Life and Death

Today is my birthday, and at 78 I can no longer deny the fact that I’m gradually turning into…well, an old man. Other than occasional aches and pains, though, I don’t feel very old. And unlike many others, I’m certain I don’t look my age, but then I really don’t spend much time in front of mirrors. I’m still active, and try to make my doctor happy by slimming down to a healthier, more comfortable weight. I don’t run anymore, but my dog, Maddie, and I walk a few miles each day. My brain seems to be a reasonable facsimile of the brain I used as a younger man. Okay, I admit I suffer from occasional short-term memory lapses, but I blame this on the fact that my brain cells must store 78 years of rather intense memories and a tremendous amount of largely useless information, so there’s probably not much room in there for a lot of new stuff. And searching all those cells for memories, new or old, takes some time. I suppose, then, I should be happy given that I’ve been up and about and doing fairly well since leaving the womb on September 13, 1944. But whenever I start to feel so very good about myself, God comes along and points to someone who reminds me of my weaknesses and the amazing strength of others.

This afternoon, while searching through my messy, unorganized bookcases for a particular book, I came across another, a book I bought and read many years ago. I recall spotting it on a shelf in a used bookstore and being intrigued by its unusual title, Noor-un-nisa Inayat Kahn (Madeline). After flipping through its pages, I bought the book for just a couple of dollars. But once I began reading, I couldn't put it down and finally finished it late that evening. 

I was captivated by the subject of this true story about a remarkably brave young woman. It was the story of Noor Inayat Khan, an Indian-born, Sufi Muslim who volunteered as an undercover agent for the British Special Operations Executive during World War Two. In June of 1943 she was flown to a secret landing site in France. For the next four months she worked with the French resistance radioing critical information back to London. While in Paris, she was betrayed to the Germans and captured in October 1943. She underwent a month of vicious interrogation during which she revealed nothing. Labeled an "extremely dangerous prisoner," she was sent to Germany where she was imprisoned for months in solitary confinement with her hands and feet shackled. Eventually Noor was sent to Dachau and summarily executed along with three other female undercover agents captured by the Germans: Yolande Beekman, Elaine Plewman and Madeleine Damerment. Their bodies were burned in the camp's crematorium.

Dachau Crematorium 

It was then I discovered that all four women were executed on the day I was born, September 13, 1944. I found this particularly moving since I had actually visited Dachau with my family in the winter of 1951, not that many years after their deaths. Although I was just seven years old at the time, that visit made a lasting impression on me, especially the crematoria. Now, 78 years after their deaths, I find myself celebrating a birthday while at the same time thanking God for Noor Inayat Kahn are her three courageous, freedom-loving companions whose lives ended just as mine was beginning. 

Life and death, beginnings and endings -- every ending, every death, brings a new beginning, new life. How did Jesus put it?

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” [Jn 12:24-25].

When I once related this story to a friend, who lives a rather closed version of Christianity, he stated it was too bad the Kahn woman was a Muslim because she could never be saved. I, of course, disagreed and chastised him for assuming he could tell God to whom He could extend His mercy. Before he could respond I just quoted Jesus:

"Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” [Jn 15:13].

Though these four women never knew me, I think of myself as one of their friends. I pray for the souls of these wonderful women every day and especially on this day when so many wish me a "Happy Birthday." For them, we pray, it was a happy day of new birth.

Remembering 9/11

I suppose everyone over the age of 25 has a 9/11 story, a story that answers the question, "Where were you when the terrorists attacked?" My own story isn't very dramatic, and compared to those directly involved, I was a mere spectator, and a distant one at that. 

As I recall that day, September 11, 2001 -- like December 7, 1941, a "date which will live in infamy" -- I find it particularly odd that I first heard of the attack from a woman seated in an office in London, England. At the time I was employed by Excel Switching, a manufacturer of programmable telecommunications switches, located in Hyannis, Massachusetts. We had recently been acquired by Lucent Technologies and were integrating into their organization.

