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Dear Preachers:
When I was a boy I used to watch professional
wrestling matches on a black and white television with my grandfather. The other
night I came across a wrestling match as I was flipping through the channels and
I paused and recalled those boyhood memories. I was struck by how much
professional wrestling has changed since I was a boy. Now it’s in full color and
with great spectacle. When the wrestlers for a match are announced they come
down a long ramp, illuminated by spotlights, flashing strobe lights and
fireworks. There’s dramatic music too, lots of trumpets and drums. Quite a
change from what I remembered.
But in other ways the past and present bouts are similar. You can still tell
from the wrestlers’ appearances and mannerisms who the heroes and villains are.
The crowds know immediately who the “good guys” and “bad guys” are—and these
days the wrestlers are just as likely to be women. They cheer and boo for their
favorites. When the match starts, at first the hero is beaten up, or so it
seems—it still looks phony. Then, as if by divine intervention, he or she gets
up from the mat, gathers strength and proceeds to wallop the villain. From out
of nowhere, it seems, the weakened hero has been given a gift of new life and
power to overwhelm the villain. Of course it is all drama and pretense. (I was
told once there is a drama school in Manhattan for wrestlers to perfect their
acting technique.) When the victim hero got up to stride forward to finish off
the rival, my grandfather and I would say, “Oh, oh, here it comes!”
The wrestling match comes to mind because of today’s gospel. Throughout John’s
gospel Jesus has been doing battle against evil and death. It has been a
wrestling match; not the fake television kind, but a life and death struggle
against very real and powerful opponents. He has confronted sin and death in the
surrounding world and also in the resistance of the religious leaders to his
message. Death’s powers have come close to him. For example, two weeks ago many
of us heard the Lazarus story. We watched Jesus weep at his friend’s tomb as he
confronted death’s power to inflict pain and loss among those he loved—and to
himself as well.
In today’s gospel John says that Jesus, “was fully aware that the Father had put
everything into his power....” Then we are told that Jesus “rose from supper.” I
remember those television matches and I wonder, is this going to be one of
those, “Oh, oh, here it comes” moments? Will Jesus use the power he has been
given to overcome his enemies? Will he name and condemn his betrayer? Will he
smite the Roman army? Dash over to the Temple and cast out his religious
opponents and banish the unfaithful? Will he break his previous pattern of
patiently instructing his disciples, dismiss them and go get a better and
brighter crop of followers? What will Jesus do when he rises from table with all
that power available to him.
Well, he certainly surprised his disciples. And he continues to surprise us this
day. Jesus rises and washes his disciples’ feet. That’s not how they, or we,
would use all the power, were it available to us. How do we know? Because it
isn’t the way power is usually used in our world: nations dominate nations; one
ethnic group purges its rival; one religion proclaims its dominance over others;
some parents, by word and example, teach their children to succeed at any cost;
some church officials cut off dialogue over disputed issues; news commentators
shout down one another on talk shows; businesses take over weaker rivals, etc.
It does seem that when some nations, organizations, religions and individuals
come to power, other groups must shudder and say, “Oh, oh, here it comes!” —and
suffer the consequences. Having power is not necessarily a bad thing and Jesus’
life and today’s gospel are examples of ways to use power to the benefit and for
the good of others. His use of power is also an example to us.
I have friends who belong to a mediation group. They use the term “practice” to
refer to their daily meditative exercise. So, they schedule into their day a
half hour meditation each morning and evening. It’s their “practice” and they
have been doing it regularly for some years. They try to support this “practice”
by other disciplines. They play meditative music in their home; occasionally
join group meditative sittings; read books about meditation, etc. In other
words, they feed their basic practice with an appropriate life style. But while
they may change routines and what they do the rest of the day, they stay
faithful to their meditation schedule. It is their basic “practice.”
Notice the word they use – “practice.” It takes the perfectionist pressure off
what they do, they don’t have to do it perfectly. They can be patient and
tolerant when they let things slip, or they don’t feel a meditation went as they
had hoped. They can say, “I am no expert, I am just a beginner. I just practice,
maybe I’ll get it right some day. Someday it will be easier and better---right
now I practice.”
There are a lot of levels of application in today’s foot washing story. We are
at Jesus’ last supper with his disciples and so we think of the Eucharist. The
other three gospels already have the account of the institution of the
Eucharist, so John doesn’t have to repeat that. Instead, he narrates the washing
of the feet and in doing that, links it to the Eucharist. From now on, disciples
cannot think of the Eucharist without Jesus’ example and instruction to us, his
disciples, about the washing of feet. After he washes their feet Jesus tells his
disciples, “...you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to
follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”
Before we get too work-oriented and think about what we must do, let’s reflect
on what the washing means for us. First of all, it reminds us that we are
recipients. In washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus has acted as the lowly
servant, given his life in service for others. As a church, we are who we are
because of Jesus’ offering of himself. The washing reminds us that our baptism
unites us to Jesus and his death. He has gained life for us, something we
couldn’t do on our own. Our washing, our baptism, is what puts us in touch with
that life, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” Now, with
that new life, we hear Jesus’ instruction, “As I have done for you, you should
also do.” So, we too are called to lay down our lives in service to others —and
we set about practicing the life we have received. We learn our “practice” from
him. And of course, as with any other “practice,” we probably won’t get it
perfect, but we will keep at it.
