TOUCHING  MOMENTS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my thoughts or reflections for today is: “Touching Moments.”

An alternative title could be: “How touching.”

TOUCHING MOMENTS

Looking at your life, what were the touching moments?

What were the moments that touched you?

Last night after the Super Bowl game, Darrell Green of Redskin fame, marched the Lombardi Trophy through a run of Philadelphia Eagles players and each reached to touch the trophy or kiss it.

It costs $50,000 - was designed on a napkin in 1966 - is 22 inches tall, is silver, and weighs 7 pounds. It has stayed the same for 51 years now - named after Vince Lombardi - and made by Tiffany’s.

The Eagles beat the Patriots and they got the reward: to hold and to touch this very important trophy.

If you saw it on display, at the Football Hall of fame, and you could reach out and touch it, would you?

I know I touched the Commander and Chief’s Trophy for the winner of Army, Navy, and Airforce games.

How touching.

At funerals, if there is a casket in the main aisle,  I’ve noticed people reaching out and touching the casket of a loved one -

on the way up to communion or back.

Speaking of funerals, I’ve noticed if the person who died was in their 50’s or 60’s, couples coming across the parking lot and walking towards the church are holding hands more than usual.  I wonder if that is true or just my perception and wondering.  Could that be proved?

Do persons who lost their spouse remember the last time they touched?

When I go to a funeral parlor and the body is there and the casket is open and the person who died - is holding a rosary, I like to touch one bead and say a Hail Mary.

When I’m at the airport, in the terminal, and I see people at a gate going in or coming out I like to watch the body language of arrival and departures. How touching.  It used to be far more sceneful* - before September 11 - when folks could wait for folks inside closer to last door before the plane.

What have you touched?

I touched the moon - well a piece of a moon rock.

I shook hands with Dear Abby. I regret it wasn’t a kiss. It happened too fast. She was sitting right behind me at a banquet in Jackie’s restaurant in Chicago - for writers of the Thomas More Association.

I shook hands with Justice Scalia - I was simply holding the door - at a Lawyer’s Mass at St. Mary’s - and he came into the sacristy.

Bill Belichick put his hand on my shoulder - and whispered in my ear - at the Annapolis Touchdown Club. He asked me to say a prayer. At another time I asked him to come back to the Giants and he went, “Haah!”

I shook hands with Leo Cravata, a plumber, in West Pittston, Pa. Just an ordinary guy - but an interesting character.

TODAY’S READINGS: 5^TH  MONDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Here in today’s first reading we have one of the stories of the Ark of the Covenant. People often reached out to touch it. One story was about someone who reached out to touch it when it was falling in a procession and you weren’t supposed to touch it - and the person died.  That story borders on taboo and superstation.

Here in today’s gospel people were brought to Jesus - and they thought, if I just reach out and touch the tassel of Jesus’ garment I’ll be healed. We read in the gospel about people who do just that are they are healed.  

RECEIVING COMMUNION

At Mass we can reach out and take Jesus in the hand or on the tongue.

As priest I’ve avoided the fight or “thing” about communion in the hand vs. tongue. I see it as receiving communion - communion with Christ.

Someone the other day - said, “Talking about the flu and germs at Mass - we should have a separate line for communion on the tongue people. The Eucharistic minister would wear rubber gloves for that line.”

I smiled and said, “Are you crazy. I wouldn’t touch that one with a 10 foot pole.” 

I didn’t add, “You should see how they give out communion at Eastern rite Masses. The person coming up for communion comes up to the priest. He has a golden spoon. He takes out a piece of leavened bread. It’s consecrated and put into the precious blood. The person receiving holds their head back and opens their mouth. The priest then deposits the soaked bread and wine in their mouth. This happens quite fast and efficiently, but every once and a while, the receiver  licks the spoon clean. I’ve given out communion thousands of times in Eastern rite Masses, but I won’t tell the person who follows that person what just happened.

CONCLUSION

Those are some  words about touching - the healing touch - the power of touch - the memory of touch.

This week watch people touching each other.  Very interesting optics.

[* Notice in the middle of this reflection there is a new world I made up, “sceneful”.  I would love some dictionary in the year 2075, have the word “sceneful”.  It’s a variation of the word “eyeful” - with a different nuance.]