That morning I was on a conference call with a dozen or so people from around the world, when the woman in London exclaimed, "Oh, heavens! I just saw it on the telly. A plane flew into the World Trade Center in New York. It looks very bad indeed." I asked her, "Can you see what the weather's like in New York?" I knew it was a beautiful September day on Cape Cod, but it could be very different 200 miles away in New York City. "It looks like a nice, sunny day," she said, "Blue sky and I can see no clouds." Hearing that, and based on some common sense and my years as a Navy pilot, I knew one thing: it was no accident. No pilot accidentally flies into a large building in Manhattan on a beautiful, clear, sunny day. I was certain it was intentional, and, given the target, likely a terrorist attack, and said so. The others were not so certain. Of course, at this point we didn't know the type of aircraft involved. Was it a small civilian plane or a commercial airliner? But knowing a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center was disturbing enough that I suggested we end the call so we could sort out what had happened. I was thinking of our technical support people in the field, especially those who might be in New York working on or installing equipment.

Leaving my office I ran into one of our VPs and together we made our way to our spacious lunchroom where many of our employees had already gathered to witness the events on a large-screen TV. Minutes later we saw the second plane, another large Boeing 767, fly into the south tower and any lingering doubts about the nature of the attack disappeared. The tragedy then accelerated as we heard of the attack on the Pentagon and watched in horror as the two towers collapsed before our eyes. Finally, we heard the news of the crash of United 93 in that farmer’s field in Shanksville, PA. I later learned that two people I knew well, one a Navy intelligence officer and the other an employee of Washington Group International, died in those attacks on the Pentagon and New York. 

The suddenness and enormity of the attacks united the nation. In our grief for the victims and their families, and our outrage over those responsible, we seemed to come together as a nation determined to do what was necessary to bring the terrorist leaders to justice and prevent more attacks. 

Did we accomplish this? Well, during those 19 years we killed a lot of terrorists, along with most of their original leadership. But leadership vacuums fill quickly by those waiting in the wings, and terrorists are especially good at forming new organizations to attract another cadre of discontents. I suspect it wasn’t hard to convince the new recruits that all their problems had Western and Judeo-Christian roots. We also tried to effect major societal change in nations like Afghanistan. But despite our best efforts, we were unable to consummate the marriage of Islam and representative democracy, quite likely a hopeless task that never should have been attempted. 

The costs of all this have been tremendous, both in lives — the lives of young Americans, the very best of their generation — and in national treasure. What should we have done? On this, my thoughts haven’t changed, but this is not the time or place to air them — perhaps some other time.

Today, 19 years later, our nation is certainly different. Seemingly divided by almost every measure — political, economic, racial, spiritual... — as a people most of us stand on the sidelines watching a tiny minority rampage through our cities as they try to destroy the very fabric of the nation that tolerates their gross stupidity. Do we face a new kind of terrorist, one spawned by our own communities and nurtured in families where God has been evicted and replaced by a materialism that never satisfies? Is this new terrorism taught overtly in our schools and universities where academic freedom has been crushed by the political correctness of the far left? I suppose we are all, in a sense, guilty because, wrapped up in our own lives, we have turned away and allowed this to happen. 

Pondering our societal inaction, the lack of courage displayed by our unwillingness to confront that which is tearing us apart from within, I can't help but recall the true courage of the passengers on United 93. As that Boeing 757 flew above Pennsylvania, speeding toward our nation's capital, those passengers knew exactly what awaited them if they did nothing. Faith and courage overpowered their fears that morning and they did what had to be done. How did Jesus put it?

"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" [Jn 15:13].

Those men and women of Flight 93 are indeed our friends, and we must never forget them and all those others who gave their lives that fateful day. And let us remember, too, all our service men and women who have sacrificed so much so others can live their lives in peace.    

As we struggle to regain our courage as a people, perhaps we should embody those words of Todd Beamer who led the charge on Flight 93. As he rose from his seat to confront the hatred and evil that faced him and his companions, Beamer simply said:

"OK, let's roll!"

I think we've got some rollin' to do.

 

Homily: Monday, 7th Week of Easter

Readings: Acts 19:1-8; Ps 11; Jn 16:29-33
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I think sometimes we forget the wonders of the Blessed Trinity. Too often it seems we try to divide our loving God, separating Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yes, they are three divine persons, but three persons in one God, bound together intimately in a way we will certainly never fully understand in this life.

In the gospels Jesus leaves behind wonderful insights into the depths of this divine relationship. We encounter an example of this is today’s passage from John’s Gospel, a selection from Jesus’ Last Supper Discourses. In the verses immediately before this passage, Jesus had given the disciples a taste of the the divine relationship of Father, Son, and Spirit. 

