SACRED PLACES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Sacred Places!”

Objectively one can say: all places are the same. Or, “Any place is as good as any other place!”

Subjectively: “It all depends!” On a hot day we might rather be in the Poconos - but I’ve lived there for 7 years - and these kinds of days could be hot. Rome, Italy is different than Rome, New York, which is different from Rome, Georgia.

Or as Rick (Humphrey Bogart) - - said to Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) - - in Casablanca, “We’ll always have Paris.”

The title of my homily is, “Sacred Places!”

Where are your sacred places? Where are your places where you can be one with God and one with yourself? Where are the places where you are at peace?

A favorite chair…. a corner with a window looking out to a street or a back yard …. a walk alone or with a friend …. a garden .... a church …. the Eucharistic chapel …. the beach early in the morning while on vacation…. the sky late at night when all is dark - when all seems still …. morning Mass …. a bench at Quiet Water’s Park or the Naval Academy …. the cellar …. a back porch …. a gazebo …. early morning kitchen table - coffee …. a rosary or a Bible or a prayer book in hand….

Where are your sacred places?

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Today’s first reading [Exodus 33: 7-11, 34: 5-9, 28] when it talks about tent and meeting places, gives us a thread that will wind its way through both the Jewish and Christian scriptures.

In the Jewish scriptures there is the quest for a temple. The descendents of Abraham see all these other religions with their holy buildings and all they have is a tent - and the wilderness.

Eventually, Solomon will build the big temple in Jerusalem.

There is evidence of various holy places and shrines before that: Bethel, Shechem, Shiloh, Nob.

Moses begins with a tent - a meeting tent.

But he also went into the wilderness - as well as on mountains.

Jesus did likewise.

HOLY PLACES

Where are your holy places? Where are your sacred places?

Today, July 26, is the feast of St. Anne. We know that lots of people find going to a novena or a shrine - especially on a feast day - discover new life, new spiritual life, in a new way. I know of the big shrine at St. Anne de Beupre - which will be packed today. I also know of the St. Anne novena and shrine at St. Anne’s Scranton, Pa. And I preached the St. Anne novena in Erie Pa. two times.

Father Joe Krastel talked yesterday at this Mass about the big holy place of St. James in Spain - Santiago de Compostela - which millions have visited down through the year.

Novenas, missions, retreats have helped a lot of people get into God’s place, space and face, down through the years. Where are your holy places?

KEY - CONCLUSION

The key would be to enjoy the visit. The key would be is presence. The key would be prayer: prayer of gratitude, prayer of need, prayer of awe. The key for us here in this sacred place is to welcome God and each other. Amen.