Homily: Tuesday, 15th Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: Ex 2:1-15a • Psalm 69 • Mt 11:20-24

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One of the remarkable things about the Old Testament is the willingness of its authors and the Holy Spirit to hide nothing and reveal almost everything about the key characters. This is so very different from all other ancient religious texts, as well as the official records of other ancient societies. In these, the kings and pharaohs and conquerors were all depicted as near perfect, as godlike men who always won, and never failed.

But not so in the Bible. Beginning with Adam and Eve, and progressing through the Patriarchs to Moses, then on through the long list of prophets and Kings, we encounter so many men, and actually quite a few women; and for all of them, nothing is hidden – strengths and weaknesses, sins and virtues, it’s all revealed.  The focus, you see, is not really on these men and women; rather it’s on God, who chooses whomever He desires to fulfill His plan, to carry out His work in the world. 

And often enough He chooses amazingly unlikely people. Today, for example, in our reading from Exodus, we encounter two versions of Moses.

First, a basket-case floating among the bullrushes, a Hebrew infant, “a goodly child”, his mother called him, surrendered by that mother in hope and trust, and retrieved and adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter.

We next encounter a grown Moses, fortyish and entitled, but a man who presumably knew his roots. Driven by a slightly skewed sense of justice, he willfully kills an Egyptian who was persecuting a Hebrew slave laborer. When the word gets out, Moses realizes he too must get out, and heads east to the land of Midian. Moses is introduced to us in all his imperfections. And yet on Mt Horeb God will choose him to free His people and lead them to the Promised Land. How blessed we are that our loving, merciful God chooses us as well, despite all our imperfections. 

Then we encounter Jesus in our Gospel passage from Matthew. You know, a lot of folks seem to see Jesus solely as the warm and fuzzy, group hug, kumbaya Jesus. And yet, in the Gospel He often comes across quite differently.

Today, for example, He’s taking on the role of Prophet. Indeed, He sounds a lot like Isaiah when that prophet proclaimed God’s judgment on the King of Babylon.

“Down to Sheol you will be brought to the depths of the pit!” [Is 14:15]

Jesus says much the same, doesn’t He? Hard words to those neighboring towns, Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, whose people had witnessed all those miracles, but failed to listen. Because Jesus had been with them, and they had seen and heard it all, their judgment will be harsher.

When I was growing up we had a brief family Bible Study every week. Now, to my knowledge, my mom, who was an RN, had no formal training in Sacred Scripture, but always seemed to share wonderful insights. We’d read a few verses then Mom or Dad would ask what we thought of it.

After reading these comments of Jesus, my brother and I tried to say something like: “The people in those towns are really going to catch it.” But Mom simply said, “You know, Jesus isn’t talking to us about those little towns. He’s talking to us about us.” That took all the wind out of our sails. She went on, explaining it all to us in words similar to these...

“Jesus healed all those people because He loved them, and He wanted others to see and understand that they must listen to Him…But so many didn’t. If we instead turn away from Him, we’re no better than the people of those towns. You see,” Mom told us, “Our Lord has been living with us in our home, speaking to us through our church…and when we receive Holy Communion He actually lives within us. Because of that, we must listen to Him, do as He asks us, and let God’s will rule our lives.”

With that, she ended the lesson. Brothers and sisters, Jesus said the same thing, didn’t He? His Gethsemane prayer, words recorded in all three of the Synoptic Gospels:

“Not what I will, but what you will.”

…words that actually encapsulate His entire teaching. Moses struggled to accept God’s will in his life, and so too did the Apostles.

I guess that’s the question for you and me: What’s the focus of our lives, our will our His will? After all, every day we pray, “Thy will be done,” but do we really seek it?

Burnings

I noticed a one-paragraph story in this morning’s paper, one of those world news blurbs from the A.P. presumably used by an editor to fill up the page with interesting tidbits. The tiny story had a big headline: “After Quran Burnings, U.N. Calls for Countries to Fight Religious Hate.” The single paragraph that follows doesn’t tell us much, only that “The U.N.’s top human rights body overwhelmingly approved a measure calling on countries to do more to prevent religious hatred in the wake of Quran burnings in Europe.” It seems the “overwhelming” vote was 28 to 12 in favor of the measure, although we’re told very little about the actual content of the measure or who voted yea or nay. The only other piece of information shared with us is that the measure passed “despite objections from Western countries who fear tougher steps by governments could trample freedom of expression.” That’s it.

Anyway, the story piqued my curiosity, so I did a little online research. According to the U.N.’s website, the measure brought about an urgent debate to “discuss the alarming rise in premeditated and public acts of religious hatred as manifested by recurrent desecration of the Holy Quran in some European and other countries.” These desecrations of the Quran were apparently the catalyst that led the U.N. Human Rights Council to address the issue of religious hatred. It would seem, then, for those 28 countries who voted “Yes”, Quran burning is the ultimate act of religious hatred. 

