Hopeless As Hell

Seeing the grace and hope in every situation  

Isaiah 11:1-10  

           On that day, A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A Spirit of counsel and of strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.   

          I have a firm conviction that there are no hopeless situations. That is, I believe no matter how bad, or how sad, or how dark or how depressing life gets, there is always hope. Why is that? Well, because I am convinced there is a grace – a spark of goodness and of God – in everything. I absolutely believe this.   

          To test this theory, let’s look at the most hopeless place of all, namely, hell. Who can forget that famous inscription above the doors to hell that Dante reads before entering hell in the Inferno. It states, almost as if the doors were talking to us: “Through me you pass into the city of woe: Through me you pass into eternal pain…Abandon all hope ye who enter here.” I remember one friend in seminary who posted those words above his dormitory door, “Abandon all hope!” But is even hell without hope? One of the great theologians of the last century, Hans Urs von Balthasar, argued that we can have a “reasonable hope” that all will be saved. Notice, he did not say that everyone will in fact be save, indeed, some may not, but it is not unreasonable to hope for that. Why did he say that? Well, because there is grace everywhere, so there is hope everywhere. Even Dante, when he entered beneath those dark doors, did not abandon all hope – he emerged on the other side a holier and more hopeful man.   

          In the first reading today, we see the root of all our hope, namely, in the prophesy of Isaiah. The prophet foretells: “On that day, a Shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” Isaiah is predicting the future Messiah, of course. But notice the imagery is one of virtual hopelessness – a lifeless stump – like the admonition on the gates of hell, “abandon all hope.” And yet Isaiah did not abandon all hope. Why? Because there is grace everywhere, thanks to the coming of the Messiah. You see, with the coming of Christ, “hope springs eternal in the human breast; Man never is, but always to be blessed,” as Alexander Pope poetically put it. With Jesus, there is always hope.

          My friends, I offer this message to you when you face supposedly hopeless situations. Please know there is a grace in every moment, and that grace should give you hope. Sometimes we feel we have sinned so much God will never be able to forgive us, maybe we’ve even procured an abortion. That’s why the pope let priests for give abortions: so people feel like there’s always hope. Some people struggle with same-sex attraction, or a family member does. They feel it’s hopeless to remain a good Catholic under those conditions. I say don’t give up hope, keep trying to do the right thing. When a Catholic gets divorced, they feel marriage is hopeless and want to give up on love. But I believe there is a grace in every moment, even the moment of divorce, a grace that helps us grow closer to Christ. Perhaps your children have stopped going to church and Mass. Don’t give up hope: even if they are not searching for God, God is searching for them.  Maybe you are terminally ill and feel hopeless; there is grace in the suffering, too.

          In other words, it’s not only on the doors of hell that we read the words, “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” Those words are ubiquitous. But even more ubiquitous is grace and goodness and hope. Here’s the whole quatrain from Pope: “Hope springs eternal in the human breast; Man never is, but always to be blessed: The soul, uneasy and confined from home, Rests and expatiates in a life to come.” Christians never abandon all hope.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Closet Christians

Opening all the doors in our hearts to Christ  

Matthew 8:5-11  

           When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”  The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.”   

          I have a curious custom whenever I bless someone’s home. When I bless a house, I bless the whole house, including closets, and bathrooms, and attics. Some people’s eyes become the size of saucers when I say that. Do you think that’s why I don’t get invitations to bless homes anymore? But I quickly explain that blessing a home means inviting Jesus into every corner and crany and closet of your home, which is really a symbol of inviting him into every corner of your heart. Sometimes we’re afraid to let Jesus see our closets where we hide our still un-Christians lives and our un-Christians loves. We are not ready for Jesus to rule and be king over everything.   

          In his homily this past Sunday, Bishop Robert Barron probed deeper into making Christ’s kingdom more complete. He asked these provocative questions: “Is your private life ordered to God and his purposes? Is your professional life attuned to the worship of God? Is your family life under the aegis of God?” (Don’t worry, I had to look up the meaning of “aegis,” too.) He went on: “Does your mind belong to Jerusalem? See what I’m driving at? Your mind seeks all sorts of things; your mind is preoccupied by all sorts of things in the course of the day. Is it above all preoccupied with the things of God, or is your mind filled with a lot of trivial matters?” In other words, Bishop Barron is pointing out all the “closets” in our hearts where we do not want Christ to enter. We are “closet Christians.”  

