HOMILY – 20^TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME – 2006

ST. MARY MAGDALENE, SIMSONVILLE, SC

AUGUST 20, 2006 – 9AM & 6PM LIFE TEEN MASSES

May the Lord give us His peace.

Wine, whining, winning.

Wine.  The book of Proverbs talks about the house of Wisdom.  Ever been in one?  It seems there is wine there.  It is luscious and you drink it.  Hmm, wine in this house too.  Why would the bible have an intoxicating drink on wisdom’s table?

It seems wise drinkers have no issues.  Neither do wise people when they talk, work, pray or play.  Wise people have fewer problems, wise houses fewer feuds.

Our reading from the book of proverbs is about the invitation to wisdom not necessarily wine.  When there is wisdom, there is no issue with wine.  So STOP…

Whining.  Paul’s letter to the Ephesians whines on about how to behave.  “Be careful!  Make the most of your day!  Avoid evil!  Don’t be ignorant!  Don’t get drunk!  Ugh.  These good sentiments sound an awful lot like dull, flat platitudes, like whining, like Charlie Brown’s teacher – whuh whuh, whu whuh.  You never see her but you just know her finger is pointing, and Charlie Brown is humiliated.

But Paul isn’t like that!?  He is the man!  St. Paul is the Pharisee with the 22” rims and plenty of boom in the room.  He converts to Christ and hardly whines.  Don’t miss the second half of the reading – “Get some Spirit!  Sing!  Play the drums, the guitar, play the Austrailian aboriginal didjeridoo!  Dude.  Waaaa waaaa waaaa.  No whine here, its not whine whine, its waaaa waaaa.

In short Paul is saying, don’t take the Spirit of the Risen Lord and become Debby Downer with it.  It’s not wa-wa.  It’s waaaaa waaaaa waaaaa!!!!  Heh heh.  Grab your didjeri doo.  Whining?  Paul is saying walk upright, you’re a bi-ped, not a snake.

Winning.  It is hard to come up with winning ways with our peers, with people at work, with our hubby or honey, with the kids, with the rents.  Winning takes work, ask the Carolina Hurricanes, the Panthers, the Mary Magdalene Mashers.  That is your name right?  Heh heh.  Winning takes work, but what kind of routine, what workout will help me to win with God? 

See Jesus, the cross on His back, doing push-ups.  His life is to push up yours and mine.  He goes down for our sake, puts our sins on His striped back,

and pushes us up - to teach us our dignity before God, and lead us to serve.

My friends across the city, do you want to hear wisdom?  Or whining?

Wisdom says,

teens, your parents are afraid of you hurting yourself or them.  Ease their fear.

Parents, your teens think you don’t really like them.  Prove beyond a doubt you do.

Husbands, give your wives little post it notes with something you notice about her. 

Wives, Your husband doubts himself or needs to prove himself, why?

Parishioners, priests need to hear what their lives assist you to be close to God.

Priests, smile in your attempts at loving compassion and be present in hard times.

Single people?  You are a gift.  Let people open it up!  Let them in, give it away!

Does that sound like whining?

No it sounds like WINNING, and a meaningful life.

Sit down at my table wisdom says, hear Jesus. “I am the bread of life.”

Come and eat of my food, of the wine and winning ways I have prepared for you.