My friends, in preparing for today’s homily, I found that much of what I shared with you three years ago is what I would advocate for today, so I will start there and just update some of the examples to present day.

   As we begin the holy season of Lent, I am sure that within some of you, there is a sigh, an “ugh” feeling, or maybe for others, a sense of, ah, a new start for me to get right with myself and God.  For those of you who have the “ugh” sensation, that is understandable as the readings for this 1^st Sunday of Lent direct us to our sinfulness.  They also direct us to God’s graciousness, but those who have put together these readings seem more intent on lifting up our “sinfulness” than they do God’s graciousness and mercy. 

   Take the first reading from Genesis today—did anyone other than me think it strange that we start out with the “earth creature” whom we assume from other translations to be Adam, enjoying the beauties of the garden that God has created, and then the jump of a chapter to introduce the woman just in time to bring “sin” into the world? 

   Granted that, “our sinfulness” is what is trying to be lifted up throughout the readings, but I also suspect that the ages-old tendency, “to blame the woman” is afoot here as well.  And it is a subtle thing in a patriarchal culture, but it is one to note just the same.

   Interestingly enough, I am presently reading a small volume by Sister Sandra Schneiders, theologian, known to some of you perhaps as the writer of the America magazine article some 25 years ago, “God is More than Two Men and a Bird,” who in this volume, which is a collection of articles she did in 2010 for the National Catholic Reporter, documenting and perhaps trying to explain the investigation of women Religious by the Vatican.

   Throughout these several well-resourced articles, she makes clear the frustration of so many Sisters as to the “why” of these investigations. Through discussions with many of her counterparts, the only reason that seemed plausible was that a very small group of hierarchy and unfortunately some very conservative Sisters wanted to return religious life to pre-Vatican II days when the Sisters had a more “controlled” life, or we might say, “were more controlled by the hierarchy. It seems that they really didn’t want these perpetually-vowed women living their lives following their consciences, and the memory of Jesus of Nazareth, which remarkably was often against the agenda of the powers-that-be. 

   Again, she notes, that if “something was wrong” with the lifestyle of the Sisters, why were the orders of Brothers and Priests not also investigated, as they lived similar lives?  In a patriarchal culture, the Sisters were always a prime target, she concluded.  Speaking of Jesus, with relation to women Religious living according to their consciences, and being persecuted for it, Sister Sandra makes the very valid connection to his life in Palestine and the “why” of his death—he was advocating justice for the common folk which was against the agenda of Rome and the religious hierarchy in Jerusalem.

    Continuing then with the Scriptures for this week, pointing to our collective “sinfulness,” it seems that in the reading from Romans, Paul protests too much. His intent in preaching to the Romans who knew little or nothing of Jesus, was no doubt to have them get a clear picture of who he was, but I for one, object to the picture he is portraying here.  Why does the act of making a human choice have to be carried on through all of humanity and their history? This is faulty reasoning if we are to believe in the graciousness and mercy of God. 

   It is probably this reading where the notion of original sin comes from, and the need for God—and not a loving God, at that, to be appeased through the death of Jesus.  This so-called “theology” is so flawed, as it makes God so small-minded, so small-hearted, as Sister Joan Chittister would say of such theology, so vindictive—more like us than God, who in other places—we are told, “is all-loving and all-merciful.”  Sister Sandra speaks of Jesus’ God, thus, “God was not only compassionate, but compassion itself.”  We can’t believe both narratives—that of a vindictive God and that of an all-loving, all-understanding God—as the God of the “Prodigal,” a story of over-the-top love which we will read later on in Lent. 

   The Good News that we should celebrate this Lent and every year at this time is not that Jesus died for our sins— “mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa”—or as a friend recalls feeling, “I am scum, I am scum, I am really scum,” but the fact that Jesus came and lived for us to show us the best way to live.  Granted, his advocacy for the poor and down-trodden, kept in place by the powers-that-were in his time, and his demand that these same powerful ones do the right thing, caused his death, but certainly, not because our humanity needed reparation.   

   Why would a God who made humanity imperfect then demand reparation for their flawed natures? No, it makes no sense that a loving God, wanting only the best for these creatures, enough so to be humbled in Jesus, living among us, showing us the way—the best way through life, death and resurrection would then demand the life of Jesus to appease God’s vindication. 

   Even the terminology that we use in the ritual of distributing ashes, “Remember, that you are dust and unto dust you shall return” has the wrong tone.  So friends, when I distribute ashes today, I will remind each of you and me that instead of remembering that we are “dust and will one day return to such,” I will instead let us know that we,  “came from the good earth and will return there one day.” The true intention in marking us each year with ashes should be to simply help us know our place in relationship to our loving God—that we have been gifted with life from our good earth and all that this entails—no more, no less. 

