THE  PAUSE

THAT  REFRESHES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 7^th Monday in the Easter Season is, “The Pause That Refreshes!”

As I read this morning’s first reading from The Acts of the Apostles, I noticed in the first sentence mention of Corinth and Ephesus.

That triggered a slight pause. Something hit me that never hit me before. I’ve heard and read those words “Corinth” and “Ephesus” before. I’ve read the letters of Paul to the Corinthians and Ephesians before. What hit me that was new - was that since the last time I heard this reading I’ve been to Corinth and Ephesus. Last October 5^th  2011, I was in Ephesus. Last October 6^th I was in Corinth. It’s the same thing that happened to me as a result of being in Israel - Palestine - in January of 2000.  When I hear about the Lake of Galilee or hear about Jericho or Nazareth or Jerusalem - or the Jordan River - I pause and picture those places - based on my experience of these places.

THAT’S A DUH

That’s a duh - an obvious - duh! - but sometimes it’s good to hear the obvious. Duh!

Today is May 21^st. For most people it’s just another day - just another Monday. But for some it might be a birthday or an anniversary - or a death day. For Catholics in Mexico it’s the feast of a new saint, Saint Christopher Magallanes and 21 diocesan priests and 3 lay persons who were shot or hung between 1915-1937 for being members of a group that opposed the anti-Catholic government in Mexico during those years.

The title of my homily is, “The Pause That Refreshes.”

Knowing that places and dates might be more than we realize, it might be worth while pausing when we're with others. It might call for more listening. It might call for more awareness of the sacred.

This church - specific benches - specific parts of the Mass - all might be very specific to specific persons.

Hearing about these things - might cause us to pause. And those pauses might help us to be more aware of each other - and the specific realities all around us.

I was talking to a lady this morning and she told me about her rain coat. I had simply said, “Interesting raincoat!” She then told me where she bought it - when she bought it [10 years ago] - who she was with when she bought it - and how much it cost. It was on Sale!

What hit me after that was interesting - and surprising. I paused for a moment and thought: all those clothes in Goodwill Thrift Shops have a history. Every item. Wouldn’t that make a great imaginary movie? The store is closed and the different items begin telling each other how they got there - where they were bought - by whom - where they went in it: weddings, wakes and funerals, first communions, confirmations, cruises, what have you.

US

The title of my homily is, “The Pause That Refreshes.”

If what I’m saying - that every place and every thing has a history, so much more - us.

The first sentence in today’s first reading goes like this: “While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior of the country and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples.”

What hit me for this sermon is that I need to pause more and listen more and travel into the interior of the country of another. It’s not enough to know our  birthday and anniversaries and our birthplace and our job. There’s more - much more - the deep interior of another.

And I assume the more we get out of ourselves and into the interior country  - not just of stuff - but especially of each other - the more we will journey into the inner country of God.

God - the Great Pause - who refreshes. Amen.