THE  TREE  OF  LIFE

Quote for Today - October 22, 2012

"Let us pray to God
to root out of our hearts
everything of our own planting
and put in there,
with God's own hand,
the tree of life
bearing all manner of fruits."

Francois de Salignac de La Mothe Fenelon [1651-1715]

P.S. If you want to read about a very interesting another, check out "Fenelon" in Google. He was a teacher, an Archbishop, an influence, on the history of France. He was involved in Quietism a bit - but was able to back off when challenged. What grabbed me was his international outlook - trying to teach a future king and others - about human rights being a concern not just for family, not just for country, but for the whole human race. He urged all to have a sentiment for humanity - not just for self and one's own little circles. 

TABLE 4,567,371,594,303

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Table 4,567,371,594.303.”

When we go to a wedding reception we stand there outside the dining room or somewhere there and we spot the tiny table that has the little tent cards - with our name on it - we hope - and we pick the one up - with our name and the number of our table on it.

It’s a relief when we spot our name on a tiny folded card:  Table 17 or 13 - and if we’re old,  we hope our table is far from the music maker.

It’s a bummer when there is no card there for us. We go, “Uh oh. Oh no! I sent my ‘Yes’ in to the R.S.V.P., so it should be here. We know we checked off,  “Crab cakes”.  Then “Phew” our spouse or someone says, “Oh there you are. I picked up your card for you. Here!”

WHEN WE DIE

When we die and when we wake up R.S.V.P.,  there we are in the vestibule of somewhere. And we’re standing there will all kinds of people of all kinds of sizes, shapes, colors and looks - and we don’t know anyone. And there’s the table - with all the little cards - with the names of the recently deceased.

We stand there - hoping to see our name. We look. Someone sneaks in underneath us. Another person comes in from our left; another from our right. Everyone hopes their name is there.  They are looking for their card and name as well. They are muttering in languages we don’t have any clue about - yet.

Then we spot our name. Our name. I made it. I made it. I made it. Phew. We take the card. We look at the writing. Ours is in English. That’s thoughtful - because most of the others aren’t - but most have numbers on them. Ours says, “Table 4,567,371,594.303.”

We hear music coming from somewhere.

We spot someone at a big entrance door - in a robe.  We wonder if that’s St. Peter. We think to ourselves: it’s a door, with deep red fabric panels - no golden gates. Where am I? I hope this is heaven.

We breathe in - in our Risen Body - we pinch ourselves - we’re young again. We stop for a moment. We think, “This isn’t real.” We pinch ourselves again. As we get to that big door, we show the possible St. Peter our card. He saying something in some foreign language. We don’t understand anything, but his smile and his pointing is telling us to go in and around to the right of whatever is behind the big, big door.

We walk in sheepishly. We hear our name and a great welcome cheering. We stand there stunned. We look around at the biggest banquet hall - in the world - ooops we say to ourselves, “The Universe” - ooops we say, “Heaven.” 

No they didn’t play, “When the saints come marching in” but right now I’m with their number.

We see zillions of people sitting at many, many, many tables.

We wonder where Table 4,567,371,594.303 is.

We stand there very nervous. I much rather be on a table with someone I know. I much rather be on a table with mom and dad - grandma - my brother who died too early, too soon of cancer.

Now what? We stand there very nervous.

Then we see folks waving at us from here and there in the gigantic hall. We finally see a face we know.

“Wooo!”  We voice that sound loud and clear.

We head over towards our  brother who died in 1986.  He’s running towards us.

It’s heaven. His hug - his embrace - it’s heaven.

He brings us to mom and dad and there are more hugs - more tears - more celebration - and we’re so self centered at first - then we realize this same thing is happening with those who were with us out in the hallway.

Someone up front bangs a glass or  a bell or something and all become silent.

And then someone from somewhere says, “Those who have just arrived, welcome to the Supper of the Lamb.”

We say to our brother and mother and father, “Can I sit at your table?” They say, “Relax - go to the table you’re assigned to. You’ll find out why soon.”

So we uncling and head for Table 4,567,371,594.303.

It takes us about 20 minutes to get there - but we find it.

We know nobody at the table - and nobody at the table knows us or anybody else.

We shake hands with each person or we bow to each other.

It’s a round table - so there’s no top spot on the table.

The food starts to arrive. It’s being served by apostles, kings, maintenance men, plumbers, and nurses.

Slowly in the passing of the food to each other we learn each other’s languages - and we start learning fast. We can’t believe it - we are speaking Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and Slovak words in less than an hour. “This is heaven.”

We find out where each person on our table is from. We’re from all over the world. We have eternity - but somewhere in the middle of all this new reality - it hits us - I’m going to get to know everyone here - from our Table 4,567,371,594.303 back down to Table 1.

After the meal we reconnect with our parents and our close loved ones who have gone before us. We tell them about what had happened since they died - and they are all ears. At times we wonder if they already know - but they are so polite - so perfect - so listening.

