The title of my homily is, “Expect Crumble.”
It’s an obvious thought that hits me probably every Ash
Wednesday - so I’m sure I have other homilies on this theme.
Expect crumble.
The other theme that hits me from the Ash Wednesday readings
is visiting the inner room that Jesus talks about in today’s gospel.
There’s something in us - that resists external religion
- show - posturing - ceremony.
Today’s readings certainly hit that - and then we get on
our face - in our face - on our forehead - the external sign of ashes today. I
always think this is funny. Ash
Wednesday: we’re told to wash our face - no externals - no showing off - and
then we get ashes. Funny! We see all these people walking around town or the
Mall or in Giant today with ashes on.
There’s a Lenten Mass when Jesus talks about the
Pharisees in fine linen and purple - and the priest in fine white cloth and
purple reads that. Funny.
So Jesus knows the inner - inside - real religion stuff -
and the phony possibility side shows - that happen with religion and priests
and people.
I also think those who drop out of coming to this big
inner room - called a church - this
place - this house - of prayer - I think they can have a decent list of reasons
- for not coming here. I hear them saying - including various members of my own
family, “I’m spiritual. I’m just not into this religion stuff.”
I suspect they also don’t enter the small inner room that Jesus talks about in
today’s gospel - inside every person. Come Sunday morning. No, I don’t think
most of these people who state they are spiritual and not religious - I don’t
think they are not taking a nice walk through the Naval Academy - edge - along
the water - or in Quiet Water’s Park - being in deep communion with God - or sitting
on a back porch - sitting inside their inner room.
Okay Jesus also goes after that kind of judging others as
well. So…
So enough of that….
So let me give a quick thing on crumble - the everything turns to ashes -
theme. It’s something we all need to spend time within with.
A rabbi on one of the debates a week ago or so quoted to
candidate Hilary Clinton an old rabbinic question. Maybe you heard the
question. He said there is an old saying we have two pieces of paper in our
pockets. In one pocket a piece of paper
says, “The universe was created for you.” And in another pocket is another
piece of paper that says, “Everything turns to ashes.” Then he asked her, “When you look at your
life, what’s your take on that?”
Ego vs. humility…..
I don’t think she answered it, but she did refer to it
later on. I suspect she was saying to herself, “What the heck was that all
about?”
On the one hand we have to think that God made us - and
gave us this whole big wide wonderful world as a gift.
I think of parents waiting for that first child - I’m the
fourth - I think of parents waiting for that first child - and they are going
to give that kid the world.
I hope every kid gets that blessing - that they were waited for - celebrated -
loved - adored - tickled and love.
I hope every kid gets a great spot on the couch - in
their daddy’s arms - in their grandmother’s hugs - and all that. Praise God -
along with a great education.
But we also have to learn about crumble.
Expect crumble.
Expect humble.
Expect cancer and accidents and things going wrong.
The bicycle wheel goes flat and daddy can’t fix it. We
get cuts on our arms and knees and cuts from the play or a team.
Grandpa dies.
Dogs die.
The cookie crumbles.
Parents sometimes divorce.
Sometimes people are selfish or dumb or they don’t realize impact of behavior
on others.
Life. It’s wonderful - but sometimes like Forest Gump -
you know what happens - It Happens. It hits the fan at times. Jenny messes up and takes drugs and dumps
Forest. Lieutenant Dan loses his legs.
Hurt happens.
Crumble happens.
Lent is a good time to come to church - as well as go
into one’s inner room and ponder all these heavy messages.
There’s more than two pieces of paper.
Grab some of the literature out in the lobby and take
some good walks for the next 40 days.
And like Forest Gump, run, or walk till you figure out
stuff about life - life being like a box of chocolates
and stuff your mom used to say - and her mom and her mom and her dad - and on
and on and on.
