Father Greg

Immensity of Christ

Carmelite homily for Thursday, February 20, 2020 – Lectionary 338 (Mark 8:27-33)

In today’s Gospel Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they give a bunch of answers and finally Peter says, “You are the Christ.” Then Jesus predicts his upcoming passion and death. And Peter says, ‘Oh, This must not happen to you.’ Jesus, “Oh, behind me Satan for you do not think as God thinks but as human beings think.” I think that’s the call of today’s Gospel: is to think beyond what human beings think; to think as God thinks. Edith Stein (Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) writes, “Living in a Eucharistic way means coming out of oneself, out of the narrowness of one’s life and growing into the immensity of life in Christ.” I think that’s why Jesus begins with the question, “Who do people say that I am?” Is your understanding big enough, immense enough, to understand Jesus? Because that’s what you’re called to grow into – that immensity. That’s what we called as Christians, as Eucharistic people, as disciples – to grow into the immensity of Christ.

Do Not Go Back

Carmelite homily for Wednesday, February 19, 2020 – Lectionary 337 (Mark 8:22-26)

In today’s Gospel we have a very interesting passage. The people from the village of Bethsaida bring to Jesus a blind man. And Jesus heals him – it takes two tries – and concludes with the line, “Do not even go back into the village.” Why? The purpose of all Jesus’ healings is to allow people back into the village, back to their families, back to society because the blind, the unclean, the lepers, the lame were all kept outside the village for health reasons. So why would Jesus tell this man to not go back? There must be something wrong with the village. That if he goes back, all the problems come back. So, I think, the call of today’s Gospel – are we part of the problem? – is to check out our own village. Are we adding to it or are we suffering from it? Let’s clean up the village. It’s really the call of today’s Gospel.

To Ponder Past Huh? to Aha!

Carmelite homily for Tuesday, February 18, 2020 – Lectionary 336 (Mark 8:14-21)

In today’s Gospel Jesus warns the disciples to be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, and they all go ‘huh?’ And so Jesus goes ‘huh?’ to them – you don’t understand? your don’t comprehend? you have eyes to see? ears to hear? Because, I think, life requires reflection, pondering – not just surviving or doing. But to reflect on life. John of the Cross writes, “Seek in reading and you will find in meditation; knock in prayer, and it will be opened to you in contemplation.” I think that’s the invitation, the call of today’s Gospel, is to pray, to reflect, to knock. And these things do become known and evident. Instead of going “huh?” we might go “aha!”

So Much Better to Say Nothing

Carmelite homily for Monday, February 17, 2020 – Lectionary 335 (Mark 8:11-13)

Today we have the Pharisees coming to Jesus and asking for a sign. And the passage says that he sighed from the depth of his spirit. Because we know there’s no pleasing the Pharisees. They would just get into an argument and continue their self-righteousness. I think that’s why Therese gives very good advice – very hard advice – but very good advice which, I think, Jesus is following in today’s Gospel. Therese writes, “When we are misunderstood and judged unfavorably what good does it do to defend our explain ourselves? It is so much better to say nothing and allow others to judge us as they please.” Wow, is that a difficult quotation, a difficult maxim, a difficult way. But, I think, we see Jesus in today’s Gospel doing that and calling us to do the same.

Deny to Find

Carmelite homily for Sunday, February 16, 2020 – Lectionary 76 (Matthew 5:17-37)

In today’s Gospel passage there’s certainly a lot going on – and it’s all kinda negative. Jesus first talks about anger and then resentment and then unforgiveness and then lust and then swearing and lying. Why is all this part of the Sermon on the Mount? And how does it all tie together? Actually, I think, one word – ego. It’s all about me – having my appetites met, my righteousness met, my self-righteousness – everything about me. That’s the call: to get beyond me. To get deeper, to my heart. Saint John of the Cross writes, “Deny your desires and you will find what your heart longs. For how do you really know that any of your desires are according to God?” I think that’s the call of the whole Sermon on the Mount – to get beyond your desires, your appetites, your ego, you. Into your heart where truth and life and love and depth and God live. And work out of and live out of there. That’s the call of today’s Gospel.

