THE LAW OF SAG AND WRINKLE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 17^th Monday in Ordinary Time is, “The Law of Sag and Wrinkle.”

LOTS OF LAWS

There are all kinds of laws in life.

We all know the law of gravity  - and the Golden Rule - and speed limits - and no parking in fire zones.  We know funny laws like: ‘Don’t take sleeping pills and laxative pills the same night.”

Then we have our own set of rules and regulations - written from experience and from consequences - like: “Don’t forget your spouse’s birthday.”

The theory of law is that laws are for the common good.  Laws benefit us - like FDA regulations or food protection laws.

Salmonella can cause stomach sickness - plus hurt a brand name.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Today’s first reading from Jeremiah 13: 1-11  has the famous linen loincloth prop for a sermon and a message.

I have never been tempted to bring an undergarment into the pulpit for a sermon message. 

Jeremiah does. Jeremiah takes his loin cloth off - sticks it in between some rocks.  In time it rots. Then he gets it and uses it as Exhibit A in his message.

PICTURE THAT

Props, parables, picturesque language, help us to picture what the speaker wants us to see.

In this homily I’m talking about things aging.

I’m talking here about,   “The law of sag and wrinkle.”

I could have called it the law of rot.  Everything rots. Everything ages. Everything sags and wrinkles.

We heard about plants and bread in today’s gospel, Matthew 13: 31-35.

How many times have we seen someone with a bouquet of flowers and we say inwardly, “Nice.”

Flowers, plants, bushes, trees - all have their day.  All have their day - they show their bloom, their mustard tastes great on the hot dog. Hot dog.

Bread too has its moments - like coming out onto the table - being cut into -  sliced, and then someone puts delicious cold butter on the table with our daily bread.

Then we see stale bread, moldy bread, bread tosses to the birds.

It had its date.

The expiration day showed up.

Shakespeare and a lot of poets talked about the law of sag and wrinkle.

The 22 year older in bikini or gown - has her day - but some day she’ll have to bring the garbage out to the sidewalk in her housecoat at 88 - and the garbage truck driver won’t even take a first look.

CONCLUSION

In other words, Jeremiah is telling us, “Don’t be stubborn!”

In other words, “Listen!”

In other words, Jeremiah is telling us, everyone and everything has an expiration date. That’s the law.

Underwear sags and wrinkles - like skin - like body parts. That message is printed right on our package.

In other words, to be alive, there are consequences.