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How to Make It Work

A Carmelite homily for Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter, 24 April 2024, Lectionary 281

In today’s Gospel Jesus says, “If anyone hears my words but does not observe them, I do not condemn him; my words condemn him.”  What does this mean?  Saint John of the Cross wrote a formation manual, a manual for those entering the Order – things to be aware of and things to do.  And he calls it “The Precautions” – things to be cautious of.  And this is the First Precaution of many precautions, the First Precaution.  This is what Saint John of the Cross writes: “The First Precaution is to understand that you have come to the monastery so that all here may fashion and shape you.  So think of everyone in the community as artisans, as indeed they are.  Some will fashion you with words for you, some by words against you; others by deeds for you, others by deeds against you.  In all this try to be submissive as the statue is to the sculptor, the statue is to the artist who paints it, or the statue is to the guilder who embellishes it.  If you fail to observe this precaution you will not know how to overcome your sensitivity or your feelings, nor will you get along well in the community, nor will you find holy peace, nor free yourself from stumbling blocks or evil.”  You notice how Saint John of the Cross does not say, if you don’t do this God’s gonna get you.  No!  If you don’t do this, this is not going to turn out well.  It’s as simple as that.  Do these precautions and it’s going to work; if you don’t do these precautions and it probably not going to work.  I think that’s what Jesus is getting at.  If you do what Jesus tells us life is going to work.  Forgive one another.  Don’t judge one another.  Be patient with one another.  Listen to one another.  Treat one another with dignity, like the Golden Rule.  Forgive one another seventy time seven.  On and on.  It’s like these are Jesus’ “The Precautions” for life to work.  If we don’t do them we’ll get through life but it work as well.  I think this is why Jesus says, “I will not condemn you; my words condemn you.”  Because it’s not going to work as well.  

Saint John of the Cross
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Nourishing Bread

A Carmelite homily for Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter, 17 April 2024, Lectionary 275

Oftentimes people come to me saying: “Oh, my prayer is dry,” or “I’m going nowhere,” or “Life is empty.”  I can sometimes think that.  Saint Teresa of Avila has a quotation that I love.  She says, “Self-knowledge is the bread upon which the soul is fed.”  That’s how we get nourished.  That’s how we find life.  Bread is meant to nourish, to give life.  And what is that bread but self-knowledge?  In these gospels this week we have the ‘Bread of Life Discourse’ coming from John Chapter 6.  But the Last Supper is John Chapter 13.  So I think Jesus is meaning more than just Eucharist here.  I think when he says “I am the Bread of Life” he is saying “I will teach you how to live; I will teach you who you are; I will teach what is important.”  This is the Bread of Life!  Saint Teresa is so right: “Self-knowledge is the bread upon which the soul is fed.”  When you’re feeling empty, you’ve stopped exploring yourself; you’ve stopped knowing yourself.  New roads are there and you don’t enter them.  New vistas, new ways.  This is the call: to go deeply and explore yourself.  Then you will find life.  Then you will find interest.  Then your life will go somewhere.  Because Jesus is the Bread of Life.  

Saint Teresa of Avila