Homily for  27 Wednesday OT

DO YOU HAVE  A  SENSE OF HUMOR?

The title of my homily is, "Do you have a sense of humor?"

I want to preach on the importance of having a sense of humor.

To be human is to able to laugh and see the funny sides of being a human being. It's also important to have a sense of kindness, a sense of mercy, a sense of justice, a sense of charity - and a lot more.

Today: to reflect upon having a sense of humor. 

Last week we had a lady here on retreat - who was not a happy camper. She entered our chapel and complained there was no crucifix - above the altar or at the altar. One of the guys pointed at the large statue of the Risen Christ - hanging there in the center of the chapel - above the main altar.

She screamed back, "But there is no crucifix!"

The next day a visiting bishop walked into our gift store. He was off to the side - very much in the background. A lady at the check out counter spotted a picture of the Smiling or Laughing Jesus. She said, "That's not Christ. He never smiled. He never laughed."

We found out it was the same lady.  

Today, October 5th, is the feast day of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos.  He died on October 4th, but that is the feast of St. Francis of Assissi. He was around from 1819 - 1867.  He was born in a family of 12 kids in Fussen, Germany. He died at the age of 48 - after visiting Yellow Fever people - as a Redemptorist priest in New Orleans.

Relevant to my topic for today - humor - he started in various parishes and places where he worked - Comedy Groups.  People would meet and tell jokes.  Neat in my opinion.

He was stationed in St. Mary's Parish in Annapolis, Maryland.

I was happy to read about his time there and in various other places. 

I noticed while being stationed there a marble memorial tablet telling anyone who noticed it the name of the first pastor in that parish. His name was Michael Mueller. He didn't like Francis Seelos. Michael was rigid and he was what I would call a grouch and an againster.

In the garden outside the church there is a metal bench with a sitting bronze statue of Seelos.  Two people can sit on that bench with Seelos. He has a great smile.

Every day - several times a day - I would see people sitting there on the Seelos Bench. I would often say, while walking by, "You know he still hears confessions."

And folks would always smile and laugh at that comment.

The title of my sermon for today is, "Do you have a sense of humor?"

Do you?