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No Right to Kill Others

2/28/2022

Homily
2/27/22

Daniel 13: 5-8, 19-23, 31-38, 41-49
Ps. 22, They Who Do Justice
James 1: 19-22, 26; 1 Peter 4: 8-11
Luke 6: 39-49

          I had written what I thought would be a very good homily for today, but world events have made it sound ridiculous. The war initiated by Russia against the people of Ukraine has taken center stage in the minds and hearts of all of us, and we have no choice but to address it. I’m sure you all have thoughts about it, so I will keep my remarks brief and then open this up for our sharing.
          The main message of our readings today is still applicable: we are called to avoid judging one another, to leave judgement to God. God has created us all in the divine image. Every person is equally beloved by God. Every Ukrainian child, every Russian soldier, every laboring diplomat, every Polish immigrant aid worker—equally beloved by God. Even Vladimir Putin—equally beloved. We can and must condemn certain behavior. We must stand up for peace and do all we can to protest the killing of innocent people. But we cannot condemn people. These reading tell us we have no right to decide who should live or die. Putin does not have this right, no one has the right to kill. We have the right to defend ourselves. Otherwise, we must leave final judgement, the right to live or die, to God.
          What we can do is to help one be better. We can come together, especially during times like wars, or like Lent, to study how we can love better and grow less selfish and less violent, as individuals, and as the human family. We can agree to examination of our own behavior, to prayer, and to giving whatever we can to help victims of all kinds of injustice. And we can commit to learning all we can about the situations of our family members around the globe and what we can do to make sure we are not contributing to the injustices that mar their lives. There is no excuse for the judgement that our own comfort and convenience outweighs another person’s ability to eat and work and live in peace. We must love as God loves us, to our ultimate capacity. We must help one another love better.
          Please, what are your thoughts?

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How are we Called? What Are We Called to Do in the World?

2/7/2022

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Homily, SMMCC
Helen Weber-McReynolds
2/6/22

Isaiah 6: 1-8, Ps. 138, 1 Cor 15: 1-11, Luke 4: 38-44

If you grew up in Catholic school, you probably remember Vocation Days. These were days devoted to the idea that everyone had a vocation. Everyone was called by God to some kind of mission, to spread God’s word and increase the love in the world. Unfortunately, the system was strictly delineated by gender—boys could consider priesthood, but girls could not. They could be sisters. Or, of course, there was always marriage or the single life. In the institutional church, the story is still the same. The reason we are all here today, celebrating liturgy with this particular community, instead of in a diocesan parish, is because we believe that God does not limit call to ordained ministry to only men. And we have found a way to actualize that call, whether the Vatican hierarchy is ready for it or not. We have felt the strength of the Holy Spirit’s call, and we have not turned away from it. At risk of rejection by the church we love, we have stepped forward to answer God’s call, to live our lives according to the teachings of Jesus, as we hear them.
Our readings today all focus on people answering God’s call, as they heard them. Isaiah was called to prophecy, to deliver God’s truth to the people, as we read in this passage from the early chapters of this book. He considered himself not worthy of this task, but was emboldened to speak the word of God by God’s forgiveness of his sins. “Your guilt has fled. Your misdeeds have been blotted out,” the angel told him. So when God asked, “Who will go for us? Who can we send?” Isaiah said, “Here I am, send me!” God’s unconditional love moved Isaiah to answer God’s call. Though the Bible doesn’t say, we assume he spent the rest of his life calling others to proclaim God’s love, and calling for justice for any who were marginalized.
Paul was called to be an apostle, (from Greek apostolos, “person sent”). Sometimes the word ‘apostle’ is used to describe missionaries, people sent to preach and teach to the unevangelized. Jesus named those he had sent out to teach in the villages two by two “apostles” on their return, according to all three synoptic gospels. They were delegates sent with authority, to heal and do as Jesus had been doing around Judea. Paul recognized he had been sent with authority to minister especially to non-Jewish people, to expand the range of believers beyond just the area where Jesus lived and taught. He also felt unworthy, but, like Isaiah, had been moved by the unconditional mercy of God, God’s “grace,” to speak to as many as he could, in as large an area as he could cover. In this reading he encouraged his congregation in Corinth to do the same, to recognize God’s love for them, so that they would also have the courage to proclaim the truth of Jesus’ teachings with their lives.
Peter’s unnamed mother-in-law (maybe Gladys or Glaphyra, according to some historians) also was called by God. Because of the use of the Greek word diakonei in this passage, we believe she was called, not just to service, but to ministry. When the reading says she served them at table, we believe this implies she served them liturgically. Jesus cured her on the sabbath, apparently considering it urgent that she be able to carry out her duties. It was after the sabbath was over that he healed the others who were brought to the house.
And of course, Jesus was called by God, for the most important mission of all. He was called to heal, preach, and enlighten his listeners on God’s loving plan for the world. The gospel says he ‘rebuked’ the fever Peter’s mother-in-law had, which implies they believed a demon caused the fever. The second part of our gospel today recounted how Jesus rebuked other demons as he healed people with various maladies. Medical understanding was very primitive then.
I’ve always been puzzled by why the reading says, “Jesus told the demons not to speak, for they knew he was the messiah.” But if we think about what his listeners understood the word ‘messiah’ to mean, we can figure this out. When the people of Judea in those days heard the word messiah, they thought of a military leader who would liberate them from the Romans. They thought of the descendant of David, the most powerful warrior-king in their nation’s history, who was destined to restore the Jewish people to independence and glory. They thought of a leader who would call them to arms and establish a new government. But Jesus was called to be a different kind of messiah. His silencing of the demons was an act of non-violence. He spoke constantly of the reign of God, but this was to be a reign of love, of non-violent resistance, and of peace, not of war. He was not there to call his followers to their swords, but to call them to the greater power of transforming their society into one of justice for the poor and love for one another.
Like Isaiah, Paul, Peter’s mother-in-law, and Jesus, I think we are all called to non-violence, service, healing, and proclamation of God’s love. I think we are called to reflect on how God’s unconditional love for us has given us new life, and how we can pass that love on to one another. Every tiny act of love adds to the collective love in the universe. Every selfless thought can help reduce the violence in our world. We can all help transform the world, a small step at a time. This can be a quiet, gradual, but very powerful revolution. We do all have a vocation, and there are no limits on how we answer God’s call.
So what do you think? How are we called? What are we sent to do in this world?

