4) THE PRESENTATION

What were the ten top moments you were present to in your life?

Life is filled with moments when we have to present ourselves: trying to get into a certain college; writing a resume in hopes of getting a job; giving a talk; going out on the first date with someone; coming into a church.

It’s 4 PM. The church is quiet and 3 people are sitting there in the semi-darkness praying. One person is praying for peace in the world. A second is praying for a daughter who is all “messed up”. The third is sitting there praising God for a lifetime of blessings.

The baptistry in the vestibule of the church is very noisy. Praise God. 6 kids are being baptized.

The church is packed. 114 kids are making their first communion.

The church is packed. 98 kids are making their confirmation.

It’s Holy Saturday night and the Easter Vigil is about to begin. 23 people are coming into the Church after months and months of attending the R.C.I.A. program every Wednesday evening, 7:00 to 8:30.

It’s a kids’ Mass and this little third grader slowly climbs the steps into the sanctuary, heads for the podium, adjusts some portable wooden steps, then grabs and grapples with the microphone, which makes a neck wrenching sound, and then this little third grader announces to the church full of schoolmates and teachers, “A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles” and her mother and father are off to the side crying as if their kid just won an Olympic Gold Medal.

It’s 13 years later and that same kid and that same mother and father are once more in the presence of a big crowd and this time their daughter is graduating from college, summa cum laude – and once more her parents are crying tears of joy.

It’s 2 years later and that same daughter is marching down the aisle of her childhood church, arm and arm with her dad, who lifts her veil, gives her a big hug and kiss and presents his daughter to his future son-in-law. Bride and groom then proceed up the steps into that same church sanctuary of her childhood to make their wedding vows. And “Yes”, once more her parents are crying.

Each morning God the teacher calls out our name. “Is my answer, “Present!”

And Joseph and Mary took their son Jesus and presented him to the Lord in the temple – and yes, they too, like all parents, cried their tears of joy.

Jesus is present.

Jesus is here.

Am I where I am?

Am I present?

Am I aware of the presents in life’s presentation moments?