This led me to ask, “Who voted Yea and who voted Nay?” And I found the answer quickly thanks to Al Jazeera, the Islamic news agency that never misses a chance to attack the West. Their coverage included a complete breakdown of the vote. Once again, keep in mind these nations are the members of the U.N.’s Human Rights Council, what the A.P. called it’s “top human rights body”. We should, then assume they are all in favor of human rights…right? Here’s the vote:

Glancing through the list of Yes votes, it’s hard not to notice that many of them are totalitarian, or authoritarian, or theocratic, or just plain old dictatorships. Since the measure was precipitated by the most recent Quran burning in Sweden, we can rightly assume the Islamic nations voted for the measure. Of course, their concept of human rights is somewhat restrained, and generally relates only to what they consider Islamophobia. Sadly, within their own nations, most deprive the Kafir (the non-Muslim) of basic human rights, particularly religious rights. And the extremists among them, the Jihadists, simply kill non-Muslims which they believe to be a religious duty. We recall the many executions based solely on religion, like the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians by ISIS in 2015 (see below):

I will gladly admit, I am strongly against Quran burning, or Bible burning, although I don’t believe it should be criminalized. But such actions, although obvious examples of religious hatred, do not compare to the far more vile crimes being committed against the world's most persecuted religion, Christianity.

Speaking of burning, in Egypt hundreds of Christian churches have been destroyed, often burned, by Muslims. And, perhaps surprisingly to most people, the same has been happening in parts of India (another Yes voter) but perpetrated by radical Hindus who want to eliminate all Christian communities. In both nations (and many others) the seeming indifference of local and national police agencies is telling. I find it interesting that such persecution of Christian minorities is taking place in India, often described as “the world's largest democracy”. This is another reason why unchecked democracy, which leads to the dictatorship of the majority, is really no different from any other form of totalitarianism. We should thank God every day for the wisdom of our Founding Fathers who, because they recognized the perils and historic evils of pure democracy, left us a lasting (we hope) legacy of a constitutional republic.

One parting comment: Because the United Nations has staffed its Human Rights Council with so many nations who openly despise human rights, I see no reason to pay much attention to anything that flows out of that building into the East River.

Pray for those who persecute us.

Good News and Bad News

A few days ago I read that National Geographic might be on its last legs. Walt Disney, the corporation that now owns the magazine, has fired pretty much everyone that works for National Geographic. Apparently there weren’t that many folks left to churn out the woke drivel that has replaced what used to be wonderful articles about our fascinating world. Although the magazine will still be published, at least for a little while, all future articles will be written by freelancers and then cobbled together by the few remaining editors. I don’t expect that to last too long, especially since their subscriptions are just a fraction of what they once were. At one point over 12 million people subscribed (including me), but now it’s down to 1.5 million (excluding me). I suspect most of these are long-time subscribers who just can’t give it up, despite the magazine’s current weirdness. 

Anyway, unless the Disney wokecrats (Did I just coin a new word?) convert and support the dreaded DeSantis campaign, the future of National Geographic is bleak indeed. I suppose that’s the good news. Sadly, it’s also the bad news. My parents began subscribing to National Geographic when they were married on July 4, 1935, and never threw out an issue. I read and reread all those magazines and turned to them whenever I wanted to learn something about a particular place in our world. It was a unique magazine, well-written, and wonderfully photographed by many true professionals. How wonderful that my folks kept every issue. Unfortunately when they moved from New York to Chatham on Cape Cod, I think all those mags were left behind. Of course by then I had left for college and soon enough had my own subscription. Yes, indeed, it was once a great publication.    

Then there were the maps! I’ve long been a cartaphile (Did I just coin another word?), probably from the age of seven. When NG arrived in the mail, the first thing I looked for was the map. No map, no joy. But if one of those wonderful maps were included, I would open it up and spread it out on the dining room table. Just to see it opened up was almost magical, as if I were right there in that other piece of our world. As a child I’d pore over each newly arrived map for hours, fascinated by it all, the cities, rivers, borders, mountains, lakes, and seas. I suppose those NG maps were the reason I became a geographic fanatic, something reflected even in my choice of hobbies: stamp collecting and ham radio. Like those detailed maps, both took me around the world, but in very different ways. 

And so, I am saddened hearing that National Geographic may not be with us much longer. It could, of course, be restored, but that’s unlikely. One thing about ideologues: they’re so wrapped up in their beliefs, they’re really unable to change. But nothing in this world lasts forever, but at least I and many other will still have the memories of this once great publication. 

Summer Course Whines

Over the years our parish Bible Study has grown from the few parishioners who joined us that first year to well over 100 participants today. To accommodate everyone, we've had to offer these weekly sessions at three different times. Preparing and facilitating these sessions, when combined with my other ministries, takes a toll. Every summer, then, I take a three-month break from leading our Bible Study just so I can rest a bit and regroup internally in body, mind, and spirit. 

