The Charge of Being a Pharisee

[awfulthings9]

I have one last question, then I’ll let this go.

Personally, based on the homily I heard at my Mass and what you have shared about yours, I don’t see an issue with you deacon’s position.

That being said, I would ask (and I’m not being sarcastic, really)

Are you certain that the homily you heard didn’t carry additional “bite” from your point of view, based on previous goings on (abuse complaints/pharisee name-calling)?

I mean, if I had been involved in that, then heard that homily, I may have had the same feelings as you did. But NOT having been involved, I really can’t see the issue with the content.

Or, in another light…Let’s say, that we went to a TLM at a cathedral in St. Louis, and the Bishop was presiding and gave the same homily. Would you still see it as insulting?

And, no, I’m not picking on a TLM either, I’m just trying to cast this in a different light. No previous “issue” that would alter ones mindset prior to heaing said homily.

TBL

I think everything you’ve written in this last post is very reasonable. After some prayer and reflection, I still feel that his either/or proposition characterizes people in one of two extremes, but I’ve decided to chalk that up to imprecise wording on his part, rather than an agenda, per se (despite all that has gone on before). For that reason, I’m going to try to catch him later this week, maybe over a beer, rather than send the letter, to get his two cents on the interpretation. I think it’ll be received better and might open up a more productive dialogue.

Thanks for your thoughts, ethelzguy, and all who’ve contributed.

 

[awfulthings9]

And just as a point of curiosity, since it has been a side-bar in this discussion, here is the specifics on what a homily can focus on (sent by a priest friend of mine):

General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 65:

The homily is part of the Liturgy and is strongly recommended,63 for it is necessary for
the nurturing of the Christian life. It should be an exposition of some aspect of the readings from
Sacred Scripture or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper of the Mass of the day
and should take into account both the mystery being celebrated and the particular needs of the
listeners.64

Footnote 64 cites Sacred Congregation of Rites, Inter Oecumenici (the first of five instructions implementing Vatican II’s constitution on the liturgy), no. 54:

A homily on the sacred text means an explanation, pertinent to the mystery celebrated and the special needs of the listeners, of some point in either the readings from sacred Scripture or in another text from the Ordinary or Proper of the day’s Mass.

Commentators all agree that on weekdays the homily may focus on the liturgical season or the life of the saint being commemorated as well.

As my priest friend explained, there can indeed be quite a bit of variation in homilies, especially given that “particular needs of the listeners” line. Even in focusing on the same readings, he explained, one priest may take a comprehensive look at all three readings for the Mass, while another might focus in on one line and develop it. He said that he has drafted four or five versions of the same homily, all going in completely different directions.

 

[Brenda_V]

Thought I would lighten up things here just a bit. I was scrolling down to see what threads were going on and saw out of the corner of my eye this one - I have not responded because I can see both sides of this, those called pharisees wrongly and those who are like the pharisees .

Any way here is what I saw as the title of the thread ; “In Charge of Pharisees” . Of course I did a double take and realized I had read it wrong but what an interesting thought! Who would be “in charge of Pharisees”? Or is there a need for such a person?

Hope this made someone laugh, no back to the regularly scheduled subject discussion.

Brenda V.