Tag Archives: Homilies of Father Rob Waller

Puppy Under the Table

11 Aug

The readings for Mass on Sunday, August 14, 2011 can be found here: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Please help God help me. Read the Scriptures for this weekend. Suggest to me a thought from your mind, an emotion from your heart or an example from your life, so that I can speak to the people of St. Andrew something that might connect with their minds, hearts and lives. 

This is what I am thinking thus far … When we buried Kimberly at much too young an age, we noticed something about those who arrived to grieve. They came from all walks of life, from all kinds of places and for all kinds of reasons. Their languages, their skin tones, their ethnic backgrounds, their jobs, their interests and causes were all so different, one from another. Many of them did not know each other. Some had to explain to Kim’s parents how they knew her. One flew in that afternoon, sat on the sidelines at the funeral home for several hours, and when the visitation ended, left directly for the airport to fly back home to Colorado that night. Kim’s father said it best, “Kim collected friends. The only thing that anybody had to do to be her friend was to want to be her friend, and that was it. You were her friend.”

According to Isaiah, all who join themselves to the Lord will be acceptable to him. The apostle Paul worked for the salvation of his own people and for the salvation of those who were not his own. Distracted and convinced by the thought of someone sneaking table food to a puppy under the table, Jesus reached out his healing hand to the outsider (and underdog) who cried out, “Have pity on me. Help me. Please, Lord.” That was enough for her to be his friend.   

Now click on “comments” below, and tell me what stirs in you when read Isaiah, Psalms, Romans and Matthew.

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That Sinking Feeling

6 Aug

The readings for Mass on Sunday, August 7, 2011 can be found here: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Please help God help me. Read the Scriptures for this weekend. Suggest to me a thought from your mind, an emotion from your heart or an example from your life, so that I can speak to the people of St. Andrew something that might connect with their minds, hearts and lives. 

This is what I am thinking thus far … Walking on water and sinking in the sea: it’s like the difference between a period and an exclamation point. When we are walking on water – when things are going well, when we are accomplishing, when all (or at least most) is calm and bright – we believe that Jesus is Lord and Savior. That is a statement that ends in a period. When we get that sinking feeling, when we exclaim, “I can’t do this! Lord, save me!” then we really come to know that Jesus is Lord and Savior for me. It was only when St. Peter was sinking that it sunk in who he was in relation to Jesus. He was not the one who could walk on water.

Now click on “comments” below, and tell me what stirs in you when read Kings, Romans and Matthew.   

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Sometimes Gods Find Us

26 Jul

The latest Sunday Mass at St. Andrew is archived here: July 24, 2011. The homily is at minute 17:15 … The most important things in life, the things in life that matter most – sometimes we find them; sometimes they find us. There is  almost always an element of surprise, joy and commitment. Ask anyone about their spouse or best friend, “How did you meet?” Ask anyone about the work that they do or the school they attend, “How did you wind up in this job, at this high school, on the campus of this college?” Ask someone about a cause or a project about which they have such passion, “How did this involvement evolve?” In each story there will be an element of surprise, joy and commitment. Surprise: “I never expected to find it. It is so much more than I expected.” Joy: “I am so happy, contented, energized and encouraged. I didn’t know what I was missing.” Commitment: “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep it, to make it work and to pass it one.”     

Sometimes we find God. Sometimes God finds us. Sometimes God is discovered suddenly and unexpectedly, sometimes after much searching. There is almost always an element of surprise, joy and commitment.

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Removing Sandals Is Optional

13 Jul

God said to Moses, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” At Mass we do all we can so that no particle of the sacred Body, no drop of the precious Blood and no syllable of the proclaimed Word will fall to the floor without being consumed and taken to heart. With awe and reverence we receive the Body, the Blood and the Word of God. There is a lovely tune, “This is holy ground. We’re standing on holy ground. For the Lord is present, and where he is, is holy.” With that melody of awareness playing in our minds and hearts, we also stand humbly before every person we meet. The Lord is present in that person. Thus, we are standing on holy ground. Removing sandals is optional, but showing reverence is not. Have a reverent day!

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