This hiatus actually works out pretty well since a significant number of parishioners are seasonal residents here in Florida. When I first began this Bible Study 17 or 18 years ago, many of these snowbirds (as the great Anne Murray would call them) suggested I stop for the summer so they wouldn't miss anything -- a suggestion I readily accepted. But to appease those who live here year-round I decided to conduct a course on some aspect of our faith each summer. These courses vary in length from three to five sessions, conducted weekly.

This year's course, scheduled for the five Wednesdays of August, is on "World Religions". It will actually focus on four non-Christian religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam. I intend to pack a lot into those five 90-minute sessions and hope I haven't taken on too much. My intent is to help participants better understand the ' beliefs and practices of these religions. I will approach this study from a Catholic perspective by examining the teaching of the Church as it relates to non-Christian religions. We'll emphasize those areas where Catholic Christianity and non-Christian religions converge and diverge. But the primary aim is to enrich and deepen our own faith, thus aiding us in our call to evangelization.

The trouble is, I really have to develop the course from the ground up. In the past I've addressed the subject in brief talks and reflections, but conducted a course on other religions only once. This was many years ago and with a entirely different focus. As I've now discovered, preparing the course means a lot of work, something which seems to defeat the purpose of our summer hiatus. Anyway, I'm making progress, so that's good. 

If I sound like I'm whining, I suppose I am. But I truly love all our Bible Study participants, and they're worth it. The course will be open to anyone who wants to attend, so it will be interesting to see how many decide to take part.

I've added a page, devoted entirely to this course, on our Bible Study website, so handout materials and PowerPoint presentations will be available online. 

If anyone wants to "attend" the course remotely, you'll have to do so by using each session's PowerPoint presentation and referring to the other documents provided. Right now there is no intention of live-streaming the course, but I suppose that could change. 

Here's the link: Course (catholic-scripture.com)

Happy Birthday, Mom

On June 28, 1909 my mother, Martha Catherine Cavanaugh, was born in Fairfield, Connecticut. Mom was the ninth and youngest child in her family. Her parents, Thomas Cavanaugh and Julia (Soier) Cavanaugh, were both born in Ireland back in 1873 and 1866. They both died before I was born, so I never knew them. My paternal grandmother, Ann (Moran) McCarthy, was also born in Ireland. Her husband and my paternal grandfather, John McCarthy, was born in Canada while his parents were visiting relatives in Quebec. So, thanks to my four grandparents, I guess that makes me a full-fledged, second-generation American. 

As for Mom, she was an absolutely wonderful mother, the family glue that held everything together and always kept us moving in the right direction. Quiet, but strong in her beliefs, Mom willingly shared her wisdom with her two sons. My dad offered us lots of wonderful, practical guidance and grounded us politically and to a certain extent, philosophically. But Mom taught us the truly important things. She was the family’s spiritual guide whose love for God and His Church certainly had a lasting effect on me. 

Mom died far too soon at the age of 67 on March 12, 1977. It’s hard to believe she’s been gone 46 years, but even harder to believe she was born 114 years ago, a fact that reminds me of my own advance age. As I said to Diane today, I would happily have given Mom ten years of my life so she could have lived another ten years. And Diane said, “I would have done the same.” Yes, indeed, she was and still is loved. We miss you, Mom. Happy Birthday. Rest is please.

Call Alice…We’re in Wonderland

Do you ever get the sense that today we've wandered off into a kind of Wonderland? If you recall Lewis Carroll's story, you'll know that for young Alice the wonders of Wonderland weren't particularly pleasant. It was a land ruled largely by a "blind fury," the evil Queen of Hearts, who could make life there very difficult. 

Like Wonderland, our world, especially our corner of the world here in the once-United States of America, just gets stranger and stranger. Every few days, when I can stomach it, I check the news to get a sense of our current relationship with the cosmos. I'm inevitably assaulted by the truth -- at least, I assume it’s the truth. After all it’s on the Internet, so it must be true. Right? What follows are just a few of the assaults on my sense of normalcy that I’ve had to repel. 

Today we're the target of a direct assault, not just on our nation's long-held Judeo-Christian principles and Constitutional rights, but also on the Church itself. It's not enough simply to tolerate the sins of others; we must now openly celebrate them. As Americans we are being told to relinquish our First Amendment right to religious freedom and cower in the face of open attacks on God's Church and its magisterial teaching. This is something we cannot do.

Of course, we must remember that as Christians, we condemn no one, and leave decisions about one's salvation to each individual and to God Himself. But we are still called by God to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you..." [Mt 28:19-20]. Yes, indeed, we are called to teach God's commandments to all. And to do so, we must expose the attacks on God and His Church. We must also pray for those who are blinded by the temptings of the evil one, and pray that they will be open to God’s saving grace.

