Wednesday, February 23, 2022

 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.


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