| For your convenience you can now listen to Fr. Bob’s reflection, click here. |
25th Sunday of Ordinary Time
9-20-20 |
| We
have a very beautiful first reading from Isaiah. My thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. Lovely poetry, often
quoted, but the beginning of this reading is, perhaps more practical.
Seek the Lord while He may be found, call Him while He is near. Is there
anyone you would like to say that to? Someone who, perhaps, was once a
seeker of the Lord. Someone close to you. |
| A
relative and friend…perhaps, a child who has now gone in another
direction. Such a person was Dan Wakefield, a novelist and screenwriter.
He used to call himself a former Christian, a fallen angel. He lived
the high life of New York and Hollywood, his books were best sellers and
two became movies. He led a dissolute life in the very fast lane. On
Christmas Eve in Boston he left his grand hotel and went to look for a
bar, a bar with local color. |
| While
looking he passed King’s Chapel where people were going in. He thought,
“Oh yes, I remember Christmas Eve. That is what people do, go to
church.” So, he stumbled into the church and sat down by the crib.
Seeing the Christ Child there, that Gentle God in human form and the
words of St. John’s Gospel kept going through his mind. And the word was
made flesh and dwelt among us. |
| He
was caught by old memories of family and a new emptiness in his life.
Something resonated in his soul and it was not long before he returned
to his roots, to Christ. And he wrote a very beautiful book about that
return. It is simply called Returning. He sought and he found the crib and its memories had caught him. |
| Another
person who was seeking was a young woman named Catherine Whitemore. She
grew up an Episcopalian and she had good memories. She creates coloring
books for bible school, stories about Jesus. In college she never went
to church and scoffed at organized religion. But after her mother died,
she wanted to go back. So she looked up the yellow pages and found 48
listings for Episcopal Churches. The first one was very grand with a
famous choir and liturgy. It all felt rather anonymous, you were an
onlooker, just listening to the wonderful music. And watching the
movements on the altar she felt just part of an audience. |
| She
kept searching and found a small church where everyone took part in the
liturgy. But above all what first attracted her was the large crucifix
on the altar. And her first thought was God so loved me that He allowed
this to be done to His Son. This is not the way I would have saved the
world. No, God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. God’s ways are not our
ways. |
| It
is interesting the paths these two seekers, Dan Wakefield and Catherine
Whitemore took. One is captured by the crib, the other by the cross.
Both by the memories they stirred up. The basic testimony of both these
people is that their return was precisely that, a return. That is to say
someone had already in their young years laid a foundation. There were
pictures and prayers and bible school and family church going. |
| Later
on it is true they left all that. But it did not leave them, grace was
but dormant and merely waiting. Waiting to be resurrected by the crib or
the cross of another time. Put there by someone significant, their
stories remind us of the importance of laying good foundations. Of the
importance of you being here the praise you are giving to God. The
worship together, the example and witness. |
| In
short, the memories you are creating for this community, this family,
this parish. Never underestimate the power of memories. Whether you
teach others the gentleness and nearness of the crib or the demands and
cost of the cross, do it early and do it often. Do it faithfully, do it
with your own lives. Never forget Isaiah’s message, seek the Lord while
He may be found and call Him while He is near. |
| If
you do not forget perhaps, someone someday will remember. Remember what
you showed them by example and maybe the crib or the cross will remind
them that the Lord is near to all who call upon Him. |
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