Natives and Newcomers

Clinging to Christ the true Vine

05/05/2021

John 15:1-8 Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

Have you ever heard the adage: “immigrants know the country better than the natives do”? That means people who grow up somewhere (natives) can easily take their home for granted, but those who move into a new area (immigrants), find it fascinating and love to explore it. Many of you go on vacation as far away from Fort Smith as possible. But I have only lived in Fort Smith for seven years and feel like an immigrant to this city. I love “staycations.” My vacation starts when everyone else leaves Fort Smith. I finally enjoy peace and quiet. I have learned a lot of history about Fort Smith and sometimes I even teach it to people who grew up here.

For instance, did you know that the famous (or infamous) Judge Isaac Parker was a Catholic? He is sometimes known as “the hanging judge” because he strictly followed the law requiring serious crimes to be punished by hanging. But he was also married to a beautiful Irish Catholic lady named Mary O’Toole, who prayed daily that her husband (who wasn’t originally Catholic) would become Catholic. Finally, as he lay on his deathbed, Judge Parker whispered: “Mary, call the priest!”

Mary Parker ran down Garrison Ave to Immaculate Conception Church and told Fr. Lawrence Smyth to come quickly. Fr. Smyth grabbed his holy oils and gave the Hanging Judge the saving sacraments of the Church so that he would meet a more merciful Judge after he died. The obituary read: “The funeral took place at 2 o’clock. Services were conducted at his late residence by Rev. Lawrence Smyth, pastor of the church of the Immaculate Conception.” Immigrants know the country better than the natives.

This saying also helps us understand Jesus’ teaching about the vine and the branches in the gospel of John. Our Lord warns: “[My Father] takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.” In other words, sometimes when we are born as “cradle Catholics” we take our graces for granted. We think it is no big deal to be united to Jesus in the sacraments like a branch bonded to the Vine. As a result of taking our graces for granted, we lose them and are cut off from Christ, as the Lord predicted.

But an immigrant to the faith, like Judge Isaac Parker, cherishes his newfound religion and clings closely to Christ, and bears much fruit, namely, the fruit of his example that echoes down the years, until it echoes in this homily for you and me to hear. Sadly, many Catholics are taking their native faith for granted and wandering off to far away faiths. They do not bear fruit because of their bad example, and are cut off from Christ. But fortunately, a new crop of Catholics is grafted on to the true Vine of Christ every Easter, those who become Catholics as adults. Their joy and excitement energizes the Church as they cling mightily to Christ. Immigrants know and love the country better than the natives do.

Today we want to congratulate one of our Trinity students who recently became an American citizen, Ngan Pham. Ngan is a wonderful example of this old adage. How so? Well, because I bet she cherishes the profound privilege of being an American citizen far more than many Americans who were born citizens. Ngan's family worked, suffered and sacrificed to come to this country and do not take it for granted for one second. I suspect Ngan really pays attention in Mr. Jones or Mr. Bruce’s U.S. history class and knows fun facts like I knew about Judge Isaac Parker being Catholic. An immigrant knows the country better than the natives do.

Boys and girls, I believe this same principle applies to the experiences of Catholic school here at Trinity Junior High. This year we will graduate both 8th and 9th graders because next year we will no longer have 9th grade. Will you miss Catholic schools or are you ready to get the heck out of Dodge? I was sharing with the Trinity teachers how sad I feel to lose 9th grade. To be sure we have great public schools in Fort Smith, but they are not the same as Catholic schools.

They do not have weekly Mass, no prayer before class, no uniforms, no crucifixes in the classrooms, no Advent or Lenten confessions, no May crowning of Mary, no Stations of the Cross at Lent, no religion classes, no reciting the rosary, no annual retreat with Bryan Charlton singing “Bless us o Lord” to the theme song of Gilligan’s Island, “Bless us o Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive: toot, toot!” If you have gone to Catholic schools all your life, you may be ready to leave and shake the dust from your Birkenstocks as you depart. Why? Because immigrants know and love the country better than the natives do.

Praised be Jesus Christ!