 

          In the gospel today a Roman Centurion also hesitates to let Jesus inside his home. You all remember the context: what the soldier says is actually an act of extraordinary faith. Indeed, Jesus praises him for it by announcing to all his hearers: “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.” So, the solider is to be commended for his faith. But I believe we would be remiss if we concluded that the Centurion’s faith was therefore perfect. He still had more work to do: to grow in that faith, to build a real and lasting relationship with Jesus, to become Jesus’ friend, to become Jesus’ disciple. His great statement of faith was a tremendous first step; but his journey with Jesus had just begun. In other words, his reluctance to have Jesus “enter under his roof” sounds a lot like today’s Catholics afraid of letting me bless their closets. The Centurion, too, was a closet Christian.   

          My friends, ask yourself today, like Bishop Barron did: what are the closets I don’t want Christ to see and save? Sometimes we tend to leave our faith on the front steps of the church as we leave Mass, and live like everyone else the rest of the week. Our un-Christian closets could be called “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.” Some people don’t invite Jesus into their intimate life as spouses. We hear the slogan, “Keep God out of the bedroom!” Our sex-life becomes an un-Christian closet. Here in the United States we have built a wall of separation between Church and State, and we believe religion does not belong in politics. This past Friday I baptized Daisy Northey, the granddaughter of Senator John Boozman. Afterwards, he invited me to say the prayer before the U.S. Senate meets in session. Senator Boozman doesn’t want the U.S. Capitol to be an un-Christian closet.   

          On October 22, 1978, the newly-elected Pope John Paul II delivered his first homily as the Holy Father. He said basically what I say when I bless a home, he said: “Open wide the doors for Christ. To his saving power, open the boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the vast fields of culture, civilization and development. Do not be afraid. Christ knows ‘what is in man,’ He alone knows it.” Folks, Jesus already knows what’s in your closet.   

          Praised be Jesus Christ!  

Pillars of the Earth

Discovering the roots of our own personalities and purposes  

Luke 21:34-36  

          Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”

          Traumatic events and experiences tend to leave an indelible and enduring mark on the rest of our lives. Even if we forget them, they don’t forget us: these mini-milestones shaping our thinking, our choices, our history and our destiny. Did you ever read the historical fiction book called Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett? It’s one of those books that’s hard to put down once you start reading. It’s about the building of a cathedral in a fictional town of Kingsbridge in the 12th century. The Catholic Church is not often shown in a positive light, but one character shines our impeccably, namely, Prior Philip, the stern but saintly abbot of the monastery, the real cornerstone of Kingsbridge.  I often fancy myself the Prior Philip of Fort Smith.

          We learn how Philip’s own past has shaped his present. When he was 6 years old, his father – simply called “Da” – came home from battle. The family lived in Wales. But their house was invaded by English soldiers who killed both of his parents. But before Philip met his own demise, he was saved by an Abbot named Peter, who took Philip and his brother to the monastery to be raised as monks. But the trauma of witnessing his parents’ brutal murder also awakened a monastic vocation in Philip. He never wavered about being a monk, and he was always very compassionate toward children in need. You see, “Pillars of the Earth” is not only about cathedral pillars, but also about the “pillars” of each person, the foundational experiences that profoundly impact our lives.

          I hope this doesn’t sound too irreverent, but I think we can also see some “pillars” in Jesus’ own particular past, and how they influenced him. Now, Jesus is fully God and fully man, so it’s never an “apples to apples comparison” with him. Nevertheless, can you recall a particularly pivotal point in the Jesus early life? Shortly after Jesus was born, King Herod ordered the murder of all baby boys two years old or younger. This caused the Holy Family to flee into Egypt, and they stayed there as refugees for four years, until Herod died. How did those four formative years shape the psyche and sensibilities of the little Savior? That topic would be profitable for your meditation. But my point is that experience did become one of the “pillars” of Jesus own human life. It may have awakened an awareness that everything in this world passes away and to prepare for the next world. Hence, in the gospel today, the 33 year-old Jesus says – not so surprisingly – to his disciples: “Be vigilant at all times and pray you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” In other words, just as Prior Philip’s personal pillars were the foundations of his future, so, too, Jesus’ own past shaped his future.

