Humility, Obedience and Total Self-Gift

“Whoever doesn’t have one Master, has many.”

— St. Ambrose of Milan

In both the Old and New Testaments vineyard stories abound. For the last two weeks we have been reading the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 20, once again of the vineyard. Today we hear the familiar story of a father who directs his two sons to work in the vineyard. The first son, from the onset, says no he won’t go but then has a metanoia or change of heart and goes anyway. The other son gives an initial yes, but he doesn’t follow through with his commitment and his actions are hollow.

We must not just give lip service, but we must do the will of God in our lives. We must not just profess our faith by reciting the Creed and saying amen at Sunday Mass, but we must live our faith in our daily life. Procrastination is a sin against love where we put important matters and people off and fail to prioritize and put consideration into action.

At the beginning of any school year, any teacher or coach asks for 100% commitment for their subject or sport. They don’t want partial or occasional attendance which would hinder one from exceling. So too, we can not become part-time or weekend disciples, but daily faithful disciples who embrace God’s way of life. Remember the familiar adage, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Sometimes we make grandiose promises to others, but when it comes to fulfilling, we fail to be faithful even in small measures.

Recently after a daily Mass, a couple came to the sacristy for a blessing on their 50th wedding anniversary. I congratulated them for reaching this milestone and living their “I do” through the required strength, courage and perseverance it takes to live a sustained commitment. Sometimes our lives’ commitments can be derailed with such phrases as “I don’t” or “I won’t” or “I can’t” instead of fulfilling the “I will” commitment to faithfulness and love. In any commitment there are ups and downs, twists and turns, demands and challenges. Yet over the long haul, it is the steadiness of faithfulness that speaks the loudest. Most of us are familiar with the phrase, “Actions speak louder than words.”

There is room for everyone in the vineyard of the Lord. We are co-workers with one another: both the young and the old, the rich and poor, men and women. Whether we are in the prime of life or in our sunset years, we must be faithful.

In his letter to the Philippians (2:1-11), which we normally read on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, St. Paul speaks of Christ’s self-emptying (kenosis). We are called to kenosis in emptying ourselves of sin and selfishness. St. Paul reminds us that the way of Christ is the way of humility. St. Paul writes, “Do nothing out of selfishness...humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.” This kenosis is necessary in order to embrace the mind, the message and the mission of Jesus. Paul warns us that selfishness and vain-glory keep us from the attitude of Christ that we must have. Paul states that our attitude must be modeled and imitated after Jesus’. We are to grow in mutual love for our community through our actions, thoughts, feelings, words and judgments.

A positive attitude is necessary for a positive outlook on life. In psychology our cognitive self (thinking), creates our affective self (feeling), which creates our behavioral self (living). Our “mind-set”, our “heart-set” and our “life-set” must be modeled on Christ. The mark of a true Christian is revealed in obedience to God’s ways and God’s will, not our ways or our will. One learns great things through obedience. As Christ was obedient to the Cross, His obedience was rewarded in the Father’s faithfulness by raising Him up. Christ’s best is manifest in His obedience, and that obedience translates into loving service.

Proverbs 21: 28 states, “An obedient person shall speak of victory. The one who obeys will triumph.” St. Theresa of Avila remarked, “O, virtue of obedience—it can do everything!” “Obedientia” (Latin) means “to listen within”. We must obey God’s commands, obey the Church, obey the dictates of our conscience and obey those in rightful authority over us.

I’d imagine we can all identify with either one of the two sons in today’s parable: the first son who refuses to go, but rethinks his decision, and then freely goes and is faithful to His father’s will. The second son who readily admits that he’ll fulfill the task but reneges on his commitment and thus frustrating His father.

The Gospel is calling forth from us not only an exterior obedience of fulfilling one’s duties, but an interior disposition of obedience which comes from the heart. I find this to be true especially in prayer, which demands more than rote recitation. We must rather align our hearts, minds, attitudes and actions to Christ’s in order to fulfill the responsibilities and obligations entrusted to our vocation. The menial, routine, ordinary everyday life is the testing ground for doing God’s will for God’s glory and God’s purposes. May we grow in Christ-like humility, obedience and total self-gift.

Ordinary Time 25

“I want to keep telling Jesus that I love him. It is not difficult, and it keeps the fire going.”

