Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
(Hebrews 3:7-14; Mark 1:40-45)
Fifty years or so ago, a journalist named John Howard Griffin performed a shocking social experiment. He dyed his skin black and toured the South to learn first hand how African-Americans there experience everyday. Predictably, he had trouble using public restrooms. In general, wherever white men had easy access, he was treated with suspicion. Eventually Griffin wrote an account of his travails which helped soften white resistance to the American civil rights movement.
We might say that Griffin was an insider who made himself an outsider so that outsiders might become insiders. Similar reversals take place in the gospel today. After Jesus cures the leper, his fame as a healer spreads so widely that he cannot any town without being besieged by needy petitioners. He is the insider who becomes an outsider for the sake of others. Meanwhile, the cured leper who by law had to remain outside populated areas now can enter any town freely.
Many people when contemplating a good deed wonder if they are not getting into an undesirable situation. They may that fear that sending a check to one charity will reap a windfall of other requests. Or they may ask themselves, if they help a person with rent one month, would the person return for the same help frequently? Jesus shows us today that we must not allow fear to overcome the prompting of our hearts to assist others. Rather like him we do the good we can and trust that God will deliver us from any unpleasant repercussions.
Showing posts with label civil rights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label civil rights. Show all posts
Homilette for Monday, September 22, 2008
Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
(Luke 8:16-18)
In the 1950s and 1960s civil rights activists sang, “This little light of mine of mine, I’m going to let it shine.” They saw themselves as small beams of light in the ongoing struggle with the darkness of racial bigotry and prejudice. The song, written in the early part of the last century, recalls Jesus’ words of the gospel today.
Jesus wants his disciples to understand that they were chosen to reflect the light of God’s grace. Christianity is not a private religion in the sense that Jesus’ followers might pray on Sunday and be indifferent to their neighbors on Monday. Quite the contrary, Christian prayer must lead to exemplary behavior.
There is a story about a Quaker prayer meeting once attended by a non-member. As their habit, the Quakers were sitting in quiet meditation which discomforted the guest. The guest turned to the Quaker sitting at his side and whispered, “When does the service begin?” The Quaker responded, “The service begins as soon as the prayer ends!”
(Luke 8:16-18)
In the 1950s and 1960s civil rights activists sang, “This little light of mine of mine, I’m going to let it shine.” They saw themselves as small beams of light in the ongoing struggle with the darkness of racial bigotry and prejudice. The song, written in the early part of the last century, recalls Jesus’ words of the gospel today.
Jesus wants his disciples to understand that they were chosen to reflect the light of God’s grace. Christianity is not a private religion in the sense that Jesus’ followers might pray on Sunday and be indifferent to their neighbors on Monday. Quite the contrary, Christian prayer must lead to exemplary behavior.
There is a story about a Quaker prayer meeting once attended by a non-member. As their habit, the Quakers were sitting in quiet meditation which discomforted the guest. The guest turned to the Quaker sitting at his side and whispered, “When does the service begin?” The Quaker responded, “The service begins as soon as the prayer ends!”
Homilette for Thursday, January 11, 2007
(Mark 1)
Fifty years or so ago, a journalist named John Howard Griffin made a shocking social experiment. He had his skin dyed black and toured the South to see how people would treat him. He had trouble finding a public restroom that he could use. In general, wherever before he would have had easy access, now he was treated with suspicion. We could say that the insider became an outsider. Eventually, Griffin published the account of his travails in the book Black Like Me which helped soften white resistance to the American civil rights movement.
In the gospel today Jesus experiences something similar. When he cures the leper, his fame spread so pervasively that he could no longer enter any town without being overwhelmed by sick people. He is the insider who becomes an outsider. Ironically, the leper who by law had to remain outside populated areas can now enter towns freely. Thus, the outsider becomes an insider.
Often people who do church work feel swamped by requests. They may not only read at Mass but also teach a religious education class and perhaps deliver groceries for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. They may feel like they are becoming outsiders to their families. Of course, some prudence is called for in accepting requests to do church work or any other activity. But when we do it for the Lord, the gospel today reassures us that we are also doing with the Lord.
Fifty years or so ago, a journalist named John Howard Griffin made a shocking social experiment. He had his skin dyed black and toured the South to see how people would treat him. He had trouble finding a public restroom that he could use. In general, wherever before he would have had easy access, now he was treated with suspicion. We could say that the insider became an outsider. Eventually, Griffin published the account of his travails in the book Black Like Me which helped soften white resistance to the American civil rights movement.
In the gospel today Jesus experiences something similar. When he cures the leper, his fame spread so pervasively that he could no longer enter any town without being overwhelmed by sick people. He is the insider who becomes an outsider. Ironically, the leper who by law had to remain outside populated areas can now enter towns freely. Thus, the outsider becomes an insider.
Often people who do church work feel swamped by requests. They may not only read at Mass but also teach a religious education class and perhaps deliver groceries for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. They may feel like they are becoming outsiders to their families. Of course, some prudence is called for in accepting requests to do church work or any other activity. But when we do it for the Lord, the gospel today reassures us that we are also doing with the Lord.
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