          My friends, today let me invite you to pry into your own past and to find your own pillars. Take time in silence and solitude to remember your childhood experiences – you may have forgotten them, but they have not forgotten you! Did your parents die or get divorced when you were young? How did you feel about that? How did you deal with that? I often reflect on the lasting impact of moving to the United States from India when I was just 7 years old. I am convinced that experience of losing all I knew – my friends, my school, my language, my home – planted the seeds of a priestly vocation: I wanted to hang on to Something (God) and to Someone (Jesus) I would never lose. In other words, traumatic experiences can also have beneficial effects: like for Prior Philip, and for Jesus, and for me. They can be moments when God’s grace bursts into our life shining his light and love. Ask yourself today: What are the pillars of my own earth?

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Thanksgiving Lamb

Putting aside our differences when we share a meal  

Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9A  

I, John, saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth became illumined by his splendor. Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.”   

          I’ve been pastor of Immaculate Conception for three full years now, and it should come as no surprise to anyone that I love to come to your homes for supper. And the reason I do that is so we can get to know each other, love each other, and help each other love Jesus more. Moreover, I’m convinced that’s exactly what happens when you share a meal with someone, in a word, “communion” happens. As the old adage goes: “the fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” We touch each other’s hearts, and Jesus touches our hearts. Now, one priest I know disagrees with that dictum. He says: “the only plate that touches my heart is the collection plate.”  

 

          To be completely honest, I have not always been so successful at securing suppers like I am today. I’ll never forget the first time I wanted to eat a supper with a layperson. I was in eighth grade and had this huge crush on a pretty little blonde girl. I called her and asked her if she’d like to grab something to eat at Taco Bell. And her answer sounded a lot like Meghan Trainor’s new song, she basically said, “My name is ‘No,’ my sign is ‘No,’ my number is ‘No.’ You need to let it go, you need to let it go.” That’s exactly what she said. So, it’s taken me many years to finally perfect this rare talent to go to lay people’s homes for supper, and I’m pretty good at it now. But you see, sharing a supper with someone is always an expression of love, and by the way, that’s exactly why that little blonde girl said, “no.”   

          In the first reading today, St. John says that the very last supper we will ever share – because it’s the supper that lasts forever in heaven – will likewise be an infinite expression of love. We read in Revelation: “Then the angel said to me” – that is to St. John – “Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” In other words, the end of time and the business of eternity will be the celebration of a shared meal. But not the sharing of any ordinary meal, but a “wedding feast,” the perfect love feast between two people madly in love with each other. My favorite picture of any wedding is where the bride and groom feed each other with a little bite of wedding cake. Have you seen such pictures? That always gives me flashbacks to feeding that little blonde girl a little bite of bean burrito. But notice John’s vision is not just the wedding feast of two people, but also the wedding feast of the Lamb, that is, the wedding feast of Jesus. In other words, the best shared suppers always brings us closer to each other and closer to Christ.   

          Today our country celebrates Thanksgiving Day. And what is the perennial and perfect sign of this celebration? It is fireworks? No. Is it gifts wrapped under a tree? No. Is it brightly colored eggs? No. Thanksgiving is symbolized by a shared meal as an expression of love. Historians typically trace back the first Thanksgiving to 1621, when a meal was shared between Pilgrims and Native Americans after their first harvest. In attendance were 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims. When invited to that meal, no one said, “My name is ‘No’.” And because the Pilgrims were also Puritans (meaning Calvinist Christians), they no doubt invoked their Savior Jesus Christ in prayer. Meals always express love for each other and for Jesus.   

          My friends, as you sit down to your own Thanksgiving meals today, I pray you also feel true and tender love for each other and for Jesus. Sometimes family gatherings can be strained with tension and turmoil. Old wounds and un-buried hatchets come out. Misunderstandings between in-laws and out-laws resurface. Divisions, disagreements, divorces, and even deaths can cloud and rain on an otherwise joyous occasion. But today, like the Native Americans dropped their tomahawks and the Pilgrims put down their muzzle-loaders, so too may your families forgive and forget any past problems, and sit down at the table to share your love for each other and for Jesus.   

