Sermons

Three years ago this weekend, we were a people overwhelmed with the sadness of the destruction and deaths of September 11. We continue to be sad as we think of the war in Iraq, the violence in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, and most recently the horror of the deaths of so many, especially small children, in the school in Beslan, Russia. Will the fear and terror ever stop?

The Scriptures today offer us and our world the only way out of constant conflict--the offer of forgiveness and reconciliation. God is angry with the Jews for adoring a golden calf. But Moses intercedes, and God forgives. Paul in his letter to Timothy says that God has forgiven him though he was a blasphemer and someone who persecuted the church. In the Gospel, we have three of the greatest of the parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. The shepherd rejoices in finding the lost sheep, as God rejoices when the sinner returns. The woman rejoices when she finds the insignificant coin, just as God rejoices when the sinner farthest away from Him returns.

In the parable of the prodigal son, the forgiving father stands for God. The father always hopes for the return of the son. The father runs to the son when he sees him coming. The father embraces him even before the son can speak his words of repentance, a scene depicted on the cover of the missalette this season. If God can be forgiving, it is necessary for us to be the same. Do we not pray, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us"?

You may ask how this will stop people who do not believe in the Gospel from wreaking violence in our world? I am not sure. However, if Christians do not lead by example, the violence will continue. If we do not begin by forgiving out neighbors and our family members, how can we ever expect peace in our world? How can we expect Israelis and Palestinians to stop their violence if we Christians wreak violence? The Christian theologian Stanley Hauerwaus believes that the tragedy of September 11 was worsened by turning to a war rhetoric, inaugurating a potentially endless, unwinable war on terrorism. Sometimes pacifists' only responses can be silence, tears of sorrow and horror, and prayers of repentance and for forgiveness of all (Commonweal, Sept. 10, 2004, p. 30).

Our world history shows that violence and hatred continues where no forgiveness exists. In the early church, bishops did not accept the military into the church. How different today. How many horrible things could be prevented in history if someone had said no to the violence and hatred in the world.

In July, I went to the theatre to see the play Frozen. It has closed on Broadway now. It was about a serial killer of teenage girls and one of the mothers of a child who was killed. For twenty-two years the mother held hatred and revenge in her heart, and she was unable to have any peace in her life. Finally she makes a visit to the prison and expresses words of forgiveness to the murderer. Only then can she begin a new life.

We Christians know that message already, though often we do not live it. At this banquet table of the Eucharist, we are like the prodigal son for whom a feast is set. Each Sunday, God shows how we are forgiven, and God begs us to bring that message of reconciliation to others.

top of page

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

MARCH 6, 2005

Presentation of the Confirmation class

Readings:

1 Samuel 16:1b,6-7, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41

For those of us who oppose capital punishment in the U.S.A., the Supreme Court decision banning the execution of people who commit capital crimes when they are under the age of eighteen came as a wonderful event. No longer can teenagers be executed for crimes which they may commit in rage, in stupidity, or even in malice. They are too young to understand all the ramifications of their actions.

In speaking to a friend, however, I was reminded by them that older children and teenagers can do awful things. They can be vicious to one another and perform things that are truly horrible. You parents here know what I mean. Some of you children and teenagers must know also what has been done to you or to another young person in the play yard or after school. But as awful as these things may be, they are forgivable.

In the first reading of today's Mass, we hear the story of the choice of David as king of Israel. He is anointed with sacred oil by the prophet, and for most Jewish people, he, along with this son Solomon, are considered the greatest of the kings. Yet after David was anointed king, he did some horrible things. Most especially, we recall the story of David and Bathsheba. David falls in love with a married woman, and when he cannot have her, he sees that her husband is killed in battle.

Yet David is remembered for many wonderful things. He united his kingdom. Though he did not build the Temple, he put into process the building of the greatest worship space that the Jewish people ever had. He encouraged the finest worship. The psalms have their origin in David. One of the students read the shepherd psalm for us today–a psalm of David. Psalm 51 is one of the greatest expressions of sorrow for sin, and it is attributed to David. A musician and a poet was this man who also was a sinner.

In a few weeks, you, the children of our Confirmation class, will be anointed with sacred oil very much as David was anointed. In being fully initiated into the Catholic faith, you will be asked to be responsible Christians who, like David, are concerned about worship, concerned about community, concerned about prayer. But like David, you also will sin. All of us baptized Christians who are here at Mass today recognize that we are sinners, though also anointed as children of God. The wonderful thing is that God doesn't exact capital punishment upon us but continues to give us opportunities to repent, to experience forgiveness, and to live again as beloved members of the family.

Today, we hear the Gospel story of the man blind from birth. Jesus gave him new life when he gave him sight. In a few weeks, you shall receive a new anointing and the new life of fully confirmed members of the church. Within that Christian life, you will find times when you are a sinner. Yet you also will not forget that you are redeemed by Christ and called upon by Christ to be responsible for prayer, for worship, and for community. As we celebrate the Eucharist this Sunday, we give thanks that like King David, we are anointed to great responsibilities within the community. We share David's humanity, both its good and bad sides. We also give thanks that we are a redeemed people whom God will never forsake.

top of page

EPIPHANY VESPERS

January 8, 2006

Reading: Isaiah 52:7-10

In describing the journey of the Magi, T. S. Eliot speaks of men who thought they were to witness a birth, but "this birth was hard and bitter agony for us, like death, our death."

