HOMILY

Today’s Liturgy of the Word leads us to reflecting on the kind of servant leadership Jesus taught, practiced and expects from his followers.   This theme was evident in the Women’s Ordination Worldwide Conference, in Philadelphia, that I attended the last few days.   The conference focused on equality for all people in issues regarding respect for gender differences, ordination of women and married men and global justice.

They reaffirmed our decision to use gender neutral names for God whenever possible.  I heard a challenge to our community to make our liturgies more inclusive in leadership, based on our baptism into a “priestly people,” a challenge we are eager to accept.  It will also help us to be prepared for “priestless” Sundays, led by leaders who are well-prepared and chosen by our community members.  Reflection on these issues and practices led me to realize that there is a vast difference between a hierarchical leadership which we were used to and chaos where everyone is equal but do not have a sense of their role in community for the good of all. 

We listened to speakers with direct experience of sexual exploitation and discrimination, racial inequality and prejudice with seminaries and religious orders of men and women.   Some of the information was difficult to listen to because of the pain that the speakers told about from their own experience and that of others.  A panel of women from several different countries  - Ireland, India, United States, Australia, African - who had been sexually abused by priests and seminarians told of how it had effected their lives and how difficult it was to deal with being treated by church and civil authorities as not worthy of their attention.  A panel of priests who had been laicized and, or defrocked for their support of women’s ordination told of they had dealt with the pain they experienced. 

A women who had done much research on discrimination against African-American women in religious orders in this country, shared several examples.  It was embarrassing to hear that this has gone on and is not completely eliminated.

On the other hand it was wonderful to be with women and men who are strong in standing up against discrimination because of sexual orientation, gender or race.  Roman Catholic women priests and bishops from different groups shared stories and enjoyed each other’s company. 

I got important information about Global Ministries University which I will share with anyone who is interested.

(At mass on Sunday people shared their reflections on the issues which I brought up.  Then we proceeded to the Liturgy of the Eucharist.)

Maria Thornton McClain, RCWP

September 20, 2015

HOMILY

August 30, 2015, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Moses told the people,  ”Now, Israel, hear the statues and decrees that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land that Adonai, the God of your ancestors, is giving you.  …”In your observance of the commandments of Adonai, your God, you must not add or subtract from that which I am giving you.”

Note that in those days the Jewish people didn’t as yet have a concept of reward other than in this life.   It wasn’t until Jesus’ time that a whole group of people believed in an afterlife and that sometimes people would have to struggle all their lives and keep the faith without seeing a reward.   Jesus taught by his example and words to love even to death, death on a cross.   That is the basic commandment of God: love God and neighbor as Jesus did, to the end, without expecting a reward in this life.    How each person lives that out is different. 

I imagine Pope Francis is not going to come out with a major teaching that same-sex marriage is acceptable, but he did show that he respects people’s efforts to love in their own way.  He apparently read the books that a lesbian woman sent him about a child having two mommies.  He sent her a letter and an Apostolic Blessing.  Now that’s love.  That’s his interpretation of how to follow the basic law of love of God and neighbor, both for him and for the two mothers!    

What about the loving compassion that leads people to spend their lives helping those who are mentally or physically impaired, addicted to drugs or other substances or behaviors!   What unselfish love it takes for people to help someone like Dee Curry and her efforts to live a healthy, productive life.   Pathways to Housing DC, is a nonprofit in DC that implements the Housing First model among those with severe mental illness.   Housing First offers the most vulnerable, chronically homeless people permanent housing and the supportive services to address mental and physical health, substance abuse, education and family reunification so that people can get back on their feet.  Many times the staff doesn’t see positive results at first or for a long time, though they do have an 85% success rate of keeping people off the street. 

Dee Curry came to them after many attempts to get away from drugs and homelessness.  She is happy to say, “They saved my life!’  In her long road back from chronic homelessness, Dee found navigating social services overwhelming.  The staff at Housing First was there for her every step of the way.  She now knows that she can trust them.  One staff person offered to accompany her to a job interview.  They stayed with her when she went back to drugs and lost her apartment.  They helped her find a way back. They taught her how to stay on a budget.   Now in her third apartment, no longer struggling with addiction, she says: “Finally I feel like myself.”   

Back to Moses and to Jesus, who quoted Isaiah, saying: “These people honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me.”  Jesus was interested in what was in people’s hearts.  He didn’t condemn the Pharisees for their beliefs.  He was questioning their motives.  He was teaching that actions must flow from deep convictions and be genuine expression of one’s praise or gratitude, of one’s need or reparation.  The discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees in Mark was a normal kind of dialogue that well-meaning Jewish people would have and still have over how a particular passage in scripture is best be interpreted. 

Our church hierarchy would do better, as Pope Francis is doing, to dialogue with people in a particular situation on how a law or commandment could best be applied.  That implies that people listen to each other and respect others’ honest point of view. 

Jesus readily forgave people who admitted their failures and were trying to do what was right.  The same thing is true for us.  Christ is always with us when we try to do what is right and speak the truth.  His concern is that his word take root in us.  Like the people in recovery at Pathways, who learn to trust loving people, we need to learn to trust that we are being led to wholeness, and to trust that we can trust our true selves.  At Seeds of Hope in Indianapolis, a home like Pathways, residents are required to keep a journal and spend one hour a day in prayer or reflection, another way to learn how to interpret God’s law of love.

So, there are some things that are essential to wholeness and some areas where we can make choices and need to make choices.  Some things are from God’s laws and are necessary and somethings where we need to discern what is best.  That’s where prayer and reflection come in for us, too.  The most important aspect is to have right relationships: kindness over cruelty, compassion over condemnation.

That’s the whole of God’s law and the key to how to interpreting what it means in a particular situation is to stay attuned to God’s word both personally and as a community through prayer, study and asking questions.

Maria Thornton McClain, RCWP

August 30, 2015

Hebrews 12:1-2

"We are surrounded by a so great crowd of witnesses…" probably meant those who had been martyred for their faith in Christ.  Other scholars think it meant their ancestors in the Jewish faith. 

The phrase connects with the next verse that talk about running a race,  keeping one's eye on the goal and persevering to the finish.  In the Greco-Roman world, runners were encouraged by the huge crowd gathered in the stadium watching the race.  Runners would strip themselves of anything that might encumber them.  The goal of the Christian is Jesus, urging the person to strain further.   We are not alone in our struggle. 

However, we are not to glorify suffering.  Some suffering is caused by structures and systemic sin and evil, such as racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia.  Being uncritical of suffering only perpetuates structural and systemic evil. 

Luke 12:49-53

Did Jesus really say: I have come to light a fire on the earth."?  Did he really say: "I have come to bring division."?  The Jesus who came to bring peace.  The division would be brought about by the coming judgment, the challenge of the new age.  In the gospel according to John he says that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.  The divisions had already started when these gospels were written.  Many Christians had been thrown out of the synagogues.  It may also have referred to the suffering and death Jesus himself would feel.  It would be physical suffering but also personal when relationships would be severed when disciples would choose to follow his way.

Maria McClain, RCWP

Scripture Readings for the Feast of the Living Presence/Body and Blood of Christ:
1st Reading - Genesis 14:18-20
2nd Reading - 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Gospel - Luke 9:11b-17

When do you experience a sense of awe and wonder? .................

What emotion does this bring up in you? ............ (Gratitude and praise to God)

Would you say that this also is an experience of the Divine? .................

[Note:  On Sunday, we didn't get past this section.  People had so many experiences they wanted to share.]

What other experiences have led people to a sense of awe and wonder?  (i.e. night sky, cathedrals of Europe, works of art and music, crowds of youth gathered in praise of God, in service to those who are poor, etc.)
Where has their gratitude led them?

[We started again here] What about the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, here with us - Christ who is both human and divine!  We come here or somewhere time after time because we believe  in this special living presence of Christ.

Why is this so important?  Why is everything we do here so important - from the opening song, the readings and reflection on those readings, the ritual of the words and actions we use, the music? …………  (Because we need to experience a closeness to the divine - Why? so that we, weak, forgetful humans continue to have the Spirit of Christ, the courage, the faith and eagerness, the love to go out from here to be Christ in our world.)

Every year we celebrate the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ to renew our enthusiasm for this awesome gift from God.  Every year on this day we read something about who Christ is for us.  This year we read about the ruler-priest Melchizedek who brought special bread and wine to Abram, blessed him in the name of God as a thanksgiving to God for Abram's being saved from his enemies.  In return Abram gave a tithe to the priest as a his sign of thanksgiving. 

Paul's account in 1 Corinthians of the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper uses the ritual formula he received from the faith community, the usual way a religious heritage is transmitted in most cultures.  Paul is showing that he has the authority to hand down the tradition, and that the Risen Christ is transmitting the tradition through the members of his Body, the Church.  

In that tradition, at the Last Supper Jesus showed the lines of continuity between the old and new covenants and making a clear distinction.  He focused on the bread and wine.  Faithful to Jewish etiquette, as either the head of the household or the host, he gave thanks and broke the bread.  Then he began a new covenant, a new bond between himself and his followers.   He identifies the bread as his body about to be given vicariously on behalf of those present. 

