Happy Birthday Bill – my father would have been 96 today. May he rest in peace!
In today’s Gospel, there’s mention of pomp and ceremony. To be more accurate about people who get caught up in pomp and ceremony.
Sadly, truth told, we priests can get caught up in this a bit more than necessary. I heard of a priest once speaking to a group of priests and he talked about titles. He mentioned a group of priest friends out playing golf together – “Great shot Mick”. “Ah well done Peter” etc and the next day writing to each other:
“The Very Rev Michael Canon ….. whatever, PP.VF …..”
He concluded his comments with “who are we trying to impress lads, the postman?!!
It’s wider than Church of course. We can get overly caught up in titles and what we perceive to be our rightful place – our entitlement.
Maybe the thought for today is around “keeping it simple”. Keeping it simple doesn’t mean making it any less important – just that we keep the focus where it needs to be.
Now where did I leave my broader phylactery???
(actually I just googled to see what is a phylactery … a leather pouch worn by Jewish people at Morning Prayer to remind them of the Law. In itself, of course a good thing, the Lord’s issue was about the phylacteries becoming the story in themselves.)
Today we celebrate the Feast of The Chair of St Peter. Setting aside the Lenten purple, white vestments are worn and the Gloria is prayed. A Feast Day of our church.
“Who do the crowds say I am?”, Jesus asked his travelling companions. A few answers and suggestions! Then Peter found the words – “You are the Christ”. He was through to the next round!!
The Christ calls Peter the “rock” and says that it is on this rock the church is to be built.
What a rock! There’s a word in the ether today that may or may not gain traction in coming days “whingers”. Peter could take his place in their midst. “What about us?” he asked. “You will never wash my feet”, he protested. “Even if all deny you I never will”, he assured “The Christ” and within hours was saying “I DO NOT know the man”.
He’s a rock with roll, you might say. Words might sometimes get confused and decisions might be flawed but what makes him worthy of the trust of Jesus is his sincerity and desire to be close to The Lord. He even had a go at walking to him across stormy waters. He wept too, as did Jesus, and that’s a good sign of a man – to be able to show emotion, recognise the error and try and try and try again.
It’s a Feast Day worth celebrating and a foundation stone to be proud of.
Transfiguration! Mountain climbed in the company of friends. A revelation takes place that confounds the friends, and roots them to the spot – “Lord”, they said “it’s wonderful for us to be here … let us build three tents …..” They, we are told, did not know what they were saying.
There are many moments we’d like to capture and put in an air-tight container so that they’d never change. Life though, is for living not preserving and likewise life-giving moments.
What was seen and heard on the mountain top must be brought back to ground level so that it can be appropriately shared with those who were not there.
A picture may well tell a thousand words but is no substitute for the re-telling, one to another, of the Sacred Story.
Just had a short prayer service in the local cemetery with a family remembering their baby, Sarah Ann, who died just before birth two years ago. We had a similar gathering last year. A short prayer, a hymn and we sang “happy birthday”. Her brother and sister released two balloons to the sky and it’s amazing the freedom of them in the air and how quickly they disappeared. I believe this will be a very strongly embedded memory in the hearts of Sarah Ann’s brother and sister and full credit to their parents for keeping their little baby’s memory so rooted in the family circle. At Sarah Ann’s “Mass of The Angels”, I read a letter I’d composed on her behalf and perhaps it might be a thought today for all parents and families who have had to make this difficult journey. A thought too, around the sacredness of human life, its protection and eternal value.
Dear Mammy, Daddy, Amy and Seán,
Thank you for your letters, I’ve read them over and over. Amy’s picture of the church is lovely. It’s great to have them and I know that I’ll often look at them. I thought maybe I should write to you too. I hope it makes sense …
Thanks for welcoming me! I felt so safe with you – that seems a daft thing to say since how else could I feel. I loved the way you talked about me and, though you might not have said it out loud, wondered what I’d be like, who I’d be like. I wondered that too. Chances are, I’d be like both of you. Now that wouldn’t have been bad.