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February 04th, 2022

2/4/2022

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God's Word -- our Liberation!
Helen Weber-McReynolds, RCWP
Nehemiah 8: 2-6, 8-10; Ps. 19; Rev 5: 1-5; Luke 1: 1-4, 4: 14-21

Homily, 1/23/2022
When we think of the law these days, I know I tend to think of the negative consequences of breaking the law. I think of enforcement, of judgement, of people getting a ticket or being put in jail if they don’t obey the law. But law can also be positive. It can be a way of teaching people how to model their behavior so that they have the advantages of freedom and happiness. I think it’s very interesting that since the previous President was elected, and especially since the 1/6/21 insurrection at our nation’s capitol, there is a new interest in civics. There are all kinds of programs and resources to help learn about the laws of our voting system and even how to run for office. These have reminded people how the foundation of our government is constructed, and what makes it a democracy, and how it differs from (or maybe is teetering towards?) an autocracy. We have been reminded, by reporters, legal experts, and political analysts, over the past 5 years, how our votes are counted and the mechanics of our elections, from the local precinct to the electoral college, and how important it is that we guard these systems from interference. The law has been a teacher about how delicate our freedom can be.
                Our Hebrew ancestors thought of law as teaching. The word for the first five books of the Bible, commonly referred to as the Books of the Law, is Torah. But the literal definition of torah in Hebrew is instruction, and other meanings of torah can be teaching, guidance, or direction. We can recall from the book of Exodus, that the people of God asked for a law to live by, for a code of ethics, to help and guide them in making life decisions. God did not impose the law on the people unsolicited, and the law was not just a tool meant for judgement. It was for guidance and teaching.
                In our first reading, Nehemiah was reintroducing the word of the Torah to the people as they returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylonia. They wept at first hearing, realizing their shortcomings over the years. But then they celebrated with a festival of rich food and sweet wine, because they had relearned the teaching of God. They felt renewed in having a program of ethical guidance and justice parameters by which to rebuild their society. And it started with the reminder Nehemiah gave them about the festival—which amounted to, “Be sure to send a plate of food and a bottle of wine over to your neighbors who cannot provide for themselves.” A top priority of God’s law of love was that all of society must work together for the common good.
                The book of Revelation, from which our second reading comes, is thought to be a kind of coded account written for the people of the early church, to give them guidance and hope, but to avoid evoking persecution from the autocratic empire they were living under. It imitated the apocalyptic style of writing of the book of Daniel to help the early Christians look forward to better days, while maintaining belief in God’s love and the continued presence of the Christ among them. The message of this particular reading, about how the Holy One of God would unlock the scroll of God’s word, seems to be that the Christ reveals the truth of God’s word always and forever. We can continue to look to the teachings of Jesus and all the prophets for guidance and instruction.
                Our Gospel passage today recounts another presentation of God’s word, by Jesus. This is sometimes called Jesus’ first homily, though it was only one sentence long. He read the beautiful passage from the prophet Isaiah, announcing sight for the blind, release for prisoners, and good news for the poor. Then he said that this scripture had been fulfilled in the hearing of the people gathered there that day. In other words, Jesus seemed to say, the Spirit of God was upon him, he was anointed by God to bring this good news to the poor, and God had sent him to proclaim liberty to those held captive. But not him alone, we hear him say. Luke follows up, after this passage, by recounting how Jesus told the people that this good news was not only for all the faithful Hebrew people in the synagogue that day, but for all people, and cited several stories from the Hebrew scriptures of non-Jews who had heard and acted on God’s message of love. The people that day were not ready to hear that message, and reacted negatively, threatening to throw Jesus off a cliff. But the following passages in Luke testify that the people of the synagogue at Capernaum were more receptive, as were those in other synagogues around Judea.
                Jesus was already using scripture as a teaching tool here, early in his ministry. We are all anointed by God to spread God’s love, he was saying. We are all meant to help liberate one another from destructive, judgmental views of God, or from abusive religious practices that limit people from living the joy for which God created them. We are all called to open one another’s eyes to the limitless nature of God’s love, for all of us, and to the responsibility we have to share this love. We are especially called to share this good news with those most held captive by injustice, negativity, or the idea that they are unlovable. And we are called to not only share words, but also to send them a plate and a bottle of wine, if that’s what they need, recalling Nehemiah’s instruction, or to do whatever we can to help them materially. As Pope Francis has said, “You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. This is how prayer works.”
                God’s word, then, truly is Spirit and life. It is our liberation from oppression, and our promise of God’s eternal love. It is the key to how we can relate to one another in love. It is the teaching we need to live the lives of joy God meant for us.