We meet neighbors, classmates from grammar school whom we wondered about what ever happened to so and so. people we worked with - people whom we coached with - people we met on trains and planes - from time to time.

It’s heaven. I made it. I can’t believe all of this.

Then we ask a big question: do I get to meet God?

“Yes,” everyone says. The moment is coming.

As we’re waiting on line for our turn, we wonder if there is a desk or a chair? Do I sit on God’s right or God’s left or what?

Is God a Judge? Is God all Mystery? Is this going to be spooky? What? We don’t know. Up till this moment - all has been easy.

We finally go to meet God. There are no chairs - no right - no left.

It’s all awe - mystery - it’s wordless.

Yet, however, because and thanks to God the First Person in the Trinity who sent the Second Person in the Trinity - to earth - to becoming flesh - who became Jesus in Mary’s womb - I was ready. Being persons - we feel the urge for communion and communication - and for us humans we need words - so Jesus described the next moment for me perfectly. God the Father was like the Father in Jesus’ story of the Prodigal Son.  I was home. I felt God’s  Embrace. Let me tell you, The Father is all Embrace. Jesus was there -  all Brother - so unlike the Brother in the Prodigal Son story.  Jesus entered into the gigantic hug and embrace and I was overwhelmed with the Love in the Moment - if one can say moments and time in eternity. Whatever. And there was in all this the Holy Spirit of Love - God the Holy Spirit - filling the situation - and now I know. Now I know. For all eternity I know. Amen. 

OOOOOOOOO

This is a homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. I read the readings. I said a prayer. I read several commetaries on today's readings and this is the idea that came up. Amen. 

THE GIGANTIC, BIG, 

FIRST GRADE, BIRTHDAY PARTY

Once upon a time - well not that long ago a time - the first grade teacher - in a certain school - was going to celebrate her 50^th Birthday Party - in her first grade classroom. In her classroom. Imagine that!”

And the kids couldn’t imagine how old 50 years old was. “That is old!”, they said. “Old.”

They tried with their hands. How many fingers would you put up if someone asked Mrs. Teresa Dosomuch - yes that was her real name - if they asked her, “How old are you Mrs. Dosomuch?”

Would she go, “Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture], Five [Gesture]? I am 50 years old. Wow!”

She tried that and the kids were either amazed or confused - depending on their math skills. That many fives, that many fingers, that’s old.

The parents of the First Graders all made cupcakes - cupcakes of all kinds of frosting colors on top - with all kinds of cake mix - brown, stripped and white.

The kids couldn’t take their eyes off all  the cupcakes sitting on a fold up table off to the said  as they sang, “Happy Birthday Mrs. Dosomuch!”

The chairs in the First Grade classroom - for the party were arranged differently that day - in a circle - with Mrs. Dosomuch’s bigger swivel chair up in the front of the classroom in the center.

Then something happened that almost ruined the party. It’s always something! Isn’t it?

Yep sometimes bad things happen - even to kids in the First Grade - even by kids in the First Grade.

It started with two boys. One’s name was John and the other was James. They had a plan. They raised their hands and said, “Mrs. Dosomuch can we sit next to you - one on your right and one on your left.”

When the other kids heard this - they got angry. They got jealous. They got jumpy - and this was even before they got the sugar in all those cup cakes.

“Uh oh,” Mrs. Dosomuch thought. “What do I do now? If I put one on my right and one on my left - these other 21 kids will be jealous - very jealous.”

What to do?  She put up her hands to stop all the hands that were up. She put her finger to her lip as the signal for all to quiet down. She said a prayer inside her mind to God: “Help!”

She remembered this used to happen when she was a kid and grandpa Ed came to Thanksgiving Dinner at their home. He had a great belly and a great white beard - and looked like Santa Claus - and all the kids - including Teresa - would want to sit next to Grandpa Ed for Thanksgiving dinner.

Impossible - because only two could do that: one on his right and one on his left.

The solution was Grandpa Ed would sit at the kids table and after every ten minutes a timer bell  would go off and he would move his seat next to two others - starting with the oldest.

Mrs. Teresa Dosomuch smiled.

Mrs. Teresa Dosomuch came up with a plan. She said to herself, “I’m not that old.”

“Surprise” she said to James and John and the rest of her First Graders, “I’m not going to sit down. I’m going to serve you.”

So she pulled her chair out of the circle - completely surprising the whole class. Next she walked over to the cupcakes - which were on silver trays. 

Next she called James and John over to her and said, “James and John, it’s more important to serve than to be served, so you’re going to help me.”

She handed each of them a tray and with juice in one hand and plastic cups in her other hand, she walked around and served juice to each kid - telling James and John, “Show the kids the cupcakes. Give them their choice.”

So they walked around the circle of chairs and served all the kids.

And what a party. Each kid ate at least 3 cupcakes - each.

