LOOKING FOR GOODNESS TO AFFIRM

GIVEN AT THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR ST. JOSEPH HOME

Louisville, Kentucky

January 14, 2023

Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners

and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus heard this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.”

Mark 2:13-17

As I sat down to reflect on today’s gospel, where Jesus was attacked and condemned for being seen hanging out with the riff-raff and trash of society, I immediately thought of a little hand-written list of New Year’s Resolutions that someone sent me. It was in a child’s handwriting. Here is what it said, “This year I want to be more like Jesus. I want to hang out with sinners. I want to upset religious people. I want to tell stories that make people think. I want to choose unpopular friends. I want to be kind, loving and merciful. I want to take naps on boats!” Evidently, the person who wrote that, adult or child, was very familiar with the Scriptures because that is exactly what Jesus did!

Today we read about how Jesus “hung out with sinners.” His critics could not stand the fact that Jesus welcomed sinners and ate with them. They wanted him to condemn them! Jesus gave them a perfect response. “Those who are well do not need a doctor, but sick people do!”

Those of you who know me, know that what Jesus did, is something I have tried to do in my normal practice! As a priest, I have specialized in reaching out especially to fallen away Catholics. For 15 years, I wrote a weekly column in The Record called “An Encouraging Word.” After 500 columns, I started a blog by the same name entitled “An Encouraging Word.” The personal philosophy behind my ministry as a priest has always been to look for goodness to affirm, rather than sins to condemn! I believe with all my heart that “we see what we look for!” If we look for sins to condemn in people, we will find plenty of them to condemn! However, I personally believe that the opposite is also true! If you look for goodness in people to affirm, you will find plenty of goodness to affirm!” I learned this growing up! From the time I was born, until I was about 21, it seemed that I was always being condemned because I was not perfect. Since I was not perfect, in my younger years I seemed to have carried a lot of feelings of “never being good enough!”

This was certainly true leaving St. Thomas Seminary here in Louisville! That training clearly focused on “sins to condemn.” When I entered St. Meinrad Seminary in the Fall of 1964, I entered into a new form of training that emphasized “goodness to affirm.” It changed my life and gave my ministry a new way to look at myself and to look out at you! Personally, I have never been inspired to change and grow through condemnation, but I have been inspired to change and grow through encouragement! Besides, who wants to come to church if you keep being condemned all the time? My firm belief is that most people are doing the best they can under their circumstances. Sometimes, all they need is a little encouragement from the pulpit!

I know I am right following the example of Jesus in today’s gospel. I have done it all my 52 years of priesthood and it works. I know priests who have run off more people from the church, through their judgment and condemnation, than you can imagine! In my own defense, I can point to one place in particular – the Cathedral of the Assumption from 1983-1997 when I was pastor. When I arrived there, the parish was down to 110 people, mostly elderly parishioners who lived in the two high rises around the corner. When I left, there were at least 2000 registered individuals.

How did this happen? It certainly wasn’t my looks, my personality or my intellect. I simply preached the “good news” of God’s unconditional love, especially for those who felt judged and unloved! They were attracted to that message, not to me! They used to call us “the island of misfit toys.” If you have ever read the child’s book, “Rudolf, the Red-nosed Reindeer,” you know what I am talking about. In that book, there is an "island of misfit toys” where broken toys could go to be repaired so they, too, could be part of Christmas! In the words of Pope Francis, we became 'a field hospital for the wounded and sick.'

We specialized in welcoming wounded and fallen-away Catholics. As the “mother church of the diocese,” we liked to say to them, “You can always come home to mother!” They came in droves because they knew they would not have to sit there and be condemned and “put down” every Sunday, but rather be energized by hearing about God’s love and mercy! 

“You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!” Personally, I was never inspired to change and grow through condemnation, but I have been inspired to change and grow through encouragement…and so were they! They came to church to be assured that God looks for goodness to affirm, more than sins to condemn, and that doing their best was good enough for God! 

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