homily Archives - Page 12 of 19

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.

Bland or Zesty

Carmelite homily for Sunday, February 9, 2020 – Lectionary 73 (Matthew 5:13-16)

In today’s Gospel we have interesting images – that YOU are the salt of the earth; that YOU are the light of the world. What is Jesus getting at? I think it’s what adds zest and energy to life, and that’s love. Food without salt is bland. Beauty without light is invisible. That love adds so much. Saint Therese of Lisieux writes, “Without love even the most brilliant deeds count as nothing.” So you can have the most brilliant food; it’s bland without salt. The most brilliant art; it’s bland without light. Be light, be love, be salt, be Jesus, today.

Alone With

Carmelite homily for Saturday, February 8, 2020 – Lectionary 328 (Mark 6:30-34)

In the Gospel passage we have for today Jesus takes the disciples and crosses the lake to a deserted spot so they can get some rest. But the crowds follow and that’s that. But the invitation is to not to forgo rest, but to find the deserted spots, to relax, and refresh and rejuvenate – and to pray. Saint Teresa of Avila says, “Prayer means taking time frequently to be alone with him we know loves us.” That’s the invitation of today’s Gospel passage.

Step By Step

Today’s Gospel is a grim story – the execution or the beheading of John the Baptist. And how did things get so bad? Because it begins by saying that Herod liked to listen to John. Well, Saint John of the Cross writes, “Through the practice of one virtue all the virtues grow; and through the indulgence of one vice all the vices and their effects grow.” I think it’s as simple as that. Herod didn’t get to this point like that – click. I think it’s by step by step indulgence. Nor do we get to heaven like that – click. It’s by step by step practice of virtue. That’s the call of today’s Gospel.

Already Promised

Carmelite homily for Sunday, February 2, 2020 – Lectionary 524 (Luke 2:22-40) – the Presentation of the Lord

In the Liturgy of the Hours (the Divine Office) we pray three Canticles. In the morning, Lauds, we pray the Canticle of Zechariah (the Benedictus). At Vespers, evening prayer, we pray the Canticle of Mary (the Magnificat). And at Night Prayer, Compline, we pray the Canticle of Simeon (the Nunc Dimitis). In today’s Gospel we have the prayer of the Nunc Dimitis. In all three of these Canticles, it’s interesting, that the prayer – Zechariah, Mary, or Simeon – says, “God you promised this; now you need to deliver this.” Like today Simeon has been promised that he would not see death till he saw the Christ, and he prays, “your word has been fulfilled.” I think that’s the teaching of today’s Gospel of the Presentation, and all these Canticles from Luke’s Gospel – when you pray, pray for something God has already promised. That’s what Zechariah does. That’s what Mary does. That’s what Simeon does in today’s Gospel. We pray for what’s already been promised. What’s been promised? Life. Peace. Adoption into Christ. Fullness of Life. Resurrection. Eternal Life. These are the things that have been promised by God, so we can be cheeky in our prayer – like Zechariah, like Mary, like Simeon. If God has promised, then we can say, “okay, God, deliver.”

A Night So Black

Carmelite homily for Saturday, February 1, 2020 – Lectionary 322 (Mark 4:35-41)

In the Gospel today we have the apostles in a boat with Jesus. A storm comes up; Jesus is sleeping. They wake him up and say, “don’t you care that we’re going to die?!” These storms do come up in our lives. Saint Therese of Lisieux writes, “I knew Jesus was there, sleeping in my boat but the night was so black it was impossible to see him.” I think the invitation here is that no matter how intense the storm is or how black the night is, know that Jesus is there. And relax, be confident, have faith – the invitation today.

Advance by Unknowing

Carmelite homily for Friday, January 31, 2020 – Lectionary 321 (Mark 4:26-34)

In today’s Gospel Jesus talks about seed. It’s planted, it grows, it comes to harvest; the farmer doesn’t know how. Or a mustard seed is planted and it grows so tall birds nest in its branches. It happens naturally, automatically. I think that’s the invitation of this Gospel today. Saint John of the Cross writes, “To reach union with the wisdom of God one must advance by unknowing rather than by knowing.” It may sound cryptic what he’s saying here, but I think it’s just to let life be natural – is what the invitation of today’s Gospel is, and the invitation of Saint John of the Cross.

Perfection versus Perfectionism

Carmelite homily for Thursday, January 30, 2020 – Lectionary 320 (Mark 4:21-25)

In her book, The Way of Perfection, Saint Teresa of Avila, of course, speaks about perfection. And here’s what she writes (this is very good!), “Zeal for perfection is in itself a good thing. But it could follow that every fault the sisters commit will seem to you a serious breach and you will be careful to observe when they commit them. And when they commit them go and inform the prioress. Often you don’t see your own faults because of your intense zeal for the religious observance of everybody else. So let each one look to herself only, for perfection consists of love of God and love of neighbor; whereas, perfectionism comes from the devil.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus is talking about how everything hidden will be made known, will be revealed. Let’s not make that our job. Let’s make our job zeal for perfection in love of God and love of neighbor, and let God take care of everything else. As Teresa of Avila warns us – anything else comes from the devil.