Again faithful to Jewish tradition, when the supper was over, Jesus took the cup and pronounced words over it as well.  He identified the cup with the new covenant and with his blood, which like sacrificial blood, ratified the covenant.  Jesus took the idea of a new covenant from a theme from Jeremiah (Jer. 31:31-34) and the blood ratification from the Jewish sacrificial system, incorporated them and reinterpreted them.  He showed that he is the offering himself.  He is giving himself for all who would come after him. Then Jesus charged his followers to repeat this memorial as a participation in his death and a sharing in the benefits that would come from it.

Now Christ continually gives what the dying Jesus gave once for all.  The past, present and future are merged as one: his death and resurrection, the ritual of remembrance enacted by communities of believers, and the future of his coming again.  Talking about awe and wonder - how can we even say these words without being in awe at the awesome privilege, joy and responsibility that is ours?  To show our gratitude to God we are called to be the living presence of Christ following the example of the first women and men disciples. 

Christ, where are you leading us?  The gospel gives us a clue.  See a need, ask Christ what to do about it, and then follow his instructions in a response of love. 

Let's go to the altar together and do what Jesus instructed us to do, asking for the courage to listen and follow the leading of his Spirit.

Maria Thornton McClain, RCWP
June 2, 2013

Homily by Maria McClain, RCWP, Pastor

What a rousing group of readings!  What do you think of that last paragraph of the Gospel?  "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven.  If you retain anyone's sins, they are retained."  Was Jesus speaking about the Sacrament of Reconciliation?  Was he exaggerating?   Was he saying that the Holy Spirit would make the disciples infallible?  What was he saying?
 
Think of the phrase "body and blood" we use for the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist?   We mean "the whole Jesus Christ" all of him - his mind and heart, desires, intentions, humanity, divinity."  The same is true with the opposites that John uses: "forgiven" and "retained."  They mean the whole authority of a leader or judge - "forgive, " "retain" and everything in between.  Like what?  What about negotiation,  setting priorities, boundaries, choosing leaders, trading, sharing?    In other words, Jesus gave the disciples complete authority to carry on his mission with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
 
That was the evening of the Resurrection.  Then Jesus left them, coming back occasionally for 40 days.  By that time Jews from all over the known world were starting to arrive for the festival of Pentecost (50 days after the Feast of Unleavened Bread)- - one of the three main holydays.  The disciples hid in someone's upper room because they were afraid that they would be killed like their leader, Jesus.
 
When Pentecost arrived, the power of the Holy Spirit, appearing in wind and flame, banished all their fear.  They began to understand that they were being called to embody the ministry Jesus had begun, to internalize it and carry out! 
 
 And by the way, who are you picturing was there?  Just a group of 11 men and Jesus' mother, Mary?   What about the women disciples, like Mary of Magdala and the other Mary?  The other disciples?  One account  (Acts 1:15) indicates that there were about 120 people.  Later in Acts it says that there were  only the eleven Apostles and all were men.
 
What did the power of the Holy Spirit bring?  Obviously joy, enthusiasm, knowledge, understanding, courage.  Some had the power to heal the sick, speak in tongues, travel to the distant parts of the Roman Empire to teach people about Jesus and his mission.  Did they understand everything all at once?  Apparently not.  We read later in Acts they that had arguments, some stole from the general fund and did other things that showed that they didn't get it completely.
 
One thing they did feel was the need for community.  They needed to get together to pray -  to worship God as Jesus had taught them, to pray for guidance, to eat the Bread of Life and drink the Cup of Salvation.  That naturally led them to a love so great that they would die for what they believed and for each other.   It led them to open their eyes and have empathy for those around them, their own community and those outside.  That empathy led them to actions.  That was what Jesus had done.  That's what they would do.
 
We are direct descendants of those disciples.  We have received the Holy Spirit!  We also need community.  We also need to worship God as Jesus taught, eat the Bread of Life and drink the Blood of Salvation.  We need to pray for guidance and show great love for each other and those beyond our community.   We also need to do what people everywhere do when they come to a gathering of family and friends.  We need to have a leader who calls the group together, a group of people who plan liturgies and recruit people carry out the various tasks: from setting up to cleaning up, and everything in between.
 
We're going to be personally recruiting more of you to be an active part of keeping this community alive and healthy, part of the ministries of lector, Eucharistic minister, hospitality ministry, usher and  more, part of visioning the future.  You already tell  others we are available for those who want to be part of an inclusive Catholic community.  We want more people to  know that this is a spiritual home for all people searching for inclusive leadership, language and ministry in the sacramental tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.   We want to be a community that is listening for and following the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
 
Pentecost calls us to gather around the table of Jesus Christ.  Like those Christians at the first Pentecost, we, too, can have our faith enflamed by  the Holy Spirit!   Let's go there together!
 
Maria Thornton McClain, RCWP
5/18/2013