Homily Cycle C 2/24/19
A young bagpiper was asked by a funeral
director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man with no family or
friends. The funeral was to be held at a
cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be laid to
rest there.
The bagpiper was not familiar with the backwoods area and became lost; and, being
a typical man, he did not stop for directions, didn’t use his G.P.S., and finally
arrived an hour late. He saw the
backhoe; the crew was eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. He apologized to the workers for being late
and stepped to the side of the open grave, where he saw the vault lid already
in place.
He assured the workers he wouldn’t be to long, but this was the proper thing to
do. The workers gathered around, while still eating
their lunch. The bagpiper played with his whole heart and soul. And as he
played, the workers began to weep. He
played: “How Great Thou Art”, “The Lord Is My Shepherd”, “He Looked Beyond My
Fault” and he closed with “Amazing Grace.”
Then he walked to his car and as he opened his
car door, he heard one of the workers say, "Holy Moses, I never seen
anything like that before – and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty
years." [Story - The Bagpiper]
I share that with you because today’s readings
ask us to look at life differently. Today’s
scripture readings challenge us to look at how we live as disciples of Jesus.
We heard about David’s restraint regarding
Saul & we marvel at it. David
chose mercy over justice. St.
Paul reminds us that through our Baptism we bear the “image of the heavenly
one” – of God!
In today’s Gospel Jesus continues His
teaching on the last week’s Gospel – Beatitudes. He commands us, “Love your enemies, do good
to those who hate you,” that seems unrealistic and
impossible.
Jesus
urges us to be “non-violent”, but He does not say allow people to walk all over
you. Instead Jesus wants us to find ways
to assert our dignity as God’s children in non-violent ways.
This
example might help us, before
Apartheid ended in South Africa Archbishop Desmond Tutu was walking down the
sidewalk when an Afrikaner policeman yelled at him, “I don’t share the sidewalk with pigs”, Tutu responded “Neither do I” and he stepped into the
street and walked around the policemen.
Please
bear with me for a few minutes and follow this unusual request –
kneel
down and pray with me a Litany of Forgiveness. It will help us reflect on living
today’s Gospel message.
You Response is “Father, forgive them.”
For those who have betrayed us R. “Father, forgive
them.”
For those who have let us down R. “Father,
forgive them.”
For those who have crippled our
lives R. “Father,
forgive them.”
For those who have accused us R. “Father, forgive
them.”
For those who have hurt us R. “Father, forgive
them.”
Your Response is “Father, forgive me.”
For my times of distrust R. “Father, forgive
me.”
For my disbelief in your love R. “Father, forgive
me.”
For my searching everywhere but
in Your heart R.
“Father, forgive me.”
For my own unforgiving actions R. “Father, forgive
me.”
For my unbelief in Your
forgiveness R. “Father,
forgive me.”
(Adopted from William Bausch, A
World of Stories)
Jesus
challenges us to be our “best selves” to be like Him, take a few minutes today
to reflect on your discipleship.
May
God Be Praised!
Where did I find you, that I came to
know you? You were not within my memory before I learned of you. Where, then,
did I find you before I came to know you, if not within yourself, far above me?
We come to you and go from you, but no place is involved in this process. In
every place, O Truth, you are present to those who seek your help, and at one
and the same time you answer all, though they seek your counsel on different
matters…
“Thomas Merton observed that ‘the root of Christian love is
… the faith that one is loved by God.’” 