The disciples had longed to hear this. Undisguised, no longer hidden in parables, His words pointed to the inspiriation they would receive through the gift of the Holy Spirit, who would come and guide them to all truth. As Jesus told them:

“He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you” [Jn 16:13-14].

Hearing these words, do you get the sense of the intimacy between Son and Spirit, that nothing separates them? Yes, that time is coming when Jesus will speak to them, and to us, and do so through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 

We see this experienced by the disciples in Ephesus when they were confirmed by Paul and received the Holy Spirit. Yes, they “spoke in tongues and prophesied” [Acts 19:6].

Jesus had predicted this when He told the apostles, “The hour is coming when…I will tell you clearly about the Father” [Jn 16:25].

This telling will come to them through the Spirit, for where the Spirit is, Jesus is, and so too is the Father – always together, never separated.

“I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father” [Jn 16:28].

Jesus spoke plainly indeed, and even told them of their coming denials, how each “will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone” [Jn 16:32].

Yes, relying only on themselves they must first fall into the depths, into the darkness. Only the loving hand of God can lift them up into the divine light that Jesus has promised them. It is a hand extended by the Holy Spirit. Yet even here, even as He described how they will abandon Him, Jesus adds a word of comfort:

“But I am not alone, because the Father is with me” [Jn 16:32].

Father, Son, and Spirit – always together, always one, always showing us the way. Jesus revealed this to ready them for all that will follow, so that they “might have peace” in the midst of troubling times. “Take courage,” he tells them [Jn 16:33]. And then He reminds them of something remarkable: 

“I have conquered the world” [Jn 16:33].

This isn’t something He will do, or something He’s doing right now…No, he had already done so: “I have conquered the world.”

The Word of God who spoke at the Creation has come into the world and conquered it by His very Presence. Yes, His Passion, Death, and Resurrection will show the world that He has done God’s saving work of bringing redemption to His people. He invited the disciples to share in this victory, promising them the Presence of Father, Son, and Spirit as they follow Him on the Way.

Jesus invites us as well. Even as we encounter difficulties and hardship in our lives, we too are called to “take courage.”

Leave fear and worry behind, Jesus commands us. These are the things of the world, the world that He has conquered.

Experience the peace of the Blessed Trinity:

The unconditional, merciful love of the Father;

The way and the eternal life promised by the Son;

And the truth offered by the Holy Spirit.

It’s all there for us. We need only ask and place ourselves into the divine life of the Trinity, into the hands of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Bureaucracy and Courage

Here's a phrase I never expected to utter: "One cheer for Elon Musk!" Yep, I have to hand it to the Tesla architect and SpaceX pioneer who has shown us all that government bureaucracy is no friend of working people, economic growth, or the Constitution. 

Elon Musk

According to Musk, an "unelected and ignorant Interim Health Officer" of Alameda County (California), ignoring "Constitutional freedoms and just plain common sense," decided that Musk's Tesla plant should not reopen for business. Musk, so incensed about this seemingly capricious decision by a local bureaucrat, plans not only to sue the county but also to move his manufacturing operations from California to Nevada or Texas.

As expected, Musk defied the local authorities and opened the Alameda plant on Monday. It's now up and running, with Musk claiming he has joined his employees on the production line. Of course, the relevant local government agencies, when asked who was responsible for responding to this violation of the county's mandates, all pointed in different directions. The county sheriff's office, the local police, and the county health office each suggested that others should address the issue. Musk went on to state that he'll be in the plant and "if anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me." Predictably, the county caved and will now allow the plant to open next Monday, even though it's been open all week. Go figure!

Yes, Elon Musk is controversial and more than a little odd. He claims to be "socially liberal and fiscally conservative," a far too common but contradictory blend of beliefs that betrays a lack of moral foundation. But on this issue he's absolutely correct. Can anyone really doubt his company's ability to open the Alameda plant safely? I'm pretty sure Musk's production people can run things better and more safely than most supermarkets. Our local Walmart, for example, seems to have done little to encourage safe shopping. Other than the sanitizing of shopping cart handles, I've seen few changes. It's no wonder Musk's employees (and many investors) think highly of him. Personally, if I had money to invest, which I don't, I probably wouldn't invest in Musk's companies. But if my past decisions are any guide, I'm not the best source for investment advice.

