Our readings for Sunday are here.
These are the poems, my notes, and interpretations of Fr Dennis’ homilies from the Masses of
- January 26, 2020 10AM (no homily notes)
- January 22, 2017 Noon
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The poems Fr Dennis references these years are:
- 2020 homily — Jazz You’ll Never Know by Margaret Hasse
- 2017 homily — Music by Ann Porter
In 2020, I just listened and did not capture any homily notes (how jazzy of me!) —
- However, the Margaret Hasse poem, Jazz You’ll Never Know, captures the feel and rhythm of all the Light themes in the readings, the repetition but just slightly different with each use, like jazz.
In 2017, we reflected from D2’s homily that —
- The theme of Light is strong in all these readings, again, it seems like the celebration of Epiphany just keeps shining on
- Is 9:1 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown […more and great rejoicing]
- Ps 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?
- Mt 4:16 The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on the dwelling in a land overshadowed by death, light has arisen.
- Note that Matthew misquotes Isaiah, in this the people are sitting (emphasis added) in darkness rather than walking (as in Isaiah). And this begs the question: Why was the gospel according to Matthew never “fixed”?
- Because of the “eyes on the prize” principle. Scripture, particularly in the Catholic tradition is not literal nor incantational, it is one of the pillars that leads us to God, who is most definitely not literal!
- In other words, the message is important, not the details. Light is important.
- Our expression of our faith is important; are we sincere even if we don’t get all the words and details correct? The writer of the gospel of Matthew is.
- How randomly Jesus seems to call the disciples! We don’t get any sense of Jesus
- knowing them before their call
- somehow attracted to them
- “come along” seems the ultimate in low key invitation for what is going to be a life-changing event and, ultimately, a relationship with a world-changing person.
- there doesn’t seem to be any logic in it — scriptural, organizational, geographical, social … anything!
- Instead, the wonderful randomness of Jesus’ calling of the disciples is
- like the wandering evangelists
- establishing Jesus as an inspiration of the wanderer
- and, rl would chip in, that everyone can receive a call to be a disciple.
- Anne Porter’s poem, Music, describes music so beautiful it reminds us of absolute beauty … the very beauty who came to wander with us (“wanders where we wander”).
Our featured image is the famous Chi Rho page from the Book of Kells, now housed in Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Nature-based inks on cowhide vellum. Amazing.
The Surest Sign 