Sunday, May 20, 2007

Homily, May 20

Wow! After a gospel like that, what can you say? Well, for me, that's never a problem (ha ha!) Seriously, today's gospel is one that should prompt all of us to serious reflection. But it's not just gospels that make us reflect. Anything can and should be a prompt for reflection. Sometimes reflection comes from the strangest places. A couple of examples: One of our ministers told me that some of the kids in our faith community are starting to referto each other as SOV-iers. How cool is that? Get it? SOViers = "Saviors"! Wow! That's a mind-blower. I mean, instead of getting uptight about dogma or whatever, these kids - OUR kids, are in tune enough to recognize each other as saviors. So I had to reflect - and I did, and I see the truth in this - that within our faith community, we are all saviors to each other, when we help each other, or when we are just there in communion. Isn't that what it's all about?

Then another thing that made me reflect was overhearing some of our brothers complaining about the feast of the ascension being moved from Thursday to Sunday. And that's just sad - sad that people get so hung up on one day of the week or another. I mean, how can you get so psychoempathically wrapped up in something that you get all bent out of shape becuase it gets moved to a different day? I'll tell you how - it's because you're looking for somebody to give you THE RULES, instead of just trying to be church. If these people would just get it, like the kids do, that you've got to be a SOVier, then our entire faith community might be like the apostles were - sharing, giving, loving people who redistributed their wealth and didn't get hung up about what day of the week a certain celebration was. Let's do that. Let's both reflect and BE reflections - reflecting each other like two mirrors face to face. How cool is that? How CHURCH is that?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting homily, Father. Perhaps "SOViers" could just be for the boys, and the girls could refer to each other as "SOViets" I think that would be right in line with where this parish is going.

Anonymous said...

I'm trying to figure out what that homily has to do with today's Gospel readings. As far as I can tell, nothing.

Adoro said...

Father, I'm just wondering if you get your inspiration and if this parish gets their energy from the green tea leaves Fr. Juno found in Keith's red backpack?

Father Tim said...

Adoro,

Cool name! Is that Italian? That's a really neat question about where I get my inspiration. I guess you could say that green tea plays a part, since I think we're just now recapturing the Oriental aspect of faith. I read a great book once about how Jesus spent his teenage years studying with the great masters in China, and I suppose the tea thing is my totemic way of being in solidarity. I really wasnt' aware until just recently that Keith was into green tea, but now that I know that he is, I'm going to have to invite him over to the rectory for "incense & tea night" a little tradition we started back before Fr. Juno got sent here. The first A.P. (before Fr. Juno) was a really cool guy who had actually been to China and was lucky enough to come up through the ranks at St. Mary's Seminary. Anyway, I'm getting way off topic here, but just between you and me, I'm thinking of leaning on Keith to see if he has "The Call". I'm getting loads of pressure from the chancery to get at least one seminarian out of this faith community, and frankly, I'm getting a little old for the volume that Keith's Worship-Rock band puts out.

Fr. Tim

Che' Lovell said...

You know Father Tim, I'm starting to think that some of these "anonymous" people are not very far along in their spiritual journeys. I don't think they want to be Saviors to each other but just want someone to tell them what to do all the time like you were saying.

Maybe it's a good time to talk some more about those involuntary lock-ins I suggested last year. You know the "film festivals?" I know that if you watch Erin Brokovich five times in a row it has a powerful spiritual effect.

EegahInc said...

Perhaps the "anonymous" have simply hardened their hearts to the point that they can't recognize the empowering messages so plainly stated in the readings.

"The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let EVERYONE who hears say, “Come.”" Sure sounds like we're all SOViors to me!

"And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift." Amen! To each according to their needs! Hmm, in that spirit, perhaps your parish should consider opening a Free Frame of Reference store.

Che' Lovell said...

Dear eegahinc,

Cool! Britnee and I were talking about how it's great to have more "e's" in your name and you have two at the beginning! I mean I'm kind of stuck with one.

I see from your own blog that you like movies. You know one of my favorite movies of all time is "Blood of Heroes" with Rutger Hauer. It was great! Maybe you can suggest films for the involuntary lock-in film festival. My idea is that sometime during mass we lock the doors and windows so no one can get out and show Julia Robert's films like my Best Friend's Wedding which will teach us to be more inclusive of diverse sexual preferences. We're also going to read some of the more sensual e. e. cumming's poems (note he has two e's right at the beginning like you which are awesome!)

Father Tim says our parish might not be ready for involuntary lock-ins but I think Maryann is going to back me up.

Anonymous said...

Hey Fr. Tim!

I was thinking, wouldn't it be cool since your faith community has, like, Vatican 2 in its name, that maybe I should donate a copy of the documents of Vatican 2 to you guys. What do ya think?

Also perhaps you should become brother/sister church with St. Andrew the Apostle in Syracuse. Sound like a cool idea or what?

http://www.catholic-church.org/standrew/

Kevin Whiteman said...

I just stumbled and fumbled my way in here via The Curt Jester. I haven't stopped laughing yet!!

Keep up the good work my siblings of undetermined gender.

Vir Spealuncae Catholicus,
Self Procalimed Official Watchdog over the Judas Iscariot Fan Club & Circle Jerk Society (aka: The USCCB)

Anonymous said...

Tim,
I am SO glad someone finally called those (probably)neocons who are bitching about wanting to go to church on Thursday instead of sunday.
That is just dumb.

-Britnee

Anonymous said...

Ohmigoshohmigoshohmigosh
TIM TIM TIM!

Can we PLEASE start some kind of sister church program with St. Andrew that anonymous mentioned??
It looks SO MUCH like SOV2 - they celebrate peacemaking, have liturgical celebrations in the SOV2,(not OUR parish, silly!) celebrate and strengthen each other, and have a GAY AND LESBIAN church TWICE A MONTH!!
And Tim, that is just on their home page - I'll bet if I looked around, I could find more awesome stuff. Tim, do you know they have a Dorothy Day award?
We don't have that do we? Why?
Can we start some sort of parish exchange program?
Let's brainstorm at a meeting in the sacristy before church next time I am there.
-Britnee