Anyhow, all of this led me to think a bit about leadership, good management, bureaucracy, and courage. Let me begin with a simple truth: when an announced policy applies to everyone without exception and under all circumstances, it ceases being a policy and becomes instead an inflexible rule. 

The problem with rules is that they do not allow for interpretation but are applied unthinkingly to every situation. Certainly, some rules are necessary. For example, no passenger on an airplane would want the pilot to fly intoxicated. Requiring a pilot to be sober is a good rule and demands little interpretation. But too often, because rules are easy to make and enforce, lazy managers prefer rules over policies. In the same way, bureaucrats and incompetent politicians deal with problems by applying the same solution regardless of geography and demographics. But such reliance on inflexible rules is driven by more than laziness or incompetence. It also indicates a lack of courage. It takes little courage to defend the application of a rule: "They disobeyed the executive order and must accept the consequences." How often have we heard such words from governors and bureaucrats?  

It's far more difficult to interpret a policy, applying it as needed to differing situations. The development, application, and interpretation of policies is hard work. The decision maker must actually seek out and listen to the varying opinions of others and be willing to change the policy as conditions change or new information arises. It also takes courage because it demands a willingness to admit mistakes, to say, "I was wrong!"

The president, through his federalist approach, has issued policy guidelines and encouraged the governors to apply them wisely to their states' unique situations. He realizes that there can be no "one size fits all" approach in a nation as large and diverse as the United States. Unfortunately, many of our state governors are far from wise and fail to understand this. One can only hope that their actions are simply the result of stupidity and not motivated by something more sinister, by motives that place political considerations above the good of the country and the lives of its citizens. 

Latest update: Musk has been talking with Texas governor, Greg Abbott. According to the governor, “I’ve had the opportunity to talk to Elon Musk and he’s genuinely interested in Texas and genuinely frustrated with California,...We’ve just got to wait and see how things play out.”

Elections and Advocacy

I recently received a memorandum from the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops warning pastors and parishes to avoid involvement with "outside organizations" that engage in direct political activity during what portends to be a "very divisive" 2020 election season. Several groups are mentioned in the memo, specifically: CatholicVote, Priests for Life, Catholics United, My Faith Votes, and the League of Women Voters. When it comes to these and other outside organizations, the Florida bishops' memo expressed a number of concerns (quoted here):

• Many of these groups tend to focus on a single or limited number of issues and do not cover the board concerns of the Church; others may stand in opposition to the bishops' position on an issue.

• These organizations may endorse (or oppose) candidates for elective office, as well as provide candidates with direct financial support, which does not conform to the nonpartisan nature of the Church and risks scrutiny of the Church's tax-exempt status.

• Distribution of materials by outside organizations and sharing of parishioner lists is contrary to the policies identified in the Election & Political Activities Guide (EPAG) (page 5). By going directly to pastors or parishioners, some may be seeking to circumvent the political activity guidelines of the FCCB.

The memorandum concluded with a boldfaced caution:

"Therefore, we urge you to caution diocesan staff, pastors and parishes from participation in outreach by these and other outside organizations."

In the above-mentioned document (EPAG) several paragraphs relate to my position as an ordained permanent deacon of the Catholic Church. I have quoted the first, entitled "Endorsements and Electioneering," (page 5) here:

Pastors and Church leaders must avoid endorsements, contributions, electioneering or other political activity when acting in their official capacity. Although personal endorsements are not prohibited, it may be difficult to separate personal activity from one's role as a representative of the Church. Officials and employees of the Church, acting in their individual capacities on political matters, must make clear that they are not acting as representatives of the Church or any Church organization.

Just so you know, in my blog header I have stated that the opinions expressed in this blog are my personal opinions, and by expressing them, I do not do so as a representative of the Church.

A second relevant paragraph, also on page 5, is entitled "Websites, Social Media and Electronic Communications" and is quoted here:

Many parishes maintain websites and utilize email to communicate with parishioners and the general public. The guidelines set forth here apply equally to websites, social media sites and all electronic communications. Diocesan or parish sites must not link to other online sites that support or oppose candidates or political parties. Consult with your diocesan attorney or the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops before posting any political content or links to political content on web or social media sites.