• Navy Drag Queen. The U.S. Navy now has a drag queen as a digital ambassador to aid in recruiting. As a retired Naval officer I’m more than a little outraged. First of all it’s morally despicable. But it’s also remarkably stupid. Does the Navy really believe a drag queen will help recruit the kind of sailors we need to keep the peace and perhaps fight the next war? The Navy chose one of its own petty officers to fill this critical billet, a Yeoman 2/C who goes by the name of Joshua Kelley, except when he slimes into his drag queen role and becomes Harpy Daniels. I find it interesting that, to my knowledge, the Navy's uniformed leadership has said little about all this. None have resigned in disgust because the Biden administration is doing everything in its power to undermine the readiness and morale of our armed forces. Believe me, our current and future enemies — the Chinese Communists, Putin’s Russia, Iran, North Korea, and a host of others — are laughing at us, amazed at our willingness to respond to their growing aggression with such idiocy. I can think of few things more dangerous than a potential enemy who looks at us and sees only weakness. Read the latest here: Navy Drag Queen Violates UCMJ

• U.S. Vatican Embassy Flies Pride Flag. The Biden administration, in its enthusiasm for celebrating so-called Pride Month in honor of a wide variety of sexual perversions collected under the alphabetic umbrella LGBTQIA+, decided to merge this enthusiasm with its equally passionate anti-Catholicism and fly the Pride flag at the U.S. Embassy building in the Vatican. To those who live these lifestyles, the fact that Catholicism considers them sinful is enough to accuse the Church of discrimination and persecution. In its public statement, the Embassy tweeted:

“During the month of June, the celebrates Pride Month . @usinholysee stands with the LBGTQI+ community against discrimination and other forms of persecution because of who they are and whom they love ”

 

Besides the Vatican, there are other nations who object to public celebrations of the LBGTQI+ community — for example, pretty much the entire Muslim world. I think I’m probably safe stating that the Pride flag did not fly outside the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia or in any other Muslim nation. Read more here: Pride Flag at Vatican US Embassy

• Prideful Jesuit. Fr. James Martin, S.J., the LGBTQwhatever apologist has given us another of his incredible statements via Twitter. Here's Fr. Martin's tweet:

“In June, Catholics celebrate the Month of the #SacredHeart. LGBTQ people celebrate #PrideMonth. LGBTQ Catholics celebrate both. One shows us how Jesus loves. The other shows us whom Jesus calls us to love today. 

June: Celebrating the Sacred Heart and celebrating Pride. Where would the Sacred Heart be today? It would be poured out in love on these people who seek love and acceptance.”

Yes, the Sacred Heart of Jesus pours out His love for all, but He neither accepts nor overlooks our sins. He instead tells our LGBTQ Catholics and others just what He told the woman caught in adultery:

Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you: go, and do not sin again” [Jn 8:10-11].

Recall how Jesus began His public ministry with the command:

“This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” [Mk 1:15].

The first step, then, is always repentance, a change in how we live our lives, a decision to turn away from sin.  

Read more here: Priestly response to Fr. James Martin.

• Big Business Worships Evil. American businesses, large and small, used to accept that employees and customers were generally religious people. To attack religious values was seen as both immoral and bad business. My how things have changed. These days, when the gender crazies go after them, too many businesses simply roll over and do whatever they're told. Bud Light, Target, Kohls, the LA Dodgers, and a host of other companies have capitulated to the current zeitgeist, an ideology pushed forward by a mob representing perhaps 7% of the American population. And believe me, the mob's target isn't Target. No, the real target is God Himself. At their core these attacks have little to do with achieving basic rights for those in the LGBTQ community. They've enjoyed those rights for decades. No, this is an attack on God and His Church, and it will continue. As Archbishop Cordileone of San Francisco told his flock not long ago, "Gird your loins!" I think we're in for quite a ride, one that will certainly test our faith. 

Pray for strength, sisters and brothers. Are all the signs beginning to merge, perhaps pointing to the end times, to the times of worldwide persecution before the glorious return of Our Lord? I haven't a clue. But that doesn't keep me from praying those words of John the Apostle with which he concludes his Book of Revelation: 

The one who gives this testimony says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. [Rev 22:20-21]

Homily: Tuesday, 11th Week in Ordinary Time

Note: I didn't preach this homily today. Our celebrant decided to preach instead, which is his prerogative. It's no big deal since I always have a homily ready whenever I assist at Mass as the deacon. Sometimes I'm asked to preach, and sometimes I'm not. Anyway, this unpreached homily follows:

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Readings: 2 Cor 8:1-9; Ps 146; Mt 5:43-48

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On Sunday, one of my sons posted a Father’s Day note on Facebook. He began with a bunch of nice words about me, and then he added: “He wasn’t perfect, and he never said he was, unless he was joking.”

