Carmelite Archives - Page 19 of 20

Judge Sits Highest

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 150 – Sunday, October 27, 2019

A few years ago I was on a jury, a jury trial, that lasted ten days. I learned a lot. What was really interesting is the layout of the courtroom. In the courtroom at the highest level you had the judge – sitting very high. Next to the judge was the witness box on one side; the jurors on the other side, sitting up, and then the alternate jurors a step down. And then there was the main floor which was everybody else. So it was really based on judgment. The judge being the highest judge was the highest. The jurors being the next judges were the second highest. The plaintiffs and defendants in the witness box, the third highest. Then everybody else. A very vertical structure, based on judgment. This is exactly what Jesus is getting at in this example of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, oftentimes called the Pharisee and the Publican. There’s a lot of judgment going on here. That’s why the Pharisee is being condemned because he places himself so high – above the Publican, above all other men, all other people. Jesus calls us to be brothers and sisters. Jesus calls us to live a horizontal life. To gather with him around the table. To gather with him as his companions, as his disciples, as his apostles. To gather with him horizontally. Whenever we put ourselves vertically – hmmm, I think we’re distant from how he calls us to live, how he calls us to be, how he calls, how he calls us his brothers and sisters.

Deeper Repentance

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 478 – Saturday, October 26, 2019

There’s a thought-provoking line from Saint John of the Cross. He writes, “Repent of your sins, but do not regret them, for your sins can teach you who you are.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus used the word “repent” a lot. I think that maybe he’s calling us to the deeper meaning of that word. Repent. Rethink. Pensar. To think, like, “pensive.” That’s the call of the Gospel. To think out what we’re doing; how we’re doing it; why we’re doing it. To think deeply. “Repent of your sins, but do not regret them, for your sins can teach you who you are.” Now that’s deep repentance.

But We Do Have Feelings

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 477 – Friday, October 25, 2019

There’s a line from Saint Therese of Lisieux. She writes, “In Carmel, we do not have enemies, but we do have feelings.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus is talking about opponents, magistrates and trials. I think the call is: let’s never get there. Let’s have feelings positive, in regard, patience for one another. Let’s not have enemies. In Carmel, we do not have enemies, but we do have feelings. Let’s hope they’re positive.

Jesus In My Cell

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 476 – Thursday, October 24, 2019

From his prison cell in Dachau, Titus Brandsma wrote a poem called Before a Picture of Jesus in My Cell.

A new awareness of thy love encompasses my heart;
Sweet Jesus, I in thee and thou
in my shall never part.

No grief shall fall my way but I
shall see thy grief-filled eyes;
the lonely way that thou once walked
has made me sorrow-wise.

All trouble is a white-lit joy,
that lights my darkest day;
thy love has turned to brightest light
this night-like way.

If I have thee alone,
the hours will bless
with still, cold hands of love
my utter loneliness. 

Stay with me, Jesus, only say;
I shall not fear
if, reaching out my hand,
I feel thee near.

Today’s Gospel is filled with upset and anxiousness and conflict but I think when we just put our hand in the hand of Jesus we can rise above it or live apart from it. That’s the call of today’s Gospel.

Gifts that are Best for Us

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 475 – Wednesday, October 23, 2019

In The Way of Perfection, Saint Teresa of Avila writes, “The Lord gives us gifts that are for our best, but we are quite capable of flinging them back in his face, because we want to cash in for the wealth we can understand.” I think that fits in well with today’s Gospel.

Mine are the Heavens

Carmelite Homily for Lectionary 474 — Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Wise or inspiring things that John of the Cross said were compiled into a little volume called Sayings of Light and Love. They are profound. This is Number 27. “Mine are the heavens and mine are the earth. Mine are the nations and the just are mine. Mine are the sinners. The angels are mine. And the Mother of God and all things are mine. And God himself is mine and for me because Christ is for me and all for me. What do you ask, then, or seek my soul? Yours is all of this and all is for you. Do not engage yourself in something less or pay heed to the crumbs that fall from your Father’s table. Go forth! and exult in your glory! Hide yourself in it and rejoice. And you will obtain the supplications of your heart.” I think that works well with today’s Gospel because Jesus has this reversal that when the master comes he will wait on the servants and feed the servants. Why? Because the servants are valuable. I am valuable; you are valuable; to God.

The Doors Open and the Doors Close

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 661 (Feast of Saint Luke) – Friday, October 18, 2019

Saint Therese is oftentimes called the Greatest Saint of Modern Times because she uses modern imagery in her writings. For example, she’ll say, “you can climb the rough staircase of perfection or ride the smooth elevator of love.” It’s a great image of going to heaven. But I extend it because when you take an elevator the doors open and the doors close; people get on and people get off. Sometimes they’re not people you want to deal with or sometimes they’re people who will help or give you advice. The elevator doors open and the elevator doors close on our journey to heaven. So in today’s Gospel, Jesus is sending the seventy-two and we think that they’re going to different places to prepare the way for him. No! They’re all going to you. One at a time. It’s like there are seventy-two floors – each one to teach you generosity, or patience, or fidelity, or hope, or optimism, or life, or love. Finally, the doors will open and there will be Jesus. But it takes the seventy-two to get us there.

No Greatness Without Love

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 470 – Thursday, October 17, 2019

It seems that all the Carmelite writers have the same quotation – maybe they’re quoting each other, but it’s a good one. “The Lord will never look at the greatness of your deeds; only upon the love with which they are done.” In today’s Gospel we have Jesus condemning the people because they’re defending the faith, and going after him and each other, and building great monuments. They’re doing all sorts of things that are laudatory, but no love in them. I think this quotation from John of the Cross, from Teresa of Avila, from Therese of Lisieux, from ‘you name that Carmelite author’, it’s there: “The Lord will never look at the greatness of your deeds; only upon the love with which they are done.” Whatever you do today, no matter how great, do it with love.

What Good Does It Do?

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 469 – Wednesday, October 16, 2019

There’s a quotation of Saint Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, that is so good that I keep it on my desk. She says, “When we are misunderstood and judged unfavorably, what good does it do to defend or explain ourselves? It is so much better to say nothing and allow others to judge us as they please.” Wow, is that tough! In today’s Gospel we have the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the Scribes all being criticized by Jesus because of their self-righteousness. Instead of looking at themselves, they defend themselves and they attack Jesus and each other. I think Therese is right. Sanctity is, “When we are misunderstood and judged unfavorably; it is so much better to say nothing and allow others to judge us as they please.”

The Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 657 – Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Today we celebrate a great one! This is the Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila. My favorite quotation of hers comes from one of her letters. She writes (it’s a prayer), “Lord, I do not think I can give you everything that you ask of me; but I will allow you to take it, and I pray that I do not try and prevent you.” It’s a great prayer because it’s so real; it’s so human. We think we can give everything to God, but, ahhhh. Things that are too close to our ego, to our reputation, to our appetites; ahh, maybe not those Lord. She’s being really human here. But then she’s a great saint because she says, “but I will allow you to take it.” I don’t think we have to give that stuff up – the Lord will take it from us. And then she’s back to human and real when she says, “and I pray that I do not try and prevent you.”

In today’s Gospel we have the vine and the branches and Jesus says that he will prune those branches. What a great Gospel for this Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila!