WHAT  ARE  YOU  OBSERVING?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “What Are You Observing?”

Yogi Berra died last Tuesday, September 22, 2015, at the age of 90.

He’s famous for many comments - called Yogi-isms.

One is, “You can observe a lot by watching.”

As a baseball catcher - while behind the plate - he had to observe a lot - he had to watch a lot. He had to do the same while at bat - as well as later on while coaching and managing.

So he observed a lot by watching - even though what he observed came out of his mouth not that clear at times - but many times with a twist of wisdom and smart insight.

THE POPE

I’m sure all of you are watching a lot of TV when it comes to the pope.

I’m sure some of you went to see him - and you’ll be telling people that story for the rest of your life. I know I’d be doing that.

Whether on TV or in person, what did you observe about this pope?  What did you learn? What are your wonderings? What are your questions? What are you hearing? What are you hoping for?

I observed that he looks a lot like Yogi Berra - and that both have a lot of wisdom - even though Yogi only went to the 8^th Grade. Both have big ears. Both are first generation Italian-Americans. Both have immigrant roots - one in North America - the other South America. Both have great smiles. Both are wise - and beyond wise.

I observed that both became shepherds. Francis of the Church. Yogi of the Yankees and Mets as manager and coach and Houston as coach.

I am not a Yankee fan. In fact I was brought up in Brooklyn and we were taught to hate the Yankees.

Hate is a no no for this pope. But the Yankees?

Yogi played for 18 seasons - 1946-63 and with him the hated Yankees reached the World Series 14 times and won 10 titles. He was MVP three times. He struck out rarely and threw out people trying to steal bases regularly.

Francis our pope is out there playing the position as pope for going on 3 years now.  He looks like a MVP and Hall of Famer to me.

We’re observing him up close and personal now - here on the east coast and quite close to us here in Annapolis.  We are observing him on TV big time.

What are we seeing?

What are we observing?

Keep talking to each other.

Keep observing to each other.

I’ve been asked 25 times in the past few days, did I see him in Washington? I’m sure various people have asked you the same question.

I said, “Nope” but on TV “Yep” - big time.

Father Charlie of our community went to DC and got within 60 yards of him at the Mass at the National Shrine. I got a chance to ask him all my questions. He’s going again today to Philly.

I think I am observe a lot more on TV and in the papers and on the computer - than I would being there in a crowd. But that’s another experience.

While in Rome in 1984 I went to see the Pope at the Wednesday audience in the Vatican circle or Piazza. A priest at our place in Rome where I was staying told me to get there 1 hour ahead of time - and he drew on a napkin where to exactly stand. I was to be at a wooden saw horse fence - on a corner - on the route the pope mobile would pass after his talk and prayers.

So there I was standing - at the right spot.  Surprise!  I look at the person right next to me. It was Bill Walton the basketball player - believe it or not.

Just as the pope mobile turned to come down our way - the crowd knocked over the wooden fence or portable saw horse fence and made a dash for the pope.

I found myself in the back of the crowd. Jesus was right. The first shall be last.

I observed and learned that day you see a lot more on TV.

Kathy at our doctor’s office said she went to see the pope in Washington D.C. years ago - along with a million other people. She couldn’t see the pope in person. There she was watching the whole thing on one of those jumbothons TV’s.

So I prefer a soft seat in front of the TV.

WHAT DID I OBSERVE ABOUT THE POPE THIS PAST WEEK?

I observed a lot.

I noticed that I have a lot of questions.

I want to know whom he consulted - whom he talked with - fellow Jesuits. Americans? Who?

I want to know how long had he worked on his English. My Spanish is horrible - and I had it for 4 years while in the seminary - along with Portuguese, Greek, and lots and lots and lots of Latin.

I want to know if he had any impact and what kind of an impact - on congress, the president, the United Nations, Cuba and our Church in the United States.

I want to know what Catholics who have dropped out are thinking?

I want to know what people are talking to each other about on the one zillion cell phones  - besides all those pictures.

I’m wondering about how many people got a hint from the Holy Spirit or their parents or grandparents that they would be welcome back at Church.

Welcome….That’s a major, major, major, major message of Pope Francis.

I loved it that our high school kids were in our auditorium watching the pope’s address to congress. I’ll find out in the coming year - if and what kind of an impact the pope had.  I’ll try to find out what kind of an impact?

This is this pope’s first visit to the United States. We are not the world. We are part of the world? We are just the East Coast - what about Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles?  What about Toronto and Paris and Moscow and Beijing?  What about Vietnam and Lagos, Nigeria?

Pope John Paul 2 made 7 visits to the United States in his 27 years as pope.

Yogi Berra said, “It’s déjà vu all over again.”

My observation is that this pope is very different and this visit was different and it’s not déjà vu all over again.

We’ll see.

CONCLUSION - OBSERVE

The title of my homily is, “What Are You Observing?”

What a great way to read the scriptures?

Millions of people along the routes that Francis took in his pope mobile studied his smile - waved back to him - took their pictures - especially selfies with him in the background. Many more millions observed him on TV and with Yogi Berra or Jorge Bergoglio - Francis ears - heard his messages.

What a great way to read the scriptures?

Picture yourself in the crowd for today’s readings. Picture yourself hearing his words on TV. Hear his messages.

Jesus in today’s gospel - Moses in today’s first reading  - and reiterated by  Pope Francis - celebrate the good done by anyone of good will.

Please do the same. Engage those you live and work with - church goers or not - and celebrate people of Good Will - and be sneaky and subtle, smart and as wise as Yogi Berra and this pope - invite Catholics and Christians and all back to centers of worship to make this a better world. Amen.