I wasn’t sure what to make of that, but it got me thinking of what Jesus told us in today’s Gospel passage from the Sermon on the Mount.

“So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

I suspect these words have made a lot of Christians suddenly pay attention and scratch their heads. Did He really mean that? How can we, these obviously imperfect beings, be perfect. Yes, indeed, Jesus sure can make life difficult, can’t He? 

Back when we were young and doing well in the world, a lot of us thought we were…well, if not perfect, at least pretty good. I remember the first time I realized I harbored some major imperfections – things that separated me from what God wanted for me. 

I was a Navy pilot during the war in Vietnam. At the time, I flew search and rescue helicopters. All I wanted to do was pickup American pilots who’d been shot down, and get them to safety. But at the time, the Communists of both North Vietnam and the Viet Cong were doing their very best to kill me. And here’s Jesus telling me to “love your enemies.” Let me tell you, that ain’t so easy when they’re shooting at you. Yes, they were an easy enemy to hate. But hating them troubled me because I knew what Jesus had commanded of us.

And so, one day I paid a visit to the Catholic chaplain and asked how we could reconcile loving our enemies with this conflict in which we were engaged. I’ll always remember that conversation. I won’t go into our rather lengthy discussion on the just war doctrine. That’s a subject for another time. But I will tell you what this young priest had to say about enemies and hatred and love and forgiveness.

He began by saying that if our enemies are those we hate, we have ceased being Christians. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to hate no one. But if our enemies are those who hate us, then we will always have enemies. After all, Jesus had many enemies because He did the Father’s will: He spoke the truth and He loved. He loved all, especially those despised by the world, and He spoke the truth even when it upset people.

Our enemies decide how they will treat us. We decide only to love them or hate them. Love and hate, then, are not emotions. They’re decisions. Jesus calls us to love regardless of the evil others do. And He calls to exclude no one from our love.

These are hard words for us, aren’t they? Hard indeed…until we come face to face with the Cross, and we hear His words:

“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” [Lk 23:34].

There, on the Cross, we encounter Divine Mercy: God’s perfect love, a love that demands forgiveness. Forgiveness is the only thing we can do to those we are called to love. If we refuse to forgive, we refuse to love.

About 30 years ago I saw the movie, “Dead Man Walking” about a convicted killer named Robert Willie who'd been sentenced to death. Well, one person you won’t see in the movie is Debbie Morris, the one victim who miraculously survived her horrific ordeal at the hands of Willie. After Willie’s execution, she said, “Justice didn’t do a thing to heal me. Forgiveness did.”

Yes, it’s easy to hate and scream for justice, for man’s justice, but it never really brings healing, or the so-called "closure" the world promises. Only forgiveness does that. Only forgiveness heals.

Yes, we can defend ourselves from evil, but in defending ourselves we must not produce even greater evils. The world will never run out of objects for our hatred, especially today when enemies abound. How did Paul put it to the Corinthians:

“…test the genuineness of your love by your concern for others” [2 Cor 8:8].

After all, we were created in God’s image and likeness, so He really does call us to perfection, to live up to His expectations for us, to live up to that image and likeness. He calls each of us to view this life as a pilgrimage of love, one in which we seek out others, finding Jesus Christ in each person we meet, and letting them recognize Jesus in us.

Let God be the one who will judge His creations. We need only love and forgive. I’ve long thought this is what Jesus means when He commands us to “be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Schwarzenegger and the Face of God

Did you hear? Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Hollywood actor/body-builder and theologian, in a “shared discourse” with Danny DeVito, a diminutive version of Arnold, revealed that heaven and hell are mere fantasies. When asked what happens after death, he replied, “Nothing. You’re six feet under. Anyone that tells you something else is a f___ing liar.” 

The Austrian-born übermensch went on to say: “When people talk about, ‘I will see them again in heaven,’ it sounds so good, but the reality is that we won’t see each other again after we’re gone. That’s the sad part. I know people feel comfortable with death, but I don’t.”

Wow! After hearing these seemingly angry words of eschatological wisdom from Arnold, I’m sure the religious world will begin to rethink its entire attitude toward death and eternal life.

Okay, maybe not.

Arnold, because he denies life after death, is certainly no believer in the Judeo-Christian God. If he believes in any god it would be a merciless, hateful god, not unlike many of the pagan gods of the ancient world. In truth Arnold, although he might not admit it publicly, is an atheist, just another celebrity member of today’s expanding atheist culture. Today’s atheists, men and women like Arnold Schwarzenegger, deny human uniqueness. Without God there can be no real meaning and purpose in the natural world. And because they reject the presence of the sacred and transcendent, they really don’t know themselves because they don't believe they have immortal souls. Consequently, they neither encounter nor enjoy the true freedom God promises us.

