"Friendship, friendship, just a perfect blendship. When other friendships have been forgot, ours will still be hot." Cole Porter, "Anything Goes"

The lyrics above come from 1930s Broadway musical. I thought of them while searching for a photo to accompany the homily shared here. I am not trying to be flip about Holy Scripture. This morning, Fr. Thomas Travers, CSsR gifted us with a touching and pointed reflection, the fruit of his meditation on today's Gospel, Matt. 20:17-28. He titled it "Listening." Listening is a mark of friendship; it generates the "blendship", and keeps it "hot". How are we listening to those we would call our friends, to those with whom we try to make community, to make family? And how are we listening to Jesus as he speaks to us each day?

Sr. Maria Celeste and Sr. Weena 

Redemptoristines, Liguori, Missouri

Listening

by Father Thomas Travers, CSsR

Rector, Mount St. Alphonsus Retreat Center

Espous, New York

I think that a very interesting and instructive exercise is to try to, as they say, get 'inside the head' of Jesus. For instance, we can ask ourselves: what was he thinking, what was he feeling when he went through the experieces of today's gospel?

This gospel reminds me of a commercial on TV. I do not remember what it was for (maybe you remember it). The scene shows a guy, who looked like a teacher in school. He is seated at a table or desk and he is engrossed in something he is doing with his hands, perhaps playing a game or trying to figure something out. Then some little kindergarden kids bring in a rabbit and put it on his desk and say with tears in their eyes and voices, "There's something is wrong with Peter." The teacher just keeps on playing his game; does not even look at them and says off handedly, "Oh, that's OK. I still have the receipt."

He is completely oblivious of what is really going on. And then, somehow, he realizes what the kids are talking about and jumps out of his chair, raises his arms, grabs two balloons, touches them to the rabbit, says something and heals him. And the kids, all smiles, take the rabbit back in their arms again and go out to play.

I really think that Jesus can relate to those kids. He had a real problem. Not a sick rabbit but a life-changing event he had to face; a matter of life and death. And he told his disciples about it and they paid no attention. They kept right on with their useless chatter about who was going to be greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

I mean, just look at the gospel. Jesus is really serious. The gospel says that he takes the twelve disciples aside by themselves. (He did that when he was serious.) He tells them that he is going up to Jerusalem to be handed over to the leaders of their people, to be condemned to death and passed off to the Gentiles, then mocked scourged and crucified. Now that is serious stuff. He is telling them of what is going to be the saddest experience in his life. And all they are thinking of is who is going to sit at his right and left hand when he gets to the kingdom. And then the other disciples, realizing what is going on, get all bent out of shape, not because of Jesus' predicament but becasue they might lose out on the best seats, the highest rewards, in the kingdom.

You can almost hear Jesus saying, "Hey, aren't you listening to me? I just told you I am going to die a cruel death and all you are worried about is your seats at the banquet. What did I tell you about seats at banquets?" But the disciples were not listening!!! How it must have tore at the heart of Jesus. All he wanted was a little support and consolation. And he got none.

A short while ago something like that happened at our dinner table. Someone had something really important to say. He said it, but no one listened. Someone else came right in and drowned him out, oblivious to what was going on.

I think that the lesson we can learn today, the lesson that Jesus wants us to learn because he felt the effects of those who did not learn it, the lesson is to listen; to listen to the other; not to be so taken up with our own world, our own life, our own games, our own rewards that we do not hear the other in their pain and sorrow.

If our whole life is supposed to be other-oriented, loving our neighbor as ourselves, the only way we are going to be able to do so is to notice, to see, and to hear, the other especially in their hour of sorrow. LORD, GIVE US A LISTENING HEART. AMEN.

The Celebration Continued

The absolute highlight of Mount St. Alphonsus 100th Anniversary celebration was Mass in its awesome chapel, a Mass for which so many priests were present that only a fraction of the group could be seated in the sanctuary. The laity present had received the Eucharist and had ample time for their prayer of thanksgiving as the priests continued to approach the altar to take Communion. It must have been a moving moment for each of them since it was that sanctuary in which they were ordained. For many of them, the Mount, is like Mother Earth.

Father General Joseph Tobin was the chief celebrant. In his homily he spoke of the joy of the moment, the pride and the privilege of having been a part of this place, of the Congregation nurtured there, of the vast numbers of priest who went forth from its halls to minister and serve, to go on mission, to teach, to write, and, above all else, to bring the love of Jesus Christ the Redeemer to the poor and most abandoned. Fr. Tobin said it was very easy in moments such as this to remain with ones eyes looking back. He reminded that the place and the occasion call us to look forward in hope and in trust. Of necessity, Mount St. Alphonsus is no longer a seminary. Of necessity missions are being closed and parishes returned to diocesan management. But a new spirit of St. Alphonsus is blowing through the Congregation, not only within the individual provinces but throught out the world. This view offers much encouragement.

Earlier in the day we enjoyed a lecture by two Redemptorist scholars of history, Fr. Carl Hoegrel and Fr. Thomas Travers (See the link to his homily blog in the side bar.) Here are some amazing factoids from that presentation.

The Baltimore Province of the Redemptorists bought the property (235 acres) for $57,000.

There were 2000 apple tress on the property (Newton-Pippin apples).

The building is 440 feet long and 90 feet high.

Wintersee, the architect also designed Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Brooklyn, a flagship Redemptorist parish, and also the towers on the Redemptorist Mission Church in Boston.

At one point in the building process 100 Italian stone cutters were on the job and earning $3.50 per day.

Building began on 1905 and in the fall of 1907 the first seminarians arrived.

Mount St. Alphonsus 100th Anniversary - Continued

Old photographs cannot do justice to the beauty of the chapel of Mount St. Alphonsus. Particularly stunning are twelve mosaic angels above the main altar which lead the eye to a very unusual stained glass dome. This done depicts the assembly of great saints before the throne of the Trinitarian God. St. Alphonsus is being welcomed to this gathering in the presence of Mary.

For more pictures and a complete history of the Mount use this link to the Redemptorist website: http://www.redemptorists.net/

Mount St. Alphonsus - 100th Anniversary Celebration - 1907-2007

Over one hundred and fifty Redemptorist priests and brothers are gathered at Mount St. Alphonsus in Esopus, New York to celebrate the centenary of this venerable institution, the location of the Seminary of the Baltimore Province from 1907 to 1985 and since then a retreat center offering a place for prayer and spiritual growth since 1989. It is a joy to see these men come together to share their memories of missionary service in places up and down the east coast of the United States, in the Caribbean islands, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Paraguay, Haiti and the Domincan Republic. These are our "Redemptorist Brothers" for whom we pray and from whom we have received so much.

These 400+ acres of property on the banks of the Hudson River only one hundred miles north of New York City was purchased by the Congregation early in the 20th century with the intention of constructing a new seminary. It would be the location for the theologate level of education therefore the place of ordination for generations of priests. Tuberculosis was making its way through the seminary in the Baltimore area and the search was on for a healthier climate and the proper location for a building intended to be a seminary but having the architectural features recommended for TB sanitariums of the day - big bedrooms, high ceilings, and lots of large windows to let in the fresh air. The result is a huge castle-like affair, very masculine and made with the best of materials. Its common rooms are generous. The dining room can seat 200 and the library positively 'romantic' with its three story open center lined with balconies of shelving at each level. In its hay day their was a farm, cattle, and horse on the property. These provided training for young missionaries heading out to the campos of Brazil. Oddly enough, while the learned how to ride horses they were not taught Portuguese before shipping of to Brazil.

More about this special celebration the the Mount's stunning chapel will follow.