This week my daughter had to do some sketches for a theology class. She was charged with crafting images that would capture the symbolic meaning of the sacraments in a new way. "But what if I think the sacraments themselves capture everything they are without embellishment?" she asked.
While she could argue the danger of trivialization via simplistic or saccharine metaphors for the sacred, I still just smiled and said, "Yes, but then artists would be out of work." She had the grace to laugh.
But the reality remained, she felt stymied and stumped by the task.
That morning, I'd overheard a snatch of a lecture on Pope Benedict and his writings. My mom had given me Benedictus and I'd recently taken to reading the daily meditation. However the book tended to wander from room to room with the business of our household and thus often weeks were lost in the process. It remained an organic habit rather than a daily ritual. I happened upon the book. Opening to the date, the reflection was on Ezekiel and the creation of a truly human heart from our hearts of stone, and how Baptism in effect resulted in a spiritual heart transplant.
I called my daughter and read the passage.
She immediately got it and set to work with the final comment, "This is another example of God cheating Mom."
God cheats she said.
He doesn't have to play fair, He's God. He can forgive 70 times 7, He can pay the last workers in the vineyard the same as the first. He can shine on the just and the unjust.
God cheats with 1000 whispers to our heart every day of how He loves us, pointing out what He hopes we will see.
My daughter came back with the first painting, the Sacrament of Baptism. A font of water trickled over a heart of stone, turning whatever bathed in it into a human heart. We talked a bit about how it could be better rendered, but the thought was there.
God doesn't cheat. He just knows we're not very good at studying for the test and likes to hold impromptu review sessions.
Showing posts with label theology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theology. Show all posts
Friday, October 19, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Bad Homilies
We've all been there at the mass where our heads were suddenly stunned into a religious stupor by something said after the Gospel. You know what I speak of, not the long homily, not the goes everywhere homily, not the it's not a homily, it's a reminder that we're due for an annual appeal lecture, but the BAD homily.
The BAD homily is not theologically unsound although that sometimes happens, the BAD homily leaves children puzzled and adults struggling. The BAD homily gives mental cotton candy when there ought to be Beef Wellington.
Everyone talks about BAD music and BAD music choices. There are the Haugen Haters and the This Isn't Catholic American Idol, just sing the song critiques a plenty. I will suffer bad singing, out of tune guitars and even poorly thought out synthesized accompaniment because of the sincerity of the hearts in there pitching. I will wince and mentally chafe at someone singing Mary Did You Know because the answer is YES! But the homily is part of the meat of the mass, where we're forced to dig deeper into our lives and apply the gospel. It is supposed to grip at our hearts and our minds.
So you might be wondering...what happened?
Yesterday was the Feast of the Epiphany and we went to a late mass not at our home parish owing to the logistics of the day. Squirmy baby syndrome had set in in earnest and I ferried one soon to be joined by a second to the cry room wherein a loudspeaker provided any adults who strained their ears with what was going on in the mass. My middle son came in as well for support.
I thought I was hearing things as the priest described a mountain climber who had suffered a fall and was suspended on the side of a mountain and how he finally decided to pray and heard God say, "Let go." and he feared falling so he didn't but prayed again and God said, "Cut the rope." He got out his knife but couldn't bring himself to do it and thus was found the next day frozen to death a few feet from a foothold where he could have safely weathered the night if he had followed God's instructions and cut the tether. This was 1)obviously not true as how then would we know God spoke to him or that he refused to trust and 2) deeply annoying. It bothered me so much I googled it this morning and the story is there on the internet.http://www.liferesearchuniversal.com/cuttherope.html
This was the Feast of the Epiphany! You want to talk about having Faith? The Kings left their homes. They left their families. They followed a star. They showed up at a stable. They saw a baby with two peasants, a carpenter and his young wife, in a stable. With animals and straw and all of that! And they knew that this was a new King. That this was The King. They gave their treasures. My brain exploded when my son said, "I don't think God would do this, it makes Him seem rather mean." What am I supposed to do? I told him at the time, he was probably right and how could it be true if we know about it unless the poor guy suspended on the rope took the time to write it all down before he died. (It's not noted so I'm guessing no). At that moment I felt like the opportunity to plant seeds had been squandered in a sense for this mass.
