Sunday, March 1, 2015

BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST


[This is a made-up  story  for the Kids’ Mass for this Second Sunday in Lent – Year B. The gospel features the story of the Transfiguration – so my message is about getting big – only to discover moments that can transfigure us and we then realize we’re so small. There is always something bigger – someone bigger – and in the presence of THE BIGGEST BIG – our God – we can become humble and sense God in the amazement of that experience.]

He was the oldest brother.

He was #1 of three brothers.

The  names of the three brothers were Peter, James and John.

Those were their formal names – the ones the teachers in school  used when calling on them.

But in the playground – during sports – having fun – everyone called them, Pete, Jim and Jack.

Without getting too far ahead of myself in telling you their story, let me say this: by the time Peter or Pete – the oldest - graduated from college – the three brothers were nicknamed, Big, Bigger, and  Biggest.

Pete – because he was the oldest and first - he became a big guy first and was called “Big Pete”.

Then he was simply called, “Big”. The Pete part of his name was dropped – because the nickname “Big” fit him perfectly. By doing that, people didn’t have to repeat the name “Pete” – all the time.

And Big was big. He made the high school varsity football team – as a freshman.

He was quick. He was fast. He was good.

For the first time in many years, the team had a winning record – 6 and 4 for the season.

Big wasn’t the best player on the field –  as a freshman – but he was close to that.

The coach began seeing possibilities – because Big made some big plays that first winning season in a long time.

The 3 brothers, Pete, Jim and Jack – were like Irish Triplets – arriving on this planet – 3 years in a row – each born in August 1, 2, and 3 - and in that order. Talk about the Big Bang Theory.

Jim and Jack – his brothers - as elementary school kids – went to every home football game. When they saw their big brother – out there on the field – they knew their goal in life – their future in high school – and then maybe even college and maybe after that, the pro’s - was right there on the football field.

For his second season of high school football,  Pete bulked up – really becoming big – ready for an even better  football season. He lifted weights big time after his freshman year of varsity football.  The coach seeing him that late August before his sophomore season told him, “We’re moving you up to middle linebacker for this season.”

His next brother Jim tried out for the varsity team as a freshman – and surprise – he too looked good – very good – and he too made the varsity team.  At first he didn’t start – but when the starting left defensive back broke his wrist – in went Jim – and Jim never came out.

Attendance at home games picked up when word got out, “You should see these two great brothers – same team – both really developing.”

They made the semi-finals that year with a 7 and 3 record.

During the 3rd game that season, the coach spotted the 3rd brother – Jack off to the side – and asked someone, “What year in grammar school is Pete’s youngest brother?”  They told him,  “He’ll be here in high school next year.”

The coach began to dream.

Yep, Jack too made the varsity team as a freshman. Yep, Jack was a big guy. In fact, people were saying that he might become the biggest of the 3 brothers.

And he did – but not yet. That didn’t happen till all three were in the same college – on the same team - Division One football.

Back to high school. In Big’s Senior Year – with Big as middle linebacker  - with Jim as left linebacker  and Jack as right linebacker – the school took the state championship. 

If you have ever driven into a small town in the Midwest, you know that signs of championship seasons stand there on the edge of small towns in and out of town. That town still has the  sign of that championship season when three brothers helped win it all.

Looking back – after all these years, everyone who knew them – knew them not as Pete, Jim and Jack, but as, “Big, Bigger and Biggest.”

In college – in the same state college together – all three became All-American. Unfortunately – because of the draft – Pete, Jim and Jack ended up on different pro-teams.

In college, quarterbacks, running backs, the offensive line of every college team they played - started to hear from coaches and writers and fans, “Wait till you see the team you’re playing this coming weekend. “The 3 Brothers, known as Big, Bigger and Biggest are going to be coming at you – all game. Be ready.  Be prepared.  Be careful.”

Their mom and dad took all this in with quiet pride and quiet joy. They were a farm family. They were the ones who inherit the earth. They were part of what made the mid-west as well as America great. They were extremely grateful for being blessed with 3 wonderful sons.

A lot of this was out there on the stage – on the playing fields of life.

What nobody knew was what was happening in the home and inside the minds of these 3 brothers - and their parents.

The bigger they got, the smaller the other two brothers became.

Every August, it was a big day – with lots of noise – when each brother got measured – on their birthday as their height was marked on the doorway of the boys  3 bed bedroom.

Surprise Jim became taller than Pete and then Jack was taller than Jim.

But Pete was still “Big” as in “Big Pete”. Then there was the moment – the birthday - that Jim started to get called, “Bigger” – because in the measurement moment – he was now the biggest of the brothers. Then the following year, Jack became the biggest in the family and inherited the name, “Biggest” Why change a person’s nick name in mid-stream?

What is big? What is height? What is size? What is greatness?

In using those three words - big, bigger and biggest - what are we talking about?  What are we measuring?

Growth? Size? Greatness? Academics? Bank account Impact? Progress? What are we talking about?

Life has its moments – its transfiguring moments. 

These are the moments we can grow. These are the moments we can change.

How we deal with these key moments is how we can become quicker, wiser and experienced.

How we deal with these key moments is how we can become humble and down to earth and laugh at life.  

They can also push us into becoming a conversation bully or a control person - someone who is obnoxious or mean or what have you.

Someone who has more than we have or is bigger than we are - are often the moment where we have the opportunity for transfiguration's.

Someone surpassing us on the football field – or classroom – or family – or draft choice – or salary – or car – or house – can be a powerful moment of growth.

So in these moments, first comes the feeling of humility – and “uh oh ness” – and all that.

These 3 brothers, Peter, James, and John, or Pete, Jim, and Jack, or Big, Bigger and Biggest – celebrated these life moments  - and their parents smile because their three sons – were such nice kids – handled their life gift from God well. Their 3 sons changed and transfigured the lives of their parents as well – giving them the meaning of their lives.

And in time and secretly these 3 brothers nick-named themselves as Small, Smaller and Smallest.

When they got together for Thanksgiving and Family Weddings – and Funerals -  after their careers in pro football – they felt great joy in all their learning about life.

They would always raise their beers to mom and dad – and yell out together, “To mom and dad – to family – to Brothers.”

And then they would always stand up – pull mom and dad into their center -  and yell to everyone - "Paparazzi! Get out your cameras,  “To mom and dad – here they are - the biggest and best parents in the world.”


“Amen!”

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