   In the past few weeks, I have come to appreciate anew, “good health” and when my body works properly.  I have acquired a new, persistent pain in my R knee and while on our cruise around Greece, I had a doctor on board look at it, and as a result, he told me to see an orthopedic surgeon when I got home as I most likely have ligament damage.  Old age? Perhaps, as I am not aware of having injured it.  I have added a cane to my life, which helps getting around, only it is humbling to have to admit that I need it. But being in relationship with this “good earth” and life, in general, brings all of this.

   Coming back then to today’s Scriptures, the Gospel from Matthew is all about Jesus’ preparation for ministry—anyone called to leadership will always be tempted by the power that can come with the role.  Jesus is aware of this and thus tries to make himself strong through fasting and prayer, in order to avoid this very strong temptation and keep focused on his mission. 

   Fasting from food has its place in our lives if it prepares us to better focus on moving out of ourselves to see the needs of others, to in fact be better people.  Even the confidence that comes naturally with good health, that I mentioned above, is something to be aware of, and balance, in appreciation of that gift.  Also, with this comes the need to appreciate that our “personal goodness,” our worth, extends beyond physical health. 

   I personally tend, as you know, to shy away from fasting as prescribed by the Church during Lent as I can’t seem to separate it from the notion of “dieting” and this conundrum was validated for me a few years back in a piece that I read in the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) on fasting and the different take that many women have on the topic.  Of course this article was written by a woman!

   Because many women have grown up with the false impression, created by our male-centered culture, that women are only acceptable if they have a certain body type and shape, fasting takes on a whole different notion for women than it does for men, the writer said.  There is a reason friends, why more women than men, in our culture, suffer from anorexia and bulimia.

   The men in charge say that you can’t unite the two, that is, using a time of fasting to lose a few extra pounds, the writer continued.  And that is why I have stopped trying.  If I happen to be dieting during Lent, (when am I not trying to lose those extra pounds?!), I call it “dieting” and forget about fasting, for what that is worth.

   So, my dear friends; I see Lent as a gift our Church gives us to grow closer to Jesus and we will—if we keep our eyes on him.  If fasting from food helps you to do that, I am not discouraging it, but if it simply leaves you with an “ugh” feeling, then you may want to “fast” in a different way:  you can fast perhaps from nagging a loved one, or from using your sharp tongue or tone to denigrate another, a personal fault I have been reminded of recently, or from selfishness with your time, or from judgmentalism, or snobbishness, or the need to have things done your way, and the list can go on.  This discussion always makes me think of someone in my extended family that did a perfect job of fasting and abstaining from food during Lent but might have been better served, herself and her immediate world, if she had instead, fasted from her negative ways. 

   I think if we don’t come out on the other side of Lent knowing that we are mightily loved by our God, then, I would think we had missed something important.  When you really look at Jesus’ earthly life, you have to conclude that he was a really astounding fellow—to follow in his ways—actions and words—we certainly could do worse!  He was one who saw the goodness of his Abba in all he met and continually worked for the good of all—he saw all as, “his Body and Blood—the eucharist, in the best sense of that word…and so should we.

   So, let us pray for each other during these days that each of us can more fully follow our brother Jesus’ ways in gratitude to our God who has given us this awesome opportunity of 40 days to become more of whom we are called to be! Amen? Amen!

My friends, we are into a new month, February, and the chosen Scriptures since Christmas have not ceased to speak about, “light” and the light we are to be in our world.  Isaiah begins the message showing us what, “shining our light” will look like: share your bread, shelter the homeless-poor, clothe the naked and so on. 

   Isaiah goes on to say that, “your integrity will go before you and the glory of God, behind.”  So, in other words, our actions do speak to the persons that we are!  And the prophet continues… “if you do these things, “light will rise for you in the darkness,” almost as if to say, “the good we do will come back to us!” 

   It could be said, because we follow our brother, Jesus, we are part of a very, very large family that he cares for—us included! You will recall that when Jesus graced our earth he said, “I will no longer call you “servants,” but “friends” and this means that our relationship with our God will always go through the “heart” first—he showed us that so many times through his own human life. 

   I often lift up for each of us the balance that we must try to establish in our lives, between “law and love.”  Those who would live by the letter of the law and that practice be devoid of love, have somehow, simply missed the point of Jesus’ whole presence on earth. 

   Recently at Mass, we used the gospel message of the Beatitudes—blessed are the poor, gentle, those who mourn, are merciful, are pure in heart, who are persecuted and who are peacemakers—these are the ones Jesus wanted to make sure we, as his followers, didn’t overlook—didn’t forget.  This Sermon on the Mount says nothing about lifting up the rich and well-off, those with power and control, who unfortunately often use it selfishly—to advance themselves personally. 

   Jesus attempted, often, in his earthly life to get this message across—recall the story of the rich man with the huge harvest who in response said, “I will build bigger barns!” That very night Jesus said, “ his life was asked of him!”