And then the final blessing came and asked that we use charity. So I'm there struggling mentally, deciding not to ask about it in the reception line, to just get going and talk later to my husband and older children. They all agree it puzzled them, but no one is as bothered as me. I'm obviously still bothered. So I had to ask, Why?
Everyone screws up. I get it and I'm willing to give a mulligan to the occasional misfire off day. But the problem with bad homilies is that's what we remember from the mass. We do not remember staying steeped in the Eucharist or how our daughter sang the First Noel full throated, or how our youngest son said the Alleluia. What sticks, what stays,what gnaws is "Cut the rope." a macabre story easily found from a Non Catholic Internet site is being substituted for reflections on the Feast of the Epiphany. I want to let it go but then part of me sets her teeth and says, this is a parish full of growing souls and I don't want them becoming disenchanted, uninvested in the star because the star has been made out into something far less interesting.
What to do? Beg any priest considering an assist from Google for homily preparation to vet the sources for their Catholicism and avail themselves of the 2000+ years of writings from the saints and the martyrs and holy men and women who have come before, instead of tagging leap of faith and running with the first story of 1,070,000 results
Sheesh.
Yes. I know.
That's how God works. Some of us (me) get to the stable a bit later than others.
The BAD homily is not theologically unsound although that sometimes happens, the BAD homily leaves children puzzled and adults struggling. The BAD homily gives mental cotton candy when there ought to be Beef Wellington.
Everyone talks about BAD music and BAD music choices. There are the Haugen Haters and the This Isn't Catholic American Idol, just sing the song critiques a plenty. I will suffer bad singing, out of tune guitars and even poorly thought out synthesized accompaniment because of the sincerity of the hearts in there pitching. I will wince and mentally chafe at someone singing Mary Did You Know because the answer is YES! But the homily is part of the meat of the mass, where we're forced to dig deeper into our lives and apply the gospel. It is supposed to grip at our hearts and our minds.
So you might be wondering...what happened?
Yesterday was the Feast of the Epiphany and we went to a late mass not at our home parish owing to the logistics of the day. Squirmy baby syndrome had set in in earnest and I ferried one soon to be joined by a second to the cry room wherein a loudspeaker provided any adults who strained their ears with what was going on in the mass. My middle son came in as well for support.
I thought I was hearing things as the priest described a mountain climber who had suffered a fall and was suspended on the side of a mountain and how he finally decided to pray and heard God say, "Let go." and he feared falling so he didn't but prayed again and God said, "Cut the rope." He got out his knife but couldn't bring himself to do it and thus was found the next day frozen to death a few feet from a foothold where he could have safely weathered the night if he had followed God's instructions and cut the tether. This was 1)obviously not true as how then would we know God spoke to him or that he refused to trust and 2) deeply annoying. It bothered me so much I googled it this morning and the story is there on the internet.http://www.liferesearchuniversal.com/cuttherope.html
This was the Feast of the Epiphany! You want to talk about having Faith? The Kings left their homes. They left their families. They followed a star. They showed up at a stable. They saw a baby with two peasants, a carpenter and his young wife, in a stable. With animals and straw and all of that! And they knew that this was a new King. That this was The King. They gave their treasures. My brain exploded when my son said, "I don't think God would do this, it makes Him seem rather mean." What am I supposed to do? I told him at the time, he was probably right and how could it be true if we know about it unless the poor guy suspended on the rope took the time to write it all down before he died. (It's not noted so I'm guessing no). At that moment I felt like the opportunity to plant seeds had been squandered in a sense for this mass.