          And as you trim the turkey today, try to look forward to that “last supper” that will last forever in heaven. There, we will feed each other like a bride and groom give each other wedding cake – or feed each other with bean burritos, as the case may be  – and there Jesus will feed us with his love, at the “wedding feast of the Lamb.” At that Thanksgiving supper, we will share Lamb with one another, and not turkey.  And when you’re invited to that last supper, don’t answer, “My name is ‘no’.”  

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

The Devil’s Due

Learning from our enemies to be wise  

Luke 21:5-11  

           While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here–the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”  He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them!   

          Yesterday, Mrs. Marsh sent an email announcing the up-coming debates. The topics of the debates sounded intriguing, and when I saw which students were lined up on the opposing sides, I wondered who’d win the debates. Let’s take an informal survey and see what you think. One topic was entitled: “Cell phones should be allowed in school,” a very vanilla subject that no one cares about (that’s called sarcasm). Just listen to who’s on which side and then I’ll ask you to raise your hands to vote on who will win the debate. On the affirmative side (meaning they will argue cell phone should be allowed in school) are (please stand): Seth Martin, Faith Rossi, Jayson Toney, and Abby Vargas. On the opposing side (meaning they will argue that cell phone should not be allowed in school) are (please stand): Reiter Ahlert, Tristan Do, Blaine Stites and Matt Stites. Now, remember a debate is not a bar-room brawl, but about intelligence and insight; it’s about brains not about brawn. Raise your hand if you think Seth, Faith, Jayson and Abby will win. Now, raise your hands if you think Reiter, Tristan, Blaine and Matt will win. I thought the same think, too.

          Now, why do we have debates at Trinity Junior High? Is it to confuse our students so they don’t know what’s right and wrong? Is it to undermine the values their parents teach at them at home and make them even more rebellious? Is it to teach our students to reject authority and embrace anarchy? Is it to make you lose your Catholic faith? No, of course not. Rather, it’s to teach you to think. And a sign of a serious student is to know not only what YOU think, but also what OTHERS think; and even to respect their opinion even as you disagree. Unfortunately, the recent presidential debates demonstrated the exact opposite: disagreement with great disrespect. The Buddhist say: “My enemy, my teacher.” My enemy can teach me not only what they think but also help me to cherish more my own opinions.   

          In the gospel today, Jesus invites his apostles to learn the ways of their enemies, to get inside their heads, like you do in a debate. He says: “See that you are not deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them!” In other works, do not blindly believe everything that everyone says; do not be deceived. Rather, think critically and ask WHY people say and act in a certain way; learn from your enemy. Your enemy may teach you that “That guy is crazy, don’t follow him.” Or “She has a lot of hurt in her heart, she’s just venting.” But first you must understand your enemy, you must learn from him.   

          One of the brightest brains in the Catholic Church was St. Thomas Aquinas (some think he was the smartest ever). In his opus magnus called Summa Theologica (summary of theology), he would list the top three opposing arguments before he stated his own opinion. He basically said: “Here are all the reasons why I may be wrong,” before he said why he was right. He gave the devil his due. That kind of deference and respect made St. Thomas’ own opinions irresistible and irrefutable.   

          Boys and girls, in junior high school you’re beginning to form your own opinions and ideas about the world, about people, and especially about yourself. The great question that haunts you in your sleep: “Who am I??” But before you believe what anyone says or reject them, listen and learn from them, especially if they look like your enemy. Sometimes, your parents can look like an enemy, sometimes Coach Meares and Coach Yarbrough look like your enemy, sometimes Dr. Hollenbeck and Fr. John look like your enemies. Or, even the Catholic Church feels like a foe. But before you turn your back on them, do what St. Thomas did: list the three reasons you may be wrong and your enemy may be right. Let your enemy be your teacher. If you can learn from your enemy, you’ll not only be very smart; you’ll also be very wise.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

The Amazing Race

Seeing all people as extraordinary and amazing

Lk. 23:35-43 

           The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”  Even the soldiers jeered at him.  As they approached to offer him wine they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”  Above him there was an inscription that read, “This is the King of the Jews.” Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”          

