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HOMILY FOR LENT I (FEBRUARY 26)

ReadingsFirst Reading: Genesis 9: 8-15

Second Reading: 1 Peter 3: 18-22Gospel: Mark 1: 12-15

Anecdotes

1) Baptize the entire Ford Motor Plant! Henry Ford: You might have heard the story ofthe machinist who worked years ago at the original Ford Motor Company plant in Detroit,Michigan. Over a period of years he had borrowed from the factory various car parts andtools which he hadnt bothered to return. While the management never condoned this

practice, nothing was ever done about it. In time, however the forgetful machinistexperienced a Christian conversion and was baptized. More importantly, the man took his

baptism seriously and became a devout believer. The very morning after his baptism, themachinist arrived at work with his pickup truck loaded with all the parts and tools he hadtaken from the Ford Company over the years. He went to his foreman and explained that henever really meant to steal them and asked to be forgiven. The foreman was so astonishedand impressed by this act that he cabled Henry Ford himself, contacting the auto magnatewhile he was away visiting a European Ford plant. In his telegram the foreman described theentire event in great detail. Ford immediately cabled back this striking two-line response:Dam up the Detroit River. Baptize the entire Plant! Our readings for this First Sunday inLent focus on the effect our baptism should have on our lives, especially during the Lentenseason.

2) Danger of raising a tiger and an alligator as pets: Antoine Yates lived in New YorkCity in a multistoried apartment. For some inexplicable reason he brought home a twomonth-old tiger cub and later a young alligator. Its not clear where he found them and howhe reared them. But they were with him for two years in his apartment. What had been alittle tiger cub became a 500 pound Bengal tiger, and the little alligator a frightening monster.The police got a distress call from Yates about a dog bite and when they got to the 19-story

public housing apartment building, they discovered Yates in the lobby with injuries to hisright arm and leg. Someone alerted the police to the possibility a wild animal in hisapartment. A fourth-floor resident informed them that urine had seeped through her ceilingfrom Yates apartment. The police officer peered through a hole drilled into the wall ofYates apartment and saw the huge cat prowling around in the room. To make a long storyshort, it took a contingent of officers at the door, and the use of a dart gun by a veterinary

doctor to bring the tiger under control. When finally they entered the apartment, they foundthe big cat lying unconscious atop some newspapers. A big alligator was nearby guarding hisunconscious friend. Both animals were trapped and relocated to shelters. His own wild petstried to kill Yates. That is what happens to those who habitually entertain temptations in theform of evil thoughts and desires.

IntroductionThe primary purpose of Lent is spiritual preparation for the celebration of Jesus death onGood Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. The Church tries to achieve this goal byleading her children to repentance, a type of conversion. Repentance leads us to reorder our

priorities and change our values, ideals and ambitions, with the help of fasting, prayer and

mortification. Hence, the Church ordains fasting and abstaining on assigned days of Lent. AllLenten observances are also intended to lead us to our annual solemn renewal of baptismal

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vows on Holy Saturday. Through baptism we are called to live justly, to love God with allour being, to love our neighbor as ourselves, and to build the kingdom of God by our acts ofcharity. That is why the three readings chosen for today refer to baptism directly or indirectly.The first reading describes how Noahs family was saved from the waters of the deluge byGods special providence and how God made His first friendship covenant with mankind.

Noahs rescue from the flood symbolizes how we are saved through the water of baptismwhich cleanses us of sin and makes us one with Christ. Today's psalm is an exquisitepenitential prayer, humbly acknowledging human insufficiency and our radical dependenceupon God and His mercy and forgiveness. The psalmist lists some of the characteristics of thelife resulting from this repentance: truth, compassion, love, kindness, goodness, uprightness,humility and justice. In the second reading Peter shows us how Noahs episode prefigured

baptism. In the gospel, we are told how Jesus, immediately after His baptism, faced anddefeated the tempter, prepared by His forty days of prayer and penance in the desert.First reading, Genesis 9:8-15

According to the biblical story, Gods covenant with Noah after the Deluge was the first

covenant made by God with mankind after the fall of Adam and Eve. This covenant declaredthat God is in a providential relationship with all of natural creation, and will be so downthrough the ages. The story of the great Deluge in the book of Genesis was also intended toremind people of their present covenant with the Lord and to reinforce their commitment toit. It tells us how man irrevocably broke the original covenant God had made with Adam andEve and how the merciful God found Noah and his family with whom to renew the covenant.The covenant with Noah was very simple. It consisted mainly of Gods promise to care forthe earth and not to destroy it again by a flood. Through the sign of the covenant, therainbow, God promised Noah that he would love and care for Noahs descendants and for theearth that they would inhabit. The rainbow often gives the impression of linking heaven andearth, the effect of the first covenant. The sign of the rainbow may help us to understand

better the pivotal place of Jesus in salvation history. Like the rainbow, he is the link betweenGod and humankind, between heaven and earth. The story of Noahs being saved from thewaters became a negative symbol of Baptism. Through Baptism we become incorporated intothe Church, the Body of Christ, the living Christian community. Through our life in and withour Christian community in our parish, we learn how to live out our commitment to Jesus.We get support in living that life from the community of which we are a part. We learn togrow into a people who are whole and complete, in union and harmony with our God, withothers and with ourselves. And that is salvation. It begins here and now and Lent is the timefor us to strengthen and renew that process in our own lives.

Second Reading, 1 Peter 3:18-22:

Lent is the beginning of the season that culminates in our solemn remembering of Jesus'suffering, death and resurrection ("Christ died for sins,"), and in the joyful baptism and/orconfirmation of new members. Lent is, thus, the season of self-examination. All threeelements are packed into this second reading from the letter of Peter. This letter wasaddressed to the persecuted Christians and was intended to bolster their faith. The authorreminded his readers of their place in the larger history of God's providence, in order to helpthem see their present sufferings in a larger context. St. Peter reminded his readers that anoutward sign of the Covenant God made with his people through Jesus was baptism. Baptismnot only removes Original Sin but is also our birth into Christ, the way we become adoptedchildren of God, heirs of heaven, and temples of the Holy Spirit. Peter pointed out that thewaters of baptism were an antitype of the waters of the flood. The floodwaters destroyed

almost all the people except Noah's family. The waters of Baptism, on the other hand, are thecleansing agent that saves all. Using already traditional formulas of faith, Peter affirmed that

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in the paschal mystery Jesus had made possible for all humankind a right relationship withGod (justification) and life in the Holy Spirit (sanctification). The odd picture of Christ going"to preach to the spirits in prison" ("He descended into hell," in the Apostles creed),

probably refers to the risen Christ making known to imprisoned souls his victory over sin anddeath. (The New American Bible-1970 edition).

ExegesisThe context

All the synoptic gospels agree that Jesus experienced a period of temptation. Hebrews 4:15also testifies to Jesus' temptation episode. While Matthew and Luke give graphic descriptionsof Jesus temptations in the desert at the completion of his forty days of fasting and prayerfollowing his baptism in the River Jordan, Mark just reports that the Spirit led Jesus to thedesert and he was tempted by Satan. The desert was the place where ancient Israel in Mosestime was tested for 40 years. The 40 days of Jesus fasting may also recall the 40-day fastsundertaken by Moses (Deut 9:18) and Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8). Mark does not mention that Christ

fasted for the forty days and nights but the "desert" seems to imply this. Nor does Markspecify the various "temptations" as Matthew and Luke do. The temptations described byMatthew and Luke and hinted at by Mark refer probably to the main temptation Jesus facedduring his public life, namely, the temptation to become a political messiah of power andfame according to the Jewish expectation, using his divine power, and to avoid suffering anddeath. The temptation Jesus faced and defeated helps us to understand both the conflicts thatwere in Jesus' own life and those which will be found in our lives, too. Instead of yielding tothe temptation, Jesus said a firm Yes! to his Father's plan, even when it came to giving overhis life.Why was Jesus tempted after his baptism?

The author of Hebrews uses the temptation narrative to show that the incarnate Son of Godwanted to experience human life to the full, with the exception of sin. Since temptation andhow we respond to it are integral parts of our lives, Jesus experienced them also. The Fathersof the Church explain that Jesus temptations are described after his baptism to teach us whywe are tempted and how we should conquer temptations. Baptism and Confirmation give usthe weapons we need to do battle with Satan. God never tempts people beyond their strength.But He permits us to be tempted. Why? Here are the five reasons given by the Fathers: i) sothat we can learn by experience that we are indeed stronger than the tempter; ii) so that wemay not become conceited over having Gods gifts; iii) so that the devil may receive proofthat we have completely renounced him; iv) so that by the struggle we may become evenstronger; and v) so that we may realize how precious is the grace we have received.Repent and believe in the good news of Gods kingdom. Mark here gives us the first

public words of Jesus, his Messianic missions basic keynote speech, which summarizes thepurpose of Jesus ministry. This basic statement has four specific messages:1) The time is fulfilled. The good news Jesus announced is that God is already workinghere among us, so close to us that we can reach out and touch Him in the person of Jesus of

Nazareth. But we will be able to experience the God in Jesus only if we undergo a completechange in our value system and priorities by means of true repentance. Jesus announces that"the time has come, meaning that the long-expected "Kingdom of God" is present in the

person of Jesus of Nazareth.2) The Kingdom of God is at hand! The Kingdom announced by Jesus and brought to earth

by him is not a place, still less Heaven, but the loving power and rule of God, to which weare all invited to submit ourselves. It has arrived in the person of Jesus, our King and Lord.

