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Daily Scripture

+ 7th Week of Easter

Much ado about nothing or, is there something to it?

Readings: Acts 19:1-8 Psalm 68:2-7 John 16:29-33

Paul traveled through the interior of the country and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered him, “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” [Acts 19:1-3]

Depending on one’s sacramental theology and pastoral practice, this text has been variously interpreted. For example, those who work with the RCIA (catecheumenate) hold that the sacrament of Confirmation should be administered with Baptism as it was in the early Church. It is one of the sacraments of initiation—Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. The Eastern Rite of the Roman Catholic Church has retained the tradition of administering all three at Baptism. Yes, the infant receives a small piece of the Eucharist bread. And so in the Eastern Rite, there is no formal celebration of First Holy Communion at the age of reason or Confirmation by the bishop at whatever age the local diocese has determined the age of maturity appropriate for Confirmation. All three sacraments are administered shortly after birth.

Others feel that the celebration of First Communion and Confirmation at a later age ensures the participation of youngsters in parish religious education programs – at least until Confirmation. In this case, many Catholics view Confirmation as the completion of or graduation from religious studies.

In recent years I have become convinced that the RCIA folks and the Eastern Rite Catholics have it right. All three sacraments of initiation should be administered together. First Holy Communion and Confirmation have become more social than spiritual. I do not mean to suggest that there is no connection or that there should be no celebration after sacramental ceremonies but for many, the accent is on the wrong syllable.

The path from Baptism to Christian maturity is life-long and the benchmarks for progress are not easily measured by grouping children by age or grade level for a period of preparation that is largely academic.

This is not to suggest that religious education is optional. Faith development is unique to each person within the context first of family and then of parish. Religious education / formation is intended to provide insight into faith development at an age-appropriate level.

Catholicism has become ‘child-centered’ the result of which, we have an adult population whose religious and spiritual development stopped at Confirmation.

The celebration of Eucharist is the primary setting for faith formation. Religious education is a necessary component but detached from Eucharist, it remain just another subject to master.

Of course this all assumes that the parish celebration of the Eucharist is truly inclusive and meaningful rather than just an empty ritual. The parish at worship should be a rendition of a community of faith that strives to live its faith ‘in the town square’ as I mentioned in Sunday’s homily.

Notwithstanding my commitment to religious dialogue, I do believe that effective dialogue is based on the assumption that although both parties are knowledgeable about the topic. Though they may have different perspectives, they are not based on ignorance of the subject.

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time 'B'

Sunday September 13, 2009

Sometimes you just have to ride things out.

Despite the advances in pre-school education and sophisticated internet connections, children still learn best from their earliest at their ‘family table,’ (literal and metaphoric) the basic rules for successful living that include anything from good manners to dealing with crises and life-threatening situations.

Axioms and words of wisdom that flowed from my parents and grandparents at table still stick in my memory. Many of them did not have a full impact on my life until years later.

Indeed, as I grew up and got knocked around a bit by situations and circumstances beyond my control, I began to understand the import of my dad’s words of wisdom, “Ken, sometimes you just have to ride things out.” Life is not always under our control. The truth is, life is rarely under our control! One sage put it this way, “Life is what actually happens when you’re setting your goals.”

Jesus was a master teacher. In fact he was called ‘The Teacher’ or Rabbi. He was an itinerant preacher. I don’t think he expected his disciples to grasp the full meaning of his sayings just as I’m sure my mom and dad did not expect me to grasp the full meaning of their maxims as they spoke them. In fact Jesus’ companions would not see the light until after Pentecost. The full impact of my dad’s words didn’t hit until long after ordination.

When we come to this Eucharist every week and listen to the Scriptures, we bring a lot of baggage with us—our life story and our life stories. Each of us hears the words of Scripture in a way slightly different from our neighbor or even from other members of our family. We filter the words of the Bible through the lens of our human experience and connect them with real life issues and events—past, present and even future as we anticipate them but there is always at least one lesson for everyone.

It is interesting that Mark sandwiched this little exchange with Peter between two other exchanges. The first occurred earlier in this same chapter in Peter’s ‘confession’ of Jesus as the Messiah: “Now Jesus and his disciples set out for the village of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ and then he asked them, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ Peter said to him in reply, ‘You are the Messiah.’ The other exchange is Peter’s response to the Transfiguration found in the ninth chapter: “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.”

Mark was apparently making the point that Peter didn’t have a clue before or even after Jesus’ reprimand about what it meant to be ‘Messiah.’ Peter later denied Jesus at his arrest not once but three times. He didn’t get it until he himself faced his own ‘Gethsemane’ and crucifixion.

Many years ago as a young priest, I was on a retreat for priests at a seaside retreat house. The retreat director said something that has never left me. We were in the conference room that faced the ocean. As he was speaking, I was looking out into the sea but I was listening attentively. The conference was a meditation on the passion and death of Christ. He said to us, “You will never be worth your salt as a priest until you have accompanied Jesus at Gethsemane at least once.”

At the time, I thought I understood what he meant but I didn’t have a clue. After all, I had been a priest only ten years or so at that time and had yet to experience anything even close to Gethsemane—I just thought I had. The clerical world can be very closed and protected at times.

God did not send his son to suffer and die in protest or as a punishment to make up for humanities sins, he sent him to live fully and faithfully with enthusiasm for life. Jesus accepted his call but in doing so, it became clear to him that it would cost him his life, a strange paradox indeed. Jesus ‘rode it out’ to the very end but in the end was raised up in glory.

In a book entitled, “My Grandfather’s Blessings” by Rachel Remen I came upon this bit of wisdom:

“Whether we are aware of it or not, we will refine the quality of our humanity throughout the course of our lives. More and more, people seek spiritual techniques to help them do this. But joy and suffering will do this for you, too. Every lifetime offers countless opportunities to become more whole.”

“Life offers its wisdom generously. Everything teaches. Not everyone learns. Life asks of us the same thing we have been asked in every class: ‘Stay awake.’ ‘Pay attention.’ But paying attention is no simple matter. It requires us not to be distracted by expectations, past experiences, labels and masks. It asks that we not jump to early conclusions and that we remain open to surprise. Wisdom comes most easily to those who have the courage to embrace life without judgment [or condition] and are willing to not know, sometimes for a long time. It requires us to be more fully and simply alive than we have been taught to be. It may require us to suffer. But ultimately, we will be more than we were when we began. There is the seed of a great wholeness in everyone.”

There was a woman in my life other than my own dear mother who was a quiet and sometimes not-so-quiet mentor whom I met much later in my life as a priest. She was our housekeeper and cook at St. Joseph. Mary Lou also known by her own children and dear friends as “Lulu.”

She experienced her Gethsemane early in life with the death of her husband not long after the birth of the last of her eight children one of whom died at the age of two. Mary Lou knew all about life without ever having to go to theology class. She was a gifted cook but more than that, she was woman of homey wisdom who knew how to make lemonade when handed a lemon. She completed her daily tasks day in and day out and never asked why she was dealt a tough hand. She always found time to do nice things for others without fanfare.The Lord was her shepherd, no doubt about it and the Lord upheld her to the very end.

Rachel Remen concluded the introduction to her book with these words: “According to those who have returned from a near-death experience, we are all here to grow in wisdom and learn how to love better. As we each do this in our own ways, we slowly become a blessing to those around us and a light in the world.”

Amen!