February  23, 2022

Feast of St. Polycarp

7 Wednesday Ordinary Time

JAMES 4: 13-17 -

MORE OR LESS -

IN POETIC FORM

 

I like today’s first reading – James 4:13 – 17.

 

Last night I read it a few times and it gave me heavy thoughts.

 

I also thought, “Let it stand by itself!”

 

That would be enough, Then I said, “Be poetic.  Why not put it into poetic form? It’s puzzling – so put it in a puzzling poetic form – but keep it simple.    

 

The homilist is supposed to do something like that with the text – and not just walk away – like a match or a candle going out.

 

So here’s James 4: 13-17 in poetic form.  I’ll call this, “Tomorrow!”

 

TOMORROW

 

Tomorrow.

 

Wait. I might not get a tomorrow.

 

I could be just a puff of smoke. I could be just for a moment.

 

Air hanging in air – just for a moment – then disappearing.

 

Today.

 

Okay I’ll take today. Right now I’m here in the here and now – of today.

 

I’m here.  I’ve been there.  But I might not be in the next.

 

Surprise! In fact I could be gone – by tomorrow.

 

That’s humbling.

 

You never know.

 

That takes away any argument for arrogance.

 

So I guess the thing to do – the right thing to do – is to do what the letter of James tells us to do, “If the Lord puts me in his will for a next, take it - and live it. -  Take it and say, ‘Thanks.”

 

To not - to not do that - would be stupid – and actually – it would be a sin.

 

So today - I’ll do - today. - I’ll try to live today – to the  full.

 

And tomorrow – I’ll do tomorrow - if I get a tomorrow.  

I hope to.  Thank You God.

 

Together – we’ll find that one out – like today – like yesterday – but tomorrow

Thank You.