The presence of this loving power of a merciful and forgiving God is evident in the teachingand healing ministry of Jesus. The presence of Gods kingdom in Jesus is revealed also by the

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liberation of people from destructive forces in their lives, by the bringing back of the rejectedand the outcast, by the forgiveness and reconciliation given to repentant sinners and finally

by the supreme act of self-giving love of Jesus passion, death and resurrection.

3) Repent. In this statement Jesus is not asking his audience to do or not to do something to

shape their future in heaven. He is concerned with the here and now. Repentance, (metanoia)is a change of mind and heart, a lifelong process of transformation.4) Believe in the gospel. Truly believing demands of us a total commitment to the way oflife presented in the Gospel and a sharing of its vision of life, though we arrive at this totalityonly gradually, by successive conversions. Lent provides us with these conversionexperiences.

Life messages :1) We need to make Lent a time of renewal of life by penance and prayer: Formerly, thesix weeks of Lent meant a time of severe penance as a way of purifying ourselves from oursinful habits and getting ready to celebrate the Paschal mystery (the passion, death and

resurrection of Jesus Christ), with a renewed commitment to follow Christ. Now the Churchdemands fasting and abstaining only on specified days of Lent, and leaves the practice ofpenance during Lent to the good will and generosity of individual Christians. Lent should befor us a time for personal reflection on where we stand as Christians and how well we areaccepting the gospel challenges in thought, word and deed. It is also a time for us to assessour relationships with our family, friends, working colleagues and the other people weencounter, especially in our parish. We should examine what positive contributions we areable to make to other people's lives and what we can do in the community to help eradicatethe abuses which are part of our society.2) We need to convert Lent into a time for spiritual growth and Christian maturationby:a) participating in the Mass daily or a few days in the week;

b) setting aside some part of my day for personal prayer;c) reading some Scripture, alone or, better still, with others;d) setting aside some money that I might spend on myself for meals, entertainment or clothesand giving it to an organization which takes care of the less fortunate in our society;e) abstaining from smoking, alcohol and other evil addictions;f) receiving the sacrament of reconciliation in Lent and participating in the Stations of theCross on Fridays;g) visiting the sick and those in nursing homes and doing some acts of charity, kindness andmercy every day in the Lent.3) We need to use Lent as a time to fight daily against the evil within us and around us:Repenting and fighting against temptations and evil is a lifetime's task. Jesus did not

overcome Satan in the wilderness; he achieved that only in his death. Lent reminds us that wehave to take up the fight each day against evil within us and around us, and never give up.Jesus has given the assurance that the Holy Spirit is with us empowering us so that finalvictory will be ours through Jesus Christ.

Additional Anecdotes1) I only want to get my nose in: An Arab fable tells of a miller who was startled byseeing a camels nose thrust in at the door of the tent where he was sleeping. Its very coldoutside, said the camel, I only want to get my nose in. The nose was allowed in, then theneck, finally the whole body. Soon the miller began to be inconvenienced by such anungainly companion in a room not large enough for both. If you are inconvenienced, said

the camel, you may leave; as for myself I shall stay where I am. Give but an inch, says

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Lancelot Andrews, and the devil will take an ell; if he can get in an arm, he will make shiftto shove in his whole body.2) Run, D.J., run! William H. Hinson tells about an amusing article that appeared in hislocal paper. Over the past several years in Houston, Texas there has been a rash of incidentsin which dogs have attacked small children. As a result, the newspapers have run several

stories about the attacks, some of which have been pretty gruesome. There was one, however,involving a little boy called D.J. that was not so tragic. A reporter asked D.J. how hemanaged to come away from a recent dog attack unharmed. You can almost picture theserious expression on the little guy's face as he said, "Well, right in the middle of the attack,the Lord spoke to me." "Oh, really," asked the reporter, "And what did God say?" "He said,'Run, D.J., run!'" the young man reported. [William H. Hinson, Reshaping the Inner You(New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1988).]There may have been times in your life in which God has whispered, "Run, Jim, run!" Or"Run, Sally, Run!" Particularly is this a valuable message when we are tempted by the devil.

3) "What did you miss the most? After his famous expedition to the South Pole, Admiral

Richard E. Byrd was riding on a train. A man came up to him and asked, "What did you missthe most down at the South Pole? Byrd answered that they missed a lot of things. Some ofthem they didn't mind missing, and others they did; some they were very glad to get awayfrom. He said he was discussing that very thing in the middle of the six months long Polarnight with one of the Irishmen in the camp, Jack O'Brien. Byrd asked, "Jack, what are youmissing most from civilization?" Jack answered without any hesitation, "Temptation."Temptation is a very real part of life: temptation to stray from the values we hold dear,temptation to take short cuts, to avoid struggle, to find the easy way through.4) Get behind me Satan. Experiencing martial problems a Christian couple sought out theadvice of a marriage counselor. After numerous sessions, it became quite evident that their

problems centered on monetary issues. You have to quit spending money foolishly he said.The next time you feel tempted just forcefully say, Get behind me Satan! They bothagreed that this would work. Within a week things where getting back to normal in theirhousehold. The husband quit making his weekly stop at the tool section in the local hardwarestore, and his wife, who was chronic spendthrift obsessed with purchasing the latest fashions,ceased buying dresses every time she went out to the mall. For whenever they got the urge tospend money they would both repeat the words, the counselor told them, Get behind meSatan. However, by the third week the woman succumbed to her weakness and bought anextremely expensive evening gown. Her husband was furious Why didnt you say, Get

behind me Satan I did replied his wife But when I did I heard a response! Yah, andwhat was that response? growled back her husband. Well, I heard him say, It looks betterfrom the back than it does from the front! (Sent by Deacon Gary)

5) Conversion of Piri Thomas: Piri Thomas wrote a book called Down These Mean Streets.It describes his conversion from being a convict, a drug addict, and an attempted killer, to

becoming an exemplary Christian. One night Piri was lying on his cell bunk in prison.Suddenly it occurred to him what a mess he had made of his life. He felt an overwhelmingdesire to pray. But he was sharing his cell with another prisoner called 'the thin kid.' So hewaited. After he thought 'the thin kid' was asleep, he climbed out of his bunk, knelt down onthe cold concrete, and prayed. He said: "I told God what was in my heart... I talked to him

plain...I talked to him of all my wants and lacks, of my hopes and disappointments... I feltlike I could even cry...." After Piri finished his prayer, a small voice said "Amen." It was 'thethin kid. The two young men talked a long time. Then Piri climbed back into his bunk."Good night, Chico," he said. "I'm thinking that God is always with us -it's just that we aren't

with him." -This story is a beautiful illustration of what Jesus means when he says, "Reformyour lives and believe in the Gospel!"

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6) A box of enchanted Turkish Delight. In C. S. Lewis' book, The Lion, the Witch and theWardrobe, the wicked queen entices the boy, Edmund, with a box of enchanted TurkishDelight. Each piece is sweet and delicious, and Edmund has never tasted anything better.There is only one problem. The more he eats of this enchanted Turkish Delight, the more he

wants. He doesn't know that this is the wicked queen's plan. The more he eats, the more hewill want, and thus he will eat and eat until it kills him. The candy will never satisfy hishunger; it will never fill him up...it will simply kill him. (Rev. John Lestock) Lewis is givingus a metaphor for sin. This is how sin is. It never satisfies; it only enslaves.

7) You knew what I was when you picked me up:" An old Indian legend sums up oursituation: Many years ago, Indian braves would go away in solitude to prepare for manhood.One hiked into a beautiful valley, green with trees, bright with flowers. There, as he lookedup at the surrounding mountains, he noticed one rugged peak, capped with dazzling snow. Iwill test myself against that mountain, he thought. He put on his buffalo hide shirt, threw his

blanket over his shoulders and set off to climb the pinnacle. When he reached the top, he

stood on the rim of the world. He could see forever, and his heart swelled with pride. Then heheard a rustle at his feet. Looking down, he saw a snake. Before he could move, the snakespoke. I am about to die," said the snake. "It is too cold for me up here, and there is no food.Put me under your shirt and take me down to the valley" "No," said the youth. "I know yourkind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you will bite, and your bite will kill me." "Notso," said the snake. "I will treat you differently. If you do this for me, I will not harm you."The youth resisted awhile, but this was a very persuasive snake. At last the youth tucked itunder his shirt and carried it down to the valley. There he laid it down gently. Suddenly thesnake coiled, rattled and leaped, biting him on the leg. "But you promised," cried the youth."You knew what I was when you picked me up," said the snake as it slithered away.(Guideposts, July, 1988). That is a powerful little parable. The snake could be drugs oralcohol or extramarital sex or greed or any of a host of other attractions forbidden by God andour good sense. The best protection we have is in avoidance.

