HAVE YOU EVER
BEEN IN A PLAY?
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Have you ever been in a play?”
Looking at your life, have you ever been in a play?
Kindergarten, elementary school, high school, college, community theater? Have you ever been in a play?
Maybe you played the part of a tree or a sheep or a shepherd, a pumpkin or you were the king or queen, princess or pauper.
Have you ever been in a play?
PILATE’S DAUGHTER
I was stationed with a priest who loved to tell the story how he played the part of a spear in a play. It was in our parish in Boston, Mission Church, and the play was "Pilate’s Daughter". (1) This Passion Play was presented every year - especially during Lent. Well, there was this one scene – after Jesus was to be arrested and as you looked at a wall on stage you could see spears going by – just the top of spears – and kids were behind the wall marching by with their spears.
THE STAR-CROSSED ROMANCE OF JOSEPHINE COSNOWSKI
One of my favorite movies is, “The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski.” (2) It’s part of a series of movies that present the life of Jean Shepherd – an old radio story teller. Many people know, “A Christmas Story.” Well, Ralph in the TV Movie, “The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski”, is talking about his younger brother, Randy, and how he played the part of the turkey in a play that reenacted the first Thanksgiving of the Pilgrims. Randy came home whining – which he did every day – and said, “I’m in the school play and I have to play the part of a turkey.” His mom who plays the part of a mom who makes everything right – says, “Well, you’ll be a great turkey.” Then while playing bridge with the ladies, she tells of Randy’s situation and one of them says that her sister is a great seamstress of something like that and she’ll help make him a great turkey outfit. It becomes a great costume. And Randy steals the show. He comes out and dances and everyone claps and claps for him. Then Ralph, looking back on life, says, “My brother didn’t know it then, but this was to be the highlight of his entire life.”
What a great line! Great movies and great plays give great lines – lines that help us look at our life.
Have you ever been in a play? Have you ever gotten off a great line? What has been the highlight of your life?
HIGH SCHOOL PLAY: EASY COME, EASY GO
When I was in high school I had the lead in a play called, “Easy Come, Easy Go.” (3) I don’t remember anything from the play except something that happened 2/3 the way through the first act. Someone forgot their line – and I could hear the off stage prompters yelling it out to the guy who forgot his line. He didn’t get the message. Silence. Big time silence. Pause. I love the line, “How long a minute takes depends on which side of the bathroom door you’re on.” Well, I’m sure it’s the same as on stage. How long a moment of silence for a forgotten line that takes place during a play depends on whether you’re an actor on stage or in the audience in the auditorium.
Having the lead, I figured I had to do something, so I grabbed a line out of mid-air and got the play back on track. The show must go on. Suddenly, I could see the director in the wings gesturing violently at me. I thought to myself, “Uh oh!” Yet, I got the play going and we made it to the end of act one. The curtain closed and I immediately went to the director and asked, “What happened?” He said, “You cut four people out of the play and there’s no way we can get them into the play. Their parents and family are sitting out there and their names are on the program.”
Often in my life – ever since that moment – I get nervous when I cut people off who want to say something. How many people have I cut out of life? I aborted these 4 people. I killed these 4 people who didn’t have a chance to shine for their moment in the spot light. They had very small parts, but I didn’t give these 4 people their chance of 15 seconds of fame.
Have you ever been in a pay?
Have you ever cut someone out of the play?
SHAKESPEARE: AS YOU LIKE IT
We all know Shakespeare’s great speech in the play, “As You Like It”.
All the worlds a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewing and puking in the nurse’s arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel,
And shining morning face, creeping like a snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like a furnace, with a woeful ballad,
Made to his mistress’s eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose well saved, a world too wide
for his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes,
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
In second childishness, and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. (4)
Have you ever been in a play?
Do you see this great big wonderful world that God has given to us as a stage – with so many scenes and settings? Do we try to make each scene we’re in, beautiful?
We’re supposed to stress the environment this weekend? Praise to those who make their gardens beautiful. Curses on those who drop food wrappers or Starbuck coffee cups in parking lots. Praise to those who do practical things to make our waters and air cleaner. Curses on those who dump and waste and ruin the scenes we see, taste and touch every day on the stage of life.
Do you sit in church or on a bench in the mall or at a lacrosse game or at the airport and watch the world go by?
