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August 30, 2008
Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Taking the Heat
Most folks in Chicago’s South Side remember vividly the events that occurred at the Church of St. Sabina this past summer. Father Michael Pfleger, pastor there for the past 30 years, incurred the wrath of some Chicago Catholics for remarks he made at a neighboring non-Catholic church regarding Hillary Clinton’s nomination for President. Events became so heated that Cardinal George decided to give Father Pfleger two weeks off for rest and reflection.
Several points must be noted, however. First, Michael Pfleger is white although people say he thinks and preaches like black pastor.
Moreover, he has worked hard to assist the Black community improve living conditions on this Southside area: He has made war on drug dealers, reported to the police liquor stores that made sales to minors; he has prevented gun skirmishes between gangs, fought discrimination and more. The Catholic population at St. Sabina has risen from several hundred to over two thousand during his pastorate. In short Michael Pfleger has been the salvation of those who live in the area of St. Sabina. He is, without a doubt a social and religious activist.
Some say, of course, that he is a “grandstander” one who seeks attention by preaching like Black pastors. Of course, his parishioners are predominately black. So, that tells a tale.
Michael Pfleger has received a great deal of hate mail and threatening phone calls over his style of pastoring and preaching. His response is that he has fought for justice and equality since the day, as a teenager, he heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak in Grant Park. That is when his mission for justice first began.
My feeling is that Father Pfleger, despite his particular style, is truly a prophet. He speaks prophetic words for which he often “takes the heat.” He’s ok with that.
The scriptures: Jeremiah 20:7-9; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27
Posted by Cindy Lentine at 01:58 PM.
August 24, 2008
Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time - Striking Resemblance
During a visit to my home in North Dakota last summer for the celebration of my 50th anniversary of ordination, our extended family gathered for a picnic where we discussed “old times.” Part of the afternoon was spent digging out photos and commenting on what we looked like in those days.
Fortunately, my dear sister had managed to find an early group photo of some grade school students all lined up on the steps of the school that all of us eventually attended. We looked closely at each youngster, trying to remember a name that would go with a face.
Suddenly, someone said, “Hey, Father Clem, here’s a picture of your dad and his two sisters.” And so it was! Someone else said: “You know, you still look just like your dad, same facial features and all.” I looked closely at it but I could not see any resemblance at all. Later, I took the photo home and looked at it more closely. Then I looked in the mirror and finally I said to myself: “By golly, there is a resemblance there.” Hmmm.
It does seem to me, of course, that people other than ourselves can often detect comparisons better than we can. Perhaps we should trust their judgment.
I can honestly say too that I still frequently find myself sing certain words and phrases that I remember my father using. I can almost hear his voice in mine. Astonishing!
Perhaps that tells us that the same genes run deeply in our families and our relationships.
That brings up two issues that appear (at least, for me) in the gospel for this Sunday. The first question: What did Jesus look like? Whom did he resemble? Surely no one like the Renaissance painters made him appear: Pale-skinned, well-trimmed beard, clean, white robe. No, I’m sure he must have resembled Arabic men we often see in photos from the Middle East today.
The other question is this: What was the public perception of Jesus in his time? Surely, he must have raised a lot of eyebrows. Jesus was the kind of person, after all, whom you could not simply disregard. He was different, he did and said prophetic things. Hence, some people probably thought of him as a rabble-rouser a disturber of the peace, a man who could make things difficult for his own people by inciting the anger of Rome. But some also might also have thought of him as a brilliant orator, a worker of signs, a compassionate healer?
Finally, Jesus’ curiosity got too much for him: He decided to ask his closest associates what they were hearing about him out there on the road. Some interesting answers surfaced: “Some people”, they said, “think you resemble John the Baptist, because you say some pretty hard things. You’re pretty tough on people. Others feel that you resemble Isaiah, Jeremiah or one of the great prophets of old. They too were political and religious critics.”
Then came a break in the conversation and Jesus finally asks the “insiders” what they think. After all, they have been with him for some time. Surely, they should have a deeper insight about Jesus than the crowds. Peter jumps in as usual and says. “Actually, Lord, I’m convinced that you are the Messiah, Son of the living God.” For that answer, Peter’s career was locked in. He was on his way to Rome!