   I think many of us have been disillusioned these past several years to hear elected officials spouting rhetoric that is clearly about uplifting those already enjoying material wealth and comfort and taking away the helps that would clearly give those in need a hand up in life.  And worse yet is the rhetoric about lifting up the speaker and advancing their career.  What part of the oath that they take is about any of this?

   Just this week, Minnesota lost a fine, former politician in Dave Durenberger, and I believe he was a fine politician because he was first and foremost, a fine human being, who tried to live out his “humanity” in his political life as well.  Those who eulogized him added that he also, lived by “his faith.”  I always enjoyed writing to him as our former U.S. Senator, because as a Republican he was a middle-of-the-road kind of guy and really tried to see both sides of an issue.  This is something we all need to try and do. 

   Today’s office-holders, to some extent seem to be more adversarial toward each other, rather than working across the aisle to do what is best for the greatest amount of the people.  Dave Durenberger was someone who earnestly tried to do what was best for most of the people. 

   In today’s gospel, Matthew shares Jesus’ words, “You light a lamp, set in on a stand where it gives light to all in the house.” Keeping this Scripture in mind, I was shocked to hear that our present state senator, who in the past has been unable to vote positively for any issue that uplifted the down-trodden, did, this past week, propose a bill to make on-line horse-race betting in our state legal! Part of his explanation as to the “goodness” of this bill was that now, Minnesota, instead of Iowa would get the revenue. 

   Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians today speaks to the issue of how hard it can be at times to do the right thing.  He tells us not to rest on our “human wisdom,” but instead, “on the power of God, [in] the Spirit.” 

   Writers, theologians and the like—those who have been able to “break out of the box” in their ministry, have encouraged us to claim the power and strength of the Spirit that Paul talks about.  One such individual is Jim Wallis, creator and editor of Sojourner magazine.  In his book, Christ in Crisis: Why We Need to Reclaim Jesus, he minces no words:

Preachers should preach ever more prophetically, teachers should teach formation and not just information, writers should write ever more honestly, lawyers should fight courageously for those who need their help, [and] reporters should report the facts ever more diligently and speak truth to power regardless of what the powers think about that.” 

And he goes on through the arts—that artists would inspire, that those who know about climate change, would work for that, those concerned about a living wage, work for that—that human rights, voting rights, refugee and immigrant rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and women’s rights would all be advocated for and advanced. And he says, we should all do this, without fear because the Spirit will guide us.

   So my friends, all the Scripture passages today call for more from us than the status-quo—Christians, that is, true Christians, cannot be bystanders.  Jesus expects the best from each of us, and that means that we must respond each time we see an injustice in our world.  Sometimes we will be able to physically lend a hand to help, sometimes we can give financially to a group who with our gift can physically do the labor. 

   Our All Are One Catholic community received a very gracious THANK YOU this week from our local Habitat for Humanity.  Amanda Hedlund, the director shared that two families received new houses and 40 more families had improvements made to their homes through the support we and others gave to them financially this year. 

   Sometimes our advocacy can be through letter/postcard writing/calls to our senators and representatives.  The only thing we can’t do when we see injustice and suffering in our world is NOTHING! It should in fact, upset us when we see sisters and brothers, they who are abused and mistreated in our world.  And when it seems we can’t make change come about, then we need to implore the Spirit to show us a way. 

   Living in our world today calls us Christians to be, “tenderhearted.”  The psalmist speaks of, generosity, mercy, and virtuous living” — ways that truly show that our hearts are engaged. 

   I think many of us Christians become disillusioned at times with hierarchy who simply won’t act, proclaiming, ad nauseum, “that the Church moves slowly.” I would say, if you can’t get things done, or won’t, then stand aside, or enlist the help of women, of the laity, for the work that is so needed.

   Isaiah prophetically says in today’s 1^st reading, “God hears our cries, and will answer.”  We will have to present ourselves though, as the conduit through which God can work! Paul says, that even in fear, a place that, from time-to-time, we all live, we are strong, [always] in the Spirit. 

   Our brother Jesus, in today’s gospel, compares us again, to “light” set on a lampstand, to give light to the whole house.”  To that image, he adds, “salt,” an image no doubt taken more seriously by those first hearers of the Word, due to the need of its preserving qualities in the absence of refrigeration.

   Even so, the message of Jesus can’t be missed, or dismissed—we need to realize that we are called to truly make a difference in our professed lives as his followers. We are to “show the way,” in dark times, we are to “preserve” life and health, in all ways.  Let it not be said of us one day, that our lives mattered little, that nothing changed for the better because we had lived!  Amen? Amen!

