Sermons
4th Sunday, Year 2
It was a sleepy afternoon in the school classroom. Thirty 12-year old boys were waiting for the end of the school day. The history teacher was droning on. As often happened, he began mocking one particular boy who was not gifted in the classroom setting. Another boy, noticing this, slowly lifted his hand. ‘Sir, this is not fair. You are always picking on Robert.’ The teacher paused, and issued an abrasive response. Some days later, the annual parent-teacher evening took place in the school. The history teacher criticized the young whistle-blower to the parent. At home, the parents too criticized their son for his temerity in challenging the teacher’s behaviour in the classroom. The boy felt confused and isolated.
Jesus too experienced rejection. He too challenged socially-accepted ways of keeping out whole categories of people. For us, this is not a cosy, warm-hearted Gospel scene. It is tough. Jesus has just begun his life as a wandering preacher. Word has filtered back to his home place about the powerful impact his presence and his words were having on those who flocked to hear him. Now he was returning to his home place. As a good Jew, steeped in the regular worship and the scared scripture of his people, Jesus was in the Nazareth synagogue. There was space in the service for a visiting preacher to share some wisdom from the Hebrew Bible. His choice of text is significant. From the prophet Isaiah, he chooses the passage offering good news for the poor, freedom for prisoners, sight to the blind. So far, so good. Everyone in the room was happy, indeed proud of this local boy, one of their own.
But then it all starts to turn nasty. For Jesus begins to apply this message. And, always drawing on the Bible, he refers to two people who received God’s favour. However, these two were outsiders for the Jewish community, aliens, and so not people entitled to God’s favour. One of these was a poor widow facing starvation at a time of drought and famine. She shares her last small piece of food with a visitor. The guest turns out to be a prophet. He assures her that from then on, her food will never run out. The second person Jesus mentions was a foreign government official, who had leprosy. A Jewish serving girl in the household suggests that he submits himself to the prophet of her people. He does so, and he too receives wholeness and healing. For his hearers in his home town, that Jesus should highlight God’s graciousness to two foreigners was shocking. They were enraged. Their tone changed utterly. One minute they were rejoicing in him being with them. As they listened to what he was saying, they changed into an angry mob, hustling him out of the place; indeed they wanted to lynch him there and then.
For us, this is a shocking and disturbing scene. We might well ask, where is the good news for us this morning? We have a choice. We might be drawn to dwell on what pulls us towards small-mindedness, just like the home crowd in the Nazareth synagogue. We might be drawn to drown out protesting voices. Faced with outsiders of whatever type, we might want to circle the waggons, as the trekkers in the Wild West used do, whenever they felt threatened and afraid, thereby keeping out those they perceived as aliens. We might ask the Lord to throw a light on our anxieties faced with outsiders. In that way, we may become more free to respond, not out of fear, but with the attitude of the Holy Spirit.
On the other side, we might consider the good news Jesus offers in the midst of the strong rejection he was experiencing. The generous widow who eventually receives a steady supply of food, the official with the skin disease, both unexpectedly receive God’s favour. And both of them were foreigners. By highlighting these life-giving encounters from the Hebrew Bible, Jesus is reminding his listeners, and us today, that God is offering salvation to all. In who Jesus is, in what he says and does, this message is not only confirmed but infinitely surpassed.
A picture from the travels of Pope Francis comes to mind. Traditionally a Holy Year begins with the Pope visiting some church in Rome. For the opening of the Holy Year some time back, Pope Francis decided he was going to the cathedral in a central African country plagued by war and unrest. Against all the security advice, he went. The city is delicately shared by Muslims and Christians. After the church ceremony, Francis was standing on the back of the pick-up that was driving him slowly past the waving crowd. He spotted the local imam (or Muslim leader) in the crowd. Having asked the driver to stop, the Pope reached out to welcome the imam on board. The two, standing side by side on the truck, shared the ride, waving to the crowd.
Faced with the big complex problems, we may feel we have nothing to offer. Like the prophet Jeremiah, we may say ‘Ah Lord, I am but a child! I don’t know what to say!’ But Jesus’ courageous stance before his family and neighbours gives us courage, too. At times we are called to speak truth to power. Do we just stand silently by when we see that others are being unfairly or badly treated? Perhaps it could be a simple gesture, like who we invite to our small events. Who do we include? And we can always ask for the Holy Spirit to guide us, to give us the words and gestures to respond generously to various situations in work and family. How often we all need the Spirit’s guidance regarding situations in our families, and with those with whom we live!
