COMFORT
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this Second Tuesday in Advent is
“Comfort.”
Today’s first reading from Isaiah begins with the word “comfort” and with that theme: “Comfort, give
comfort to my people.”
THE COMFORTER
Growing up we had this neat big down - light brown -
blanket - which was called, “The comforter.”
After the radiator, It was the most important thing in
the living room - from December till
March.
First come, first serve, unless my older brother could
grab and steal it from us. It was one of a kind - and hung around our living
room on the couch - rarely folded - because everyone wanted it and used it all
the time.
There were also two big dull yellow white wool blankets
that were second choices. Besides that they were itchy - but on a cold evening
- they were a good choice. We’d be there with the radio on. This was before TV
- black and white TV.
PROVIDING COMFORT FOR OTHERS
Providing comfort for others is a specific - non-verbal -
act of charity.
Isn’t it neat to see an airline steward or stewardess providing
blankets to folks - after 11 PM - 30,000 feet up - even tucking a dark blue
blanket on an old man or old lady in the night?
So too in nursing homes or for babies in carriages - on cold winter days.
So too hot chocolate in winter or ice cream on summer
nights.
Isaiah is saying, “Comfort, give comfort to my people.”
I wonder if the concentration camp bullies - and killers
- at Auschwitz - and Buchenwald - never had parents and grandparents - or families who
provided comfort to each other when they were growing up.
How could they make life so horrible for the Jews, the
gays, the misfits - made to sleep on wood slats in the concentration camps.
BENCHES HERE AT ST.
JOHN NEUMANN
The benches at St. Mary’s are rather uncomfortable. The pillows here at St. John Neumann have
improved. The pillows you’re on now don’t have buttons on them like the ones
that we just replaced
Speaking of benches and uncomfortable chairs, I’m waiting
for airlines to provide more chair room - rather than less - bigger bathrooms -
and then using those two factors in
advertising for that airline. “Our seats
have 37.6 % more seat room than any other airline.” “Our bathrooms - you can’t take a shower in
them - but they have 42.6% more comfort room than any other bathroom in any
other airline.”
TODAY’S GOSPEL - THE LOST SHEEP
Think of the lost sheep in today’s gospel. That lost
sheep was the 1 in 99 - who has disappeared - and the Good Shepherd - leaves
the 99 and goes in search of his lost sheep.
I notice Father Tiz has several doggie blankets for
Wilbur. I don’t know if Wilbur his pug appreciates
that TLC - more than treats - but I
would sense that the dog or cat owner - who takes good care of their pets -
that that care carries over to how they see homeless and people in the cold.
I hope that carries over to providing hot chocolate in
cold weather and oreos and chocolate chip cookies - year round.
CONCLUSION
My theme has been comfort. I talked mainly about human
everyday comforts - but hopefully in doing them for each other, they will carry over to doing more comforting and caring
of each other.