Thomas Merton's poem "Carol" described the birth of Christ in a stable using the sweetest of images, as one would find on a bland Nativity greeting card. There are happy shepherds, lovely light, and holy music. But he adds: "While we unnumbered children of the wicked centuries come after with our penances and prayers, and lay them down in the sweet-smelling hay beside the wise men's golden jars."

Clearly the charming nature of the greeting card is shattered when one grasps the reality of a birth of a god/man who will die as a common criminal. And even more so, Merton acknowledges the sinfulness of that god/man's followers throughout the history that follows the birth.

Both the joy and the sadness of this holy season are ours today as we celebrate Epiphany, bringing almost to a close the Christmas cycle.

It is also a new year. We gather on this, its second Sunday, for praise, thanksgiving, and intercessions, singing together the psalms, hearing the scripture, and both singing and listening to music which exalts as well as tells the story of the Magi, and Herod, and a divine child.

But like the Magi of Eliot's poem and the unnumbered children of the wicked centuries of Merton, we come with a pain and exhaustion of people who have traveled journeys that were not easy. It is more than exhaustion of holidays. Our Christian churches continue to be wracked by scandals, and diminishing numbers plague us all. The lack of peace in our world, especially in the biblical lands of Israel and Iraq, lays heavy on us. New Orleans and the Gulf Coast hurricanes, tsunami in Asia, the continuation of starvation in Africa--who can forget the headlines of 2005, even in a new year in which we are supposed to set aside the past?

In the midst of it all, we hear the prophet Isaiah speak words of hope and comfort. The Babylonian exile of the Jewish people is coming to an end. The Lord is restoring the holy city of Jerusalem. There shall be an ingathering of all peoples, as "all the ends of the earthy will behold the salvation of our God." The prophet Isaiah uses the image of heights and mountains as the place from which to proclaim this good news. He says, "Go up unto a high mountain" and "How beautiful upon the mountains . . ."

No thinking person would mistake Morningside Heights for a mountain. But it is a high place in Manhattan, and a place with valleys and hills (aging bones know what it means to climb West 121^st Street from Amsterdam Avenue); we inhabitants of Morningside Heights can see ourselves as people who are called upon to proclaim good news in the midst of difficult times.

From its inception as a residential neighborhood about a hundred years ago, spurred on by the relocation of Columbia University to Morningside Heights and the beginning of the building of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the religious institutions of this neighborhood have given witness that the Lord comforts his people.

Within the first thirty years of the twentieth century, Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Anglicans, and non-denominational Protestants all built houses of worship here and amazingly learned to live at peace with one another. Institutions of learning for the training of Protestant and Jewish leaders emerge from that same period of time. All these groups have worked together and continue to work together. In 1909, Corpus Christi Church and Union Theological Seminary joined together to ask for a subway stop at West 122^nd Street. The effort failed, but cooperation existed. The sponsorship of Morningside Gardens was an effort spurred on greatly by the religious coalition. The stories of good relations among Corpus Christi, Riverside Church, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine are legion in our archives.

How beautiful; upon Morningside Heights are the feet of those who announce good news that God is King and God's people can live together in unity and peace. How beautiful upon Morningside Heights are the feet of those who have tried to reverse religious history for the good of this city and community. Is this a revelation? Can we not call this "an epiphany"?

United in prayer and worship this Epiphany, we thank God for the ability to be a city on a hill and a light to this city. The pains and conflict which might upset us may be used by us as resetting the broken bones in the Body of Christ. From a high place, let our lights shine. From Morningside Heights, let our prayers arise like incense and our worship today clearly go forth. Beautiful on Morningside Heights are the people who proclaim that God is King and together we are God's people.

top of page

16th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

July 23, 2006

Readings:

Jeremiah 23:1-6; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34

When I hear the reading from Jeremiah about the shepherds who shepherd their flock poorly, I am embarrassed because I automatically think of how it applies to clergy. All of us know that we fail to serve our parishes sufficiently. In recent years, the whole world has become aware of the scandal of clergy who abuse children and who steal from their congregations.

But I take some consolation when I read the rest of the text. God speak of putting a new king on the throne, a king who will do God's will. In the Old Testament, the king often was referred to as a shepherd because David was a shepherd. So the attack on the ones who do not shepherd their flock properly is an attack on all who have authority to care for people and do so poorly, not caring for the people with love, tenderness, and affection.

Every one of us who have been given people to care for know that we can be good shepherds or poor shepherds. We know that there are government officials who are more interested in advancing themselves than in aiding their people. We know parents who mistreat their children. We read about teachers who are lazy and neglect their students, and we know of employers who are not honest toward their employees. All of these are included in the words of Jeremiah today when he castigates bad shepherds.

Jesus must be the model for every person with authority over another. Jesus gives us a sign of humble service when he washes the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper. Jesus shows that even the greatest can be humble when he empties himself on the cross. Jesus gives us himself in Holy Communion as a sign that true authority is giving to others, especially others to whom we have an obligation. We are his disciples, yet he treats us as a loving shepherd.

Many people today seem lost and confused and in pain. They are like sheep without shepherds. Every one of us who has authority must look to Christ Jesus and find how to exercise authority as true shepherds, following the example of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

top of page

Click here for excerpt of sermon on the Solemnity of Christ the King, Nov. 21, 2004,

paying tribute to our recently deceased pastor emeritus, Msgr. Myles M. Bourke.

Click here for sermon on May 7, 2006,

marking the 100th anniversary of the first Mass in the parish.