Some say the atheist fears death because he fears oblivion. I disagree. The atheist fears death because he fears judgment. He fears coming face to face with the God who created him. The only way to escape God’s judgment is to cancel God, to cover or simply blot out His face. There are so many just like Arnold, people seeking only ephemeral pleasure, with no real concern for others, especially for future generations, those yet to be born. Without the face of God looking at them, they believe they can escape the eye of judgment and pretty much do whatever they like, focusing only on the here and now. We see it manifested in a consumerist society that in its most extreme form leads only to personal and societal destruction. 

You don’t have to be a theologian or sociologist to realize Arnold is not alone. I’ve focused on him simply because he went public with his comments on death and eternal life. But just consider how many other notables — politicians, Hollywood denizens, media talking heads, so-called educators — believe just what Arnold believes. Oh, they might even claim to be religious, or more likely, spiritual, but in truth they are essentially atheists. We can be fooled by listening to their words (unless like Arnold they occasionally open up) because they try to sound so good, so reasonable. The truth, however, is always in their actions. How did Jesus put it?

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” [Mt 7:15-16].

Yes, indeed, sisters and brothers, just watch what they do; just examine the fruit and you will understand the nature of the tree.

Maddie: Rest in Peace

Wednesday morning, Diane and I lost our dear Maddie, an absolutely wonderful 15-year-old Bichon Frise. Maddie was born on January 21, 2008 and died on June 7. Diane and I adopted Maddie on March 29, 2014 from the “Brat Pack,” an aptly named Bichon rescue group out of Mt Dora, Florida. Maddie, then, was a part of our family for almost ten years. It really seems as if she had been with us far longer, simply because she joined us so willingly and immediately endeared herself to us. Here’s a photo I took of Maddie on the day she joined our family.

In a conversation with a friend the other day, she suggested that for those our age our relationship with the family dog is more evident, much deeper, perhaps more important. When we're raising children, the family dog is a little less present to the parents than to the children since work, child-rearing, homemaking and all the rest take up so much of our time. We actually spend fewer hours alone with our dogs and when they leave us, we certainly miss them, but our grief is tempered by a home still full of life. But in retirement, the children are grown, raising families of their own, and a dog becomes a far more meaningful member of this smaller, aging family. Diane and I shared in Maddie’s care, and her presence was almost constant, just as Maddie shared her attention with both Diane and me. I suppose from Maddie’s perspective, we became the “pack.” Yes, we were a small pack, just the three of us, but the presence of each was important to the others. It’s remarkable how quickly this little dog became a true part of our family.

Maddie & Hang-out the Window Goggles

This was evident in Maddie’s behavior. When I moved from room to room doing little tasks, she would follow me. If I went into my office to work, she’d join me and plop down and curl up on the little dog bed near my desk. She’d act much the same way with Diane. Maddie especially disliked it when Diane and I happened to be in separate rooms with the door closed between us. This she could not accept. She wanted the pack, the family, together, or at least accessible. Maddie actually taught us quite a bit about relationships, and even about discipleship. Over the years I’ve written a few blog posts about this. Here are links to a couple of them:

• In December 2017: Doggone Discipleship.

• In August 2018: Maddie, My Teacher

The Threesome at the Grand Canyon

Within weeks of Maddie’s arrival we took her with us on a long road trip to California. It was then we discovered that Maddie, unlike all our previous dogs, didn’t especially enjoy riding in the car. Why? I haven’t a clue, but she came to us as a six-year-old with a collection of interesting, but minor, neuroses. Although she adjusted somewhat to car travel, she never fully accepted it, and much preferred to ride along in the golf cart on neighborhood trips. But as we also discovered on that long West Coast trip, she loved being with new people. Other than trying to nibble on the toes of two of our grandsons, she made friends with everyone…well, almost everyone. There was one man in the neighborhood she seemed to dislike. Whenever she saw him, she growled, a response never repeated with another. Who knows why, but I never really trusted him.

Diane and Maddie in Tombstone, AZ

Maddie readily accepted other dogs unless they were aggressive toward her. She wouldn’t put up with those snappy little ankle-biters who seem to regard other canines as potential enemies rather than friends. Usually, she would simply turn and walk away from the aggressive ones. But if another dog actually tried to attack her, Maddie would respond in a way that always sent the other dog running. She wouldn’t pursue, but would then just go about her business of OCS, that is, obsessive, compulsive sniffing. Maddie was often the dominant dog in dog-on-dog relationships.

