NEXT TIME IT RAINS,

TASTE THE RAIN

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Next Time It Rains, Taste the Rain.”

Next time it rains, stick your tongue out and taste the drops.

Next time it snows, stick your tongue out and taste the flakes.

We’ve seen kids stick their tongues out to taste a rain drop or a snow flake. When was the last time you saw an adult do that?  Better: be that adult. Best: teach your kids and grandkids to do just that.

I don’t drink carbonated drinks any more, but I used to love to pour ginger ale or seven up into a glass and quickly put my chin into the glass just above the soda line and feel the carbonated bubbles hit my chin. Great sensation. Try it. And if caught, smile!

I also hope I never forget to taste the rain and the snow flakes from heaven - and never stop to look at a clear night sky - like the last two nights.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Today’s first reading from Isaiah 55 triggers these thoughts. He talks about rain and snow falling from the sky - watering the earth - helping things grow and blossom - to work with wheat that becomes bread and grapes that become wine.

Then he makes the leap from rain and snow - to words falling from God to us. Taste the words falling on your tongue - your ears - your being. Let them become you. Let them become the bread and the wine, the body and the blood called you.

Then go forth and change the world - like Jesus changes the world. Communion and transubstantiation go together all the time.

A SPEECH STORY

As I listened to today’s first reading - as I tasted it - as I let it fall on me last night - I remembered a tiny story from our seminary days - a story we used to practice to be better speakers. I went in search of it and found it. Because we said it out loud in practice so many times in the seminary, I remember it many, many, many times when it rains. It has gotten me to put my face out to feel the rain - and to taste rain drops. The story is entitled, “The Little Queen” and goes like this.

Once upon a time there was a king who failed to please his subjects and was in consequence in instant peril.  Hurriedly collecting such treasures as he could, he and his young queen crossed the frontier one night with a few faithful retainers and settled in a secluded castle in a friendly country.

On the first wet day, the queen was missing. High and low the retainers searched for her, and at last she was discovered in the middle of an open space in the forest, holding up her face to the rain.

Horror-stricken, they hurried to her aid; but she waved them back.

“Do let me stay a little longer,” she pleaded. “All my life I have longed to feel the rain and I was never allowed to.” “All my life there have been coaches and umbrellas.”

And again, the little queen held up her face to the drops.

MOVING TOWARDS A CONCLUSION

Questions: we all have our questions. How to live? How to pray? How to read the scriptures? How to forgive? How to receive communion?

Answer: Let the word of God soak into you like the rain - let it fall on you like the snow. For example, in today’s gospel Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray. He says, “Don’t babble words.” To me that means don’t pray as in a rain storm. Pray softly the Our Father - feel the words - let them soak in - wanting daily bread for all -  as well as learning how to forgive trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. 

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Picture on top taken from Internet - by Zandy