NEXT TIME IT RAINS,
TASTE THE RAIN
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Next Time It Rains, Taste the
Rain.”
Next time it rains, stick your tongue out and taste the drops.
Next time it snows, stick your tongue out and taste the
flakes.
We’ve seen kids stick their tongues out to taste a rain drop
or a snow flake. When was the last time you saw an adult do that? Better: be that adult. Best: teach your kids
and grandkids to do just that.
I don’t drink carbonated drinks any more, but I used to love
to pour ginger ale or seven up into a glass and quickly put my chin into the
glass just above the soda line and feel the carbonated bubbles hit my chin.
Great sensation. Try it. And if caught, smile!
I also hope I never forget to taste the rain and the snow
flakes from heaven - and never stop to look at a clear night sky - like the
last two nights.
TODAY’S FIRST READING
Today’s first reading from Isaiah 55 triggers these
thoughts. He talks about rain and snow falling from the sky - watering the
earth - helping things grow and blossom - to work with wheat that becomes bread
and grapes that become wine.
Then he makes the leap from rain and snow - to words falling
from God to us. Taste the words falling on your tongue - your ears - your
being. Let them become you. Let them become the bread and the wine, the body
and the blood called you.
Then go forth and change the world - like Jesus changes the
world. Communion and transubstantiation go together all the time.
A SPEECH STORY
As I listened to today’s first reading - as I tasted it - as
I let it fall on me last night - I remembered a tiny story from our seminary
days - a story we used to practice to be better speakers. I went in search of
it and found it. Because we said it out loud in practice so many times in the
seminary, I remember it many, many, many times when it rains. It has gotten me
to put my face out to feel the rain - and to taste rain drops. The story is
entitled, “The Little Queen” and goes like this.
Once upon a time there was a king who failed to please his
subjects and was in consequence in instant peril. Hurriedly collecting such treasures as he
could, he and his young queen crossed the frontier one night with a few
faithful retainers and settled in a secluded castle in a friendly country.
On the first wet day, the queen was missing. High and low
the retainers searched for her, and at last she was discovered in the middle of
an open space in the forest, holding up her face to the rain.
Horror-stricken, they hurried to her aid; but she waved them
back.
“Do let me stay a little longer,” she pleaded. “All my life
I have longed to feel the rain and I was never allowed to.” “All my life there
have been coaches and umbrellas.”
And again, the little queen held up her face to the drops.
MOVING TOWARDS A
CONCLUSION
Questions: we all have our questions. How to live? How to
pray? How to read the scriptures? How to forgive? How to receive communion?
Answer: Let the word of God soak into you like the rain -
let it fall on you like the snow. For example, in today’s gospel Jesus is
teaching his disciples how to pray. He says, “Don’t babble words.” To me that
means don’t pray as in a rain storm. Pray softly the Our Father - feel the
words - let them soak in - wanting daily bread for all - as well as learning how to forgive trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
++++++++++++++++++++
Picture on top taken from Internet - by Zandy
