Tag: Apostles

#WorthRevisit: When Kids Listen to the Homily

franciscanmom2 Comments

I’m looking back at a post from April 2006, when I discovered that sometimes my kids actually DO listen to the homily!

My children have never, EVER commented on a homily before, unless it is to remark (complain?) at the length of it.

Yesterday on the way home from church, Big Brother observed, “Father really dissed the Apostles in his homily today!” He was clearly impressed that this could be done. And I think it was good for him to notice and hear this message: those Apostles, even though they had been blessed with Jesus’ constant presence for three years, still managed to mess up! They fell asleep, denied Him, abandoned Him during the crucifixion, and locked themselves in someone’s second floor room, only to disbelieve the first few people (Mary Magdalene and the other women) who saw Jesus resurrected. And Jesus let them have it. But then he still let them lead His Church.

I remember that day, and I remember which priest gave that homily. He always made no bones about Peter’s tendency to speak loudly and think later, and about James and John, the “Sons of Thunder” and their overbearing mother with her entitlement complex.

More and more, I find it comforting that the Apostles weren’t perfect.  We tend to think that they (and the saints) were. But if we let go of that idea, and consider that they all found ways to mess things up, it can be a great comfort to us when we don’t get it right.

By Albertino Piazza - www.bildindex.de, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8665288
By Albertino Piazza – http://www.bildindex.de, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8665288

We’re not perfect. Neither were the saints. Neither were the Apostles. But Jesus picked them anyway. It’s good for us to realize it–and it’s good for kids to hear Father “dissing” the Apostles. Because in the end, God made it all work out.

worth revisit

I’m linking up with Reconciled to You and Theology is a Verb for #WorthRevisit Wednesday, a place where you can come and bring a past & treasured post to share, and link up with fellow bloggers!

Loaves, Fishes and Spiritual Writing

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On the Ask a Catholic Editor Facebook page yesterday, Heidi Hess Saxton of Servant Books (Franciscan Media) observed,

one of the many important differences between journalism and spiritual writing: the ability of the writer to process events in a way that uncovers Truth. Journalists tend do “hide” themselves in the writing process. Spiritual writers “reveal.”

My immediate inclination was to conclude that I’m a journalist. I’m a “nuts and bolts” girl.

And when I heard the Gospel for today, I could relate to the Apostles, because I think many of them were “nuts and bolts” people too. Remember, one of them was a tax collector!

…it was already late and his disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already very late.
Dismiss them so that they can go
to the surrounding farms and villages
and buy themselves something to eat.”
He said to them in reply,
“Give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food
and give it to them to eat?”

I’d worry too! It’s the Martha in me–she was a “nuts and bolts” girl too.

Nuts and bolts are important. They hold the whole thing together. But sometimes I can be so focused on those little fasteners that I lose sight of exactly what they’re holding together!

DSC_0318The Apostles did that. How would they possibly feed thousands of people with what little bread and fish they had?

Martha did that. How would she ever be able to offer Jesus and his entourage of followers proper hospitality without her sister’s helping hand?

Jesus let the Apostles know that they needed to trust. He let Martha know that her priorities were misplaced.

There’s a time and a place for nuts and bolts. And there’s a time to let the details fade into the background so you can see the whole picture. I’m not just talking about writing here, either.

What can I do today to trust more–and let God take care of the details?