THE 3 BEST GIFTS 

IN MY LIFE?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Feast of the Epiphany is, “The 3 Best Gifts In My Life?”

We know the story in today’s gospel about the Magi presenting 3 gifts to the new born baby: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. From that the tradition has come that there were 3 Magi or Kings or Wise Men.

In the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah 60:1-6 mentions caravans of camels and 2 gifts: gold and frankincense.

Every year we have these same 3 readings - so it’s interesting to come up with a new sermon. This year I liked the challenge of coming up with the 3 best gifts in my life. What are yours?

Talk to each other and I’m sure each other’s answers would be intriguing and interesting - and surprising - and good conversation.

ON FIRST INSTANCE

On first instance I think of the gifts that I have given more than the gifts I have received. That’s not bragging. That’s what hit me on the first instance regarding the question that hit me: “The 3 Best Gifts In My Life?”

I think of a white cup I bought in Kresge’s - one of three 5 and Dime stores near our church on 5^th Avenue in Brooklyn, New York - when I was growing up. Kresge’s in time became K-Mart. The cup had one word on it: “MOM” - in plane letters. I don’t remember the color of the lettering - other than 3 letters - one word - on a white coffee cup. What ever happened to it? I don’t know if my mom cherished it. I know she loved a cup of tea every afternoon - later on in her life - but when we were small - I don’t remember the giving, the reception, the wrapping of that cup - but for some reason I remember buying it for MOM.

Why do we remember what we remember? For some reason I remember a poem I read in high school: Four Ducks On A Pond. It was written by William Allingham (1824-1889)  - Donegal Ireland. It goes like this:

Four ducks on a pond,
A grass-bank beyond,
A blue sky of spring,
White clouds on the wing;
What a little thing
To remember for years-
To remember with tears!

So on first instance to my question, “The 3 Best Gifts in My Life?” I remember giving rather than receiving.

As an adult I remember watching kids come to the Christmas tree to open their gifts on Christmas morning. Something had changed from the 1940’s till the 1970’s and 80’s and 90’s. We got underwear, socks, sneakers - a jacket or a shirt. These kids got Lincoln Logs,  Lego’s, plastic battery powered monsters - and dolls - some of which spoke, - and I saw one doll that leaked. Why would they make a doll like that. Toys, toys, toys.  Toys R Us.

BOTTOM LINE

The bottom line, none of these scenes, none of these memories, were helping me with answers to my 3 best gifts of a lifetime? question.

Aha. There could be one answer: the gift of memory.

To be transparent - I have wonderful memories. My parents gave me great memories of a rich childhood - a neat street to grow up on - good people on our block - a good parish church and school to be members of, OLPH, Brooklyn, New York - a few wonderful parks we used to go to most Sundays of the year - and memories of Coney Island in the summer.

So Jesus in the gospel story got gold, frankincense and myrrh. I got underwear, socks and memories.

As I began thinking about this yesterday afternoon I realized I am satisfied with memories as a gift - a top 3 gift - and they are not just from childhood - but much of my life. I became a priest to go to Brazil - was lead to belief - that’s where I was headed - but it didn’t happen.

I have sat and listened and heard enough stories from people telling me about their life. It’s never what one expected. One can’t write one’s story in advance - only afterwards.

So my first gift is my memoirs - and at 73 I can say that the more one gives - loves - serves - the less one is selfish - whiney - the better the memories.

My dad died in 1970 - a very quiet man. I sat down at our dining room table once with paper and pen and jotted down about 40 pages of story and memory - the year he was dying of emphysema. Often I wish I had taken a lot more time to do just that. He was such a quiet man - an introvert by nature - but he had a great smile.

Speaking of memories, here is one of my favorite memories about my dad.  I was in our living room once as a little kid and I opened up a book that my father loved to read: The Best Loved Poems in the English Language. I came upon a page that had a dried red rose petal - just one petal - in it. My dad was sitting there reading the paper and I went over to him with the book open - like in an offertory procession. I guessed I sensed that there was something sacred here. I said, “Daddy, what’s this?” I showed him the dried rose petal in the book. He looked at it and with a great smile said, “Memories!”

FAITH

Since I’ve given myself the task of coming up with my 3 best gifts, I feel good I came up with 1. Now what would I list # 2. Let me go with the gift of faith.  Both my parents come from the same tiny village in Ballynahown, County Galway, Ireland, right on the waters of Galway Bay.

I have a memory of my mom telling me once that she could put her big toe out the back door of her cottage and it would be in the waters of Galway Bay.  When I finally got there in 1996 for the first time - the house was gone - but the back step was still there - like a grey granite rectangular welcome mat. Yes, it was right there inches away from the waters and lots of rocks of Galway Bay.

With regards faith I have often thanked whoever the people were who first accepted the Catholic Faith and passed it down to my mom and dad - who passed it on to their 4 kids.

The image of a chain is the image of faith that hits me. I am grateful for those who have been links in the chain of faith that I have received and I feel deeply those who have come after us - who have dropped out of the faith - and broke that chain. May it be repaired. May they reconnect. Broken and repaired rosary beads are a great reminder to me of this reality.

IMAGINATION # 3

Memories and faith are my # 1 and 2 gifts. As I’m trying to put together the gifts of my life. I would list right now as number 3, that I have been given the gift of imagination.

In school I knew I didn’t have the math gene, but I have been blessed with a good imagination. I was a B and C student - except for A’s in History and English literature.

That’s me. How about you? I’m telling you my 3 three gifts so you’ll do your homework while moving along this new week of life

CONCLUSION

If you’re under 55, I would assume dreams more than memories might be # 1 for you. Good. The temptation of the old is to get stuck in one’s memories - in one’s past - and as a result one misses new dreams, hopes, plans for the future.

Hopefully, we all have Robert Frost’s words in front of us - words from his poem Stopping By the Woods On A Snowy Evening - the last stanza,

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

That’s where faith and imagination come in - to realize yes there is the dark woods of one’s past - but there is also the great future - here and hereafter - and like the Wise Men - we give our gifts and then ride on into our different futures. Amen.