Father Greg

The Freedom Jesus Gives

Carmelite homily for Wednesday, April 1, 2020 – Lectionary 253 (John 8:31-42)

In today’s Gospel there’s still more upset. This time the issue is freedom versus slavery. The Pharisees claim to be free because they’re children of Abraham, and Jesus says they’re slaves. They get upset. It’s not just an external freedom Jesus is talking about. It’s an internal freedom. Here’s what Saint John of the Cross says, “Freedom cannot abide in an enslaved heart; rather, it abides in a liberated heart, a child’s heart.” That’s where true freedom is. This is the freedom Jesus offers; the freedom Jesus teaches; the freedom Jesus gives.

He Instructs Without the Noise of Words

Carmelite homily for Tuesday, March 31, 2020 – Lectionary 252 (John 8:21-30)

In today’s Gospel the Pharisees come to Jesus with yet more gripes and they ask, ‘who are you?’ And he says, ‘I’ve told you from the beginning and I have a lot to teach you.’ But he doesn’t teach them in the passage. Why? Maybe because we’re not listening. But maybe because Saint Therese knows, “He instructs without the noise of words.” What does that mean? Maybe example. What does that mean? Maybe love. What does that mean? Compassion. What does that mean? Humane life. What does that mean? Living deeply in Jesus.

Maybe Start in Silence

Carmelite homily for Monday, March 30, 2020 – Lectionary 251 (John 8:1-11)

In her work, The Way of Perfection, Teresa of Avila talks about perfection. And she’s condemning how the sisters can be looking at each other and then reporting to the prioress all the faults. Here’s what she has to say about that behavior, “Let us understand, my daughters, that true perfection consists in love of God and love of neighbor. All that is in the Rule and Constitutions serve for nothing else than to be a means towards keeping these commandments with ever greater perfection. So let each one look to herself only. And as to the breaches and faults of the sisters, keep silence. For perfection consists of love of God and love of neighbor; whereas, perfectionism comes from the devil.” And today we have all these people bringing this woman caught in adultery to Jesus. All pointing fingers at her. And Jesus, though he’s writing on the ground, is actually pointing fingers at them, telling them, ‘be silent.’ And when he looks up, they’re gone. It’s silent. Maybe we should’ve started there.

Come Out! Be Unbound!

Carmelite homily for Sunday, March 29, 2020 – Lectionary 34 (John 11:1-45)

We know Saint Therese because of her autobiography, A Story of a Soul, but she also would write to priests. That was her mission – to support priests – especially the newly-ordained who went out on mission. One wrote to her with scruples and feelings of inadequacy and she replies to him, “Do not waste these days of sunshine hiding in the dark of fear and anxiety.” Great advice – for everybody. Today we have Lazarus coming out of the tomb. And I think we need to come out of the tomb also. Because our tombs are oftentimes fear and anxiety. Why do I always have to have the last word? Fear and anxiety. Why do I have to control everybody around me? Fear and anxiety. Why do I have to …. Fear and anxiety. Jesus tells Lazarus, “Come out!” and he tells us, “Come out! And be unbound!” from fear and anxiety.

Try a Different Solution

Carmelite homily for Saturday, March 28, 2020 – Lectionary 249 (John 7:40-53)

This is a great week for Gospel passages. Now we everybody upset because of authority. Who has the authority here? Who is in control here? Who has the power here? That’s what we see in today’s Gospel passage. John of the Cross may have a different way. He writes, “The soul that journeys to God without shaking off its cares or quieting its appetites is like the one who drags a cart uphill.” If your life is an uphill drag maybe a different solution?

Crucified Inwardly and Outwardly

Carmelite homily for Friday, March 27, 2020 – Lectionary 248 (John 7:1-2,25-30)

In today’s Gospel there’s a lot of upset. Jesus has to go to Jerusalem, but in secret. The people are murmuring. The religious leaders want to arrest him. Lots of upset. Is there a lot of upset in your life? Maybe John of the Cross has a solution. He writes, “Crucified inwardly and outwardly with Christ and you will live in this life with fullness and satisfaction.” Isn’t that a great substitute for upset – fullness and satisfaction? But to be crucified with Christ means to put all that aside. Let it go to the Cross. And you live apart from all that. Even Saint Paul says, “I have been crucified to the world and the world to me” (in Galatians). Same idea. A good topic, a good path for Lent.

Path of Unknowing

Carmelite homily for Thursday, March 26, 2020 – Lectionary 247 (John 5:31-47)

In today’s Gospel everyone wants proof, or they want testimony, or they want evidence, but faith doesn’t work that way. Saint John of the Cross writes, “To reach union with the wisdom of God, one must advance by unknowing, rather than knowing.” I think that’s what Jesus is trying to communicate in today’s passage. And what Jesus is trying to communicate to us. If we expect to know everything, all evidence, all testimony in place, we’ll get nowhere. We need to advance by a deeper path – unknowing.

Make Us Bearers of the Word

Carmelite homily for Wednesday, March 25, 2020 – Lectionary 454 (Luke 1:26-38)

Saint Mary Magdalene D’Pazzi is a Carmelite saint about the same time as Teresa of Avila, but in Italy, in Florence. She has a famous prayer called ‘Come, Holy Spirit.’ “

Come, Holy Spirit, let the precious pearl of the Father and the Word’s delight come. Come, Spirit of Truth, you are the reward of the saints, the comforter of souls, light in the darkness, riches to the poor, treasure to lovers, food to the hungry, comfort to those who are wandering; to sum up, you are the one in whom all treasures are contained. Come, as you descended upon Mary that the Word might become Flesh, work in us through grace as you worked in her through nature and grace.”

It’s quite the cheeky prayer – that the Annunciation to Mary is the annunciation to us. We are to be bearers of the Word ourself. So it’s quite the meditation point as we celebrate this feast of the Annunciation.

If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes

Carmelite homily for Tuesday, March 24, 2020 – Lectionary 245 (John 5:1-6)

There’s an old saying: If nothing changes, nothing changes. That describes what’s going on in today’s Gospel. We have this lame man on the side of the pool in Bethesda waiting to be put into the water for healing – for thirty-eight years. And Jesus says, “Do you want to be healed?” and the man says, “No one’s put me in the water.” Nothing has changed in thirty-eight years. He’s not heard that Jesus is offering a different solution. Saint John of the Cross writes, “Travelers cannot reach new territory if they do not take new and unknown roads and abandon the familiar ones.” That’s the call of today’s Gospel. If you’re feeling stuck or just not right, maybe it’s time to try a new road? If nothing changes, nothing changes.

Step It Down

Carmelite homily for Monday, March 23, 2020 – Lectionary 244 (John 4:43-54)

In today’s Gospel we have a royal official coming to Jesus because his son is ill and asking for healing. This would take quite the step down for a royal official to go to Jesus who the Gospels describe as a carpenter, a laborer, kind of blue-collar. It’s quite the step down. Teresa of Avila writes, “One act of humility is worth more than all the knowledge of the world.” I think that’s the example of today’s Gospel and the call to us. How many times we don’t want to do something because we don’t want to give them the satisfaction? Or they’re supposed to apologize first! Or I’m the aggrieved party! No humility there. I think the call of today’s Gospel is humility. “One act of humility is worth far more than all the knowledge of the world.”