8) Then I can go live with my sister." A married couple had lived together for twenty-fiveyears in what outwardly seemed like a reasonably good union. The husband was a good

provider. The wife was a good housekeeper. They went to Church together every Sunday andprayed together every night before they retired. But they did have one problem that seemedinsurmountable. They could not have a conversation that didn't end up in an argument.Finally, the wife decided she'd had enough, but because of her religious scruples, divorce wasout of the question. She had a better idea, however. One night as the couple settled down fortheir nightly prayers, she said to her husband, "We must put an end to this terrible situationwe're in. We can't go on like this anymore. Since today is the first day of Lent, why don't we

pray that things will change. Let's pray that the Lord will call one of us home to Him. Then Ican go live with my sister."

9) Carnivorous plant- Sundew: In the Australian bush country grows a little plant called the"sundew." It has a slender stem and tiny, round leaves fringed with hairs that glisten with

bright drops of liquid as delicate as fine dew. Woe to the insect, however, that dares to danceon it. Although its attractive clusters of red, white, and pink blossoms are harmless, the leavesare deadly. The shiny moisture on each leaf is sticky and will imprison any bug that touchesit. As an insect struggles to free itself, the vibration causes the leaves to close tightly aroundit. This innocent-looking plant then feeds on its victim. Temptations do the same. (Our DailyBread, December 11, 1992).

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10) So no one will know." In China's later Han era, there lived a politician called YangZhen, a man known for his upright character. After Yang Zhen was made a provincialgovernor, one of his earlier patrons, Wang Mi, paid him an unexpected visit. As they talkedover old times, Wang Mi brought out a large gold cup and presented it to Yang Zhen. YangZhen refused to accept it, but Wang Mi persisted, saying, "There's no one here tonight but

you and me, so no one will know." "You say that no one will know," Yang Zhen replied, "butthat is not true. Heaven will know, and you and I will know, too." Wang Mi was ashamed,and backed down. Subsequently, Yang Zhen's integrity won increasing recognition, and herose to a high post in the central government. Human nature is weak, and we tend to yield totemptation when we think nobody can see us.

11) "Are you trying to break this bridge?" As the Union Pacific Railroad was beingconstructed, an elaborate trestle bridge was built across a large canyon in the West. Wantingto test the bridge, the builder loaded a train with enough extra cars and equipment to doubleits normal payload. The train was then driven to the middle of the bridge, where it stayed anentire day. One worker asked, "Are you trying to break this bridge?" "No," the builder

replied, "I'm trying to prove that the bridge won't break." In the same way, the temptationsJesus faced weren't designed to see if He would sin, but to prove that He couldn't. (Today inthe Word, March 14, 1991).

12) Trapping ring-tailed monkeys: Men who trap animals in Africa for zoos in America saythat one of the hardest animals to catch is the ring-tailed monkey. For the Zulus of thatcontinent, however, it's simple. They've been catching this agile little animal with ease foryears. The method the Zulus use is based on knowledge of the animal. Their trap is nothingmore than a melon growing on a vine. The seeds of this melon are a favorite of the monkey.Knowing this, the Zulus simply cut a hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey toinsert his hand to reach the seeds inside. The monkey will stick his hand in, grab as manyseeds as he can, then start to withdraw it. This he cannot do. His fist is now larger than thehole. The monkey will pull and tug, screech and fight the melon for hours. But he can't getfree of the trap unless he gives up the seeds, which he refuses to do. Meanwhile, the Zulussneak up and nab him. The devil uses the same trick on human beings by exploiting ourweaknesses.

13) "Don't swim in that canal." Some people fall into temptation, but a great many makeplans for disaster ahead of time. "Son," ordered a father, "Don't swim in that canal." "OK,Dad," he answered. But he came home carrying a wet bathing suit that evening. "Where haveyou been?" demanded the father. "Swimming in the canal," answered the boy. "Didn't I tellyou not to swim there?" asked the father. "Yes, Sir," answered the boy. "Why did you?" heasked. "Well, Dad," he explained, "I had my bathing suit with me, and I couldn't resist the

temptation." "Why did you take your bathing suit with you?" he questioned. "So I'd beprepared to swim, in case I was tempted," he replied.

Too many of us expect to sin and prepare to do so. The remedy for such dangerous action isfound in Romans 13:14, "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for theflesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." Whenever we play with temptation, it is easy to drift intogreat danger.

Jokes1) Devil is your dad: Two boys were walking home from church and sharing their reflectionon the lesson. They had been studying the temptation of Christ in the wilderness. Little Peter

said to his friend John, Do you believe that stuff about the devil? Do you think there really isa devil? John looked at him and said, Naah, its just like Santa Claus its your dad.

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2) Temptations: real or imaginary? The drunk was floundering down the alley carrying a boxwith holes on the side. He bumped into a friend who asked, What do you have in there,

pal? A mongoose. What for? Well, you know how drunk I can get. When I get drunk Isee snakes, and Im scared to death of snakes. Thats why I got this mongoose, for

protection. But, the friend said, you idiot! Those are imaginary snakes. Thats okay,said the drunk, showing his friend the interior of the box, So is the mongoose.

SYNOPSIS FOR LENT I (FEBRUARY 26) ON MK 1: 12-15

Introduction

The primary purpose of Lent is spiritual preparation for the celebration of Jesus death andresurrection. The Church tries to achieve this goal by leading her children to metanoia or

repentance by the reordering of their priorities and the changing of their values, ideals andambitions, through fasting, prayer and self control. Since by baptism we share the death andresurrection of Jesus, todays readings refer to baptism directly or indirectly.

Scripture Lessons

The first reading tells us how man irrevocably broke the original covenant God had madewith Adam and Eve and how the merciful God selected Noah and his family to renew thecovenant. Noahs rescue from the flood symbolizes how we are saved through the water of

baptism which cleanses us of sin and makes us one with Christ. Today's responsorial psalm isan exquisite penitential prayer, humbly acknowledging human insufficiency and our radicaldependence upon God and His mercy and forgiveness. The psalmist lists some of thecharacteristics of the life resulting from this repentance: truth, compassion, love, kindness,goodness, uprightness, humility and justice. In the second reading, St. Peter reminds hisreaders that an outward sign of the New Covenant that God made with his people throughJesus is baptism which makes us adopted children of God, heirs of heaven, and temples of theHoly Spirit. Peter shows us how Noahs episode prefigured baptism. In the gospel, we aretold how Jesus, immediately after his baptism, faced and defeated the tempter, prepared byhis forty days of prayer and penance in the desert. It also tells us how Jesus started preachinghis messianic mission, "The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent. Believein the Gospel."

Life Messages

We need to:1) Make Lent a time of renewal of life by penance and prayer: Besides fasting and abstainingon the days appointed, we should use Lent as a time for personal reflection on how we areaccepting the gospel challenges in thought, word and deed. It is also a time to assess ourrelationships with our family, friends, working colleagues and the other people we encounter,especially those of our parish.2) Convert Lent into a time for spiritual growth and Christian maturity by:a) participating in the Mass daily or a few days in the week;

b) setting aside some part of my day for personal prayer;c) reading some Scripture, alone or with others.d) setting aside some money that I might spend on myself for meals, entertainment or clothes

to give to an organization which cares for the poor in our society;e) abstaining from smoking, alcohol and other evil addictions;

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f) receiving the sacrament of reconciliation in Lent and participating in the Stations of theCross on Fridays;g) visiting the sick and those in nursing homes and doing some acts of charity, kindness andmercy daily.3) Use Lent to fight daily against the evil within us and around us by practicing self-control,

relying on the power of prayer and Scripture.Labels: Sunday Homilies

First Sunday Lent - CHomily for the First Sunday of Year C

by Fr. Tommy Lane

Once when I was on retreat in a monastery in Ireland I greeted one of the monks, How areyou, Father? He replied, There is still a bit of the devil in me! It sounds funny but itexpresses a truth about all of us, there is still a bit of the devil in us because we have not yet

fully overcome sin. Jesus spent forty days in the desert overcoming the devil, and Lent is atime for us to get rid of whatever bit of the devil remains in us by overcoming sin in our lives.

Whenever we sin we have forgotten who we are and what God has done for us.Remembering who we are and what God has done for us helps us to keep away from sin. Thefirst reading today contains a creed in which the Old Testament Jews remembered who theywere and what God had done for them by bringing them out of Egypt to Canaan:

My father was a wandering Aramean who went down to Egyptthere he became a nationgreat, strong and numerousWhen the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us, we cried tothe LordHe brought us out of Egyptbringing us into this country, he gave us this landflowing with milk and honey. (Deut 26:5-9)

The Israelites sinned when they forgot what God had done for them. In fact, we could saythat the great sin of the Old Testament was forgetting the greatest miracle of the OldTestament - the Exodus - and as a result falling into sin. Whenever we sin we forget thecentral belief of our creed, that Jesus died and rose for us. Lent is a time when we reflect onthe passion and death of Jesus so that by remembering we may overcome sin, and when wecelebrate the central belief of our creed the resurrection of Jesus during the Easter Vigil onHoly Saturday night- we will have died to sin and risen to new life with Jesus. Just as Jesusovercame Satan during the forty days in the desert we want to overcome Satan in our lives.