To ease your concerns -- assuming any reader of this blog might actually be concerned -- "Being is Good" is a personal blog. It is neither a diocesan nor a parish site. To my knowledge no parish or diocesan website links to this blog, something over which I would have no control. As a personal site, however, this blog can include links to other sites, even those representing organizations that might engage in political advocacy based on one or more issues. On occasion I might even indicate my support for a particular candidate, or perhaps more likely, my opposition to one or more candidates who espouse positions I believe no Catholic should support. Again, any political support or opposition expressed in this blog are my personal opinions, and nothing more. 

Of course, this is all very sad. And don't you just love the clause, "Consult with your diocesan attorney...", before getting "political"? It actually makes me cringe. This is what we have come to. We must consult lawyers before we can speak the truth, so we don't "risk scrutiny of the Church's tax-exampt status."

Personally (just my opinion), I think the day will come, and I believe it could come very soon, when our religious freedom, the first freedom enshrined by our Constitution, will become subservient to the whims of political leaders whom we were afraid to oppose. How did the great G. K. Chesterton put it?

"Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die."

During my many years wearing the uniform of my country, I often encountered the kind of courage extolled by Chesterton. I see little evidence such courage is so widespread today. 

When I was ordained I agreed to obey my bishop, and I will continue to do so. It would, however, be heartening to see a little more courage expressed by those God has chosen to lead His Church.

Pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, and pray for our  bishops, whose consecration calls them to follow the courageous lead of the Apostles.

Homily: Feast of the Holy Family (12/29/2019)

I have embedded a video of this homily below. The text of the homily follows the video:

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Readings: Sir 3:2-6,12-14; Ps 128; Col 3:12-21; Mt 2:13-15,19-23
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Holy Family Icon

How wonderful it is to be surrounded by family. But for many of us, retired here in sunny Florida, our children and grandchildren live elsewhere. Family gatherings become increasingly rare events, special moments to anticipate and cherish.

Just as individuals grow and change, so too do families. Indeed, for some of us it’s hard to remember that our children are no longer children. And yet families, even in the midst of change, still come together when crises arise. Problems are solved, and crises overcome. So often the slammed doors, quarrels and tears, end in apologies and forgiveness and hugs, with the tears wiped away. Despite 52 years of crises, large and small, Diane and I realize we’ve been blessed when it comes to our children and grandchildren. Even though the struggles continue, we realize it’s God who works His Will through us and through our weaknesses.

Now I realize that within many families the problems can be very serious. Indeed, by most statistical measures, the family’s an institution in sharp decline. Not only are divorce rates high, but many couples are choosing not to marry at all. Far too many fathers abdicate their parental responsibility and abandon both mother and child. Almost half of today’s children are born outside of marriage. And the plague of abortion has devalued not only the child, but human life itself.

Some years ago, our elder daughter was teaching 2nd grade in an inner-city school in California. The fathers of half of the children in her class were in prison. But even among the affluent, too many parents devote themselves solely to their children’s material well-being and success at the expense of their spiritual well-being and moral character.

Single parenthood is a fact of life today, and it carries with it a whole set of financial, emotional, and psychological burdens. If raising a child today is a challenge for a two-parent family, just imagine what’s it’s like to do it alone. Most single parents love and care for their children admirably, but it’s hard to be both mother and father.

Now I’m no sociologist, so I won’t even attempt to explain these problems and their causes. But one thing I know: We need the example of the Holy Family in today's world, a world openly hostile to marriage and the family. Today, celebrating the Holy Family, we’d do well to consider an often-overlooked figure in the Gospels.

In Matthew’s Gospel there emerges a quiet, modest figure, a perfect model for all fathers, St. Joseph. Just consider the sort of man he must have been. He was chosen by God the Father as the guardian, teacher, and guide of His only Son. God chose Joseph to love and protect Mary, the virgin Mother of the Son of God. Yes, Joseph was a very special man indeed.

…a courageous man of honor determined to protect Mary’s reputation. Why? Because he’s a righteous man and this is what God would want.

…a man who then takes Mary as his wife even though the child she carries is not his. Why? Because God told him to take the Child and His Mother to himself. And so, Joseph obeys.

…a man who, to protect his family, leads them on a dangerous journey into exile, into an unknown future. Why? Because God commanded it.