- St. Therese Lisieux

Almost two months ago I called my doctor to make an appointment for an annual physical. The receptionist offered several possibilities. I selected Friday, September 9, since that same night I was taking a group from St. Joseph Parish to attend the “Night of Hope” by TV evangelist Joel Osteen at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. My doctor always gives me undivided attention during my physicals. We update one another about our personal and professional lives and he follows by giving me a thorough examination. When I leave his presence, his calming nature makes me feel like a million bucks! He noted that all my vitals were in the average range and category for my age. My height - 5‟11”, weight - 160 lbs, my blood pressure - 128/82. He remarked that with age 50 looming, there will be a new battery of exams around the corner. I thought to myself that living a half century with five decades "over the dam," and almost a quarter century of serving as a priest, that time flies. As the Latin saying goes, “Tempus fugit.” Near the end of the exam the doctor asked me if I wanted a flu shot. I told him that I did and mentioned to him that I wish I could give "forgiveness shots‟ to people, as it is the best remedy for the malady of sin.

After receiving a "flying colors‟ report, I was on "cloud nine‟ only to return to the rectory to open my daily mail. When I opened my Sprint cell phone bill I was aghast at the amount which read, $2,737.74 — amount due by September 26, 2011. Immediately I got on the phone to contact a customer service representative from the company. I spoke to people from India, Philippines and Argentina. Being on the phone over two hours was frustrating. I was glad that I had gone to the doctor prior to receiving this bill, as my blood pressure probably would have been higher! I was asked a series of questions to get into my account, to which I thought, “How many millions of Richard Jones could there possibly be in the world?” I was told by the supervisor at Sprint to go to the store where I purchased the phone over two months ago. To be honest, I was ready to throw the phone in the river, but instead, I decided to collect people in the parking lot for Joel's "Night of Hope."

I must admit that when I went to the "Night of Hope‟ to listen to Joel, I was distracted and burdened by the weight of this financial debt. The office staff reminded me to “enjoy the night and trust that God will take care of all things - just put it in His hands and allow it to be a night of hope.” For the past 12 years Joel Osteen has led Lakewood Church in Houston, TX. He has a congregation of 48,000 members and a staff of 360 people. All of his books, CDs and music of the Lakewood Church Choir were available for purchase at the Consol Energy Center.

Joel Osteen is 48 years old and has been married to his wife, Victoria, for 24 years. They have 2 children. Both his mother, Mae, and his wife spoke that evening. Their daughter sang and their son played the electric guitar. Joel encouraged us to see this night not as a show but as “worship and praise to God.” It was a joyful, stirring, uplifting and grace-filled night of praise, unity and hope!

There were ministers there from various faith-denominations from the city of Pittsburgh who came forward to give testimonies. And there was a crowd of 15,000 believers gathered with lights, media, songs, trumpets and bugle calls. It was inspiring to see countless young people coming out for this night of faith. For me it rivaled the Penguins' hoisting of the “Lord Stanley Cup” as the champions of the hockey world. Joel spoke about the "heroes of faith‟ in Hebrews 11 who were in the "grandstand‟ spurring us to greater holiness. He spoke of heroes such as Joseph, Moses, Rahab, David and Job. He added his father to the list who served as minister of Lakewood Church for 40 years. He highlighted that every faith-journey includes peaks and valleys. We must pray about what we share, for our own journey can bless others as well.

As I was growing up in a family with a Presbyterian father and a Catholic mother, my Dad would always say of his "mixed marriage," “It is two faiths but one love.” For 51 years my dad belonged to the First Presbyterian Church on 6th Street Downtown. The only times that we were permitted to accompany Dad for worship were on Christmas and Easter, or when Anita Bryant came to sing and to give out orange juice. I recall Dadbeing inspired by the evangelist Billy Graham who came to Pitt Stadium in 1960. In June of 1993 I had the privilege of hearing him at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. I guess these Protestant evangelists have always been “in my blood.” On my bookshelf I have both Billy Graham and Joel Osteen's books. In October of 2004 I took a group of 105 people to Madison Square Garden in New York City to hear Joel Osteen. In March of 2008 I took over 200 people from St. Patrick Church in Canonsburg to listen to him. So on September 9 it was a joy to hear him again in Pittsburgh. In one day I experienced a physical exam, an emotional trauma and a spiritual renewal! I felt confident after the evening that my bill dilemma with Sprint would be resolved. The following day I journeyed to Beaver Valley Mall to speak to a representative at the store. He mentioned to me that this kind of fraud occurs about once a month. It took 2 1/2 hours to resolve the ordeal. I was given a new PIN number and security name and a reduced bill to the cost of $63.75 which was due September 26, 2011. I was relieved. Hallelujah!

On this 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we hear the story of the vineyard owner sending workers out to work in the vineyard throughout the day. Some were “early birds” and some were late arrivers, but the generous land owner gave equal pay to each. Often times we expect to be paid according to the hours we work, competency level, degree of credentials, years of seniority or skills to get the job done. But God's ways are not ours and aren't based on those criteria. The key qualities to God's kingdom is generosity, justice, mercy and compassion.

