Communication

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27).

             Good communication involves two things: sending and receiving a message. However, both these elements require some attention. A sender has to know the audience being addressed, content of the message and reason for the communication before conveying anything. A receiver must get the message, understand its content and identify its motive before reacting to it. Unless both the sender and the receiver are conscious of these components, the ideas expressed will not be properly understood.

            In this passage from John, Jesus tells some Jews “My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me.” By doing so, he tries to distinguish between those who receive his message properly and others who fail to do so.

            John’s Gospel recorded many occasions when there was a lack of understanding between Jesus and those he encountered. When Christ predicted the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, the Jews thought his Prophecy was about the building rather than his body. In his dialogue with Nicodemus, the Pharisee assumed the term “born from above” implied a second birth rather than a rebirth. During the discussion Jesus had with the Samaritan Woman at the Well, she presumed “living water” was something obtained with a bucket instead of faith. Each occasion, the listener heard Christ’s words but understood them in a literal way. This meant his message never had its intended effect. Yet, Jesus overcame these misunderstandings when he widened the conversation through an examination of the terms he employed. As the listener altered his or her thinking, the message became clearer. However, when at the Feast of the Dedication he conversed with some Jews about whether he was the Messiah, Jesus was less successful. Their rigid beliefs about the Messiah’s identity and expected actions prevented their reception of Christ’s message about the new plan of God. Although they heard the words, the Jews misunderstood their content and the motive behind it. On the other hand, Christ’s disciples (the sheep) heard God’s message through the voice of Jesus and followed it. Although there was a failure in communication with the Jews this breakdown never occurred with his Disciples.

            The amount of communication within our Society has grown exponentially over the past decades. The greater number of TV Channels, Social Media Platforms and other Communication Networks means more people can send and receive more messages more often than ever before. Yet, has this resulted in better communication? One problem is that certain words no longer have the same meaning as they had in the past. When a sender uses the term “family” a receiver may not understand it the same way. Another challenge is that people often communicate only with others who share their opinions or lifestyle. If a sender only interacts with receivers who agree with him or her, rigid ideas become reinforced. A third difficulty is many individuals repeat what they receive without thinking about it critically. Senders may not fully recognize the implications of what they communicate. Catholics and other people of Faith have to live in this environment of muddled communication. Unfortunately, it can exist within Religious Communities including the Church. Yet, Believers have the tools to help insure good communication with each other and the Secular world. First, there is a consensus about the meaning of the important concepts in their vocabulary. God is a being who surpasses the understanding of people not the product of human thinking. Second, the mission of the Church is not to avoid those who have contradictory ideas but engage with them. The dialogue could lead to their conversion but will also help Catholics to better understand their beliefs. Finally, the Church fosters critical thought and re-examination of issues to insure messages being sent and received are not misunderstood and the motives behind them are transparent. These tools, which are part of our Faith Tradition, can never guarantee good communication will always occur. But, they will help make it more likely.

            Like the sheep in the passage, Believers receive the message of the shepherd (hear his voice), understand its importance (by knowing him) and identify its motive of concern for their welfare (by following them). By contrast, our Secular Society like the Pharisees are so fixed in their ideas and convinced they know better that they wander aimlessly in a world characterized by confused messages. While the former group know where they are going the latter one seems to just get more lost.

May 8, 2022

Boundaries

 

Jesus said, “But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months when there was a severe famine over all the land; yet, Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon” (Luke 4:25-26).

             Boundaries are created to separate people. When a Canadian crosses the Peace Bridge at Buffalo, he or she changes from a citizen into a foreigner. Until they return to Canada, the person obeys the law, interacts with the institutions and observes the customs of the United States. Since the differences between the two countries are not great the transition is relatively smooth. If that Canadian entered another country, like Saudi Arabia or China, the separation between foreigners and citizens would be greater and the adjustment more difficult. When the differences are great and the boundaries strictly enforced, there is an increased chance of tension and conflict.

             In this passage from Luke, Christ’s Revelation that his Mission includes outreach to those groups outside of Israel provokes a negative response from the people of Nazareth. By doing so, they show how the preservation of Religious and Social boundaries can obstruct God’s plan.

            When Jesus returned from his forty days in the desert he began his Ministry in the towns around Nazareth. This meant his reputation preceded his arrival to his hometown. As he read the text from Isaiah, the expectations of the people in the Synagogue likely grew. Unlike the Political and Religious elites in Jerusalem, here was someone who championed their concerns. There were no boundaries between him and them. However, when Christ recalled the stories of Elijah’s care for the widow at Zarephath and Eisha’s cure of Naaman the Syrian, they became hostile. These foreigners were outside the boundaries of the Jewish nation. His inclusion of Gentiles among the individuals to whom he Ministered implied these Religious and Social divisions were unimportant. For the people in the Synagogue, the exclusivity of the relationships between God and the Jewish nation as well as Jesus and the population of Nazareth were non-negotiables. They demonstrated their rejection of him through an attempt on his life. Yet, since the Good News Christ proclaimed was the liberation of all individuals from Sin and all were sinners, the only important boundary was between those who accepted or rejected Salvation. Since this was God’s plan, Jesus survived the attack and continued his Mission.