We overcome Satan by putting God first in our lives in every way. The three quotations from

Deuteronomy cited by Jesus when talking with Satan in the Gospel (Luke 4:1-13) remind usof putting God first in everything.

One does not live by bread alone. (The full quotation is not by bread alone does manlive, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord.)

You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.

You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.

When we put God first in everything and live by the word of the Lord instead of living from

the bread of the world then we

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Fast from fear; Feast on FaithFast from despair; Feed on hope.Fast from depressing news; Feed on prayer.Fast from discontent; Feast on gratitude.Fast from anger and worry; Feed on patience.

Fast from negative thinking; Feast on positive thinking.Fast from bitterness; Feed on love and forgiveness.Fast from words that wound; Feast on words that heal.Fast from gravity; Feast on joy and humor.

(adapted fromA Lenten Prayerby William Arthur Ward)

When we live from the bread of the world by not putting God first we sin and can never hopeto be happy because sin always leaves us guilty. In the words of the poem just quoted, sin

brings us fear, despair, depressing news, discontent, anger and worry, negative thinking,bitterness, words that wound. But when we overcome sin, then in the words of the poem we

live on faith, hope, prayer, gratitude, patience, positive thinking, love and forgiveness, wordsthat heal, joy and humor.

The words of the monk to me when I was on retreat are true of all of us, there is still a bit ofthe devil in us. During Lent we remember Jesus in the desert overcoming Satan and we toowant to overcome Satan in our lives so that when we celebrate the central belief of our creed -the resurrection of Jesus during the Easter Vigil, we will have died to sin and risen to newlife with Jesus. Therefore during Lent we

Fast from fear; Feast on FaithFast from despair; Feed on hope.Fast from depressing news; Feed on prayer.Fast from discontent; Feast on gratitude.Fast from anger and worry; Feed on patience.Fast from negative thinking; Feast on positive thinking.Fast from bitterness; Feed on love and forgiveness.Fast from words that wound; Feast on words that heal.Fast from gravity; Feast on joy and humor.(adapted fromA Lenten Prayerby William Arthur Ward)

One does not live by bread alone. (The full quotation is not by bread alone does manlive, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord.)

You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.

You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.Labels: Sunday Homilies

VII Sunday B-HomilyHOMILY FOR O.T.VII SUNDAY HOMILY (FEBRUARY 19, 2012)

Readings

First Reading: Isaiah 43: 18-19,21-22, 24-25Second Reading: II Corinthians 1:18-22

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Gospel: Mark 2: 1-12Anecdotes

Dr. Murrays faith in action: Secular magazines have begunto notice that faith can make a difference in people's lives. For example,

Family Circle carried a story recently about Dr. Joseph E. Murray. Dr. Murrayperformed the first successful human organ transplant operation on December 23,1954. Dr. Murray devoted himself to unlocking the secrets of successful organtransplantation after serving as an Army surgeon in World War II. In additionto perfecting organ transplantation techniques, Dr. Murray has also spent partof his career performing plastic surgery on those with facial deformities. Hehas traveled around the world, offering his services as a plastic surgeon insome of the poorest nations. In 1990, Dr. Murray was recognized for his workand awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine. An observant Catholic, Dr. Murray

begins each morning with the prayer that "all my acts are consistent withbeing the creature of a loving Creator." ("The Transplant Pioneer:

Dr. Murray's Miracles" by Bette-Jane Raphael, August 10, 2004, pp. 62-65.)According to Family Circle Joseph Murray's faith impacted complete strangers.Todays gospel tells us how the faith of his friends brought healing to the

paralytic man.

# 2: What would we do without friends? You will remember JackieRobinson as the first black man to play Major League baseball. In his firstseason with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Robinson faced venom nearly everywhere hetraveled. Pitchers threw fastballs at his head. Runners spiked him on the

bases, brutal epithets were written on cards and spoken from the opposingdugouts. Even the home crowds in Brooklyn saw him as an object of reproach.During one game in Boston, the taunts and racial slurs seemed to reach a peak.To make matters worse, Robinson committed an error and stood at second basehumiliated while the fans hurled insults at him. Another Dodger, a Southernwhite man by the name Pee Wee Reese, called timeout. He walked from his

position at shortstop toward Robinson at second base, and with the crowdslooking on, he put his arm around Robinson's shoulder. The fans grew quiet.Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career. What wouldwe do without friends and family members who care and who under-gird us withstrength when we need it? No, they cannot perform a miracle and make us wellagain when we are sick. No, they cannot bring back a loved one who has passedaway. But friends can offer a ministry of presence. They can be there when weneed them, and that means a lot. This cripple could not have received healing

without the faith of his friends.

IntroductionThe central theme of todays three readings is found in thefollowing words of the first reading: Thus says Yahweh: see, I am doingsomething new! We learn we have to look beyond the boundaries of our religiousexperience to appreciate the healing and forgiving operation of our God innewer and newer ways. In the first reading, Isaiah advises the exiles inBabylon to believe that their God will forgive their sins, liberate them fromthe paralysis of despair and return them to their homeland in ways that will bedifferent from those their ancestors experienced under Moses, commemorated

yearly at Passover. God was preparing them for the new things theyd neverseen or heard before. Today's psalm, "Lord, heal my soul, for I have

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sinned against you, fills in what is absent in our first reading giving ussomething new, namely, a confession of sin and an appeal for forgiveness. Inthe second reading, Paul invited the Corinthians to an experience of newness intheir following of Christ. They were to say yes to Gods will, just as Jesushad done and as Paul was trying his best to do. The gospel shares the same

message through the reaction of the crowd to the newness they were finding inthe preaching and healing ministry of Jesus: "They were all astounded andglorified God, saying, We have never seen anything like this.' Beyond showinghis authority over temptation, over the lives of men, over nature, over demonsand over sickness, in todays gospel we see Jesus demonstrating a new form ofauthority his authority to forgive sins. The healing episode presents Jesusas the embodiment of God, sent to save us, restore us and make us new.

First reading, Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25

The newness of what Jesus is doing, including the forgiving

of sins, the preaching and the healing, is previewed in the passage from Isaiahwe read today, in which God promises "something new." The middlesection of Isaiah, chapters 40-55, is addressed to the Jews who have been

permitted to return home after their prophesied 70 years exile in Babylon,encouraging the returnees with words of hope and consolation. He tells the Jewsthat the exile in Babylon has been Gods punishment for their disobedience andidolatry. However, he assures them of Gods mercy. According to Jewishtheology, only God can forgive sins. Hence God says, It is I, I, who wipeout...your offenses; your sins I remember no more. By absolving them of theirsins God makes them into a new people -- a people of hope. Besides, God wantsto use them to get His message to the whole world. Through this reading, Godreminds us that the only sins of which we are still guilty are the sins ofwhich we have not yet repented. God never looks at our past but only at our

present situation, our present relationship with him.

Second Reading, 2 Corinthians 1:18-22

St. Paul wrote this second letter, probably either fromEphesus or from Philippi, to his Corinthian converts toward the end of histhird missionary journey (53-57 AD). Paul's calling as an apostle was difficultand challenging. He enjoyed the love of the Christian community in Corinth. Butthese people, with their Greek philosophical speculations and low morals didnot make Paul's life easy. There were a few among his converts who were

belittling Paul and boasting of their own superiority. Pauls cancellation ofhis promised second visit to Corinth because of his other apostolic duties alsomade some Corinthians very critical of him. They accused him of beingunreliable. But Paul turned the situation into an occasion for a profoundteaching. He told them that in the most important matters he had been, and was

being, completely reliable. For example, he had proclaimed to them Jesus Christwho embodied the faithfulness of God by His unconditional yes to Gods will.In Jesus, God had said, So be it, fulfilling all His promises made throughoutsalvation history. Paul's principal purpose in these verses from his letter wasto prove to the converts of Corinth that he was faithful in every way to hisoffice as preacher of the Gospel of Christ. We, too, are to keep saying an

unconditional Yes to God, just as Jesus always said Yes to his Father. Therisen Jesus is the yes to everything God has ever promised. This means that

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we, the other Christs (anointed by God, like Jesus), are constantly calledupon to say yes to whatever God is doing in our lives and say yes towhatever God wants us to do for His glory and for the salvation of souls.