I was ready to meet ye. I so looked forward to it. Amy was so grown up in my world with her talk of school and friends and games and dresses … She seems like great fun. I know she’d have made me very welcome. I loved that black dress she has and all the red flowers on it. I thought I might borrow it sometime. I felt so lucky to have her as a sister and knew we’d always be friends.
Seán! Now what can I say about him? He’s mighty fun. In fairness he might have preferred if I was a boy. He imagined us having all sorts of adventures around the house, playing in old cars and hiding things in places nobody would find. Things like Jammy Dodger biscuits, cap guns, spanners … He’s a live wire for sure. Was he ready for another sister? I know now that he was. To be honest, I’d have loved to play around the house with him and I love cars, even the Vectra that was sprayed Green and Red last September! The games around the house, the hidden biscuits, the endless laughter and wondering what he’d do next! … You’re the best Seán.
It’s great to have the four grandparents. I know that many children don’t. I know that they are sad for mammy and daddy but I hope not too sad. All I wanted was to make them happy. I’m glad they’re here now and I know they’ll be a great help. Thanks for loving me too. I’ll always love ye.
These last few days have been strange for us all. None of us expected this. I hate to see you all so sad, my parents, brother and sister, my uncles, aunts, grandparents and all of you here today. I know there are other mammys and daddys here who know what this feels like. I’m sorry you are sad. Like all of you, I wish it were different. None of us saw this coming but we’re here now, it’s an hour we have to go through. Jesus told me he had an hour like this too, in a garden when he didn’t know what was happening. He said his best friends fell asleep while he worried. He put his hand on my head and said, “Your friends didn’t sleep Sarah …. they’re all awake with you” – I knew what he meant.
You’ve all done your best for me. I love the names you gave me. Sarah! What a mighty woman? She was kind and giving and had such a hearty laugh. She believed in God even when it was hard to believe. God never forgot about her and sent a little baby to her when she was very old. God doesn’t forget about anyone. I know He is with us all today and always will be. Ann? I love that name too. She was Mary’s mother and helped Mary so much. Mary is kind. She doesn’t say a lot but she notices everything. She was one of the first to hold me. She told me I’d be fine but I knew she felt sorry for all of you too so I told her how much you did for me.
I told her about the Butterfly people who’d made little clothes for me. I told her about the photographs you have of me. My footprints, handprints and the teddys Seán and Amy gave me. She noticed the little Rosary Beads too and I told her it was mammy’s. She cried a little, as if she knew what sadness means but then she smiled when I told her about Amy’s black dress with the red flowers … She laughed out loud when I showed her the red flowers … “Sarah”, she said “did you take those from your sister?” “No Mary, she cut them off herself and gave them to me. I think that means ….. “
… and before I could finish Mary said, “Yes, it does Sarah Ann, it means she loves you …… they all love you”,
I felt happy then because I know how much you all love me. That will never change. I love you too.
The link between Old Testament and Gospel is particularly obvious in today’s Scripture Passages at Mass. Jonah making his three day trek across Nineveh, calling on all people to repent. The message reaches the King, who upon hearing it, gets up from the throne, removes his royal attire and puts on sackcloth and sits in ashes. He then calls on all people to do likewise. He believes God is truly speaking to the the people and that the call to and need for repentance is very real.
In the Gospel passage Jesus reminds people of this and says that the generation has become fickle. All they want are signs and wonders. The “only sign” he tells them is the sign of Jonah. He reminds his listeners that people reacted in a powerful and humble way to Jonah’s message and that somehow the people of his day (and ours too) does not seem to hear the message in its entirety.
Leadership is on the tongues of many now, as they seek our votes to elect a new Government. Leaders too, need to be aware of God’s call and message. Irrespective of where they worship or whether or not they worship, there’s a need to realise “there’s something greater than Jonah here”. Leaders too need, like the King in Nineveh, to have a deeply rooted awareness that there’s a story before them and a Power above them. We pray for good, effective leaders who inspire us and remain open to inspiration.
The “buzz word” of the present campaign is “economy” but there’s more to an ecomony than the “sign”, the “at-times dangerous sign” of money. It’s about the best in, for and through people.
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Imelda May taps into this two-fold existence of pride and humility in her lovely song “Proud and Humble”. Enjoy!
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