HOMILY for July 2, 2014: Commissioning Service

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In 2014, I am facilitating a 12-week interactive online course in contemplative prayer and action for priests with Saint Luke Institute.  Please visit SLIconnect.org to learn more:  https://www.sliconnect.org/product/living-god-program-contemplative-life-2/

Commissioning Service

St. Luke’s Institute

July 2, 2014

THE JOY OF STEPS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  The more practical among us, as we like to call ourselves, enjoy having things laid out 1, 2, and 3

Ø  Today’s Gospel verses from the last supper discourse of J to his disciples does just that, except without using the numbers

Ø  The entire passage is strikingly simple, but no less a profound look at essential elements of a XTN life 

5 STEPS IN A CIRCLE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  The mov’t of the discourse in John is circular and it does not give us a tangent on which to get out of it

Ø  Easy 2 reconstruct fr words we hear proclaimed

Ø  Looking at it in terms of how begins, what happens, & where ends we find following elements in circle

Ø  1^st STEP: our life in Christ begins with his choice.

Ø  “It wasn’t you who chose me, but I who chose you”

Ø  Keyword: CHOSEN

Ø  2^nd STEP: Jesus chooses us in order to open us up as a receptacle for God’s revelation

Ø  “Everything I heard from my Father”

Ø  Keyword: RECEPTACLE

Ø  3^RD STEP: Because of our relationship w/ Jesus we cannot be thought of as slaves

Ø  “… becz slave doesn’t know what master is doing”

Ø  Instead, God’s willingness to open his divine heart to us indicates we are beloved friends; we all know hearts don’t just open up to anyone!

Ø  Keyword: RELATIONSHIP

Ø  4^th STEP: From our side, God expects we do something w/ the gift of relationship, that we “bear fruit,” i.e. that we love 1 another

Ø  This isn’t just an ideal but a direction modeled in Jesus’ self-sacrifice for us, so we 4 each other

Ø  Keyword: FRUIT

Ø  5^th STEP:  & finally, living such a lifeàfulfillment

Ø  “… so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you”

Ø  Keyword: FULFILLMENT

APPLICATION +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  To Marco and John, to all of us, I place before US the testimony that has been our experience the past six months and ask:

Ø  “Is not this cycle of: Chosen, Receptacle, Relationship, Fruit, and Fulfillment not been part of our own experience?”

Ø  For this let us give thanks to God!

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Daily HOMILY for July 2, 2014: Wednesday of the 13th Week of Ordinary Time

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In 2014, I am facilitating a 12-week interactive online course in contemplative prayer and action for priests with Saint Luke Institute.  Please visit SLIconnect.org to learn more:  https://www.sliconnect.org/product/living-god-program-contemplative-life-2/

Wednesday 13^th Week of OT

St. Luke’s Institute

July 2, 2014

THE ACCOUNT ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Today J is in the non-Jewish territory of Gadarenes & he’s encountered 2 men possessed by demons

Ø  In Matt’s Gospel there’ve been brief mentions of J curing possessed, but now comes an account of an actual encounter w/ demons

Ø  Note, they immediately recognize him, addressing him as “Son of God”

Ø  And they demand to know why he’s come to “torment us before the appointed time”

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ACCOUNT +++++++++++++++++

Ø  Behind question lies idea that coming of J ushers in final confrontation between God & hostile power that currently holds sway in the world

Ø  This is not, therefore, simply isolated encounter between a healer & a few errant demons

Ø  It’s a much bigger issue

Ø  Demons recognize it 4 what it really is: arrival of God’s Son 2 usher in fullness of God’s Kingdom

Ø  And a fundamental feature of Kingdom is deliverance from powers that bind & torture humans, in whatever form they take

Ø  The demons claim that time for their destruction has not yet come 4 they’re aware of common biblical idea of a divinely appointed schedule

THE SIGNIFICANCE LOST ON THE PEOPLE +++++++++++

Ø  Jesus realizes that the time isn’t right

Ø  So rather than destroy evil forces, J sends them into pigs, which in turn are destroyed

Ø  That townspeople beg J 2 leave suggests they have allowed material loss 2 blind them 2 something much bigger

Ø  And that is fact that J has delivered not only 2 the 2 demoniacs, but also entire territory being terrorized by them