9-11 and Learning to Forgive

“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.”

- C. S. Lewis

As we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, we gather as a nation and faith community here at St. Joseph on this unforgettable day to pray for God’s mercy, healing and forgiveness. There will be a prayer service of meditation and song on Sunday night at 7:00 PM in the church. We welcome everyone to this special event.

The Benedictines, Genevieve Glen and Tobias Colgan, wrote a beautiful poem, “Christ in the Rubble," about September 11:

O Christ, beneath the fallen stones

Nailed fast to twisted bars of steel,

And slain in flesh and blood and bones,

Pierced by the fear all mortals feel;

Arise from ash and dust and death,

And breathe into crushed hearts new Breath.

O Christ, within a world at war,

Where love and hate fight for the soul,

And all sights trained on death see far,

But only love can see the whole;

Arise from unforgiving pain,

And teach us how to love again.

I vividly remember that the day before this attack, September 10, my brother Dan, his wife Kelly and I were departing from LaGuardia Airport in New York City for Martha’s Vineyard. We were the only passengers on that USAirways flight so the pilot allowed us to stand up to see the Twin Towers. We could almost touch them with our hands. How mystified we were to see the next day these mammoth skyscrapers of the Big Apple reduced to a mere plume of smoke. Our days on that vacation were spent watching the coverage and untold reports of this dark day in our history. It was as if we were in exile or held hostage, since all flights for our return were in gridlock.

Our faith comes to our rescue in such times as our hearts cry out for God’s mercy. Our entire country was attacked on this day, and according to World News Report, 15,000 people are still feeling the effects in their physical health from the damage they suffered on that day.

We are grateful to St. Joseph parishioners, Lou and Sharon Cisar, who obtained the “9-11 Flag of Honor” bearing the names of all the victims who died in the Pentagon, Twin Towers and Shanksville. (Total number of victims: 2,977 — 246 on planes, 2,606 in the towers and ground, and 125 at the Pentagon.) This flag will be on display at our prayer service tonight.

Pope Paul VI (1963-1978) said that the greatest error of the modern world was its loss of the sense of sin. And without a sense that we are sinners, why would we need a savior and redeemer? Therefore the Church finds herself needing to preach the “bad news” that we are sinners who do dark and evil deeds before people can understand the “Good News” that Christ has redeemed and saved us. Jesus calls us to work at fostering unity, peace and reconciliation in the world. When we obey God’s law of love, we take our part in God’s work of reconciling all humanity to God Himself. For over 2000 years of Church history and Church teaching, the foundation of Christianity has been to know that God loves us unconditionally -- Jesus died for our sins -- the Holy Spirit lives in us -- and Jesus is coming back to establish His Kingdom forever. Jesus is calling us to be agents of reconciliation by repairing the rifts in our own lives. No matter how difficult the task may seem, His grace is in superabundant supply.

Recently, on August 31, I was called to the emergency room at Ohio Valley General Hospital to see a 51 year old man, Thomas Bayer, who had a cardiac arrest. His wife of 30 years, Vicki, and their two daughters Jessica and Valerie, along with Tom’s siblings were there. His wife said, “When you say goodbye to your loved one in the morning, you never think it will be the last time.” On that day of sudden darkness and sadness, Vicki gleaned light from heaven recalling that just four days earlier, she and her husband went to the sacrament of reconciliation at Holy Trinity in Robinson. She said, “I know he was forgiven and ready to meet the Lord.” Tom had a career as a master chef for Rolling Hills Country Club in McMurray and Quick Silver Golf Club in Washington, PA, and worked as a general manager at King’s Family Restaurant in Crafton. Tom and Vicki were well-known to me as they attended an Alpha Evangelization program when I served at St. Malachy’s in Kennedy Township.

In the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review obituary, his wife was quoted, “Tom always had a knack for cooking. ... He considered it a privilege to serve his customers in both times of joy and sorrow. He was there to guide a family, whether they were planning a wedding or preparing for a funeral luncheon.“ Tom was a humble, holy and happy companion on the journey. How fitting that he had a candle in his hands in the casket as a sign of his Christian Baptism which enabled him to carry the light for the dawning of eternal life.

