SORRY, I'M NOT

A POLISHED ARROW

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily and my thoughts for this Tuesday in Holy Week is, “Sorry I’m Not a Polished Arrow.”

TODAY’S FIRST READING - ISAIAH 49:1-6

Isaiah here in today’s first reading is reflecting on his life  - how the Lord called him from birth - “from his mother’s womb he gave me my name.”

Isaiah continues, “He made of me a sharp-edged sword …. He made me a polished arrow.”

Those two images  got me thinking.  I have been preaching on these readings for over 50 years of daily Masses - so I find myself thinking, “Think about what you’ve missed and not preached on.”

A weekday homily is only 2 pages at the most for me - so that gives me the freedom to think out loud and not worry if I’m confusing and not too clear - or  if I give a head scratcher or a dud. Been there…. Done that….

SORRY, LORD, I’M NOT A POLISHED ARROW

Yeah, it would neat to be a straight arrow. It would be neat to be a polished arrow - the type one might see behind glass in a museum - in perfect shape.

Yes, it would be nice to be a sharp edged sword - to be as definite as a sword - speaking with sharp edged - well cut out clear thoughts, sentences and paragraphs.

But looking at my life - like Isaiah looked at his life - I see myself not as a polished arrow - but rather as an old screw driver with a chipped tooth - like an Appalachian guy on a porch in the woods - a screw driver with three or four of five spots of paint on the its pockmarked wooden handle - because it was used to open paint cans - and the top is pitted and dented because it was also used to chip out crud and rust from a pipes - a hammer hitting this old screwdriver right on its head.

Polished arrow - not me. Sharp edged sword - not me either.  No I’m more like a rusty nail - that failed to do its job - or a black plastic garbage bag that broke.

Sorry Lord….

TODAY’S GOSPEL - JOHN 13: 21-33, 36-38

Am I being too harsh on myself?

Nope - but I’m not Judas in today’s gospel - stealing from the collection - and betraying Jesus.

But I sit there at many a meal with others and my mind is elsewhere. Not the devil entering into me - like Judas - but maybe at times. Hope not.  But distractions  - yes - big time. So too at this meal called the Mass.

I’m like the disciples at that Last Supper. I’ve been going to daily Mass almost 67 years or more and I still don’t get what I’m doing at times. Father forgive me because many times I don’t know what I’m doing.

Sorry, I’m no polished arrow.  Sorry I’m not silver sharp sword.

CONCLUSION

So Lord, this is me and I make this act of faith more in your forgiveness and understanding and your laughter with and at me than in the Trinity or Resurrection.

Sorry that’s how I’m taking your word - more and more. Maybe these are the kind of thoughts one has after they in their 70’s - the kind of ponderings Pope Francis has - not super intellectual - but simply, simple thoughts of compassion - mercy - and forgiveness - and understanding. Amen.