Possessive Maddie and her Milkbone

Maddie seemed also to accept the presence of wild creatures. She would certainly notice the rabbits, squirrels, armadillos, and our little neighborhood lizards — pretty much any wild four-legged animal — but she never chased them. I think perhaps the predatory instincts had long been suppressed in her breed, or more likely it was just Maddie’s unique personality. Interestingly, the local wild critters rarely saw her as a threat. I’ve seen her stand within a foot of a pair of tall sandhill cranes. She’d just sniff away while they searched for food, each ignoring the others. The same was true when we’d occasionally happen on a flock of 20 or 30 ibis gathered in a neighbor’s front yard. Mutual tolerance was always evident. On our daily pre-dawn walk, we’d often stop by a spot where two frogs (or toads?) hung out, always sitting on the same small concrete slab. Maddie would quietly approach them, bend over, and give them a sniff. Truly amazing, but it happened day after day. If I ever came within five feet of this pair, they would instantly disappear down an access hole in the concrete. 

And here is my all-time favorite photo of the two females who joined forces to rule me for the past ten years. You can see why...

Yes, indeed, Diane and I will miss this wonderful, beautiful little gift from God. For those who love Him, God always provides the perfect gift at the perfect time. I think He did that for us when He gave us our Maddie. Living as we do in our odd version of retirement, aging and in imperfect health of mind and body, we became closer to each other thanks to Maddie. And surprisingly, with her physical departure, I sense that this closeness will only increase. She remains with us in spirit.

Oh, yes, one of my favorite philosopher/theologians is Peter Kreeft, a professor of philosophy at Boston College and a man who has written more books than most folks today have read. One of those books, Every Thing You Ever Wanted To Know About Heaven, is a marvelous read, and I recommend it highly. On page 45 Kreeft offers a wonderful, Scriptural explanation of why our pets will join us in heaven. Buy the book and read it.

In the meantime, Diane and I will still shed some tears and be continually surprised by Maddie's absence. We were good to her, but she was far better to us. And so, we offer her to the Lord, Who made heaven and earth and all creatures great and small. 

 

Blessings and God's Peace...

Dad und die Kinder

My father, John McCarthy, who was an Army captain at the time, entered Berlin with the occupation forces in 1945. He had two sons of his own back in the USA -- my brother, Jeff, born in 1941, and me, born in 1944. He enjoyed being with children and the kinder of Germany were no exception. The other day going through some old photos -- and there are literally thousands I have not yet looked at -- I came across this snapshot, probably taken by his old friend, the late Lee Hanel. He and Dad, both Army officers who served together, were avid photographers. 

I would guess that Dad was sharing some candy or sweets with the children. In the background you can see a number of German women looking on. Sadly, some of them probably lost their husbands in the war -- men who were drafted into the Wehrmacht, forced to fight Hitler's losing war. Many never returned. One can only imagine what these young mothers were thinking as they watched this American treating their children with kindness. I recall Dad once mentioning the "war children" of Germany, and telling me, "The children had nothing to do with the war, with Hitler, with the carnage, and the brutality. That was done by adults. I always tried to be friendly and kind to them." Sometimes a simple black and white photo is worth far more than a thousand words.

Pray for peace.

Homily: Saturday, 8th Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: Sir 51:12-20; Ps 19; Mk 11:27-33

The conversation described by Mark took place just after Jesus had cleansed the Temple, and believe me He had upset more than the tables of money changers. He had also upset the chief priests, the Temple elders, and scribes, most of whom had a financial stake in the selling and money-changing that Jesus had stopped.

Yes, indeed, they had long been looking for ways to get rid of Jesus, ways to discredit Him, perhaps accuse Him of blasphemy, hoping He would claim in public what He had reportedly said privately. And so they ask Him by what authority He did what He did in God’s Temple. They thought they were being so very clever. How could this Jesus not answer the question? But unlike Ben-Sirach in our first reading, these men didn’t pray for wisdom before the Temple, but sought only personal gain.

Jesus, though, the very personification of divine wisdom, spoke and acted with the authority of God, and for the people who truly listen to Him, it was a liberating authority. In His wisdom Jesus asked them a question they wouldn’t answer because their primary concern was not the truth but their own welfare and interests.

But all authority isn’t always easy to accept. I remember, years ago, when I was a new junior officer in my Navy aircraft squadron. On my first day, assigned as a division officer of the avionics division – all the electronics technicians who maintain all the radios, radars, and associated electronics – I called all the enlisted troops together. I went around the room, asking each about their specialties, and what they liked and disliked about their work.

The discussion went well, until one young petty officer asked, “Why should we listen to you? What do you know about avionics?” I just shrugged and said, “I know enough. I have a degree in electrical engineering, so I’ll understand all the technical stuff. But more importantly, I’ll support you all, all the way up the line, as long as you’re straight with me. Our commanding officer has given me the authority to lead this division, but if you undermine me, if you don’t listen to me, things probably won’t go very well.” Not a long speech, and as a young 25-year-old, I held my breath. There was no mutiny, so it seemed to work. Perhaps one of my better days...there have been others with different endings.

I suppose, when it comes to authority, the real issue for all of us, is who or what will we accept as our authority. You and I have to respond to a lot of different human authorities – to law enforcement and judges, to elected leaders, to all kinds of people who exert authority in limited ways over little pieces of our lives.

