Homily: Twenty-Second Thursday of Ordinary Time

Twenty-Second Thursday of Ordinary Time (Cor. 2:18-23) “Holy Fool”

Some of the great saints deliberately labeled themselves as fools. We can think of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis deliberately lived in a way that seemed foolish. He rejected the values of the world.

As most of us know, he rejected wealth. As a young man, after he had been to war and tried to be a knight in shining armor, he scorned fame, wealth and power. He started giving his father’s possessions to the poor which enraged his father. He rejected his inheritance in the most public of ways. He stripped off his clothing in the towns square and walked away naked from his father. People thought he was crazy.

He spurned power. He tried to write a rule for his religious order that put all his brothers on an equal level. He did not want ordination, nor did he want his brothers to be ordained. He also did not want any of the men in his orders to be made bishops.

Francis did not want any notoriety for his work. If people would start to compliment him for the life he led. He would point out his sinfulness. The worst scenario for him was to be admired. He always wanted to be the humble friar and the servant of Christ.

Other saints, like St. Philip Neri, tried to operate in a similar way. If Philip Neri thought others were calling him wise and holy, he would shave half his beard off and go to a meeting or walk down the street with a pillow tied to his head. All this might seem a little extreme, but these two saints and others like them did not want to be worshipped. They wanted to always point to Jesus as the world’s savior.

St. Paul says in the First Letter to the Corinthians, “If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to be wise.” We are most unhappy when we hunger for wealth, power and popularity. We find happiness when we pursue none of these.

Reflection Questions:

1.    Am I ever comfortable appearing foolish? Why or why not?

2.    What saint do I admire? How foolish were they?

Dear Parishioners,

          This Sunday we will be having the last outdoor Mass this Summer. It will be at 9:15 a.m. in the green space to the East of Culemans Hall. Please bring your own chair. As you might remember we were rained out last month.

          I would like to thank all those who have cooperated to make such Masses possible. Sam Maynard supplies his sound system. Cheryl Bolt works hard to provide up lifting music. Suzie Budde works on the details of organization. Jesus Vargus makes sure we have the altar and ambo and other equipment.

          It takes a number of people working together to have a Mass outside. Please thank them when you see them.

          May Our Lady of Peace bring calm to our troubled world this day.

          Fr. Mark