Change Everything

Carmelite homily for Saturday, February 15, 2020 – Lectionary 334 (Mark 8:1-10)

Last week I talked about Therese and there was a sister in that convent no one could get along with, so Therese finally said, “I am resolved to do for this sister what I would do for the person I love the most.” What was it that Therese did? But smile! Every time she saw the sister – whether in chapel, or at recreation, or at work duties – she smiled. Changed the sister, small thing, changed the sister, changed the convent, changed Therese, changed us. Because we read about this and are inspired today. One smile! I think that parallels perfectly what’s going on in today’s Gospel. Jesus and the disciples face this big crowd. Jesus asks, ‘what kind of food do you have?’ and they say, ‘seven loaves.’ What is seven loaves?! It’s like that smile – it’s enough. That’s the call of today’s Gospel. Whatever you have on hand – whether a smile, or a loaf, or whatever – share that. That will change everything.

Ephphatha!

Carmelite homily for Friday, February 14, 2020 – Lectionary 333 (Mark 7:31-37)

Today we have a man with a speech impediment being brought to Jesus and Jesus touches his ears and touches his tongue and says, “Ephphatha; be opened!” How long did this man have this impediment? Is it a good thing? Yes! It’s a good thing! Because without this impediment this man would never have met Jesus. Without this impediment he would not have had this good thing happen. Without this impediment he wouldn’t have gone out and told everyone and become an evangelist. Saint John of the Cross writes, “See that you are not saddened by the adversities of this world; for you do not see the good that they bring.” I think that’s what’s happening in today’s Gospel.

Interior Goodness / Interior Castle

Carmelite homily for Wednesday, February 12, 2020 – Lectionary 331 (Mark 7:14-23)

Saint Teresa of Avila’s best known work is called The Interior Castle, where she uses the image of ‘castle’ to be you or to be me. And that our journey is a journey deeper and deeper into the castle. At the very beginning of the book she writes, “We consider our soul to be like a castle made entirely out of diamond; a paradise where the Lord finds his delight.” In today’s Gospel we have all that comes out of the man defiles him; but what else is in the man but goodness and life and the Lord himself, where the Lord finds his delight. So I think the deeper we penetrate the castle, the deeper we understand ourselves, the deeper we know ourselves, the less defilement and the more aggrandizement, the more goodness, the more love, the more life. That’s the invitation of today’s Gospel.

Aim to Please

Carmelite homily for Tuesday, February 11, 2020 – Lectionary 330 (Mark 7:1-13)

In today’s Gospel we have Jesus condemning loopholes. The people are called to do the weightier things of the Law, like take care of one another or honor parents; and they get out of it by loopholes. Well, Jesus condemns these loopholes. Saint Teresa of Avila writes, “Let us walk with sincerity before God aiming at pleasing him alone and not people.” Because if we’re working on loopholes, we’re working not for the good of the people, and definitely not the will of God, nor our own growth. So let us work at pleasing God today.

Healing Smile

Carmelite homily for Monday, February 10, 2020 – Lectionary 329 (Mark 6:53-56)

In the autobiography, Story of a Soul, of Saint Therese, she talks about one of the sisters who displeased her in everything – her ways, her manner, her speech – everything displeased her. And Therese wanted to run whenever this sister approached. But, she writes, “I am resolved to do for this sister what I would do for the person I love the most.” So every time this sister came in the room, or when they were at recreation, or working together, Therese, who really wanted to run away, would smile instead. And it brought healing and brought peace, and joy, to the whole convent. I think that’s the invitation of today’s Gospel. Yes, Jesus is healing the multitudes and we say, how could we do that? I think all it takes is a simple smile to bring healing to the multitudes.