LIFE: IT TAKES TIME TO LEARN

WHAT WE HAVE TO LEARN.

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Life: It Takes Time To Learn What We Have To Learn.”

I read today’s gospel story (Matthew 20:1-16a) – and wondered if Jesus would tell the same story today.

Then I asked myself, “Could I come up with a story that gets at the same issue that Jesus is trying to get at.”

Then I heard an inner voice, “Try it.”

And I came up with two stories.

FIRST STORY: DANCING WITH THE STARS

Rose was dancing since she was three years old. Tap dancing. Ballet. Irish dancing lessons.

She was good. Since she was the oldest of Mr. and Mrs. Treetopper’s 4 kids, there were pictures of Rose everywhere – plus CD’s. Her grandparents on both sides were always bragging about their future Broadway Dancer. The other 3 kids felt left out at times.

Rose was a star – better than all the other dancers in her troop and dancing schools.

Rose was a star – all through grammar school and high school. Then instead of going to college she went to a school for the arts in New York City – taking courses in dancing, singing, and acting.

Rose graduated from this school of arts after 2 years – and went to try out after try out after try out in hopes of making it on Broadway.

She never landed a leading role in any Broadway musical – only small parts.

She found herself inwardly screaming, “Not fair. Not fair. Not fair.” Gals no where near her skills and abilities landed the leads – because they did such and such with the director or this and that.

In the meanwhile, Rose kept dancing.

Rose made a living out of the small parts – as well as waitressing – and one day she was just sitting there with a few of her friends at a friends’ apartment. There on the wall was a poster with a picture of a little 3 or 4 year old ballerina with words, “There are no small parts – only small people.”

Suddenly she realized something deep within herself. The next time she danced, she was amazing, she was a star. A director spotted her specialness – her change - and offered her a lead. She was on her way.

Life went on.

Rose won 3 major awards and she had 4 leading roles in musicals. She got married. When her first child arrived, she retired from dancing. When the kids were all in school, she started a small dancing school. There on the wall was a poster of a small girl dancing and the words: “There are no small parts – only small people.”

And she knew the kids she taught wouldn’t get that message. She knew about life. Life: it takes time to learn what we have to learn. However, some of their parents would get the message and enjoy the beautiful scene of seeing their kids dancing – parents who wouldn’t complain when their kids had small parts.

End of first story.

SECOND STORY: THE FOOTBALL PLAYER

He was furious when he didn’t make the varsity football team.

He expected to make it. He was a senior. He thought he paid his dues. He ran 5 miles every evening – after working all day in a cinder block plant. He did this 5 days a week all through June and July and into August. He lifted extra weights. He even practiced dancing with his sister, Charlotte, to become more “steppy” and more light on his feet.

He was furious when he didn’t make the team.

What was worse, the coach’s son made the team – and he was only a sophomore. One of the teacher’s sons made the team – and this kid was out of shape and moved like pug dog.

He sat in the stands – went to every home game out of loyalty – didn’t tell anyone about his anger and his envy.

However, his dad knew what he was feeling. He went out of his way to invite his son to Circuit City when he wanted to check out a flat screen TV, took him golfing, took him deep sea fishing one weekend, and on and on and on – things he wouldn’t have done if his son had made the team.

He went to college – didn’t play varsity sports – but he was the best one-on-one basketball player in his dorm. He did well academically. It wasn’t till his sophomore year in college that he was able to let go of his anger at his high school coach. He didn’t know he was letting go of this anger – but he had done it slowly and unconsciously.

Life: it takes time to learn what we have to learn.

In his junior year of college, he fell in love with a funny gal –– but she dumped him for a freshman. It hurt. It hurt big time. But he got over it by his senior year when he met a great gal who was also a senior.

Three years later they got married – had three kids and their three kids got married and each had three kids.

Well, one day, his grandson Booker - yes his name was Booker – a senior in High School, came to his grandpa – with a long face.

“Grandpa I didn’t make the varsity football team and it’s not fair. I really worked hard to get in top shape. I lifted weights big time. I ran 6 miles every other day. The coach’s son made the team – and he’s a loser – and has two left feet – and a bunch of juniors made the team and I didn’t. Not fair. Not fair. Not fair.”

His grandpa listened and listened and listened and listened to Booker. Then he said, after he figured Booker said everything, “Booker, I need to get some stuff at Computer Unlimited – and you know me, I don’t know anything about computers and you know tons. Could you help me?”

And grandson Booker, even though he was feeling “crumbolo”, took his grandpa to Computer Unlimited – after checking out his grandpa’s computer. This took his anger away for an afternoon. Booker felt great that he was able to help his grandpa.

That night when grandpa went to bed, he lay there wide awake. He realized how blessed he was to have 3 sons and 9 grandkids – and how life works – and how Booker in time would realize how life works – how things work out – and how in the long run, people enjoy the gift of life – even though life is not fair at times - even though they don't make the team, get the job, or get the part in a school play. He would learn that others get A’s in papers and he’ll get a B or others will get the awards – when his stuff is much, much better. He’ll learn that someone else will get an end piece of cake with a lot more icing than he – even though it’s his birthday – and the kid with the worse fishing gear catches the biggest fish – and the other guy gets our gal – and we better see what we have – not what we don’t have.

Life: it takes time to learn what he have to learn.

End of second story.

CONCLUSION

And I heard an inner voice from Jesus that said, “Nice try, but I think my story is better.”

And I said to Jesus, “Unfair, unfair, unfair!”

And Jesus laughed at me and I laughed back.

Life: It takes time to learn what we have to learn.