We too might reflect on our experience of rejection, just as Jesus had. On reflection, can we discern some life-giving message, underneath our pain and upset? Might rejection, at times, make us more serious in our commitments? Conflict, at times, can help clarify identity, what we stand for. Might it also make us more generous and compassionate in our dealings with others? As a praying community, we might ask, can we pray for those more publicly or clearly in the firing line? Can we pray for the prophets of our time? We may not be called to some dramatic public gesture. Yet we all can pray to the Lord for necessary change in our society and for change in the way whole groups are suffering in our world - those feeling from persecution, or political violence, or poor living conditions, for example. The Lord, who comes to bring good news to the poor, and freedom to those in all forms of captivity, is with us.
Brian Mac Cuarta SJ
Jesus calls Simon to be a fisher of men, even though he knows that Simon is a weak and sinful man.
We can also learn from this for dealing with current problems in our Church:
It's not about a spotless and flawless Church, nor about more efficiency.
The point is that we, as imperfect human beings, learn to salvage and retrieve the wealth of God's wisdom from the depths and bring this wealth into our lives.
You have heard about the report on the investigation into the sexual abuse of minors that the Archdiocese of Munich commissioned and published 2 ½ weeks ago.
This investigative report not only weighed heavily on the Munich diocesan leaders.
It also affects Pope Emeritus Benedict who is accused of serious mistakes during his tenure as Archbishop of Munich 40 years ago.
His written response to this report was unsatisfactory.
Those affected by these mistakes rightly expect that the injuries and suffering caused by the acting persons then will be dealt with appropriately.
The church and the non-church public also demand a credible strategy to prevent such abuses and mistakes in the future.
For this, it takes more than personal apologies.
The greatest challenge is probably the development of renewed moral-theological guidelines that help us to integrate sexuality as a positive force in our lives.
Popes appear in gleaming white cassocks, symbolizing the impeccability of their person and office.
They give the impression that such a Church cannot make mistakes.
But then it shouldn't come as a surprise that the pope and the other representatives of the Church are being watched closely from all sides.
The media denounce any discrepancy.
Now the question is: can popes make mistakes?
In the gospel, we heard about the call of Simon Peter to be a 'fisher of men'.
In this tale, we are introduced to a man who is neither perfect nor flawless.
Nevertheless, Jesus urges exactly this man to follow him.
Later Jesus even entrusts him with the leadership of the young Church.
Peter experiences the unexpectedly rich catch of fish as a miracle – a miracle he is not worthy of.
Peter stammers: 'Get away from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord!'
However, Jesus does not distance himself from Peter, even though he knew Peter better than Peter knew himself.
Jesus invites him and his friends to follow him.
He calls on Peter and his friends to gather people behind them who will be motivated by the good news of the kingdom of God.
They drop everything and embark on a new path.
This is not the only story in the gospels in which Peter is presented as a man afflicted with weaknesses.
All four evangelists repeatedly point out that the rock on which Jesus built the Church has weaknesses and flaws.
What is true of Peter is also true of the Church as a whole:
It's not the perfect community of believers who don't make mistakes.
The Church also doesn't need to work on a flawless image.
It does not have a perfect teaching that will heal the whole world.
The Church is constantly renewed through the example and through the words of Jesus.
In every epoch, the Church has to struggle anew for the path entrusted to her.
Any formulation of its principles and truths is only temporary and must be continually won anew.
The church is not alone in its search for truth.
The various sciences, but also religions and worldviews - they all strive with all the means at their disposal to get an ever-better picture of reality.
In the last few decades, the natural sciences in particular have profoundly changed our lives through their findings.
Dialogue with them deepens and renews our view as human beings and of what is good for the whole world.
What can we learn from this for dealing with the current church crisis, what can lead us out of the crisis?
It will not be enough for the Pope and some bishops to apologize and show signs of reparation and compensation, much as that would be welcome.
Nor will it suffice if they reformulate some principles and publish further guidelines.
The challenge is much greater and affects us all.
We are all challenged to realign our handling of our relationships and of sexuality with the gospel of God's love and the kingdom of God.
And this must be done in such a way that it builds on the knowledge of human sciences.
