This morning I was preparing for the noon-Mass homily on today’s gospel. It is well known passage that it part of the Sermon on the Mount: ““You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.” (Mt 5:38) The cultural context for the saying is the 1st century honor-shame dynamic. And so I was reading online about the dynamics of shame. I found some interesting and thoughtful articles. But I also found something I was not looking for. Continue reading
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Years from now I will perhaps look back in my notes at this homily and will need to remind myself what was unique and different about this Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, popularly known as Corpus Christi Sunday. Notes to self: 94 days ago, the World Health Organization declared pandemic status for the covid-19 virus. 87 days ago, the churches of the diocese of St. Petersburg were closed to the public. 79 days ago, a safer-at-home order was declared for the City of Tampa. 
During these last days as the topic of racial justice was omnipresent around us, someone emailed to ask if Francis of Assisi had ever written on race relationships. The short answer is “no.” Francis of Assisi lived in the 13th century growing up in the Umbria region of Italy. His world was provincial and focused on the world in which diversity meant which town you were from and the “other” referred to the “Saracens,” against whom the Crusades were aimed in order to free the Holy Land from Islamic control. 
This weekend the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, a feast perhaps better known by the Latin Corpus Christi. At its core, the solemnity is a celebration of the Tradition and belief in the Eucharist as the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Many folks wonder why this celebration is not part of Holy Thursday, and it was, mixed in with other themes, e.g., institution of the priesthood. And, all this occurs in the shadow of Good Friday. The placement of the celebration was not one that necessarily lends itself to a joyful celebration. 
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Holy Trinity Sunday. On Trinity Sunday, we are called to reflect with joy and thanksgiving what the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have done to bring about redemption and the possibility of salvation for all. We celebrate to respond to the love God has shown for us, praising Him, and giving Him glory. We that we were created in the image of God, saved by God despite our sins, and our journey in this life is accompanied by God at each moment. It is a celebration and invitation to share the inner life of the Trinity. 
Years ago, while a Franciscan novice, my fellow friars and I attended a gathering of all the Franciscan novices, men and women, who lived in the Eastern United States. During our week-long gathering, each group was responsible for leading morning or evening prayer or animating the Eucharistic celebration. One morning, a group of Franciscan sisters was responsible for morning prayer. Just before we were to begin, the leader of prayer explained that we would not be using the traditional words associated with the sign of the Cross. Rather, we would say “In the Name of the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier.” She explained this was a way to remove the gender bias from the opening of prayer and to make all feel welcomed. 
This day’s 
There are people, average like us and quietly going about life, that have moved to the national spotlight. We now know their names: George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Philando Castile and Trayvon Martin – and these are just the recent ones that made national news. The nation is moved in outrage. Yes, all lives matter, but Black Lives Matter. As someone pointed out: all houses on the block matter, but when one of them is on fire, it matters more.
friarmusings 