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Which bishops will get the better of it?

12 Jun 2011 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“Devout Jews from every nation” were in Jerusalem to witness the descent of the Spirit at Pentecost, this Sunday’s first reading informs us. Some pretty devout sports fans from four cities in two nations are getting into the spirit of the final rounds of this year's NBA and NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami has a bet going with Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell on the NBA finals, while Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap. of Boston made one with Archbishop J. Michael Miller, C.S.B. of Vancouver on the Stanley Cup finals. Wenski has offered Farrell key lime pies from Monroe County, a box of cigars handmade in Miami, a fish bowl containing Fort Lauderdale sand, water from the Atlantic Ocean, shells from the beach, some ocean breezes, and oranges to "sweeten" the deal if the Miami Heat loses to the Dallas Mavericks. Farrell accepted the wager, and if the Mavericks lose he will send barbecue ribs, tortillas and salsa, deep-dish pecan pies, and a "Don’t Mess with Texas" cap to Wenski. Miller approached O’Malley with the idea for the bet: If the Boston Bruins win the Cup, he will donate $100 to Catholic Charities of Boston, but if the Vancouver Canucks ultimately prevail, O’Malley will send the same amount to Project Advance, a Catholic charity in Vancouver. Miller and O’Malley said in a joint statement that they hope their bet will highlight the work of both charities as well as each city’s passion for hockey. Sources: Articles by Bea Hines for the Miami Herald and the Patriot Ledger

thomas wenski nba finals dallas mavericks miami heat vancouver canucks boston bruins j michael miller kevin farrell sean omalley nhl finals

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Shock and grief in wake of Boston bombings

21 Apr 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me,” says Jesus in the “Good Shepherd” Sunday gospel, while "Exploring the Word" author Alice Camille reminds readers that “The shepherd calls you.” In the frantic aftermath of the deadly explosions at the Boston Marathon on Monday, so many people tried to call loved ones at the same time that cell phone towers in the area were overwhelmed and many calls were blocked.The twin bombs that were detonated at the finish line of the iconic marathon killed three people and wounded more than 170. Of those who “survived the time of great distress,” in the words of the second reading, many of the injured lost limbs as a result of the shrapnel-packed bombs.In the ensuing panic a large number of people were not able to get through to their family and friends on cell phones. Sprint spokesman Mark Elliott said thousands of calls made at the same time overwhelmed cell towers in the area. “There’s no way the network can handle that kind of traffic.” It took many tense hours for service to begin to rebound.As the whirlwind investigation into the deadly bombings continued midweek, reports emerged that investigators had located key video images of an unidentified man or men leaving a large black bag on the ground near the site of the second of two explosions at the race. Efforts were underway to identify and locate suspects.President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama traveled to an interfaith memorial ceremony in Boston on Thursday. “The way that the people of Boston and the city of Boston responded reminds us—and reminds the world—of just who we are as a people,” spokesman Jay Carney said leading up to the presidential visit.Homily hint: When terror and tragedy strike, people pull together and communities of faith are front and center in providing support, care, and compassion to victims. This week’s events will be on the hearts and minds of your congregation this weekend. Invite creative responses that express your support and solidarity. Sources: Articles by Michael B. Farrell and Erin Ailworth for the Boston Globe,Howard LaFranchi for the Christian Science Monitor, and the Associated Press

cell phones bombings boston marathon mark elliott sprint

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To forgive or not to forgive?