Eucharist is our most basic “practice” for Jesus’ disciples; it is the center of
our spirituality and is what we regularly return to. It is not only that we
attend Eucharist, but, because of the foot washing, we try to put it into
practice by serving the needs of others. We try to act towards the world as
Jesus acted towards us, by being his faithful witness and serving others, even
to the point of giving our lives. Have we gotten it perfect yet? No. That’s why
we return to Eucharist and that’s why we keep practicing in our daily lives what
we have learned at Eucharist.
Click here for a link to this day’s readings.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041725-Supper.cfm
PRAYERS FOR PREACHERS
Father in heaven,
you have given us a mind to know you,
a will to serve you,
and a heart to love you.
Be with us today to in all that we do,
so that your light may shine out in our lives.
---St. Thomas More
POSTCARDS TO DEATH ROW INMATES
“One has to strongly affirm that condemnation to the death penalty is an inhuman
measure that humiliates personal dignity, in whatever form it is carried out."
---Pope Francis
Inmates on death row are the most forgotten people in the prison system. Each
week I am posting in this space several inmates’ names and locations. I invite
you to write a postcard to one or more of them to let them know that: we have
not forgotten them; are praying for them and their families; or, whatever
personal encouragement you might like to give them. If the inmate responds, you
might consider becoming pen pals.
Please write to:........................................
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Lawrence E. Peterson #0320825 (On death row since 12/12/96)
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Henry L. Wallace #0422350 (1/29/97)
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Terrence Taylor #0539901 (2/18/97)
----Central Prison P.O. 247 Phoenix, MD 21131
Please note: Central Prison is in Raleigh, NC., but for security purposes, mail
to inmates is processed through a clearing house at the above address in
Maryland.
For more information on the Catholic position on the death penalty go to the
Catholic Mobilizing Network: http://catholicsmobilizing.org/resources/cacp/
On this page you can sign “The National Catholic Pledge to End the Death
Penalty.” Also, check the interfaith page for People of Faith Against the Death
Penalty: http://www.pfadp.org/
RESOURCES
1. CD Available: “FIRST IMPRESSIONS: PREACHING REFLECTIONS ON LITURGICAL YEARS
A, B & C.” The CD contains two reflections for almost all the Sundays and major feasts
of the year. In addition, there are helpful essays for preaching during the
liturgical seasons (Advent, Lent, the Triduum, etc.), ten book reviews and essays
on various aspects of preaching. The files are in three formats (Microsoft Word,
WordPerfect and Adobe Acrobat Reader) so you should have no trouble opening them
on your computer. To purchase go to: https://www.preacherexchange.com/cd.htm and follow the instructions.
2. I get notes from people responding to these reflections. Sometimes they tell
how they use “First Impressions” in their ministry and for personal use. Others
respond to the reflections, make suggestions and additions. I think our readers
would benefit from these additional thoughts. If you drop me a BRIEF note, I
will be happy to add your thoughts and reflections to my own. (FrJude@JudeOP.org)
3. Our webpages:
https://www.preacherexchange.com and
https://www.opsouth.org/
(Where you will find “Preachers’ Exchange,” which includes "First Impressions"
and “Homilias Dominicales,” as well as articles, book reviews and quotes
pertinent to preaching.)
4. “Homilias Dominicales”-- these Spanish reflections are written by three
friars of the Southern Dominican Province, Jose David Padilla, OP, Wilmo
Candanedo, OP and two Dominican sisters, Regina Mc Carthy, OP and Doris Regan,
OP. Like “First Impressions”, “Homilias Dominicales” are a preacher’s early
reflections on the upcoming Sunday readings and liturgy. So, if you or a friend
would like to receive “Homilias Dominicales” drop a note to John Boll, O.P. at:
Jboll@opsouth.org or
jboll@preacherexchange.org
5. "First Impressions" is a service to preachers and those wishing to prepare
for Sunday worship. It is sponsored by the Southern Dominican Province, U.S.A.
If you would like "First Impressions" sent weekly to a friend, send a note to
John Boll at the above Email address.
DONATIONS
If you would like to support this ministry, please
send tax deductible contributions to Jude Siciliano, O.P., whose
address is listed below.
St. Albert
Priory
3150 Vince Hagan Drive
Irving, Texas 75062-4736
Make checks to: Dominican Friars.
Or, go to our webpage to make an online
donation:
https://www.preacherexchange.com/donations
Thank you.
Blessings on your preaching,
Jude Siciliano
FIRST IMPRESSIONS Archive
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