A homily for Easter Sunday
As Easter was approaching, I get a call from one of our guys who was very sick and couldn’t handle the parish. I was a teacher then, so I knew I was free and so yes, I’ll handle the parish for Holy Week. Even though I didn’t know the people. So it was Holy Thursday, which can be long. Good Friday, Holy Saturday, which is always very long.
And it was Easter Sunday morning. Three masses at the end of the first one, a family of adult kids comes in and talks to me. Mass had just let out, our father is dying. Can you come and anoint him? Give him last rites. And I looked at them and said, no, I can’t. We have two more masses. I’ve got two more masses.
I cannot come to anoint your father. Maybe this afternoon. Late, but not now. And so they left without, you know, I couldn’t go. I did the next two masses, and when it was over, I just wanted a cup of coffee in the worst way. I wanted a nap in the worst way. It’s a lot of work. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Sunday, Sunday. And so. And I just know I’m not going to go there. I need a nap now. I worked hard. I deserve a break. No. I worked hard, I deserve a cup of coffee. But I thought the best of it. So I get in the car and put their address. They give me the address in my GPS and it takes me far out of town.
And I pull up and the whole family’s there waiting on the street like on the curb. I thought, oh no, he must have died. And they’re waiting for the coroner. But no, the I pull up and they say, oh, we’re waiting for you, father. I’m here. I’m glad I came. And they said, our dad has rallied, is not so near dead.
He’s actually feeling good. He asked to be carried outside. So we carried him and he’s in the backyard in the sun. So we walk around there and we’re just jabbering him, the kids, his adult kids and me. And all of a sudden he says, can I speak to you privately, father? So I said, sure. So I sent all these sons and daughters inside because I think it’s going to be confession.
And he says to me, I’m finally getting what life is all about. It’s about love. It’s not about career or big house or car or or duty or obligation. Only thing that matters is love. And I’ve never told my kids I love them and look at they’re taking good care of me. Yeah, I took care of them, they can presume I love them, but I never said.
And and I think that’s what life is about. Saying it, showing it, doing it, love and nothing else. And I smiled and said, this is living the resurrection now, is what I said to myself. This is what you know what Easter is all about? Easter joy. It’s not about resurrection at the end of life, only it’s not about Jesus’s resurrection, only.
It’s about living that resurrected life and day, living in his grace, his love, his direction, what he asks of us. That’s what I think. Teresa of Avila is getting at when she says to her, to herself, “what is it? oh, soul that you see, saved through love and love again and all on flame with love within. Love on. And turn to love again”. Easter joy. Happy Easter.