 

          People are amazing.  And I’ve met some pretty amazing people in just three years here at Immaculate Conception.  I’ve learned that what makes someone amazing is that they see things differently, and they see things that other people cannot see.  For instance, Eileen Teagle can see things I cannot see.  When I first arrived here as pastor, I wanted to arrange the furniture and pictures in my office, and I personally would have just shoved everything up against the walls and hung the pictures close to the ceiling.  But someone suggest Eileen would have a better idea, and she did, making my office warm and welcoming – and heck now I never leave my office!  Eileen sees things that others miss. 

          Another extraordinary individual is Ben Keating.  He plays the trumpet so well that he’s applying to the prestigious music school in New York City called “The Julliard School of Music.”  Ben doesn’t just see music as notes on a page, but music for him is alive and sensual and it dances and it laughs.  On the other hand, the only thing I can play is the radio.  Have you ever heard of Zane Chunn?  He has won virtually every award both nationally and internationally for cowboy mounted shooting.  He rides a horse and simultaneously shoots pistols and rifles at targets and he does it in lightning speed.  And by the way, Zane is only 19 years old.  Zane sees what other riders miss, they literally miss it!   

          Can I brag for a moment on Russ Bragg (pun intended)?  Lots of men love to grill steaks and burgers and hot dogs.  But I don’t know anyone who has a smoker like Russ does: his smoker is about the size of the north entry of the church!  Russ sees cooking differently from other men: he sees it as a service to others.  Last week I talked with Lawson Hembree and asked him to make a donation to Trinity Junior High because his children attended that school.  He explained that his family would likely help, but first he wanted to teach his children the importance of philanthropy.  He’s worried that the next generation, the so-called “Centennials” (that’s what they’re calling the generation that’s following the Millennials), don’t appreciate the need to give to charitable causes.  Lawson sees money differently, not just as a right for me but as a responsibility to you.  Amazing people see the world differently from the rest of humanity. 

          In the gospel we meet another amazing man, the Good Thief, who was crucified alongside of Jesus.  He, too, sees what others miss.  According to Church tradition he is often referred to as St. Dismas. What is amazing about Dismas is his ability to see who Jesus really was, namely, a king.  As he hangs on the cross on Jesus’ right side, he says to our Lord: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  He saw Jesus entering his own kingdom like a conquering hero on a white horse, and St. Dismas wanted to be part of that parade.  But just like Eileen and Zane and Ben and Russ and Lawson, Dismas sees what others missed.  The rulers didn’t see Jesus kingship; the soldiers just jeered at him; even the other thief only mocked Jesus asking for a miracle.  You see, St. Dismas was given the gift of faith and he saw that, what to all the world looked like a common criminal, was really the King of kings about to enter his glory. 

          But I believe that faith not only helps us to see who Jesus really is – a king – but it also helps us to see who each other really is – a child of God.  I don’t know if you watched the presidential debates.  Most of it was pretty pathetic and puerile. But there was one brilliantly beautiful and blissful break.  At the end of the second debate, a spectator asked both candidates: “Would either of you name one positive thing that you respect in one another?”  Everyone in the audience exploded into applause (so they had to say something nice).  Hillary answered that she respected Trump’s children and obviously their own success says a lot about Trump himself.  For his part, Trump said, “She doesn’t quit.  She doesn’t give up. I respect that.”  What a wonderful question that was!  The spectator was really asking: can you see each other with the eyes of faith?  Can you see anything good in each other?  Can you see each other as children of God?  And for a fleeting second (it was just a second), they could see each other as a child of God, like St. Dismas could see Jesus as the Son of God.  Amazing people see things that others miss. 

