Let Your "Yes" Mean "Yes"

The Fr. Joe Nangle, OFM Lifetime Mission Award was presented by Fr. Joe to Fr. George Corrigan, OFM for his steadfast commitment to both international and local mission, his service in Kenya as an FMS missioner, his work at his parish in Downtown Tampa, FL, and his consistent support of FMS.  This was at the Franciscan Mission Service annual dinner in 2010.

Let Your "Yes" Mean "Yes"

Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

But above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your "Yes" mean "Yes" and your "No" mean "No," that you may not incur condemnation. James 5:12

But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate." Mark 10:6-9

Piety

Oh, promises, their kind of promises, can just destroy a life

Oh, promises, those kinds of promises, take all the joy from life

Oh, promises, promises, my kind of promises

Can lead to joy and hope and love

Yes, love!!

(Writers: Hal David, Burt Bacharach; Performed by Dione Warwick)

Study

Promises. Promises.

We are reminded over and over that the Lord is kind and merciful.  In the covenant with humanity, whether in the Hebrew Bible or in the New Testament, these promises come across over and over again.  God keeps his promises to us.

Today’s readings focus on how we do – or do not – keep our promises with each other.  Mark’s Good News focuses and a very special promise – the vows made in matrimony.  Even though Moses allowed divorce, Jesus explains that this was only because of “the hardness of your hearts.”

Despite that compromise, God wants us to keep our promises.  To God.  To Ourselves.  To Each Other.  Let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No.”  God’s kind of promises can lead to joy and hope and love!

Action

Too often, the expression “Talk is cheap” is on the spot.  Probably the “cheapest” talk is New Year’s Resolutions.  Do you make it to February with those resolutions still in place?

Oftentimes, those resolutions are just with ourselves.  Even more important are what we promise to others.  We tend to think of two adult sacraments – marriage and We want people to do as we say, not as we do.  That is why actions must support our words.

Perhaps we can be inspired by the example of Franciscan Fr. Joe Nangle.  Fr. Joe is celebrating his 60th anniversary of ordination this year. He was ordained when I was barely out of the crib.

Now he serves as head of Latino ministry at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Arlington.

Fr. Joe Nangle with Sr. Marie Dennis at the Pax Christi Dinner,
November 15, 2009, at Our Lady Queen of Peace, Arlington, VA.

Fr. Joe entered the Order of Friars Minor Aug. 11, 1951, at St. Bonaventure Church in Paterson, N.J. He made his final profession of vows Aug. 16, 1955, at Christ the King Seminary in Allegany, N.Y., and was ordained to the priesthood April 25, 1958, at Mount St. Sepulchre Friary in Washington.

Fr. Joe served as chief of staff for the international office of the Department of Social Analysis and World Peace of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (1977-80). He went on to serve in a variety of outreach and social justice ministries, including as a staff member for the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (1982-90), and associate director of Sojourners magazine in Washington (1990-94).  Fr. Joe also served as executive director of the Franciscan Mission Service in Washington (1994-2005).

He began assisting with the Hispanic ministry on weekends at Our Lady, Queen of Peace Church in Arlington in 1990. Since 2017, Fr. Joe also has served as the regional vocation director for the Holy Name Province.

Happy Anniversary, Fr. Joe.  “Yes” means “Yes!”  That kind of promise leads to joy and hope and love!