AFTER

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 6th Friday after Easter is, “After.”  

A  F  T  E  R  [Spell it out.]

I didn’t know whether to call these thoughts, “After” or “Afterwards” or “Aftertaste” or  “Aftermath” or “What Happened Next”.

After all is said and done….

What happened next?

Feelings ….

The morning after….

Hangover …. as a result of ….  subsequent….  sequel….

After.

What are your thoughts and feelings when you are experiencing the after - the after the before and after…. but only afterwards.

What are you talking about?

TODAY’S READINGS

After reading today’s readings  the thought of "after" was triggered - as an afterthought.

We’re going through the Acts of the Apostles these days after Easter. The disciples had experienced an ending. Jesus their hope was arrested and killed. So these readings are after Good Friday, after the death of Jesus, after the resurrection of Jesus. [Cf. Acts 18: 9-18]

What happened after Jesus died on the Cross? 

Is that all there is?

We’re going through the Gospel of John - these days after Easter - especially these last words of Jesus - which he spoke at his Last Supper. They are words collated, written down, reflected upon, well after Jesus death, resurrection, ascension in heaven, etc., etc., etc.

Today’s gospel image that Jesus uses is about a woman giving birth to a baby - with tears and pain - but all that is replaced after she gives birth to her baby. 

Joy replaces sorrow.

So too Jesus’ sorrowful mysteries move into glorious mysteries.

AFTERWARDS

I do a lot of weddings.

I hear a lot about all the preparations for the big day.

Two weddings back the bridegroom went up to BWI five times in one day - the day before the wedding.

Luckily for us, BWI is not that far away.

Weddings... anticipation… weather… will everything work?

The day finally arrives - the clock is ticking.

The vows, the toasting, the dances, the microphone, the cutting of the cake, each moment, each event, each part is played out - and then it ends.

The moms and dads sit there on chairs in their home or in a hotel room - exhausted…. It’s done. It’s over. Phew.

The bride and groom - often on Monday morning - getting on a plane - phew all that is over - and they are off to their honeymoon - a new beginning - finally.

Endings .... beginnings ....

Before…. after …. now …. next.

Life….

Sometimes

SOMETIMES

Sometimes the after’s are tough.

After the kids graduate and go off to college, the military, marriage….

After the house feels empty....

After the funeral and the cemetery and the visitors are gone and we’re all alone - or feel all alone....

The house - is filled with the reminders of the before.  The pictures, his or her chair, the bed, the empty place next to us in the car - in the church - at Thanksgiving Dinner with the kids.

After can be a lonely feeling.

Not always.... It all depends.

Sometimes the aftertaste of a good meal - the sherbet - the decaf coffee - the apple pie with ice cream - delicious.

Aftertaste can get us to smile and lick the underneath of our upper teeth.

Aftertaste can also be a burnt tongue.  We didn’t know the soup was going to be that hot.

Sometimes the aftertaste of a wrong word - by us to a sister-in-law or a friend - can still burn. Some hurts hurt a long time afterwards.

Sometimes a sin singes us for life.

Scars come with the after…. after the cut, after the hurt.

After is a human reality that is with us - in 100 different memories and feelings and reminders.

We don’t have dementia yet - so we hurt and we rejoice - depending on the after.

CONCLUSION

Ascension Thursday - Easter Sunday - are great after feasts. They are calls to have faith. They are calls to realize that we Christians believe, we know, there is an afterlife.

Ascension: get up, get moving, get off your butt, get out of your locked upper rooms, and celebrate the fresh air of new Springs, new life, new beginnings, new before’s - knowing there will be new after’s. Amen.

P.S. SOME AFTERTHOUGHTS

It’s raining right now - in fact most of this week.

After all, umbrella makers and umbrella sellers love and need the rain.

So too, little girls with rubber boots - loving the rain and the puddles - kicking and splashing....

So too flowers - they want rain.

And if you love green, lots of luscious spring green, want rain.

So too sidewalks and curbside macadam, "I need a thorough washing and cleansing - so I love the rain."

ANOTHER AFTERTHOUGHT

How well do we deal with aging, like life after 30, life after 40, life after 50, life after 60, life after 70, life after that 80, anybody here that old?

How about dealing with arthritis and wrinkles and where did I leave my umbrella and why did I come in this room in the first place and where did I leave my keys?

Any  afterthoughts?