A CUP OF COLD WATER
[The following is
sort of a story homily. I’m just going to reflect on the closing words of
today’s gospel.]
A disciple went up to the master and asked, “What shall I
do as one of your disciples?”
The master said, “And whoever gives only a cup of cold
water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple
- amen, I say to you, he or she will surely not lose their reward.”
“… a cup of cold water…? “That’s it? That’s all?”
“Yes,” said the master. “A cup of cold water. That’s
all.”
That image - those words echoed into the disciples ears
and seeped down into his well and he went out and gave other little ones cups
of cold water.
It was summer.
It was very hot.
People were thirsty.
On a hot sidewalk, the disciple saw a very hairy dog -
with a winter coat of hair on him. He was walking up the street and the dog
looked thirsty. The dog also looked very, very hot and very, very overdressed.
The disciple spotted a general store - walked in and
bought a neat silver bowl and a 12 pack of bottled water. The water had to be
cold. The master had added that word - loud and clear: “cold”.
He walked up to the top of the street and saw a
Starbuck’s coffee shop. It was in the perfect location. But it
had no customers at the time. It was hot summer - early afternoon.
He walked in and spoke to the two young people behind the
counter.
“Could you do me a favor?”
They said, “If we can….”
The disciple said, “Could you put this silver bowl - just
outside your front door - off to the side
- and keep it filled with cold water.”
Then he added, “And here is plenty of cold water” as he
put the 12 pack of water bottles on the counter.
The two young people were surprised at the request.
The disciple said, “Wait, let me show you what I mean.”
So they walked out front. The disciple put the silver
bowl near the front door, but off to the side. Then he went back and got one
bottle of cold water and came back and poured half the bottle into the bright silver
bowl.
The disciple added, “I noticed a lot of dogs look like
they are looking for water today. It’s such a hot day.”
“Good,” said one of the Starbuck’s workers, “we’ll do this.”
Then he added, “It won’t effect the competion. Most dogs
don’t drink coffee.”
Just then a dog on a leash spotted the water and drank up
almost the whole silver bowl. Her owner, a spiffy looking young chick, said,
“Thank you. Great idea.”
The disciple noticed that bowl of water was still there
and it was late October - almost near the end of Indian Summer.
And one day, the disciple was in another part of town,
and one of the Starbucks workers spotted him and said, “Hey you’re the dog
water guy. Great idea. Business improved at least 20 % with that cold water at
our door. Dog owners - especially with spiffy looking modern dogs - have money
and drink Starbucks.”
And the disciple said, “Thank you.”
It was a hot day and the disciple spotted about 5 men working on a lawn. He stopped to watch
them and it looked like they didn’t have any water, so he went and bought a 24 pack
of cold bottled water and brought it back for the men. All five said, “Wow!
Gracias! Hey man, that was nice. Muchas gracias. Muy caliente today.”
Next, the disciple saw a short fat guy - who looked like
he had shortness of breath - walking and then leaning on a fence - then walking
some more - then leaning on a tree - going down the street.
Sweating.
The disciple caught up with him and said, “You need
water. See this library here. It has a great cold water fountain just inside
the door. Why don’t you go in - and cool off - and get yourself some nice cold
water?”
And the short fat guy said, “They don’t have a cold water
fountain in there. I go in there all the time.”
And the disciple said, “Let me show you.”
And the two walked to the library - the disciple pausing
and leaning on a tree and then a post - every time the man stopped to catch his
breath.
They went in. It had wonderful air conditioning. The
disciple showed him where the cold water fountain was - around the corner from
the front door.
“Wow, I didn’t know this was here,” the short fat guy
said. “I’m going to tell all my friends
where this is. Thank you.”
And the disciple said, “I have to say the following very
carefully. Haven’t you heard the old saying, ‘Fat people always know where the
cold water fountains are.”
And the short fat guy laughed - patted his tummy - his
pot - as he said, “Thanks for the compliment. Thanks for calling me thin. I
didn’t know about this cold water fount.”
And both laughed a good laugh and the disciple got a good
sip of cold water from the library cold water fountain and headed back to the
street.
Next, the disciple was walking around town, It was
another hot, hot day and he spotted the master on a park bench - feeding the
birds of the air - and watching them dipping into the big water fountain - in
the center of the park - bird after bird after bird.
He also spotted a convenience store and he went in and
got two large bottles of cold water from the refrigerator section. He paid for
them and walked back to the park - walked up the master and said, “Want a cup
of cold water?”
“Thank you,” said
the master. “Thank you.”
Just then a mom walked by - pushing a stroller with two
kids in it. “Hey,” the master said, “Want a sip of cold water.”
“Thank you,” the
mom said, putting the bottle of water to her kids lips first - then her’s. And
then she said, “Thank you. Muchas gracias."