Of course, that still leaves each of us with the question: What do we think of Jesus? We already know what the disciples thought. If we can truthfully answer that question for ourselves without being distracted by the various answers the world suggests, then we can be confident that we are truly living stones, part of the Rock who holds us all together. Now that’s a resemblance worth considering.
The scriptures: Isaiah 22: 15, 19-23; Romans 11: 33-26; Matthew 16: 13-20
Posted by Cindy Lentine at 09:05 AM.
August 17, 2008
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Never Give Up!
We can say many wonderful things about the human spirit: We love, we are compassionate, we are sometimes angry, we sometimes cry out for joy or out of sadness, we defend righteousness, we defend those in whom we believe. Most of all, however, we never give up, even if we feel that our cause has no chance of success.
It all starts even when we are little children: “Ma, can I have another cookie?” No!” “Ma, I have to go to the bathroom!” “Go!” “Dad, may I have the car for the prom?” “I’ll think about it.” Mom, is this dress too risqué?” “Would you wear it to church?”
Think too about congressmen and women who speak endlessly in favor of some political issue? Do they always win their causes? Sometimes yes, mostly no, but does that keep them from pressing on? Not at all. Think about Hillary Clinton and her plea for universal health care! Issues, therefore, are often personally important to them; so, they seldom give up. The fact that they persisted through hours of debate tells you where their passions are
Then, of course, there are Christians, Catholics and many others as well, who pray to God for special religious or personal human causes: “Please, Lord, do not let my daughter die! “ “Please, Lord, give my brother the strength to stop drinking.” “Please, Lord, bring my kids home safely from the prom.”
Perhaps the daughter does die, but the kids do get home safely. The brother somehow does manage to muster the courage to get off the bottle.
In other words, it is easy to thank God when the outcome of our prayer is successful. The question to ask, of course, is this: What happens when a cause does not break our way?
It seems to me that most folks, whether or not they are people of faith, usually can cope with critical issues even though some turn out to be a disaster. Do they stop praying altogether? Not at all. The fact that they persisted with their cause, even in he midst of darkness, is itself an act of faith. If they had stopped pleading with their God, what would that have meant? It would have meant failure, of course, lack of trust in ones own cause.
This is the situation we find in the gospel for this forthcoming Sunday: A lady approaches Jesus to ask if he would (or could) heal her daughter who was mentally ill. First, let me suggest that this was one tough lady. She knew that Jews considered her, a Canaanite, socially second-class. Did that stop her from pleading her cause with Jesus, a Jew? Not at all, not even after Jesus suggested that his healings (like bread) were not meant to be thrown to the “dogs.” At this point, she shows how plucky she can be: “Listen here, sir,” she says, “even the dogs lap up he crumbs that fall under the table, right?”
“You win,” Jesus says; this is obviously a cause that is deeply important to you. How can I say no to a mother who loves her little girl?”
At that point, Jesus makes a peculiar remark: “Lady, you have great faith, your wish will come to pass.” Actually it did! But what sort of faith are we dealing with here? Supernatural faith? Faith in the God of Israel? Faith in Jesus, the Jew who had just insulted her? No, my sense is that Jesus is commending her because of her courage, her persistence, and her conviction regarding the cause of her child. I can just hear Jesus muttering to himself: “Wow, here’s a lady who won’t give up. It would be a shame if I did nothing for her. The fact that she is a woman and a Samaritan means nothing to me. It would be the height of racism if I refused her plea.
Given all this, I believe there may a lesson hidden in this story, namely, if we don’t have a cause to fight for and if we don’t truly believe in it, then don’t pray. That would be an insult to God. My hunch, however, is that most of us can’t bring ourselves to do that! We do have causes and we pray for them, even if the final outcome does not fall our way. Faith in God and in yourself will do that to you.
The scriptures: Isaiah 56 1 6-7; Romans 11: 13-15, 29-32; Matthew 15: 21-28
Posted by Cindy Lentine at 11:36 AM.
August 10, 2008
The 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Discovering Silence
In the year 1984, the German filmmaker, Philip Groning, sent a letter to the abbot of the Carthusian order at the Grand Chartreuse, deep in the French Alps. He asked if it might be possible for him to come to the monastery and film the daily course of their monastic schedule. He would not interfere with their personal lives; He just wanted to be among the monks to get a sense of what the life of silence and penance might look like to an outsider and why an individual might choose to practice it in such a severe form.