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Called to be Prophets

2/4/2022

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Homily for 3rd Sunday of Advent: 12/12/21
Bishop Nancy Meyer

Today we are weaving together the joyful 3rd Sunday of Advent with the beautiful and important feast for all of us, Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our CCL readings took the liberty of using the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth since it is only scheduled once in the three-year cycle of the Sunday lectionary.
As we consider Elizabeth and Zechariah and the pregnancy that ensued, known today as a geriatric pregnancy, must have put them in some confusion even as they accepted it. Mary, on the other hand, must have been mystified, uncertain and frightened with her particular situation. None of them, none of them knew what the future was going to hold with their acceptance of the call. Such uncertainty, the unknowing in a difficult political and social time. Their life path had been intersected by an “out of the blue” call from God that disrupted their lives. Each responded affirmatively and thus this call and response put them on a path of transformation. What they envisioned their life to be was radically changed. You are on a new path, is what the call from God meant for them. You are on a new path, now.
Their response to the Holy One came out of deep contemplation that led to their ability to say yes. There always seems to be a struggle with a call or experience from God that leads us to a future that we had never imagined. We all know how that works because we live our life in the reality of Emmanuel, God-with-us. How will this discernment unfold to do what the call from God is asking? How will it impact not only myself but everyone I love and care about? There are a gamut of thoughts, feelings and gut responses as we ponder the invitation that our God extends to us!
In another story we heard today, Juan Diego was interrupted on his journey by an appearance of Mary. He lived in the era after the Spanish conquest of the native peoples in Mexico and Central America. It was a difficult life and they were poor. Juan was an indigenous Native Mexican peasant and minding his own business. When Mary appeared to Juan she spoke in the language of the Aztecs. She wanted this poor man to go tell the bishop that she wanted a church build on the site that she appeared. This is where our story takes up this morning. When the bishop did not believe him, Juan decided to go around the hill on the other side so that he would not be visited by the Lady. No problem for Mary, she came to the other side of the hill. Juan was trying to be cooperative but the bishop was not going to hear of it from him, without a sign. His suggestion to Mary was to engage someone for this job that was held in higher esteem. Mary would have none of it and knows what being poor and called, costs in life. We know the rest of the story and the Castillian roses held in his white garment that fell at the feet of the bishop. A beautiful basilica was eventually built on that site. More importantly, Mary is the mother of all peoples of the Americas. She has brought together humans that were at bloody odds with one another under the cloak of her love. We do not know what happened to Juan for the rest of his life but I feel confident that his life was never quite the same nor was his relationship to the Holy One.
The basilica of Guadalupe was the recent assembly of 1000 church leaders lay and religious, from Latin America and the Caribbean. This assembly called for “a more inclusive Church, one that pays attention to people’s realities, increased roles for women and excluded groups and combats clericalism.” The gospel, they reported, must be taken to the peripheries of society. Does this resonate with us? What a powerful message from this delegation that is part of the Synod that Pope Francis has called for in the entire church. This is a grace and a resolution proposed with vision and new life. Will this message be heard and acted upon as the Juan Diegos of today speak to the power structure? Our hope, my hope is that our many small, progressive, contemplative and outreaching communities will be messengers of God’s presence and action today in our life and world.
This Advent season, we are called amidst the turmoil, and unrest that swirls around us to live in hope and welcome transformation. Mary, Elizabeth, Zechariah and Juan looked to their future not knowing what it would hold but quite sure that Emmanuel would be with them. We have the same assurance. Can we hear the words of Zephaniah: “Do not be afraid, my people. Do not be discouraged. God will take delight in you, calming and claiming you with love.” Be assured my friends in all of our miseries right now our God is with us. We must continue to make space in our hearts to welcome and hear the Holy One’s invitation. We are called to embrace the transformation in hope that will happen to us and for us.

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No Right to Kill Others

How are we Called? What Are We Called to Do in the World?

February 04th, 2022

Called to be Prophets

Archives

Categories

Helen Weber-McReynolds, Pastor
317-691-1016/ Email
[email protected]

No Right to Kill Others

How are we Called? What Are We Called to Do in the World?

February 04th, 2022

Called to be Prophets

​Archives

Categories

Helen Weber-McReynolds, Pastor317-691-1016/ Email​[email protected]

Archives

Helen Weber-McReynolds, Pastor
317-691-1016/ Email
[email protected]