten
programs -- max. We had to code each program green, yellow, or red. Green meant
that everything was o.k. Yellow meant that there was a problem. Red meant,
"The sky is falling!" Furthermore, we weren't to ramble. Stand up!
Speak up! Shut up! Sit down! I loved it, because we got through the meetings
quickly, and I could get back to work.
Give it to me in a nutshell!
That's what the lawyer said to Jesus -- Give it to me in a
nutshell. At least, we think that's what he meant. "Teacher, which
commandment in the law is the greatest? Do you know, or should I call Pew
Research?" Richard Niell Donovan,
Love is not blind. Love is the only thing that
sees.
Frank Crane
The Right Kind of Devotion
In order that we may know how to love ourselves, an end has
been established for us to which we are to refer all our action, so that we may
attain to bliss. For if we love ourselves, our one wish is to achieve
blessedness. Now this end is to cling to God. Thus, if we know how to love
ourselves, the commandant to love our neighbor bids us to do all we can to bring
our neighbor to love God. This is the worship of God; this is true religion;
this is the right kind of devotion; this is the service which is owed to God
alone. Augustine, City of God
The Love That Conquers the World
The love for equals is a human thing -- of friend for
friend, brother for brother. It is to love what is loving and lovely. The world
smiles.
The love for the less fortunate is a beautiful thing--the
love for those who suffer, for those who are poor, the sick, the failures, the
unlovely. This is compassion, and it touches the heart of the world.
The love for the more fortunate is a rare thing--to love
those who succeed where we fail, to rejoice without envy with those who
rejoice, the love of the poor for the rich, of the black man for the white man.
The world is always bewildered by its saints.
And then there is the love for the enemy--love for the one who does not love
you but mocks, threatens, and inflicts pain. The tortured's love for the
torturer. This is God's love. It conquers the world. Frederick Buechner,
Just a Person Across the Way
Edgar Guest, a renowned American poet at the turn of the
century, tells of a neighbor by the name of Jim Potter. Mr. Potter ran the drug
store in the small town where Edgar Guest lived. Guest recalled that daily he
would pass his neighbor and how they would smile and exchange greetings. But it
was a mere casual relationship.
Then came that tragic night in the life of Edgar Guest when
his first born child died. He felt lonely and defeated. These were grim days
for him and he was overcome with grief. Several days later Guest had reason to
go to the drug store run by his neighbor, and when he entered Jim Potter
motioned for him to come behind the counter. "Eddie," he said,
"I really can't express to you the great sympathy that I have for you at
this time. All I can say is that I am terribly sorry, and if you need for me to
do anything, you can count on me."
Many years later Edgar Guest wrote of that encounter in one
of his books. This is how he worded it: "Just a person across the way -- a
passing acquaintance. Jim Potter may have long since forgotten that moment when
he extended his hand to me in sympathy, but I shall never forget it -- never in
all my life. To me it stands out like the silhouette of a lonely tree against a
crimson sunset."
[Suggestion for follow-up on this story]
I have wondered how it is that I want people to remember me
when I come to end of my life's journey.
[Name some accomplishments followed by]
But I really don't care if someone remembers me for that. I
really don't.
I do hope that people are able to say of me at the end of my
life's pilgrimage: When we were sick he came to us; when we needed help, he was
there; when I was down, he lifted me up. In short, I hope that my ministry is
remembered for simple acts of kindness. For if that is the case, then my life
would have been worth it and I might have come close to fulfilling the greatest
commandment in life: Love God and love your neighbor.
Brett Blair, www.Sermons.com
Love Is More than We Can See
A man once observed a young boy out in a field flying a
kite. He noticed that there was something odd about the way the boy was
standing and holding on to the string. He walked up to the boy and then learned
that the boy was blind. He said, "Do you like flying kites?"
The boy said, "I sure do."
This piqued the man's curiosity and he asked, "How is
that when you cannot see it?"
The boy answered, "I may not be able to see it but I
can feel it tugging'!"
We may not always be able to identify the love of God in
this world. Like the little boy, we may not be able to see love but it has a
tug that lets us know it is there. Brett Blair,
_______________________
"By loving the unlovable, You made me
lovable."
Augustine to God
Chip It Away!
There is a story about a man who had a huge boulder in his
front yard. He grew weary of this big, unattractive stone in the center of his
lawn, so he decided to take advantage of it and turn it into an object of art.
He went to work on it with hammer and chisel, and chipped away at the huge
boulder until it became a beautiful stone elephant. When he finished, it was
gorgeous, breath-taking.
A neighbor asked, "How did you ever carve such a
marvelous likeness of an elephant?"
The man answered, "I just chipped away everything that
didn't look like an elephant!"
If you have anything in your life right now that doesn't
look like love, then, with the help of God, chip it away! If you have anything
in your life that doesn't look like compassion or mercy or empathy, then, with
the help of God, chip it away! If you have hatred or prejudice or vengeance or
envy in your heart, for God's sake, and the for the other person's sake, and
for your sake, get rid of it! Let God chip everything out of your life that
doesn't look like tender-heartedness.
***
