In the midst of a winter that never seems to end, some things just are worth the word "awesome." Such are the bald eagles that for the past few weeks have decided to visit the Pecatonica River in northwest Illinois. Everytime I head for Rockford this little group of 8 eagles-3 adults and 5 juveniles-- is busy playing, fishing, or just looking regal even though the cars go by on Highway 70. I snapped this photo in the third week of February. The juvenile in this picture looks to be about 4 years old--bald eagles get their crown at age 5. It's been a long winter, but the eagles sure make it bearable. How spectacularly beautiful!
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February 2010
HOMILY FOR SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT--2/28/10--TRUE SEEING IS TRUE BELIEVING
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT–2/28/10
by Msgr. Eric R. Barr, S.T.L.
READINGS: GENESIS 15:5-12, 17-18; PHILIPPIANS 3:17-4:1; LUKE 9:28B-36
THE LADY WHO COULD SEE WHAT WAS REAL--An Ancient Celtic Tale From Wales
There once was a young boy named Rhys who would take his mother’s nine cows up the valley to graze alongside the lake. Each day, his mother would give him a freshly baked loaf of bread. One afternoon, as the young cowherd was resting on the grass and looking at the beauty of the lake, he saw the waters stir as a strong gust blew down from the distant mountain, crossed the water, and blew straight for him. It blew his hat off and, he chased it and caught it. He firmly pulled the cap’s brim over his forehead. When Rhys looked back at the lake, all was calm. The waters were still as a mirror. Floating on the surface was the most beautiful Lady, slowly combing her hair. She seemed to float on the water until she was by the shore. Rhys was taken by her beauty, but being shy and not knowing what to say, he silently offered her the bread. The lady touched it and quickly pulled back her hand. "It is hard-baked, and I will not have you." And with that she was gone.When the lad returned home, and told his mother everything that happened, she told him to return to the lake the next day. "But this time, she said, I will not bake the bread as long." And so, the next day, he sat by the lake waiting. Again the wind blew, he chased his hat, and when he was done he turned his eyes back toward the lake. And there she was again! But Rhy’s luck was not better, for as soon as she touched the bread she said: "This bread is un-baked, and I will not have you!" And so, he returned on the third day with a loaf that was baked neither too long nor too short. And when the lady touched it she said, "This bread is baked fine, and now you’ll be mine...if you promise that you’ll never strike me three times in our married life." And so Rhys promised.
And with that great herds of animals began to walk from the bottom of the lake and onto the shore. The lady laughed and said, "These are a gift from my father for our wedding day!" And out came fifty goats, and fifty sheep, and fifty pigs, and fifty cows, and fifty horses. And the lad and the lady walked the six miles to the village. And there they were wed by the priest.
The years passed and they prospered. They had a large house, their barns were filled, and they were the parents of three happy boys. Now one day, they were invited to a baptism in a neighboring village. Rhy’s wife was completely silent as other women prophesied the baby’s future with fine and flattering compliments. Rhys pulled one of his gloves off his hand, and slapped her on the shoulder with it. "Can’t you at least say something nice about the child?" And she turned and red anger was across her face. "I am silent so the child will not be burdened with more foolish expectations." And, she added, touching her shoulder, "That’s once!"
All was forgotten, and a year later they went to a wedding. But the lady began sobbing, and her husband (embarrassed by her outburst) grabbed her arm, shook her, and said, "No crying! Not on a happy day like today!" But she spun around and said, "I cried for the sorrows I saw in the future for these newlyweds! And as for what you just did, that’s twice!"
But he was sorry, and another year passed. One evening they were at a wake. The body was neatly laid out and everyone quiet and respectful. Suddenly, the woman burst into laughter. Rhys grabbed her, shook her, and said, "My dear! This is a wake. Have some respect!" The Lady looked straight into his eyes and said, "I laughed for I saw the soul free and dancing with joy in Paradise! And as for you, that’s thrice!"
And the Lady walked back to their home where she called all their livestock. And they all followed her up the hills towards the Lake. Her three sons followed, weeping all the way. And she came to the shore, she stood there, her feet by the edge of the water, and she spoke to them before sending them back home: "My sons, do not weep for I will come from the lake many times to see you. And we will walk through the meadows and the woodlands, and I will teach you the hidden, healing power of herbs, and roots and flowers. And with this knowledge you will have far more wealth than all the herds in this world or the next." She kissed each of them on their foreheads, and then she led her herds back into the waters.
Now the lads visited her often, but she saw them only if they came alone. And she taught them, and gave them wisdom. Once, they brought Rhys with them, and when the Lady came to them over the Lake, they told him she was coming. He looked, and looked and looked, and then said, "I cannot see anything." And he left in sorrow. What happened to him, I do not know, but the three boys grew into three great men, farmers they were but wanderers too, traveling across the hills and valleys to bring healing to the small cottages wherever there was illness or sorrow.