And then the final blessing came and asked that we use charity. So I'm there struggling mentally, deciding not to ask about it in the reception line, to just get going and talk later to my husband and older children. They all agree it puzzled them, but no one is as bothered as me. I'm obviously still bothered. So I had to ask, Why?
Everyone screws up. I get it and I'm willing to give a mulligan to the occasional misfire off day. But the problem with bad homilies is that's what we remember from the mass. We do not remember staying steeped in the Eucharist or how our daughter sang the First Noel full throated, or how our youngest son said the Alleluia. What sticks, what stays,what gnaws is "Cut the rope." a macabre story easily found from a Non Catholic Internet site is being substituted for reflections on the Feast of the Epiphany. I want to let it go but then part of me sets her teeth and says, this is a parish full of growing souls and I don't want them becoming disenchanted, uninvested in the star because the star has been made out into something far less interesting.
What to do? Beg any priest considering an assist from Google for homily preparation to vet the sources for their Catholicism and avail themselves of the 2000+ years of writings from the saints and the martyrs and holy men and women who have come before, instead of tagging leap of faith and running with the first story of 1,070,000 results
Sheesh.
Yes. I know.
That's how God works. Some of us (me) get to the stable a bit later than others.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Pesky Facts and other Thoughts
Senator Ben Nelson feels that he has exacted enough pounds of flesh to pay for the pounds of flesh that will be lost in the process, and that the wink and nod he gives government accounting will satisfy his value system. Under the Nelson deal, 45 Million has been allocated over the first ten years for Medicaid and perpetual federal funding for the state of Nebraska's senior citizens and there will be 13 states in which federal funding underwrites abortions.
Comparing Mary Landrieau of Louisiana to Nebraska's senator Nelson is unfair, it is oranges to apples. Mary Landrieau's deal of 300 million for her state's poorest citizens may have cost more fiscally, but at least she didn't sell out morals. She never held the unborn dear in the first place. Nelson, like Adam, couldn't resist the apple.
Reid has the 60 votes to bring the bill to the floor, avoid a filibuster and get the damnable piece of legislation into reconciliation with the house version so that the President can brag of establishing health care. But let's talk about those pesky things; facts.
What the bill doesn't do:
It doesn't lower the deficit. CBO estimates the cost at 2.5 Trillion over the next ten years and I'd add, when has the Government ever come in UNDER budget?
It doesn't fix Medicare (it cuts 470 billion from that program).
It doesn't provide care for the uninsured immediately --it will tax immediately, but the full benefits won't go into effect until 2014.
It isn't fully transparent because it still isn't finished being put together.
It doesn't safeguard the concerns of those who do not want to fund abortions.
What it does do:
It will demand that people and businesses buy coverage or suffer fines.
It will increase premiums (CBO estimates GNP allocations to health care expenses will increase 17 to 24 percent over the next ten years as a result).
It will cover abortions through a wink and a nod of allowing states to opt out and having a monthly premium fee of segregated money used to address this service. 45 million may constitute a fig leaf for Senator Nelson, but for most moral thinkers, dead is still dead and so if you oppose abortion, you don't really care if the abortions are done in Texas or New York, you care that they are done period. You care that your tax dollars pay for an immoral inherently evil act.
It will ration care by adding a layer of bureaucracy.
It will ration care by eventually eliminating much of the private sector. Private schools do compete with public schools but when the economy is tight, guess which ones are suffering?
It will encourage doctors who can retire to do so, rather than be paid less for the same services they provide now.
It will create a whole new segment of government that no one will have read or know much about other than that it costs tons of money and eventually, all of us will pay.
But when things are darkest, we must be lights. Hearts aflame burn brightly.
Call your Senator. Call Congress. Write. Email. Jump up and Down. Speak out. Read. Stay informed and above all else, pray for the strengthening of will, the softening of hearts and true wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Charity towards the poor and the sick does not negate the need to champion the innocent and the helpless. Christ turned away no one and if we would be followers, neither should we.
