The Six Dollar Burger
Jun. 18th, 2004 05:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zyzylyHaha--I just tossed that one in at the end. I didn't actually think anyone would want to know more about it.
It is the third homily I have given, and the first one I didn't write out. It is also the first one where I actually felt passionate about it (as opposed to just feeling nervous and wanting to get it over with).
It all started at a weight watchers meeting (yes, that's another post in itself). We were talking about the new Six Dollar Burger--the one with double meat. It contains a full pound of beef--close to 1500 calories and over 130 grams of fat. A pediatric nurse observed that it was enough to feed five small children.
Later, I read a post about how Paris Hilton purchased $130,000 worth of clothes on her way to mingle with the poor hapless hicks of America. It was significant to me that more than one person posted about it.
So I was on my way to serve at the Wednesday evening Mass. I wasn't planning to preach--just help out. I pre-read the gospel reading and thought about it a little--it was the one about how Jesus was admonishing his followers to not make a big deal about helping the poor--don't be blowing a trumpet every time you give a homeless person a buck.
By the time I arrived at the church, I had an idea about the reading, and all of a sudden I felt the urge to tell people about it. The priest was more than happy to oblige me, since he had nothing prepared anyway. So I went out there and began to talk.
It kind of started out like this:
In our culture, bragging about helping the needy isn't even an issue. No one cares what you do with your spare change, and wouldn't pay you a minute of attention even if you did want to tell them about how generous you are. The real issue is the Six Dollar Burger.
We live in a Six Dollar Burger World. So what if I'm eating enough to feed five small children, and so what if there are five small children starving to death? "Don't bother me, I'm eating".
We celebrate two spoiled heiresses and their exploits--this is what we like. We are thrilled when they spend thousands of dollars on clothes that they will probably only wear once and toss aside like an old rag. And meanwhile, in every city in America there are children without a pair of shoes to walk to school in. "Don't bother me, I'm eating."
This is where our pride lies. In $130,000 dresses,$3000 shoes, and Six Dollar burgers.
And so on. Once I got started, it just seemed to flow. I eventually dragged it back to the reading and pulled it all together (sort of). It was quite an experience.
One of my biggest fears about preaching was that I would get up there and not have anything to say. But now I'm on fire.
It is the third homily I have given, and the first one I didn't write out. It is also the first one where I actually felt passionate about it (as opposed to just feeling nervous and wanting to get it over with).
It all started at a weight watchers meeting (yes, that's another post in itself). We were talking about the new Six Dollar Burger--the one with double meat. It contains a full pound of beef--close to 1500 calories and over 130 grams of fat. A pediatric nurse observed that it was enough to feed five small children.
Later, I read a post about how Paris Hilton purchased $130,000 worth of clothes on her way to mingle with the poor hapless hicks of America. It was significant to me that more than one person posted about it.
So I was on my way to serve at the Wednesday evening Mass. I wasn't planning to preach--just help out. I pre-read the gospel reading and thought about it a little--it was the one about how Jesus was admonishing his followers to not make a big deal about helping the poor--don't be blowing a trumpet every time you give a homeless person a buck.
By the time I arrived at the church, I had an idea about the reading, and all of a sudden I felt the urge to tell people about it. The priest was more than happy to oblige me, since he had nothing prepared anyway. So I went out there and began to talk.
It kind of started out like this:
In our culture, bragging about helping the needy isn't even an issue. No one cares what you do with your spare change, and wouldn't pay you a minute of attention even if you did want to tell them about how generous you are. The real issue is the Six Dollar Burger.
We live in a Six Dollar Burger World. So what if I'm eating enough to feed five small children, and so what if there are five small children starving to death? "Don't bother me, I'm eating".
We celebrate two spoiled heiresses and their exploits--this is what we like. We are thrilled when they spend thousands of dollars on clothes that they will probably only wear once and toss aside like an old rag. And meanwhile, in every city in America there are children without a pair of shoes to walk to school in. "Don't bother me, I'm eating."
This is where our pride lies. In $130,000 dresses,$3000 shoes, and Six Dollar burgers.
And so on. Once I got started, it just seemed to flow. I eventually dragged it back to the reading and pulled it all together (sort of). It was quite an experience.
One of my biggest fears about preaching was that I would get up there and not have anything to say. But now I'm on fire.
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no subject
Date: 2004-06-18 06:49 pm (UTC);)
no subject
Date: 2004-06-18 07:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-06-18 07:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-06-18 08:17 pm (UTC)that must have inspired people to listen. :-)
no subject
Date: 2004-06-18 09:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-06-18 10:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-06-19 02:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-06-19 06:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-06-19 07:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-06-19 07:15 am (UTC)A number of my classmates preached regularly the last couple of years of formation. It was one of those things that wasn't specifically approved, but no one really cared. In my parish, we have small group of people who constantly monitor and run to the Bishop every time they perceive a liturgical abuse. They would have mad my life miserable if I had even tried, so I waited until I was ordained.
So yes, these are my first formalhomilies.
Testify!
Date: 2004-06-19 07:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-06-19 07:18 am (UTC)Re: Testify!
Date: 2004-06-19 10:22 am (UTC)HA HA HA HA HA
Ok...maybe that was over everyone's head...
gospel reality in this everyday world
Date: 2004-06-19 11:06 pm (UTC)you make me wanna go back to church
and that is saying something.
:)
no subject
Date: 2004-06-21 01:37 pm (UTC)