What part are you playing now? Can you laugh at life? Do you like it? This getting older – this losing of our figure and our youth – trouble with our parts – our mind – our memory, how well are we adjusting as the play goes on?
THE READINGS AT MASS
The readings at Mass – present stories and scenes for us the audience to look at our life – to see who we are and where we are.
TODAY’S FIRST READING
Today’s first reading from The Acts of the Apostles is good drama. It presents two groups with two different languages, two different cultures – in the Early Church - who were often in conflict. Today’s reading also presents a problem that needs to be solved. Then we have a list of names – great for lots of parts if this was presented as a play. Then we hear the solution - the story about the beginning of the diaconate in our Church.
TODAY’S SECOND READING
Today’s second reading from The First Letter of Peter spells out loudly and clearly that every person in the play of life is important. All of us have been chosen. All of us top to bottom are royalty. All of us have been called. All of us are priests. Christ is the cornerstone – the living stone. All of us are make up the house of God. We are like the stones that make up a church. Do we feel like we’re part of the church – seeing the importance of each stone being connected to each stone? Do we ever feel like we’re missing – like we’re a hole in the wall?
TODAY’S GOSPEL
During this Easter Season, The Gospel of John is featured on the marquee the most. John is poetic, mysterious and hard to figure out at times. Yet at times he grabs us big time. As Shakespeare, the great playwright, put it in Hamlet, “The play’s the thing / Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.” (5)
I remember hearing a lecture (6) by Dr. Henri Peyre, Sterling Professor of French Literature at Yale, who said that Shakespeare was the most pessimist writer ever. I wondered about that - not knowing enough about Shakespeare – but the speech about the Seven Ages of Life in "As You Like It" is rather pessimistic. He certainly sees life ending there with lots of “sans” – meaning "without".
So I don’t know whether one can make that case about Shakespeare – but I think the Gospel of John presents the case for great optimism about life. Even though Jesus died on the cross with horrible "withouts" – we hear about the great Eight Stage of life: Resurrection and new life.
In today’s gospel he presents two characters whose job it is to raise questions, so Jesus the lead – can tell us great answers.
Thomas plays the part of the doubter here as well as later. (7) Jesus tells us he is leaving to prepare a dwelling place in the Father’s House for us. And Thomas says, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” It gives Jesus the chance to give us the great words, the great line, in life’s play, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Then Jesus adds, “No one comes to the Father except through me, then you will also know the Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip speaks up next with a question we the audience might have, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Philip’s part in the New Testament is the one who is there at the right moment to take care of strategic and specific needs – like when there was no food to feed the crowd and what do we do now? (8)
And Jesus says to Philip, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me. Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”
Great theology is presented in today’s gospel, in today’s play of words.
CONCLUSION: 10 QUICK QUESTIONS
How long a sermon takes, depends on which side of the sermon you’re on.
10 quick questions:
1) What parts or roles am I playing on the stage of my life right now?
2) Do I like the play of my life?
3) Am I listening to other’s lines?
4) Do I clap for others? (9)5) Am I cutting anyone out of the play?
6) Do I give others a chance to star?
7) Am I called to move into a new part?
8) Is Jesus part of the play of my life?
9) How is the play going to end for me?
10) Or do I see the play of my life never ending - that it goes on forever?
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(1) “Pilate’s Daughter,” written by Father Francis L. Kenzel, C.SS.R. – a Passion Play that ran at Mission Church in Boston from 1902 till the 1960’s.
(2) "The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski,” 1983, a TV movie based on a story by Jean Shepherd.
(3) “Easy Come, Easy Go,” written by Owen Davis, 1926.
(4) William Shakespeare, “As You Like It,” Act II, vii, 139
(5) William Shakespeare, “Hamlet,” Act II, ii, 641
(6) Dr. Henri Peyre (1901-1988) gave the speech at the Cooper Union Forum in 1963. It was entitled, "Existentialism and French Literature." He not only called Shakespeare the most pessimistic writer ever - but also "the most unchristian writer who has ever lived." These are rather dramatic statements - that I could not make. Those who read this - are challenged by the speaker - as I was.
(7) Cf. John 20:24-29
(8) Cf. John 6:7 - as well as John 1:43-51; 12:21-22; and Acts 8:4-40.
9) I like this quote: “Marriage should be duet — when one sings, the other claps.” Joe Murray, Cox News Service
