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November 29, 1998 |
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November 22, 1998 THE VALUE OF WORDS Words are a part of our everyday experience. They are used to give directions and convey information. More importantly, they help describe our experiences and allow us to share our feelings. Words are the primary vehicle for communication, which, in turn, creates the human bond of community. Because language is a living entity, it changes through the years. Anyone who doubts that should spend a few moments reading Shakespeare. It has been a long time since we talked like that. With the acceleration of media, language is changing even faster. All of this leads me to explain why the church is changing the translation of the Bible used during Mass. For the past thirty years, we have used a translation that was begun in the 1950's, the New American Bible. It remains an excellent rendering of the Bible, but scholars have found better ways to try to convey into English some of the meaning of the original Hebrew and Greek. Consequently, in the 1980's, the task of re-translating was begun. The New Testament and some parts of the Old Testament have been completed. This translation has been incorporated into the official lectionary of the Catholic Church. (That is the book of readings for Mass.) With the recommendation of the U.S. Bishops, it was approved by the Vatican. Usage begins with the first Sunday of Advent -- next week. What to expect? First of all, it is an exciting new translation that will help clarify certain passages. Secondly, words are carefully chosen that also are poetic and visually stimulating. And yes, in some cases, where the Greek used inclusive terms, the English translation is also inclusive. You will hear St. Paul addressing himself to “brothers and sisters” and not just to “brothers,” as the old translation did. In other ways, you may not notice differences. After all, it is the same Gospel that we have all come to know and love. Fr. Herb |
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| November 15, 1998 THE BRICK LAYER This fall I watched with fascination and awe as bricklayers put up a wall of our new parish Franciscan Activity Center. They worked side by side, mortaring bricks and placing them on the wall. These workers were speedy in what they did. Even more, their finished product was straight and clean-looking. I was reminded of the time, years ago, when I helped a friend build a brick wall. We tied string from one end to the other to keep us in a straight line. We used a level to make sure that we were not going uphill or down. Nevertheless, when we were done, the wall swerved in and out and was anything but level. No, it was not quite as bad as a roller coaster, but it certainly did not look like the wall on the new parish building across the street. My conclusion: bricklaying is not easy. In the hands of a skilled worker, however, amazing things can happen. I often think of God as a great builder or architect, busy at work in our lives. Now I add to that image God as the ultimate bricklayer. We, the individual blocks, are being put together into a living building, a church. Our task is to let God fashion us into the holy people God wants us to be. Fr. Herb
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| November 8, 1998 TICKLISH Some people are very ticklish, but did you know that it is impossible to tickle yourself? It just can’t happen. It seems that the part of the brain that knows that tickling is going to happen informs the other part of the brain, the part that controls physical response, and helps it be prepared. The body works as a whole, preventing the spontaneous response that would come if someone else were the tickler. St. Paul wrote that the church has to be like a body. I doubt that he was thinking about ticklishness, but the analogy carries. Like a body, we respond to outside forces that bother us. Some outside issues or persons “tickle” us while others really annoy us. However, if we are truly connected with each other at the head level (that is, in Christ), then the bothersomeness of others won’t really be so bad. Our unity with each other slows down the potential irritation. Being a church is not easy. It takes lots of work putting up with each other. Like a family, we love each other and can be very caring and compassionate. But also like family, we often see each other at our worst. Accepting one another and forgiving each other are basic qualities for building up the body of Christ. It is only in the strength of Christ, who unites us, that we can overcome divisions and divisiveness. Fr. Herb |
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| November 1, 1998 WORDS OF ENTHUSIASM I have been hearing comments here and there from participants in the RENEW 2000 small groups. What people say is often overshadowed by the enthusiasm with which they say it. The most frequent words to come my way are “sharing, deep, trusting, exciting, and comforting.” The messages are pretty much the same, namely, that folks have found a vehicle for articulating their faith with others who are traveling the same journey of faith that they are. The emotion is almost unanimously one of child-like enthusiasm. It is as if people are discovering something wholesome and helpful beyond their expectations. Whenever we risk sharing our faith with others, we are bound to make discoveries. Certainly, we learn by hearing others’ stories and insights. But as we express our own understanding and convictions, something great happens. We find new depths in ourselves as well. Congratulations to all those who signed up to be in small groups this fall. I think this is just the “tip of the iceberg” both for you and for others. As you continue, your faith will surely grow. Meanwhile, many others may decide to try the same path. There are four more seasons left in RENEW. Hopefully, many more will sign up to be part of a group during lent. Fr. Herb |
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