Exegesis

The context:

Today's gospel is the last in a series of five healingstories. Todays gospel passage actually consists of two stories. The firststory is a healing narrative, in which Jesus miraculously restores a paralyzedman to health. The second is a debate between Jesus and the scribes about his

power to forgive sins. The first story demonstrates the power of faith, and inthis particular case we learn what others can do for us if they are persons of

faith. As soon as Jesus had returned to Capernaum after a preaching tour ofGalilee, the crowds gathered in and around the house where he was staying sothat there was no room to get in or out. Four men carrying their paralyzedfriend tried in vain to enter through the crowd. Here is the wonderful pictureof a man who was saved by the faith of his friends. His friends were men whohad trusting faith in the healing power of Jesus and they were men withinitiative, tenacity and creativity. The Palestinian house was flat-roofed witha very slight tilt to allow the rain water to run off. The roof was composed ofwooden beams laid from wall to wall at short distances apart. The space betweenthe beams was filled with close packed twigs, compacted with mortar and thenmarled over. It was the easiest thing in the world to take out the packing

between two beams. The men carried their friend to the roof of the house, madea hole in the roof, and lowered him down in his mat to the spot right in frontof Jesus. Luke tells us that there were in the crowd Pharisees and Doctors ofthe Law from Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem. This was probably a delegation sentto check out Jesus the new preacher and to report back to the Sanhedrin.

Jewish concept of sin and sickness:

Many kinds of sickness were seen by the Jews as punishmentfor ones personal sin or the sins of ones parents. This man's paralysis was

probably seen by the people around as a punishment for some sin in his own lifeor in that of his parents. It was a common belief that no sickness could be

cured until sin was forgiven. For that reason Jesus had first to convince theparalyzed man that his sins had been forgiven. Modern medicine believes inpsychosomatic diseases and healing: that the mind influences the physicalcondition of the body, and that a person can never have a healthy body if hismind is not in a healthy condition. We know that there is a reciprocalinfluence between our physical and spiritual condition. Many sicknesses are theresult of stress or an imbalance in our relationships with others, our workand/or our environment. Once Jesus granted the paralytic the forgiveness ofGod, the man knew that God was no longer his enemy, and he was ready to receivethe cure which followed.

The Pharisees thought this healing was blasphemous:

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It was the manner of the cure which scandalized the Scribesand the Pharisees. By forgiving sin, they thought Jesus had blasphemed,insulted God, because forgiving sin is the exclusive prerogative of God. Jesusinsisted that if he healed the man, then his enemies must recognize his authorityto forgive sin, and consequently his divinity. These Scribes and Pharisees

believed that no one could get up and walk unless his sins were forgiven. IfJesus were able to make this man get up and walk, it would be visible proofthat the man's sins were forgiven, and that Jesus' claim to divinity was true.So Jesus demonstrated that he was able to bring forgiveness to a man's soul andhealth to his body. This healing demonstrates the fact that we can never beright physically until we are right spiritually, that health in body and peacewith God go hand in hand. The healing of the paralytic is but one of the many

proofs of his divinity which Christ gave to his disciples and it was in factthe principal charge on which his enemies had him crucified.

A man saved by the faith of his friends

This passage is unique among all of the reports of Jesus'healing ministry because the faith of the paralytic is not expressed. Rather,it is the faith of the friends who have brought the paralytic to Jesus that ishighlighted. It is the faith of the community being exercised on behalf of anindividual. Here is a man who is saved by the eager and expectant faith of hisfriends. It still happens today. For example, there are many who are saved bythe faith of their parents. When Augustine was living a reckless and immorallife, his devout mother came to ask the help of her saintly bishop Ambrose."It is impossible," he assured her, "that the child of such

prayers and tears should perish." Many of us would gladly bear witnessthat we owe all that we are to the faith of godly parents. There are also thosewho are daily saved by the faith of those who love them. Many of us avoid evilways so that we may not cause pain and sorrow in the hearts of our parents anddear ones.

Life messages :

1) We are called to intercede for others and bring them toChrist: The dramatic role played by the friends of the paralyzed man in the

healing story reminds us of the need for, and power of, intercession forothers. The actions of the four men were prayers, expressing faith, hope andlove. Do we recognize the power of the collective faith and prayers of ourcommunity? Most congregations and individuals pray regularly for people whoneed healing. The text gives us encouragement to intercede for those who areill or in special need. There are many among us who need a healing community, agroup of faith-filled friends, a fellowship to carry them for a while - tocarry them to the One who has the power to heal and forgive, to the One whospeaks the truth, to the One who can bring justice and restore that which has

been lost. Healing, forgiveness, justice, restoration - these require friends,a family, brothers and sisters, people who will not give up, just like the four

who brought the paralytic to Jesus and who did not give up, but instead, made ahole in the roof of the house so that the one in need might meet the healer.

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2) We need Gods forgiveness to live wholesome lives. Theheart of the Christian faith is the "forgiveness of sins." In the Creedwe say, I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins." God not onlyforgives our sins, He blots them out and does not remember them. Forgiveness is

the power to liberate a person from past sin and restore to that individual asense of self-worth. We all need forgiveness. While we have the power toforgive others, we need to be forgiven ourselves by the One who has theauthority to forgive. In Jesus, we see this authority, the same authority Hegave to his Church. In the confessional, the sinner encounters the same Christthat the paralytic met centuries ago in that house in Palestine. Todays gospelgives us an invitation to open ourselves to Gods forgiveness in the Sacramentof Reconciliation and to hear from the priest Jesus words to the paralytic:Your sins are forgiven. The Gospel also instructs us to forgive others theirsins against us and to ask Gods forgiveness for our daily sins every day ofour lives. Thus, let us become an assembly of the forgiving forgiven, a

community liberated from the anger, fear, hatred, resentment, disappointmentand sadness that paralyze our spiritual life.

3) We need to repent of our sins and ask Gods forgivenessbefore receiving Holy Communion. That is why we express our need for Godsforgiveness in a variety of ways during the Holy Mass. At the beginning of Massthere is short moment of silence, an invitation to call to mind one's sins. Itis not an in-depth examination of conscience, but merely a recalling of ourmost notable failures during the past week or the past twenty-four hours. Imade a stupid, cutting remark. I drank to excess. I chose my own comfortinstead of reaching out to someone. The Scripture readings and the homilyoften provide us with a closer examination of our life. In the Nicene Creed wesay, I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins; in the Apostles Creedwe say, I believe in the forgiveness of sins. Gods pardon is not somethingwe necessarily feel emotionally; it is something we believe because of ourfaith in Jesus. At the most solemn moment of the Mass, the priest speaks Jesuswords: that his blood would be poured out for you and for many for theforgiveness of sins. In the Lords Prayer, we ask the Father to forgive us ourtrespasses in the measure that we forgive those who trespass against us. Beforereceiving Communion we confess our utter unworthiness to receive God, and we

pray, Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof; only say theword and my soul shall be healed. We should receive the sacrament ofreconciliation before receiving Jesus in Holy Communion if we are in mortal

sin.

Additional Anecdotes

1) Why should the paralytic go home with his old mat? One ofthe most powerful depictions of our reluctance to forgive ourselves is given inthe Hollywood film, The Mission. The main character, Robert De Niro, kills his

brother and makes a living by capturing and selling Indian slaves. He reaches apoint, however, where he experiences deep sorrow and true repentance for thelife he has lived and receives his priests assurances in the sacrament of

reconciliation that God has forgiven him. But he cannot break free of his guiltuntil he finds the grace to forgive himself. He devises a penance for himself.

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He puts all his armor and weapons -- the reminders of his old life -- in a hugenet and drags this net through forests, rivers and finally up the steep cliffsof a mountain on his way to the Indians he has once enslaved. It seems to uslike a terrible and unnecessary punishment. But, when the Indians see hissuffering, they accept his sorrow and forgive him. Then he forgives himself and

cries aloud. Not until then is he free. For the De Niro character, his strangepenance was a demonstration of his deep contrition to those he had brutalized. Perhaps,that is what the command: Take up your mat and walk in todays gospel means.It is a way in which a man who has been forgiven by God finds his way toacceptance and service of others. The mat might have helped him to forgivehimself and to remember the loving and forgiving God every remaining day of hislife.

2) I am a Christian, and this was a demonstration thatfaith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Back in October or early November, of 1986,the New York marathon was run through the boroughs of that great city. Over

50,000 participated, but only 19,413 actually finished the race. One man inthat race, who finished dead last, is a picture for us as we think aboutaudacious faith. His name is Bob Wieland, and it took him four days and twohours and seventeen minutes to complete the marathon. But when he finished,even though he finished dead last, he wound up being first in many hearts

because you see, Bob Wieland did that marathon without any legs at all!Without any legs at all, you say, well, how in the world did he do that?And Ill tell you. He did it on his hands, swinging his torso forward about ayard at a time on his powerful arms, at an average speed of about one mile perhour! He had to stop several times because his arms got so tired. But just assoon as they were rested, off hed go again heaving his torso forward a yard ata time and at a pace of one mile an hour. Finally, four days and two hours andseventeen minutes later he completed the race covering the 26 miles and 385yards. He said to one of the reporters, I am a Christian, and this was ademonstration that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will always overcome theimpossible! (Norman Neaves, Do Not Surrender Your Hope!)Thats it, isnt it?The kind of audacious faith demonstrated by the four friends of the paralyticin todays gospel never says, We cannot, or Impossible.

