Holy Grounds: 3rd Sunday in Lent

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Holy Grounds

·      “When the LORD saw him coming over to look at it more closely,
God called out to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
He answered, “Here I am.”
God said, “Come no nearer!
Remove the sandals from your feet,
for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

I just wrote about our bulletin article for next weekend, about a question that we priests we receive, “How do we pray”

Here is another question, that I receive maybe even more and sometimes it can be funny: how do you dress?

·      Well, I usually chuckle and say something like, “Well, just like everyone else” or “I don’t think I’d ask you the same question!” but it is an interesting question that goes beyond the question itself

Usually, people are curious what a priest wears and are inquisitive

·      For instance, I typically wear black clothes with a collar, an image of Jesus Christ in the darkness of the world

o   This is usually not for me (though it is perfect!), but for Jesus Christ

·      For instance: truck

·      And there are times I am not wearing my clerics, like running, swimming or fishing

Then, you all know that I am wearing some totally different garments, what I consider these within God’s holy grounds: Mass, a baptism, a funeral 

Now I would like to flip this question to you: what do you wear for God’s Holy Grounds?

·      I’d like to be honest with two questions that can be true, but they can also be different for different people

o   Some people have said, “Wear whatever they can”…well, yes. 

o   Sometimes you may be late (like Fr. Blake Rozier who covered me when I was sick wearing shorts, a t-shirt and sandals)

o   Or, people that are poor, or homeless or aren’t clean, of course, welcome them!

o   But never forget, which I would personally believe, let’s wear the best for Sunday

Finally, Ghana Africa, families wearing their best, and walking for miles

·      I think that our culture has lost some of that beauty for God, His grounds

And every time you come to Mass: “the place where you stand is holy ground”