As the summer comes to a close, the Church encourages us to pursue the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, the traditional ways Christians express love and compassion:

Corporal Works of Mercy

1. Feed the hungry

2. Give drink to thirsty

3. Clothe the naked

4. Visit the imprisoned

5. Shelter the homeless

6. Visit the sick

7. Bury the dead

Spiritual Works of Mercy

1. Counsel the doubtful

2. Instruct the ignorant

3. Admonish sinners

4. Comfort the afflicted

5. Forgive offenses

6. Bear wrongs patiently

7. Pray for the living and dead

Leisure is for Everyone

“O God, early in the morning I cry to you. Help me to pray. In me there is darkness, but with You there is light; I am feeble in heart, but with You there is help; I am restless, but with You there is peace. In me there is bitterness, but with You there is patience; I do not understand Your ways, but You know the way for me. Restore me to liberty. Amen.”

— Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lutheran Theologian (1906-1949)

Last Sunday, our visiting Franciscan missionary, Fr. Carl Vacek, who spoke about the second poorest country in South America, Paraguay, encouraged me to take time for leisure. He said, “Enjoy a free Sunday on me,” and celebrated the three Masses for the day. Taking him up on his offer, I headed out for the Montour Trail and ran 12 miles. Throughout the run I came across groups of women out for their Sunday run, many bicyclists and those walking their dogs. It gave me time to enjoy something I love to do. Every life needs time for leisure. Even on the spiritual trail, we need time to rest, re-create, restore, refresh and re-energize.

During this run I thought of the 53 couples that came to St. Joseph for Pre-Cana on Saturday and how their lives would unfold. Our day of reflection culminated at the Lord's Table at the 4:00 PM Mass which I offered. (I told the congregation that one couple I married presented me with a gift at their reception. Though I was embarrassed, they insisted that I open it in front of their guests. It was a crucifix. I thought to myself, “Don’t they think as a priest I have enough crosses?” But inside was a note explaining, “As you gave your life as a priest in sacrifice for God’s people, may we give our lives in sacrifice for one another and our family.”)

I also prayed during this run for the over 65 million Americans affected by Hurricane Irene that weekend. I prayed for the nine people whose funerals I celebrated the last two weeks. I was thinking of the twin sisters I would baptize that afternoon, Leah and Hannah Buettner, and what life would be like walking with a companion who mirrors oneself. I found myself praying for the Franciscans in South America in Paraguay who provide food, education, catechesis and the sacraments for the underprivileged in their care. I thought of our students and teachers as they begin a new year. And I prayed for a cyclist on the trail as the flashing ambulance and paramedics tended to his injuries after a fall. And I thanked God for the visiting priest who lightened my load that day. After showering up, I prayed the Divine Office and said my personal prayers and turned on the music channel to the inspirational Soundscapes for quiet meditation and reflection. This leisure-Sunday afforded me the extended time and inner space to be recollected and serene. What a gift it was to experience this "reflective Sunday."

On this 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus says in Matthew 18:20, “...where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Jesus tells us where two or three are gathered together in His name, there is His power and presence. A friend of mine, Msgr. Andy Cusack, would often jokingly interpret this passage of scripture by saying, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there are conflicts. There are differences. There are problems.” As a Christian community we are certainly not a sinless community. But to be reconciled with God, with ourselves, with the Church and with one another is a true miracle of grace and love. I'm inspired by how many take seriously the sacrament of reconciliation.

Jesus reminds us today that if we are at odds with anyone, we must be real enough to address the conflict to diffuse it's deadly power to estrange or alienate one from another. Sin by its nature brings sadness, separation, division, destruction and spiritual death. Grace, however, brings healing, unity, hope, peace, joy and forgiveness.

I received a new book this week from Bishop Bob Morneau entitled "A Splash of Sunshine and other Glimpses of Grace" -- his 42nd book! He quotes John Adams, second president of the United States who wrote, “You will never be alone with a poet in your pocket. You will never have an idle hour.” May the following words of another poet, yet very busy man, anoint you as you seek integration and peace each new day.

Prayer to Achieve Inner Peace

Slow me down, Lord.

Ease the pounding of my heart

by the quieting of my mind.

Steady my hurried pace

with a vision of the eternal reach of time.

Give me, amid the confusion of the day,

the calmness of the everlasting hills.

Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles

with the soothing music of the singing streams

that live in my memory.

Help me to know

the magical, restoring power of sleep.

Teach me the art of taking minute vacations—

of slowing down to look at a flower,

to chat with a friend,

to pat a dog,

to read a few lines from a good book.

Remind me each day of the fable

of the hare and the tortoise,

that I may know

that the race is not always to the swift—

that there is more to life

than increasing its speed.

Let me look upward

into the branches of the towering oak

and know that it grew great and strong

because it grew slowly and well.

Slow me down, Lord,

and inspire me to send my roots deep

into the soil of life‟s enduring values

that I may grow toward the stars

of my greater destiny.

- Attributed to Cardinal Richard Cushing (1895-1968)