Flight to Egypt

Joseph doesn’t stop to think it over; he doesn’t even spend a day planning the trip. No, he leaves immediately in obedience to God’s command. He “rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.” Matthew glosses over the flight to Egypt in a few words, but the reality was surely nightmare. Leaving in the middle of the night, the Holy Family would have traveled many days across the 300 miles of harsh terrain that led to Egypt. Then, as homeless refugees, they relied solely on Joseph to earn a living during their exile. And just when Joseph had probably established himself in this foreign land, God tells him to return to Israel. Once again, he obeys.

The murderous Herod is dead, but in Judea and Samaria, Herod's son, Archelaus now rules, and Joseph fears him. And rightly so, since Archelaus began his rule by slaughtering 3,000 of Judea’s most influential citizens.

Once again in obedience to God’s command, Joseph takes Mary and Jesus to the safety of a small town nestled in the hills of Galilee, to Nazareth. It’s through the obedience of Joseph that the prophecies are fulfilled. “Out of Egypt I called my Son.” And “He shall be called a Nazorean.”

What a mystery! That God, to protect His Son, the uncreated Word of God, should choose to do so through the mediation of a humble carpenter. It’s a piece of the greater mystery of the Incarnation, in which Father and Spirit now relate to the Son not only as Divine Word but also as incarnate Man.

Notice how, throughout Matthew’s brief narrative, God doesn’t reveal everything to Joseph at once. Instead, Joseph remains continually dependent on God’s next word. For Joseph, the just man, is nevertheless fully human, and like all of us must learn to grow in God’s love and grace. He must experience, as we all must, the trial of faithfulness, the trial of perseverance in seeking out the will of God in our lives. Joseph waits patiently for God to speak, just as God waits patiently for Joseph to grow in fidelity.

It’s in Nazareth, in the home of this family, that Jesus grows to maturity.

It’s here that Joseph teaches Jesus to recite his prayers, to sing the age-old Psalms of David, and to read from the Law and the Prophets.

It’s here that Joseph teaches Jesus to appreciate, firsthand, the importance of following the laws and customs of His people.

In Nazareth, working alongside Joseph in his carpenter's shop, Jesus comes to recognize the value and dignity of work.

Learning His Trade

Here, in Joseph’s home, Jesus encounters a man happy to be poor in spirit, to be meek, just, and merciful, happy to be pure of heart.

Later, during His public ministry, Jesus often spoke of God the Father as “Abba” or Daddy. It was from the loving and caring Joseph that in his humanity Jesus first learned what a daddy was.

At the very heart of Joseph’s sanctity is an unquestioning obedience to accept the will of God in his life…and to act on it. And because he obeys, God comes to him again and again. God walks in Joseph’s soul just as He walked with Adam in the Garden. Is it any wonder He entrusts to Joseph what is most precious to Him?

Joseph Hears and Obeys

Mary and the child Jesus remain almost hidden in this Gospel narrative, wrapped in the decisions and actions of Joseph. Joseph leads but doesn’t dominate. He leads by serving – by serving His God and His family. And then his work is finished. Jesus, whom he has loved, taught, and protected, must now step forward into the light of history. Joseph, like John the Baptist, like you and me, can also proclaim: "He must increase. I must decrease."

We Catholics have always had a deep devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. How it would please her if we would deepen our devotion to her husband. With Jesus we owe honor to Joseph; and honored indeed would Joseph be if fathers today would accept him as their model. And pray, too, that single mothers turn to him, asking for his fatherly intercession in the lives of their children.

Today, on this beautiful feast of the Holy Family, let us pray for our families, for fathers, for mothers, for children, for grandchildren and grandparents.

Back in the 8th grade, Sister Francis Jane began each day by saying: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us.”

Should we not do the same?

Broken but Beautiful

Once or twice a month Diane and I are privileged to minister as on-call chaplains at our local hospital here in The Villages, Florida. This involves being available for a 24-hour period, and spending a few hours during the day visiting the newly admitted patients. In most instances the patients we visit have been hospitalized for surgery or other procedures, or for treatment of injury or illness. After a few days of healing or treatment, the majority of patients recover and return to their homes or perhaps go to a local rehab facility. Of course, we live in a retirement community, so some patients must deal with terminal illness, and many of these, depending on the progress of their illness, will enter hospice.

