I have here two containers. One has something good inside it, the other has something yucky. I need a volunteer to come up here and choose a pail to stick your hand into and retrieve whatever is in the pail [Get a volunteer and really “build up” the suspense that something bad might occur. Then chat with the volunteer about his or her own apprehension about what they might find.]
It is amazing how our minds can play tricks on us. How we can set ourselves up to encounter something bad, even when it could also become good. Think about your experience of Thanksgiving this past week. If you were anticipating a rotten time, you probably got it. When you set yourself up with thoughts of “It will be a terrible time” or “I will be bored.” It more than likely is going to occur.
Or think about the words that you use to talk about coming to Mass today. If you switched your language to “I GET TO go the Mass today,” instead of the usual “I HAVE TO go to Mass,” it sets up and entirely different scenario. Same thing with going to school or work, try using a different approach, not “I have to” but “I get to.”
Studies from Harvard University, especially the research by psychologist Ellen Wagner, reveal that our approach to anything can make a huge difference in our experience.
-For example, if you think that new food item will be awful, it probably will be awful.
-If you keep seeing negative traits in that co-worker, that’s probably all that you will see.
-If you continue to complain about your math homework, it probably will always will be a burden.
As you know, I was recently on vacation and of course, I had a wonderful time. For usually when we are on vacation, we expect it to be wonderful . . . for example saying, “Oh the food is so good.” Or “the people are so friendly.” You are correct. But when you expect things to be wonderful they usually are.
A few years ago, I was in Italy and become enamored by the clouds of Italy. Oh, they were magnificent. And so I took many picture of the cloud formations. When I got home, I was showing the pictures to friends and bragging about how wonderful the clouds were. Well, my friends looked at the pictures and then at me . . . and said, “Uh Kevin, we have clouds right here in MN to look at. You didn’t need to fly all the way across the ocean to see beautiful formations.”
I would assume that this all makes sense to you, so let’s take it further and add what Jesus says. In the gospel, the whole language about his image is about HONOR . . . for example, “Son of Man comes in glory,” “throne of his glory” and “angels accompany him” (all glorious images). AND glory is to be found in people. But here’s the tricky part . . . honor (or the presence of Christ) is not always obvious.
Those people on Jesus’ left side (the goats) were probably NOT bad people. They were probably NOT murderers or thieves. And if a Saint Mother Teresa came into their midst, they would all be nice to her . . . and kind, and loving, and treating her with honor.
But Jesus challenges us to do good things, and to find goodness in others (which is really finding Christ in others). To treat everyone with honor and respect. That is, to find Christ in everyone.
So let me change the gospel image a bit and add Jesus’ message to today:
When has someone been hungry for your time, but no you had to watch that show or use that
excuse, “I am too tired,” so you let it go?
When was someone been thirsty for a compliment and you didn’t give them one because it
might go to their heads?
When was someone a stranger . . . that new kid at school, or that visitor here at Church?
Maybe it’s that group of people that you always assume are no good. Because of their
race, their religion, their skin color, their orientation, their looks, and you never take
the time to get to know them.
When was someone “naked with shame” and you didn’t do anything to change it?
You continued to gossip or enjoy the put downs.
When was someone “not been at their best” (mentally, physically or emotionally)
and you didn’t give them any slack and you only thought about yourself?
When has someone been imprisoned by stress, or a low esteem issue, or imprisoned by their
own worth . . . and all you did was laugh about them with trying to understand them?
Jesus said, “Whenever you did it to the least of my sisters or brothers, you did it for me.”
Well, maybe now is the time to change. Change your words, starts using more positive phrases.
Stop complaining all the time, start seeing the good in your situation. Expect to find Christ in the difficult person!
For you never know . . . when you take a chance and stop expecting only badness [I reach into the other pail and reveal another good item (candy bar)] . . . wonderful things can happen.