THE SIGNIFICANCE NOT LOST ON US ++++++++++++++

Ø  The lessons for us? That what has already come to us is the deliverance of individuals from torment

Ø  How well we’re aware of this here at SLI

Ø  2^nd, Jesus has delivered the territory of the Gadarenes, and the this “territory,” from being terrorized

Ø  & until final cosmic struggle of good over evil, that will be more than enough for us to live in hope

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Daily HOMILY for July 1, 2014: Tuesday of the 13th Week of Ordinary Time

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In 2014, I am facilitating a 12-week interactive online course in contemplative prayer and action for priests with Saint Luke Institute.  Please visit SLIconnect.org to learn more:  https://www.sliconnect.org/product/living-god-program-contemplative-life-2/

Tuesday 13^th Week in OT

St. Luke’s Institute

July 1, 2014

JUST A STORY +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  It’s an old familiar story of Jesus calming the storm at sea and rebuking Peter and the disciples for their lack of faith

Ø  Unfortunately, it remains up here in our heads as just an old familiar story

MY STORY +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  But today I’d invite you to think of a storm in your life, as an opportunity you didn’t have before, to take Jesus Christ at his word

Ø  But make it a real storm:

o   Like the sudden and tragic death of a loved one and you’re enraged at God

o   Or a storm of your emotions that sends you into a tailspin, as if picked up and borne off by a tornado

o   Or a pain or illness that rips at every fiber of your being and nothing brings you relief

Ø  These are storms perhaps more fearful than that afternoon in the boat on the Sea of Galilee

Ø  More fearful because we feel like we’re in them alone and isolated from the support or solidarity of others

THE DIFFERENCE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  It’s only into one of my many storms where I am completely out of control,

Ø  Where I am helpless to do anything, that a unique situation occurs

Ø  For take note that I’ve moved from my intellectual understanding of an old familiar story about someone, to a very real existential experience of uncontrollable chaos in my own life 

Ø  This becomes a unique moment in which Jesus has my attention like he’s never had before

CONCLUSION +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Today’s Gospel account assures me that I have his attention, not just in the worst of storms, but at any time,

Ø  And that he will be true to his word and bring me through this

Ø  Yes, I will get through this with my surrender to the Lord!

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Daily HOMILY for June 25, 2014: Wednesday of the 12th Week of Ordinary Time

PODCAST - Press sideways triangle below to listen

or click here if there is no triangle
In 2014, I am facilitating a 12-week interactive online course in contemplative prayer and action for priests with Saint Luke Institute.  Please visit SLIconnect.org to learn more:  https://www.sliconnect.org/product/living-god-program-contemplative-life-2/

Wednesday of the 12^th Week

St. Luke’s Institute

June 25, 2014

WHAT MAKES A WINNING ATHLETE? ++++++++++++

Ø  Fans of professional sports recognize athletic ability

Ø  They know players who simply run so swiftly, leap so high, shoot the ball so accurately, or hit it so fast that they catch our eye

Ø  Pro sports are filled w/ wonderful athletes that sportswriters & commentators often ask:

Ø  “Does this athlete make those around him or her better players?”

Ø  A true star does

Ø  That question goes beyond the 1^st impression we have of an athlete

Ø  It takes time and must be observed over numerous games and season

Ø  Does the team win championships becz this athlete raises the level of play of all those on the team?

Ø  That’s the real question

Ø  A flashy player who scores points & gets all the headlines, not necessarily the real star, even though player may initially attract all the attention

WHAT MAKES A WINNING PROPHET? ++++++++++++

Ø  When asked how 2 distinguish true prophets from false ones, J suggests that over time action of true prophets “bear fruit,” i.e. they generate gd results

Ø  False prophets may grab headlines; they may be flashy and impressive, but do they help teammates perform better?

WHAT MAKES A WINNING RESIDENT? +++++++++++

Ø  If you think of our small groups, 12-step groups, and large groups as teams “going for the gold,”

Ø  Then the gold is:

o   Personal and team insights 

o   Personal and team forgiveness

o   Personal and team transformation

CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Does our participation and sharing, our risking and caring raise the level of conversation in our groups?

Ø  Doing so makes us real stars and creates gold or in Jesus’ words, “the fruit,” we’re looking for

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