Our readings for Sunday are here.
These are the poems, my notes, and interpretations of Fr Dennis’ homilies from the Masses of
- July 16, 2017 10AM
- July 13, 2014 Noon
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The poems Fr Dennis references are:
- 2017 homily — Original Sin by Lawrence Raab
- 2017 homily — Blessing by Irene Blair Honeycutt
- 2014 homily — Spelling Bee by Faith Shearin
In 2017
- In the first reading from Isaiah (v 55:10-11), God sends God’s Word like rain and snow, for the soil and seed, eventually producing crop and more seed for the sower (like the gospel!, the good news!).
- In today’s gospel excerpt from Matthew, Jesus has more the style of an Eastern / Zen koan master with the “whoever has ears should hear …” style.
- Reception: The gospel, readings, and poems discuss reception beyond auditory hearing. They convey our need/energy to receive, to have reception, so the Word of God can make something happen.
- In the second reading of St Paul’s Letter to the Romans
- All of creation is redeemed, along with us, i.e., not just humans
- Being in our relationship with the Word means, we, along with Creation, wait with “eager expectation” and some “groaning in labor pains.”
- What does “original sin” in Creation mean? How does this happen? “for creation was made subject to futility because of the one who subjected it (i.e., Adam Eve), in hope that creation itself would be set free … and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.” Note this is the train of theology that takes us to the Eater Vigil’s proclamation in the Exsultet [paraphrased]: O happy fault, who gave need for so marvelous a Savior.”
- Hearing: We are called through this gift to reflect on our impactful conversations for listening. How can we be more like our friend and master? How often do we get to say (or sing!) a word that effects results? E.g., God and Creation, Adam/Earth Creature naming the animals.
- In Original Sin by Lawrence Raab, he creates a poem that is about words that cause things, good and bad.
- In Blessing by Irene Blair Honeycutt, her poem describes words capturing a profound moment of silent communion between humans, dogs, home, Creation, and God.
- Different moments, different gifts. Fireflies gave the gift of Light in the rural dark, katydids gave the gift of silence, dogs looking up gave the shared gift of community in Creation.
- Finding home in the dark — such a relief.
- There is no single word for each of these experiences in the poem … save perhaps “Blessing.”
In 2014, we reflected from D2’s homily that —
- In Isaiah — snow and rain are sent out with a purpose, and that purpose will be accomplished.
- In Romans — we will all, including Creation itself, be groaning for that accomplishment and fulfillment, maybe in desire, maybe in the need for the fulfillment to be finished (like Christ on the cross). We don’t really know the full sense of that groaning for accomplishment and fulfillment.
- In the long version of the gospel from Matthew, note the sower’s spirit and demonstrated generosity in the sowing:
- the seed is sown without measure, without expectation of outcome, and in the confidence of generosity itself
- (rl — was reminded of “The Force is my ally, and a powerful ally it is.” But I didn’t want to make D2 yark; though he’d probably chuckle. On being asked, a final pastoral suggestion of his to a young person was on their selection of passage for their Sacrament of Confirmation, to be conferred on May 4, was … “Well, hmmm. May 4th? It almost has to be something from Luke, right?” As in “May the Fourth be with you.”) 🙂
- We are left with, in part, the uncertainty of it all for ourselves, for our world, but with the sure path of how to follow / be like Christ as a sower.
- In Faith Shearin’s poem, Spelling Bee, D2 thought the line “love took shape” as the poet speaks of her own daughter and the other parents’ experience of watching the once helpless children growing into their own.
The image is from my pollinators’ / native plants (mostly) garden. It is now twice as large, with an even better variety of plants, sown from seed. My neighbors grow a kitchen garden.
My heart is full of the joy of God when I see a monarch butterfly stop at my neighbors’ dill plants (they LOVE it!), and three to four of my varieties — even before the tithonia (aka Mexican sunflower) blooms to the joy of butterflies, buzzies, and hummingbirds alike. It is one of those simple moments as a human being in which I feel I am truly part of all of God’s Creation and covenant with the entire earth.
Wee bees are made just perfectly to fit the wee blossoms, and the dreadnaught class bees love the tithonia and other huge blossoms.
Love is taking shape.
The Surest Sign 