   My friends, I would laugh, if it weren’t so sad that Christians, in our world number 2.2 billion, Muslims 1.9 billion, and Jews 15 million, and yet, there is so much inequality in our world of nearly 8 billion people.  If we look at today’s Scriptures, this inequality really should not be present if we Christians are walking in our brother Jesus’ footsteps.  Jews and Muslims too, have like religious texts challenging them toward basic goodness in life. 

   The prophet Jeremiah in today’s 1^st reading speaks of seeking justice, of being humble, speaking the truth, of a people who is indeed “holy.”  Being “humble,” in my mind, means knowing who we are, and who we are not.  Seeking “justice” is quite self-explanatory, but just in case, I would say it is giving everyone, and I do mean, “everyone” a fair shake in this world.  Being “holy” is perhaps a “catchall” for all of the above. 

   In addition, Jeremiah encourages the people to basically [pastor and care for] their flocks.  With all that he says here, I think we have to assume that he means the “pastoring” should extend to people as well as animals.  Present day hierarchy should heed this message. 

   A present-day example seems appropriate.  It has been suggested that the All Are One Catholic community reach out to the new bishop of the Winona/Rochester Diocese, Robert Baron, as he hasn’t yet reached out to us, which would be the “pastoral” thing for him to do.  Given that, our board reached out to him the end of November 2022 via regular mail.  To this day, we have not received any response at all—not very pastoral of him. 

   Wanting to assume the best of this new, “shepherd,” who responded initially upon receiving this appointment to our diocese, that he was happy for the opportunity of, as Pope Francis teaches, being a shepherd with the smell of the sheep “on him,” we checked with the Pastoral Center in Winona to see if our letter had even arrived. We were basically told that this bishop doesn’t respond to letters, and that the best way to get a “meeting” was to go to the website and ask for same, and that we would hear if he accepted our invitation in 3-5 weeks!  Sigh! Not very pastoral I would say. 

   Continuing on then with today’s Scriptures, the 2^nd reading from First Corinthians has Paul saying that “those without anything in this world have been chosen to reduce to nothing those who were something.”  Psalm 146 and the gospel selection from Matthew today mirror each other in content as, “the poor in spirit” are lifted up in both. 

   Jesus calls these “poor” those who are, “sorrowing, lonely, who are single-hearted, who show mercy, and who are persecuted for holiness sake,” the ones who, “will be filled.”  And the psalmist concurs that our God will, “give food to the hungry, sight to the blind, will protect strangers, and raise up those bowed down.”  So, it would seem that the needy are, or will be, taken care of. Right?

   My friends, I am always called back to Jesus’ words before he left us physically, “You will do greater things than I…” This would seem to say that, we are called to continue his work!  So if we ever feel like there are so many things wrong in our world, that nothing ever gets better, perhaps we have to check and see what we are in fact doing to better the situation. 

   As you know, I was asked to give the homily last Sunday at the Unitarian Service and I was graced in the Q and A afterward to be able to update what I  say in future about the “Golden Rule” –of doing to others what I too would want.  The questioner said that he thought the Golden Rule needed to be updated because it may very well be true that what I want done and need is not what someone else might need and want.  I thanked him for this fine-tuning of an old and trusted rule, which just goes to show how everyone’s voice is needed and shouldn’t be discounted!

   This reminds me of a piece I read several years back when the Women’s March on Washington happened the day after the former president was inaugurated.  In this piece, a woman was quoted as saying that she, personally, did not see a need for the Women’s March and another woman, took her on, basically saying, you know, I’m probably a lot like you—I have everything I need, secure home, food, car, the luxury of stopping for a [$6] latte at [my] favorite coffee shop, and so on. She then said that she was marching for all those who couldn’t march and who fall far below what is needed to live comfortably and without fear, especially now, under an administration that plans to gut many of the programs that raise subsistence living above poverty level as well as social programs that protect women and children from violence in their own homes.”

   The present-day news calls me to lift up another example: Minnesota Public Radio had a speaker this past week who mentioned that the new  House of Representatives in Washington, wants to do away with the IRS, replacing it with a 30% across the board sales tax! And we know who that would benefit—certainly not the poor! 

   Friends, whether we live by a golden rule that basically says that, “all the good I want for myself, I want in turn for others,” or Jesus’ words, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” we are called to live beyond our own personal needs and, throughout our lifetimes, we have heard many people affirm this thinking in both Church and State.

   One of my personal [s]heroes in this regard is, Eleanor Roosevelt. In 1934, she had this to say:

          “To deny any part of a population the opportunities for more enjoyment in life, for higher aspirations is a menace to the nation as a whole.  There has been too much concentrating wealth, and even if it means that some of us have got to learn to be a little more unselfish about sharing what we have…I think the day of selfishness is over; the day of really working together has come…all of us, regardless of race or creed or color.  We must wipe out any feeling…of intolerance, of belief that any one group can go forward alone.  We all go ahead together, or we go down together.”

   Wise words that could have been written today.  Amen? Amen!