More On Zombies

HOMILY NOTES

FR. TERRY RYAN, CSP

JOHN 14: 23-29

MAY 26, 2019

My problem is zombies.  You don’t believe in zombies?  At your own peril then.  Zombies are such creatures that die but they don’t stay dead.  They keep coming back from the grave to haunt a person.  My zombies are my faults and character defects.  When I am faithful to a spiritual practice, and things seem to be going my way, my faults seem to be dead and buried.  I am at peace.  

Then stuff happens.  I get complacent or busy with agenda, usually ego driven, and slack off of spiritual practice.  Also, things don’t seem to be going my way.  My plans are not working out.  People, and situations become the bane of my life.  My character `defects and faults rise up from the grave and haunt me.  I act out with zombie resentment, anger, whining, self-pity, judgments of others, and selfishness.  No one cares.  I am abandoned to my unhappiness.  Zombies rule my mood and actions. 

In the midst of zombie terror, the Holy Spirit comes to my aid with an incite to save me from myself.  “What is that?” you ask.  It is that I attach my happiness to how people, places, and situations act.  I am no longer free to be happy.  My happiness is controlled by outside issues that are beyond my control.  I cannot control the results of everything that I do. 

I can say, “I love you God,” but then not do what God asks because I am caught up in my zombie moods as it relates to the unpredictable and uncontrollable world around me. I react with zombie responses. But my happiness will only come when I do not let outside forces control me.  What if people are unpleasant or pleasant but not doing what I would prefer?  Must I be unhappy about it?  When I am on my spiritual mark, my daily practice, I can choose happiness.  The zombies stay buried.  Daily practice avoids the terrors!