3) Dear Paco, meet me in front of the newspaper officetomorrow at noon. There is a beautiful story by Ernest Hemingway about the

power of unconditional forgiveness. In a little village in Spain, a rich fatherand his teenaged son argue, and say things they should never have said. The

son, named Paco, runs away to the big city of Madrid. Weeks go by, then months,and the father comes to regret his anger. He rehearses, over and over again inhis mind, the apology he will offer to his son when he returns. Yet Paco doesnot come back. The father begins to fear he has lost his son forever. Finally,the father devises a plan. He travels to the city and places a classified ad inthe most widely circulated newspaper: Dear Paco, Meet me in front of thenewspaper office tomorrow at noon. All is forgiven. I love you. Your father.

Now, "Paco" is a very common name in Spain - like "John" or"Jim" in our country. By twelve o'clock the next day, as the storygoes, Paco is waiting outside the newspaper building; he and his father have a

joyful reunion. Yet along with the son, there are 800 other men named Paco,

gathered there, every last one of them hoping it was his father who had takenout the ad. This story shows the power of forgiveness. In todays gospel, Jesus

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uses this forgiveness factor for the miraculous healing of the paralytic man:"My child, your sins are forgiven...Rise up and walk."

4) Paralyzing effect of guilt: In the 1890s, the editor ofthe Oxford English Dictionary, James Murray, put out a plea for people of

learning to collaborate with him on researching the dictionary. Thousands ofpeople from across Great Britain offered their help in extensively researchingthe meaning and earliest usage of almost every word in the English language.Dr. Murray's most helpful collaborator was a doctor from Crowthorne, Mr. W.C.Minor. Dr. Minor was amazingly well-read, and contributed in-depth research onhundreds of words. Many times, Dr. Murray suggested that he and Dr. Minor meet,

but Dr. Minor turned down every invitation. Finally, Dr. Murray decided totravel to Crowthorne and introduce himself to his most helpful contributor. Butwhen he arrived at Dr. Minor's address, he discovered that his friend was along-time inmate at the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. Dr. Minor had beenconfined there for the preceding 25 years as a result of having committed a

bizarre murder. Late one night in 1872 in London, Dr. Minor had shot and killeda man named George Merritt, a common laborer and the father of seven children.Minor had never met Merritt before, and there seemed to be no reason for thecold-blooded killing. Londoners were outraged. But the London courts discoveredduring Minor's trial that he was truly insane. As they discovered, in Dr.Minor's sadly twisted mind, he had killed in self-defense. He was sure thatGeorge Merritt was the "vengeful Irishman" who had haunted him for somany years because while he was in the army as a field surgeon his fellowofficer put a permanent scar on the cheek of a young Irish recruit fordeserting his post during the Civil War. At his trial, W. C. Minor was found to

be insane. The brilliant man who contributed enormously to our understanding ofthe history of the English language spent most of the rest of his life lockedaway in an insane asylum. ("The Strange Case of the Surgeon atCrowthorne," Simon Winchester, Smithsonian, September 1998, pp. 88-99).Guilt has the power to destroy. That is why confession and forgiveness have

played such an important role in the history of Christian faith. The paralyzedman in todays gospel may have had such a guilt feeling.5) "Lord I can do nothing! Will You take care of me?Many of you know the story of retail genius, J. C. Penney. In the early yearsof the Great Depression Penney lost a large part of his fortune and the fruitsof thirty years of hard work. He suffered a nervous breakdown. In the hospital,which he could ill afford, the 58-year-old businessman confronted his deepestfears and questioned his most dearly held values. He described later the

turning point: "One night I became possessed of the strange idea that theend of life had come for me, and that before morning I would be gone. I took asedative, and went to sleep at nine o'clock. After an hour I awoke, still withthe conviction that this was the last night on earth for me. I got up, wrotefarewell letters to my family, returned to bed, and again fell asleep. To mysurprise I was still alive the following morning. Feeling restless andapprehensive, I dressed and went downstairs to the dining room, intending tohave breakfast. The place had not yet been opened. I wandered disconsolatelydown the corridor. Presently the sound of singing led me to the chapel, where asmall group of people was engaged in an early morning prayer meeting. They weresinging the old, familiar hymn: Be not dismayed whatever betide, God will take

care of you. Slipping inside, I sat down in one of the back seats. Someoneread a passage of Scripture, which was followed by a prayer. Silently, yet in

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agony of spirit, I cried: "Lord I can do nothing! Will You take care ofme? Something I can only explain as a miracle happened to me in that quietchapel. An appalling weight was lifted from my spirit, and I passed fromdarkness to light. I had entered the room paralyzed in spirit, and helplesslyadrift. I left it with an exhilarating sense of relief from the thought of

impending death and a reborn hope in life." [Peter Hay, The Book ofBusiness Anecdotes (New York, NY: Facts On File Publications, 1988), pp. 269-270.]J. C. Penney had walked out of the City of Regret not of his own power, but

by the grace of God. Like the man who was lowered through a roof long ago,Penney found deliverance and a new life. That new life is available today toall who would trust in Jesus. Our emotions can cripple us. Guilt is one of themost destructive of emotions. Hear the words of Jesus to the paralyzed man intodays gospel: "Your sins are forgiven."

6) If even one person had expressed concern for him,.. There

was an interesting article in People magazine recently. It was about a youngman, eighteen-year-old Kevin Hines, who, in September of 2000, decided to giveup his fight with depression by jumping off San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.As he paced and cried along the bridge sidewalk, Kevin looked for someone whowould talk him out of his crazy decision. If even one person had expressedconcern for him, then Kevin was prepared to back down. But not one passerbygave Kevin a second glance, with one exception--a tourist asked him to take her

picture. Not one person, including the tourist, cared enough to try tointervene to keep him from killing himself. Finally, Kevin Hines climbed up onthe guard rail and threw himself 220 feet into the waters below. Miraculously,he survived his jump, although he suffered serious injuries. While recoveringfrom his injuries, Hines received some encouraging advice from a visiting

priest. He said to Kevin, "You are a miracle. Now go out and savelives." Today, according to People magazine, Kevin Hines has gone back toschool and is working to put the priest's words into action in his life and inthe lives of others. The story had a happy ending. Thank God. But it issobering to read that Kevin would not have jumped if only one person had reachedout to him. What would have happened if you had been on the bridge that day?Would you have intervened to try to save Kevin, or would you have simply passedhim by? Todays gospel describes how friends of the paralytic brought him toJesus the healer.

7) "Well, because Mom did it that way." Remember

the classic story about the young man who found his new wife in the kitchenpreparing a roast for dinner. Very carefully, she cut the roast in half. Then,very conscientiously, she put half in one pan and the other half in another panand then put them in the oven.Puzzled, her husband asked why she had cut the roast in halfand put the halves in separate pans. "I've always done it that way,"she answered. "But why?" persisted the husband. "Well, becauseMom did it that way." The husband picked up the phone and called hermother and asked her why she always cut the roast in half and baked the halvesin two separate pans. She said, "Because Gramma did it that way."When they asked Gramma why she did that, she said it was because she didn't

have a pan big enough to hold the roast. Now, this is a light illustration of avery significant point, namely, that we can get so locked into certain ways of

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doing things, that we fail to consider whether they are right or wrong orwhether they make sense. That's what happened to the Pharisees. They had gottenso accustomed to doing things a certain way, that they were not open to any newway, even though it made sense. They couldn't understand the common sense ofJesus in helping this man because their common practice was not to help people

on the Sabbath Day. Blinded by the Law, we can miss the chance to love. Blindedby the common practice, we miss the common sense.

8) "I wonder what Jesus would have made of it".Tony Blair was the first Prime Minister of England since Gladstone, to read theBible habitually. When asked about his faith Blair said, "As a privateindividual, I find prayer a source of solace and I read the Gospels. They arecompelling texts, and a most extraordinary expression of sensitive humanvalues. I also read the Old Testament, which is detailed and vivid." In1996, Blair was asked by Cardinal Basil Hume, the head of the Roman CatholicChurch in England and Wales, not to take communion at his family's church. For

a time Blair had been receiving communion at St. Joan of Arc church inIslington, but when a new priest came there were, coincidentally, guidelines inEngland and Wales concerning who could and who could not receive communion.Blair was an Anglican and wished to remain so, yet he worshiped with hisCatholic wife in her church with their children. "My wife is Catholic, mykids are brought up as Catholics," Blair once explained. "I have goneto Mass with them for years because I believe it's important for a family toworship together. I wouldn't want to go to an Anglican or Protestant churchwhen my wife and kids are going to a Catholic one." Blair had no choice

but to accept the Cardinal's ruling, but made it plain that he did not agreewith it. He wrote back to say he would refrain from receiving communion if itreally caused a problem for the Catholic Church. But, he added, "I wonderwhat Jesus would have made of it". (03-28-2001, pp 7. Independent JohnRentoul, Blair Part 2 - The Battle For Power: A twist of faith). But TonyBlairs faith was so strong that he finally joined the Catholic Church. Todaysgospel describes the faith of the friends of the paralytic man in the healing

power of Jesus.

