Fr. Eric's homily on the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Homilies From St. Patrick Catholic Community
December 29, 2024 - Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (Fr. Eric Tellez)
- Welcome to St. Patrick Catholic Community Podcast. We're glad you're with us. - About eight years of my life was centered on living in community in the seminary with other men being formed and trained into possibly becoming priest. And for eight years, four in Santa Fe and college in New Mexico and in four years of Mount Angel in Oregon with a Benedictine seminary there, I learned to live in community. And one of the things that I really appreciated about living with others was everyone had a gift to share in the community if they chose to do that. When people had cars in the parking lot, the students, certain seminarians were very good at mechanics. So on a Saturday or Sunday for free, they would change oil or fix the carburetor or change a tire, help the guys on their own that don't know much about cars. Other guys, one guy was a electrician appliance fixer. And so in his room were a lot of irons and hairdryers and radios and for free, he and other guys would simply fix the appliances for students that don't have enough money to probably buy more appliances as well. For others, it was they were experts on taxes. Others were very good at travel, where to go, where to eat. Others cooked great meals and would thank people for doing a great work. They would make fabulous meals to share. For me, the only thing I shared unfortunately was sports scores. It was the day before ESPN and phones and all that. And so I would just watch and listen to the radio and watch television and gather the scores. And in the evening on Sunday night, a lot of the seminarians would gather around my table and who won, what was the score? So that was my gift and I thought, that's not much of a gift. These guys fixed cars, appliances, and all I do is just report sports scores. But you know what happened? People that really didn't care about sports, really had no knowledge, probably do this day, don't even care about it. For that moment, they were included. They would show up on a Friday or Saturday or Sunday in the TV room and watch sports. They also would gather together to just feel like they're part of that. You know, one year at the beginning of the school year, our section of the hall in the seminary hosted a welcoming and we invited people and we had goodies out in the hallway. And I had a room that was a little large. And all I had was a small black and white TV. And on was the Padres versus the Tigers in the World Series. And the entire seminary fit into my small room. And we watched the World Series. When Notre Dame was playing Oregon and they traveled to Eugene, I was able to get tickets for me and a couple of my buddies. And the whole seminary saw us off to the game. See you later. And the score was 13, 13, the final score. And I went home and the entire seminary rubbed it in the whole week, huh? But you know, even though it was just sports scores, it included people. They felt, hey, I don't know anything about sports. I don't know if I ever will. But you made me feel part of the community. And all it was was just memorizing scores. Community and contributing to the community is what the Bible always institutes for us. We as people who are Christians are familiar with some Christians who are very good at the beginning, who say you need to have a personal relationship with Jesus. And that is true. And that you are saved at that point. Well, we Catholics call it we're redeemed because the work continues on, but we honor them. But we say the scriptures ask for a lot more than just saying I believe and then nothing else is required. Everything in the Old Testament is God gathering people. God is a gatherer. And what he tells the people over and over again, everyone, not just the Jewish people, but all people in the end will be invited to flow into the new city Jerusalem. And so God gathers. That's part of God's thing of saying, we've been created to care for one another, to be long, to be part of God's family. Now the entire New Testament, right, especially after the gospels, are meant for community. These writers, most especially St. Paul, are writing to us even today of saying how to live in community. This is a hard message for our country and our society now because there's such a strong emphasis on individualism. Do it yourself. I don't need anybody else. I can make decisions, even if it hurts other people, doesn't matter because I have the freedom and it's my rights and my responsibility. That is nothing to do with the gospel. Everything as the Colossians, the letter to date to the Colossians community is saying, put on Christ. Put on Christ. In other words, as people who wear uniforms in society and there is an identity that goes with it. Law enforcement, firemen, the medical profession, people who do in the service work as well. When they put on a uniform, we know the expectation. We know the ideal. We know what they do for community and for society. And Christians are asked to do the same. We will be identified, not by our words, I believe in Jesus, but by our behavior. We can't simply talk a good game. We have to live it. And so we are asked then to put on Christ of saying, people will know how we are by our behavior. And here's the thing, my friends. Jesus teaches us the role to salvation is through your neighbor, through your neighbor, the behavior of the neighbor and how you treat people. It isn't just believing in the right set of dogmas. I looked up and I googled all the denominations and Roman Catholics have the right dogma and better football teams. You know, that's not what it's about. It's our behavior. And so I'm asking you today as a family, the family of God in your own personal family, what do you contribute? What is your good gift? You all have something to give. And don't be like all I do is sports scores because even the littlest gift do many things for the family. I've encouraged children there to know that you are being driven around by taxis. That's what your parents' new names are, huh? They're being taxied everywhere. You have to go everywhere and your parents really keep you busy a lot of times. I think maybe just being sure that you're grateful and thankful. Teams might help if you use the part of your brain, which is really hard to plan things rather than saying, didn't I tell you? I had to go to a place, no, you never told me. I thought I did. You know, maybe to contribute to be able to say, I appreciate what you do. That's a great gift to give. That can set a powerful toll. I think parents being able to know when the boundaries are and asking and demanding things for your children. That's up to you because you're the parents and you can talk to other parents about it, but good modeling is what? Being able to know like how far is it good to go to ask? And what is it that I can do to affirm? So today, what do you give to the community? St. Paul says through the scriptures today, put on love, which is the best of all virtues. Kindness, humility and meekness. Sometimes as a family member, your meekness and gentleness is misunderstood as weakness. And yet maybe that's the greatest gift that you can give your family. Probably one of the greatest gifts to know is that maybe a family member struggles in being part of the family. They have a hard time, they're misunderstood. And yet when a sick family member is there, they're the ones that are gonna come forward. They're the ones that are gonna say, yes, I'll take care of a sick family member, an elderly family member, and maybe they're not always there, maybe they don't always do things right, but they contribute in that way in the most crisis time. Maybe you're a family member that's better in crisis than everyday thing. Sometimes you have to hold your nose, be with family, huh? It's hard. And in the seminary, when I was there, you would see people butt heads, you have conflict, not liking each other. That's part of living in community, in any family. But at the same time, there were opportunities where people showed forgiveness, where they reconciled or they left one another alone. Sometimes that happens because people aren't ready to be able to forgive. And so I'm gonna ask you this week, what do you contribute to the church family? And I'm just talking about your gift of presence, the gift of patience, the gift of belief, maybe the gift in the way that you model love and your gentleness and your compassion and in your patience. And I also invite you to think about what do you contribute to your family? Especially in pain because it's hard being part of a family. And you're not sinful if your family doesn't always get along. It's just a lot of work, isn't it? It's a lot of work to do. We get disappointed, we get frustrated and all. But what can you contribute in a way that cares for other people? And so my only gift was remembering sports scores. Seahawks 24, Cowboys 10. Well, I don't know if that does any good for anyone. But you know what, guys that couldn't stand football came to me and felt included. And maybe that's your gift as well. Even if you don't think it's anything worthwhile, whatever you contribute matters to community and God. - This has been a St. Patrick Catholic Community Podcast. For more of our shows, go to our website and click St. Patrick's Studio. (upbeat music)