From Robert Bela Wilhelm’s Lectionary Storybook 2001(from an ancient Welsh tale)
I. True Sight
A. Like I said, this is an ancient Celtic tale, and it’s just perfect for making this Gospel clear for us.
B. We’re going to miss the point of this story if we dwell on poor Rhys who lost his wife and never saw her again, just like we’re going to miss the point of the Gospel if we dwell on why Jesus only took Peter, James and John and not the other disciples up that mountain. The important message in the story I told is that that Lady could see what was real, the reality that lies beneath all things, she could see what really was. Her husband never learned what a treasure she was, and how awesomely mysterious she was, and who she really was–the Lady of the Lake, a magical, mysterious and powerful healer. And her 3 sons did not repeat their father’s boorish behavior. Instead, they followed their Mom and allowed her to teach them how to heal, how to see, how to be really alive. And that, my friends, is exactly the meaning of this Gospel. What I told you was just an ancient legend; what you heard in the Scriptures really happened. Jesus could see what was truly real; he knew that what we often see around us is just surface stuff–he knew how to see deep into the heart of persons and things. And Peter, James and John–Jesus’ best friends–were the ones who truly sensed that Jesus was special. They followed him up the mountain and they glimpsed what he truly was–the Son of God. And they allowed him to teach them, and what they learned saw them through some very difficult times. They weren’t perfect, but they too learned to see beneath the surface to what was really real. It’s like that old Shakespearean line in The Merchant of Venice:
All that glitters is not gold, often have you heard that told.
And it’s the wise person that sees past the glitter, past the surface to what is real.
Continue reading "HOMILY FOR SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT--2/28/10--TRUE SEEING IS TRUE BELIEVING" »
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT HOMILY--2/21/10--SPIRITUAL WARFARE
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT–2/21/10
by Msgr. Eric R. Barr, S.T.L.
READINGS: DEUTERONOMY 26:4-10; ROMANS 10:8-13; LUKE 4:1-13
A. Suppose someone came up to you and said, "Do you believe that you are part of a cosmic battle between good and evil? Do you believe that life is spiritual warfare?" It’s okay for Luke Skywalker to battle Darth Vader, for Superman to fight Lex Luthor, for Batman to struggle with the Joker, for Dorothy to fight the Wicked Witch of the West--it’s even okay for Jesus to fight the Devil--but me? You’ve got to be kidding! Spiritual warfare sounds so radical, unreal, and a little frightening. That’s what you’re thinking, right?
B. Yet, the one thing we’ve got to remember about Luke’s Gospel is that he talks about spiritual warfare. We are so used to thinking that Christ is just the Good Shepherd, come to earth to make us feel good. But Luke tells us today that Christ came to do battle with evil, and Satan knows it and will do everything in his power to conquer Christ. The devil loses this round, but he does not give up. The story ends ominously, "The devil departed to await another opportunity." That opportunity comes when Judas, one of the best friends of Christ, opens his heart to the darkness and allows Satan to work his evil will through the hands and hatred of people. Interesting isn’t it? The Church begins Lent with this story of the temptation of Christ by the devil and ends Lent with the story of Satan gathering his forces to kill Christ. What is the Church trying to tell us?
C. LIFE MUST BE SEEN AS SPIRITUAL WARFARE. That’s certainly how Christ saw it. He came with a mission and a purpose: overcoming evil and restoring humanity to the position it lost through sin. Down deep in our hearts we know we must participate with Christ in this battle. Deep in our hearts, we know that life is really a test. And we are called to take sides, and in the end we are judged on which side we choose.
Continue reading "FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT HOMILY--2/21/10--SPIRITUAL WARFARE" »
A CELTIC BEGINNING TO LENT--ASH WEDNESDAY 2010
THE CELTIC PRAYER OF DISTRESS
from the Hebridean Islands (trans. G.R.D. Maclean)
May the cross of the crucifixion tree
Where the wounded back of the Christ we see
Deliverance grant from distress to me,
From death, from spell-binding to keep me free.
The cross of the Christ with no flaw at all,
Full outstretched to me to answer my call;
O God, bless unto me my mainmast tall
Ere I go forth and whate'er may befall.
What harm soever for me in it be,
O let me not take it away with me,
For the sake fo Christ who from guile is free,
For the sake of the King, of virtues he.
In the name of the God of life above,
In the holy name of the Christ of love,
In the name of the Holy Spirit-Dove,
The Three-One together my strength enough.
Amen.
HOMILY FOR 6TH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR--2/14/10--BODY AND SOUL FOREVER!
"Resurrection of the Flesh"
Luca Signorelli (1450-1523)
SIXTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR--2/14/10
by Msgr. Eric R. Barr, S.T.L.
Reading: I CORINTHIANS 15::12,16-20
I. St. Paul and Resurrection from the Dead
A. Why would anyone want to join the Catholic Church? Who would ever join it, or come back to it, unless that Church answered serious questions, and provided solutions to problems? And what could ever be more serious then what happens after we die? More and more people think this is all there is, and that can be pretty depressing when you think of all the suffering there is in the world today–terror, the awful disaster in Haiti, joblessness, sickness, terminal illness–if this is really all there is then we are in deep trouble. In just a few days, we are going to be celebrating Ash Wednesday, a special time to bring folks back to the Lord, to remind people of the treasure we have in our faith, to let people know that God wants them to come back home. God has such a positive message for us, and the big one is that if we are faithful to his Son Jesus, we get to live forever.l
A. St. Paul made that his big selling point for Christianity. He says that if Christ really didn't rise, then our faith is foolish. In fact, he focuses strongly on the fact that if resurrection from the dead is not real, Christianity is not real.