9) Once the lights went out and cigarette smoke filled theauditorium she began to be paralyzed. The famous Scottish Bible scholar WilliamBarclay recalls the case of a girl who played the piano in a movie theatre inthe days of the silent films. Normally she was quite well, but once the lightswent out and cigarette smoke filled the auditorium she began to be paralyzed.

She fought against it as long as she could, but at last the paralysis becamepermanent and something had to be done. Examination revealed no physical causewhatever. Under hypnosis it was discovered that when she was very young, only afew weeks old, she had been lying in one of those elaborate old-fashioned cribswith an arch of lace over it. Her mother had bent over her smoking a cigarette.The lace had caught fire. It was immediately extinguished and no physical harmhad come to her but her sub-conscious mind was remembering the terror. The dark

plus the smell of the cigarette smoke in the cinema acted on the unconsciousmind and paralyzed her body - and she did not know why. The Fear Factor is morethan a television show. The man in todays gospel story may well have been

paralyzed because consciously or unconsciously he agreed that he was a sinner,

and the thought of being a sinner brought the illness which he believed was theinevitable consequence of sin. The first thing that Jesus said to him was,

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"Child, God is not angry with you. It is all right."

10) Sue Ann has become obsessed with guilt feelings. Theheartwarming film Paradise tells the story of a young boy named Billy who isleft for the summer with a couple Jake and Sue Ann - who happen to be friends

of his mother. He soon discovers that his new family friends are reallywonderful people who treat him like their own son. But he also notices thatsomething is wrong in the mutual relationship of the couple. There is noexpression of affection between them and Jakes anger toward Sue Ann is barelydisguised. Little Billy can't understand why such attractive couple don't seemto care for each other. Eventually we are told in the flash back that Jake andSue Ann had lost a child a few years past from crib death and that Sue Ann has

blamed herself ever since. Her penance has been to refuse to allow herself tofeel forgiven. It has all but killed her relationship with Jake because, refusingto open herself to love, Sue Ann is unable to respond with any kind ofaffection to her husband. Jake has tried everything a man of his ability could

possibly do. He has been patient. He has reassured Sue Ann that he does notblame her for their sons death. He has given her all the time anyone shouldneed to work through the understandable sense of grief. But, Sue Ann has becomeobsessed with guilt. Her guilt has become a self-inflicted wound that sherefuses to let heal; and Jakes frustration and desperation at being unable tohelp her has turned to deep anger and, eventually, to bitterness. Sometimes themost massive chains in which we feel bound are the ones we have fashioned forourselves. What does it take before we can become liberated toward the lovethat has already forgiven us? Even though God forgives us freely, we must stillask for and receive the grace to forgive ourselves. Although it probably soundslike heresy to say, there are some things God will not do for us. One of themis finding the perfect penance for a debt that only we can pay back. Does notJesus command to the paralytic after healing him, pick up your mat and walksound like such a penance?

11) "Lord, give me the strength and courage to crossthis river." Three men came upon a fiercely raging river which theyabsolutely had to cross. But they were scared to death and didn't know what todo. So the first man prayed, "Lord, give me the strength and courage tocross this river." And poof, God gave him huge arms and strong legs, andhe swam across that river in one hour. The second man prayed too. "Lord,

please give me the courage and ability to cross this river." Poof! Godgave him a rowboat and he rowed across in half an hour. The third man was so

scared that he couldn't move. So he prayed fervently, "Lord, please giveme the strength and wisdom to cross this river." Poof! God turned him intoa woman, and she asked a local woman if there were a bridge nearby. She foundthe bridge and walked across it in five minutes! At times we all get paralyzedand just can't move. Sometimes it's fear of the unknown that freezes us in

place. Sometimes it's grief that plunges us into darkness so deep that we can'tthink. Sometimes it's the memory of past failures that makes our heart shrink andturn into itself. Sometimes it's anger or an old grievance that steals life andenergy from us and leaves us dead in the water. Whatever its cause, spiritual

paralysis is something everyone experiences at some time in life. And that'swhy Sunday's gospel has such a valuable lesson for us. The paralyzed man needed

healing, in body and spirit.

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Jokes

1) Third grader confessions. Three small boys went toconfession. The first told the priest, "I threw Peanuts in the lake."The second confessed the same crime. When the third came in, the priest said,

"I suppose you threw peanuts in the lake too." The boy answered,"No, no, Father, I am Peanuts."

SYNOPSIS OF O.T. VII SUNDAYHOMILY ON MK 2: 1-12

Introduction

The central message of todays scripture readings is thatGod acts in newer ways in different times and situations. That is why He healsin newer ways and forgives sins in newer ways.

Scripture Lessons

In the first reading, Isaiah advises the exiles in Babylonto believe that their God will forgive their sins, liberate them from the

paralysis of despair caused by the Babylonian exile and return them to theirhomeland in new ways that will be different from those their ancestorsexperienced under Moses and commemorated yearly at Passover. The prophet alsoassures them that God is preparing them for new things theyve never seen orheard before. Today's psalm, "Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned againstyou, introduces a new condition for reconciliation with God, namely, aconfession of sin and an appeal for forgiveness. In the second reading, Paulinvites the Corinthians to the experience of newness in their following ofChrist which they will find by saying yes to Gods will, just as Jesus didand as Paul himself tried his best to do. The gospel shares the same message ofnovelty in the reaction of the crowd to the newness they were finding in the

preaching and healing ministry of Jesus: "They were all astounded andglorified God, saying, We have never seen anything like this.' Beyond showinghis authority over temptation, over the lives of men, over nature, over demonsand over sickness, in todays gospel we see Jesus demonstrating a new form of authority

his authority to forgive sins. This healing episode presents Jesus as theIncarnation of a merciful and forgiving God, come to save us, restore us andmake us new. The healing of the paralytic, described in todays gospel,demonstrates the power of faith, and in this particular case we learn what

others can do for us if they are persons of faith. This is the story of a manwho was healed through the faith-filled actions of his eager, confidentfriends.

Life Messages

1) We need to intercede for others and to bring them toChrist. Most congregations and individuals pray regularly for people who needhealing. The text gives us encouragement to intercede for those who are ill orin special need. There are many among us who need a healing community, a groupof faith-filled friends to carry them to Christ, the healer who forgives sins.

2) We need Gods forgiveness to live wholesome lives.

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Todays gospel gives us an invitation to open ourselves to Gods forgiveness inthe Sacrament of Reconciliation and to hear from the priest Jesus words to the

paralytic: Your sins are forgiven. We should repent of our sins and ask Godsforgiveness before receiving Holy Communion. The gospel also instructs us toforgive others their sins against us and to ask Gods forgiveness for our daily

sins every day we live.Labels: Sunday Homilies

Feb 5: V Sunday-BHOMILY FOR O.T. V SUNDAY HOMILY (FEBRUARY 5, 2012)

MARK 1: 29-39Readings First Reading: Job 7: 1-4, 6-7Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9: 16-19, 22-23Gospel: Mark 1: 29-39

Anecdotes 1) It must be Peters mother in law!: There is the funny story about a womanlistening to her pastor preach a Sunday morning sermon about Simon Peter's wife's mother, ill

with a fever. Since it was a boring sermon the woman left the Church after the Mass, feelingsomewhat unfulfilled. Consequently, she decided to go to Church again that day, out in thecountry where she had grown up. When she arrived, she discovered to her dismay that her

pastor had been invited to be the substitute priest and again, during the Mass he preached onthe gospel of the day about Peter's mother-in-law being ill with a fever. Believing that therewas still time to redeem the day, the woman decided to go to the hospital chapel in theevening. As you may have guessed, her pastor was assigned to say the evening Mass thereand he preached the same sermon on Peter's wife's mother and her fever. Next morning, thewoman was on a bus riding downtown and, wonder of wonders, her pastor boarded that busand sat down beside her. An ambulance raced by with sirens roaring. In order to makeconversation, the pastor said, "Well, I wonder who it is?" "It must certainly be Peter's mother-in-law," she replied. "She was sick all day yesterday." (Millenium Edition of Preaching) 2)Stop blaming others and start doing good: There is an old and funny little anecdote that goessomething like this. An elderly man who was quite ill said to his wife, "You know, Sarah,youve always been with me through the good and the bad. Like the time I lost my job you were right there by my side. And when the war came and I enlisted you became a nurseso that you could be with me. Then I was wounded and you were there, Sarah, right by myside. Then the Depression hit and we had nothing but you were there with me. And nowhere I am, sick as a dog, and, as always, youre right beside me. You know something, Sarah-- youre bad luck!" There is a part of us that is tempted to look for somebody to blame for allthe things that go wrong in our lives. More often than not, we blame the very people we oncelooked up to for an answer. Todays first reading from the book of Job is a futile attempt toanswer the perennial question, Why do bad things happen to good people? The gospel

shows us how Jesus kept himself busy alleviating the pain and suffering around Galilee byhis preaching and healing ministry rather than by pondering on universal solutions for the

problem of worldwide evil. 3) I can't handle it any more!" : There is a story about a couplewho had been married for more than thirty years. One evening, when the husband returnedfrom work, he found his wife packing. "What in the world are you doing?" he asked. "I can'thandle it any more," she replied. "I'm tired of all the bickering and arguing and complainingthat's been going on between us all these years, I'm leaving." Whereupon, the startledhusband suddenly dashed to the bedroom, pulled a suitcase out of the closet, filled it with his

belongings and ran after his wife, saying, "I can't handle it any more either. I'm going withyou!" Todays first reading tells the story of a man named Job who is at a point in his lifewhere he can't handle it anymore. He expresses himself as a man without hope. In Chapter