Then surprise! Just at the end of the party in that First Grade classroom, the principal and all the teachers in the school came to the First Grade door and opened it and said, “Happy Birthday to Mrs. Do So much.

Then they blindfolded her and led her and her whole class - all 24 of them - to a big hall - in the school. It was filled with the whole school - filled with kids - all of whom loved and missed Mrs. Dosomuch - whom they all had in the first grade. They were silent.

The principal lead the blindfolded Mrs. Dosomuch into the center of the hall - and sat her in a chair. All the kids were standing there surrounding the chair - but they were told to be totally quiet - SILENT. Then they took off her blindfold and she saw all the kids - and all the teachers - and lots of parents - and they all sang as they brought in this gigantic round chocolate covered birthday cake - her favorite - with 50 blazing candles - as everyone sang Happy Birthday to her. Amen.

OOOOOOOOOO

This is a story I wrote last night for this 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time B.

PICK IT!

Quote for Today - Oct. 21, 2012

"Mean to" don't pick no cotton."

Anonymous

FRIENDS IN THE PLURAL

Quote for Today - October 20, 2012

"Many a person has held close throughout their entire lives, two friends that always remained strange to one another, because one of them attracted by virtue of similarity, the other by difference."

Emil Ludwig

Questions:

Is this quote true to you?

If you are married, was your spouse attracted to you by similarity or difference? 

When talking with a friend or spouse, ask each other about relationships you both know about: are they married and/or are they friends because of similarity or difference?  

Do you think these questions are good conversational starters?

Do you think this they are dangerous questions?

A QUOTE 

I NEVER FORGOT

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “A Quote I Never Forgot.”

Do you have a quote or a comment that you read somewhere or heard somewhere that you have never forgotten - a quote that impacted your life for life?

I think everyone would answer that question with a “Yes!”

DIG THEM UP

However, I think some quotes or comments have their impact - but we are not aware that they have an impact in our life. Let me repeat that: “I think some quotes or comments have their impact - but we are not that aware that they have an impact.”

Suggestion: dig them up. Do some self research. How? 

A good way: talk to one other person about your life quotes and their life quote.

Next way: do it by yourself - and jot them down.

Hints that help.  Here are a few hints on how to discover these quotes or comments - that impact your life.

Fill in the blank on these statements:

My mom always used to say or always say _______________.

My dad always used to say or always say ________________.

I remember in a sermon a priest once said _____________.

I remember I read in a magazine once ________________.

My favorite Bible text is ____________________________.

A proverb that I go by is ___________________________.

A teacher I once had always said, ___________________.

ONE THAT I REMEMBER

Whenever I come to a feast like today [October 19, 2012] - that of a missionary - like Isaac Jogues and John de Brebeuf and companions, I often thinking about something I read a long, long, long time ago. I think it was in an article in The Brooklyn Tablet, the Catholic newspaper for the Diocese of Brooklyn. 

Life quotes don’t have to be exact - how I remember the quote or comment and how it impacts me is what is key.

The writer of an article - perhaps it was on vocations - said, “Throughout the history of the Catholic Church - lots of men and women left home and went to foreign countries and lands - never to heard from again. 200 or 300 years later - these nameless people are the background to Christian churches in places all around the world.”

That’s the sort of quote or comment.

That has impact on me because that is what I wanted to do with my life. At first it was China - because of stories and pictures of the Church in China I noticed in Maryknoll Magazine as a kid. Then it was someday becoming a missionary in Brazil because I heard a Redemptorist who came into our classroom and told us about his work as a missionary in Brazil and he asked us to think about doing that with our life.

I never got to become a foreign missionary - but as I look back on my life at 72 I ask what everyone who makes it to 72 asks:  Was it worth it? Did I make a difference? Did I add to the world’s betterment or did I make it worse?

I’ve gone back to places where I was stationed and walked down its streets and corridors and nobody said hello or noticed me.

I’m sure parents wonder about their kids - especially if their kids’ lives fell apart - or are living a different life style. Was it worth it? Did I make a difference? What is my legacy?

So that quote from that Brooklyn Tablet helps me - because unlike Isaac Jogues and these Jesuit missionaries I won’t have a name - yet I was there and gave it my  best shot - and who knows what happened  because of me.

I look up to Jesus on the cross and realize: sometimes it looks like all death - but then there is the 3^rd day, and then there is 300 years later. Who knows, something I did or said or showed up for had an impact on someone who had an impact on someone who had an impact on someone.  I know the thing about not worrying about results, but they are nice. I know the saying, “Don’t count the sheep, feed them.”  But it’s nice to count sheep when trying to sleep. Amen.

REPOT

Quote for Today - October 19, 2012

"If a Plant's Roots Are Too Tight, Repot."

Gardening headline, The New York Times


Questions: 

Interesting quote: where does it take you?

Does it make you think of your life, a relationship, work, what?

Before repotting, whom would you talk to about what you sense you should change?

Agree or disagree: If the pot don't fit, vote to repot?