We have not yet found sufficiently satisfactory answers and manners to many questions.
Questions like:
How do we enable young people to develop relationships and integrate their sexuality into their lives?
How do we deal with people with broken relationships, how do we deal with relationships of people with special needs, how do we deal with same-sex lovers...?
We will also need to find new ways of dealing with those who have transgressed, who have sinned against others.
Jesus' request to go out onto the lake and cast the net where it is deep does not only apply to Peter and his helpers then, this request also applies to us today:
From the depths of God's wealth and wisdom, we too will draw undreamt-of treasures.
cf. predigtforum.at
Buck, you have left us – but as we heard in the text Agnes just read, you are “expected “on the other side”.
There you will continue to take care of what’s necessary for feasts, gatherings, leisure activities – including baking bagels, scones, chocolate chip cookies and other treats. And you will continue to furnish ideas that make life “on the other side” more pleasant.
I have been serving in All Saints for more than 12 years – most of the time with you, Buck, showing up so faithfully every Sunday.I had the privilege to baptize you, Conrad, in 2013: In the preparation of your baptism, I saw how proud your dad was of you: of you, Conrad and of Astrid, his family. And Buck also chose to become Catholic without ever denying the importance of his Episcopalian upbringing.
Buck, for so many years, you were the greeter at the front door of the church and there couldn't have been a better place for you. And also for many years you were responsible for the bulletin – I always admired your perseverance and your fidelity to a task you had chosen to do. And you shepherded the children’s liturgy – bringing with you so many creative ideas that the children loved. And let’s not forget the barbecues where you were always to be found in the center of the action. Radiating warmth and with your ready smile, you made everyone who set foot in our church feel immediately welcome.
For so many years you were a member of the All Saints Council and then of the council of the English-speaking mission: “get things done” was your motto – and your very precise and professional minutes showed the way “to get things done”. But All Saints was just one place of your activities.
You accompanied the Scouts, and at the John F Kennedy school you were all so present – just think of the locker system you introduced with all its benefits. To the baseball team, the “Odyssey of the Mind” competition, and to so many other German-American community organizations and events you gave your energy and talents and your time with almost endless generosity. Through all these contacts with young people, you stayed young at heart – your genuine interest in others marked you so much.
For sure, “The Verein”, “‘The Society of Parents and Friends of the John F. Kennedy School Berlin”, wouldn’t have all the activities it has without you. Vanessa Hansen, who did so many activities tother with you, Buck, wrote: I'll never forget when, many years ago, you told me how you looked forward to retirement so you could dedicate yourself to the family and community. And boy, did you hit the ground running. Your energy was boundless, and you could never sit still as long as there was work to be done. So far Vanessa, who is in Ohio right now – praying with us.
Yes, Buck, you loved being retired the most, because you could focus your energy on being a dad, something which you had never expected earlier in life – and you always set aside time for your family, for Astrid and Conrad.
In your 60s, you joined Melissa’s yoga group – quote Melissa: “I am the Hippo in a room full of Gazelles”.
And you reinitiated the Walker group. Lisa and Melissa can give testimonies of how very active you were in these groups! Buck, I loved the personal contact with you: always stories or anecdotes on your lips, for amusement, but also for helping to understand things.
I remember you as a really wise man – you could really listen. “A problem shared is a problem halved” you would often say. You loved bringing people together and putting smiles on faces. Two days before you passed away, Tina Friedrich walked a last round around the Schlachtensee together with you. It was snowing and you said: “It is the perfect weather for a walk”. It was your way to turn everything into something special. It was your way to turn everyone into someone special. Friendship and community were deeply important to you, and being of service made you truly happy.
The opening statement in the condolence book describes how we feel about your absence:
Our dear friend Buck has left this world. He has blessed us all with his kindness and generosity. His love for life, his laughter, and his spirit of community will remain in our hearts forever. He touched our lives in so many ways...We will miss him dearly but will treasure his memory always.
Buck, you will live on in your family and all of us who had the privilege to be close to you. Your generous presence in this world is deeply missed. You touched so many of us, and we must now remember you in our hearts. You made our hearts warmer, our lives richer and our smiles brighter.
Thank you.
And: See you down the road, dear Buck – better: looking forward to meeting you as a pilot again – this time with wings of your own on your back.
Wolfgang, Thursday January 20th 2022