28 Apr 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Jesus is simple and direct in giving a new commandment to his disciples in this week’s gospel: “Love one another.” Religious perspectives on love, forgiveness, and punishment are one of the themes playing out in the aftermath of last week’s acts of terror in Boston. In a memorial Mass, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston called on worshippers to “build a civilization of love” through forgiveness. Rabbi David Wolpe, on the other hand, wrote an editorial piece saying that “forgiveness is immoral if it in any way mitigates the punishment due.”In his homily last Sunday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, O’Malley said it was difficult to understand “what demons were operative” in the minds of brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev or in their politics “or the perversion of their religion.” “It was amazing to witness, however, how much goodness and generosity were evidenced in our community as a result of this tragedy,” he said.After reflecting on aspects of the lives of the Tsarnaev brothers that have been reported, O’Malley said that the “individualism and alienation of our age [have] spawned a culture of death.”He decried actions that “have coarsened us and made us more insensitive to the pain and suffering of others” and chastised the U.S. Congress for its inability to pass stricter gun control laws, calling it “emblematic of the pathology of our violent culture. It is only a culture of life and an ethic of love that can rescue us from the senseless violence that inflicts so much suffering on society,” he said.O’Malley also told those in attendance that they should be people “of reconciliation, not revenge” and that the Tsarnaevs' alleged crimes should not be justification for prejudice against Muslims and immigrants. “Forgiveness does not mean that we do not realize the heinousness of the crime. But in our own hearts when we are unable to forgive we make ourselves a victim of our own hatred,” he said. “Obviously as a Catholic I oppose the death penalty, which I think is one further manifestation of the culture of death in our midst.” Wolpe, rabbi of Sinai temple in Los Angeles and a popular author, wrote that “forgiveness is immoral if it in any way mitigates the punishment due to the brother who remains, and any who may have helped him.” “To the perpetrators all we can say is that their task is to spend whatever time they have left in this world to work toward a forgiveness they can never earn and will never deserve. That is the honor we pay to pain and the dignified response we offer to evil. Seek to understand; help those who are wounded to heal; but do not cheapen the horror with easy words of forgiveness. The beginning of sanity is the recognition that some acts are unforgivable,” Wolpe wrote.Homily hint: The views expressed by Cardinal O’Malley and Rabbi Wolpe provide a good point-counterpoint on the question of how to respond to evil acts. Are some acts truly unforgivable? Are any but those directly affected by an evil act in a position to judge? What does God call us to do in such situations? These are hard questions, perhaps impossible to answer fully, but nonetheless important to ask as people of faith.Editorial note: From a Christian point of view, Rabbi Wolpe's words are troubling. Can forgiveness ever be "immoral"? Can a follower of Christ—who forgave his killers—really believe that "some acts are truly unforgivable"? Do Rabbi Wolpe's words in fact "cheapen" the power of forgiveness for both perpetrators and victims? Can any of us ever "earn" or "deserve" forgiveness, which is actually a gift? —Joel Schorn, Managing Editor Sources: Articles by Michael A. Memoli for the Los AngelesTimes and Rabbi David Wolpe for the Washington Post

Forgiveness sean omalley bombings david wolpe boston

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Story of honest homeless man strikes home

22 Sep 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

A clever steward of questionable honesty is featured in this Sunday’s gospel, praised by Jesus for his resourcefulness. A homeless man in Boston who decided to be an honest steward of a backpack filled with money left behind by a tourist was praised for his integrity Monday in a ceremony with the Boston police commissioner.Glen James, who is in his 50s and lives in a homeless shelter, approached police officers outside a TJ Maxx store in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester around 6 p.m. last Saturday with a black backpack. The man told authorities he found the bag, which contained a passport and a large sum of money, in front of the store.Inside the backpack police found $2,400 cash and $39,500 in travelers' checks. The bag also contained passports and "various personal papers," according to a statement from the Boston Police Department. Only an hour later an employee from a Best Buy store near the TJ Maxx store where the parcel was found contacted police to report a male customer who said he had lost a backpack containing "a large sum of money."After matching the name and photo on the Republic of China passport found in the backpack to the Best Buy customer who reported his backpack missing, Boston police returned the bag and money to the man, authorities said.James said he alerted police rather than take the money because “God has always very well looked after me.” “Even if I were desperate for money, I would not have kept even a penny,” he wrote in a statement due to embarrassment about a speech impediment.James received a citation from Boston’s police commissioner, and efforts are underway to raise money for him. James said he receives food stamps and panhandles at times becaus “it’s just nice to have some money in one’s pockets so that as a homeless man I don’t feel absolutely broke all the time.”Homily hint: In a world where money talks, it is easy to forget that honesty is a treasure beyond price. Invite those gathered to reflect in their heart of hearts whether in a similar position they would have returned the backpack. Let us take care to be honest in small matters so that we might pass the test if presented with greater ones. Sources: Articles by Associated Press, ABC News, and Fox News

Honesty homelessness boston glen james

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