          My friends, people are amazing.  And I’m not only referring to Eileen and Zane and Russ and Lawson.  But I mean everyone on earth, and each person without exception.  And if you’re having trouble seeing that, then I suggest you ask God for more faith.  Why?  Because faith helps you not only to know who God is, but it also helps you to know who man is.  Faith shows you that all people are amazing.  So, let me ask you: is there anyone that you think that is not amazing?  Do you think your former boss who fired you is not amazing?  Do you think your ex-spouse who divorced you is not amazing?  Do you think your elderly mother who blames everything on you is not amazing?  Do you think Donald Trumps is not amazing?  Do you think Hillary Clinton is not amazing?  Do you think I am not amazing?? (Don’t answer that last question.)  Yes, people are crazy and selfish and wicked and lazy and sinful.  But they are still a child of God, and Jesus still suffered and died on the Cross for each of them, too.  Jesus thinks each one of those people is pretty amazing, amazing enough to die for. 

          Have you ever watched that reality television show called “The Amazing Race”?  I’m not a fan of reality TV shows, but this one intrigues me because it’s not just a race to see who completes all the challenges and comes in first.  It also introduces the contestants to the world’s cultures and peoples, and by extension, introduces the television audience (you and me) to others cultures and languages and customs.  When I think of the title of that show, “The Amazing Race,” I don’t just think about a trek across the world, but I also think about a trek across humanity.  In other words, the most “amazing race” is really “the human race.” And with a little more faith, you could see that. 

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Hair in Heaven

Living on earth by the standards of heaven

Revelation 10:8-11  

          I, John, heard a voice from heaven speak to me. Then the voice spoke to me and said: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went up to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. He said to me, “Take and swallow it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.” I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and swallowed it. In my mouth it was like sweet honey, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Then someone said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”   

          Boys and girls, I have some important questions for you today, so put on your thinking caps! But first I want to tell you one question that people often ask me. They ask: “Fr. John, how old will people be in heaven?” Do you know how old you will be in heaven? Let’s do a quick survey. Raise your hand if you think you will be ten years old in heaven. Now, everyone knows that Mrs. B is 39 years old, so raise your hand if you think you’ll be as old as Mrs. B in heaven, that is, 39. Well, do you know what the best answer I’ve heard to that question? St. Thomas Aquinas said we will be 33 years old because that’s how old Jesus was when he went to heaven. My point is that our age on earth and our age in heaven will be different. That’s good news for us old guys!   

          Now, let me ask YOU some questions about heaven. Will there by Americans in heaven? YES! But it won’t really matter if you’re an American, and we won’t do the Pledge of Allegiance in heaven. Will there be Mexicans in heaven? YES, but it won’t matter if you speak English or Spanish. Will there be Cubs fans in heaven? YES, but there will not be any goats in heaven, so relax. Will there by Razorback fans in heaven? YES, that’s why it’s called “Hog Heaven,” but no one will need to call the hogs there. Will there by Republicans in heaven? YES, sorry Democrats. Will there be Democrats in heaven? YES! Sorry, Republicans. All these people will all be there, but it won’t matter if they are Mexicans or Republicans or Razorbacks. They will all love Jesus and they will all love each other, and they will all be 33 years old.

          In the first reading from Revelation, which Fifi Coleman read so nicely, it said: “Keep on telling what will happen to the people of many nations, races, and languages and also to kings.” What St. John means is tell people what heaven will be like and how they will love each other in heaven, so they can love like that on earth. You see, thinking about heaven helps us to know how we should live on earth. We have studied the “seven habits” here in school. Does anyone know what the second habit is? It states: “Begin with the end in mind.” That’s what St. John was saying, too: the end is heaven, so start thinking about heaven and that will help you know how to behave on earth.

          Boys and girls, I want you to measure your earthly behavior be heavenly standards, how things will be in heaven. For example, I’ve got a bald spot on my head. Have you noticed that? But I don’t worry about it. Do you know why I don’t care about that? Because I will have tons of hair when I get to heaven! Like I did when I was 33 years old. I’m trying to let how things will be in heaven guide how I behave on earth. Here’s another example. After the election some people said mean and hurtful things about people from Mexico. Will people talk like that in heaven about each other? No, of course not. So, we shouldn’t talk like that on earth, either. Boys and girls, one reason I love this school so much is that we’re trying to teach you that heavenly standard to live by. I’m so proud of Mrs. B and the teachers and staff who try to model that.

          How old will you be in heaven? Will you call the Hogs in heaven? Will Fr. John have hair in heaven? Think about these questions, and try to live your life by the answers.   

          Praised be Jesus Christ!