            Our Modern world understands the importance of boundaries. Nations will go to war to extend their boundaries, enhance their security or prosperity. Groups within society will shrink their boundaries to exclude members who might dilute their collective identity. Political leaders will use boundaries between citizens to rally supporters and vilify opponents. Religious Sects will frequently create boundaries in order to distinguish the pious few from the unholy masses. Often when individuals question the need for these boundaries Institutions and those who control them respond with hostility. Anyone on one side of a boundary would be threatened by the possibility that those on the other side are not really different from them. While all organizations, including the Church, must have certain beliefs and practices which are non-negotiable in order to maintain their integrity and distinguish them from the rest of society, they must also be aware of how they draw boundaries and regularly re-examine their justification. There was a time when a Catholic who wished to marry a Non-Catholic could not celebrate their Wedding inside a Church building. The reason given was such a celebration would cause scandal in the Parish. During the time of Vatican II, this justification was challenged by Bishops who thought the Church should indicate its support for any couple seeking to show their Marriage was rooted in their faith by permitting them to celebrate their Wedding in the Church. Like Jesus in this passage, it is necessary that we recognize boundaries which interfere with the unfolding of God’s plan and challenge them.

            Since legitimate differences exist between individuals and groups, some boundaries will always be necessary. Yet, if they do not serve a justifiable purpose they become an obstacle to what is true and right. Catholics need to be able to distinguish whether a boundary is necessary and respond accordingly.

January 30, 2022

Blessings

 

Jesus looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20).

            When I was young my parents often told me to count my blessings. Initially, I considered them to be material things like food, a house and my family. As I got older, I recognized more abstract things like the opportunity to get an education, the freedom to express myself and the ability to walk down the street safely were also blessings. By the time I became an adult, the list included such things as being raised by parents who had the right values, having a faith which helped me put my experiences into perspective and teachers who taught me the importance of discipline and perseverance. While not everyone thought the things on my list were blessings, time has shown me their true value.

            In this passage from Luke, Jesus instructs a great crowd, “Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of Heaven is yours”. By doing so, he indicates recognizing God’s blessings requires a different way of thinking.

            Within the Old Testament, blessings were about more than favorable living conditions. According to Genesis, Creation involved the imposition of order upon chaos. At the end of each day, God saw that what he created was good. After the Sixth Day, God perceived that the entire cosmos was very good. God achieved more than the construction of a habitable place for Human Beings; he established a relationship with it. Later in the Exodus Story, God accomplished more than the liberation of the Hebrews from bondage to the Egyptians: he listened and responded to their cries for help. This development focused and deepened the relationship between God and the Jewish people. With the Revelation of the Law and formation of the Covenant on Mt. Sinai, God rooted this relationship within their daily experience. Although Divine Blessings enabled the establishment, security and prosperity of the Jewish nation, they never prevented suffering and hardship. During their Babylonian Exile, the Jewish people remained in God’s presence despite precarious conditions. Blessings came not from favorable circumstances but recognition of their close relationship with God. While it was unlikely the poor, hungry, dejected and persecuted felt blessed according to Human standards, their need for God triggered a Divine response. This new understanding of Blessedness meant the rich, well fed, jovial and respected, who needed God for nothing, remained unblessed.

            Modern society takes a very Utilitarian approach to Blessings. Unless something is useful in helping a person gain wealth, security or social standing, it is not considered a good thing. If getting a University Education results in a better paying job; it is a blessing. Otherwise, it is seen as a waste of money and effort. The idea that Education is a good in itself and an individual who is the first one in his or her family to go to University would consider themselves Blessed for that reason alone challenges this way of thinking. Within some Christian Communities, a “Prosperity Gospel” Mentality indicates this Utilitarian approach has even influenced Religious practices. The belief that if you become a good Christian and follow Biblical Teaching God will bless you with prosperity, happiness and friends seems to ignore what Jesus said in today’s Gospel. According to Christ, the poor are blessed because they have no wealth and experience their need for God on a daily basis. They have done nothing to deserve being Blessed. Their Blessedness is a good unto itself. It does not suddenly make them wealthy. This Blessedness is the knowledge they have not been forgotten by God and his Providence will look after them. The result is they see themselves not as the world views them (pathetic) or as they may perceive themselves (failures) but as God sees them: dignified and loveable. This approach reverses the world’s idea of what constitutes a Blessing and who is blessed.

            This passage invites us to count our Blessings. We will likely first tally up those things which the world considers Blessings: our possessions; health; family; and friends. However, Jesus invites us to count those things whose usefulness may be harder to measure: our faith in God; our Church; our Community; and our access to the Sacraments. After we are finished we may find we are more blessed than we thought.

February 13, 2022

Introduction

 

Greetings. Welcome to my Blog. My name is Father Michael Basque. I am a Priest of the Diocese of St. Catharines, Ontario.

            For some time now, people have been asking me to publish my sermons in some format because they find them helpful. In response, I have decided to set up this blog which will include some scripture reflections and videos on various topics. My purpose is to stimulate people to think about their faith and how it relates to daily life. I do not claim to be some great intellectual thinker or spiritual writer. Whether you agree or disagree with my ideas I respect your opinion. Some of the material I will put on my blog will be from the past (I date all my work) while some of it will be current. I will do my best to post something every week (maybe more often) but I am Pastor of a large parish and writing (to do it properly) takes time. I ask you to be patient.

             I might occasionally stretch the boundaries of conventional thinking about the Catholic faith but I think the Church is at its best when that happens. I am not afraid to admit that I may be wrong about an opinion but I do think carefully before I express it. I am someone who is trying to be a faithful Catholic and credible witness to the faith but an imperfect one.

            I hope you find what I write to be helpful.

Fr. Michael Basque