Sometimes when looking down I see what I'm not seeing when I'm looking up.... I see what's around me, what surrounds me: the beauty of the trees and the sky above and all that is on the macadam mirror - the road of life.
Today’s first reading for this 32nd Tuesday in Ordinary Time - right after the opening
paragraph - is often used for funerals. So I decided to say a few words about,
“Picking Your Readings For Your Funeral.”
When a family prepares for the funeral of a mom or dad or
spouse or child, they can get at the office at St. Mary’s a small paperback
booklet that has lots of readings as well as this and that for funerals.
They get a similar book for weddings - but I’ve noticed
at funerals a slight difference: families
often chose readings that are not in that booklet.
I like it when families pick a favorite gospel - but I’ve
noticed some priests have their favorites - so beware of that. I like it when people tell me that the
readings fit their loved one who has died.
I especially like it when they tell me why they picked a certain
reading.
SUGGESTION:
PLAN YOUR OWN FUNERAL
Sit down while your mind is working and pick out the 3
readings you would like for your funeral.
Pick out the music as well. I think people do that more
readily.
I have found Mary Gassman does a great job in helping families prepare for a funeral of a loved one.
My suggestion here is: Make it even easier by having your
funeral lined up.
I have done it for my funeral - and it’s in the pastor’s
office. I have not looked at it in a few years. I might do it again to see if
I’d have some changes. I hope Harry
Thompson can play the Shaker song, “Tis a gift to be simple” - from Appalachian
Spring. It’s number 516 in our
Missalette.
Keep it simple!
SECOND SUGGESTION:
DO THIS WITH OTHERS
I only remember one time since I’ve been here that I did
this preparation with a whole family. I’ve sat down with individuals a bunch of
times - as well as couples a bunch of times.
Teresa Marie Newton
September 16, 1944- February 2, 2006
The funeral preparation was for Teresa “Terry” Newton -
who was dying. Terry used to come to many a weekday Mass. This was back in 2006.
We met at Terry and her husband Dave’s house. The whole family - I picture
about 10 people - and Teresa sat there and talked as we picked her readings and
her songs and what she would like.
It was a powerful moment of grace for me.
This green vestment I’m wearing today is in memory of
Terry. It’s written right here on this inner stole.
We Redemptorists meet every month, but we’ve never done
this- telling each other what we would
like for our funeral. We’re asked to line up what we want for our funeral
- on paper. But my thought here is to do
this with others present.
At our convocation a few weeks back we were told to meet
more often about community stuff - life together - a lot more than we do. We meet for business - work stuff - but not
enough for community stuff.
We have a community meeting today at 9 AM and we’re
supposed to come up with some better plans for becoming a better community. I’m going to suggest that we do talk together
what we want for our funerals - what we would like - what we hope our legacy is
- what our life was like.
And I’m sure the others will look at me as if I’m a deer in
the night with headlights in my eyes. And a good P.S. Pick your best picture for your funeral program and death cards - like a picture when you were 33.
CONCLUSION
Today’s gospel talks about a banquet - and obviously -
the master isn’t going to wait on and serve the servants. Today’s gospel has
the owner bossing the servants saying things like, “Put on your apron and serve
me.”
Well, I wouldn’t chose this gospel, because when we die I
see God sitting me down to table - and serving me - like he did at the Last
Supper - washing his disciples feet and feeding them the Pascal Meal - of bread
and wine - giving us himself.
Today is the feast of St. Mother Cabrini.” So the title
of my homily is, “Mother Cabrini and St. John Neumann, Patron Saints for Travelers.”
Up until February 14, 1969, Catholics prayed to and
relied on St. Christopher for help - guidance - protection when travelling.
Pope Paul VI in a motu proprio - entitled, "Approval of the General Norms
for the Liturgical Year and the New General Roman Calendar" (AGN) - said
that we’ve looked at a lot of saints and some early Christian saints - and there
are a lot of legends etc. involved. One
was St. Christopher and St. Valentine and remember St. Philomena, etc. etc.
etc.
Because
they were not officially canonized, like modern saints, some of these saints
were dropped from the church year calendar. Well, it upset lots of folks when some saints
were left off the official Roman Calendar of Saints. Upset happens with church changes. This does not mean there wasn’t a St.
Christopher along with the stories about him.
We’re all called to be like Christopher - the Christ bearer. The legend is that he carried Christ across a
river where he served ferrying people.
He was a giant of a man - but when carrying Christ, Christ got heavier
and heavier. Yet he made it.
The
Pope’s statement meant we are trying to be more exact in all this.
I never
talked to folks who had the first name of Christopher. It’s a great name - to
be a Christ bearer - to bring Christ to others - and to be a Christopher to
fellow travelers.
In
reality, they still sell lots of St. Christopher medals and I always bless
them.
I’ve
thought - that the church was a bit clumsy here - because legends are part of
our lives. We have them about George Washington and Abe Lincoln and so many
others.
The
history of saints - hagiography - is
loaded with stories that need to be checked out - but if they all were - then
uh oh!
A MOMENT
I had a
wedding here in this parish years and years ago. The couple had a 4 year old kid and they
wanted their marriage blessed in church. They wanted the sacrament.
In the
sanctuary we set up his chair, her chair, and a chair in the middle for their
son.
During
the wedding itself, the kid stood up, and walked out of the sanctuary and down
to where his grandparents were.
A seat
was empty. You know the old saying, “Nature
hates a vacuum.”
Well,
this little girl, seeing the empty seat, walks up and sits between the bride
and groom. She was not connected to
them.
I loved
the moment.
ST. MOTHER CABRINI AND JOHN NEUMANN
When traveling keep praying to St. Christopher - to the whoever it was that these stories arose. But if
you want two new saints to pray to when traveling - and fill up Christopher’s
place, pick Mother Cabrini and John Neumann.
Read Mother Cabrini’s life. When she was in Italy as a
young lady she was sickly - yet she traveled all over the place. She wanted to
go to China as a missionary. Someone suggested America. She crossed the
Atlantic 25 times. She set up 67 places
in her lifetime. She was in New York, LA, Denver, New Orleans, Scranton, Philly, as well as South America, etc.
etc. etc.
She traveled.
St. John Neumann was also a traveler - dying on the
street in Philly on his way to or from the Post Office. He traveled all over upper NY State near
Buffalo, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland.
CONCLUSION
So there are two saints to pray to when beginning trips
across the Atlantic, to Italy, South America, east coast, west coast, gulf
coast, or to the post office.