Seven he complains that life is a "drudgery" ... that his eyes "will never see joy again" ... hecan but "lament the bitterness of his soul" (Jb. 7:1, 7, 11). (Millennium edition of

http://www.tkayala.com/search/label/Sunday%20Homilieshttp://www.tkayala.com/search/label/Sunday%20Homilieshttp://www.tkayala.com/2012/02/feb-5-v-sunday-b.htmlhttp://www.tkayala.com/search/label/Sunday%20Homilieshttp://www.tkayala.com/2012/02/feb-5-v-sunday-b.html

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Preaching)IntroductionThe readings today challenge us to go courageously beyond peoplesexpectations by doing good as Jesus did, instead of brooding over pain and suffering in theworld that we cannot end. They invite us to explore the importance of work in our lives andto learn a lesson in work ethics from Job, Paul and Jesus. While the gospel presents Jesusenthusiastically preparing for his second days missionary work, the first reading details Jobs

attitude in striking contrast to Jesus. In the midst of his long suffering, Job spoke of thetedium and futility of life. Job's words describe the miseries of human existence. Eventually,Job arrived at a place in his life where, in trust and in faith, he surrendered himself, hissuffering, his work and everything he had had and had lost to the greater wisdom of God (Job42:1-6). The second reading, on the other hand, presents Paul as a true and dynamic followerof Jesus, ready to do something extra for his Lord. Pauls conviction about the good news andhis commitment to Christ were so intense that preaching the gospel had become a compulsionfor him. Knowing that he had been called to do more than just preach the Gospel, he resolvedto preach it without recompense. Pointing out the spontaneous response of Peters mother-in-law after she had been healed by Jesus namely, "waiting on them at table"-- todays gospelteaches us that true discipleship means getting involved in giving selfless service to others.

Jesus finished the first day of his public ministry at Capernaum on a Sabbath day. During theday, he had taken part in the synagogue worship, taught with authority, exorcised a demonand healed Simons mother-in-law. After all that, in the evening, he cured many who weresick with various diseases, and drove out many demons. Thus, Jesus spent himself and mostof his time ministering to the needs of others, giving healing, forgiveness and new beginningto many. Yet, he was well aware that even the most important work has to be continuallyrefueled and evaluated before God his Father. Hence, Jesus rose early the next morning andwent off "to a deserted place" to pray in order to assess his work for his Fathers glory and torecharge his spiritual batteries. First Reading, Job 7:1-4, 6-7: The book of Job is a longdidactic poem intended to refute the ancient Jewish belief that God rewards the good in thislife and punishes the wicked. The book describes Gods permitting Satan to test thecommitment of His servant Job. A prosperous and God-fearing man, Job, suddenlyexperienced the successive, catastrophic losses of wealth, family and health. The onlyexplanation the author offers for Gods permitting the innocent Job to suffer these losses isthat He had allowed Satan to test Jobs trusting commitment and fidelity in God, even underextreme pressure. Only in the light of Christ's sufferings and cruel execution, can we see thevalue of suffering in this life. Jobs detailed account of the miseries of human existencecontrasts with Jesus work of healing as described in the gospel. In this passage, Job claimsthat the entire human condition is sad and hopeless, comparing himself to a farm laborer whois forced to do degrading work for wages that barely keep him alive and who yearns for relieffrom the scorching sun. There is no peace, Job says, even in sleep! Instead, there is only arestless expectation of a return to toil at dawn. But continued suffering, monotony andisolation make Job aware of the emptiness of life without God and the hope of ultimate union

with God. Of course Job is right. Left to our own resources, we cannot escape the ultimatemeaninglessness of life. Fleeting joys are obliterated by suffering and inevitable death. Weare reassured however that God gives life a purpose. He permits pain in order to serve Hissaving will and to teach us appreciate His gift of life in fullness. The good news we proclaimis that, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has joined us to Himself now andforever. Job eventually realizes that those who choose to give themselves to God will findthat life has meaning. Modern psychology teaches us that it is only our totally free actionsthat bring us real fulfillment in life. If our life is filled with drudgery and our days are withouthope, it may be because we have never dared go beyond the security of other people'sapproval and acceptance. Jesus shows us that we can reach perfection only by allowing therisk of suffering into our lives.Second Reading, 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23: Corinth was a

center of philosophical and religious ferment, filled with new and bizarre ideas. There weremany in Corinth who considered Christianity to be merely one of many cults, this one

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initiated by a Jewish teacher named Jesus of Nazareth. They also knew that Paul was aformer persecutor of Christians. So in Chapter nine of this letter Paul explained hisauthorization to preach the good news of Jesus to the Corinthians. He exercised his authoritymodestly, making himself "a slave to all" and affirming that he had no reason to boast. His

preaching ministry went beyond what Jesus demanded. First, Paul made no use of his Gospel-

given right to accept support from the community. He gave up rights and privileges, which hehad the right to claim, in order to give himself fully to the spreading of the gospel. He wasdetermined to be seen as free from any desire for personal praise or gain. Paul emphasizedthat giving up his legitimate rights for the sake of a higher ideal gave him true freedom.Additionally, he achieved a share in the blessing of the gospel by accepting poverty for itssake. Paul thus encouraged his Corinthian converts to be ready always to forgo their ownrights when the spiritual welfare of a neighbor was at stake. Pauls freedom to serve wasrooted in the free choices he had made as a preacher of the Gospel. The purpose of hisministry was not to gain personal profit, but to draw people closer toGod.ExegesisUnrestricted preaching and healing ministry of Jesus: Capernaum was a small

port town located on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, mostly serving fisherman and the

fishing industry. The Sea of Galilee (or the Lake of Tiberius, or the Lake of Gennesaret), is afreshwater lake, 13 miles long at its longest, and 8 miles wide at its widest, with a maximumdepth of a hundred and fifty feet. It is surrounded by small mountains. In Mark's gospel, Jesushad just finished the first day of his Capernaum ministry. He had exorcised a demon andeased the fever of Simons mother-in-law. That night, he "cured many who were sick withvarious diseases, and drove out many demons." Whether the people whom Jesus healed werereally possessed by the devil or not, they were mentally disturbed. Jesus worked miracles assigns that Gods healing love was at work in the world. His disciples were excited at seeingtheir master becoming a local hero and attracting huge crowds, like John the Baptist. Theyfelt that this would increase their reputation and prosperity. So, when they found Jesus thenext day, very early in the morning, at prayer in a deserted place, they suggested that hereturn to the place where he had been so successful. Jesus answer, "Let us move on to theneighboring villages, so that I may proclaim the good news there also, shows that hismission had an entirely different objective from the one his disciples expected. Jesus gaveimportance to preaching and teaching: Jesus had no interest in being the center of attraction,of being popular, of being successful. He simply wanted to be where he could tend to theneeds of the people. He came to bring spiritual salvation and blessing to all people. That iswhy, for the remaining two years of his life, he went from town to town preaching thekingdom of God. He used his energies to bring healing and wholeness into the lives of the

people. Jesus' purpose was to teach, to serve, to give, and to share. Since nobody can besaved who has not first believed (Mark 16:16), it is the first task of priests, as co-workers ofthe bishops, to preach the Gospel of God to all men (2 Corinthians 11:7). In the Church ofGod, all of us should listen devoutly to the preaching of the Gospel, and we all should feel a

responsibility to spread the Gospel by our words and actions. It is the responsibility of thehierarchy of the Church to teach the Gospel authentically--on the authority of Christ. Byleaving the relative safety and security of Capernaum and going to other towns and villages,Jesus risked opposition and even death. It is precisely by going beyond what people expectedof him that Jesus accomplished his saving mission. If, as Christs disciples, we are tempted touse only a part of our gifts, we may hesitate to take risks for Christ, lest this create problemsfor us. Jesus shows us that we reach perfection only by allowing the element of risk into ourlives.Jesus recharged his spiritual batteries every day: Jesus was convinced that if he weregoing to spend himself for others by his preaching and healing ministry, he would repeatedlyhave to summon spiritual reinforcements. He knew that he could not live without prayer,

because his teaching and heali