Category: Homily

Take Up Your Cross

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This morning Father preached on the line “Take up your cross” from today’s Gospel.

His homily was a fascinating tribute to the early Church and the traditions they have handed down to us regarding the sign of the cross. Here are some of the things I learned today:

The reason we touch our LEFT shoulder before our RIGHT shoulder when we make the sign of the cross comes from the Gospel of Matthew, when we are urged to try to stay on the right side of God (with those who are living as God has asked them to) rather than on the left side (with those who have turned away from God). Father said that was we cross ourselves we should remember that we are to strive to stay not on God’s left side, but on His right.

The triple-cross we make just before we hear the Gospel read at Mass is one of the oldest forms of the sign of the cross in our tradition.

In Baptism when we are signed with a cross, we are claimed for Christ. In Confirmation, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

In the early Church, the sign of the cross was made with three fingers of the right hand, held together–a symbol of the Trinity–three in one.

Take up your cross, and remember–keep right!

2 Homilies, and Mother Teresa

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Today at Mass our pastor spoke of (among other topics) Blessed Mother Teresa and her “dark night of the soul.” He related it to the part in today’s Gospel where Jesus says “If you wish to follow me, take up your cross….” Father H said that the spiritual barrenness that Mother Teresa experienced through much of her life was her cross, her burden. Her example to us is that she bore her burden patiently and without complaining. She took up her cross and did not let it deter her from following Christ through her life of service. He reminded us that all of us have a cross, a burden, to bear; and that we are called to do so with grace and reliance on God.

Today’s Gospel also made Father Daren at Servant and Steward think about Mother Teresa’s example to us–but his homily discusses how she put aside all things–family, possessions, life–to follow Jesus.

Both homilies give us a lot to think about today.

Banquets and Humility

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Yesterday at Mass our pastor had a very interesting take on the Gospel. This is a summary of his homily, in my own words.

It’s not about the party. It’s about our need for approval.

He said that we all need approval, affirmation and recognition–and that it’s OK to need those. It’s not even a contradition of the virtue of humility to need these things.

But the Gospel is calling us to think about whose approval, affirmation and recognition we seek.

Do we seek the approval of our friends? Do we only do what they would consider acceptable and admirable, for fear of losing their approval?

Do we seek the approval of those with whom we wish to associate–those up a few rungs on the social ladder? Do we edit our actions and words so that they would meet the approval of those people?

Or do we seek the approval of those who are truly in need? Do we put aside our own desire to be liked by our friends, family and social class, our desire to climb higher on the social ladder, in order to do what we know is needed to help someone else who can use a hand? Do we encourage our children to include the less popular kids in their lunchtime games on the playground?

That’s humility: being ready to take the social consequence of acting in a loving manner toward those that have been deemed “unlovable” by the very people whose approval we so fervently desire.

After all, whose banquet do we really wish to enjoy? If it’s God’s banquet we’re after, then we need to think very differently about whom we want to impress.

What We Heard

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Today, on the Feast of the Assumption.

Our priest’s homily was a reflection on the first line of the Magnificat: “My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord.”

First he reminded us that the month of August is full of celebrations of spiritual giants. He told the story of Edith Stein (St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross) whose feast we observe August 9, and referenced the meaning the Magnificat held in the life of this saint.

Next, Father discussed the work of Kathleen Sullivan in abstinence education for teenagers. He observed that God showed His own reverence for the human body by assuming Mary’s earthly body into Heaven upon her death, and that it is our duty to also have reverence for the human body.

Finally, Father told the story of a young person approaching a wiser, older person and asking what he should do with his life. The advisor asked the young person: “What is it that you do that makes your being proclaim the greatness of the Lord, that makes you feel fully alive? THAT is what you should do with your life.”

If you’d like to hear my favorite arrangement of my favorite Gospel Canticle, visit this site and click on “Magnificat.” The composer is a Franciscan Friar from Holy Name Province. I learned this song back in high school when another Friar introduced Father Tamburello’s compositions to our choir. A few years ago I contacted Father to request permission to use his “Magnificat” at our Secular Franciscan meetings as part of Evening Prayer. He generously gave the permission and mailed me the sheet music to the song. It is a beautiful, simple arrangement of the Gospel canticle–but nothing elaborate is needed with lyrics like these. Enjoy it!

Image Credit: Dan Paulos