On occasion, and so often these calls arrive late at night or early in the morning, we are asked to minister to the dying or to the families of those who have just died. Inevitably, when the phone rings at 2 a.m., I wake up grumbling in my own uniquely human way, "Oh, great!! There goes my night's sleep." But then, as the hospital operator relays the situation and the need, my heart melts and I know Diane and I are being asked to take Gods merciful love to those in real need of it. 

We try to offer spiritual comfort and hope to the dying, perhaps share a prayer with the family, and just listen as family and friends struggle to cope with the loss of one who is loved. But about the last thing a family needs at this time is for someone to preach at them. Over time I've come to realize that so often it simply means being quietly present. I suppose for many our presence in some way assures them of God's presence. We are just a sign of God's real, enduring, loving presence, especially at a time when God can seem so distant. I believe that often enough it's in the silence that God manifests His presence, and like Elijah at Horeb, we must draw away from the noise and distractions of the world and listen for God's "still small voice."

Recently, though, I've been the recipient of that voice thanks to Nancy and Joe, our dear friends from South Carolina. For the past few months, Diane and I have been their on-again, off-again hosts at our home here in The Villages, Florida. As I mentioned in a previous post, this has involved my driving them to Tampa so Nancy can receive frequent treatment at Moffitt Cancer Center.

While Nancy is being examined, poked, prodded, treated, and transfused with blood and platelets, Joe is usually with her. This leaves me to spend considerable time in one of the many waiting rooms. Thanks to my trusty iPad, I can take work with me and usually do. But occasionally my aging brain refuses to cooperate and the Spirit leads me to strike up a conversation with someone seated nearby. And, believe me, chatting with cancer patients has been an enlightening experience.

Unlike the waiting rooms of my dermatologist, eye surgeon, and primary care physician, the waiting rooms at Moffitt are populated with cancer patients, family members, and caregivers. I guess I'm among the few exceptions since I fall into none of these categories. In truth Nancy and Joe insist on calling me their "driver." And a happily content driver I am...and surprisingly patient too since I spend so much time putting the wait into waiting rooms. And thanks to those waits, I have learned much about courage, and faith, and thankfulness, and hope, and fear. 

Here I am, 74 years old, reasonably healthy, and certainly not focused on, as Nancy calls it in true disco fashion, "Stayin' alive." But on every visit I find myself in the presence of some truly wonderful people. The hope, faith, and courage, and yes, even the fears, are there, plainly evident in the faces of those seated around me. But all are so courageous in their own unique ways, and for many their faith just overwhelms the fear. Interestingly, the courage and faith of the patients also seem to dampen the fears of family members, especially that of spouses.

As I chat with these good people, they talk about their families, their illnesses, their faith, but not about their work or their jobs, and never, or rarely, about the past. For so many people today their work is life-defining; but for the seriously ill cancer patient work is all but forgotten, replaced by something else, something truly life-defining. It's all about relationships with others; in a sense it's all about communion.

And here I sit, secretly thankful that I don't suffer from this dreaded disease, but quietly wondering whether such suffering might help me find the path to the salvation God wills for me. And so I pray, and ask you to pray with me. I pray for Nancy and Joe. I pray for all those patients whose names I don't know, all those broken by illness but beautiful in faith, all those who taught me as I waited. And I thank God for every day He has given me, for today, and for every day I have yet to live.

Praised be Jesus Christ...now and forever!

Homily: Monday, 9th Week of Ordinary Time (Year 1)

Readings: Tb 1:3; 2:1a-8 • Psalm 112 • Mk 12:1-12

Our readings today are both beginnings of a sort. We begin a week of readings from Chapter 12 of Mark's Gospel, and also begin a weeklong series of readings from the Book of Tobit.

Tobit is a delightful book, one of the inspired books the Church includes in its canon, but one considered apocryphal by our Protestant bothers and sisters. That's too bad, and I always encourage my Protestant friends to read the book because Tobit offers us a wonderful story of suffering, of faithfulness, of charity, and of the presence of God and His love. It reminds us of the nearness of God, who is always merciful to those who turn to Him in need.

Tobit and his family are Jews living in Nineveh, exiled among the Assyrians, and yet in the face of persecution they keep the faith and follow the Law as God intended. When the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, allowed the persecution and killing of the exiled Jews, Tobit secretly buried the dead. For these acts of charity he had to go into hiding until the king was assassinated by his own relatives.