But to whom do we listen when it comes to the truly important things of life?

The Gospels assure us that Jesus embodies the authentic authority of God, as I said, a liberating authority that empowers us to become fully human and fully alive. Only by accepting the authority of God, an authority He has given to His Church, can we live truly happy and fulfilled lives.

Remember how, at Caesarea Philippi, Jesus extended God’s authority to Peter:

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” [Mt 16:18-19].

I’m pretty sure Peter didn’t realize exactly what Jesus had just given him, but in time he would come to understand the extent of it all.

But do you know something? That Church Jesus gave Peter is our Church, and it possesses the full authority of God Himself. How blessed we are to know that, when the Church speaks on faith and morals, we don’t just hear the words of men, but we are listening to the very authority of God Himself.

And how sad for those priests, and scribes, and elders that they rejected this authority that came from the very mouth of God Himself.

Another Kilmer Poem - for Memorial Day

A few days ago I included Thanksgiving, a little poem by Joyce Kilmer, in another of my posts. It’s one of those poems that challenges us to rethink our understanding of the events and influences that can dominate the times of our lives. It also asks us to accept that nothing is simply coincidental, that God can bring good out of everything, even that which from an objective, human perspective can seem downright evil. I’ve always believed that as he wrote Thanksgiving, Kilmer might well have been thinking of St. Paul’s famous words to the Romans:

“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose” [Rom 8:28].

Kilmer certainly believed this, and realized God is always in control despite our foolish attempts to subvert His plan for humanity. Everything is a gift for those who love the Lord, even though we don’t understand how God will bring good from it. Believing this, we must then thank God for everything. 

The poet was also “called according to His purpose” in both his life and his death. Perhaps most fittingly, Kilmer wrote this poem from the trenches of World War One. Immersed in the chaotic horror of that war, Sergeant Kilmer faced death and destruction daily. He was highly respected by both the troops and the officers of his battalion. Sadly, Kilmer died in that war, killed instantly by a German sniper on July 30,1918. And yet, although an enlisted man, he was buried next to the officers with whom he served, a most unusual honor in those days. But in truth it was more of an honor for the officers than for Kilmer.

Anyway, all this thinking and writing about Joyce Kilmer, brought to mind another of his brief poems that I read years ago. I’d forgotten the name of the poem, so I had to do a little searching, and finally found it. I had mistakenly remembered its title as “Princes,” but it turned out to be “Kings.” I thought it particularly relevant for our world today, especially Kilmer’s description of the perversion of power. Yes, indeed, the “Kings of the earth” will be so very surprised when in their powerlessness they are called to account by the Prince of Peace. Here’s the poem:

                       Kings

The Kings of the earth are men of might,

And cities are burned for their delight,

And the skies rain death in the silent night,

And the hills belch death all day!

But the King of Heaven, Who made them all,

Is fair and gentle, and very small;

He lies in the straw, by the oxen's stall -- 

Let them think of Him to-day!

It’s evident why so many critics disliked Kilmer. He was simply too simple. He wrote for everyone, unlike so many poets who wrote only for each other and for the literati who could get them published in all the right journals. Kilmer also didn’t disguise his Christianity which he displayed prominently in so much of his work. No doubt this was a major irritant to the faithless denizens of New York’s literary circles. 

Of course, as simple as I am, I’ve always enjoyed his poetry. Some of this appreciation for Kilmer might stem from a few rather vague connections. I was brought up in Larchmont, a suburb of New York City, a village where Kilmer also lived for a time. Of course, he died long before I was born, and 30 years before we moved to Larchmont, but we were both parishioners of St. Augustine Parish. Because of this parish connection, he was somewhat of a local celebrity and the Dominican sisters who taught in the parish school introduced us to his poetry early, in the fifth or sixth grade. My parents were also friends with an older woman, who had known Kilmer as a young man. Apparently, her family had lived next door to Kilmer. She spoke about him often and waxed eloquently about the “handsome, young poet.” So, I suppose I was primed to like him and his work, but I think that’s true of most of our earliest influences. 

Today though, on this Memorial Day, we can pray that the "Kings of the earth" will someday actually approach the Prince of Peace on their knees in repentance. But in the meantime, I am called to remember and thank God for so many of my friends and comrades who sacrificed their lives for you and for me and for generations to come. Because of my own involvement, I especially thank God for those who died during the Vietnam conflict. But I also thank God for those who died in so many other conflicts, including Sergeant Joyce Kilmer, another hero who served a nation and its people and selflessly sacrificed his life for us. 

May Almighty God bless them all and keep them.

May His face shine upon them and be gracious to them.

May He look upon them with kindness and give them peace.

May Almighty God bless them, 

   in the name of the Father,

   and of the Son,

   and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.