DYING TO FIND
OUT
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 4th Friday
after Easter is, “Dying to Find Out.”
Obviously, being in this pandemic, we are wondering about
death – and staying alive.
Obviously, we can learn from past pandemics – or we
better learn.
However, there are
good reasons to bury our head in the
sand – because pandemics are scary history. Moreover, talking about burying our
heads in the sand – denial - and in our hands – prayer and tears – we are
conscious of those who have to deal with the death of loved ones – without much
benefit of church and ceremony.
We are thinking and hearing about those caring for the
sick – feeding the jobless – the stuck – the nurses and doctors and attendants
– the paramedics – the volunteers – the researchers.
HISTORY
Is it worth typing into the search box on our computers,
the word, “Pandemics?”
I did. It’s worth
it.
There has been cholera, small pox, and the Bubonic
plague.
The numbers are tough to look at: 200 million – 1347 –
200 million.
The Asian Flu – 1957 – 2 waves – 1.1 million
AIDS - 35 million.
Native Americans – 16 and 17 centuries – 56 million
Black death 1350, 1/3 of World’s Population
And many more pandemics – the one’s that crossed the seas
and traveled all the roads of our planet.
QUESTIONS: WHAT ARE OUR QUESTIONS?
What are our questions?
What have we learned?
Quarantine, isolation, works. I see that in all the
Google answers.
Research: In one plague in London, one doctor did the
research and figured out one water pump was the problem. Shut it down and that
reduced the plague in London big time.
How does – how will Coronavirus 19 – effect our thinking
– our theology?
Thank you John Collins for asking us what we’re thinking
and feeling?
Today’s first reading
- this 4th Friday after Easter talks – Acts of the Apostles
13: 26-33 – talks about what some members of the Early Church were thinking and
talking about in the city of Antioch.
They talked about Jesus’ being put to death by Pilate. They talked about
resurrection – and that we – now including Paul – are to proclaim good news.
So we Redemptorists are asking: how can we bring Good
News – how can we bring Christ to a world – dealing with this pan – demonized
by death – plague?
Today’s gospel – John 14: 1-6 - this gospel about the dwelling places of
heaven - is one of the 3 top gospels
chosen for funerals.
How and what is it going to look like – when we have
funerals for Tony Russo, John Gauchi and so many others?
Years ago – someone said F.X. Durwell – opened up
Christian thinking – Catholic thinking about the hereafter – moving us beyond
Good Friday – and Lent ending on Holy Saturday morning – to the Easter Vigil –
Holy Saturday Evening. Alleluia! Christ
has died. Christ is Risen. Alleluia.
Then this person – added – I forget who it was – said,
“Is there someone out there who is going to do for the Ascension – what Durwell
did for Easter?”
Today’s gospel uses the word “WAY” – three times. Is there someone who will talk about –
imagine about – write about – social media about - the WAY beyond death – what those dwelling
places in the beyond will be like.
I wonder about how Cremation is – and will be – changing
and developing our thinking about the hereafter.
How it triggers thoughts about the ascension of Christ –
not just back to earth – but forward to eternity – especially pondering the
proclamation in the creed, “I believe in the
resurrection of the body. Amen. Alleluia.
More.
I guess we have to die to find out – but that has never
stopped us from thinking ahead – beyond death –way beyond death - thanks to Christ.
