FAITH  BUCKET  LIST

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this feast of the Presentation is, “Faith Bucket List.”

FIRST: JUST BUCKET LIST

Let me look at the phrase, “Bucket List” first. It's rather recent.

So I did a little research last night and there are several examples of the phrase, “Bucket List” before the 2007 movie with that name - starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

Most connect the phrase with a list of things to do before we kick the bucket.

The movie made the phrase popular and a lot better known.

Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in the movie, “Bucket List” play two men in a cancer ward - who are terminal - so they take off to accomplish all the wishes on their bucket list of dreams to accomplish before they die.

I’m sure you have used the phrase or have been asked the question by someone who used the phrase. We all have things more or less that we would like to do before we die.

I said to myself, “This can’t be that brand new an idea or a phrase.”

I’m sure it’s in Shakespeare and in many a poem.

Sure enough I remember reading about the Make-a-Wish Foundation. That goes back to 1980 - in Phoenix Arizona. It too spread around the world as well: to help fulfill a wish that some kid has before he or she dies.

And obviously a nursing home could be labeled at times, “House of Regrets.”

TODAY’S GOSPEL READING

In today’s gospel reading for the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple,  Luke reports about  a wish Simeon has before he dies.  He wants to see the Christ - the Anointed One.

He was told in a revelation from the Holy Spirit within him - this would happen - before he died - and sure enough we have his  prayer in the temple that day when Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus up to the temple in Jerusalem  to be consecrated and blessed. His prayer is the “Nunc Dimittis” - Now you can dismiss your servant, O Lord.

His wish is fulfilled before he dies.

FAITH BUCKET LIST

The title of my homily is, “Faith Bucket List.”

Let me now jump to faith related wishes in our bucket of life wishes.

Here are some possible faith related wishes:

• That a daughter or son comes back to the faith  - the faith we brought them up in.
• That grand kids be baptized.
• That so and so be reconciled with so and so.
• That they feel forgiven by God for a mistake they made 50 years ago.
• That their spouse die before them, so he or she won’t feel the pain of loss that the one who remains will  feel.
• That their faith in life after this life increases so they won’t fear that death is the end of everything, forever and ever.

That's a few I have heard, what are you faith related hopes?

CONCLUSION

I would think that our “Faith Bucket List” is the stuff of prayer and connection with God.

I’m sure at many Masses we present ourselves - our families - our neighbors - our world - to the Lord - for the Lord’s help and blessings.