This is easy! Each week on Thursday I post my homily idea...my main focus for preaching this coming Sunday. What I am hoping for is a reaction from people in the pews. Does my "focus" connect with your daily life, faith, and experience? Or not? Either affirm the direction I am going in (by giving me an example from your life) or challenge me, ask for clarification! Questions are the best! Reaction rather than reflection is what I'm looking for here. Don't be afraid, get in the ring. Ole!
Friday, August 9, 2013
August 11th Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at USCCB.org
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00, 12:30 and 6:00pm
I appreciate your analogy of the restless sleep of an expectant mother and – while I don’t know if this next point is a proven fact – I can add from personal experience that I have never slept “the same” since those days of childbearing. My sleep is rarely uninterrupted – awaking at least once through the night – so that it takes on the quality of consistent expectation. I wonder if that tendency can also be applied to all those who, once their eyes have been opened to the reality of God’s Kingdom in our midst, never shake that belief and anticipation.
I think for some, “Kingdom” language is a bit nebulous and I like some of the descriptive verbiage that comes from our Catholic documents and prayers – “a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.” Those are beautiful words that paint a picture of a world for which we can hope and strive to attain. As you say, rather than hardening our hearts, we can recognize and use the gifts God has given us and join those to the gifts of others, knowing that together as one body we can work best for the glory of God. It is literally each day of our lives that we can choose to contribute to the flourishing of God’s Kingdom, or be a hindrance to the flow and exchange of truth and life, holiness and grace, justice, love and peace.
In listening to the video, I understand what you are saying, and I think a majority of people would say the same words as when Jesus said he is the bread of life, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?"
As a catholic community I really don't think we share enough with one another the work of the Lord in our midst, right here, right now, in the moment . . . which may make your words seem out of this world, esoteric, something from a saint's life long ago that is exaggerated. And we tend to compartmentalize. We are so focused on life in this moment, the "stuff" of THIS life, that the spiritual life, although just as real, takes a back seat. This is a deeper level of living, and examples of it, HOW to live this, HOW to be aware -- slow us down, Father, keep reminding us, it takes A LOT of practice -- would make the homily more effective, recognizeable.
2 comments:
I appreciate your analogy of the restless sleep of an expectant mother and – while I don’t know if this next point is a proven fact – I can add from personal experience that I have never slept “the same” since those days of childbearing. My sleep is rarely uninterrupted – awaking at least once through the night – so that it takes on the quality of consistent expectation. I wonder if that tendency can also be applied to all those who, once their eyes have been opened to the reality of God’s Kingdom in our midst, never shake that belief and anticipation.
I think for some, “Kingdom” language is a bit nebulous and I like some of the descriptive verbiage that comes from our Catholic documents and prayers – “a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.” Those are beautiful words that paint a picture of a world for which we can hope and strive to attain. As you say, rather than hardening our hearts, we can recognize and use the gifts God has given us and join those to the gifts of others, knowing that together as one body we can work best for the glory of God. It is literally each day of our lives that we can choose to contribute to the flourishing of God’s Kingdom, or be a hindrance to the flow and exchange of truth and life, holiness and grace, justice, love and peace.
In listening to the video, I understand what you are saying, and I think a majority of people would say the same words as when Jesus said he is the bread of life, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?"
As a catholic community I really don't think we share enough with one another the work of the Lord in our midst, right here, right now, in the moment . . . which may make your words seem out of this world, esoteric, something from a saint's life long ago that is exaggerated. And we tend to compartmentalize. We are so focused on life in this moment, the "stuff" of THIS life, that the spiritual life, although just as real, takes a back seat. This is a deeper level of living, and examples of it, HOW to live this, HOW to be aware -- slow us down, Father, keep reminding us, it takes A LOT of practice -- would make the homily more effective, recognizeable.
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