WHAT IF'S 

AND 

IF IT WASN'T FOR'S

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this First Monday of Advent is, "What If's and If It Wasn't For's."

Life consists of both "What if's" and "If it wasn't for's."

WHAT IF'S

There are lots of things in life we could have done and didn't do.

It could have been a word, a conversation, a help, towards mom or dad, brother or sister, neighbor or stranger - but we didn't do it.

Some might have been sins of omission.

Realizing them can paralyze us - dumb us down - de-energize us - discourage us. 

We all have our "What if's."  

They are our regrets

What we can do now is to say, "I'm sorry!" if others are living. We can always try again. We can learn from our blindness - or selfishness. 

Yet, they reappear and haunt us from time to time.

BUT THERE ARE ALSO THE POSITIVES

We can also look at the positives. We can look at all those, "If it wasn't for me" or "If it wasn't for you" this would never have taken place. 

If it wasn't for our mom and dad meeting, marrying, loving each other, we would not be hear - obviously. I

If it wasn't for so and so coming back to the faith or because they went to church - they gave us good example - and so we are here today.

It's good to think and thank God for all these positive things that happened - and we are different as a result. 

IF IT WASN'T FOR

If it wasn't for St. Francis Xavier - whose feast we celebrate today - the Jesuits would be different. Yet he was one of the original 7 - and that made many a difference. 

There would be no Xaxier high schools and colleges and universities. There would be no kids named, F.X. 

If it wasn't for his 13 month ocean voyage to Goa and the Orient - many, many would never have become Catholics - would never have found Christ in their lives. 

If it wasn't for his style of being poor, the poor in Goa would not have gravitated towards him. The upper classes didn't go for him like the lower castes did. 

If he didn't make the switch in style - wearing fancy classy clothes, he would not have been allowed a chance to preach Christ in Japan. That gave him entrance - and  a base for operations. 

WHAT IF HE WENT TO CHINA?

Back to the "What if's?" What if he got into China. He was headed there but died at the age of 46.

CONCLUSION

So life is loaded with both "What if's" as well as "If it wasn't for him or her's".

It would make good Advent reflection on these two issues. 

Here's two questions:

1) When it comes to Christ, what if I...?

2) If it wasn't for Christ I would ...?