1. What does it mean to rise from the dead? Jesus' Body was changed, glorified, made eternal.
2. He promised that what happened to him would happen to us.
3. His glorified body was more than just flesh--it wasn't some cosmic makeover or plastic surgery nor was he some ghost. When the Jews said 'body', they meant everything that went into making a person human--flesh, personality, intelligence, etc.
4. We believe in the Resurrection of the Body--our own bodies. Our destiny is to live with Christ forever, not as disembodied spirits, but as glorified Christians our personalities, our bodies intact. We will receive a new body, one that reflects who we really are--healed of all our imperfections.
5. Resurrection of the body--If this is false, then we are really living a lie.
B. In our day and age, more and more people are no longer believing in a resurrected body.
1. Some believe in reincarnation--their spirits being born again and again into different bodies, different individuals.
2. Christians don't have the option of belief in reincarnation because it takes away the dignity of the body, the importance of the individual.
3. From the funerals that priests have, more and more we are seeing people that don't believe there is life after death, or have no concept what it means. Priests will talk about resurrection and they look at us with blank stares. There is nothing we can do for them, no comfort we can offer, no grief we can heal. Why? Because they do not believe there really is anything after death.
4. Christians are primarily a people of hope, and when death comes, tragic as it is, we do not collapse in uncontrollable grief. We know that we shall see our loved ones again. They don't live on just in memory, we will see them again. That is the promise of Christ.
Continue reading "HOMILY FOR 6TH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR--2/14/10--BODY AND SOUL FOREVER!" »
GEEKING ON SMALLVILLE--ALWAYS TIME FOR HEROES
*****UPDATE 3/4/10: SMALLVILLE RENEWED FOR SEASON 10!
On February 5, the CW network aired a two hour movie called, "Absolute Justice" which dealt with the Justice Society of America and its interaction with the young Clark Kent of Smallville fame. Which means absolutely nothing to those of you who hate comic books and all things Superman.
But, if you love comics--or graphic novels as we grown up kids like to call them--you were in 7th heaven for the duration of this flick. Why? Let me tell you my story.
It was 1966 and I was just a little kid. The family had taken a summer vacation up to Hayward, Wisconsin. Hot, sticky, mosquitoey, and frankly a little boring. I remember tagging along one afternoon with my Mom as she went down to the resort laundromat. Nothing there for a boy, except a box underneath the detergent dispensing machine--a box of comic books. Full of Dr. Fate, and Hawkman, and Superman, and Green Lantern, and.....
I lost myself in the world of the Justice Society of America--heroes all that touched the imagination of an eleven year old boy. And it turned out to be a great vacation. All those old heroes--they helped me dream and figure out what kind of a person I ought to be.
So, as an adult, to see Dr. Fate portrayed just as I'd always thought he would be; to see Hawkman steel the future Man of Steel for his destiny, was just a hoot. Props to Smallville for being the TV show that takes risks and brings back great memories, and makes new ones for a whole new generation.
Elsewhere in this blog, you'll find my ramblings about this show. It's gone on for nine years and there's a reason why. It's so American, and so hopeful, and always leaves you with a determination that things can be better in real life, if we only step up and do what we've been put on earth to do.
Never seen Smallville? Go get the DVD's, go to I-Tunes for the latest episodes. If there is the heart of a little kid still in you--well, you'll be impressed.
For more check out this .
HOMILY FOR 5TH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR--2/7/10--GETTING IN TOUCH WITH GOD
[PICTURE: ISAIAH RECEIVING HIS CALLING AS PROPHET BY TIEPOLO]
5th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME--2/7/10
by Msgr. Eric R. Barr, S.T.L.
READINGS: IS 6:1-2, 3-8; LK 5:1-11
I. Getting In Touch With God
A. So many people say that want to be in touch with God. It might be a good idea to use these readings we just heard to see if the Scriptures have any insights for us on how that might happen.
B. It seems that both the first reading and the Gospel have something to say towards this issue. The first reading has the prophet Isaiah praying in the Temple and God coming to talk to him. Sounds to me like God is saying, “If you want to experience me, come to the place where I am most easily found.” In the Gospel today, Jesus is clearly saying, “When I call your name, no matter what you are doing, drop whatever you are doing and hear my voice.”
C. There is a lot of common sense here that we often refuse to recognize. In our day and age, we think that getting in touch with God has to be esoteric, difficult–that we need some secret answer in order to touch the Divine. Secondly, we often feel that we are the ones who have to do the work to find God, that the elusive God is just out of reach, dancing out of our field of vision, daring us to try and find him.
Continue reading "HOMILY FOR 5TH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR--2/7/10--GETTING IN TOUCH WITH GOD" »
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