Now back home with Anna, his wife, and Tobias, his son, he prepares to celebrate Pentecost, the Jewish feast of the harvest, 50 days after Passover. We celebrate Pentecost 50 days after Easter, and even for us it is a feast of harvest, the birthday of the Church and the harvest of souls for God.

Back to Tobit...Before the feast, he sends Tobias to find a needy devout Jew among the exiles and ask him to join the family for the meal. But Tobias returns and reports instead that a Jew had been murdered and his lifeless body left in the street. At great personal risk, Tobit goes out and brings the body back to his home for burial. And for this he is mocked by his neighbors, who are more concerned for their personal safety than for helping those in need, especially for this corporal work of mercy: to bury the dead.

Tobit and his son, Tobias bury the dead

Tobit, of course, sets a wonderful example for us. He rejects the challenges and mockery of the world and instead commits to doing acts of true justice in accordance with God's will. When, like Tobit, we accept God's call to be active witnesses of His love and mercy, we can change the world.

St. Boniface, whose memorial we celebrate today, did exactly that: at great personal risk he changed the world by converting the barbarian German tribes, a vocation that ultimately led to his martyrdom.

St. Boniface (Bishop & Martyr), Apostle to German Tribes

When we contrast the courageous Boniface and the just Tobit with the attitudes Jesus encounters in today's Gospel passage, the difference could hardly be greater.

Jesus confronts the priests, scribes and elders with a parable that points to Himself as the Son of God, as the foundation of the new Temple, the cornerstone rejected by those who thrive in the old. This they cannot bear. It threatens their way of life, a way of life centered on themselves and not on the true worship God desires of them.

In the parable, Jesus portrays them as murderers, who will do anything to protect themselves. In that sense it is, of course, a prophecy through which Jesus, once again, describes His own death. Interestingly, in Mark's version, he tells us that the tenants "seized him [the son] and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard" [Mk 12:8]. But both Matthew [Mt 21:39] and Luke [Lk 20:15] reverse the order, and the son is first thrown out of the vineyard and then killed. This, of course, is more in keeping with the reality, in which Jesus is thrown from the vineyard, from Jerusalem, and killed outside its walls on Golgotha.

As we listen to this parable we run the risk of applying it only to the scribes and Pharisees, and forgetting that the Gospel isn't about all the others in our lives, all the "thems," but about us, about you and me.

How often do we resemble those Pharisees or those neighbors of Tobit?

How often do we turn away from God's way and choose our own path, one that leads to sin and alienation?

Yes, like those who reject Jesus outright, we too need mercy and reconciliation. We, too, need to drop to our knees and come to God in repentance, and then rise up and do His work in the world.

Lord, teach us to serve you in all things, to measure our lives not by our will but by yours. Help us to serve you by serving those who enter our lives, those you place there in need of your love and mercy.

The Legacy of Tiananmen Square

23 years ago, on June 4, 1989, China's communist government conducted a deadly crackdown on the freedom demonstrators in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. One of the more interesting results of the horrendous events of that day is the number of those dissidents that have since converted to Christianity. According to Professor Fenggang Yang of Purdue University, a scholar who followed those events closely, the dissidents recognized the moral bankruptcy of communism and saw in Christianity the only real alternative that offered the kind of life and social institutions they sought. Such conversions have been particularly common among the intellectual dissidents. To read more click here: Tiananmen and Christian Conversion.

Another interesting tidbit. Do you remember the iconic photograph of the unidentified young dissident standing courageously in front of the Chinese Army tank? He looked so innocently brave standing there holding what appears to be a couple of shopping bags. Some say he died later in the crackdown that took so many lives, but nobody knows for certain. From the below video it's apparent he didn't die at the scene since he seems to have been hustled off to safety by others.

Just the other day, on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protest, I came across a wide angle photo of the famous scene. I've included the more familiar photo first, followed by the less known wide angle photo. The latter is truly amazing, showing this one, small, seemingly insignificant but determined young man facing down not just a few tanks (in itself a very scary thing), but what appears to be a whole division of Chinese Army tanks. He stands there, before those tanks and the entire world, while the communist authorities blink, displaying their barbarism and their true weakness for all to see -- a remarkable photo.

In totalitarian China one may still not discuss openly the events at Tiananmen Square on that June day. Perhaps some day we'll know the real and complete story of what happened.

Pray for the conversion of China.

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