HOTTER OR COLDER?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 3rd Friday of Lent is, “Hotter or Colder?”

There is an old, old game kids play – called, “Hotter / Colder”. It’s very basic for kids up to 3 years old – but kids up to 5 still enjoy it.

You know the first rule for baby sitting: Keep them busy. I’m sure those of you who are grandparents – are in demand.

Knowing games helps big time.

In this game kids are asked to close their eyes and the hider hides something – a small toy, a penny, a piece of candy, somewhere in the room or somewhere in the house.

Then the searcher – the kid or kids – have to go find the hidden object. The person who hid the object keeps saying, “You’re getting hotter!” or “Colder!” Or “You’re freezing!” or “Hot!” or “Very hot!”

You’ll know the kid gets the game when he or she keeps asking as they move around the room or house, “Am I getting hotter or colder?”

I love hiding the object in the refrigerator – middle shelf – or kid's eye height - but behind something.

And when the kid finds the penny or candy or toy, they love it – especially if it’s candy.

And the hider claps and claps.

Little kids will tell you the truth without saying it, whether they loved the game or whether they were bored, if they say, “Let’s play again.” If they say that, hint, hint, they love the game. Better: they like having fun with you.

And you know you’re really into the game if the kid says, “Let me hide the quarter or penny or what have you and then you try to find it.”

And they love to say, “Hotter” or “colder” to adults as they do the searching. A cool adult will move in the wrong direction just to get the kid screaming, "Colder!" because they want the adult to find it – especially if he or she peeks to see where the kid hides the object.

ALL

All of us are playing that game. We want to know if we’re getting hotter or colder when it comes to finding the secret of life. Hotter… colder … hotter … colder.

The other day I had a funeral and I had no clue who the person who died was. I knew the name of course and the raw material of a short obituary. There was no wake, so I called the family. Well, I couldn’t get an answer to the question, “What was this person like?” I didn’t want to know what job they had or what have you.” I wanted to know what the person who had died was like. Who was this person who died? I asked on the phone, “Was he independent?” “Was he a character?” “Was he funny?” “Was he an introvert?” I couldn’t get an answer. Ugh. I figured some of the folks at church knew this middle aged man – and I knew if I said anything about his personality they would be thinking, “you’re getting hotter” or “colder”.

I didn’t know what to do, so I faked it.

I got to pick the gospel. Since I was trying to find and figure something out, I chose Matthew 13: 44-49 – where there are tiny three examples from Jesus about searching and sorting things out – which was what I was trying to do.

The first example was that of “The Lost Pearl.” Next came the “The story of the Finding of the Treasure in the Field,” and lastly, “The story of the Dragnet”. And I talked about life being a search – and at the time of a funeral – at the time of a death – we do some searching into the meaning of life – our own life and the life of the loved one who has died. I hadn’t thought about this idea of “hotter” or “colder” yet. If I did, I might have used it in my homily.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Well today’s gospel from Mark 12: 28-34 is about a man – a scribe – who is searching. He wants to know if he’s getting hotter or colder – when it comes to the meaning of life. He wanted to be right. So he asks Jesus some questions. In Mark and Matthew, Jesus answers the man’s question. In Luke Jesus asks some questions back. Either way, the guy says, “Good. I’ve been keeping these commandments all my life.” And Jesus says, “You’re not far from the kingdom of God.” In other words, “You’re getting hotter.”

CONCLUSION

The meaning of life is simple.

It’s to practice the 2 great commandments.

I sense that we’re all searching.

I sense that we’re all walking around each day trying to find the secret of life – trying to find the key to the Magical Kingdom – trying to do God’s Will – trying to live in God’s kingdom.

When we discover that the secret is to love God with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves – we’re hot.

So the more we love – whether we’re 3 year old kids or 80 year old kids – we’re hot and getting hotter.

How about that?