The abbot wrote to Mr. Groning and said that he would consult with his brother monks and get back to him. He did, indeed, get back to him but only after a lapse of 16 years! Of course, the life of Carthusian monks does not move very swiftly. They are not going anywhere soon.
Philip Groning was particularly interested in understanding what drew these men to monastic life and how they could withstand the long hours and days of work, prayer and silence.
He then lived with the monks for a year and totally immersed himself in the hush of monastic life during all its seasons. At year’s end, he returned to Germany and produced the award-winning film now entitled Into Great Silence.
It has since become so popular that folks of all religious persuasions are flocking to see it. Some even say that it is a kind of “personal retreat”, all three hours of it.
It has often occurred to me that monastic life has always attracted people. It’s not that most would personally choose to enter a monastery, but the very life itself seems so fascinating, so different, so challenging. Perhaps it is the silence itself that is a mystery to some.
Of all the many human gifts, speech and communication seem to be the ones that define us as human. Hence, to voluntarily give up all this seems a great mystery in itself. Why would anyone not want to talk?
It might also seem to some that silence is a penance or that that it is meant to help the monks pray “better.” But my sense is that practicing silence as a penance is defeating its very purpose.
Rather, it seems to me, silence may well help the individual pray, but that can only happen if one can first discover his inner being, his heart’s desire, his reason for living. When one comes to such a sense of peacefulness, then prayer is already happening.
It might also be said, of course, that the regimen of silence should not be limited to life in a monastery. However, I think some people have already found ways to pray right in the midst of the hustle and bustle of city life. Many have found a personal monastery in their cubicle at work or in the noise of a manufacturing plant.
I admit that a monastery deep in the Alps might provide a more conducive setting, but places of contemplation happen where they happen. It’s what we make of them that ultimately count.
I have watched the film several times and have always come away refreshed and chastened. Would I now immediately head off to a Carthusian monastery? Not a chance! But, experiencing silence from a recliner is probably the next best thing.
Readings: 1 Kings 9: 11-13; Romans 9: 1-5; Matthew 14: 22-33
Posted by Cindy Lentine at 03:25 PM.
August 02, 2008
The 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Free Lunch?
There are two old sayings most of us may remember: No Free Lunch and The Best Things in Life are Free. The modern world, of course, would insist that the former is true: If you can’t pay for it, you don’t get it! The idealists among us, on the other hand, would claim that there is enough of everything for everyone to have at least a small portion.
Other idealists would add that material things are not necessarily the most precious commodities in life. So, how do the ideal and the so-called real worlds deal with these questions?
People who deal in the money and commodities markets will tell you that you have to take care of yourself: Get a job, save up, don’t waste your money, don’t run up your credit card balance. No one is going to bail you out.
For the most part, that’s how it is in the world today: You have to take care of yourself; you can’t depend on your neighbor. He or she may be kind, but kindness only goes so far. There comes a time when even kindness itself runs out.
Yet, here we have Jesus insisting in Matthew’s gospel that even if someone has only a few loaves of bread and a couple fish and decides to make them go around, they will go around even for a large crowd of people. It is also interesting to note that Jesus did not do the distribution in this case. He put his disciples to work, and, of course there was enough to go around. That little bit of instruction tells us that if we want to be declared disciples of Jesus we have to make material things go around. No miracles in this instance!
The second question is this: What is truly precious in our life? What is worth saving up? Isaiah the prophet asks the question: “Why spend your money for what is not bread, your wages on what will not satisfy? Obviously, all of us appreciate a piece of bread for breakfast, a cinnamon roll with coffee. The better question is this: What could we describe as food for the mind, for the spirit? What will last, not just between breakfast and dinner, but rather what will give our total person the sustenance it needs between birth and death?
My sense is that it has to be something more than food for the stomach. I would suggest such things as silence, quietness, a comfortable place to sit and meditate, a book of poetry, a copy of the New Testament, some music in the background, a few moments in church on your way home from work, perhaps even an occasional visit to the museum or a night at the symphony. Obviously, these are not for free, but they will definitely satisfy our hunger for things of the spirit, the deep things in life, those that will finally give total satisfaction to the whole person.
Finally, one must still say that the best things in life are truly free if we can find a way to discern what they are; and when we do, we will never be hungry again.
The scriptures: Isaiah 55: 1-3, Romans 8: 35-37, Matthew 14: 13-31
Posted by Cindy Lentine at 12:39 PM.