This bill is many things. People who have argued against it have been called racists, separatists, tools of the insurance companies, uninformed, neanderthals, homophobic, selfish and unpatriotic and unchristian.
This bill is many things, but patriotic, fair, evenhanded, reasonable, good, thoughtful, sensible or helpful to the sick, poor and helpless, and just to all, it isn't. This bill is many things,Christian isn't one of them.
Comparing Mary Landrieau of Louisiana to Nebraska's senator Nelson is unfair, it is oranges to apples. Mary Landrieau's deal of 300 million for her state's poorest citizens may have cost more fiscally, but at least she didn't sell out morals. She never held the unborn dear in the first place. Nelson, like Adam, couldn't resist the apple.
Reid has the 60 votes to bring the bill to the floor, avoid a filibuster and get the damnable piece of legislation into reconciliation with the house version so that the President can brag of establishing health care. But let's talk about those pesky things; facts.
What the bill doesn't do:
It doesn't lower the deficit. CBO estimates the cost at 2.5 Trillion over the next ten years and I'd add, when has the Government ever come in UNDER budget?
It doesn't fix Medicare (it cuts 470 billion from that program).
It doesn't provide care for the uninsured immediately --it will tax immediately, but the full benefits won't go into effect until 2014.
It isn't fully transparent because it still isn't finished being put together.
It doesn't safeguard the concerns of those who do not want to fund abortions.
What it does do:
It will demand that people and businesses buy coverage or suffer fines.
It will increase premiums (CBO estimates GNP allocations to health care expenses will increase 17 to 24 percent over the next ten years as a result).
It will cover abortions through a wink and a nod of allowing states to opt out and having a monthly premium fee of segregated money used to address this service. 45 million may constitute a fig leaf for Senator Nelson, but for most moral thinkers, dead is still dead and so if you oppose abortion, you don't really care if the abortions are done in Texas or New York, you care that they are done period. You care that your tax dollars pay for an immoral inherently evil act.
It will ration care by adding a layer of bureaucracy.
It will ration care by eventually eliminating much of the private sector. Private schools do compete with public schools but when the economy is tight, guess which ones are suffering?
It will encourage doctors who can retire to do so, rather than be paid less for the same services they provide now.
It will create a whole new segment of government that no one will have read or know much about other than that it costs tons of money and eventually, all of us will pay.
But when things are darkest, we must be lights. Hearts aflame burn brightly.
Call your Senator. Call Congress. Write. Email. Jump up and Down. Speak out. Read. Stay informed and above all else, pray for the strengthening of will, the softening of hearts and true wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Charity towards the poor and the sick does not negate the need to champion the innocent and the helpless. Christ turned away no one and if we would be followers, neither should we.
This bill is many things. People who have argued against it have been called racists, separatists, tools of the insurance companies, uninformed, neanderthals, homophobic, selfish and unpatriotic and unchristian.
This bill is many things, but patriotic, fair, evenhanded, reasonable, good, thoughtful, sensible or helpful to the sick, poor and helpless, and just to all, it isn't. This bill is many things,Christian isn't one of them.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Saturday's Jog for the Brain
I love Peter Kreeft.
I'm working on trying to feed my brain more often. Here's an example.
So I thought I'd share. It's long. You will need an hour. Put it on and fold socks, do dishes, multi-task. I got a lot done. But it's a worthy lecture.
http://www.peterkreeft.com/audio/09_priestesses.htm
I'm working on trying to feed my brain more often. Here's an example.
So I thought I'd share. It's long. You will need an hour. Put it on and fold socks, do dishes, multi-task. I got a lot done. But it's a worthy lecture.
http://www.peterkreeft.com/audio/09_priestesses.htm
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
What is That?
This film was sent by a friend of my brother's who teaches theology at a high school in Houston. I found it very moving. I hope you will enjoy it too.
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